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Are you ready? We are about to be deluged with doublespeak, and I believe the vilest election campaign we have ever witnessed.
Last week, when speaking of the employment situation, the article was captioned something like this: First time claims down, outlook is bright. What is not said? There is a core of unemployment in this country. As we draw down to that core, there are fewer and fewer people who will lose their jobs. It is a downward spiral, and the numbers will naturally decrease.
This is a recent example of providing a fact tempered by a deemed-appropriate amount of doublespeak.
Soon the party lines will begin to fall upon us. Because of the current economic situation, I don't think they will have much to do with daily news or trends. Instead, they will be personal in nature.
More than ever, be careful what you ask for. You may get it. I would never vote for a person who can't stand on his own, or his party's record. Noting how politicians like to boast and take credit (I, my, me, mine), silence along those lines is ominous. I can only interpret the silence as saying, "If you don't have anything good to say, say nothing."
Instead, cast aspersions. You don't have to prove anything. As with jury trials, just raise doubts.
George Koesters
Gainesville