Not since Simon & Garfunkel first hit the music charts in 1965 will “The Sounds of Silence” be so sweet as on Wednesday, Nov. 3. That”™s the day after the elections and all the negative TV and radio ads disappear into campaign history. It will be safe to watch programs again without the protection of a DVR or Tivo.
Most of us think there are more negative ads this year than ever, but we aren”™t buying what they”™re selling, says Rasmussen Reports. Very few of us say negative ads are swaying our votes. On the other hand, 86 percent say the negative ads either make us want to vote for the other candidate, or that the ads carry no weight at all on our votes.
So, what is going to help us make a decision before Nov. 2? Conventional wisdom, confirmed by the polls, says that many of us have not yet made up our minds, even this close to the election:
Just over 20 percent of voters said they either hadn”™t made up their minds about the governor”™s race in Connecticut, or they may change their minds by Election Day (Quinnipiac University Connecticut Poll, Oct. 15).
Twenty-one percent of respondents to the QPoll also said they do not yet know enough about Tom Foley or Dan Malloy to make up their voting minds.
If negative ads aren”™t providing real information about the candidates, where are we going to get it?
Wouldn”™t it be great if the candidates answered real questions, such as, “How do you propose to close Connecticut”™s budget deficit?” Or, “What will you do to help reduce the costs of doing business in the state?”
Would answers to questions like those help you make a decision? The good news is, you can still find out about the candidates and where they stand on the issues that confront us now and will continue to impact our lives and our state.
At CBIA”™s Election 2010 website is a lengthy Q&A with gubernatorial candidates Foley and Malloy. They take their time to answer questions, such as those above, on things that mean something to Connecticut businesses. Also on that website, more than 115 legislative candidates answered a survey on similar economic-impact questions.
And maybe it”™s because of the volatile election year, but it seems like more candidates are doing more to be seen and heard by voters. Candidates are still making personal appearances throughout the state or districts, answering one-on-one the things we want to know about. For example, last week more than 40 state legislative candidates visited several Connecticut businesses during “Business Meets Politics Week” to meet with employees and in some cases, get tours of the companies.
One barrier many voters face in state legislative contests is simply knowing who their local candidates are. Connecticut has a confusing zigzag (sometimes crisscrossing) web of legislative districts. CBIA”™s Election 2010 website has a ZIP+4 search engine that can help voters find out exactly who their legislative candidates are.
It”™s time to focus ”“ because what”™s at stake is who will be elected to lead Connecticut out of a very difficult budget crisis and into an economic recovery. It”™s clear Connecticut needs a change in policy direction. The question is who will provide it.
Be sure to vote on Tuesday, Nov. 2. Polls open at 6 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. Then enjoy the “sounds of silence.”
For election results and analysis, visit cbia.com/election.
Joseph F. Brennan is senior vice president of public policy at the Connecticut Business & Industry Association. Reach him at Joe.Brennan@cbia.com.
