Barack Obama Campaign Should Provide Free Lawn Signs
I have never paid for a political lawn sign. I never will. And I love politics.
Having been involved with political campaigns since 1982 I never have even known of a candidate that charged for a lawn sign. It seemed to run counter to the whole idea of trying to get a candidate’s message out in a grassroots manner. The fact that the Barack Obama campaign is charging from $5 to $8 for a lawn sign is yet another indicator that the political process is less about message at times, and more about money.
Granted, the Obama lawn signs are well made and I suspect the quality will let them endure past the time he is inaugurated in January. (Sad to say, some never know when to take the signs down.) But there is this old fashioned idea that I want to cling to of going ‘down to headquarters’ and getting a free sign, and then proudly putting it in my yard. Even back in the days when I was younger and renting I was known to plant a sign on the apartment property, and Madison being Madison, never was called about the placement.
At a time when I am flooded by commercial after commercial on TV that are the result of multi-million dollar ad buys, am I to believe that the campaign is so cash strapped that a lawn sign has to be paid for? No way.
Four years ago my once very conservative dad from the World War II generation who had faithfully voted for every GOP candidate who had been nominated switched parties, and started voting Democratic. Dad and I were no longer political strangers, and as such he wanted lawn signs to show how upset he was with the direction the country was heading. He had never placed lawn signs for anyone during all the decades I was alive, so I was more than pleased to get him the three he wanted for the various offices up for election.
I still recall the Sunday in 2004 I took them back home to Waushara County. Dad placed those signs with the same precision that one plants a tree. How it would look, and where it best could be seen by cars coming in both directions were of top concern to him. He cared for the signs by taking them in when it rained, and placing them out again when the sun shined.
As a result of those signs my dad was able to talk with other voters about why he had changed parties, and he was able to educate some about the state of the nation.
I suspect a local voter hearing my dad’s concerns about the world was more effective than if that same person had been subjected to another political ad on TV. Those conversations were the result of free political yard signs.
Political signs matter in neighborhoods, and there is more than enough money in most campaign coffers to supply free ones to the proud supporters of a candidate.
The Barack Obama campaign needs to change this political sign policy now.
Technorati Tags: BarackObama, Election08, Lawnsigns
In Chicago anyone and anything can vote, your dead cat, a cousin living in Albania, your 4 speed blender and yes even a yard sign!!!!
Having been a candidate and worked in many campaigns, I know there is an endless debate about the value of yard signs.
Candidates hate having to pay for them and then get them delivered, knowing they will blow away, be stolen, ripped up, and so forth. The expense and logistics are a problem.
I was involved in a recent campaign and can personally attest to the signs in that campaign costing $4 each to print, plus another 50 cents-$1 for the metal cage.
Then there were assembly and delivery hurdles, and, inevitably, repeat calls from supportsers who wanted another one.
I think asking for a donation is fair and understandable. You wouldn’t expect a free t-shirt, would you?
It’s also my understanding that the Obama campaign is encouraging people to make their own.
The cliche is that yard signs don’t vote.
At least Obama signs are only $8. McCain is charging $35.
Door County conservative? You have got to be kidding. I almost had to top going up there because it’s so damn liberal. I can’t believe what has happened to that beautiful part of the state the last 15 years or so….just sad.
Don’t worry about signs in your yard. You have kids singing about what Barack Obama “Your Savior” will do as President and high schoolers in Missouri doing this:
http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/10/06/middle-school-teacher-suspended-obama-frat-spat/
Can anyone say “False Prophets” or “Cult of Personality”??!!!
Reason Number 562 why I will take McCain-Palin over this any day!!!!
I wonder how soon before you get a comment on your blog about how “lawn signs don’t vote”?
Repetitive negative commercials do vote?
BTW, about the above comment, lawn signs for Fair Wisconsin or Obama in a conservative city like Wausau or Green Bay or Door County means someone with guts has marked their territory when it might not be popular in their town, and it’s more eco-friendly than pissing around the parameters.
Don’t worry I have the world’s oldest hippie in my neighborhood buzzing around in his VW bus with faded Dukakis and Kerry-Edwards ’04 stickers on his bumper. Probably has a 25 year old bag of pot inside the van as well..
Peace on dudes!!!!
I wonder if McCain charges. At least the Nader people don’t.
One of the block captains on the Isthmus is selling them for five bucks, but not giving them away. As a college student I had hoped to get one but will not buy one.
let’s see, they’re taking in almost half a billion dollars, but the rumour is if you want an Obama lawn sign, you have to contribute $8 at the local headquarters?
that’s the same effin’ mistake Fair Wisconsin made last cycle. instead of being ecstatic that people would want a lawn sign, and maybe make people wake up and see that people in lacrosse and green bay would vote no, they didn’t have them available out state, and when they did, they wanted 5 bucks.
when my neice in green bay went to get some, all they had were the religious ones. but, we have to play the same stoopid commercial 2,000 times, because you know, that’s more effective that grassroots based campaigning like knocking on doors and lawn signs in the neighborhood