• by Masha Geller , November 5, 2002

I hate to harp on the same subject two days in a row, but yesterday’s missive about email's role in the political process ruffled quite a few reader feathers and deserves a follow-up just to clear the air.

For the record, I purposely tried to stay neutral in delivering the research results yesterday, but that does not mean I – as a consumer - agree with the experts quoted in the study. I do think that email for political purposes is a recipe for disaster.

Why? Here’s what’s been happening to me in the last few weeks. Wake up to an alarm radio set to am AM news station, which is blaring a mudslinging spot for local candidate A. Turn on one of the cable news stations only to see a mudslinging ad for local candidate B. Drive to work, accompanied by three spots for a senatorial candidate from a different state, which don’t bother me as much as they should, possibly because my possessed brain translates broadcast spots into revenue for the stations. Work in peace all day, consciously ignoring news sites, before driving home to more of the same broadcast mudslinging, and a mailbox full of “Vote for Me!” postcards.

Add to that a rather frightening sighting of a certain congressman running for re-election, handing out leaflets at the local garbage dump, a call from a very sweet “volunteer” at 11:43 p.m. on the eve of election day reminding me to vote, and – the best one of all – the wind picking up and carrying one of those small posters on thin metal legs that candidates have planted around town straight into my windshield.

Talk about media saturation – we’ve got radio, television, outdoor, newspapers, magazines, direct mail and guerilla marketing… at least. If email is ever added to the list of media vehicles politicians use to get their message out - read: spam their constituents - I will never vote again.