I’m doing everything I can this year to keep track of all the congressional campaigns that are starting to move in preparation for next year’s election. The Congress in power right now has proven itself to be terribly corrupt, petty, and beholden to corporate lobbyists and extremists on the far right who are trying to wage a “culture war” against the rest of America (why not just drop the word “culture” and declare war, wing nuts?). Typically, American voters are lazy when it comes to paying attention to Congress, although the Congress as a whole has a power equal to the presidency. (Check out Politics1 for a good source on the congressional races in your neck of the woods.)
So, I was glad to hear that a fellow named Steve Young has decided to run as a Democrat in the special election being held this December in California’s 48th congressional district. The winner of this election gets to represent Orange County in the United States House of Representatives.
But, as strong a supporter of electoral politics as I am, I couldn’t help but stifle a giggle when I visited the Steve Young campaign web site this morning to find a really silly and gratuitous use of new Internet technology.
About ten seconds after I visited the front page, a moving, talking image of Steve Young popped up in the lower left-hand corner of my screen, like a pixelated sock puppet. Well, isn’t that cute? I learned, by seeing this unexpected movie, that Steve Young really likes to watch himself smile.
What else did I learn? Well, the movie of Mr. Young asked that I please visit his web site to find out more. Chipper Mr. Young even told me the name of the web site: SteveYoungforCongress.com.
That’s really, really swell, but… I already was at the web site, see, and that’s how come I got to see his movie, see, and I already knew the address of the web site, see, ’cause I was already at the web site, see.
You know, I appreciate it that the Internet is, for the most part, a quiet experience. I like to read in peace and quiet, and it kind of irritates me when someone thinks I’ll enjoy it if he pops his head up and starts blabbering to me. On the other hand, this new technology is bright and shiny, my precious.
In the interest of fairness, people ought to know that there are other Democrats running for the nomination for this seat in Congress. There’s Bea Foster, who’s a teacher who does not currently have a campaign web site. And then there’s John Graham, a college professor with a web site that does not babble at visitors. Tom Pallow is also running for the Democratic nomination. He’s a marketing consultant. There’s also Béa Tiritilli, who is running as a Green, and seems very nice.
The Democratic primary to choose a nominee for this special election will be held on October 4, and I’ll be waiting eagerly to see how it turns out. Will silence win out over gratuitous babbling technology? Stay tuned…
