To the editor:
"If it's too good to be true, it probably isn't." You've heard this expression right? I think the reverse is true in politics. If it is too bad to be true, it probably isn't. Recently, Scott Brown and Elizabeth Warren called a truce to prevent third-party political action committees (PACs) from making outlandish attacks on both candidates. This was courageous. It won't stop the ads, but that's actually good for the Massachusetts economy.
So, when you hear an attack ad, just listen and laugh. When you hear an ad that says Scott Brown wants to deprive children of fresh air or that Elizabeth supports radical left-wingers, just listen. When the ad is finished, remember to just laugh. Laugh because these are exaggerated attempts to get your attention.
In the movie "Jaws," this tactic was described in another way by the character Mayor Vaughn to Sheriff Martin Brody.
Mayor Vaughn: "Martin, it's all psychological. You yell barracuda, everybody says, 'Huh? What?' You yell shark, we've got a panic on our hands on the Fourth of July."
As November approaches, get ready for more people yelling shark! As an alternative, try to meet a candidate or watch some YouTube video of one. Make your decisions based on facts. Oh, those pesky facts! Let's not forget them! If your left-leaning friends are telling you how bad Scott Brown is, or your right-wing friends say that Elizabeth Warren is a "moon bat," take a look at Politifact. http://www.politifact.com/. On this site, you will find plenty of gaffs by all the candidates, and even our president.
Talk to some real people, too! If you think Obama's health care bill is bad, speak with someone with a pre-existing condition or talk to a hospital administrator. I did. I found out Boston hospitals used to get gigantic checks from the government for uninsured patients. This is exactly the kind of deficit spending Republicans were against this summer when there was a stand-off with President Obama. Remember? Those checks don't come anymore because more people have insurance.
Do you think Scott Brown's support of financial credit card reform was bad? Talk to someone buried in credit card debt because they couldn't pay a medical bill or their mortgage. Someone who started with a 7 percent interest rate and is now paying 29 percent!
Here's how these third-party PAC ads help. PACs purchase airtime from our local televisions stations and hire local consultants and production companies. That money employs local people, buys groceries, braces and newspapers. These stations support local charities like the United Way and Salvation Army. So, you see, it's not all bad. You just need to remember to listen and laugh and go after the truth. There are plenty of barracudas, but, in reality, fewer sharks!
Rob Matthews
Newburyport
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