This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Health & Fitness

Are Pinocchio Awards Necessary in Belmont?

Are Pinocchio Awards Necessary in Belmont?

Bombastic bluster and exaggeration in political campaign rhetoric by candidates is evidently directed at some lemming-like followers who ardently support their candidate blindly even if his/her campaign claims are outrageous, questionable or just plain inaccurate. The over-the-top claims are often whoppers that can also be lies if the whopper is intended to deceive the voters and curry favor for the candidate. It's worse if the candidate is unable to discern fact from fiction.

The candidate who stoops to using whoppers as campaign material might be attempting to appeal to the one-issue voters eager to jump on the bandwagon of any candidate with a similar view on that issue, regardless of its negative long-term side effects on our City. But candidates beware, you may be underestimating the intelligence of the electorate and losing votes; e.g., the recent whopper that stated the City Council turned down a $5 million annuity.

The 'Washington Post' may nominate national and international politicians for their annual Pinocchio Award for making statements for their own benefit that are whoppers, but lets eliminate the need for a Belmont Pinocchio Award. We may have little power to prevent the whoppers from Washington, but we certainly do have the power locally — at the ballot box, by not voting for any local candidate who uses whoppers to benefit his/her campaign. 

My recommendation to all the candidates for the elections in November: Don't insult the intelligence of the electorate and rather tell it like it is — simply, factually and honestly.


We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?