Public: Politics: Lies
Elections Lasting Longer Than Four Hours   (+4, -2)  [vote for, against]
Medical style disclaimers on political ads

Whatever your political stripe, it's quite likely that political campaign advertisement, especially the TV ads, drive you crazy.

The US Supreme Court has ruled that money is speech. I don't aim to dispute that.

I notice, however, that my blood pressure goes up in anger every time I hear "tell congress to protect our (fill in the blank).

Since products that affect our health have to be advertised with a complete set of disclaimers, imagine the political ad, presented as a medical ad -- where whatever point of view is promoted requires not equal time -- but a thorough examination of risks.

Tell Congress to vote NO on raising the retirement age. If you are younger than 50, this may result in a substantial loss of benefits by the time you need to retire.

Tell Congress to make China play by the rules of the WTO. This may result in a trade war similar to the one that started WWI

Incredibly, medical products are advertised all the time with a longer list of sideeffects than benefits. So I doubt this would stop campaign ads. But it would make them more entertaining.
-- theircompetitor, Nov 11 2011

You may be suprised to learn that American political parties do not pay to run these ads in other countries.
-- pocmloc, Nov 11 2011


Using money for speech does not make me angry, any more than the speed of light makes me angry. And yes, I do want to raise the retirement age.

If every campaign ad had to be a 30 minute infomercial with some depth to it I think I would be perfectly fine with it. The 30 second ad is problematic, though, it's just not sufficient to the theme.

To me, the irritant is lack of relevant content, not attempt to influence -- that's the right of everyone who has an opinion.

A pretty priceless quote out of Wikipedia, while on topic: //Funding campaigns from the government budget is widespread in South America//
-- theircompetitor, Nov 11 2011


You may also be surprised to learn that the only countries which allow television advertising of prescription drugs are the US and New Zealand. This means that my conception of advertising disclaimers comes solely from advertisements for financial products ("231% typical APR, your home may be at risk..."). Which leads me to wonder why the narrow focus of your idea? Why not specifically disclaim all aspects of all advertising: "drinking this smoothie may not transport you to a wheatfield"; "wearing this deodorant may not make you more attractive to the opposite sex" etc?
-- calum, Nov 11 2011


that might be the way to go. BTW, calum, I've not noticed that elections in any country with public financing produce particularly better politicians. I wonder if someone has done a study on the subject.
-- theircompetitor, Nov 11 2011


On the other hand... drugs that are normally prescription only in your (insert name here) country are available over the counter in India.

India is the source of most antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens.
-- infidel, Nov 12 2011


Like politicians, for instance.
-- RayfordSteele, Nov 12 2011


This is a bit like TV Licencing ideas seen from outside, i.e. highly specific to a limited number of jurisdictions. I just have to float over it with inadequate experience to comment helpfully, which gives me pause due to the fact that ignorance rarely prevents me from contributing elsewhere on here.

However, i wanted to comment on the drug issue. It seems that the problem is restraint and judicious application, and there's a thin line between publicity and promotion. If people as a whole tried to avoid using antibiotics and various other prescription drugs, the problem of resistance would be less serious even if they were available OTC. Applying that to the likes of deadly nightshade, hemlock and the like, which have similar legal status, right now my feeling is that they shouldn't be restricted but the public then needs to inform itself in much more detail about toxicology and pharmacology than it currently does. It also needs to do that autonomously. How to do that? Hmm.
-- nineteenthly, Nov 13 2011


I first read this as "erections lasting longer than four hours"
-- xenzag, Nov 13 2011


//I first read this as "erections lasting longer than four hours"//

so did I
-- DenholmRicshaw, Nov 13 2011



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