In politics, I’m not even sure that one negative makes a positive. And I believe the average voter would agree with me.

With less than 72 hours before those of us involved in the Manchester election process drag ourselves out from under our warm, cozy blankets to venture out for a very long day at the polls, this is the time that things start to get nasty. And I’m not talking about the weather.

In the days leading up to Election Day, there’s the inevitable signing that you see along the roadsides, the people standing on corners holding signs for their favorite candidates, and then there’s the literature. Oh, the literature…..the endless literature. I must get 5-10 pieces a day. In some wards, you may have actually had candidates come to your door to talk to you and ask what your concerns are – what a concept! These are the kinds of things that we’re all used to and have just accepted as part of the election process.

What has also become part of the process is an unfortunate one - it’s the negative attacks that have erupted. As much as I love a spirited campaign battle, I abhor that the political process has been dragged that low. I’m tired of it and from the feedback I heard throughout my ward these past couple of days, the voters are tired of it. No wonder so few people even bother to come out and vote.

The Manchester Democrats more than anyone else seem to be the party responsible for this disgusting mud-slinging. Postcards attacking the Democrat’s opponents arrived in voters’ mailboxes on Friday and Saturday – postcards that contain everything from the least flattering distorted photos to down right lies and misrepresentations.

In one instance, a particular Republican candidate was quoted to have said certain things. In reality, the candidate had said something similar, but by changing the context or omitting words, the Manchester Democrats were able to make things sound far different than reality. To help you understand better….say a candidate had three beautiful young daughters and he was quoted as saying “I love my little girls.” Using the Manchester Democrats’ version, it would instead read, “I love little girls.” The first statement is harmless; the second has a completely different connotation. There are two words that spring to my mind in a situation like this: libel and slander.

slander: a malicious, false, and defamatory statement or report

libel: to misrepresent damagingly

I’m by no means a lawyer, so I’m not sure which it would be, libel or slander, but I’m pretty confident it is one of them.

As far as signs go, I am a stickler about signs. I hate to see anyone damage or steal another candidate’s signs….even the candidate I am working to defeat. The law is clear on this subject – you can’t tamper with anyone else’s signs. Yet, time and time again, signs get stolen or damaged. Sometimes Mother Nature takes her toll on them and the damage is beyond anyone’s control. What boggles the mind is why Mother Nature seems to have it out for only the Republican candidate’s signs. The wind always seems to blow only the Republican signs off of their wires. Even when there is a Donovan sign right next to a Guinta sign, only the wind affects the Guinta sign. How strange is that?

Then there is my latest sign peeve. The Democrats now have started “sandwiching” the Republicans signs. What happens is one candidate puts his signs out, and the Democrats come by and put one of their candidate’s signs maybe an inch or two away from each side of the original sign – creating a sandwich where the original sign is no longer readable. Technically they have not tampered with the original sign, so technically they are not breaking the law. That doesn’t make it right; in fact it’s a pretty juvenile practice if you ask me.

I guess I have come to the conclusion that the Democrats just must not have confidence in their own candidates. If they did, they could just tout the accolades of their candidates and voters would clearly choose them on Election Day. Right? Instead, they resort to these negative antics in hope of causing damage to their more worthy opponents. If the Republicans are so beatable on the issues, then why not just stick to the issues and win fair and square? I have no problem with pointing out the differences as far as voting records, attendance records, or policies that an opponent supports. I do have a problem with negative personal attacks. If the only way I could win an election was to print lies and innuendos about my opponent, then I don’t think I would feel very good about winning. I would want to win because I was the better candidate and was better able to convince the voters that my policies are best for the community.

On Tuesday, I hope that the voters in Manchester see through the negativity spewed about by the Democrats and vote for quality candidates that have run clean campaigns based on the issues that are most important to the residents of our city. Presuming they do, I’ll be at the biggest victory party in town.