Political Campaigning (Tuesday, January 31, 4th period)

[professor-lyman.livejournal.com]

Josh stopped throwing darts at the map of Montana when the campaign class began walking into the room. "Hey guys," he said. "Hope everyone had a chance to write their campaign messages that will no doubt pave the way for candidate victory." He pointed at his inbox. "Or not. Regardless, they're due today. He looked around the class. "Callisto: how many days until Election Day?"

He cleared his throat. "We've covered the broad strokes of campaigning. Today we're gonna talk ethics." He raised an eyebrow. "And yes, before you ask, there are ethics in politics. This is a matter of finding out where you stand. And some people stand a little more in the gray area than others."

He pulled up a piece of paper. "There aren't any right and wrong answers to these. Some of the scenarios I'm giving you fall onto the illegal side of the line, but they aren't anything that haven't been done, and repeatedly, in recent campaigns. It's better to be prepared for what your opponents might be throwing at you than to be surprised later.

"That being said, here are five scenarios that come up all the time in campaigns. Pick one, pick all five. Tell me what you think, how you would react to the situation.

1.You are sitting in a diner. The campaign manager and the communications director from the other campaign are talking strategy. Do you write down what they are saying and use it to counter their plans?

2. There's a dumpster behind their campaign headquarters full of paper. Do you go through it? Do you send someone else to go through it?

3. You have been told that your opponent has had an affair. You have no proof other than rumor. Do you use it? What if you have proof other than rumor?

4. You've been given medical records that show your opponent has a potentially serious medical condition he hasn't disclosed. Do you tell? What if he has a psychological disorder? What if his spouse does?

5. The election is going to be close. It's been shown that a police presence has a chilling effect on your opponent's voter turnout. Do you station people in uniform, who might not even be police, near polling stations? Do you put up pamphlets saying the election date has changed? Do you start rumors that there might be background checks to see if a voter has paid child support payments before they are allowed at the polls?

Comments

Sign in (January 31)

[professor-lyman.livejournal.com]

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Re: Sign in (January 31)

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

Rory signed in.

Re: Sign in (January 31)

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

Parker signed in.

Re: Sign in (January 31)

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

Callisto signed in.

Re: Sign in (January 31)

[notstakedyet.livejournal.com]

Angel signed in.

Re: Sign in (January 31)

[fh_jackass]

Logan signed in.

Re: Sign in (January 31)

[notcalledlizzie.livejournal.com]

Elizabeth signed in.

Re: Sign in (January 31)

[threeweapons.livejournal.com]

Alanna signed in.

General discussion

[professor-lyman.livejournal.com]

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Re: General discussion

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

"274?"

Answering scenario #1

[professor-lyman.livejournal.com]

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Re: Answering scenario #1

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"I don't think I'd necessarily use it to counter them, but I'd definitely listen in," Rory said. "If they're dumb enough to be talking where they can be overheard, doesn't that say something?"

Re: Answering scenario #1

[notstakedyet.livejournal.com]

"Wouldn't have to write it down," Angel said. He was mostly doodling in his notebook. He didn't bother looking up when he talked. "Photographic memory. If I want to recall it, I can."

Re: Answering scenario #1

[fh_jackass]

"If it's in a public area, then yeah, I'd write it down and I'd use it," Logan said. "That's the risk they take."

Re: Answering scenario #1

[notcalledlizzie.livejournal.com]

"I'd listen in, certainly," Elizabeth agreed. "It would depend on the knowledge, obviously, but if it was possible to use it to counter their plans without tipping them off obviously that we knew it, then that would be good."

She paused thoughtfully. "You have to be careful, because if you really screwed up their plans, they could come back and accuse you of being underhanded, and that could backfire on your own campaign."

Re: Answering scenario #1

[threeweapons.livejournal.com]

"I'd definetly listen in. Actually, that's what we're taught to do, as Pages and Squires: evesdrop on the foriegn nobels and then report back what we heard. It's quite fun." She coughed. "Um, yeah. I'd probably take notes in another language or something."

Answering scenario #2

[professor-lyman.livejournal.com]

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Re: Answering scenario #2

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

Rory frowned. "No, I wouldn't. Though, again, people should be intelligent about what they allow others to possibly view. But going through trash also allows for a lot of misinformation. I mean, if they threw it away, it's no longer conclusive."

Re: Answering scenario #2

[notstakedyet.livejournal.com]

"I don't do dumpster diving."

Re: Answering scenario #2

[fh_jackass]

Logan considered this. "Is it illegal? I wouldn't do it myself, but I might send someone. Could be useful information in there."

Answering scenario #3

[professor-lyman.livejournal.com]

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Re: Answering scenario #3

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Without proof, no. With proof... possibly." Parker frowned. "I'd use it against someone running on a 'family values' platform. And if my own candidate can stand the same kind of reverse scrutiny. The hypocrisy is a legitimate issue, and I don't need to sabotage the campaign with an investigation if we can't survive it. Otherwise, I have to admit-- public and private are separate things, except in the eyes of the voters. Not relevant."

Answering scenario #4

[professor-lyman.livejournal.com]

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Re: Answering scenario #4

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

Rory shook her head vehemently. "No. Absolutely not. There might be a very good reason why it's not disclosed, and using someone's health against them is just wrong."

Answering scenario #5

[professor-lyman.livejournal.com]

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Re: Answering scenario #5

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no. Illegal, unethical, wrong, dear god. I don't care how badly you want to get elected, I don't care if your opponent is Ghenghis Khan. If you have to resort to those tactis, you've already lost." Parker shifted. "As tempting as they may be."

After class

[professor-lyman.livejournal.com]

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OOC

[professor-lyman.livejournal.com]

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