OBNOXIOUS LAWN SIGNS

The robo-calls have trailed off.  There were only six all day Sunday and, just as I was writing this sentence, I received a call from an Obama volunteer.  She was delighted to hear my family had voted for the President. 

Watching any live TV is, of course, out of the question.  Too many political ads and the ones from what I like to call the wrong side have gotten even nastier.

I don't plan on watching any election coverage tomorrow night.  With the Ohio Republicans continuing their efforts to suppress the vote and with the closeness of many races, I don't think we'll have a clear winner for a number of days.

But this impromptu post is about the weeds of the election: the lawn signs.

In recent weeks, I've taken some out-of-the-way routes as I did errands.  I did this to see if the lawn signs could tell me anything.  They didn't, but I do have some observations based on my driving around Medina.  Personal observations.  No one should read too much into them.

Romney/Ryan signs outnumber Obama/Biden signs.  Not surprising in a traditionally Republican city that has also been infected by the Tea Party.  Still, the gap isn't as wide as I would have thought.

Digression.  Just got a real annoying robo-survey call.  I hung up and it rang again, picking up where it had left off.  I hung up and it rang again, same call, again picking up from where it left off.  Apparently, hanging up three times is the charm.  End of digression.

Four kinds of lawn signs annoy me. 

One. Signs that call President Obama a communist or a socialist...or imply he isn't an American.  That's crazy Tea Party talk and those who display such signs should be ashamed. I haven't seen a single sign in Medina making equivalent insults at Romney.

Two. Obnoxiously large lawn signs.  There are six candidates using these, albeit not exclusively.  Four are Republicans, two are Democrats.

The worst sign of this type was for Congressman Jim Renacci, a particularly slimy Republican running for re-election in a new district he helped draw.  That's just wrong.

Renacci is also notorious for trying to dodge paying his full taxes.  He really is one of those millionaires who wants to cut his own taxes while raising taxes on the middle class.  He would be the slimiest of the state candidates if it weren't for serial liar Josh Mandel, who has earned more "Pants on Fire" ratings from Politic-Fact that any other candidate...and that's only one of Mandel's many sins.  But I digress.

Three. Multiple signs. There's one house around the corner whose front lawn is less than a third the size of ours.  This homeowner has covered his/her front lawn with over a dozen Republican signs.  It's his/her right, but it's an eyesore.

I think signs should be of a reasonable size and not overwhelm one's front lawn by their numbers.  By all means, support your candidates.  Just don't be a dick about it.

Four. Signs that linger on for days and weeks and even months after an election.  I take my signs down as soon as the polls close.  Which I think is the neighborly thing to do.  Especially if you placed a sign on some bit of public or unused land. 

Win or lose, the election's over.  Your sign isn't going to do your candidates any further good.  If you think there's something shady about the election, there are better ways to move forward.

That's all I have to say today.  Look for some short non-political posts over the next few days.