he Issue
As an increasingly tense election season looms, candidates have already begun smearing their opponents with vulgar and offensive campaign advertisements. Politicians and pundits of all corners of the political spectrum have asked you to bring some civility back to politics.
The Debate
''Whatever happened to the good old days?'' cries MP Ivan Ruff, who saw an ebb of support along with a slew of negative ads targeting his large nose. ''Politicians used to be elected based on merit, but now the election process has turned into such a sham! One single ad-hominem attack is all it takes to tarnish an honorable politician's career. Not to be nosy, but the government should step in and prevent the media from advertising attack ads and political campaigns from producing them. I can hear the complaints now: 'blah blah free speech, blah blah censorship', but if that's the price to pay to restore honour to politics, then so be it."
''If you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen,'' vents political strategist @@RANDOMNAME@@, who was the mastermind behind your most recent election victory. ''Perhaps the reason the MP lost support was not because of negative campaigning, but rather poor policies and performance. Attack adverts are as old as politics itself and are no more rampant or influential today than than they've ever been - leave them be. I've even taken the liberty of producing a smear campaign for you to use regarding your main opponent being an East Lebatuckese spy who is also part of an illegal organ harvesting cult.''
''Have you ever thought that maybe there's a good reason @@NAME@@ is gripped by the magic of attack ads?'' questions sleazy television executive @@RANDOMNAME@@. ''We love filth! We love drama! These issues like 'climate change,' 'corruption,' 'deteriorating relations with Maxtopia,' they're real downers and will they ever REALLY be solved? Surely @@DEMONYMPLURAL@@ agree - politics is a spectacle and a blood sport, and one that needs to be drenched in more garbage, not less. We shall make the politics of @@NAME@@ the greatest reality show in @@REGION@@! Heck, we can even use that Question Period footage that featured the Opposition Leader getting egged and that random MP smashing a chair on the Interior Minister for our opening title!''
Issue by: The Socialist Federal Republic of Czechostan
Editor: Nation of Quebec