Campaign fliers: April 2007

Very similar to the flier Chris Welch used last November to attack Karen Yarbrough in the contest for State Representative -- featuring a "bad woman" who 's pulling one over on the tax payers (Yarborough's alleged crime was poor attendance at the state house)

In both cases -- it's not much of a crime (board members are supposed to attend relevant conferences - and their expenses are paid to do so)

Note also the reference to the poor performance of the school district - with the suggestion that this travelin' woman is responsible for it





I like these photos of the candidates talking with school kids (similar to the ones shown in their
first mailing) -- because they couldn't look more phony/staged.

What are these adults doing talking to kids in the high school anyway? They're not teachers, they're not incumbent board members -- and there's no indication that they've ever volunteered to tutor or counsel in the school.





This 8-page flier is probably the most outrageous one here -- because it's been paid for by the school district itself -- as a kind of district promotional flier -- that just happens to get mailed the week before the election for school board.

What a coincidence !

But then -- who's paying for the other fliers that support the "Proviso First Party" ?
Here it is, one day before the election, and the party has yet to report its campaign contributions -- which will probably turn out to be the political war chests of the current Board President and his political allies -- money collected from those who do business with the district.



Here's one of the fliers from their opposition: smaller, less frequent, and more poorly designed.


And just as misleading !

Since the "Citizens for Better Schools" have political allies who are sponsoring them as well.
(the same Karen Yarbrough who defeated Chris Welch in the election last year)



Here's a small, but detailed flier from a candidate for mayor of Forest Park.
But still -- how much can be said on a flier ?

I asked her -- by email --- to expand on her discussion of village financial history on her website -- which she wrote me she would do --- but, regretfully , she did not.




Here's the flier from the out-going committeeman who lost the mayoral primary in February.

Again -- the flier is heavy with banalities -- and I don't really care whether a candidate has cute Irish children.

He was the best public speaker in the field -- but was soundly beaten by the other two candidates.




Here's one of the many (a dozen ?) large, glossy fliers sent out by the incumbent --
each one serving to remind us of how much money he's collected from people
doing business in Forest Park over the two terms he's been mayor.

There's been a kind of orchestration to this advertising campaign -- and this is one arrived
the weekend before the election -- giving the candidate in the most stately - regal presentation:
HE IS OUR MAYOR



Incumbents get to list their accomplishments -- but that's the problem with the one-sided
arguments found in advertising: the list is phony -- and indeed takes credit for issues (like
fiscal management and eliminating overcrowding) that have been the worst problems of his
administration.

All this professional layout ---

I feel like I'm being sold a new SUV.
(that I cannot afford)


Here's a candidate I never heard of
running for an office I never of --
and all I can discover about either one
is printed on this flier.

Why is this businessman (John O'Sullivan) spending $8000
to design/print/mail a flier
to win a dead-end Proviso township job that has no salary ?






Here's the front and back of the flier from the only winner
in the Forest Park election for whom I voted (Marty Tellalian)

(and it arrived in my mailbox 5 days after the election!)