NPR Story on Political Ads features Pittsburgh (Butler, Latrobe: health insurance, attorney)

[fleetiebelle]

Voters Say They Want To Know Who Funds Ads : NPR

Turn on a TV just about anywhere in the country right now, and you'll see tough political attack ads. Millions of dollars are being spent on these ads by groups that are organized as nonprofits — and, therefore, do not have to disclose their donors.


In Pittsburgh, for example, many of the attack ads hitting the airwaves are from these noncandidate, nonparty, supposedly nonpolitical groups. It's perfectly legal for them to raise contributions in any amount, keep their donors' anonymity and run hard-hitting ads — like one that attacks Pennsylvania Democratic Senate candidate Joe Sestak.

I have to say that I can't wait until this election cycle is over--the ads seem particularly bad this year.

[bbrian12]

it seems like every other commercial is vote for this, dont vote for that, bla bla bla
most of the voters cant afford groceries or health insurance but these idiots spend millions and millions on this garbage.

[bradjl2009]

The ads are terrible this year and they to be full of more garbage this year than in any other year I can remember. Some of those anti Democrat non candidate ads are just trying to scare the s**t out of the ignorant voter which they usually do but it's bad this year.

[Geeo]

The ads are pretty reprehensible on both sides. Very gutter politics. I see both Dem and Rep ads with distorted messages on the records of each opposing candidate, and I can't believe anyone falls for it. But they do.

The one I find really funny is the ad with the Allegheny County family wondering how they're going to pay their taxes and fretting with the tax forms over the kitchen table. Makes it look like they're income taxes went up, but they would have to be fretting about their liquor bills at the bar, cause that's the only tax that was raised.

[bradjl2009]

Originally Posted by Geeo

The one I find really funny is the ad with the Allegheny County family wondering how they're going to pay their taxes and fretting with the tax forms over the kitchen table. Makes it look like they're income taxes went up, but they would have to be fretting about their liquor bills at the bar, cause that's the only tax that was raised.

Too bad people around of this area have no idea that the drink tax is the tax that is causing "great hardship for Allegheny County families". If a drink tax is causing you hardship and causing you to add up your liquor receipts like the family in his commercial, I'd say it's time to walk to an AA meeting. I am really disturbed by how dirty these ads are. Another reason to just not watch TV especially during the local news.

[fleetiebelle]

One of the Corbett ads has a voice over saying that under Onoroto businesses left the region, but the headline that flashes to illustrate that says "Westinghouse Moves to Cranberry." Granted, Cranberry is in Butler County, but it's still the Pittsburgh region so it's not really a loss. That bugs me.

[rhondee]

Originally Posted by fleetiebelle

One of the Corbett ads has a voice over saying that under Onoroto businesses left the region, but the headline that flashes to illustrate that says "Westinghouse Moves to Cranberry." Granted, Cranberry is in Butler County, but it's still the Pittsburgh region so it's not really a loss. That bugs me.

Yeah Corbetts ads re: Onorato are just false like your example above ^. Plus Onorato stuck by his word not to raise County property tax.
I like Corbett as Attorney General ( and I voted for him) but I don't know if he would be as good a governor as he is Attorney Gen'l.

[jimmyev]

I don't like Onarato because he simply didn't have either the math skills to balance the county's budget without creating new taxes, or the planning skills to increase property values. But the fact that Corbett thinks that businesses leaving the county should even matter when the primary source of revenue for a county is it's residents - whether they work in the county or outside of the county - shows an old-school misconception that disturbs me. You'd think after so many years in government he'd know how it works. According to his theory, Braddock and Clairton should be rolling in the dough. But they're not. So obviously he's kind of on the low-end of the intelligence spectrum.

[AaronPGH]

I don't love Onorato, but Corbett is awful.

[bradjl2009]

Originally Posted by fleetiebelle

One of the Corbett ads has a voice over saying that under Onoroto businesses left the region, but the headline that flashes to illustrate that says "Westinghouse Moves to Cranberry." Granted, Cranberry is in Butler County, but it's still the Pittsburgh region so it's not really a loss. That bugs me.

That ad embarrasses me. It seems like it's out to go after all of us who live in Allegheny County. Feel bad for the idiots not from this area who don't realize that Cranberry is only a few miles outside of Allegheny County, and that Iron City is in Latrobe which is part of the metro area. So I don't consider either a loss since the employees of both could easily commute and buy a new house closer to the new locations of each.