"Sign" of the Times

Enough already!!!

Put the sign down and step away from the controversy.

The ABC23 e-mail inbox has been overflowing with charges of conspiracy, theft and destruction.

All involving campaign signs of every shape and size.

Cue the actor running out into the street screaming, "Oh the humanity!!!"

The majority of complaints involve the highly emotional Proposition 8 and how we will define marriage in the state of California's constitution.

**If anyone believes this issue will be resolved on Nov. 5th, you are sadly mistaken.**

I know which way I'm voting on that particular issue and no sign, propped up in somebody's front lawn, is going to change my mind.

It's gotten to the point that I don't look at ANY of the signs anymore.

I know who's running for what, who's pushing what prop and which group is behind them.

Trouble is, most people don't.

And with the potentially highest voter turnout in Kern County election history just over one week away, people are taking their signs and TV ads very seriously.

If you wonder what kind of effect it has on most people, consider the annual reader's poll in the local paper. Every year it seems the same people win the same awards. Is it because they're the absolute best at what they do? Or maybe their advertising campaign is simply the best in town

When filling out the ridiculously long form in the paper (usually just to vote on 1 or 2 of my favorite categories like best steak: Outback Steakhouse) I come across some categories that I've never had to use, or haven't used in years. That's when a jingle or commercial pops into my head for that particular business and I scribble down their name.

That's what most of the groups backing the candidates and issues have always relied on.

Name recognition and the pimping of propositions.

The attack ads aside, it seems like there is a disproportionately higher number of assaults on campaign signs this year.

Bakersfield police however are not reporting a higher than usual number of complaints in this department.

So is it all for the camera's?!

You bet it is.

We run a story about one side of the issue one day and the next, the opposition is banging at the door to the inbox slinging similar charges.

And it's only going to get worse in the upcoming week before the election.

I'm just hoping that someone or something (surveillance camera) will catch one of these campaign sign assassins in the act.

It makes some of the best news video.

The only thing better would be to punish these people by hanging a sign around their neck and making them stand on a street corner for a couple of days.

The sign could read "Political Pawn" or maybe "Campaign Clown".

Now that's a sign most people can really identify with.