Politics should bear local stamp


Scott Fenneman, Evansville

Politics should bear local stamp

I write to share a philosophical point of irritation: that local political parties, committees and candidates who espouse economic development and support of local businesses, keep mailing me advertising materials developed, printed and mailed from out of town.

One would think local politicians and party leaders would be more aware of the messages this activity signals to local business owners and workers, voters and all of those who feel the impact of the recession.

I am fortunate to have grown my business through the recession; however, many marketing, advertising, printing and mailing operations in our community have not done so well. I acquired one in distress and communicate with others who are struggling.

My guess is I'm not the only one who notices the USPS mail permit that shows it was sent from Indianapolis or elsewhere.

It prompts the question: "Who in Indianapolis thinks they should tell me to vote or not vote for a Evansville area candidate or proposition?"

Democrats use the excuse they have to have the union bug on their printing.

As there are no union job shops with full-color offset printers in Evansville, they go elsewhere. Is it so hard to imagine than even union supporters would rather see jobs stay in Evansville.

Maybe it's the adage, "An expert has to come from at least 100 miles away." Like other local practitioners, my professional staff have degrees in their field from UE, USI and Purdue. And my craftsmen hail from Chicago and New York with years of experience and skill development.

Our work is applauded by scores of successful local and regional businesses and nonprofits (as is the work of local competitors). I find it hard to believe that we are "not good enough" to meet the needs of local parties and candidates.

And if those out of town target marketers are so superior in their craft, why do I repeatedly receive wasteful duplicate mailing of the same piece at my home. Furthermore, don't they (and party leaders and candidates) know that presort postal rates are higher to mail to Evansville from Indianapolis than to mail from Evansville to Evansville?

Either candidates and their operatives are not walking their economic talk … or they are out of touch with the grass roots economic concerns of their constituents.

Which is it?