Not Economics, but Still a Lesson

Economics is about offering people something you find valuable, when they agree, a price is negotiated.  When both sides are OK with the price, a value is established.  In its rawest form, doesn't that describe the sale of a home?  Or even a car purchase.  Some prices are established based on what many people offer, like a candy bar.  It would be inefficient to negotiate the price of candy.  A manufacturer places their price on small items like a candy bar, then convinces a store to carry it.  But ultimately, if the store can't sell it, it lowers the price until it can.  If that price is unreasonable in the store owner's mind, then the store owner will not reinvest in that product, unless the manufacturer also lowers the price to where the store owner can make a reasonable profit.  This happens all the time with large companies and small, across the world.

The headline says, not economics.  And here is where the turn comes in.  Consider the product is a political candidate.  All candidates are trying to convince you to spend your vote on them.  If you as a voter see value in their argument, you vote for them, if not you vote for their opponent, or even refuse to vote.

A few weeks ago, I ran into a site that claimed it was a no call registry for politics (click here for the site).  The First Amendment to the US Constitution protects speech.  Not all speech, but all political speech.  That is why you can't yell 'fire' in a crowded mall.  However, you can say any rotten thing you want about the government or a politician, as long as it is couched in political talk.  That's why Mitt Romney can't sue organizations that malign him.  That's why Barrack Obama can't sue people accusing him of not being a 'native born citizen'.  It's all protected by the Constitution.  Today, I was in a hurry to get to work when my phone rang.  I answered it, the caller ID said anonymous, and low an behold it was a recorded call from a campaign.

The campaigns can ignore the no call lists.  It is a First Amendment right.  But should they?  As we pointed out, if you want a vote, you need to show value.  And also respect.  Should we expect a candidate, who could look at all the no call lists but chooses not to respectful?  Is that a candidate we really want representing us?  Our family owns a small business.  When we looked at phone calls, and trust me we do need more sales, it might have provided some additional sales.  We decided, however, to not use the phone as a selling tool.  Part of our reasoning was that a phone call always interrupts the person being called.  We think that that is why no call lists are so popular.  There are other ways to make contact that are not so interrupting.  Post cards and email are two of the methods we use.  If you open your email, or go to the mail box, you made time to do that.  Granted junk mail is not always what we want to find.  But most of us don't pay for mail trucks or email exchanges, so it is part of the deal if you will to finance these endeavours.  We do finance government through our taxes, and there is where the difference is.

Two suggestions:  First to the campaigns, consider abiding by the no call lists.  And keep in mind that not doing so may back fire.  Second, to the voters.  When you receive a call, write it down.  When election day arrives, look at who ignored your wishes and vote accordingly.  Perhaps next time we can discuss negative ads...