In 1974, a commercial came out for Life cereal known as the “Hey Mikey” spot. At the breakfast table sat three brothers who were dubious about the cereal their mom had placed before them. The two older brothers bicker for a bit and then say, “Let’s get Mikey! Mikey won’t eat it.” Mikey, recognizing the dare from his older siblings, digs in with obvious pleasure causing the other two to exclaim, “He likes it! Hey Mikey!”
The commercial won a Clio award for excellence in advertising and ran for twelve years. The boys were played by real life brothers; Mike, John (who was the fictional Mikey in the commercial) and Tommy Gilchrist. The commercial was updated in the 1980’s with “Mikey” (again played by the now grown John Gilchrist) as a college student who was still eating Quaker Oats branded cereals like Life. All these years later, John Gilchrist is the Director of Media Sales for Madison Square Gardens in New York City.
The gist of the commercial, to get someone else to do something for you, seems to be the motto for many citizens around town. That’s why I have such tremendous admiration for those who get involved. There are so many good things that happen in Mitchell, and towns across South Dakota, because volunteers take the time to make them happen.
The Shriners bring the circus to town. CASA volunteers stand up for abused and neglected children. Think about the tremendous amount of work that goes into bringing the State Amateur Baseball Tournament to Mitchell and all that Jim Johnston of Harve’s does in that regard, along with a myriad of others. Those in the Exchange Club with their various activities and fundraisers making life better with their charitable work is another example. Tanta’s House volunteers assist women and children who are victims of domestic abuse. Mitchell Main Street and Beyond are doing their best to try and keep Main Street a viable retail space by fighting the growing practice of internet shopping as well as those wandering gypsies who hit the interstate to shop in Sioux Falls and other places, like Minneapolis or Omaha. We expect our resident businesses to support local causes and we’ve seen the impact on our community from companies that have ceased operation, leaving behind empty buildings and out of work employees. “Support your local business” is not just a slogan, it’s a mantra for survival and quality of life.
There are countless other groups and causes that make life better for the rest of us, bringing parades, festivals, the rodeo and other events to town increasing our cultural and recreational opportunities as well as generating economic activity. Their efforts add to the mosaic of life and to the appeal of living here.
There’s another group of individuals I want to single out for praise and it’s those who submit themselves to the slings and arrows of public opinion by running for and serving in public office. I always tell winning candidates, you’re your most popular on election night when you win office. Upon taking office you have to make policy decisions and once you start doing that, you begin to make enemies.
Running for office is a hard, lonely, expensive and sometimes an abusive process. Going door to door getting signatures on a petition to run and then, if successful with the petition, doing it all over again in a campaign isn’t easy or fun. No one likes rejection and confrontation but often that’s what candidates get as they canvas various neighborhoods. When I was running for assorted offices (State Legislature 1988, 1992-2002, City Council 2009-2015 and Mayor in 2018), I had more than one person tell me they weren’t and never would vote for me. In one of my campaigns for the legislature, I had one old gentleman threaten to shoot me. He said he was getting his shotgun and slammed the door in my face. I waited on the doorstep. After a time, I rang the doorbell again and he opened it once more, shocked to see me still standing there. I wished him a good day and moved on to the next house. My experience has been people who take the time to threaten you with bodily harm rarely do anything about it, at least so far anyway.
There are traditional media – television, radio, the newspaper, flyers and inserts – as well as modern social media – Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter), campaign websites etc. – but the most effective campaign technique, especially for local office, is face to face and door to door. That takes time and moxie. The in-person mode of campaigning is time consuming and tiring. I don’t know if it is the anonymity of the internet and trolling or simply the state of our politics today, but folks feel free to be ruder and more negatively personal than in the past. That can be hard to take, especially for the novice candidate.
Campaigns can be expensive. Social media is relatively cost effective but if all you are doing is reaching out to those who are already your “friends” then social media isn’t doing the campaign much good. Radio and the newspaper can influence people that a candidate may otherwise be unable to reach but that runs into money. Usually for a local campaign (School Board, City Council, County Commission, Mayor) that means the candidates themselves fund the door knocking cards, political ads, yard signs and whatever else media wise goes into a campaign.
No one gets rich in politics in South Dakota, especially not at the local level. That’s why it’s so exasperating that officials are criticized for the relatively meager salaries they do collect. The public sees only the officially scheduled meetings and thinks that the pay for that commitment is somehow exorbitant. However, the public often is unaware of the preparation, contact with citizens, committee and other meetings outside the “regular” meetings that also takes time. In addition, there is the “abuse factor”. Public officials work for the electorate and those folks with an opinion, beef, concern, grievance, issue or have an axe to grind feel free to express themselves openly, honestly, loudly, forcefully, forthrightly, colorfully and wherever they encounter a public official. When I served in the legislature my wife Julie eventually wouldn’t allow me to go to the grocery store. I couldn’t get out of there in under two hours. Folks would see me and want to talk. I felt, as their elected official, it was my obligation to listen. Once I, Julie and our two kids (who weren’t quite old enough for elementary school yet) were eating in Burger King when I was confronted by a crazy person going on and on about the communist menace threatening South Dakota and upset over my complacency and lack of action in fighting the dangerous dreaded commies. Alexis was my little thespian, and she could cry convincingly on command. On more than one occasion, Julie would send her to extricate me from a situation by having Alexis come up to me and cry, begging me to rejoin or to leave with the family. Even those who thought I was the lowest form of human life on the face of the planet couldn’t resist her cute little face, her sad heaving sobs and pathetic streaming tears – many thanks Punkin!
When a candidate comes to your door and asks you to sign a petition, please do it unless you’ve already signed another candidate’s petition for the same office, or you really think the potential candidate is Satan incarnate. Allow people to get on the ballot and then let the voters decide their ultimate electoral fate. If a candidate shows up at your door during campaign season, please be civil and hear them out. You need not engage in conversation or on the issues, unless you want to of course. Recognize the effort the candidate is putting in and the fact they want to give you a chance to look them over and engage on the issues – again, if you want to.
We will have several City Council races, a mayoral race and an important ballot issue having to do with lake cleanup for consideration by voters this June. Register to vote and then make the effort to cast a ballot. Remember, if you don’t vote – you have no right to complain.
Don’t be like the older brothers of the Life cereal ad, instead be Mikey; take the initiative to become involved in your community even if it is only the bare minimum of voting in elections. Events and projects don’t just happen, people make things happen. Be one of those people. It’s up to you.