YouTube To Counter Last Minute Signs

The Internet has been put to use to answer the anti-Hincks signs placed around Lee County on Sunday. The Hincks' campaign has recorded four videos featuring the candidate in response to the ads. You can see the videos by clicking http://www.youtube.com/Truth4LeeCounty. The site features four videos of Herb Hincks:

• Why Citizens Want Herb Hincks Back
• The Chairmanship: What's Behind the Campaign
• Response to the Landfill Signs
• Response to the Tax Signs

The Hinck's campaign had anticipated last minute attacks. The YouTube format allows answers within less than 48 hours to last minute attacks and the links to the Internet site appear in Hincks' ads today. There is also a letter from Hincks' wife, Helen, in response to the ads on page 13A of today's paper. The political sign is one of the oldest forms of political communication, but the Internet is moving up fast. According to a survey by the Pew Trust, the Internet is becoming an increasing part of the norm of political participation -- people are using it to read the news, share their views, or to participate in some other process to get others to take political action.The spring 2008 survey finds that a record-breaking 46 percent of all Americans have used the Internet, e-mail or cell phone text messaging to participate in the political process. The signs were a clever trick in that, as the Herald Editorial explains today, a loop-hole in the law allows the signs to do their damage without any disclosure of who is behind the signs. The signs can remain up for a week, until Saturday, without identification of who sponsored the signs. Even then, if no one steps forward, the only consequence is that the sign is taken down. It is likely that the sign idea emerged when local Democrats sought legal advice on creation of a 527 as reported in October 8 post. (Click to see post) Republicans at the time expected a direct mail campaign. The red and white signs are also clever in that they raise questions but give no explanation and make no claims to answer. For example, Herb Hincks was chairman of the board during a 12-cent tax increase, but the signs do not explain that Commission twins Robert Reives and Jerry Lemmond wanted a 15-cent increase and that both voted for a four-cent increase two years ago. Much of that four-cent increase, we now know, was not needed then and was a way to avoid an increase this year. The landfill sign raises a bogus issue. Interestingly, the commissioners approved on first reading of a landfill at last Monday's meeting. The signs have energized Hincks supporters, but meanwhile, two massive get-out-the-vote campaigns--one legitimate and one under the table--have been working to get out the vote for Jerry Lemmond. Lemmond is known for taking his cue in meetings from Commissioner Robert Reives--part of a clique that includes Commissioner Jamie Kelly. The e-Lee Dispatch noted the sudden interest in Lee County High School by Jamie Kelly in a September 8 post. (Click here to see post) and a single shot strategy for Jerry Lemmond in a September 17 column. (Click here to read column). One of the Hincks' videos refers to a "current commissioner" as the likely source of the signs, but does not identify the name.