OPINION: I'll Miss All Of The Political Ads

Elections come tomorrow and with them will come the end of a seemingly uninterrupted stream of political ads.

Most people will be happy they'll be gone. If you're one of them, I understand.

But, I for one, will miss them.

Certainly, when it comes to all the ugly, smearing ads -- the ones that portray candidates in unflattering, grainy black-and-white footage while an ominous narrator tells us how the world will end if they win -- then I'm with you. I won't miss those in the least.

There are others, though, I've actually enjoyed.

I listen to a local, independent rock music radio station during my daily commutes and a number of local, Maryland candidates have bought air time. I like listening to most of those.

Some of even those ads have been negative. But most have been earnest aspirants to local county offices and their ads usually feature themselves telling you in basic, forthright terms what they would do you if you vote for them.

These candidates come off as well-meaning, sincere folks who want to talk to me in a meaningful, neighborly way. Their ads aren't very slick. They don't spin, they just talk from their heart.

It gives me hope that some public service still attracts good, honorable people who talk to those they would serve in a straightforward way.

So, those ads, I'll miss.

Besides, these folks really seem to want to get on my good side. After tomorrow, no matter who wins or loses, no one will care what I think of them -- at least for another two years.

And listening to these ads, it's nice to know that for a brief while, I've been the one in the driver's seat.