I hope I’m not the only one who has been annoyed with the myriad of automated candidates, pollsters and opinion seekers that have deluged my household phone in the past few months leading up to this election.

I must confess that I marvel at the technology being used to seek my opinion regarding this candidate or that one, or my feelings on one topic or another. The phone calls have been coming from all over the nation and all levels of government, asking (or attempting to sway) my opinion regarding a broad scope of candidates and presumed hot issues.

I must confess though, that I’m not upset about receiving these calls now. I’m upset that (I can predict) the (robo)candidates will stop calling and seeking my opinion on their performance and important topics of the day once the election is over. Does this sudden cessation of inquiry mean that they no longer care what their constituents think or desire?

In this time of instant communication, smartphones, texting, and apps that will walk your dog and brush your teeth simultaneously, why doesn’t this type of querying continue constantly in our wonderful first world technologically advanced democracy? Does this only happen long enough to get a candidate elected, or to get specific legislation pushed through during “ballot season”? These are rhetorical questions to me. I’m just hoping I’m not the only one asking them.

I guess I’ll just have to go back to writing them, since they won’t call me anymore…..

Ben Honeycutt

Oak Harbor