Life, 1928-09-21 · page 5 of 36
Life — September 21, 1928 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This 1932 Will Rogers satire mocks political candidates who insult voters' intelligence during campaigns. Rogers criticizes how candidates patronizingly flatter voters while making vague promises about party positions. The cartoon shows a caricatured candidate appealing to voters in different regions (California, Florida, Chicago, Boston, and Jewish-Catholic constituencies), adapting his message to each audience—suggesting dishonest pandering. Rogers argues that candidates claim voters are intelligent yet simultaneously treat them as ignorant by: 1. Making contradictory promises to different groups 2. Speaking for two hours without clarity 3. Assuming voters won't notice inconsistencies The satire's core complaint: politicians insult voter intelligence by assuming they can be easily deceived through appeals tailored to regional or religious identity rather than offering genuine policy positions.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
—_— LIFE — OUR CANDIDATE INSULTS THE VOTERS “We May Be More Smart-Alec Than We Ever Were— Att I know is just what I read in the papers. I see where my friend Mr. Franklyn Roosevelt (blood but no political relation | Our Candidate makes a bid for the California vote. to THE Roosevelts), says that this is the “silly” season for Politics, He calls it the “Bunk” period. Franklyn seems to be stealing our stuff, He claims that the last weeks in August and the first ones in September are the time for the Bunk to percolate. Well our claim is that the Bunk period extends from Jan first, to December 31, Inclusive. How could one period be more bunk than another, What about nomi- nating time? Could you possibly spread any more than is migrating around then? Franklyn says “that conditions have changed, that the old idea that the Repub- lican party is the party of prosperity is no longer held to, He says that people But We’re No Smarter’ by WILL ROGERS nowadays are smarter and they know the facts, and won't be missled like they used to.” Now Franklyn Roosevelt is a very fine able man, He is one of the highest type men that we have in the Business of make believe, or Politics, if you like the old name. But while we are exposing Bunk that statement of his gives us our cue for today. OF ALL THE BUNK handed out during a campaign the biggest one of all is to try and compliment the knowl- edge of the voter. And tell him he can’t be fooled like he used to be. Franklyn Roosevelt or any other man that knows anything knows that the Voter is no smarter than he ever was D Ae Our Candidate makes a bid for the Chicago vote. The politician tells the people that “I don’t have to tell you people what our party stands for, or what I stand for. You people read, You know the facts, I know that you won't be missled by the extrava- gant promises of our opponents, We rely on your sober judgment, We rest our case on your intelligence.” Then he goes on for two hours more telling them what his party stands for. Now how often have you heard the above speech made by the Candidates? They are always complimenting the in- telligence of their audience. Well now we will just take their state- }ment apart and see what is the matter their party stands for,” why do they have to go to all this trouble to come and tell them? In the first place I don’t care how CALIFORNIA ORANGE Our Candidate makes a bid for the Florida vote. smart their audience was, they couldent possioly know “What their party stood ‘or.”” The Supreme Court with all its di- vided knowledge couldent tell you what either party “stood for.” They both stand for “Reelection.” That's about the only thing that you can safely say they are for, In fact they will both “stand for” almost murder, if they can only get in. Now as I say these fellows know the voters don’t know any more than they did the year they promised them a “Full din- ner pail.” How are the voters going to be any smarter when the Candidates themselves are no smarter? Even with the able men Our Candidate makes a bid for the Boston vote. | with it. If the audience do know “‘What | Our Candidate makes a bid for the Jewish-Catholic vote. comicbooks.com