Hacker News Reader

Comment by mortenjorck | Hacker News Reader

Good thing they didn't have network TV in 1933. Can you imagine the attack ads against supporters of the 21st Amendment? $congressman is soft on booze! He supports drunkards who destroy families and abuse your children! THINK OF THE CHILDREN!

View on HN

Those type of widespread attack ads certainly existed in 1933. Candidates would often run grass roots mobs (for lack of a better word) that would spread that type of dirt (and some occasional violence). I've some some interesting pictures of presidential campaigns in Denver in the 20's and 30's that look suspiciously like a modern day attack ad (with less mushroom clouds).

Politics seems not to have changed much I reckon:)

Yeah, it's not that political tactics have gotten dirtier, it's just that distribution has gotten easier.

I would argue that politics have actually gotten cleaner (in the US). Violence used to be commonplace in political races, and now are virtually unheard of.

Physical violence has, but I've still heard all too many reports of vandalism in political races and not just from the US media. I'm a brit living in Canada and I've heard reports of vandalism in political races in the UK, CA and US; incidentally I've only heard it being committed on left wing supporters.

incidentally I've only heard it being committed on left wing supporters.

I don't know why that is, because I've heard of plenty of harassment and vandalism against conservative supporters (or were they opposed?) of California's Prop 8 as well, but it didn't get much media coverage. I don't believe one can say that either liberals or conservatives are more "enlightened" overall, at least in matters of raw politics.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com