My theory – it’s a way to let your neighbors know your feelings without actually speaking to them. So if you need help in the middle of the night, you’ll run to the neighbor who had the same sign out as you did.
We have to pay for Obama signs. If they were free I would not mind people trashing them.
I have a address sign embedded on my lawn. I put a Obama bag over it . It looks like a couple people have taken kicks at it. Hope they hurt their toes.
A house down the street from us hand-painted a big Obama logo sign and hung it from the railing on their front steps.
Someone spray-painted “SATAN” on it. Thankfully, they were able to cover it up, and it has not been the target of any further vandalism.
We live in a very D-leaning neighborhood, but I’ve never seen any vandalism on the few R-signs.
I’ve never had a sign or a sticker until this election. Obama’s campaign isn’t giving out many signs, so although there are few election signs in my neighborhood, they’re all for McCain.
No big deal, since I live in a dark-blue state, but still…I put the free, removable Obama-Biden sticker on my car because I just wanted to counteract all the McCain signs.
I’m debating whether to go to the trouble to make myself a lawn sign. And whether it’s likely to be stolen or defaced. I’m thinking if it says “Veteran for Obama” it might get a little more respect, but I can’t decide.
I am campaign-managing the NDP campaign in my riding this election (which is why you haven’t heard from me lately).
A few nights ago, on the busiest stretch of Wellington St. from 2nd Ave to de l’Église, practically all our signs were cut down or mutilated. A number of signs from the Bloc, Greens, and Tories were also destroyed.
As if by divine providence, not a single Liberal sign was touched. :rolleyes:
(Characteristically, our candidate, one of Quebec’s most important environmentalists, was as upset about the fact the signs went to waste and could not be reused as he was about the actual vandalism.)
During the runup to the Iraq war, I placed a sign inside my car window. The side window got smashed. I posted a pit thread on this back then.
(It was a hawkish sign, inspired by the analysis (now discredited) of Kenneth Pollack.)
Even though I’m hugely partisan and working for local candidates this election cycle, I don’t have signs in my front yard. We have issues with one of our neighbors and I don’t wish to fan the flames. I do need to get smaller signs for inside the windows, though.
In terms of paying for signs, my local Democratic committee had to pay for them. The local Obama office gave us a few but not nearly enough. So the committee dropped two grand on 300 signs and frames and is asking for donations to reimburse them for the signs.
So far, there doesn’t seem to be a lot of vandalism. Both sides seem to be respectful, but since I don’t have a complete count of signs, I can’t rule it out, either.
Robin
God, I love my neighborhood. There are bumper stickers and yard signs for both candidates, and no one has had any issues.
It is such a frustrating feeling, being afraid of the possibility that folks might vandalize your property for whatever reason. A minor issue, perhaps, but one that lowers whatever respect you might have had for your neighbors.
I dislike some of my neighbors, and I strongly oppose some candidates and politcal issues. But it would never cross my mind to damage or steal property from people who express a view I disagree with.
I will admit to being one of “those damned kids” who fucked with political signs in my foolish youth.
To be fair, though, I never destroyed a political sign. I simply pulled it out of the grass and walked until I saw a sign for the opposing candidate, exchanged them, and continued until I got bored.
I don’t see it as being an advertisement for a particular candidate or policy, as much as for the political process itself. Someone who sees a row of houses all with political signs out in front, even if they’re all for wildly different candidates, is more likely to take home the message that elections are important, and something with which they should be involved.
In 2004, we put up Bush Must Go! signs. Some of our family-values supporting conservative neighbors used this opportunity to begin throwing trash in our yard and yelling at our house (most of the yelling was of the “Loser!” variety). No signs this year because I don’t have the energy for that*.
Most of the local elections aren’t even contested…you will be getting Republican representation and you better well like it, you unpatriotic liberal hosebags! I would so like to have someone to vote for instead of just writing in a name to voice my disapproval of the candidate getting a free ride.
I would like my neighbors to know that it is okay to support someone other than the usual Republican incumbent around here, but I’m too tired. And I’m not even a Democrat…just an independent who would like a little change in the status quo around here. Thank goodness we have our token Democrat county auditor.
*Also, as I have lamented previously on the Dope, my husband hates all republicans but can’t get behind Obama so there is much strife over this whole election. My kingdom (heh) for a viable other-party candidates!
I’ve never had a lawn sign until this year, but I have to admit, I’m feeling the Obama love. We live on a very quiet street, with very little car traffic. Our Obama sign was stolen Labor Day weekend, when the Catholic Church down the street held its annual Italian Festival. This is one of the few times during the year that strangers park in front of our house. And they went and stole our sign, leaving just one of the metal posts on the lawn.
We got another sign, and so far it’s still okay. And there are no festivals before Election Day, so perhaps it’ll still be there on November 4th.
I’ve never been sure why sign-stealing is so looked down on. It’s my job to be able to predict if, f’rinstance the squeeze play is on, and I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t use every tool at my disposal to learn how to do it better.
I’m still trying to figure out how a political sign can hope to get away with stealing pricks.
The closest main streets to my neighborhood are lined with signs for the US Rep. Problem is that he is not the rep for our district. There aren’t any signs for our rep; he is running unopposed. I am tempted to email the guy whose signs are everywhere and ask him why he is targeting the district next to his.
I only put up the signs for local and rarely state candidates anymore–mostly to avoid vandals, as there are a few rabid partisans in the way only the young-professionals residential areas on the edges of college towns can be. Further into my neighborhood, at least, it’s a nice mix of signs.
I already get confused stares by the fact my car has bumper stickers for the following:
Obama/Biden.
Free Tibet
Amnesty International
the NRA
“One of these things is not usually considered to be like the other…”
Some of these signs may have been nicked by the local offficials if they are in any right of way. Rather than move a sign out of the ROW, some types feel they have a right to take it away. I used to work for a city manager who had a h/o for signs in the ROW, and he liked to see them pile up in the maintenance office, would tell citizens come get em, next time you get a ticket. what a prick he still is.
Colour me confused… are you saying that part of doing your job is suppressing the free speech and expression of others?
I (really, truly, honestly) thought that defending free speech was a cornerstone of US life and values… and isn’t the test of free speech disapproving of what someone says, and yet defending their right to say it? 
A bit of a whoosh for our kiwi friend there, I’m afraid.
In baseball, there are certain strategies that work only if everyone on your team knows about them, and the other team doesn’t. (That’s the “squeeze play” reference.) So a coach who’s off the field will give signals (touch the brim of his cap, his shoulder, his nose, etc.; it gets rather comical).
The other team tries to decode the signals so they can make the proper moves to interrupt whatever play is coming. That’s called “stealing signs.”
Jeez, even I found that explanation boring.