Cause and effect?

We wonder why American political debate is devolving into dumbed-down soundbites.

Could the reason be that a soundbite is all that will fit on signs of the approved size?

Zoning for such homes allows temporary signs no more than 12 square feet. The city allows only temporary signs advocating a candidate to be in place within 60 days of an election, which will be Dec. 7 for Feb. 5 primary.

Joe Gooden, the city's zoning administrator, said the size instead of the timing of the signs was made an issue in the notices because, with the hearing process, if a property owner fought to keep a sign up, the case probably wouldn't be resolved until the allowed period.

12 square feet. That's 3 by 4, 2 by 6, or 1 by 12.

In order for the print to be large enough to be seen from the road, which is clearly the point of yard signs, how deep can the discussion be?

And so the "CHOOSE LIFE"s, the "PRO CHOICE"s, the "FOR OUR CHILDREN"s and the "NO BLOOD FOR OIL"s muscle out the Declarations of the Rights of Man, the "When in the course of human events"es and the "A society that rewards failure and punishes success is doomed to fail"s.

Mindless Slogans 1, Involved Policy Discussion 0.

Is it any wonder the Democrats took over Congress?

A couple of suggestions for people in this position:

1. Think Burma Shave.
2. You can fit more on a 6-inch by 24-foot sign than you can on a 1-foot by 12-feet one.