There were a number of states that one candidate took for granted and the other more or less wrote off. In other words, neither side paid much attention to them. While that’s hard on the electoral ego, it should have a plus side. People in those taken-for-granted states should have been spared the endless, often braying, political ads that were directed at folks in battleground states.

But there is such a thing as being taken for granted, and driven nuts, at the same time. It all depends on your next-door neighbor states. That’s the subject of today’s first election-hangover letter:

• “There is a certain hazard to voters that you have not addressed in any columns. It is having the misfortune to live in a state where there is no contest but to live next door to a battleground state. Case in point:

  “I live in the Maryland suburbs and work in the District of Columbia. Both are ‘solid blue’ jurisdictions. No doubt about it that even before the candidates were nominated the pros knew how Maryland and D.C., would vote. Most of the counties in my state typically vote Republican, however, the three big counties and Baltimore city, are Democratic territory. So far so good.

  “From my house I can see the state of Virginia. It is right across the Potomac River from me. Virginia was a Democratic state for about 90 years up until the mid-1960s. Since then it has voted for Democrats at many state levels and, I think, was the first state to have an African-American Governor. He’s currently mayor of Richmond. He’s a Democrat.

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  Because Virginia was considered a battleground state in this endless campaign, both candidates have been fighting to win, or hold it. Because of this, those of us in Maryland and D.C., where the election was a foregone conclusion, have had to listen to hundreds of hours of spill-over political ads, aimed at our fellow citizens across the Potomac River. I suspect people in Covington, Kentucky feel the same way because they have to listen to spill-over ads aimed at voters in battleground Ohio and Indiana .

  What’s my point? Could you use your good offices to come up with some kind of political ad jamming device that would spare those of us in no-contest states the endless bleating of political ads inflicted on us simply because we live in the ‘wrong’ place’?” Rocky in Montgomery County, Maryland.

This sounds like a job for DARPA!!!

• “We had a couple of messages on the phone and we did not even listen to them long enough to know what they wanted. They were both however from one candidate. We also received several pieces of mail from this same candidate. Guess where they went and who I did not vote for.

  Now one in particular has gone over the line with ads and mail and calls. Afraid he will not get in office unless he does this. If they have the country’s best interest at heart, they do not need to do all this. A little advertising to let the public know how they have, and will, serve our country is all we need. All this dirt slinging and continuous seeing his face really turns me off.

  I hope people can see thru some of this and vote for the one that knows the most and will do the best for our country.

  May GOD BLESS AMERICA.” T.M.

• “The English have it right! Six weeks from beginning to end. The present American system is enough to convince a person not to vote.” Anonymous

TSP Tips

Got a question about the Thrift Savings Plan? Want to know how the pros are handling this crazy stock market? If so, listen up today. We’ve got a double-header you don’t want to miss coming up, at 10 a.m. on our Your Turn radio show. For the first half our guest will be Greg Long. He’s executive director of the agency that runs your TSP. Ask him how the TSP is doing, and what’s coming up for the world’s largest 401(k) plan.

Our second half guest is Bill Losey, nationally known financial planner. He’ll talk about (and answer questions about) investment strategies for people of all ages within, and outside of, the TSP. You can listen live at AM 1500 in the DC area, or over the internet anywhere at federalnewsradio.com If you have a question call 202.237.1037 or, long distance at 866.468.1050. You can also email me mcausey@federalnewsradio.com but we’d love to hear from you over the air.

Nearly Useless Factoid

Los Angeles’ full name is “El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora la Reina de los Angeles de Porciuncula” or The Town of Our Lady the Queen of Angels of the Little Portion.

To reach me: mcausey@federalnewsradio.com

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