Clean up the dirty politics

Dirty politics are nothing new. Nixon Administration tricks might

be the most famous variety, but there always has been plenty of

garden variety shenanigans. The most classic of all: stealing

campaign signs.

Word around Newport Beach (though not so much Costa Mesa) is that

plenty of signs, both Greenlight and non-Greenlight, are disappearing

from lawns, corners and all the other annoying places they are found.

One candidate believes her Web site and e-mail account have been

hijacked as part of the campaign fight.

Despite the saying that all’s fair in politics, these tactics are

beneath the people involved in Newport-Mesa’s political process. The

energy of campaigning should be focused on issues -- of which there

are plenty this year, from Greenlight in Newport Beach to

revitalization efforts in Costa Mesa -- and not wasted on stupid

tricks.

While no one is being accused -- though certainly suspicion

abounds -- clearly someone is doing something, or hundreds of signs

would not end up missing or destroyed. They should stop it and

instead get out and find ways to encourage people to vote for their

candidates or on their issues.

That is what the democratic process is all about.