The importance of a good campaign platform

Campaign fever is in the air and everyday we are hearing more and more aspiring politicians gather round to express their platforms of governance.

I consider myself a lover of politics and platforms to me are the most important points of discussion especially when discerning on a candidate.

My colleagues and I often encourage people to dig down deeper when it comes to selecting their candidate of choice.

As journalists, we are often invited to forums where we get to ask questions regarding certain issues a city faces including issues on the national level.

Our job is to be able to give out facts without sensationalism since we follow a proper code of conduct or more familiarly known as journalism ethics.

As a “giver” of facts, our goal is to provide the people with both a choice and a base which is the platform of governance.

Aspiring candidates always come forward to tell us what they are going to do if voted into position, but the real question is “how” they intend to fulfill their campaign promises. In as much as the people become easily overwhelmed by promises, it is absolutely necessary to go to a deeper level and ask how such promises will be actualized.

A good platform is based on principles, goals and strategies which should prompt us to ask and further investigate how campaign promises will be fulfilled. Platforms are very important in the electoral process and because it is so, all the more we should challenge our candidates to answer the why’s and the how’s while  going beyond face value.

Platforms provide candidates with a clearly defined political position which to me is what garners the support they need.

As a candidate shows a definite political stand on issues, the bigger the support they receive from the people who also in turn do their parts in understanding what is at stake.

Media, on the other hand, shapes how people interpret and absorb political information which is why media practitioners have such a huge responsibility in the electoral process.

While voters are influenced by factors such as income, education, ethnicity and more, a good platform is key to addressing the everyday concerns of constituents who invest in their candidate’s campaign promises.