Go Ahead, Judge Me
Whew! Thank goodness the elections are over. Everyone had an opinion about the presidential race. Tempers ran short in many states regarding House and Senate contests as well. Races for seats in state legislatures were also hotly contested, but the further down on the ballot we went, the less screaming we heard on social media and in barrooms.
The sad fact is that while everyone either loves or hates the president, many folks don’t care or even know who exactly is their county clerk, their coroner or their representative on the library board or fire protection district.
In my state, circuit court judges are elected by the public rather than appointed. Everyone had an opinion about the most recent Supreme Court appointment, but given a chance to actually decide who will hold judicial office, most voters throw up their hands.
You can’t really blame them. Judicial races get virtually no media coverage, and if you aren’t a lawyer, you don’t even know how to “judge” the candidates (pun intended.) It takes a dedicated, civic-minded citizen to research judicial races in order to cast an intelligent vote. Of course, the dedicated and civic-minded are the only sort of citizens to inhabit Johnson’s World.
Last December I received Christmas cards from many friends, relatives and associates, among them Judge Anne Celine Walsh, Judge Jim McCluskey and Judge Rick Felice.
Johnson’s World readers know I am a fan of Christmas cards, for both personal and business relationships. Many client/vendor relationships develop into friendships, creating a gray area. Such was the nature of the Christmas greetings I received from the judges. I’ve met them all before but I really didn’t know that much about any of them. The cards prompted me to do my civic duty and research each of them.
A bit of digging, and I soon discovered all were rated “highly qualified” by their respective bar associations, something their opponents could not all claim. All were experienced, unlike their opponents. In short, all deserved my vote.
I could have voted based on preferred political party or a familiar-sounding last name, but instead I can rest easy knowing that I selected the candidate most qualified for the position. All because my curiosity was piqued 11 months before the election by a greeting card. Such is the power of print.
Some pundits tell us the future of print lies in packaging. Taking this to extremes is Prank-O of Minneapolis, which produces boxes for ridiculous products that don’t even exist.
Giving Grandpa socks again this year? Don’t leave them in the original package. Put them in a carton printed with full color graphics so grandpa thinks he’s getting the “Plant Urinal” or the “Wake ‘N’ Bake” combination griddle and alarm clock.
Giving a bib or a rattle to expecting parents? Buy a “Birthie Stick” box so the mother-to-be thinks you are gifting her a selfie stick with thigh clamps to photograph and post the blessed event.
Why print boxes at 4¢ apiece for someone else when, with a little creativity, you can print your own to sell for $8 each? There’s nothing like a little humor to brighten the holidays—and nothing like a proprietary product to grow your bottom line.
