Where’s the Beef? What an ‘80’s Ad Tells Us About Georgia Politics in 2022

Dear Editor,

In 1984, Wendy’s launched a nationwide advertising blitz that became one the most effective messaging campaigns ever. A tiny, elderly woman at a fast-food restaurant examined the burger she ordered and, finding a giant hamburger bun and not much else, loudly and with indignant outrage, demanded to know, “Where’s the beef”? That single ad exploded Wendy’s from the chain no one had ever heard of to rock star status among major fast-food restaurants. But it did more. “Where’s the beef” became the rallying cry against every form of misrepresentation and deceit. Consider this: despite more than 60 law suits, innumerable recounts, audits, signature checks, blue lights, searches for bamboo paper, blaming the Italians and continuing efforts to arouse outrage over, ”massive voter fraud” in the 2020 election, there has never been any persuasive evidence presented in any state by anyone of any such thing. None. Ever. Period. The tiny old lady yelling, “where’s the beef” has a more important message for our state and our nation than ever before. Where, indeed, is the “beef”?

Bruce Menke

Athens