Originally published at http://www.commondreams.org/views/2020/10/28/voting-will-not-save-us-we-must-show-anyway
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As Sigmund Freud observed a century ago: " Most people do not really want freedom and democracy because freedom and democracy involve responsibility and most people are frightened of responsibility".
It is therefore no surprise that US democracy has been in decline ever since its apex a half century ago.
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âVoting doesnât mean we accept the validity of our corrupt system.â
Actually, that is exactly what it means. Therefore it accomplishes nothing and further perpetuates the corrupt system - a corrupt system that is now codified in law and will tirelessly work to crush any agent of change that comes along and tries to play by their rigged rules.
Young people must find a way to make âwithholding your voteâ more powerful than voting for a corrupt figurehead. Force the people running for office to sign a pledge to work to end the corruption (no corporate funding to run elections, amend constitution âcorporations are not people, money is not free speechâ, etc⌠DO NOT vote for them until they sign a pledge. Focus on only the corrupting influence of the money power⌠all other issues are incidental to this one issue.
At this point a representative or senator must either be independently wealthy or as a rule will be beholden to wealthy âdonorsâ (aka corrupted) in order to win a seat that now costs tens of millions to acquire. Look at the choice you have today - âtrump or bidenâ - there is a good reason over 100 million people have made the rational decision not to vote. The largest voter block in the country is already withholding their vote.
As a young person you donât have the time to work within this grotesque system - that would take decades and most likely would not work as the system is designed to crush you. You must find a way to make your vote count - it simply doesnât right now.
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Very well said. Excellent post! " if voting mattered it would be illegal" . Great and true quote by the late George Carlin.
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The loudest way I know to state that you do not accept the corrupt system, is to vote third party. You have voted. It tells them that you are not too lazy or uninterested to vote. It tells them that you do not approve of the appointed choices. It is a demand to be counted as a person of that conviction.
If all the people who believe the system is corrupt, would vote third party. We might finally start to get somewhere.
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Well said, sister. Very well said.
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âIâd rather vote for something I want and not get it than vote for something I donât want, and get it.â - Eugene Debs
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He also said âItâs called the American dream because you have to be asleep to believe it.â
A favorite of mine.
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I vote 3rd party⌠but itâs a shameful masturbatory habit at this point.
Also, i had to write in my 3rd party vote because they were blocked from the ballot in my state. So thereâs that.
A 3rd party cannot succeed within the current corporate duopoly⌠And if they somehow ever did miraculously succeed, that will be the exact moment when the dems and repubs team up to block any real change.
You know this to be true. That is the dilemma.
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Yes. But I donât know any better options.
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