Why I Am Not Voting

I am not voting.

It makes no difference. Things keep getting worse. And you know I’m right.

There was war under GW, there will be war under his successor. The fighting and killing will continue in Iraq and Afghanistan. It will probably even spread to Iran, Syria, Africa and beyond. Bush II’s regime said the war against terror is a long one. At first they said it would be a quick campaign after Osama Bin Ladin, then they said it would last 15-20 years, and then the estimate went to 40 years. Our young men and women will keep coming home in boxes or missing limbs or brain-damaged, but neither Obama nor McCain will put an end to World War IV.

Gasoline will remain at ridiculously high prices, and go higher. No one has any plans for bringing the price of a gallon back to an affordable level. Oil execs earn hundreds of millions in bonuses and we bleed 4 dollars for every gallon, doubling or tripling our costs for just getting around town.

The rich will get richer and the poor poorer. That’s been the trend for the last thirty years in this country. If you disagree, just check out Kevin Phillips’ Wealth and Democracy from the library. The top 1 percent own half the wealth in the US and the rest of us, well we scramble to hold on to our pitiable piece of the remaining 50 percent.

Abortion will remain a constitutionally protected right in federal and state constitutions while euthanasia will become more widespread as families are economically squeezed. Cloning, embryonic stem cell research, and the homosexual agenda will continue to advance, despite the well-intentioned efforts of a lot of good-hearted people who are poorly served by incompetent or co-opted leaders.

Taxes will keep going up, home values will keep going down, we’ll keep living in fear of losing our jobs and being thrown out on the street. Health care will still be unattainable for the 40 million or so poor and working poor -- whose ranks will not only remain but will probably grow.

Hollywood and the other cultural engines will continue to pump out that sewage called entertainment and education. In the cool relaxing dark of the movie theater, or in the oily lyrics of some pop tune, or in the flickering screen of a television or computer, or in a state of the art classroom, kids and adults alike will be taught that it is okay to live empty, materialistic, selfish existences. Learning the lies that keep everyone in bondage will continue to be the highest order of education.

Racism will remain alive and sanctioned by the government itself. After returning from serving in the war in Afghanistan, I was told by the Veteran’s Administration that I could not get any grants to help me build a business because I was a white male.

And we will keep hearing the same, tired, old half-truths from Democrats and Republicans about how special interests control government (they do but not like the candidates say), how we have to create more jobs (they’re talking about minimum wage jobs), etc. etc. Every election for as long as I can remember has dealt with the same issues – further proof nothing changes no matter for whom you vote.

We are told we have to vote. Well, that’s a lie but it sounds like a threat or a desperate plea. And we’re told that if we don’t vote then our voice won’t be heard. Who among you really think that your individual voice is heard anyway? Then we are told that if we don’t vote we lose the right to criticize things. The last time I checked, the First Amendment guarantees the right to free speech – there are no requirements that you have to vote before you can speak on politics. And, finally, we are told that it is our duty to vote! The reality is that when we cast a ballot it only serves to make the system look legitimate. The reality is that we have no real choices and so voting is a sham. For instance, Mitt Romney had to essentially renounce his religion by promising not to let his views on religion control his actions as President. Obama had to resign from his church. Ron Paul was excluded from debates and the airwaves. Not even a word is spoken of Dick Gravel or Ralph Nader. And on and on. Do you really think any small parties or candidates not approved by the media (private corporations) have a chance?

It was bound to come to this state of affairs. The system has always been un-Catholic. So, it’s really been building for a long time – at least a couple of hundred years. The system doesn’t work anymore for us, if it ever really did. And now it is becoming obvious to everyone. Most people sense there is something wrong but they don’t know what to do. If less than fifty percent of registered voters cast a ballot, the system will, in practical terms, have lost the support of the people, and then things will start to change.

So, let’s vote to change the system by sending a clear message.

We do that by staying home on Election Day.

***

JMJ

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Why I Am Not Voting Editorial posted September 22, 2008 I am not voting. It makes no difference. Things keep getting worse. And you know I’m right. There was war under GW, there will be war under his successor. The fighting and killing will continue in Iraq and Afghanistan. It will probably even spread to Iran, Syria, Africa and beyond. Bush II’s regime said the war against terror is a long one. At first they said it would be a quick campaign after Osama Bin Ladin, then they said it would last 15-20 years, and then the estimate went to 40 years. Our young men and women will keep coming home in boxes or missing limbs or brain-damaged, but neither Obama nor McCain will put an end to World War IV. Gasoline will remain at ridiculously high prices, and go higher. No one has any plans for bringing the price of a gallon back to an affordable level. Oil execs earn hundreds of millions in bonuses and we bleed 4 dollars for every gallon, doubling or tripling our costs for just getting around town. The rich will get richer and the poor poorer. That’s been the trend for the last thirty years in this country. If you disagree, just check out Kevin Phillips’ Wealth and Democracy from the library. The top 1 percent own half the wealth in the US and the rest of us, well we scramble to hold on to our pitiable piece of the remaining 50 percent. Abortion will remain a constitutionally protected right in federal and state constitutions while euthanasia will become more widespread as families are economically squeezed. Cloning, embryonic stem cell research, and the homosexual agenda will continue to advance, despite the well-intentioned efforts of a lot of good-hearted people who are poorly served by incompetent or co-opted leaders. Taxes will keep going up, home values will keep going down, we’ll keep living in fear of losing our jobs and being thrown out on the street. Health care will still be unattainable for the 40 million or so poor and working poor -- whose ranks will not only remain but will probably grow. Hollywood and the other cultural engines will continue to pump out that sewage called entertainment and education. In the cool relaxing dark of the movie theater, or in the oily lyrics of some pop tune, or in the flickering screen of a television or computer, or in a state of the art classroom, kids and adults alike will be taught that it is okay to live empty, materialistic, selfish existences. Learning the lies that keep everyone in bondage will continue to be the highest order of education. Racism will remain alive and sanctioned by the government itself. After returning from serving in the war in Afghanistan, I was told by the Veteran’s Administration that I could not get any grants to help me build a business because I was a white male. And we will keep hearing the same, tired, old half-truths from Democrats and Republicans about how special interests control government (they do but not like the candidates say), how we have to create more jobs (they’re talking about minimum wage jobs), etc. etc. Every election for as long as I can remember has dealt with the same issues – further proof nothing changes no matter for whom you vote. We are told we have to vote. Well, that’s a lie but it sounds like a threat or a desperate plea. And we’re told that if we don’t vote then our voice won’t be heard. Who among you really think that your individual voice is heard anyway? Then we are told that if we don’t vote we lose the right to criticize things. The last time I checked, the First Amendment guarantees the right to free speech – there are no requirements that you have to vote before you can speak on politics. And, finally, we are told that it is our duty to vote! The reality is that when we cast a ballot it only serves to make the system look legitimate. The reality is that we have no real choices and so voting is a sham. For instance, Mitt Romney had to essentially renounce his religion by promising not to let his views on religion control his actions as President. Obama had to resign from his church. Ron Paul was excluded from debates and the airwaves. Not even a word is spoken of Dick Gravel or Ralph Nader. And on and on. Do you really think any small parties or candidates not approved by the media (private corporations) have a chance? It was bound to come to this state of affairs. The system has always been un-Catholic. So, it’s really been building for a long time – at least a couple of hundred years. The system doesn’t work anymore for us, if it ever really did. And now it is becoming obvious to everyone. Most people sense there is something wrong but they don’t know what to do. If less than fifty percent of registered voters cast a ballot, the system will, in practical terms, have lost the support of the people, and then things will start to change. So, let’s vote to change the system by sending a clear message. We do that by staying home on Election Day. ***