Political Independents, Why Not Seattle?
Soon we will be asked to vote, and a Presidential Election year is always an interesting time.
Interesting, but also I think usually disappointing. This year is no exception. Both parties have put forward much less than ideal candidates.
I think that most people agree with me, that most people are generally disappointed with the nominees from each party when it comes to our Presidential Elections. I also think that most people vote for whomever they think is ‘the lesser of two evils.’
I’ve never been able to do that. I hold the view that ‘the lesser of two evils’ is still evil.
I would like to suggest a different approach. The approach of withholding our votes from the major parties, instead voting for a lesser party candidate, or an independent. Such folks will be on our Presidential ballots, and if we are ever to make positive change such folks need our votes as our votes help build momentum for independent movements, momentum that can be used in future years.
I know that people are afraid to vote for independent or lesser party candidates because they feel that they will be ‘throwing their vote away.’ I don’t think that is true, but it’s especially not true here in Washington State. Our state is not a battleground. We will not decide the Presidential Election. As residents of Washington we do not have a decisive vote in Presidential Elections and therefore cannot be ‘throwing our vote away.’
If enough of us who are dissatisfied with the major parties start voting for independent movements, we will bring true change to America.
Comments
Hi Ms. Milliscent,
As you know, I am 60 years old, a refugee perhaps from a time when young people fantasized about a genuine social revolution. Naive stuff, to be sure.
We're at a point now where I don't believe there is any hope for our nation. Basically our government has sold its people down the river.
I find it odd that a hypocrite like McCain can cling to his belief that we dropped the ball in Vietnam and yet hop on the bandwagon in support of free trade with Big Brother China. Obama maybe has his heart in the right place but won't go after the source of our problems rigorously enough because he simple can't.
As for our values as a people... Doesn't matter anymore. We didn't care passionately enough about it when it could have led to genuine change.
I think the only thing that can wake up our numbed society is more and deeper suffering inflicted upon us by unregulated corporations...Big Oil, Big Drugs, Big Insurance, etc. They manipulate the puppets dancing inside the Beltway.
There's no excuse for the citizens of the richest country on Earth to not have access to adequate healthcare, housing, and education.
As a people, Americans are just a rabble. Give them all a bag of pork rinds, a six pack, a flat screen TV, some guns to shoot, and a trailer to squat in and they are happy.
I hate to say it but I truly believe America has shot its wad and the only thing that will wake up the dullards is the genuine suffering that's just around the corner.
Our leaders... Republican, Democrat, or whatever are self-serving spineless criminals. All of them.
Voting is a vestige of a system that has failed.
As you may surmise, I am somewhat cynical about Amerika.
Best,
scott
Mrs. Kelly's Playhouse
Posted by: scott Kelly | October 12, 2008 9:30 AM
scott,
I must admit that I take a less dim view of our elected folks.
Some of them are criminals, that is sure, but not all. All are self serving.
I do agree with you that our political leaders are doing a bad job. Have been collectively doing a bad job for a very long time.
I don't think that is their fault though, I think it is our fault.
In my experience we the people, as a mass, don't have a good vision of where America needs to be going, what the proper role of government should be. Therefore instead of focusing on important issues, our political commentary and activism is focused on the mundane issues of little long term significance.
Political types are simply a reflection of us as a whole. They will not begin serving well until we, as a whole, demand that they do so.
M
Posted by: Milliscent | October 12, 2008 10:02 AM
I agree about our choice of voting for the lesser of two evils. Still, I would rather cast my vote where I can at least support the lesser evil. In the past I was more idealistic, and tried to make a point by voting for my choice, usually Libertarian. The problem is, that the two major parties don't get the message. As a result, my vote was wasted.
Posted by: Anonymous | October 13, 2008 4:20 PM
anonymous,
I have to disagree that your past votes for the libertarian presidential nominee were wasted.
Unless you happened to have voted for the libertarian in Florida during the Bush/Gore race, nothing else has been close enough to have any possible effect on the outcome.
I do however think that your vote for the libertarian was important because it increased their total.
An increased total makes funding easier the next time around, which in turn assures more votes, which in turn ensures that a few less people think their vote would be wasted.
It is I think a snowball effect that could build slowly over time.
M
Posted by: Milliscent | October 15, 2008 12:53 PM