Friday, November 2, 2012

One Vote.



Disclaimer
I believe editorials concerning another country's election, my own included, are fair journalism, so long as they are reasoned, informed and respectful*.

Well "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal" is a clever slogan and anarchists, like their libertarian brethren, do have a weakness for the glib.

But readers, ask yourself, what if Al Gore had won the 2000 American election (assuming he actually lost it)?

The Bush-Cheney regime crippled America like no other; where they saw surplus, they brought deficit, where they saw peace, they brought war, where they saw balance, they created inequity.

It didn't have to be that way.

Of course, we can't know for certain how a different election result would've changed history but yet we all know that a President Gore would never have invaded Iraq. A few hundred voters could have saved 100,000 Iraqi civilians, 5,000 Coalition solders and nearly a trillion American tax dollars.

How about a decade-long Afghanistan War, a repressive Patriot Act, an unfunded extension of Medicare, a far-right faction on the Supreme Court, debt-building tax cuts and the disastrous response to Hurricane Katrina? Again, we can't know know for certain what would be different but based on his record I'll be damned if Gore would have proceeded with the kinds of reckless disregard for country that Bush-Cheney did. And you can be assured that Romney-Ryan would be Bush-Cheney on steroids if elected.

Ask a Canadian suffering under an anti-democratic, dissent-stifling, deficit-spending regime about the importance of HOW you vote. 61% of us voted against against militarism, science-defunding and jail-building but because we're a four-party system the bad guys won.

Right-wing reactionary parties love the kind of 'glass-is-hall-full' pessimism, expressed in slogans like "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." They love seeing us dividing up over our pet issues and forming new parties. Hell, they helped get Ralph Nader on the ballot in many states because that aided their cause. The enemy of my enemy is my friend goes the old strategy. What's so sad, is how often the strategy works.

After all, if voting changes nothing, why do the richest spend so much money trying to buy elections?

So, if you'll indulge me (and I`m sure a few of you won`t), I'll ask you to at least consider the mistakes of your Canadian brethren. Your vote matters. Who you vote for matters too. A vote that empowers the people and hold back the plutocrats is never wasted. Then, with victory in hand, go to work against government surveillance, the unbalanced tax code, corporate deregulation, the drug war, defense spending et al from the bottom up.

After all, If we don't get it together, they'll tear us apart.


 





*If you're actually against outside interests being involved in American politics, please re-consider your support of Brits like Nial Fergusson, Canadians like David Frum and Australians like Rupert Murdoch who've dedicated their lives to electing Republicans.


32 comments:

  1. Stick to music. At least you have some clue in that area.

    ReplyDelete
  2. As trolling goes that's some weak sauce.
    If you have any knowledge in his area (or any critique to offer) you've apparently left it under the bridge from which you crawled out from under.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Someone who can actually vote in the upcoming electionNovember 2, 2012 at 12:24 PM

    You are quite the propaganda machine (and chock-full-o-shit). Frogs will be frogs.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Looks like you used up all your 'clever' on your user name.
      Seriously 'Frogs will be frogs', is that some sort of racist comment on the fact that in my country part of the population speaks French?
      Lame.

      Delete
  4. frogs will be frogs.............dude.......they are right.....stick to music. you are a nitwit. i am nearly 60 years old. been through this electile dysfunction many times. if al gore had been elected we would have gone the same route. they were planning a coup anyway. the president has no power and is a figure head. the current porch monkey in power did nothing but further Bush's policies, obama care is just another hand out to big pharma. emma goldman also said "In America, voting is the opiate of the masses" and it's fucking true. We are all slaves. It is all bullshit. Voting for anyone is voting for the system.

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    Replies
    1. Why is it that you don't write this racist swill on your own blog?

      Delete
  5. Someone who can actually vote in the upcoming electionNovember 2, 2012 at 1:04 PM

    Thanks for he compliment regarding the user name. I do believe it to be a requisite for debating the state of our nation. Regarding the frogs comment, I guess I didn't realise that the French were a race of people. I thought it had everything to do with from where the people originated and not the color of their skin. I may be nationalistic but never considered myself racist, although some ignorant people believe that they are one and the same. Anyway, the Bush-bashing is quite old hat and would love to hear from someone that could stand behind Oblama's record of desparately trying to force this country into an entitled welfare state (much as your own) that is owned by every other country but itself.
    Sing along-Propaganda you scare me to death.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I did think the user name was clever, especially as it seems to have been created just to bash me. I'm almost honoured.
      I do not believe being able to vote is a prerequisite to discussing ANY election and I covered that in this post. I'd welcome any specific objections to what I wrote.
      You still haven't explained you slur. You called me a 'frog'. Is that meant as slur against the dual French-English nature of my country? When you call a Frenchman 'Frog', an Italian a 'Wop' someone from the Mediterranean a "Wog" or a Pakistani a "Paki" that's a racist epithet. If you think that's inaccurate do you prefer ethnic slur? What are you defending exactly?

      Delete
    2. Please explain how Obama is "desparately trying to force this country into an entitled welfare state (much as your own) that is owned by every other country but itself."

      Delete
  6. "if al gore had been elected we would have gone the same route."

    I offered some back-up to my argument to the contrary you just offered a mess of non-punctuated, non-related nonsense using wild conspiracy theories ("they were planning a coup anyway"???) and blatant racism (you called the President of the United States a 'porch monkey'!!!)
    You are, by the evidence offered above a mean-spited, ignorant racist,the type of person that might well have made Emma Goldman re-think her aversion to voting!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Someone who can actually vote in the upcoming electionNovember 2, 2012 at 1:17 PM

    Now see, I agree with you Jeffen that Ruben smacked down a racist comment but am offended that by your previous reply to me that you would have placed me in the same group with him. You got racism correct this time.

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    Replies
    1. And the important thing to know is that he is your ally against Obama (and yes guys like Reuben help the Republicans).
      I DO NOT believe that the majority of Republicans are racist but the party not only tolerates racists it positively encourages these so-called paleo-cons.

      Delete
    2. Offended?? Tough titty, asshole! Racist, prejudiced, what's the difference? "I guess I didn't realise that the French were a race of people."

      Delete
  8. Good piece in Esquire on why you should vote for Obama, and against Mitt Romney;
    http://tinyurl.com/bnxh58d

    "Obama owes the disgruntled. Romney owes the crazy. And that makes all the difference."

    "It is important to stand against the people and the forces to which Willard Romney owes his political career."

    ReplyDelete
  9. In the U.S.A., citizens have a Constitutional right to free speech, but they do not have a Constitutional right to vote. The "if you can't/don't vote, shut up" argument is logically fallacious.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Someone who can actually vote in the upcoming electionNovember 2, 2012 at 2:51 PM

    Jeffen-I won't bother you anymore today as I have to get back to work so my tax dollars can pay for Sandra Fluke's right to fuck all night and not become impregnated. Damn, and I won't even get one single lick of that stinky snatch.Now if that didn't make you smile just a little bit, then what the hell are you running a punk rock blog for in the first place. Anyways, relax man. No Jeffen bashing here. Just wondering why you would support ANY POLITICIAN (man it sucked just typing that word)who, unless you are the rich and priviledged type, has absolutely nothing in common with you.You apparently presume that I am a pro-Romney Republican, and a racist to boot. Wrong and wrong again. Just another stiff who is sick and tired of the fucking propaganda flying about.Reply back and let me know what color of skin I have. Or what I am wearing right now. Or better yet, what you are wearing right now. Hey, this could be fun after all. Jerry Lee, you can join in too if you want. We can call it a menage a trois. Hey, isn't that a French term?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are a fucking idiot who obviously cannot think for himself and believes whatever Rush spews out of his piehole. Fluke did not ask for taxpayers to pay for her birth control. If you don't understand that then you are too fucking stupid to live.

      Delete
    2. SWCAVITUE
      'Sandra Fluke'.
      Seriously? I keep hoping you might start a serious discussion but thhis is just the repeating of right-wing bloviating points!

      Delete
  11. I'm not a huge fan of Obama, but he's a much, much better choice than Mitt Romney, the man who sold his soul to hateful crackpots, can't explain his economic policy details, and either blatantly lies, or has no idea that his health care plan doesn't cover pre-existing conditions. Please read these, or skim them, they helped me make my decision.

    http://tinyurl.com/bnxh58d

    http://tinyurl.com/98dqu2y

    http://tinyurl.com/a59feea

    http://tinyurl.com/77zpm5w

    http://tinyurl.com/9xdpc4m

    http://tinyurl.com/95hbmlw

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Almost forgot- my President won't turn his back on 47% of the people he's been elected to serve, and pays his fair share of income tax every year.

      Delete
  12. Reuben is probably one of Michael Moore's staffers pretending to be a Republican.

    I'm a member of the local GOP & you will never hear "Reuben's" nonsense spewed at a meeting.

    "Tax The Rich...Till There Are No Rich No More" is terrible economic policy. Yet, somehow this display of "economic penis envy" permeates the left wing.

    Obama has nothing in 4 years besides Party on the taxpayers dollars & help the Dems pass an Unaffordable Heath Care Act that will fiscally weaken the nation (along with gutting our military).

    The Democrats pander to parasites & deadbeats. Romney really wasn't that far off the mark in the clip that Mother Jones leaked.

    BTW: what exactly is a "fair share" when the 47% that you wail about pay no Federal Taxes whatsoever

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rev, have you heard Romney's latest blatant lie about Chrysler moving all Jeep production to China? Seems he's go something in common with that asshole Donald Trump- they're both "full of shit". Read it here:
      http://tinyurl.com/adxdegb

      Delete
    2. Rev
      "Reuben is probably one of Michael Moore's staffers pretending to be a Republican"
      This is so desperate, I can see your brain trying to wrap itself around the fact that your party is the natural home for racists and thugs.
      The real policies of your party are designed to transfer wealth and power to the top, anything else is just window-dressing

      Delete
  13. "Bitter & clingy", however, proved nothing to you


    Hypocrisy, thy name is Democrat

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Two questions-

      What is "Bitter & clingy"?

      Do you think it will help America that Mitt Romney and other millionaires pay less than 1% income tax on over $20 million income?

      Hypocrisy is Mitt Romney's middle name. Here's a report compiled by John McCain's campaign in 2008 that shows that Romney changed his position on every single issue, including his favorite movie!
      http://tinyurl.com/77zpm5w

      Delete
    2. Rev
      The quote you are mangling is part of a speech where Obama tells his party not to give up on the people who are naturally suspicious of his party.

      The '47%' speech outlines that Romney not only doesn't care or have to worry about half of the American people but that they are weak and dependent. Every word of the speech only make his contempt more apparent.


      the difference could not be cleaner!

      Delete
  14. Wow. Racism, misogyny, petty insults, pathetic attempts at humor - the bubble boys really brought their A game to this discussion. Thanks for a hilarious Saturday read, Jeffen. I admire your patience and tolerance.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ...and you don't need Kleenex, like you do when you're at "Panties", do ya Roy?

      Delete
    2. Roy
      Don't ask me how I got into this, Roy.
      But I've come to the conclusion that letting the crazies speak their minds will help the fence-sitters get off their ass!

      Delete
  15. Obama is a douche bag!!Jerry Lee, maybe your amily should not have owned slaves you 1 PERCENT APOLOGETIC PIECE OF CRAP!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anon
      Do you notice how Jerry Lee uses full sentences, that employ logic and facts to back up his point rather than falling back on childish insults and caps-lock?
      Maybe you should look over your own comments (and not just for the typos!) and think about what you have to say, coherently

      Delete
    2. You don't know much about my "amily", do you boy? I don't believe I've done anything to apologize for.

      Delete

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