[Peace-discuss] Not voting

[Laurie at advancenet.net]

> Perhaps it's what Dr. Johnson said about second
> marriages: the triumph of hope over experience...
>

Without distinguished credentials and attribution, it could also be the
triumph of lunacy over idiocy. :-)  At least that is the case on those rare
occasions that I do vote.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: peace-discuss-bounces at lists.chambana.net [mailto:peace-discuss-
> bounces at lists.chambana.net] On Behalf Of C. G. Estabrook
> Sent: Tuesday, January 29, 2008 8:05 AM
> To: John W.
> Cc: Peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net
> Subject: Re: [Peace-discuss] Not voting
> 
> I always vote.  Perhaps it's what Dr. Johnson said about second
> marriages: the triumph of hope over experience...
> 
> 
> John W. wrote:
> > At 06:51 AM 1/29/2008, C. G. Estabrook wrote:
> >
> >> Actually, the opposite is probably the case.  By getting you to
> >> participate in the highly conditioned system that produces a
> >> president, the USG claims that you've ratified it.
> >>
> >> Example: everyone within the limits of allowable debate discusses
> the
> >> "Reagan landslide" produced by the "great communicator." In fact,
> >> three out of four eligible voters did *not* vote for Reagan in 1980
> >> and 1984 (Half didn't vote, and he took half of the votes of those
> who
> >> did.)  But he was said to have a mandate.
> >>
> >> In fact, outside of the "tertiary bourgeoisie" (roughly the
> >> college-educated third of the population), Americans know that the
> >> presidential election is a matter for the advertising industry
> (hence
> >> its expense), the media, and a peculiar group of celebrities --
> "show
> >> business for ugly people."
> >>
> >> As Chomsky says, you have to be highly educated to believe nonsense
> >> like this, and most Americans don't.  They don't vote, not because
> >> they're content (they're not), but because they know that it won't
> >> make much difference.
> >>
> >> Think of the presidential elections in your lifetime: can you say
> that
> >> things would have been substantially different if the principal
> >> opponent had won? (Kerry? Gore? Dole? Bush Sr.? Carter? etc.) The
> >> system has been designed by means of the greatest American invention
> >> -- the PR industry -- so that it's largely a matter of indifference
> to
> >> those who hold wealth and power in this country, who actually is
> elected.
> >>
> >> But they do want you to ratify it. --CGE
> >
> >
> > So, Carl...Leaving aside your own candidacy as a putative Green for
> the
> > U.S. House of Representatives, when's the last time you voted in a
> > general election?
> >
> >
> >
> >> Karen Medina wrote:
> >>
> >>> Silence means consent.
> >>> If you are happy and content, then stay home.
> >
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