[Peace-discuss] Re: not voting

[C. G. Estabrook]

John W. wrote:
> ...you tell the rest of us NOT to vote...

No, I don't. Voting seems to me a prudential decision -- "one small step 
for a man, one giant leap for mankind"  -- and our rulers are vitally 
concerned that that leap not go in the wrong direction.

In a well-run system like ours, voting gives the illusion of choice 
without the reality.  "The people can vote for whoever they want," said 
Boss Tweed of Tammany Hall long ago. "I control the nominations."

I was just objecting to Karen's assertion that not voting implied assent 
to the system.  For many Americans, the choice not to vote grows out of 
the notion that it doesn't matter much, and it's hard to say that 
they're wrong. --CGE