Contrary to popular belief - and what the media would have you believe - The Primaries going on right now are not an election. They are a staged vote by the dominant parties in this country of who will be nominated, by their party, to run for president.
"Well duh" you may say, but I feel that the majority in this country have forgotten this little fact. They see this as their civic duty as a citizen. Spurred on by the news media and their over-coverage of the event as Election '08. While I agree voting in an election is a civic duty, this is not an election, but a nomination.
The crux of the matter is that by even showing up to vote in The Primary you are showing your support for a party. This reaffirms their legitimacy. If you don't like McCain, but show up to vote for Ron Paul, you are actually also casting a vote that the Republican Party is putting forth people that are legitimate candidates. Since 1988 I don't believe this has been a fact. From George Bush I to George Bush II to Bill Clinton to the current crop of candidates from both parties, they are not who the people would choose. These candidates are who the parties have presented for people to choose from. There's a big difference.
So, no, I won't be voting in The Primary. I refuse to participate in validating the Republican Party, the Democratic Party and their continued forcing on the public candidates who are not looking out for the best interests of this country and are instead looking out for the best interests of a few select special interests that they support or owe favors to.
I know many of you may have already voted in The Primaries and I'm sorry that I didn't write this sooner, not so that I could dictate to you what you should do, like the parties are currently doing, but so that you may contemplate that by what you are doing you are in effect voting for the status quo.
I will be voting in November, in the real election. It is important that all of us show up in November, even if you are not going to be casting a vote for president, because every House seat is up for grabs along with 34 Senate seats. If you don't show up in November then you have not had your real say.
As for The Primaries, bleh...
Digger, you are right, as usual!
I have wondered how public monies and government voting agencies legally managed to use public monies to finance their nominations. This adds to the confusion and misperception that a primary is part of a general election and helps disenfranchise other grass roots parties from and of the people while using the people's taxes to shut out the possibility of competing parties.
Add to this the dirty tricks of the demopublicans which make it virtually impossible to get on the ballot in all 50 states for competing parties and their owned TV stations which only cover "approved, bought and sold" candidates and the fix is in.
We are sheep who have been conditioned to not even look at the candidates until less than a week before a vote. Add to that the reason people vote. "That nice Barack seems to be a nice guy." Well, what are his positions, what has he done? "I don't know, but he seems nice."
Or, "Hillary was married to Bill Clinton and I like him. Just think, the first woman president." Okay, what are her positions? "Well, she's experienced."
Democracy is two wolves and a lamb deciding what to have for dinner.
Posted by: ken pope on February 10, 2008 06:19 AM
