October 16, 2008

Unelectable

I am a sucker for online political questionnaires. I am not sure why, they never tell me anything I didn’t know before I completed them, but it is always reassuring to know that based on answering a series of questions I can feel justified in my political beliefs. See my results here.

I don’t believe in voting, because I don’t believe in participating in a system that is broken, besides living overseas it is a pain in the ass to get absentee ballots in time to vote. I am not organized enough to ever get it done. If there is a candidate that I felt strongly about, I may start the process earlier next time, but if I am only offered a choice between two corporate candidates then, I choose to abstain.

But if, I were to vote this year, I would vote for Cynthia McKinney and Rosa Clemente. Why would I waste my vote? Because they speak to the things that matter to me. Period. If you are voting for any other reason you are delaying the inevitable. I want my candidates to say things like this:
We are in this to build a movement. We are willing to struggle for as long as it takes to have our values prevail in public policy.



I don't care if they are unelectable. That says more about the system than my candidate of choice.

Answer the questions and see who you get. If you get Obama then vote for him by all means, if however you don't then ask yourself why you are voting for someone who doesn't stand for your interests.

5 comments:

  1. i concur bz. i thought about abstaining this year out of protest- but husband said that i am to go to the polls regardless of whether i actually pull any levers. the protest would be not to pull the one for president and to vote for the local folks. understandably, you can't do that. i won't get started on a ramble about politics. i need to eat dinner :)

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  2. My friend made that video with Rosa. I like her better than Cynthia.

    I'm not against Nader. Cynthia mentions racism and more issues than Nader.

    Rosa might move to Minneapolis. I'll probably play a role in her political development.

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  3. Anonymous11:27 PM

    You're right Jabiz, not voting green just helped make them one vote less electable. Besides, it's a total pain in the ass to get an absentee ballot. The five minutes I spent to have one sent to me was a total hassle. I guess my vote (for McKinney) was a complete waste.

    Maybe Gandhi was wrong when he said "You must be the change you want to see in the world."

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  4. Anonymous4:57 AM

    The change I would like to see in the world does not involve having a president. So I am being the change I wish to see by not participating in a fraudulent system (which is what the founding fathers suggested, btw).

    So maybe Gandhi was right after all...

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  5. BZ - I got that same lady (McKinney) as the best match when I took the quiz. But I also had a 80% match or something with Obama. That's good enough for me.

    Now, you know I love you all but I'm afraid I'm going to have to take the gloves off for a minute. The comments on here are straight-up goofy. Sorry, but here goes:

    Hajek - congratulations, you're a sarcastic, overly idealistic scold. And yes, your vote was pretty much a complete waste.

    Betmo - nobody will know, or care, if you "abstain out of protest". Vote, or don't vote. Either way, don't pretend you're "protesting" anything by passive inaction. The word protest implies strongly objecting to something in an active way.

    Renegade eye - Nothing in your comment makes any sense. Please don't try to play a role in anybody's political development.

    Deanna - The founding fathers suggested that you, Deanna, not vote in a presidential election in 2008 because you personally don't believe in such things as presidents? Can you point out that passage for me? Is it in the If Thou Closest Thine Eyes and Hummeth, Thine Enemies Existeth Not Proclamation? Or was it the Declaration of Delusion?

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