Voter Beware

I have given voting a lot of thought lately and my views have not changed over the years.  I wanted to reassess my stand to see if that maybe something positive had happened and that I might be mistaken. I am Not!

With the general election approaching, ever so slowly, you would not realize it by the tap dancing candidates are doing.  You would swear, if you just woke up that it was 2008 and the first of the primaries are long days away.  Unfortunately, for your sensibilties it is a year away.

For decades we have been told that if you do not vote, then you have nothing to bitch about.  Or that it is your civic duty to vote.  We have been taught from the very first Civics class that it is all important to participate in the system.  Do you agree?  What has your paricipation accomplished?  Do you truly feel that you are part of the system?  Do you feel that you have gotten your money’s worth out of the slugs you have help put into office?

People need to ask themselves these questions, but only if they are willing to take a hard look at their own participation.  If you vote, what do you vote for?  The Party?  Or possibly the person?  How many really give two shakes in hell about the issues?

Alrighty then, with all that said let us take a look at the institution called voting.

Voting is a strong ideological tool.  Having a majority of the adults vote in any given election is giving a legitimacy to the system that supposedly derives its power from those very people.  The problem is that the people are not being represented, they are justifying the ruling elites who reinforce their legitimacy by claiming to be held to the highest standards.  Basically, what most of these slimes are saying is that they through their representation are contributing to the material well being of the people.  And for most Americans that is all they are looking for, is their material well being.  That is one of the major contributors that lead to the War On Terror.

The candidates that the American people are given as their future leaders are all popped from the same mold.  Makes no difference on party affiliation; they are wealthy, self-serving and maniacal.  And these are the people that we have to choose from at election time.

So you want proof?  Look at the present administration; it is arrogant, self-serving and above all unconcerned with the will of the people.  But yet it was returned for a second tour in power.  Why?  It played heavily on the fears of the people, which in turn, proved to be the best emotional issue to secure leadership through the mandate called votes.

The ordeal of voting is an illusion created by those in power, that tghere is actually a struggle for the positions in which the people decide the outcome.  The only thing the American voter decides is which wealthy elitist will lead them.  The entire system is programed so that only the wealthy elite can enter into the system and have the chance of leadership.  It is acceptable because the voter, from childhood, has been lead to believe that is the way it must be.  By the way, politics in the US is a monopoly, that only the wealthy can play.

Remember, voting does not determine policy, it only legitimizes those who actually control the state apparatus.

Voting is an illusion of popular rule, by the people, which is legitimized by popular elections.  In other words, it is a scam, that the American people participate in freely and it is so well entrenched that they assume they have the power.  They do not!  All you need to do is just look at the last 20 yrs of politics–where were they ever in control?

Plagiarism?

Recently Clinton or one of her surrogates, who really cares, has accused Obama of “plagiarism” for using a quote from a friends political speech. She made a big deal out of it in the last debate and she pushed it as far as she could. Did it help her? hell no!

She still taunts her audiences with the experience thing. that she would be ready to go–on day one–a really irritating term–why does she continue to use this tact, it has not played well in the last 11 contests but yet there it is–experience–yet again. anyway, I digress, on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, they were discussing her experience and Obama’s lack there of. Joe Scarborough used the analog of if one was needing a surgeon, would you pick one with 35 yrs experience or the one with a year or less. I mean i do not always agree with Joe, but he had a good point.

But wait! yesterday on a stump speech in Ohio, Clinton used the very same analogy with the very same years of experience. Almost word for word…..now is that the same “plagiarism” that Obama was accused of recently? Since Joe seems to be in the Clinton camp, I doubt that it will be brought up.

BTW, my take on that whole experience thing was would you pick a doc with 35 yrs experience that had been sued 10 times for malpractice or the young doc just out of med school? Personally, I want the one that has not sewed his ring up in some poor patient. Just a thought!

Another War?

Today are the primaries for Ohio, Texas, Vermont and Rhode Island. It wiill be an interesting and long day for political junkies like me. But before that I need to address the possiblity of yet another conflict that could get ugly for the US.

well, Professor where are we talking about this time? South American, most notable the anger between Colombia and Ecuador. It seems that the army of Colombia crossed the border to go after the leftist organization, FARC and di d kill one of its commanders. There is protest flying all over Washington and the UN. Now Chavez of Venezuela who is an ally of Ecuador, has sent roops and equipment to their border with Colombia.

Now we have a stand off between those who align with Chavez and those who align with the US. This could get really ugly, if not handled properly. Considering there are US troops in Colombia helping that country fight the war on drugs, which is yet another sore spot in the region.

Since Bush has his head up his butt, the possibility of this escalating into a full blown war is a great possibility. You asked for it–you got it!