From: Curt Hibbs <curt@...>
Date: 2004-11-03T00:01:10+09:00
Subject: Re: [OT] US Presidential Election

Ahhhh... more thoughtful discourse, the ruby community is wonderful on both
technical and non-technical grounds.

*more respect*

Curt

Francis Hwang wrote:
>
> Corey, I agree with much of what you say in this matter, but I wonder
> if it's going to have an effect. The centrist committees who control
> most of the money in the Republican and Democratic parties are not, in
> fact, sitting around wringing their hands about somebody like you. On a
> symbolic level, the choice of opting out of the voting system is a
> principled, and perhaps admirable way of communicating your
> dissatisfaction with the narrow range of choices presented on Election
> Day. But on a practical level, your non-vote is going to get counted as
> one more voice that doesn't count.
>
> Why note go to the polls and vote for Badnarik? Or another third-party
> candidate? Such a vote would get a third party one step closer to
> getting a little help with advancing their cause next time 'round.
>
> Unless you've decided to exercise your political power in another way.
> And no, blogging and writing on a mailing list doesn't count.
>
> Francis
>
> On Nov 2, 2004, at 2:06 AM, Corey wrote:
> > I have a different message:  Don't vote at all, please.
> >
> > Stop participating in a thoroughly illegitimate and unethical
> > process that's founded on violence, coercion and deceit.
> >
> > So, to answer the original poster's question:  I won't be
> > voting at all - not out of apathy, laziness or ignorance, but
> > due strictly from my own good conscience.
> >
> > http://www.strike-the-root.com/4/saltiel/saltiel1.html
> >
> > Regardless of me being a libertarian ( i.e. anarchist ), and my
> > decision not to vote as a matter of principle - Chomsky put it
> > quite well recently:
> >
> > "In the forthcoming presidential elections in the US, there is a
> > choice: between two candidates who were born to wealth and political
> > power, attended the same elite university, joined the same secret
> > society that instructs members in the style and manners of the
> > rulers, and are able to run because they are funded by largely the
> > same corporate powers."
> >
> > You're only so free in this country as what will maintain
> > capitalism and the status quo. Corporate and foreign interests
> > run the country, not the "president" - and certainly not the people.
> >
> >
> > Cheers,
> >
> > Corey
> >
>
>
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