My thoughts, thinking loud, being bold, suggesting a path to dilemma of our upcoming presidential election......
We are about couple of months away from the US Presidential election. To keep us passive and obedient we have been restricted and limited to spectrum of acceptable opinion and we were allowed to have a lively debate about our choice for president within that spectrum.
As obedient masses we have been conducting our lively debate on social media forums like Facebook and Twitter. We defend one candidate, criticized the other, we have been hypothesizing and theorizing about what our world would be under helm of the X or the Y.
We’ve agreed on some points, disagreed on others, had our hopes high at times and had shares of disappointments. We have become confused, apathetic, frustrated and some of us have just plainly given up all together.
We were told that a lot is at stake in THIS particular election, and we’d forgot that we were told the very same thing at every other previous elections. The tone of; “THIS is a historical election and your vote is important” is a familiar tone.... after all the history is waiting to be made when & if we elect the first woman president.
Alas we were told the same thing in 2008 election when the euphoria of electing the first African American President to the White House had engulfed the nation and the world for that matter. When we elected ‘The Chang We Could Believe In” and our chant; “Yes We Can” excited the world.
We we made to believe that THIS election is somewhat different, we came to look at Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders as the outliers & the fever of political insurgency seemed to have affected a great portion of the ‘dispossessed’ electorates.
Donald Trump claim to fame was that he was not a Washington insider, that he was not part of this quadrennial political masquerade. Trump showed us in words that he is not ‘a politician‘ by not adhering to game of ‘political correctness.’ That meant he said what he felt about ‘race’, ‘gender’, ‘ethnicity’, ‘religion’, and ‘nationality.’ He was a breath of fresh air to a good portion of America, he spoke their thoughts.
Right off the bat Donald J. Trump WAS NOT a ‘Republican candidate’, HE BECAME an embodiment of a ‘Protest candidate.‘ He knew it, the corporate duopoly of the political establishment knew it, and frankly anyone who paid attention recognized it.
The other ‘insurgent’ candidate, of the faux kind, was of course Bernie ‘the Political Revolutionary’ Sanders. A self-professed Social Democrat, the so called defender of the Working Class, the flag bearer of Main Street and the ardent critics of Wall Street & the billionaire class entered this quadrennial National Derby with his horse named; ‘The Future You Can Believe In‘, so reminiscent of the 2008 ‘audacity of hope‘ guy’s campaign slogan; “The Change You Can Believe In.”
Sanders was a perfect choice for the fed-up, disenfranchised leftover ‘leftists’ and 'progressives' in Democratic party.
To objectively become the truer and more fully explicit ruling class party in the country the Democratic Party allowed Sanders, a self-declared democratic socialist, to go very far in the primary process.
A perfect storm which was so masterfully created were not only to destabilize the Republican side of the corporate duopoly but also to invigorate the gullible progressives who thought they had a space under the tent of corporate Democratic structure.
Bernie of course were no insurgent. His tying his bandwagon to the same Party of Wall Street and running as a Democrat albeit being avid critic of Washington’s corporate oligarchy were explained as a smart ‘political strategy.‘ After all Sandersnista reasoned, running outside of duopoly two party system might be ‘revolutionary‘ but it would have also been a political suicide ;) The “Movement” they were convinced of, is going to be ‘from within the system of political duopoly.‘ :)
Then after Bernie Sanders endorsement of Wall Street billionaire class Goldie Lock, for some the 'lyrics' quickly changed from “Never Hillary” to “Never Trump” however the ‘song‘ remained the same, as it was instructed by prodigal son of ‘Revolution’, Mr. Sanders, to ‘First Vote for Hillary, then Mobilize.” :)
For others who were not ready to face reality of being duped by the DNC, they considered Bernie as the one who sowed the seed of ‘Political Revolution‘ in some imaginary fertile ground, he was a spark they’ve been waiting for, so all was not lost!
When, how, in what way the seeds of this ‘political revolution’ is going to sprout, it is TBA.
Meanwhile Clinton’s think-tankers started salivating at the prospect of absorbing much of the GOP’s previous base and somewhat convinced themselves that the rest of the Republican Party is up for grabs once they see Hillary Clinton’s sharp right turn, seeking to build a “Big Tent” party made of the Republican Party’s fat cat financial supporters and the whole GOP-oriented imperialist political infrastructure, the permanent warmongers.
Mind you, despite all the mudslinging, the differences between Clinton and Trump center on HOW BEST to advance the national and global interests of the corporate and financial elite that controls the US. And regardless of who wins, the new administration will combine the worst features of both candidates because the overriding factor driving the campaigns of both Trump and Clinton is the crisis of American and world capitalism, overseen by a parasitic financial-corporate aristocracy dedicated to a policy of war and social counter-revolution.
For some of us it has been a painful ride, to witness how Americans remained blind to the fact that as long as there have been elections in America the Democratic and Republican candidates differ over means but not goals and although they appear to denounce each other, they share a common enemy: the working class American.
Unfortunately after nearly a year of campaigning and hearing the usual scripted lies and nonsensical, the nation finds itself in a familiar place and mode of choosing between the ‘lesser of the evils‘.
Often at this junction a great portion of American voters feel used and spent, feel dispossessed, disenfranchised, frustrated and confused. There are those who become apathetic and disengaged and there are those who still feel that political participation is important and tenement to good citizenry.
What is not realized & recognized is, the fact that American electoral politics is all about the art of convincing decent people to forget that the lesser of two evils is also evil.
The American presidential election has become about protest vote. “Voting out” whom one feels is the bigger evil. We as a nation have forgotten that concept of ‘election’ meant to be & ought to be about "voting for" whom we approve, whom we trust, whom who fight for OUR interest.
In light of that, there is only one question to ask;
Are we to vote for one of the two gatekeepers of “Fortress America”?
Are we for Donald J. Trump? A candidate through whom the ruling class plans to lay the foundation for a fascistic authoritarian movement based on extreme nationalism and militarism.
A candidate whose proposal for massive $90 billion increase in US military spending would certainly make Military Industrial Complex even more “great” than ever.
A candidate who offers us foreign policy of war, crudely articulating that taking the Middle East Oil is the essential motivation for US policy in the region.
All that coupled with his demand for resumption of the open use of torture and his other expansionist and hegemonic ideals, his call for the elimination of all corporate regulations and a reduction in taxes for the rich, his demagogic nationalism: vilifying immigrants, really doesn’t make Trump any different than your run of the mill politician.
Are we for Hillary R. Clinton?
A candidate we are fearful that Donald Trump “will become” if he wins the bid to the White House :)
Hillary Clinton is the consensus candidate of the most powerful sections of the corporate-financial elite and the military-intelligence apparatus. Backed by the Ultra rich elites who are her real constituency, she has centered her campaign on winning over prominent Republicans, including war criminals from the Bush administration, and top military generals.
A quintessential Wall Street candidate, whose Foundation has been exposed as a money laundry front for pay-to-play scheme by foreign powers/nations, all to further her personal interest not the Nation’s interest.
Hillary Clinton who has decided that it serves best if she can appeal to patriotic emotions of Americans but invoking McCarthyism era ‘Red Scare‘ thus she has adopted the anti-Russian sabre-rattling as central theme of her campaign for couple of reasons;
a) She appeal to blind patriotism of Americans by accusing Kremlin for all the incriminating leaks, cyberattacks and hacking, all unsubstantiated charges meant to divert attention from the corruptions within DNC and her subterranean and illegal personal server and the email exposure.
b) she has accused her opponent (Trump) of being a communist tool, only because Trump pledged to “get along” with Russia and allow the Russians to collaborate in global efforts to stop ISIS. Clinton declares that Trump is “unpatriotic,” “scary” and “a danger to the US national security.” Trump as she implies is danger to the geostrategic interests of American supremacy.
Hillary Clinton a candidate who has promised us more of the same warmongering policies that she'd showcased as a Secretary of State. She has already threatened that cyberattacks and hacking by Russia would be met with a military response. Furthermore her policy adviser has already confirmed that one of Hillary’s first priorities upon taking office will be to shift the focus in Syria towards attacking Assad ( read full on invasion of Syria) and orchestrating a regime change.
Are we going to vote for either of these two because we feel:
a) we have no other choice
b) as an American it is your patriotic duty to participate
c) you believe in the system and your vote counts
d) whether or not you vote one of them will be next US president
Well, in my humble opinion, NOT VOTING, BOYCOTTING election is also a choice, which will not necessarily contradict with one's duty for political participation.
You can vote for measures and propositions pertinent to your State or vote for whatever else on your ballot that is important to you, but DO NOT VOTE FOR ANYONE AS PRESIDENT.
What does this accomplish?
For one thing it would create incredible historic data on very low voter turnout for the presidential election. Lets say the impact of the boycott would reduce turnout to say 30%. This would be an incredible historic shock having the potential to remove the legitimacy and credibility of the current two-party duopoly.
This non-vote would be a true “protest vote/message vote” and a driving force for major political reforms. It would send a clear message to both major parties, the political establishment, the media, and the whole world that Americans have recognized the truth about our delusional democracy.
A boycott will deliver a bullet to our corrupt, delusional democracy, demanding for reform of our political system. If there is any hope to spark true political revolution, to capitalize on our energy for the next presidential election, this boycott will pave the road.
Recognize that the journey which has landed us at this very junction where we have little respect and trust for our Congress or just about every other institution was not an overnight journey. As a nation and irrespective of our political affiliation we all agree that we have been on the wrong track.
Then ask yourself how can you still cling to the belief that voting is what you can and should do? Ask yourself how could it come to this? How could you ink the name of either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump, two world class liars, two of the most unpopular, untrustworthy, sick narcissists who are in it for themselves.
Wouldn’t voting for either of these individuals mean that you are still deluding yourself that you live in a legitimate democracy?
Wouldn’t voting for either two mean that you have willfully ignored the fact that American democracy which has steadily declined in quality, integrity and effectiveness is no longer a reality?
Don’t you think fixing our corrupt, flawed and no longer sustainable political system is far more important than your vote this year?
Yes, you might feel bad that the candidate you most hated won your state and maybe the Electoral College, or that you did not show support for a third party candidate, but don’t you think you will feel good that your BOYCOTTING THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION means that you finally stood against the status quo & this broken political system?
You see, once a democracy has become delusional playing the game of being responsible citizen and voting no longer makes sense.
In so many other democracies the public create massive street protests and many times this kind of action produces political and government reforms. But who are we kidding? We know and it has become clear that the street protest strategy has not and will not happen on a large enough scale to produce deep reforms in the US. You have witnessed the ineffectiveness of the 'Occupy Movement'.
Nor has forming new reform-oriented organizations done the job.
It is far easier and more convenient & feasible for the vast majority of Americans to see the light and BOYCOTT THIS PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.
How is that for 'political revolution'?
How is that for 'Movement'?
How is that for small step toward political 'Reform'?
Susan Nevens - 30/09/2016
Link to the Facebook Post:
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