After You "Vote"

Part VII of a series | Part VI | Part V | Part IV | Part III | Part II | Part I

In the previous installment of How To Survive The Midterm "Elections", we talked about what to expect. Based on past experience, unfortunately, the most realistic thing to expect is widespread fraud, and many stolen races. In this installment we consider what can be done about it.

David Swanson wants people to hold "candlelight vigils outside county election offices", which he says will pressure elections officials to count all the "votes" and count them correctly.

Kurt Nimmo sees "Rove and the Republicans rolling on the floor" laughing at Swanson's idea, and says:

Instead, activists should gather at the polling places and demand the removal of all devices — computer, optical, even card punch — and insist paper ballots be used instead. People should refuse to vote until this changes.

I agree with Nimmo, but only up to a point. Demanding the removal of all devices other than paper ballots would be a very good thing. But refusing to "vote" will not achieve anything. Think about it: if everyone who opposes the current administration refuses to "vote", they'll win by a landslide, even if they only have one supporter.

Rather than refusing to "vote", we should be refusing to work. And we should be refusing to spend. That's what people in other countries do when their "elections" turn out to be bogus. It's called a "general strike", and the tactic is based on the fact that your employers make more money from your labor than you do. So by withdrawing your services from the work-force, you hurt them more than you hurt yourself.

By refusing to work every day, rather than refusing to "vote" once every two years, you could make your voice heard every day. Or at least that's the theory.

But in this case it's only a theory; and there will never be a general strike in the USA, no matter how clear it becomes that our "elections" are a farce.

Why? Because consumers would be required to sacrifice a little bit of material comfort for future of their democracy, and for the future of their children.

And that is the one thing Americans have proven they absolutely will not do.