The Values-Vote Myth

J.A. Terranson measl at mfn.org
Sun Nov 7 13:54:47 PST 2004


On Sun, 7 Nov 2004, James A. Donald wrote:

> J.A. Terranson wrote:
>  > The fact is that those who did not vote effectively voted for Shrub.
>  > You are either part of the solution or you are part of the problem.
>  > Inaction is not good enough.
>
> Voting is not a solution.
>
> Voting only encourages them.  If you vote for a candidate, and he
> wins, he will then proceed to commit various crimes, and you, by
> voting, have given him a "mandate" for those crimes.

This is the position I maintained, word for word, since Carter.  However,
where as you may have "mandated" the crimes you voted for, you have also
"mandated" the crimes you failed to prevent, since you KNEW those crimes
would be committed.

> Further, suppose you think, as I think, that candidate A is a lesser
> evil than candidate B, but the difference is not much. If you vote for
> the lesser evil, you will start to rationalize and excuse all the
> crimes he commits, identifying with him, and his actions.

Bullshit.  That may be *you*, but that does not cover all of us.

> Nor is Kerry a solution.

Agreed.

> I cannot understand why you Bush haters are so excited about this
> election when on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, Kerry promised to
> continue all Bush's policies only more effectually.

This was the reason the vote was (a) so close amongst voters, and (b)
likely decided for Shrub.

> You vote for Kerry because you think he is a liar?

No.  I voted for Kerry because unlike George, he has at least two brain
cells - so there's a *chance* (remote, I grant you), that he can be made
to see reason.  Bush however, (a) has no brain whatsoever, (b) *enjoys*
fucking things up and praying that his good buddy Jesus will fix his
fuckups, and (c) seeing people needlessly suffer.  This is why people are
so upset that he was finally elected: nobody wants a sadist in a position
where he can deliberately and with impunity hurt whoever he turns his sick
little gaze to.

>      --digsig
>           James A. Donald

-- 
Yours,

J.A. Terranson
sysadmin at mfn.org
0xBD4A95BF

	"An ill wind is stalking
	while evil stars whir
	and all the gold apples
	go bad to the core"

	S. Plath, Temper of Time





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