The Politics of No Real Choice
Posted: September 27, 2011 Filed under: 2012 presidential campaign, abortion rights, Surreality, U.S. Politics | Tags: money in politics, single issue crusaders, special interest groups, the lesser of evils, voting 24 Comments
One of the moments where I'm outed as Gay Friendly and Pro Choice in Nebraska.
Each year, I go to vote and am struck by the number of votes I cast that basically represent the least of evils. What is it about our system that continually produces an entire line up of candidates that makes me want to choose none of the above? Well, that’s a some what rhetorical question because my answer is that we have two demons in the process right now. The more salient question is how do we exorcise the demons?
The first reason we get terrible candidates is purity pledges forced by special interest groups. I’ve got my personal example on hand again for you. You have no idea what it’s like to be a Republican trying to run for an office and be pro-choice or gay friendly. You find out really quickly that there are people living within blocks of your house that are worse than the Taliban. There’s a huge chance that they are sitting in the pews of churches near you and your children go to school with them. They just look normal and sane until they’ve determined you’re their enemy and apostate on some near and dear creed which they feel the need force on us all. Then, you start living through Invasion of the Body Snatchers and you see that Donald Sutherland look in their eyes, hear their screeches, and show up on the bad end of that accusatory finger.
This sort’ve goose step ideological mentality ensures only the worst of the worst come through or people that refuse to stand up for what they believe least they get on the receiving end of a bloody awful witch hunt. When I ran for office I was told over and over again that it would really make my life a bit easier if I’d give up my principles and not try to buck the crazy base on that one issue. Believe me, that base is crazy. They will say and do anything to stop you and I mean that literally to the most extreme degree. Now there are tax pledges, anti-GLBT civil rights pledges, pro “only my definition of marriage” pledges, “guns and no butter” pledges and all others sorts of pledges you have to sign to pass muster. Purity tests do not bring normal people into a process. Normal people have nuances and subtleties and recognize that life has them too.
The second reason is the money. It takes a lot to buy yourself a seat in a statehouse, a mansion, or any where near Capital Hill. This also puts you in the position of having to listen a little more closely to the people that fund you instead of the people that vote for you. This gives some advantages to incumbents. You almost have to wait for their inevitable sex scandal to get a foot in the door. Well, that or they piss off one of those wild eyed special interest groups who go on a holy crusade. Most incumbents have inoculated themselves against these things unless a new group of single minded crusaders–like the tea party–rises to the occasion. Look at the Tea Party. That is basically an insurgency funded by the Koch Brothers who specialize in unleashing demons that wreck our government so they can become more rich and powerful. They foist crazies and money on the process.
I guess I’m talking about this because there’s yet another poll that says a pox on both your houses. Regular voters sending poxes never seem to work as well as the poxes cast by multibillion dollar corporations and holy war crusaders, I guess. Polls continually say the majority of people in this country think that neither part is actually good for the country or its economy right now.
A CNN/ORC International Poll released Tuesday indicates that 56 percent of Americans say the congressional Republicans’ policies will move the country in the wrong direction, with 53 percent of the public saying the same about policies of the Democrats in Congress.
“Men and women agree that the GOP policies are a bust, but women are split on the Democratic policies while men continue to dislike them. There is a generation gap as well, with younger Americans tending to favor the Democrats’ policies and older Americans more in the GOP camp,” says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland.
The survey was conducted Friday through Sunday, during the congressional standoff between Democrats and Republicans over disaster relief funding threatened to possibly force a federal government shutdown. An agreement preventing a government shutdown was reached late Monday night.
According to the poll, a majority of Americans don’t like either the Republican Party or the Democratic Party and the favorable ratings for the tea party movement are even lower.
My father has adopted the standpoint of voting all incumbents out. My problem with that strategy is that it brings in the worst of the purity politicians who don’t comprise and still wind up with full coffers. The other thing is that when you prove you’re a good water bearer for the party, they’ll gerrymander a district for you that’s like kryptonite to even the most super of challengers. Again, some part of the system will protect you. Either a group like the values crusaders or the biggest industry in your state will let you do the worst job in the world as long as you go along with their strict and narrow agenda.
Here’s a good example on a potential presidential candidate I really can’t stand. The gray flannel suit crowd of the Republican party likes Chris Christie for some odd reason. They’re pleading him to jump into the race. Already, there’s a list out of why he won’t pass the purity tests even though he seems like a fairly conventional republican candidate to me. Evidently, he’s got the Perry problem on immigrants and worse than that, he’s shown a little laxity on the Guns and no Butter republican mantra.
HANNITY: Are there any issues where you are, quote, moderate to left as a Republican?
CHRISTIE: Listen, I favor some of the gun-control measures we have in New Jersey.
HANNITY: Bad idea.
CHRISTIE: Listen, we have a densely-populated state, and there’s a big hand gun problem in New Jersey. Now, I don’t support all the things that the governor supports by a long stretch. But I think on guns — certain gun control issues, looking at it from a law-enforcement perspective, seeing how many police officers were killed, we have an illegal gun problem in New Jersey.
So, Christie has a purity problem in key areas that may stop him from getting through a primary. His name may not make it onto one of those little polling cards of marching orders they hand out in churches and corporate offices. Now, I’m not fond of Tony Christie Soprano, but you have to give him credit for being a little out of the box on a few items in a party that demands purity. Notice how Hannity slams him for his pragmatic stance on guns in NJ.
When I finally noticed I was continually voting democrat out of the lesser of two evils strategy, I switched parties when I got down here to New Orleans. (Now, I’m an independent.) Democrats seem to be willing to vote for any one that says the right things and does the complete opposite when in office. I don’t find that particularly admirable either. There’s a certain amount of consistency in goosestepping ideologues that you just don’t see in people that are forced to continually vote for the lesser of evils. I am truly tired of voting for the candidate that I perceive will damage the country the least. That strategy explains like 98% of my votes since I turned 18.
This brings me back around to the question of how do we change this? How do we get the people that benefit from organizations that can megafund them to put down the crack pipes? How do we stop these single issue crusaders from continually sending us their zombies? What’s a voter to do? My voting strategy next year is looking to be stay home because no matter how I try, I’m still voting for evil. I shouldn’t have to vote for evil even when it’s a lesser evil.
peej
Carissa
ecocatwoman
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Mona (aka Wonk the Vote)
Sky Dancing 
To borrow a line from that noted Republican, Bobby Knight, this party couldn’t lead a whore to bed. Once more there is no one worth voting for in the race for president from either party.
Cthulhu 2012/
Why settle for the lesser evil?
lol … I’m routing for the flying spaghetti monster this time out but, hey 2012 is 2012.
Speaking of Bobby Knight, I’d love to see him throw a chair across the room at the next Republican debate.
Ralph: Did you see this about that trader on the BBC possibly being a hoax?
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/cutline/bbc-victim-hoax-no-yes-men-154724196.html
Should he decide to jump into the race, Chris Christie will rapidly “walk back” those gun control statements. Not one candidate so far has not spun, contorted, or stood by an earlier statement even when it is on the printed page.
The evil that swirls around the platform of both parties is to eliminate any and all safety measures that have been approved by past legislation thus leaving many of us hanging by a thread.
Listen to Ron Paul and you can’t believe what you are hearing yet his base is strong and he is actually applauded for the meanness of his proposals. Listen to most of them and they are more than anxious to promote religious beliefes into law with the final blow delivered to the separation of church and state. Listen to all of them with their denunciation of gay rights and the right to choose. Listen to them beat their chests by deregulating industries which will further dirty our air, water and food supplies. Listen to them uphold the rights of the rich over the misery of the poor then listen to the pundits attempt to sort out which one of them “won” or present themselves as “more presidential” then the other.
Then remember it is one of these evildoers that will be deciding how quickly and effectively then can keep the promise of what they maintain is the only way of governance should they manage to win.
It’s getting to the point where even identifying “the lesser of two evils” is no longer a choice.
Maybe that’s why I’m leaning towards staying home. The marginal difference between the evils is so razor thin it’s indiscernible. The out comes continue to be that horrible sequence of things you describe.
How is Christie going to walk back his appointing a Muslim-American judge and defending him by saying, “I’m sick of all the nuts?” Christie won’t run. He’s too straighforward for the Repubs.
I’m a native of NJ and though I’m not living in-state, I still have plenty of family and friends who do. Every conversation, Christie comes up. I think the Tony Soprano tag could easily stick. But you’re also right about Christie not passing the TP litmus tests. Christie appointed a Muslim judge several weeks ago and received all kinds of flack from the crazed right [who insist Sharia Law is a great danger]. Christie was as blunt as usual: called it crap. Plus, I think I read that he actually believes in Climate Change. OMG, a science guy. That certainly isn’t allowed. And gun control, too? Yikes!
I share your funk about 2012, Dak. I’ve already decided I’m voting for neither party and will attempt to go 3rd party if I can. My husband asked: Whatta you going to do, vote for the socialists?
Yup, that’s exactly what I’ll do if I’m even given the choice down here. Otherwise, it’s a no-vote. I do not and will not support the current ‘paid for in advance’ system of cronies, who bow to every corporate whim out there. They’re killing the country and causing unnecessary suffering and damage.
I consider a no-vote a vote of conscience.
I’ve wound up voting in some elections because there’s only one item/person I feel the need to flip the switch for. It’s getting depressing.
He probably doesn’t even believe that Adam and Eve were real historical figures.
{{ gasp! }}
LOL! Well then, he’s definitely OUT!
Dakinikat – kudos for trying to get into office! Did you really run as a Republican or am I misreading?
For me – I’ll definintely vote to show them I was indeed there – but leave blank the races with no choice to my liking. I’ll absolutely vote Green or SWP if there is a candidate. I live in the suburbs of Atlanta and my district will go to Obama. Even if I thought it would be close I’m also completely done with the lesser evil thing. Dems proved us wrong on that in 2006 and 2008.
I’m encouraged by the senate race in Mass – Warren vs. Brown – and hope she cleans his clock with vastly less money. We need wins like that to show the popular disgust with corporatism.
yup, i did
I will be looking for some one who has done somthing right. I normally would have voted for Obama, Stabenow and Peters. However I do not think Obama has done the right thing, especially not prosecuting fraud in the Financial Industry. Plus here in Michigan, he discounted my vote in the Michigan primary vote. I mantain that as a minimum political parties should count votes.
In the case of Stabbenow she made a big deal that she would be taking over the position of Blanch Lincoln who was tough on Derivatives. That was on the Ag Committee. However I have not heard boo about what she has done. Remember unregulated Derivatives were a big part of the Financial Crisis
Congressnab Gary Peters has been gerrymandered out and I do not know who is running for his positon. However, being a Frewshman on the House Finance committee, he pushed for the right things. Current article by Mortgenson says the Derivatives are not regulated. Despite the Dodd Frank bill, the bankers got Dirivatives eviserated in the Regulation set up. Not a word from Stabenow
My other Senator Carl Levin has turned out a Financial Crisis report which identifies names for prosecution. The report is about 1.5 inches thick. I have a copy and it is a very readable doucument. The report has been turned over AG Holder and the regulators. There is no sign of prosecution and over 6 months has passed. My understanding that Holder / Obama have received other documents for prosecution and nothing has happened.Levin is not up for election, but I would vote for him.
I am evoloving to the thinking that the government is so corrupt that we need to throw the bums out. If there is a Republican Primary in Michigan, I would cross over and vote Romny.
That is in part a anti Obama vote go get him the best competition.Also, when Romney’s farther was in Michigan politics, I thougt he was a straight arrow. I would class him as a Rockefeller Republican. Hopefully the apple will not fall from the tree.
“as a minimum political parties should count votes.”
No kidding. I stopped being a “democrat” because of how votes were handled in the past election. We don’t register party here, so we can label ourselves as we choose. I generally label myself “dissatisfied”.
I’ll be writing Bernie Sanders in. I’ll be darned if I’ll be limited to bad and worse as my choices. I reject the idea that I have to choose from the names that corporate America gives me and I’ll be darned if I’ll let them silence my voice by staying home. I may not win but I won’t be actively contributing to running the country I was willing to die for off a cliff at 60 or 70 miles and hour respectively. So I’ll vote for the only guy in Congress that proposes ideas that I like or says things that I agree with.
Good idea!
Each year, I go to vote and am struck by the number of votes I cast that basically represent the least of evils.
The reason I voted for McCain.
Hillary 2012
Just wanted to say the frontpagers have been hitting it out of the park the past few days. Fantastic posts.
We vote on electronic voting tablets, and I have been struck in the past several elections on how many “pages” I pass over and leave unchecked because none of the choices are acceptable. I completely concur on your lesser of evils choice options. I won’t stay home because there is always some local issue that needs support, but on the national issues… there will be more blank pages on my voting machine.
About putting down those crack pipes………………..what we gotta do is go after the DEALERS.
LOL!
I feel as though I don’t have a choice, my party doesn’t even allow us to state our concerns, nor does it want us to say that it is their candidate that is blocking our platform.
Many people are feeling as though no one is listening and this video makes a good point.
9/11 First Responder Occupying Wall Street
(x-posted)
“Look at the Tea Party. That is basically an insurgency funded by the Koch Brothers who specialize in unleashing demons that wreck our government so they can become more rich and powerful. They foist crazies and money on the process.”
While that’s how it may appear from the outside, that’s not actually true. There’s been a tremendous struggle within the “tea party” (and within the republican party) over who will run the tea party. On one hand, you have the establishment and the candidates that they’re trying to use to coopt the tea party like Bachmann or Perry. On the other hand, you have … pretty much everyone else, who hate the republicans only slightly less than the democrats. Hannity, Beck, and all those other a–holes put themselves forward as the “official” voice of the party, but they’re only official in so far as they represent the GOP establishment. Most of the members of the tea party don’t give to s–ts in a sandstorm about their key issues. There never was any astroturfing, just slick rich people trying to ride the coattails of what is a fiercely populist movement.
In other news, I read a poll this weekend (with something approaching unalloyed glee) which said that Perry’s support may be collapsing.
On the other hand, the crazies are from within the base. However, there are even some good things there – 1) they’re a minority, albeit an amazingly vocal one, and 2) they’re getting older and they aren’t being replaced.