Please remember not to vote!

I need to ask all the advocates of non voting a few questions .

Do you own a home ?
Do you own a car ?
Do you shop at Walmart ?
Do you shop with any nation wide chain store?
Do you buy any brand name goods ?
Do you buy utilities for your residence ?
Do you pay for gas for your car?
Do you buy food ?
Do you pay union dues ?
Do you belong to a professional organization?

If you answered yes to any of these questions you are in fact voting with your money for influence in Washington. Every group named in the questions is expending money in Washington to buy influence. Many times the influence they buy is contrary to the needs and wants of the people.

And really these people are called lobbyists they are whats is hurting our system contributions, gifts , vacations, etc and underhanded deals.

You want to make a difference by not voting well do it where it really hurts the money that is driving the political system . By not voting for the people who are corrupting the political process . Mega corporations !

You have a barrel full of bad apples the only way to clean it up is throw out all the bad apples and remove what is corrupting the apples .

Vote the bad apples out and destroy the lobbyists easy access to the politician .

If you see congressman x is voting against what you think is right see who has donated to his reelection vote by not buying from company x .

Look at it this way 300m Americans 50 % vote . 150 m Americans vote by boycotting Monsanto . Monsanto dont care who is in office as long as they get their say they will eventually buy a new congressmen . But hitting them in to pocket book will raise some eyebrows .

This is not as simple as not voting for any election it is far more tangled than that .

edited for spelling

[edit on 8-8-2010 by Lostinthedarkness]

reply to post by Lostinthedarkness


I agree with you ,some of us have stressed the need for acting besides voting or not voting

I agree with you whole heatedly about the necessity of voting with ones wallet

so what can we conclude that action is effective and voting is in one sense at least irrelevant

I try as much as possible to adhere to a spending policy that doesn't serve TPTB interests and does serve local businesses

I must buy but as in anything else we seek to do it takes a village or a majority to be effective. Honestly I believe in acting locally we really as ordinary citizens can't do much for people in other states or countries ,but if we focus first on our own backyards and advocate there with steadfast purpose we can accomplish our goals .That's what I do and does work when you do it like that

reply to post by MrsBlonde

try as much as possible to adhere to a spending policy that doesn't serve TPTB interests and does serve local businesses

This is damn near impossible, even though I can;t really disagree with it.
Try buying something that Monsanto hasn't dipped it's finger in.
There a member of the IE, into everything.

reply to post by MrsBlonde


I feel that it really needs to be a dual approach vote out the bad apples at the ballot box and vote by avoiding buying for x corporation .

Buy local does help especially with a farmers market and home town businesses.

If the voting Americans would toss out all incumbents and demand there was term limits , campaign contribution reform and reform of the lobbyist system that would make a huge difference in the way of reforming American politics.


I would LOVE to see a nation wide referendum on the above stated items it should happen in every state then nation wide.

Lobbying is a long-standing tradition in these United States and it is something that we can all use to our benefit.

Don't have a billion dollars?

Get together with a billion like-minded people who have one dollar and you too can have influence in the halls of congress.

Now, I'm not going to rule out corruption, but just because it takes lots of money to fund the organizations that support our causes and who pay the lobbyists who specialize in bringing attention to our issues doesn't mean that the system of lobbying is by definition corrupt.

I'm glad that I can pay my "widow's mite" along with those who share my interests and thereby have as much influence in Washington as the biggest, fattest cat in the country.

I know this is true because one of my organizations is the most powerful and effective political force in the nation.

And on top of that, I can vote and I can write or talk to my representatives. I can campaign and organize to help get the people who believe as I do into office from the local to the national.

When you really think about it, we have a very remarkable system here in the US of A. So much so that people from around the world risk life and limb everyday to come here by any means necessary to have a shot at liberty and opportunity.


[edit on 2010/8/8 by GradyPhilpott]

reply to post by randyvs

Try buying something that Monsanto hasn't dipped it's finger in.
There a member of the IE, into everything.

That is a hard one to follow threw . But many farmers markets and health food stores will be selling fruits and vegetables that are heritage seeds . Meaning these strains of plants existed before Monsanto and are not modified . Meaning they dont get a cut . It gets almost imposable to avoid them if you buy name brand chips or flours . But it can be done if you work at it and many times you will eat better and have better tasting food as well.

reply to post by GradyPhilpott


I refereed to Lobbyist reform not eradication . The citizen PAC usually dont give a congressmen a 4 day week end all paid in Hawaii or enough cash to keep a refrigerator with what was it $90,000 in it . Or create subsidiary PACS that look like a citizen PAC but bank rolled buy a huge corporation .

A close friend spent 8 years in the state house and 7 in the Federal house. The 2 biggest cheats he relayed to me was on 2 bills introduced in home state.

Bill a reduction of jail time for non violent drug possession mainly marijuana. One of the most vocal groups against it was a citizen PACt which was backed 80% of money from Wackenhut . Which also against the bill .

Bill b was a bill to enforce tighter rules on herbal medicine . Again a citizen PAC for the bill extremely vocal and powerful and received 80-90 % of its money from glaxo smith .

Now if you look at this way I am lobbing for either of those 2 bills I have to buck first the corporations lobby and then I have to buck the shadow corporation PACs . Now I follow the rules and just talk try to influence with reason a little campaign contribution a few small gifts that fall under the guide lines .Then we have to counter the four day weekends and the Bulls game for 6 in the corporate VIP box the tour of the factory for a week in Spain plus after hes out of office a job offer as a consultant at a nice fat salary .

How can a citizen PAC compete with that offer ?

reply to post by GradyPhilpott

When you really think about it, we have a very remarkable system here in the US of A.

I hope you don't think I'm insensitive to that fact or the finer points of
our nation. I don't see those finer points being around much longer.
Obama seems to be dragging us over the threshold to socicalism.
Once were through the door. It's over. No return. Fate for many of us sealed.

Originally posted by randyvs
Obama seems to be dragging us over the threshold to socicalism.

I wish he was being that light on you, I really do.

I mean, TPTB have got you all running around a little partisan maze. Anybody you don't like is automatically on one side or the other.

They want you to believe that you're either a redneck militia leader in KKK garb masturbating over NASCAR while using your free hand to shoot Kenyans masquerading as Americans, or an arrogant European intellectual mincing around in a hammer-and-sickle print tutu to Bolshevik electropop.

The world isn't black and white! It's all shades of grey. He's no Socialist, he wants to institute a top-down, third way mixed economy with just enough regulations to stifle competition but not enough to prevent abuses of power. It's a common trick used by Authoritarians-get the workers on your side with various 'socialist' rhetoric- Hitler (I hate to Godwin this thread, but meh) did it and then disposed of the socialist elements of his party straight after he had the power he needed, Lenin did it, Castro did it, Kim Il-Sung did it... I wouldn't say he's as bad as any of these people, but he's hardly good for the average person.

It's about perpetuating a certain ruling class, rather than opposing it (as true Socialism does).

[edit on 9-8-2010 by LeftWingLarry]

[edit on 9-8-2010 by LeftWingLarry]

reply to post by LeftWingLarry

They want you to believe that you're either a redneck militia leader in KKK garb masturbating over NASCAR while using your free hand to shoot Kenyans masquerading as Americans, or an arrogant European intellectual mincing around in a hammer-and-sickle print tutu to Bolshevik electropop.

Well I spotted you early on in this thread as someone who could probably
draw a bead. With a sense of humor to boot, but you don't seem ready to engage. I'm sure you noticed thats what I was hoping to see more of here.
At least before interest began to wain.
I'll play straight with you. I have great fear of what I see in freedoms future. I see the massive tumblers of a gigantic lock
ready to fall in place. If the door is allowed to close, it won't open again.
It's to easy to see all the mechanisms being tuned.
That just helps everyone believe this is the norm.
It's like they are waiting for that one last pin or screw to be put in place and then. They kick the door, the door slams shut, the lights come on and then. They play it all there way and they are wicked men.
No mercy, No quarter, only experiments and slaughter because they will know we wanted their heads. They will know we despise what they really are.
Sounds crazy but once the cat is out of the bag about them they will be ruthless.
They see this happening and I see them picking up the pace of everything.
On all fronts.
I don't mean I fear for myself. I'm old enough to where I'm ready to die.
As I have said a number of times on this site, getting to much older, just looks painful.
It's what I see the young having to go thru, that scares the crap out of me.

Some may think my last post was a bit paranoid.

I suggest in tcdays world, there can be no such thing, as paranoia.Bumpidy bump.

The idea of not voting to 'teach them a lesson' is ignorance in the extreme. No one will miss you. The koolaide chuggers from both sides will be out in force and the status quo will continue right to the bitter end. It's been said before and deserves repeating until people 'get it', short of a revolution people need to unite against ALL incumbents and ALL party-endorsed politicians. Vote for only the most obscure (preferrably non-two party candidates) in EVERY election (local to national). NO exceptions.

The ONLY message we can effectively send is that we can organize and that we summarily reject BOTH the Republican and Democrat candidates en masse.

reply to post by jtma508


I don't think not voting will teach them anything. If you look back at the thread, you can see that it should be a signal. For the mayhem to begin.
The old way, just isn't cutting anything, but our own throats.

One more time. They don't care who you vote for. What you vote for because it dosn't make a difference. Your vote is there confidence and
arrogance. It gives confidence for them to move forward.

Everyone not voting. Will shock the hell out of them. Then we become a lynch mob or what ever the case. But we root them out like a scurge.,

Either they die. Or a hell of a lot of us will. One or the other. That is obvious. Like a door closed in your face obvious.

We are far past the point. The french people would have heads on plates by now. We are Americans. We have to take it back or we're dead.

As long as we breath we have a chance. It's still up to us.

I say Revoluci'on.

[edit on 9-8-2010 by randyvs]

reply to post by Lostinthedarkness


I believe that all the things you mention have been against the law for a very long time.

I certainly didn't mean do condone criminal activity committed by legislators and lobbyist.

I don't see enforcing the law as actual reform.

Graft is graft.

reply to post by GradyPhilpott

Graft is graft.

In the words of a Jack Nicholson charecter," Only for the moment Mr.
Grady. Only for the moment".

[edit on 23-8-2010 by randyvs]

reply to post by randyvs


Everybody is scared of what's to come in the future, it's a natural Human instinct.

Not voting, however, does nothing but help to marginalise yourself and makes your voice even harder to hear.

Wouldn't it be nice if everyone that was 'awake' voted independant, like for Ralph Nadar or something? Not that I think he could do anything different, but at least it would show that we are interested in what goes on, and at the same time make the statement that we know Dems an Reps are all the same talking heads.

I know that could never happen here, but it sure would be nice to see something strange like that happen. Then again, since votes don't count no one would ever know this happened, except them. Just a thought.

reply to post by randyvs


Yes I agree. If you like the leaders we currently have in government and think are country is on the right track, please, for the love of god stay home on election night.

I to some extent agree with the op. Sometimes it is better to be part of the problem, then trying to be the solution. In the case of voting however i cannot see this being productive. Let me explain.

When i got fed up with paying 40% tax on my sallary, feeding the society with money and seeing it go to waste i decided enough is enough. I stopped working and went on social welfare. This is not ideal, it is not right, but the social program that is so widely abused will not break apart before the burdon on society is too big to handle. If i had continued working i would only have enabled it to work for longer.

Not voting will not accomplish anything but giving the voting part of population the lawful right to run the country as they please.

How about you instead campaigned for someone who would truly make a change happen, like ron paul? You cannot get more sincere than him. I would be proud to have an candidate like him in my elections. I only choose not to vote if i cannot find a suitable candidate.

reply to post by above

How about you instead campaigned for someone who would truly make a change happen, like ron paul? You cannot get more sincere than him. I would be proud to have an candidate like him in my elections. I only choose not to vote if i cannot find a suitable candidate.

Want to see me predict the future? Ron Paul will never ever even come close to being President. Want to see me
do it again? The next President will be either a republican or a democrat. I don't have to vote to know these things. Call it a gift.

My point is, there is no way I can be wrong about those two predictions. are you people seeing it yet?
There is something wrong if every American knows those two predicts are the truth beyond all doubt.
Voting is ignorant to what they ( the crooks in washington) are getting away with. Period.
We are still bending over for it. Everytime you vote you bend over for the red white and blue George Carlin
spoke of.
But I'm sure my words will do nothing to awaken the mechanised and brainwashed American voters who think they make a difference. I don't see it. So at least do me the most my nute of favors just before you vote
for any of these obvious non members of the human race. Just ask yourself? Can you really feel good about it?