The Best Hope for Changing The System (Hint: It's not any specific candidate)

Greetings ATS.

It's an election year again. My goal for this year is to get the word out about what I feel is truly the best hope for bringing our grotesque "two-party" system in check and start the wheels of serious progres turning. So without a further ado, I propose the vote exchange.

Every four years, a disgustingly small percentage of the American population goes through the motions of selecting a new leader. An incredibly large portion of the voting population does not vote FOR a candidate they favor, but rather vote AGAINST the candidate they dislike/fear. Example, I didn't vote for Obama because I liked him or had much faith in his ability to fix this country, I voted for him because I was terrified of a McCain/Palin presidency.

It is this practice of voting for the lesser evil that has helped to completely and utterly entrench the two-party mentality over the last 30+ years. It is time to end all that.

What I suggest is simple: find someone a friend, family member or colleague who plans on voting for the "other" guy out of fear of "your" candidate winning and propose a trade. Since your individual votes for one of the big two will only serve to offset one another, you would each agree to instead vote for a third party or independent candidate (any third party it doesn't matter) that hew closer to your true political views.

This accomplishes three things:

1. Allows you to vote for a candidate you would WANT to see as president rather than one you simply think has a chance of beating the so-called "other guy".

2. Assures you that you are still off-setting a vote for the other guy so you don't have to feel like you've "thrown your vote away"

3. Chips away at the percentage of the eventual "winner" in favor of a more diversified field of candidates.

And's let get real here. Number 3 is perhaps the most important thing here. Every 4 years, some insufferable scumbag manages to squeak out 50.0003% of the vote, allowing them to proclaim a mandate from "The People" to try and push their lobbyist forged agenda on a congress using similarly weak numbers to declare its own mandate.

Imagine, instead, a world where the "winner" has to face the cold fact that he/she only secured 32% of the vote. Meanwhile, the Green and Libertarian parties each came in with 18% of the vote. How would the news cycle handle this newfound diversity? What would the next midterm elections look like. How much bolder would the voting population be versus an ever so slightly humbled ruling class?

Change is not going to come from winning over true believers in our screwed up ruling class. It is going to come from convincing the apathetic and the habit-driven to do something different, something better. We will never reclaim our Liberty by voting for the same 2 parties that have taken that Liberty away.

The true believers are few in the grand scheme of things, and the people being washed along in the tide are many.

Likewise, all those non-voters who think their votes don't matter. They would only be right if they pull the Donkey or Elephant lever. Any gesture that chips away at the political duopoly in this country can help. If everyone who refused to vote because "both" the candidates are awful, decided to show up and vote for someone with a weird and exotic letter behind their name, the face of this country would change overnight and the men in high places who reply on complacency and ignorance will quake.

Let's make this happen.

There is no better way for the 99%, the 1% that rules doesn't see anything wrong, they like it like this way it keeps them rich and in powerful so why change it, there at the rains not the many who dream of a better world. There's a new thread everyday on how to fix the world - vote for this person or that person, in fact you could change voting laws, presidents, occupy what every you want and at the end of the day it will all be the same.

Under your 32% scenario, the election would be decided in the House. Thus, TPTB's candidate would still win and we would still be screwed. I doubt that it would really change anything for the following election. Now, should alternative parties start winning 5-10% of the house and senate, then we might see some things start to change as a real power struggle would ensue.

reply to post by DarthMuerte


It's not about getting a non-TPTB candidate in in 2012. That's not happening. It's about shaking the 2 party system as much as possible in our shamefully rigged system. Of course, it goes without saying that Congress should be filled with a rogue's gallery of third party and independent candidates. Do you think I'm only talking about the presidential election?

Still, the first two responses to this notion are all naysaying and despair. You have two choices: try and work with the system we have or take up a real revolution. I think this is a viable way to use the system against itself. 2012 would be an incremental victory, but a big one. We just need to get people to believe change is possible.

Originally posted by RobertAntonWeishaupt
reply to post by DarthMuerte

 

It's not about getting a non-TPTB candidate in in 2012. That's not happening. It's about shaking the 2 party system as much as possible in our shamefully rigged system. Of course, it goes without saying that Congress should be filled with a rogue's gallery of third party and independent candidates. Do you think I'm only talking about the presidential election?

Still, the first two responses to this notion are all naysaying and despair. You have two choices: try and work with the system we have or take up a real revolution. I think this is a viable way to use the system against itself. 2012 would be an incremental victory, but a big one. We just need to get people to believe change is possible.

If Ron Paul cannot get elected and start changing our course, I have no faith in this country finding a peaceful solution.

reply to post by RobertAntonWeishaupt


I see what you are saying, and even though I do support a multiple party system, it would still be more of the same. Just look at the rest of the world, which has more than two major parties.

Actually, we do have a multiple party system, the thing is, the minor parties usually have a non starter as their leader.

Heck, I'm an independant...Vote for me as POTUS.

I won't screw you over no more than the last guy. Honest!

I have always voted Independent and always will. This sounds like a great idea. I wish us all luck.

I am tired of the 2 party 1 agenda that happens here....