Forum Post: Like it or not, Money Doesn't Vote.
Posted 11 years ago on June 7, 2012, 10 a.m. EST by richardkentgates
(3269)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
Yeah citizen's united is a crock of shit but ultimately, money doesn't vote. Blame the people casting the votes. Blame them for willfully voting based on racism, voting for the good-ol-boy system, voting to make the US a theocracy because this is what you are up against. The money in politics is just one more slap in the face but the root cause is nothing more or less than your neighbor being a piece of shit. That is what you have to change, that is the challenge.
Money is not the smoking gun, it is more like money enables players to buy more ammo than their opponents. And this enables the bigger money candidate to go off machine gun style at people's brains with whatever will cause a fatal head shot and turn them into voting zombies.
I agree with your point that people's minds have to be vulnerable to this barrage of ammo in the first place, and we need to constantly work to reverse these vulnerabilities within the voting populace so they become less vulnerable to casting a vote based on fear-mongering messages, racial dog-whistles, and the like.
Money doesn't vote, but it buys a hell of a lot of ammo.
I know many people who feel sad, deflated and yes, outraged and rightfully so, over this election. Tuesday definitely illustrated how money buys elections. And funds the mass brainwashing that is taking over the minds in this country. CROCK OF SHIT doesn't even begin to cover it. But can someone tell me what is being done beyond outrage. What actual organizations are in place that are taking action? Where are they so I can support them? Where are the organizations that are deprogramming and educating people? Tired of talking and tired of hearing talk. It blows my mind that we've known about fraud and big money in elections since forever but nothing is done. Where are the laws that should be getting passed? Help me understand why this can continue?
You must have read my mind, I just posted a comment on another thread about the necessity of a real opposition press, media outlets controlled by people like us, who envision radical, non-violent change, but that takes education of the average person, who is daily indoctrinated by the mainstream media.
So, those of us who struggle against the present oligarchic system should start talking with our actions and money. Let's get opposition media up and running. This is something to bring up in your local GA or libcom union.
When I was in school a professor assigned a book called "How We Know What Isn't So," and what I thought was going to be boring turned out to be a real eye-opener, one of the first books that made me curious about how prevalent these indoctrination techniques really are. The antidote needs to be everywhere, in our schools and all forms of media. We are a nation in dire need of deprogramming and it's going to take constant vigilance and creativity.
Marxists call this total indoctrination by the ruling class cultural hegemony. That is, the 1% by controlling entertainment, the media, advertising, religious institutions, etc define societal norms, so the working class eventually believes that all those definitions, the societal norms are the god-given, right thing to do.
The Wisconsin vote, in which a hefty percentage of union workers voted against the very institutions that struggled to attain liveable wages, decent working hours, benefits, etc, etc, prove the validity and power of cultural hegemony.
I wonder if those who create cultural hegemony can be too stupid or self-decieved to know they are doing it. Otherwise that would make them like sociopaths, right?
I believe the sociopath definition fits quite nicely.
Marx had no doubt about the purposeful exploitation of the proletariat by the bourgeousie, and the latter's willingness to use any means to keep the workers subjugated. In predicting the self-destruction of the capitalistic system, he wrote that the ruling class "is like the sorcerer, who is no longer able to control the powers of the nether world whom he has called up by his spells."
Congratulations. You just made me open a bottle of wine I've had in the fridge for a month. And also for some reason thinking of King Crimson songs. Time to rest lol.
or elections are rigged towards money
Thank you Matt. And we're all majorly PISSED about it. But I feel we must pour our efforts into anything that actually works.
If everyone voted publicly the results would be transparent
and I'm not pissed, just disappointed
but I guess one can't expect crooks to change their behavior
Any employer in my area would fire everyone who voted democratic and there is nothing anyone could do because this is a "Right To Work" state and they don't need to write you up a certain amount of times or even supply a reason. They just fire you and thats that.
the right to work
is actually the right to fire at will
then the employee should already be prosecuted for for suppress of freedom of speech
what's the employers name so I can give it to workers rights watchdog
We always do that to ideas, turn them around to make them seem what they are not in reality. Like a 'credit card' really creates debt with usage.
this is why the constitution states that voting must be anonymous. to protect the process. to protect people from reprisals. there is already a law in place that takes care of this problem. there can be no public voting.
People should already be protected from reprisal
they are.. its called anonymity
that is not enough
people need to respect each other as individuals
i dont think that is a reasonable expectation.
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Ah yes, it looks good in your head and on paper so it must work. Sorry bud but we live in reality, not a neat clean book or idea.
Aside from the fact the votes are still private making your claim of turing someone in just an exercise in brute flexing.
Requiring ID for voting is a big issue in several states right now under the guise of preventing double voting. who is this employer? people need to know that this is the real reason for the anonymous vote.
Read the thread and comments.
indeed
those workers should complain about work abuse publicly on the internet
that why the constitution says that voting must be anonymous. how does an employer know who a person voted for?
[-] 2 points by MattLHolck (8575) 37 minutes ago
If everyone voted publicly the results would be transparent
and I'm not pissed, just disappointed
but I guess one can't expect crooks to change their behavior
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Simple, conflict of interest http://articles.cnn.com/2004-09-17/justice/mortgage.fraud_1_mortgage-fraud-mortgage-industry-s-l-crisis?_s=PM:LAW
Most politicians have both businesses and financial investments. They do well when wall street does well and also benefit from low wages as many of them own restaurants and other low level services. Some are part owners in arms manufacturers such as Dick Cheney.
So it is to the advantage of both democrats and republicans that fewer people are knowledgeable of politics in general because an informed public would see the conflict of interest and demand something be done to change it. The current level of disenfranchisement keep the numbers low and they slap us with the label of rabble rousers and conspiracy theorist and like magic, their ass is covered. They can just go on making money and enjoying the benefits of power.
Ok but what organizations for reform are in place. It is fine to protest but it's not the only way to fight.
http://occupywallst.org/forum/illumination-for-the-disillusioned/
Thanks, some good ideas there. I hope and pray they come to fruition.
It doesn't seem likely but I hold hope.
Money does vote! It amplifies the voice of a single candidate to such a level that it drowns out the voices of opposing candidates. That is why we only only hear the same two voices in every election. One Republican and one Democrat. All other reasonable voices are in effect silenced by the much louder voices that money provides.
It is like a debate with many candidates, two using microphones paid for by campaign contributions, and the rest without. The two have an unfair advantage and are the only ones heard by the vast audience of Democracy. It should be no surprise that the same two are elected over and over.
People who write the big checks are the antithesis to freedom and justice. They defecate and urinate on the most basic principle of Democracy, the peoples right to choose. Instead, the few choose for us, buying the candidates of their choice. As long as we the people allow it to take place, Democracy does not really exist.
Money does more than that. It dictates policy on issues that I as a citizen can't even vote on. I have to trust my representative to act for me, and history has shown that he doesn't, no matter who he is as long as money is talking.
Maybe we need an "Occupy the TV" awareness campaign? Since TVs took over our free time, Americans have been privy to all sorts of propaganda that has killed their critical thinking skills and made them into complacent drones for a party instead of for what's best for them. The indoctrination starts at pre-school age with the barrage of slogans, catch phrases, etc. that is pushed on the kids shows' ads.
We need to get people out of the living room and back into the community. Get them to understand the scientific method, and actually apply it to debunk any claims that are made on the tube...
I actually thought we could use something I would call "Community Workshops" like a cross between a domestic Peace Corps and the Occupy GAs (general assemblies).
If you want to take money out of politics, what will it be replaced with? How will people get the information? It is up to the individual to learn all the facts that they can. Where do the facts come from? Tough call. But anyone can sift through the BS to get the basic truth. And it is up to the individual the learn the truth. That is a daunting responsibility for anyone who wishes to vote. Whatever a person considers to be the truth, that is up to them. But it will take money to pass any information out there. I would rather be inundated with a ton of propogandist shit if it will increase my chance of finding some truth out there.
Leave the money be. It is vital to the process
The masses have no clue at this point how to govern themselves.
The cliff is getting closer.
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Like I said in your other posting, find a girl. You can't control your anger. I'm afraid you're going to smash a plate of home made spaghetti against the wall.
lol, you're such an ass. You know I'm right. The only cure is to get those involved that are not involved. The poor who don't participate because they think it's useless or because politics isn't "cool".
I agree with your point wholeheartedly, I just don't think you should make it by swearing and calling other people pieces of shit. If you found a girl you would calm down and this would enable you to wrap your arguments in a nice and soft package. There's no reason to spew hate around this forum.
Well I haven't had my coffee yet :)
Ah! OK, that makes sense. I'm the same way before coffee. All is forgiven.