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Forum Post: Protest AND Vote

Posted 13 years ago on Oct. 7, 2011, 2:13 p.m. EST by uneairkagh (1)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement

This protest is great and I support it 100%. BUT, this is not enough. Not only must we protest continuously, we must also be sure to vote.

In 2008, large voter turnout caused the President and Congress to be controlled by the Democrats. We began to see change, albeit slowly. In 2010, small voter turnout resulted in Republicans taking control of the House. Result? Stagnation.

In 2010, most voters were older conservatives. If we want change, we have to vote EVERY SINGLE ELECTION, not just during presidential elections. We only have ourselves to blame for the stalemate in Congress.

Keep protesting but, make sure you vote in 2012. Nothing will change if the same people keep getting elected to office.

VOTE. VOTE. VOTE.

10 Comments

10 Comments


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[-] 1 points by uneairkagh (1) 13 years ago

Those that disagree with me think the system is so corrupt, voting won't make any difference. That attitude is exactly why the system has become so corrupt.

I never promoted one party over the other. All I said was vote and protest. Dems or Reps, Ind or write-in, if you don't vote at all, you will change nothing.

[-] 1 points by mleon (53) from New York, NY 13 years ago

There was a stalemate in congress with a democratic supermajority. Why? because congressional democrats wanted PORK PORK and more PORK, in exchange for the massive spending used for the 2008 campaign. Nothing got done, and well.... the disenchanted center went back to voting republican out of spite.

But your right, nothing will change with the same goons getting elected. don't let the democrats hijack OWS, vote third party.

[-] 1 points by fmtx (2) from Flower Mound, TX 13 years ago

Left and Right both are addicted to their power base either the organized labor or corporations. Vote only to those candidates who will put people over their power base.

[-] 1 points by alwayzabull (228) 13 years ago

Ron Paul is the best we have in that regard. The others are puppets for big business, big government or both.

[-] 1 points by OWSProporganda (7) 13 years ago

Voting is business as usuall, which has only served to put those in power who got the U.S. into this mess. It's time to stop promoting "business as usuall" and start to think outside the box. Protesting and complaining about issues, is a good start, but I've yet to see any reall demands from the OWS movement. This movement lacks and mandates or clear direction that we want leadership to take. Case in point: "On October 5, the Olbermann evening news featured a reading of the Occupy Wall Street Declaration, written by protesters Ryan Hoffman and Lex Rendon. This document does not offer an analysis of the current economic crisis. Rather, it represents a laundry list of complaints, many valid and some spurious. Most important, this document contains not one concrete demand, measure, or program point on which the protesters are willing to pledge that they will be fighting for the interests of the American people. In that sense, it is a document of moral and intellectual impotence." this is a direct quote from http://tarpley.net/2011/10/07/occupy-wall-street-who-wants-to-hijack-the-movement/

[-] 1 points by HapteMikael (162) 13 years ago

Left/right paradigm is false. People like you that refuse to wake up are a HUGH problem for this movement, please do some research, Banks, the ESF, fiat currency, the Military Industrial complex, shadow budgets (drug money, illegal, unethical Intel/CIA operations) and state (fascist) education/ propaganda/disinfo. there are no other issues and "voting" red or blue, or even Ron Paul, won't change a damn thing. Nothing will change unless the severity of the situation is understood by everyone. The system IS working, it IS supposed to fuck us.

[-] 1 points by mgiddin1 (1057) from Linthicum, MD 13 years ago

Our traditional voting system is corrupted.

The electronic voting machines that have taken over tally of the majority of the country are able to be hacked by any kid with internet access and $25. See this article:
http://thevotingnews.com/national/argonne-researchers-hack-diebold-e-voting-system-computerworld/

The only true vote we have left is how we spend U.S. dollars, but even that doesn't address the real problems of global corporations, fiat currency, and false debt foisted on people everywhere.

There's a very good reason why there's not one bit of difference between our two reigning political parties.

[-] 1 points by kestrel (274) 13 years ago

vote, vote, vote.... of course vote democratic because after all this is an Obama reelection rally! LOL

[-] 1 points by RabelaisianRabble (10) 13 years ago

Both parties ARE essentially the same people. Nothing will change until the two-party system is abolished.

[-] 1 points by SamuelAdams (119) 13 years ago

Agree completely, but we already have the power to abolish it through our votes.

Get organized locally and get some new representatives.

I bet most Americans don't even know what congressional district they're in.

Looking for big change helps but we have some power still at a local level through our common ties.