To underscore that voting third party or not voting at all will help elect McCain and Palin, and thereby re-empower the self-righteous ideologues who berated progressives, liberals, democrats, greens, libertarians, etc., for the past 8 yearswhile their leaders were on board, I've asked my fantastic vlogger collaborator, Sharona L. Smith (VoiceOfAmericans2008), to compile a short video of some of the harassment we've endured.
Before you decide NOT to vote for Barack Obama, who I view as our most realistic HOPE to restore some sense of sanity to our rapidly failing world, I implore you to watch Sharona's masterful 4+minute compilation of pro-Obama/pro-McCain confrontations... and more:
Please understand that these pro-war, pro-torture, anti-women, anti-science, racist, bigoted, uninformed, self-righteous taunters will be re-empowered if THEIR candidates are elected to office. This would be a travesty! Please tell me: do you really want McCain and Palin elected? Do you really want to empower these vicious right wing zealots and fanatics who support them?
I know you've debated ad nauseam on your choice to vote third party. You've stated and restated your case. And there lies the rub - IT'S YOUR CASE! It's right for you. It's justice for YOU. But is it right for America and is it right for the world? Will a Barack Obama presidency really be as bad as John McCain?
I know Barack Obama didn't vote as we wanted on FISA. I get that his policy toward Afghanistan is WRONG. He shouldn't have supported the bailout. I'm still angry at his first vote in the U.S. Senate to confirm Condoleeza Rice. I get it. The guy AIN'T PERFECT. But he's still got to win. Barack Obama is the ONLY candidate who can defeat McCain and Palin.
I understand the need for a Third Party, and a Fourth Party, and a Fifth. But timing is EVERYTHING. We have to defeat McCain and Palin!! If we don't beat McCain and Palin we elect an apoplectic madman and a manipulating twit. There's no other way to put it. This IS THE TRUTH!!
No matter how much you respect Ralph Nader and Cynthia McKinney for their progressivism, and Ron Paul for his libertarianism, they're not going to win. No matter how much Bob Barr wants to save our privacy, he's not going to win. Voting for Nader, McKinney, Paul and Barr in a heartfelt act of passion will provide YOU a moment of pleasure and the world insurmountable pain.
If you buy Obama's mega-lead as sold by corporate media, you'll be ill-advised. Even if it's true for right now, THERE ARE NO ABSOLUTES!! Republicans are dirty tricking every second so Obama will lose. For weeks now, conservatives led by Rush Limbaugh and CNN's Lou Dobbs, have been instigating the challenge to an Obama victory by charging ACORN (Association of Community Organizations For Reform Now), a grassroots bottom up organization, with purposeful voter registration fraud. The fact is, ACORN has been around for 40 years mobilizing and assisting the disenfranchised our society has left behind - while Lords Dobbs and Limbaugh have been living lives of riches. I'd trust ACORN any day over these class-monger race-baiting whores.
This election cycle, with the possibility of the first African American president, voters are more energized than ever and registering in record numbers. While conservative media is smearing ACORN and working to incite violence if Obama wins, MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS, a legitimate news source, is reporting THE TRUTH that will hopefully drown out partisans like Limbaugh and Dobbs. As MCCLATCHY reports, ACORN was sloppy with its registrations - NOT fraudulent.
With this throng of new registrants there will be a percent that aren't valid. This is nothing new. There are registrations in every election that are discarded after vetting. What's different this year is the vast number of new registrations. By law, ACORN must turn in EVERY registration - even those it has flagged as questionable or false. Nonetheless, right wing activist Dobbs calls ACORN a "radical left wing activist group." Sadly, for racist Dobbs, any organization that is predominantly non-white and non-rich is radical, self-serving and left wing.
Point of fact, John McCain and Sarah Palin are a danger to our nation. Electing them would be a travesty. The only way to ensure their loss is to vote for Obama in record numbers. Even though the popular vote doesn't win an election, the larger the popular vote the more legitimacy is afforded a challenge to a questionable election. I want Obama and Biden to win this nation in a landslide. Don't you??
Yes, I want a Third Party - but I'm still going to vote for Obama. Call me a hypocrite if you want to but this year I'm chasing the rainbow. AND I'M BEGGING YOU TO CHASE IT, TOO!!
Linda Milazzo is a Los Angeles based writer, educator and activist. Since 1974, she has divided her time between the entertainment industry, government organizations & community development projects and educational programs.
Linda began her writing career over 30 years ago, starting out in advertising and promotions. From 1976 to 1989, she operated an independent public relations service providing specialty writing for individual and corporate clients. For the past six years, Linda has focused on political writing. Her essays, letters and commentaries have appeared in domestic and international journals, newspapers and magazines. She's an educator and creator of a writers' program she's taught privately and in public schools. She currently facilitates an advocacy writing workshop and is developing an advocacy writing program to be implemented in public and private educational institutions and in community based organizations.
Linda is a senior editor at OEN, a regular contributor to the Huffington Post, and to other respected news and opinion websites. A political and social activist since the Vietnam War, Linda attributes her revitalized-fully-engaged-intense-head-on-non-stop-political activism to the UNFORTUNATE EXISTENCE OF GEORGE W. BUSH and her disgust with greed-ridden American imperialism, environmental atrocities, egregious war, nuclear proliferation, lying leaders, and global tyranny!
Hey, we were told the same bs story in 2000, 2004, and 2006. Enough is enough! "If you don't vote for the status quo, you are throwing your vote away." Well I call bullshit on that one. We've got a one party system, two sides to the same coin. That's called tokenism, not real currency. I'll vote for who I believe will best serve my country, not who's got the best programming to pretend to be president. It's time to stand up, not stand down. Don't feed me this pablum of complacency when we've got a serious problem to deal with - dead head, dumb beat candidates served up to us by msm to placate our problems rather than deal with real issues. Like others, "I'm mad as hell and not going to take this any longer!!"
by
Cinderfella (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 141 comments)
on Monday, October 27, 2008 at 4:32:04 AM
Cinderfella is a Republican. I don't see how a progressive or liberal could have any difficulty seeing the differences between an Obama-Biden administration and a McCain-Palin administration. You laid out the differences perfectly.
Obviously the priorities and goals would be diametrically opposed. And yet a large number of people here at OEN seem unable to differentiate, and for some reason seem to think Obama is as bad, or worse than McCain. There is only one explanation for that. They are Republicans.
People like Cinder cannot be reasoned with is because they are Republicans, but then there is the issue of progressives who are too mad to vote. They think all politicians are the same, even if it is obvious that McCain and Obama have totally different world views.
Notice how Cinder did not offer any solutions for the "big problems" we are facing. "Just don' t vote for the two parties..." as though that would fix anything.
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John R Moffett (83 articles, 17 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 652 comments)
on Monday, October 27, 2008 at 5:33:13 AM
I'm going to assume you're a Democrat. You know that party of sells-out and that differs from the Republicans in, ah ... in ... the fact that they sell-out, and other than that give lip-service to issues in order to fool the fools, I can't think of anything that matters in which they differ.
It's because people of your ilk keep that believing what you're told instead of taking a stand for what's right that we keep finding ourselves choosing between lesser of two evils as you rationalize your actions in "dealing with reality."
I don't like your reality. I don't like having to constantly surrender my morals because I'm having to rationalize choices. It's plain enough, you either believe the BS handed you or make a choice that's right.
You obviously have some clout, you could influence others to do what is truly right instead of giving into the propaganda, but you'd rather rationalize your position by assuming everyone that doesn't vote for Obama must be a Republican.
Well, you obviously couldn't be farther from the truth with this pumpkin. I'm not voting for Obama because he's a lying, cover-man for mass murders, war-mongering, bastard for the status-quo, as is McCain, and no matter how hard I try I just can't rationalize that away, nor can I bring myself to pull the lever for either one of these cretins.
And apparently you can.
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Mr M (4 articles, 0 quicklinks, 51 diaries, 2028 comments)
on Monday, October 27, 2008 at 11:28:47 AM
1. I'm smarter than you, you are stupid and obviously don't get it
2. I'm purer than you, everyone besides me and those who think like me are pigs/garbage/etc.
3. I just think I am all around more special than you
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Once you get past the above three, there is no 'there' there. We still have two candidates who have a chance of winning and one is exponentially worse than the other.
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Steven Leser (231 articles, 49 quicklinks, 35 diaries, 1800 comments)
on Monday, October 27, 2008 at 12:41:52 PM
Given a choice between two lying, mass murders, war-mongers, war-profiteers, of which one you support, makes you what?
I'll just ask you to defend just the last slap-n-our-face vote with this so-called "recovery bill". When 1,000 to 1 calls were going against this bill, both candidates voted for it.
So, please explain to me by what rational you have to can support either one of these charlatans? In what sense can anyone say that these candidates will represent us when they blatantly ignore our voice?
Please explain this. That is if you can do so without getting personal.
And yes, I do feel morally surperior than mass-murders - who wouldn't?
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Mr M (4 articles, 0 quicklinks, 51 diaries, 2028 comments)
on Monday, October 27, 2008 at 2:56:22 PM
Mr. M. has nowhere to go. A pox on all their houses. Your done. Go watch TV.
You’ve decided miraculously that there isn’t any difference, none whatsoever, between a possible Obama administration, and a possible McCain administration.
The idea that a Gore administration in 2001 would have been just the same as having a Bush administration after 9/11 is ludicrous. The same holds for Obama vs. McCain.
Obviously, you’ve got issues with anything that isn’t just your way. I’d like a much more liberal president than I think Obama will be, but that doesn’t blind me to the fact that McCain wouldn’t be slightly worse, he’d be massively worse. And I like Obama, I think he is a breath of fresh air after BushCo.
But I know this is wasted typing on my part.
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John R Moffett (83 articles, 17 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 652 comments)
on Monday, October 27, 2008 at 4:05:51 PM
Sorry, you're not going to pin the blame on third party voters if McCain gets elected.
You have no case especially when considering the fact that when Nader is included in the polls, Obama's lead over McCain increases.
If Obama doesn't wind up in the White House, there will be three logical explanations possible:
1) Obama betrayed progressive values by kowtowing to corporate and special interests and by competing for right wing and faith-based voters
2) Obama didn't stand up to the GOP which committed electoral fraud (i.e. stole the election). Like Kerry, he conceded or like Gore, he gave in to Republican dirty tricksters.
3) The Democratic Party failed when all they had to do was look straight ahead and walk and they would surely end up in control of the White House. This means they should close up shop and leave America.
Because if in '00, '04, and '08, they do not end up winning the presidency, well, then when will they finally get it together?
If this party can't beat the GOP in this election, a party which is in utter disarray, they don't deserve to run this country.
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Kevin Gosztola (252 articles, 130 quicklinks, 76 diaries, 958 comments)
on Monday, October 27, 2008 at 8:55:50 AM
to minimize turnout, turn off independents, shortchange Democratic districts of sufficient voting machines, mandate voter photo ID requirements, and plaster the country with robocalls, I think they are going to lose big time.
They F'd up too seriously to be able to pull off a squeaker this time with their anti-Democratic tactics.
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John R Moffett (83 articles, 17 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 652 comments)
on Monday, October 27, 2008 at 9:08:50 AM
Perhaps if I resided in one of those "battleground" states, I would agree with Linda, but as a California resident, voting in a state that will go Obama, I am going to vote third party. It's a cop-out, to a degree, because I know that my single vote isn't going to sway California's electoral vote one way or the other.
Obama's position and votes on a number of key issues give me absolutely no reason to vote for him. He's pro free trade, voted for the FISA bill, supported the Wall St. bailout, has no intention of withdrawing troops from Iraq, supports additional troops in Afghanistan, a possible strike into Pakistan. Bush tagged bin Laden "Wanted Dead or Alive". Obama just wants to "take him out". If we kill him, does that make everything right? Or is he playing to the Rambo-esque American mentality.
His advisory team is made up of the same political/economic views that moved us farther into the hole we're in - different administration - same path down the same hole.
I'd intended to vote for McKinney, but she bailed on the 3rd Party debate, so she's out. I'm not libertarian, so it looks like I'm narrowed to Nader or the dog catcher.
Someone tell me why I should vote Obama - besides that he's not McCain. If you sincerely expect Change, I suggest you look in your pockets for some loose coin.
by
Angelo (5 articles, 0 quicklinks, 7 diaries, 203 comments)
on Monday, October 27, 2008 at 10:07:10 AM
In your overblown hysteria, you completely forgot to mention
that people who aren't voting in 'battleground' states should feel free to vote their conscience -- and the Democrats haven't earned any votes of conscience, because they stink almost as badly as the Republicans. Anyone who votes for a Democrat in a non-battleground state is making a huge mistake. There's only one valid reason to vote for a Democrat -- the fact that the Republicans are even worse (Christo-fascists, Palin, senile doddering old man, etc). If you don't live in a toss-up state, that reason doesn't apply to you.
The differences between the parties are marginal, & completely insignificant when measured against the undemocratic tyranny of the 2-party system itself. If you vote for a Democrat unnecessarily, you are simply perpetuating a system that forces you to vote for the war machine & rule by Wall Street, no matter which "viable candidate" you vote for.
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Richard Mynick (2 articles, 3 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 1293 comments)
on Monday, October 27, 2008 at 10:10:12 AM
Isn't the Three Quarters of a BILLION dollars worth of campaign spending enough to create a landslide in Obama's favor?
If it isn't, maybe it is because Obama's message is not one people want to see put in place... It was my understanding, after listening to a report on internal polling on NPR, only 80% of democrats are really interested in voting for Obama... Why is that? Not enough Democrats are willing to hold their noses to vote for Obama?
McCain is no bargain, not by any stretch, but I will be damned if I allow myself to be guilted into voting for someone who I vehemently oppose, just because I think the alternative non choice is worse! B... S... It has not happened before, it will not happen now. I WILL, however vote for the person who I believe will do the job best, and in my case, that is a Write In for Ron Paul.
On a side note, I will be taking the election commissioner for Montgomery County, PA to court when he throws my vote away....
So, in short, if Obama loses, it is because he was not a good enough candidate to persuade people to vote for him.
Ciao, CZ
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steve scheetz (4 articles, 0 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 734 comments)
on Monday, October 27, 2008 at 10:47:31 AM
The American people really are stupid, beyond a doubt
but the rest of the garbage you added up there is totally out of line. You deliberately throw certain names together in one sentence in an attempt to associate and thus prove guilty by simple association.
Steven, you know the two of us used to get along quite well. And I believe this is still the case because you, like me are able to keep it clean. Why all the fighting for Obama now? Why are you guys so up in arms to defend the man this
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