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November 1, 2008 at 14:20:44     

The significance of voter turnout

Diary Entry by Tony Forest (about the author)

 

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 It is often considered that high voter turnouts are desirable, though among political scientists and economists specialising in public choice, the issue is still debated. A high turnout is generally seen as evidence of the legitimacy of the current system. Dictators have often fabricated high turnouts in showcase elections for this purpose. For instance, Saddam Hussein's 2002 referendum was claimed to have had 100% participation. Opposition parties sometimes boycott votes they feel are unfair or illegitimate, or if the election is for a government that is considered illegitimate. For example, the Holy See instructed Italian Catholics to boycott national elections for several decades after the creation of the State of Italy. In some countries, there are threats of violence against those who vote, such as during the 2005 Iraq elections, an example of voter suppression. However, some political scientists question the view that high turnout is an implicit endorsement of the system. -source

 

A high turnout is generally seen as evidence of the legitimacy of the current system.

 Look at this as a message for the future, not one for the upcoming election. Surely you’ve already made your mind up how to act this time. You’re voting for X, Y, Z or someone else. Your choice, whichever it may be, is an honorable one and you are convinced you’re doing the best you can to bring about real change. Once you have your man in office, you’ll put his feet to the fire. You’re not quite sure how to go about it but it’s just about all there is left for you to do. Put his feet to the fire you hope to be able to ingnite. The one you want to take office has won, he’s in and he’d better do as told; not by the big corporations but by the people. We the people. Bottum-up, that’s how democracy works. If he doesn’t listen to us, you say, we’ll just impeach him. Well, good luck with that. Bush highly deserved to be impeached. Was he?

Year after year, election after election we fall for the same scam, over and over. The system, regardless how it appears to us, it needs us and our participation. Predictably, once voter turnout reaches a critical level, actions are immediately taken to increase participation. The higher the turnout, the more legitimate a system will appear to be. Looks are everything. Millions of taxpayer dollars are spent yearly on the legitimacy scam. It’s been this way as long as this author can remember. What good has it done? Not a lot. In fact, it has been quite damaging. The USA is still unable to survive without producing and selling weapons, instigating conflicts that develop into war and the need for even more weapons. Taxpayers are flipping the bill for the weapons, the wars, the military and the elections propaganda. It’s a vicious cycle we’re caught up in because we are the system’s motor.

We may not have much say in this game but as long as we continue to lend the system legitimacy by voting, we might as well say everything is A-okay. Likewise, we would have no real reason to complain. After all, we make it possible, year after year, election after election.

Voter turnout for the 2008 election will reach new records. The system has never before appeared to be so good, so fair, so right, or so democratic. At least not as long as this author has walked this earth. This is the big one. With so much legitimacy, the system can easily surf straight into a new world order without contest. If you would like to see a revolution, just stop participating. Stop lending the system legitimacy. Compulsory voting will be installed as turnout reaches critical levels. The military will be sent in to haul people off to vote. Those who resist will be fined, imprisoned and eventually shot dead for breaking the law. The system will lose face and all the world will notice. The fetal position is not a bad position and doing nothing at all is often the most noble thing a man can do.

 

 

 

The author lives in a small village in central Europe and has been active in the local workers movement for nearly 3 decades.

Globalism knows no borders, why should we ?

The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author
and do not necessarily reflect those of this website or its editors.

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look by Tony Forest on Saturday, Nov 1, 2008 at 3:38:16 PM
Let's bring back the NO in November by Alexander on Saturday, Nov 1, 2008 at 6:44:02 PM
November 2012? by Tony Forest on Sunday, Nov 2, 2008 at 3:33:06 AM
have a look at how fear works on our minds by Tony Forest on Sunday, Nov 2, 2008 at 3:38:05 AM
from that article by Tony Forest on Sunday, Nov 2, 2008 at 3:52:58 AM
you can do it! by Tony Forest on Sunday, Nov 2, 2008 at 6:54:28 AM
Significance of voter turnout by Sharon Froehlich on Sunday, Nov 2, 2008 at 9:08:03 AM
boycott the vote and other matters by Rady Ananda on Monday, Nov 3, 2008 at 1:37:52 AM

 
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