(Below is an article I published in December of 2011 at my website
but not at OpEdNews.I think it might be appropriate to review
what I said back then.)
"Well, even though I like the guy I'm not going to vote for him. Without much money or an honest media, this guy can never win. If I waste my vote on him, the Republican will win. I'm just going to continue to vote for the guy I know screwed me in the past and probably will again, but what can you do."
You can lead a thirsty horse to crystal-clear water but you still can't make him drink it.
If the 99%ers really believed in the ideals they espouse, they would vote for what they believe in, and keep voting and keep working for what they believe in, until they win. There's no reason why they can't do that and, at the same time, Occupy whatever space they think will help their cause. The problem is, they don't really believe in anything all that much... not really. They just don't like being a member of the group they're in. If the 99% all loved freedom, democracy, intellectual integrity, and courage, they would identify and vote for people who also loved those things, and then we could all go back to work and do our jobs and let our representatives do theirs.
The problem is, we elect people just like ourselves. That's why we have such a corrupt government. I get the sense that if most Americans (progressives or otherwise) were offered an unfair advantage over other people, they would take it. That's all that's happening here. The rich were offered even more riches in exchange for their unspoken promise to return some of those riches to their favorite politician, so that that politician could stay in office and continue to buy their votes with legislation that would get them even more riches... and so it goes round and round.
If the 99% had a little more integrity and courage, they would spend their time trying to find leaders who would represent true decency... vote for them... get them elected... or at least scare the hell out of the 1% by trying. Unfortunately, the 99% can't think outside their little box.
The truth is, the so called 99% aren't really anything close to 99% except to the extent that the 1% has more money than they do. It's my guess, judging from the blogs I see.... that probably 90% of the 99% don't have any idea what any of the fuss is about anyway. They get their news from the 1% and listen to the speeches their president makes, taking all of it in at face value. If the Occupiers can't convince the 90% that they're really in trouble, they surely aren't going to convince the 1% to change their character or fundamental world view.
The folks who don't have a clue about what's going on need to be educated and it's a certainty they're going to get that education. Unfortunately, the way things are going, it will probably be the hard way.
"We won't try for what we want because we can't afford to lose." That's their argument. My suggestion is, don't lose. Actually your very life and freedom depend on you winning. So give it everything you've got and don't give up until you do win. You've got everything on your side except confidence in your own ability to pull it off. Every human being on Earth is counting on you. This is not a time for holding back. If you would stop worrying about what everyone else is going to do or think, and just go for what you want, you might just surprise yourself and get it.
"By three methods we may learn wisdom;
First, by reflection, which is noblest;
second, by imitation, which is easiest;
and third, by experience, which is bitterest."
-- Confusius
