2008 ELECTIONS
Opinions, Facts, Resources
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SPECIAL REPORT 02/04/2008 Vote Your "First Choice!" By: MsProgressive http://montclair.drinkingliberally.org:80/ A "Republic?" You decide! This year especially, Americans may have become disenfranchised, of their votes, and their VOICES, by means of a carefully calculated manipulation of "public opinion." The Candidates whose voices have called for REAL CHANGE ... the kind of stuff that would return us to the genuine "American Experiment" - have been effectively SILENCED. Broadcast pundit toadies, whose bosses are nothing more than multinational corporations with FCC licenses, have paid willing lip service to ONLY those Presidential Candidates who will continue to kiss corporate butt! (Coincidentally, these are many of the Same candidates who have plenty to spend on political advertising. "Go figure!") This is not a new technique. But since the League of Women Voters was forced, in frustration, to relinquish their oversight of our Presidential debates, the situation has become much worse. Please ask yourself this question: How can the results of ONE CAUCUS and THREE PRIMARY ELECTIONS give pundits the license to declare impending "winners" for an office that will represent the citizens of FIFTY STATES? Shouldn't these assumptions raise a few "red flags?" Surely I am not the ONLY American voter who is reminded of those old stories about elections in the USSR? (Where traditionally, only One Candidate ever appeared on the ballot?) By their deliberate acts of omission, broadcast companies have effectively silenced ANY ideas that might threaten to snatch government policymaking from the clutches of their corporate stranglehold. (To whit: the proposals of Kucinich and Paul.) Both Dennis Kucinich and Ron Paul were unceremoniously dumped from the final debates on the week-end before New Hampshire's contest. When voters don't see candidates in the debates, they THINK those candidates are no longer in the running - period!  Therefore, deciding that one candidate, or another, does not "qualify" to be in a debate, is a lot like owning a "delete key" for political adversaries! EVEN C-SPAN seemed to be complicit in their generation of "selective" coverage! (They followed Bill Richardson around a near-empty Dunkin' Donuts in New Hampshire, for more than an hour, while ignoring, or barely mentioning, several other candidates who were campaigning in the race!) But the corporate press is not alone in these subversions. The dominatrix known as the Democratic National Committee has punished her supplicants in Michigan and Florida as well. When uncowering Dems in those states refused to respond to the mistress' demands for a "preferred" primary date, she castrated them of their delegates. (Leaving registered voters in two states, politically impotent!) So I must ask you all ... Is this a Republic? Or a political rape? Why would a political committee seek to disenfranchise so many - unless they were trying to ensure that challengers to their agenda will have exhausted their resources, just before America really "weighs in?" If we succumb to these manipulations, we have become little more than "sheeple!" (Sporting our little flag pins and peace buttons, as we are willingly herded off the edge of a cliff!) So, Please! Whether your most pressing political issue is the Iraq war, or the economy; immigration or health care ... do NOT let the pundits convince you that your gut feeling "doesn't stand a chance." REFUSE to be "herded" by those who seek control! YOUR Vote is POWERFUL! If it were Not so, Why would so many millions of dollars be sacrificed to Win that precious vote of yours? I offer this simple solution to all Americans, no matter what their political leaning: VOTE YOUR "FIRST CHOICE!" All of the candidates who have QUALIFIED for your State ballot, are STILL ON that BALLOT! (Even if a candidate has announced a "withdrawal" from the race!) Therefore, I urge you all to REFUSE to be "herded" into SUBMISSION! Do NOT let them convince you, that unless you switch your vote to one of THEIR chosen candidates, that your vote will be "wasted!" That is EXACTLY what these corporate and political strategists WANT you to do! Just IMAGINE the scenario if the citizens in 24 States go to the polls on Tuesday and REJECT the pundits' "front runners" by voting their First Choice! Do you really think that the Conventions would be ABLE to IGNORE our votes? Our ballots will all be validated, and become a part of the Public Record! If you agree with me, I hope you will pass these thoughts along, because your "word of mouth" is very powerful too! But unless we are willing to vote our "First Choice" how can anyone ever possibly know the "Will" of the American people? Aren't the "primaries" supposed to be a poll of the peoples' choice? If we acquiesce to the pressure to compromise our choices, we are enabling the devaluation of our Democracy! As for me, I will refuse to vote for THEIR agenda. I will be voting for MY Agenda! What about YOU?