by Joel S. Hirschhorn
featured writer
Dandelion Salad
www.foavc.org
October 20, 2008
Awfully strange that no one seems to understand that even if, in some strange unexpected way, John McCain would win the presidency, none of his terrible policy proposals would ever become reality. Why? Because even more certain than Barack Obama winning is that the Democrats will obtain stronger majorities in the House and Senate. Virtually all of Obama’s policies to address the economy, health care and everything else would surely be victorious, not any of McCain’s policies. Indeed, if Obama stayed in the Senate the Democrats could make him Senate Majority Leader, assuring that his policies would be implemented.
Is this an argument for voting for McCain? No, absolutely not. There is no good reason for voting for McCain. None whatsoever.
Are there good reasons for not voting for Obama. Yes. His victory will maintain the two-party plutocracy status quo. And with him as president there will be no check at all on a Congress under the control of Democrats that will undoubtedly pursue some wrongheaded policies. In other words, there really is some benefit of partisan-divided government and having a Republican president along with such a Democrat controlled Congress. Even if McCain was president, Congress could deny him his selections for the Supreme Court.
So, is there a rational option for Americans that deeply feel the need for more fundamental change in our political system than voting for Obama? Yes. It is using your vote as a strong political protest against the two-party system by voting for one of the four third-party presidential candidates that appeals to you. This is the only way to establish a clear documented case for changing the political SYSTEM.
If not this year, when it is crystal clear that the Democrats as well as the Republicans have much responsibility for causing the current economic and financial meltdown, then when will it make more sense to vote against the two-party plutocracy? That is the best reason for voting for a third-party presidential candidate: see it as a vote against the status quo two-party system that, even with an Obama presidency, will be as corrupt as ever.
[Joel S. Hirschhorn is a co-founder of Friends of the Article V Convention. Contact Joel S. Hirschhorn through http://www.delusionaldemocracy.com.]
From the archives:
When the Federal Government Fails the People by Joel S. Hirschhorn
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At this point, I’m more concerned about what the various third parties do on November 5th. Let’s have no illusions about Obama. He is a corporatist and establishmentarian to the bone. But I think we also have to face the fact that two weeks is not enough time to go from 5% to winning the election. Another fact I think we have to face is that this election has turned into a national referendum on polarization and hate (McCain) vs inclusion and respect (Obama) as the basis of politics in our country. Put another way: McCain and Obama may be so close in terms of issues that they might as well be glued to each other, but they are facing in different directions. Right now, that’s an important distinction.
On November 5th, the struggle to build a viable alternative must be taken up again, with renewed determination. There MUST be a progressive/populist alternative if we are to get of the Highway to Hell.
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