View From The Left Coast

But if you think about it, agreeing to vote for the lesser of two weevils is self-disenfranchisement. In this case, both these people voted twice for the so-called Patriot Act, for funding for the war, and did nothing to put Bush and Cheney behind bars, where they belong. Both support invading Iran, and both support mandatory payments by all Americans to insurance companies. They enabled Cheney for the past seven years, so how are they any better? Besides, Karl Rove and Co are praying (and paying) for Hillary to be nominated, knowing she is so hated by the right she has no chance of winning the general election.

Seven years ago I took a lot of flack for voting for Ralph Nader, which allowed Cheney and Bush to win. Turned out later Cheney didn’t need my help. . .he made sure he’d win regardless of how the “voting” went. Last election I voted for Kerry, but Cheney had other ways of winning. I have this weird idea that voting is about expressing yourself, about supporting those you trust to represent you. If people are allowed to “vote” only for people they don’t trust or support, how is that democracy? Why would anyone participate in a system like that?

No, I’ll be voting for another longshot: Dennis Kucinich. He’s as close as our political system will come to a real choice. He opposed the war from day one, has voted consistently against suspension of the Constitution, favors a single-payer healthcare system, and is the only candidate supporting impeachment.

I’ll be voting my conscience, win or lose. It may be crazy, but I think that’s my duty as an American. If I can’t vote to end mass murder, punish war crimes, institute real, non-corporate health care and protect the rights of Americans, what’s the point of voting at all?