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Artist's Impression Of The American Voter In 2016
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Putin
here's an idea: Don't vote! Voting gives legitimacy to these crooks
Yes, we will be SO much better leaving the voting to the free stuff army. They know who will be the best overseers.
What does voting get you. Please be specific. I'm serious.
Vote for Kodos.
This statement assumes that there is no voter fraud, that votes are counted correctly, that vote results cannot be altered by courts, and that politicians will do what voters tell them to do. Each of these assumptions has an unfulfilled burden of proof at best, and is demonstrably false on several occasions at worst.
A legitimate duty can only come from a legitimate right or contract. There is no such right or contract that could create such a duty. In addition, there can be no legitimate duty to perform an immoral act. Voting is immoral because it helps to impose violent rulers upon peaceful people and gives the appearance of legitimacy to institutions which deserve none.
This is exactly wrong. People who do not vote are the only people who have a right to complain. Those who vote for people who win elections are endorsing politicians and their minions who will engage in activities under color of law that would be punished as crimes if you or I did them. Those who vote for people who lose elections may not be vicariously responsible for the crimes of state agents in the same degree, but participating in the system helps to create the appearance of legitimacy for that which is inherently illegitimate.
Bush vs. Clinton 2016 will ignite civil war, if it hasn't happened already.
Meet the new cab, same as the old cab.
How about Holder/Corzine!
I prefer to see Anthony Weiner at the top of the ticket and Eric Holder as his VP.
For those who don't see this, just imagine the yard signs.
Holder Weiner is kind of funny too in a trannie sort of way.
Aren't the Israeli elections Tuesday...??
Sometingwong hits it. How can a wiener not control taking pictures of his wiener? Damn, and I thought I was messed up.
Parasite vs Parasite.
Yeah, should be Holder Bush!
Brilliant!
Should have called an Uber.
2016--the Year of Cryptoanarchy?
Was thinking the same thing myself, TeamDepends. Maybe the distillation of all that is wrong with the country into these two candidates will make it unavoidably clear that the country is run by oligarchs and their bought henchmen, Congress. It would take a country of total fools not to react violently once this charade mounts the national stage and starts the dog-n-pony show. But a nation of fools may be what we have become, conditioned to so many naked emperors. Pavlov would be proud.
If the country is run by a war machine/CPU how will voting change that?
Not that I am expecting anyone to address the issue.
Whatever happened to the "values voter" stuff anyways? The folks participating in our political process are falling as fast as energy prices. That sounds dangerous to me.
"But a nation of fools may be what we have become"
Rocky, you are far too kind.
I don't particularly want to see a US civil war, but I'd be delighted to see a Bush-Clinton "contest" since
1) it really does constitute the US elites telling the voters to go fuck themselves, and
2) there is a chance that such an electoral farce might ultimately precipitate a change in the Constituional Order, which at this point I see no point in preserving. Lysander Spooner was accurate enough: either the Constitution authorizes such government as the US now has, or it was and is powerless to prevent it.
A bonus is that a Bush nomination might just lead to the Rethuglican Party's permanent and well-deserved demise.
Several people thought the same of the current criminal in the white house. Face it, between media capture, I-shit distraction, and general apathy, either party at this point could survive a term of Caligula.
Isn't that what we have? Think about it. Cass Sunstein argued that animals can go to court...so why not a horse in the Senate?
I think Caligula did that already.
Think the republicans went nuts losing twice to a black guy wait till it is tree times and to a girl..
Ole Rush will be declaring open war.
The fox news conspiracy's will be hilarious if it were not for they are serious.
I will need more pop corn for this one.
We can only hope that's how the Sheeple feel
Kodos the Executioner? no way man!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/10766235@N08/
Sorry, already committed to voting for Kang
You get a one in three hundred millionth say in what everybody will be forced to do. It's so much better than individual freedom.
Mmm, I still subscribe to Plato's axiom "One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is you end up being governed by your inferiors."
Now, if I can just get the stupid people to stop voting ;-)
So if someone asked you if you'd like to be smashed in the head with a) a hammer or b) a tire iron you'd feel compelled to make a choice because that's what Plato would have done?
And didn't it occur to Plato that anyone who thinks that they know better how other individuals should live their lives is of inferior intellectual and moral character no matter how many votes they might receive?
I think we're pretty much of the the same mindset on this but its still nice to have a choice between the lesser of two evils.
The last superintendent of schools simply had to go, one way or the other.
/////
Sorry to interrupt your edit ;-)
Lesser of two evils? You have got to be kidding.
Then I saw what was wrong with the world, I saw what destroyed men and nations, and where the battle for life had to be fought. I saw that the enemy was an inverted morality—and that my sanction was its only power. I saw that evil was impotent—that evil was the irrational, the blind, the anti-real—and that the only weapon of its triumph was the willingness of the good to serve it. Just as the parasites around me were proclaiming their helpless dependence on my mind and were expecting me voluntarily to accept a slavery they had no power to enforce, just as they were counting on my self-immolation to provide them with the means of their plan—so throughout the world and throughout men’s history, in every version and form, from the extortions of loafing relatives to the atrocities of collectivized countries, it is the good, the able, the men of reason, who act as their own destroyers, who transfuse to evil the blood of their virtue and let evil transmit to them the poison of destruction, thus gaining for evil the power of survival, and for their own values—the impotence of death. I saw that there comes a point, in the defeat of any man of virtue, when his own consent is needed for evil to win—and that no manner of injury done to him by others can succeed if he chooses to withhold his consent. I saw that I could put an end to your outrages by pronouncing a single word in my mind. I pronounced it. The word was “No.”
As much as I respect the writings of Ayn she was no anarchist. So perhaps you have some larger point you wish to make with the above?
It's not my fault that Ayn Rand did not follow her thoughts to their logical conclusion. I'd suggest that she check her premises but what with her being dead and all it seems like the effort would be wasted. Nevertheless, the eloquence of the cited quotation stands on it's own.
Yeah, being dead (of natural causes or otherwise) certainly inhibits ones growth & maturity.
No doubt about it ;-)
Riddle me this: Is it possible to understand that you own you and not be an anarchist?
Well of course I can but I can also say I have never voted to own you, can you say the same?
Of course I can say the same and with a veracity identical to your own.
Well good then, we understand each other.
Completely.
Any Rand is a Jew.
I have never voted to own you is quite a vague statement.
Unless you vote Democratic every election after you're dead...
One might write in ".45 ACP" and blow the bastard's head off. Otherwise, maybe the tire iron won't be so bad.
The tire iron was John McCain. Egads!
How many votes would it take to get you to vote .... apparently you feel entitled to more than just one ?
I didn't say a thing about how I felt, I asked a question you do not have an answer for in your post to me.
Voting doesn't get you much .... right away .... maybe a free bus ride to the polls with some folks .... maybe a free lunch .... maybe $50 bucks in quiet walking around money ?
My Irish ancestors lived in Boston. In days gone bye you would be able on voting day to drink for free all day and then go and vote. At least they got something for their vote. These days not so much!
An early branch in the FSA tree.
Student loan forgiveness, EBT cards, ObamaPhones, ... there's all sorts of goodies for loyal FSA voters.
The only satisfaction I have received from voting has been from some initiatives that I have either wanted to pass/fail and seeing long-time politicians get kicked out of office. It doesn't happen often, but it is fun. Do you guys remember Eric Cantor?
Oh, those heady days of 2014. It's a ways back but I can remember it almost as well as I can remember last year.
But I fail to understand why seeing the occasional oligarch fall to another while the mess 'o them just keep stamping on your throat is a cause for celebration.
So you are not going to let me have even that tiny little pleasure of watching them slink away like Gollum? I would watch election returns on pay-per-view if Harry Reid would get voted out. (I don't know why I bring him up at the same time as Gollum)
The only winning move is not to play. How about a nice game of chess?
Check out my down arrow! It looks like Harry Reid is a ZeroHedge reader!
Or Gollum.
I believe it comes down to electing your adversaries.
Yup, agree MsCreant.
Choose the left or the right, it doesn't matter, the bus is still driven zig-zag fashion pell-mell down the road to perdition.
Any opinions on Womans Sufferage?
Do you vote? If so, why? If not, why?
Suffrage may not matter! The illusion of my vote counting may not matter except to keep me pacified.
People have gotten lots of free stuff and special priveleges from the gov by voting. Especially when voting as groups, minorities, gays, women etc. You can't deny that. So people actually voted for the over regulated welfare state, it wasn't imposed on them. The FSA loves their career politicians. And to answer your question, I would vote for someone who is a constitutional conservative but since our choice will most likely be 2 statists, I won't vote.
I keep coming back to it, the rich are the ones who select who our candidates will be in the first place. What flavor, "handouts to keep them weak" or "the appearance of tightening the budget to appease the middle class," do you like this term. But they always do the bidding of bankers and corporations. That is no choice. Thus the vote does not matter.
Alright, voting doesn't matter. I say it mattered to you in the past which got us to our present.
I am not trying to be a shit. I am curious what you mean. Do you think giving women the vote is the problem?
I think the problem is that most people don't vote and don't run for office. There are a couple of well-organized groups that always vote and always run candidates for office. These groups comprise a small percentage of the populace, but since the other groups in the populace don't participate and don't get organized, they end up powerless, and they also end up taxed and not represented. Members of the well-organized groups get government jobs, government contracts, tax breaks, government subsidies, whatever there is to get.
This situation also occurs in a number of foreign countries, but the well-organized groups vary from country to country.
LoL! I knew it would get to you. Giving everybody the ability to vote themselves free shit was the problem. That's why it no longer matters, many peoplel voted for the welfare state in the past. Now the gov is maxed out and can't afford what the voters expect. Greece is exhibit A. the welfare state then becomes over taxing police state and all the past priveleges you voted for go out the window.
Happy to be a source of amusement.
I don't see anything to disagree with. I do think there is no way to vote our way out of the problem. We are fucked until we do something radical. Not enough folks agree with that. I too like the idea of a real constitutionalist. We are too few and far between, folks don't get what it means.
Generally women are more likely to lean toward a nice sounding socialist solution that ends up killing millions. Other than that, women's sufferage is a grand idea.
This just in: Hitler proved this message.
The things you mention come about as a result of social change, the legislation comes as the last step.
Voting gives the illusion that the population needs the politicians and the organs of state.
BS. Progressives use laws to Force social change.
So do Conservatives. There seemed to be bipartisan support for bailing out Wall Street, and repealing Glass-Steagall in the 90's. No coincidence that.
The current political system is pointless; sound and fury signifying nothing - other than our serfdom and .gov backing the oligarchy while growing their kleptocracy.
This woman will be undergoing a lot of Sufferage if Hitlery takes the presidency.
Miffed
Ms.,
I don't think it gets you much of anything anymore. And this comes from a former hard core rah rah republican who believed lock, stock and barrel.
I am a reformed, liberal. The so called compassion turns out to be toxic, a put down and a way to foster dependency and resentment. I did vote for Reagan, meant it too at the time.
Lots of us are coming together over the betrayal of the values that each group held dear. I respect a conservative that means it. To conserve for hard times and rainy days is honorable. Too bad there are none of them in office, anywhere!
"I am a reformed, liberal. "
I'm curious about this statement.
Exactly how reformed are you? What so-called 'liberal' institutions and priviledges and protections are you willing to admit should be dismantled, rescinded and abolished respectively?
Government needs to stay out of everything. Defense of property and life is about all the intervention I am in favor of in the final analysis. And even that will drift and we will need to revisit it and constantly check overreach.
The path from here to there is a mess. The potential for collapse offers an interesting possibility, no money and resources means a lot could well happen in the right direction because it has to.
A very trendy & fashionable "I Voted" sticker for your apparel.
amirite?
did i win again?
That is a win!
What does voting get you. Please be specific. I'm serious.
A tingly feeling in my heart, I'm serious too.
Also a realization that this whole thing must've been fantastic at one point in time, and could be again in the future. If you meant something tangible...well that's an obvious no, but then I wouldn't want that either, just to be left alone.
I LOVED my civics class in high school. Bought it hook line and sinker. It sucks that it was all lies. On the up side, my teacher didn't know it was a lie either.
"my teacher didn't know it was a lie either."
That''s got to mess up the curve.
"I LOVED my civics class in high school" + "...it was all lies..."
most civics classes are a bit like a doctor telling you how a body works... but never mentioning it's illnesses and corruptions, or how they are solved
my favourite perversion is the old British "Rotten Borough", followed by the infamous Chicago-style "Machine Politics". I also like to study Napoleon the Third's "Now Let's Have A Referendum, Do You Want Me As Your Emperor?", a classic "Question Never Repeated"
in the US context of today, have a look at it's "Duopoly of Immortal Parties", but also at the exceptional "My Congressman is Great, the Others are Morons", the immense influence of the "Party Of Non-Voters Who Have Moral Superiority Because Of This", and the even more exceptional "Let's Move To A District Where People Have The Same Political Opinion"
in short, a "civics doctor" would point out that the American Vote is highly... leveraged
by those who don't vote, and further by those who are silent because their vote get's lost in their district's majority, then further by the Party Duopoly and then further by "Unlimited Amounts Of Electoral Contributions"
have a look at the coming May 2015 British National Elections, and you'll see five parties engaged in them even though the UK uses the same antiquated First Past The Post system
most civics classes come over as lies because they are incomplete and gloss over sickness and corruption, if mentioned at all. they should, for example, explain what the public mood was when the US Progressives battled for the 17th Amendment in order to combat corruption, and what the consequences of that Amendment were
you can always vote Libertarian, Green or write-in. Perot pulled almost 15% in 92,
if he had been a better campaigner, he would have done a lot better.
Just another puppet
"No taxation without representation."
ALL revolutions have been about taxation. All elections are about taxation.
The free stuff army already outnumbers everyone else, so that's already been determined.
I agree, as long as "free stuff army" is defined as the International Bankers, the Military Industrial Community, the Insurance Companies, Big Agriculture, and so forth, since those are the groups getting most of the "free stuff".
Is Bruce Jenner anyone?
He/She was on a Wheaties box.
What's more American than that?
How about a turkey. It's an interesting historical fact that Benjamin Franklin wanted a turkey to be our first president but the idea didn't fly and so we ended up with Washington.
Wild turkeys are too intelligent to be president. Fat domesticated double breasted bronze turkeys must be monitored carefully or they will fall in their water dish and drowned. I don't think there are any other choices today.
Miffed
"Fat domesticated double breasted bronze turkeys"
John Boenher?
Or Barney Frank?
Turkey Frank and Wish-Boenher.
Turkey Frank and Wish-Boenher, real campaign wieners.
You just earned your screen name with those.
ZH has a miscreant poster,
And Tyler's so glad he can host her.
We like her a lot,
But I'll take a shot,
And butter her up just to roast her.
Oh stuff it.
Nuts!
Please don't insult the turkey, it deserves better.
Stuff the turkey.
"As God as my witness I thought turkeys could fly."https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lf3mgmEdfwg
My Great-Grandfather raised those dumb birds; I'd go out with him on a hot Summer day to feed them, and they'd be piling on top of each other ON TOP of the tin-roofed shade shelters. One or two out of hunderds would be sitting in the shade under the roof - must have been what was left of the wild turkey genes.
I wish I had room for them. In case you have any inherited interest:
http://www.porterturkeys.com
Too much wild Turkey gets me up on the roof too !!!
Clinton Bush - very unappealing...
Maybe they could do a joint ticket. A Bush/Clinton Ticket...
the statist party, prolonging the statist quo for a hundred years.
barndoor meant her bush was unappealing, Get it? Jeez.
60% of the country is already way ahead of you...and it's working out great!
Here's and idea: OPEN PRIMARIES!
Idea 2: Libertarians (ZH too?) post ALL sizable* contributions to all candidates on website, updated daily. If this is already happening, it sure as hell isn't getting attention, in which case it's an advertising problem.
* Sizable enough so that they must be declared publicly.
p.s. As I've said many, many times before in my 2+ years here...
A. Democracy is NOT for the Dumb, Lazy, Uninformed, Scared or Disorganized.
B. Those who seek to subvert, pervert and steal democracy have the very opposite traits. They are: Smart, Diligent, Informed, Fearless, Shameless and Organized.
Plan, Act and Hedge accordingly. Kirk out.
"Democracy is NOT for the Dumb, Lazy, Uninformed, Scared or Disorganized."
Democracy is meant for exactly that kind of person. Intelligent, vigorous, courageous and thoughtful individuals do not wish to concede their lives and livelihoods to the whims of a lowest common denominator.
1920, 1964: two years that fucked America.
Also: 1913, but I think that's a given 'round these parts.
we have been captured by the two party system. every time a viable 3rd party tries it ends up fragmenting the better of the other 2 and we end up with the worst.
and even worse than that, we have no choice. every four years you get to choose shit or vomit.
I have a dream that someday Americans will be able to chose the lesser of three evils.
Better yet, write to each Registrar and Secretary of State in each state where you have registered to vote and CANCEL, terminate, or revoke your voter registration there.
Don't blame me, I voted for Kronos
When you need Ron Paul, it's too late smart.
Start walking. There's no other taxi coming.
Vote with your backsides and your feet.
<== GS
<== GS
<--- We go over the cliff at a crazy 120 mph
<--- We go over the cliff at a sensible 70 mph
Ahhh, two party politics in the USA ... heads they win tails you loose
There should be one car with both of their names, with someone else driving.
Yes, who owns the cabs? Guess we know the drivers...
'There should be one car with both of their names, with someone else driving'.
Now, someone gets it!
The American dream becomes a nightmare.
Plutocracy/Oligarchy 2016!
A well funtioning democracy can lead to lower vote turn out .... the people tend to trust the civic minded people .... who care enough to vote .... there is nothing wrong with that !
You're trolling, okay. Had me going upthread.
I got no beef with you MsCreant .... I like your posts .... I just don't like the jaded attitude that disparages voting .... the system is very broken and corrupt and rotten .... but, I still respect the way it ought to be .... that's all !
I hear you loud and clear.
If I offer you a shit sandwich or a shit ice-cream cone, I am a shitty hostess. That is a shitty choice.
The only way you or I could get a decent candidate in there is to be rich and make contributions. I assume you are not one of the .001%. I am not. Their interests are different than ours, so yes, the system is really broken and until they fix that aspect of it VOTING DOES NOT MATTER.
And they will not vote to change that aspect of it because that is how they are getting elected. The term is "capture" I believe.
I have faith in the free market .... and would love to see the world .... explore it's potential .... Socialism wasn't the answer !
If Scott Walker rises to the top of that political cesspool, look for another assassination in the near future.
The solution, if any, has to come from the states as Mark Levin says. I read somewhere that a state (Idaho?) has a proposal in front of the legislature to add "none of the above" to the ballot. If this option gets a majority then there would be another election where the major candidates were forbidden to run. There would be new names.
Ron Paul should just for the heck of it, run for president again..I would if I were him...DOnt need to win, just screw up their agenda again...He screwed them over bad, and kept them in frantic mode 24/7....the alphabet media almost had a heart attack...
Ross Perot still alive right? They should team up.
There is a huge disconnect when CONgressional approval seems to be anchored in single digits yet in the last election, 95% of the knaves, thieves and outright fools and jesters got re-elected. A modest proposal would be for the electorate to simply vote out all incumbents every two years. To those who argue that this would result in a dysfunctional government I would ask, what’s wrong with that? A CONgress that knows it will be “outta here” in two years would, in my opinion, be less likely to enact draconian legislation that rapes the 99% and leaves them poorer and even less free. These two year flash in the pans would also not be so easily tempted by lobbyists because why in the hell would they need their contributions since the legislative members are just transients passing through and NOT setting down deep roots. In addition, the first year would be entirely devoted to studying the Constitution and then taking a Bar type exam on it. If they flunk, they can’t create nor vote on legislation. Those that pass, can enact laws only within the confines of the Constitution. Will this happen, not a chance in hell, but I can dream and chuckle with delight every election day when I DON’T click the lever on every incumbent. It’s really a very satisfying experience, almost like getting high!
Maybe we can breed a Bush with a Clinton and do away with choice altogether.
I think Bill has already fertilized every bush in America.
Chelsea can play Julliet from one moneyed-interest crime family, but who plays Romeo from the other moneyed-interest crime family?
Chelsea is already married into the coven of ZOG.
We might end up with a clintonbushzilla, and have no way to control it.......Kinda like we have now.
Will student loans be forgiven .... just before the next Presidential election ? With all these student loans .... we should now have more black engineers than North Korea .... what a bargain !
BTW I don't hate black people .... I'm not sure about liberals .... why do they hurt black people so .... and claim they are helping them ?
There IS a solution but it involves massive votes for a third party. That'll never happen because the NUMBER ONE thing BOTH the GOP & Dems agree on is not to allow a third party to emerge. Ever wonder why Ross Perot pulled out of the race in 1992? Threats to his family.
http://www.nytimes.com/1992/10/26/us/1992-campaign-overview-perot-says-h...
As long as your "real" choice is between the two major party candidates that have been "selected' you can be sure it's a false choice. Both candidates have already been vetted by the illuminati and both are either acceptable, or the "fix" is in.
There is a solution and that requires voters to get off their ass and contact their state legislators to push for an Article V Convention of States at which the state legislators have an opportunity to fix, or eliminate, Washington, D.C. by amending the Constitution. Article V requires the Feds to live with any amendments that the states adopt with absolutely no input from the Feds.
LOL - yeah - the Constitution has really tied those bastard's hands so far! Good thing we have it, or we might not have Free Speech or the right to Privacy!
An Article V convention would be the ideal opportunity for the Statists to get rid of those pesky things like term limits, gun rights, and requirements for President. The Convention can't be limited - the entire Constitution would be up for amending, and while it might feel good to think about a mandatory balanced budget, etc, etc, the fact that Washington doesn't give a rat's ass about the Constitution we have now should give one a great deal of pause before opening it up to the dirty tricks and scumbaggery of the Statists. IMO, a Con-Con is a very dangerous idea - very risky indeed.
That's right. It is a last ditch effort before we break out the 200 million guns and do it the hard way. Let's give our state lawmakers a chance to fix the problem with their "agent" in D.C.
In the meantime, keep up your training with your local militia in case we have to do it from the trenches.
Not my preference, but we do it however it has to be done.
The only things you risk losing at a Constitutional Convention are the things they plan to take away from you soon enough.
The Constitution certainly gave us a decent run for the money, but it is over.
It's not just resting, or taking a nap... it is a dead parrot.
The elites would just take over the convention and use it to issue the final coup de grace on the U.S.
If we still have a functioning democracy .... there will tend to be two parties .... it's just the bi-polar nature of public opinion .... and the advantages of splinter parties joining forces with a bigger party .... it's nothing bad .... think of it as mergers and acquisitions !
Uh, its a Republic, not a democracy. Well, it used to be a Republic. I guess its an oligachy now.
We've heard that before .... then, the Democrat party should be called the Republic Party .... the Republican Party can keep it's name !