With respect to Private Manning, I have actually asked the Pentagon whether or not the procedures that have been taken in terms of his confinement are appropriate and are meeting our basic standards. They assure me that they are.I can no longer stand to have my vote held hostage by Democrats to the fact that Republicans may be worse, when those Democrats then get into office and continue Republican practices. What has happened to Manning, convicted of no crime, is a disgrace.
Twenty years of blogging in hindsight
5 hours ago
4 comments:
I have the same opinion regarding what happened to Manning. However, do you really think Obama's alternative is going to be better? Also, how do you perceive sitting out the vote is going to shift any attitudes leftwards?
We've seen this movie before in 2000. All it got us was Bush, and the genesis of these problems. And then we saw it again in the 2010 midterms. All that got us was a bunch of truthers, deniers of all stripes, and corporate frontends. I am not sure why anyone expects the "I will sit this one out because I don't want to vote for bad over terrible" strategy to work any differently in the future.
When people like yourself sit out elections, the Democratic party does not move leftwards. It goes further right. Its when they have support at the polls are they willing to make "left leaning" decisions and actions. (I am hesitant to use that word, because today, the left leaning decision is the only sane decision, while the center is still off the charts crazy).
I find myself agreeing more and more with Chris Hedges on not voting for Democrats anymore; instead voting for third party candidates and engaging in small "acts of resistance" whereever possible.
I can sympathize with your views and have held them previously, but getting worse slighly less fastly I no longer can stomach voting for.
Not sure I agree with polling being the reason Democrats don't take liberal positions, however. I find that they answer to money mo than votes a more convincing explanation of why they do what they do.
How about a middle road - voting against Obama in the primary and then voting for him in the general. Although I would blame no one for voting a 3rd, 4th or 5th party in the general - or even not voting at all.
Agreed it's a money game. Voting against the duo-opoly is a very small thing, but still meaningful, if to no other person but the voter.
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