Comments on: Frightening Voters Into Submission http://jimbovard.com/blog/2010/02/17/frightening-voters-into-submission/ Author James Bovard Tue, 22 May 2012 20:05:11 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Jim http://jimbovard.com/blog/2010/02/17/frightening-voters-into-submission/#comment-122802 Jim Sat, 20 Feb 2010 15:27:32 +0000 http://jimbovard.com/blog/?p=1447#comment-122802 Jack - "None of the Above" is a great option. If memory serves, Nevada offered that option for awhile - maybe it still does. It certainly embarrassed at least a few Third Party candidates... Jack - “None of the Above” is a great option. If memory serves, Nevada offered that option for awhile - maybe it still does. It certainly embarrassed at least a few Third Party candidates…

]]> By: Jim http://jimbovard.com/blog/2010/02/17/frightening-voters-into-submission/#comment-122801 Jim Sat, 20 Feb 2010 15:26:47 +0000 http://jimbovard.com/blog/?p=1447#comment-122801 Tom - GREAT COMMENT! I hope you can use this in one of your own essays - it splits the bullseye. Tom - GREAT COMMENT! I hope you can use this in one of your own essays - it splits the bullseye.

]]> By: Jack http://jimbovard.com/blog/2010/02/17/frightening-voters-into-submission/#comment-122800 Jack Sat, 20 Feb 2010 14:22:33 +0000 http://jimbovard.com/blog/?p=1447#comment-122800 Tom's comment reminded me that I'd given up voting, too but not for the same reason. Voting is simply participating in a game of make believe in which you are deluding yourself into thinking that you're affecting the way your rulers run your life. I've simply accepted that unless I choose to get involved in politics, there are going to be people who will impose their wishes on me, but I refuse to waste my time in a futile attempt to choose between one bad choice and another. The biggest improvement which I believe could be made to the democratic process would be to have every ballot include the option "None of the Above", which, if it were the majority would require a completely new slate of candidates until one was acceptable, regardless of how many times the vote had to be repeated. Tom’s comment reminded me that I’d given up voting, too but not for the same reason. Voting is simply participating in a game of make believe in which you are deluding yourself into thinking that you’re affecting the way your rulers run your life.

I’ve simply accepted that unless I choose to get involved in politics, there are going to be people who will impose their wishes on me, but I refuse to waste my time in a futile attempt to choose between one bad choice and another.

The biggest improvement which I believe could be made to the democratic process would be to have every ballot include the option “None of the Above”, which, if it were the majority would require a completely new slate of candidates until one was acceptable, regardless of how many times the vote had to be repeated.

]]> By: Tom Blanton http://jimbovard.com/blog/2010/02/17/frightening-voters-into-submission/#comment-122798 Tom Blanton Sat, 20 Feb 2010 03:01:32 +0000 http://jimbovard.com/blog/?p=1447#comment-122798 These psycho politicians have got me so scared that I quit voting altogether. I withdraw my consent to be governed by these sociopaths. The frightening thing is not knowing what these freaks have planned when they start the fearmongering. You know something is coming, but you never know what until the boot drops on your neck again. These psycho politicians have got me so scared that I quit voting altogether. I withdraw my consent to be governed by these sociopaths. The frightening thing is not knowing what these freaks have planned when they start the fearmongering. You know something is coming, but you never know what until the boot drops on your neck again.

]]> By: Dirk W. Sabin http://jimbovard.com/blog/2010/02/17/frightening-voters-into-submission/#comment-122793 Dirk W. Sabin Fri, 19 Feb 2010 16:11:31 +0000 http://jimbovard.com/blog/?p=1447#comment-122793 "Bait and Switch". No, not that...heaven forfend. There is nothing....NOTHING not richly enveloped in the smoke of Bait and Switch swirling around the Federal Government like it was a smudge pot. Seems it is virtually genetic in the political class of history. Sometimes they like to embellish it with the label "pragmatism"...as though the government is doing a dirty business and must protect the tender feelings of the kiddies in the citizenry. Sometimes though, the leadership engages in the process brazenly and in a manner that could almost be appreciated for its audacity if said audacity was not in service to some of the most idiotic endeavors in the history of mankind. “Bait and Switch”. No, not that…heaven forfend. There is nothing….NOTHING not richly enveloped in the smoke of Bait and Switch swirling around the Federal Government like it was a smudge pot.

Seems it is virtually genetic in the political class of history. Sometimes they like to embellish it with the label “pragmatism”…as though the government is doing a dirty business and must protect the tender feelings of the kiddies in the citizenry.

Sometimes though, the leadership engages in the process brazenly and in a manner that could almost be appreciated for its audacity if said audacity was not in service to some of the most idiotic endeavors in the history of mankind.

]]> By: Jim http://jimbovard.com/blog/2010/02/17/frightening-voters-into-submission/#comment-122782 Jim Thu, 18 Feb 2010 20:21:57 +0000 http://jimbovard.com/blog/?p=1447#comment-122782 Jack - I have seen some comments indicating that many soldiers and Marines feel like there was a bait-and-switch as far as the rationales for Iraq etc. Jack - I have seen some comments indicating that many soldiers and Marines feel like there was a bait-and-switch as far as the rationales for Iraq etc.

]]> By: Jim http://jimbovard.com/blog/2010/02/17/frightening-voters-into-submission/#comment-122781 Jim Thu, 18 Feb 2010 20:20:37 +0000 http://jimbovard.com/blog/?p=1447#comment-122781 SM Mind-Boinking.... I knew there was a reason I cut back on watching C SPAN. SM Mind-Boinking…. I knew there was a reason I cut back on watching C SPAN.

]]> By: Dirk W. Sabin http://jimbovard.com/blog/2010/02/17/frightening-voters-into-submission/#comment-122780 Dirk W. Sabin Thu, 18 Feb 2010 19:48:00 +0000 http://jimbovard.com/blog/?p=1447#comment-122780 There is just nothing like a good brisk session of Securito-Masochistic mind-boinking with a Dominatrix from the Federal Fright Shop. There is just nothing like a good brisk session of Securito-Masochistic mind-boinking with a Dominatrix from the Federal Fright Shop.

]]> By: Jack http://jimbovard.com/blog/2010/02/17/frightening-voters-into-submission/#comment-122779 Jack Thu, 18 Feb 2010 16:02:41 +0000 http://jimbovard.com/blog/?p=1447#comment-122779 I believe that patriotism is often misrepresented and abused by politicians to achieve ends which have little or nothing to do with the benefit of a country or it's people. How many thousands (or millions) of lives have been lost or ruined in the name of patriotism? How many of the armed men on the front lines risk or lose their lives for something far different from what they thought they were fighting for? I believe that patriotism is often misrepresented and abused by politicians to achieve ends which have little or nothing to do with the benefit of a country or it’s people.

How many thousands (or millions) of lives have been lost or ruined in the name of patriotism? How many of the armed men on the front lines risk or lose their lives for something far different from what they thought they were fighting for?

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