Why Old Election Numbers No Longer Matter

[GuvWurld]

http://guvwurld.blogspot.com/2005/08/why-old-election-numbers-no-longer.html

This apocryphal parable contains only true facts. I know because I made them up myself.

The date was Sept 33, 1965. Samdy Kouflax ate eight live pigs, a new record among those in his Pagan cult. This sign of virility and luck soon paid dividends as Kouflax threw one of golf's most memorable games. Going all nine chuckers, Kouflax completed a no-hitter to lead his Chicago Whitehawks to the Super Bowl with a victory over the Boston Celtics. Kouflax's solo grand-slam leading off the first inning was all the offense needed that season. Many also remember this game for the unusual brawl that broke out between two Celtic mid-fielders. The ensuing power play enabled the 'Hawks to expand their zone defense with 20 men on the ice. All in all, it was a fabulous year for Samdy and his wife Whora.

Can you imagine yourself getting into a debate about who won this game or what was the final score? Any such discussion would validate the legitimacy of the idea that there was an actual game with a winner, a loser, and a knowable point tally. If you were asked who won, or what was the final score, the only reasonable answer is that it cannot be known from such nonsensical reporting. There is nothing in this story to suggest that a real game of any sort was actually played.

U.S. federal elections are held under conditions that are equally farcical. At this point, any discussion of the numbers, or the outcome, is only serving to reinforce that an actual election took place. It is imperative that we make it conventional wisdom that no actual election took place, that instead we witnessed and partook in simulated competition. The core argument that summarizes this frame is: there is no basis for confidence in the results reported from U.S. federal elections.

This is the nucleus of the Voter Confidence Resolution, recently adopted by Arcata, CA, and also the essence of Land Shark's post at the start of this DU thread (where now more than 100 other posts willfully miss the point). It is long past time to stop the bickering and to stop allowing ourselves to be drawn into specious debates. We say we will demand the truth yet we have a difficult enough time telling it to ourselves. The U.S. government is run by people who have perpetuated many charades against us. We are at the dawn of the new, peaceful American Revolution, or our extinction.

[BeFree]

1. I see your point, and I'll raise ya one

My point is that there are far too many who believe the election was fair and conversations attempting to educate those dumbasses are relevant.

Of course, I've about given up trying to educate those dumbasses who continue to think the 'selection' was really an election, but I wholly support my friends who continue to make the attempt.

Now we stand as the last bulwark against the tide of democratic extinction. But with the advent of the rewrite of certain laws (laws for the most part proving we are correct about it being a selection) we have a leg up on the competition but only if we choose to use the laws to the greatest advantage we can.

In each of our local election offices is where the fight must now be waged. We must become experts on the law and swing those laws mightily against the heads of those who oppose us.

And all the dumbasses who believe b**h is the rightfully elected president can kiss my ass. Fuck 'em!

[GuvWurld]

2. Yes, yes and yes

I too am advocating continued education and outreach. I'm arguing for one tack over another.

I've also been all about the "think global, act local" approach as can be seen in my writing throughout the Guvwurld Blog.

And most recently I have expanded my thinking on this to include the resignation frame. This is for politicians who accept the status quo and try to manage the expectations of constituents by telling them what can't be accomplished (i.e. war profiteering is inevitable, unverifiable voting is here to stay, etc.). To these people who are betraying the public trust we must say "if you are resigned to these positions then you must resign your office. If you are not willing to work to improve the situation, clear out your office and make way for someone who will."

We would surely have to generate a lot of pressure to get anyone to actually resign. However, even shy of this goal, this is an important frame because it insists that the status quo is unacceptable AND that not trying to make things better is unacceptable. This serves us well in targeting the apathy of not only politicians but the same people in need of the education about "elections" giving us no basis for confidence in the results reported.