From: gmark@cbnewse.cb.att.com (gilbert.m.stewart)
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa
Subject: Re: Boycotting the Vote
Date: 12 Oct 92 16:21:39 GMT
Article-I.D.: cbnewse.1992Oct12.162139.19735
Organization: AT&T

In article <1992Oct12.145140.7752@nntpd.lkg.dec.com> edp@math.zk3.dec.com (Eric Postpischil) writes:
>Several people have said they fail to see how not voting can cause any
>change in government.  Some of them even called the person who suggested
>not voting dumb while simultaneously displaying their lack of
>intelligence by failing to see the consequences of not voting.

The consequence of not voting is that of hoping no one else does
and assuming those in power will somehow react to this.  Not voting
and getting some kind of reaction from it will require finding some
other avenue of communication, both with those in power and those
on whom you are depending for correlated action.  Merely not voting
is, to put it politely, seriously unintelligent.

>When many people do stop voting, that is a message.  That message is not
>that people are discontent; we already hear that message.  Rather, the
>message is that they are so discontent, they are NOT satisfied with
>continued voting for the same old candidates -- they are now ready for

That is why we have the opportunity to write in other candidates, run
ourselves, establish alternatives.  The idea of passive "communication"
to established authorities and groups is a fantasy.  If I am in power,
I don't care about those that do nothing to challenge my power.

>change.  That is a signal for new candidates and new parties to present
>themselves.  The Libertarian Party might fill that role.  When many

There you go.

>Citizens can also take control themselves.  Most cities or towns can be
>controlled by their citizens, instead of the politicians, if those
>citizens will take an active role.  The city or town can exercise power
>for itself, throwing off state control of its schools and other state
>interference.  This may require political battles, lawsuits, or
>state-constitution amendments, but it can be done.  Grab power back --

On exactly which planet did this happen?

>if your state gets funding from towns, cut it off.  If it has an income
>tax, repeal it, lower it, or control it by forcing an amendment limiting
>how the legislature can spend it.  E.g., force the state to allocate the
>money to towns proportionately to its collection in those towns -- then
>you can control its spending by participating in town meetings.

Have you done this?  Anyone you know?  It would be nice to hear about.

>Also keep in mind the ethics of voting.  A government is not entitled to
>violate your rights, regardless of whether you vote or not.  A refusal

Out of curiosity, has anyone you know ever been in a conflict with the
IRS?

>to vote is a refusal to authorize a representative to act for you -- and

So could you just tell someone who is enforcing a law you disagree with
that you didn't vote for the person who put the bill through, and that
you therefore didn't authorize it and shouldn't have to abide by it?

>hence it does not constitute permission for the government to act
>against you.  Some people say that if you don't vote, you don't have a
>right to complain, but that is plainly nonsense -- by not voting, you
>have REFUSED to AUTHORIZE a person to represent you, so you have given
>nobody the authority to do things that are harmful.  You have every
>right to complain when something wrong is done.  Some people believe the
>government is doing unethical things, and their consciences tell them
>not to give any validity or support to those actions by voting.  When
>voting is not a means of controlling government but instead can serve
>only to falsely justify unethical acts, how can you tell a person they
>should vote?
>
>Voting has become or is becoming a failure, and that is why people
>should consider not voting.

Tell you what.  You organize a group to not vote.  The bigger the better.
Me, I'll vote.  And you know what the silent majority thinks?  No,
neither do I.  They ain't talking.  And Washington doesn't give a crap
until they do.

GMS
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa