For real? After giving AIG a huge federal bailout (read: I’m bailing out rich pricks with my tax dollars) a few weeks ago, we’re giving them another 30 some odd billion dollars in bail out funds. This after they had a $400,000 retreat and are in the midst of planning another large one.
This is why I won’t vote for another politician again for the rest of my life. I am now beyond ambivalent towards the late great American empire. And if I didn’t have a baby on the way and think either set of my parents wouldn’t kill me, I’d be on the first plane, boat, or raft to Costa Rica.
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17 Comments
Ahh….I know exactly how you feel (except the whole kid part). It’s insane. The whole damn place and everyone in control.
I heard that from a friend earlier today and I thought it was a joke. I sat waiting for the punchline that never came. He thought I was just in justifiable shock.
I’ve been thinking a lot about this whole mess for a while. Not just the current economic crisis, but the general direction our country has been headed, and what that means for me as a voter. I am 19, so this is the first election I will have the opportunity to vote in. And frankly, I don’t really want to. Neither Obama nor, God forbid, McCain really ignite any desire to get out there and “exercise my most basic right”. I have no misconceptions about Obama that he will be the savior of the American Empire (as if that were something to be desired), and I certainly can’t support a candidate who, though a Maverick (TM), wants to continue in the direction our current administration has steered us.
That being said, I’m not sure the proper response is to simply withdraw from the whole political process. I think that is too easy. Perhaps I have been more indoctrinated by my overzealous political science professors than I realize, but it seems like we have a responsibility as Christians to do what we can to make the best of truly shitty situations. We could move out to the desert (or Costa Rica) like our predecessors, but how will that be of any use to the poor, the hungry, or the widows and orphans?
I understand the sentiment that it would be nice to just blow it all off and pursue life elsewhere, but the greater challenge in my opinion is to be faithful to where God has individually called us and to be lights in a world full of darkness — rather than abandoning the people living in that darkness for somewhere more comfortable or less frustrating. Fulfilling that purpose should never be contingent on what other people are doing (i.e. misuse of my hard-earned and never seen tax money).
Just my $0.02.
If you won’t vote then you shouldn’t bitch and moan.
Keep your envy in check, young one. This is America and there is not law against people making a way for themselves.
fair enough. but i’m not saying i should become a desert nomad. although that it is tempting and my attempt at sarcasm in the post might point to that. but i’m just opting out of the political process because i no longer believe at all that any politician can lead anything from the top.
Sounds like the Libertarian party might be right up your alley…
Jason and Ryan,
Not voting is a way to voice an opinion and does not mean you have to stop bitching and moaning. Well, maybe instead of bitching and moaning, we should consider it criticism. Here’s the deal, by voting and participating in our government, we are in fact condoning it. That means even if you vote for a candidate who is anti-abortion, anti-war, and all the other things we consider good, you are still participating in a system that is inherently oppressive.
So what we are actually seeing is the basic structure differences between the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of man become more visible. Could this go back to to what Jesus had to say about serving two masters? Could it be that even though we have a conservative in office, someone the evangelical church peed their pants over, really isn’t what they had in mind?
Or maybe it is and there are those of us who realize that mixing the kingdom of God and man ends up in disasterous results. Hence, why we don’t vote.
-mike
As Mike said, “by voting and participating in our government, we are in fact condoning it”. Exactly, and every inclusion of a person in the system propells it onward. “you are still participating in a system that is inherently oppressive”.
Well said, Mike.
And I can completely relate to your sentiments, Josh. I am intentionally registered as Independent and will NOT be voting. (and am even considering un-registering, if thats possible.) My reasons for this are, as mentioned above, in order not to participate in the system, and to place myself in the margins of the society. I think Christ, being the political subversive that he was, would suggest living in the margins over acceptance of the system (voting and participating) as well as over getting angry, giving up, and divorcing the society that you are born into. (like moving to costa rica)
I wonder quite often if we (as subversives) are too focused on the first place on the broken system. Why not accept the system as broken, accept that what is known as “the church” is a huge part of that system, accept that Christ’s priorities need to be better understood, and that allowing the brokenness of humanity to make you angry is allowing it a place in your heart that it doesn’t belong. Its as though the empire has colonized your heart in ways you do not realize.
Greedy rich bastards will be greedy rich bastards. Were Christ here today, I believe he would allow them to be who they are (not without criticism) but would care for the broken in their wake instead of trying to be a political savior or supporting a system that is suppose to save us politically.
amos
but i’m just opting out of the political process because i no longer believe at all that any politician can lead anything from the top.
Unfortunately, those at the top interpret every non-voter as someone who feels no need to change between the two-party status quo. It’s usually not true, but they never really worry about truth. However every vote for a 3rd party (ANY third party) or even for fictional write-ins is (accurately?) interpreted as a vote against the two-party system. If you really think neither Obama or McCain is a good candidate, go vote for someone else. Bob Bar, George Washington, Teddy Roosevelt, Abe Lincoln, Mickey Mouse, Mickey Rooney, Osama Bin Laden…. anybody. Add to the small, but growing, chorus of dissent.
I’ve said before that if there isn’t anybody you want to vote for, go and vote an empty ballot. If everyone who was disgusted enough with politics to not vote would do that instead, it would send an amazing message. I imagine you’d easily see 20% of the vote being “nobody,” and everyone would be asking what they could do to get that support. Just because there are 2-3 names on that slot on the ballot doesn’t mean you have to pick one of them.
If we didn’t have direct input into the political process, it’d be far easier to do the kind of thing Amos said and just check out of it. But we have a vote. It is our responsibility. I think your point of view should be heard, even if (and probably especially if) it’s “none of the above.”
Mike and Amos,
You are way off base. Not voting is certainly sending a message. But when one stops participating in the process, one loses his right to honestly complain about any of it.
2 choices:
1) Vote and blog away.
2) Abstain and hush.
I’m not sure who first (historically) came up with the line of b.s. “if you dont vote then you cant have any say”. That person should be receiving some kind of award for brainwashing the hell out of a lot of people.
I suppose this logic would also follow that “if you have a problem with America then you can leave”. Seriously some of the most ignorant logic (or is it logic?) i’ve ever heard.
Here’s the deal. Anyone, at anytime, at any place (and i dont mean just in the states. i mean anywhere) can say whatever they want about anything they please. This is not a “right” that my grandfather or yours fought and died for. This is part of being a human. Grant it, the ramifications of speaking your opinion may illicit you undue punishment depending upon which despotic government you happen to live beneath but the basic “right” is still there for anyone, anyplace, anytime.
The late, great, George Carlin had much to say to this whole crowd of individuals who towed this “if you dont vote then shutup” line.
Have you told this little bit of info to your family (mom, dad, etc.)? If not, expect them to freak out of their ever loving minds. This is a normal and expected reaction. I stopped talking with my family about politics because they have had it so vehemently beat into their minds that voting is a must that nothing i can say will make them see it any different.
Jason,
I’m curious where the basis is for your argument. Because you say so? Derek on the other hand has a strong argument, backed up with good points. If you could expand on why I have to hush if I don’t vote, I would be more inclined to consider your agrument.
Derek and Nathan,
You definitely give me some food for thought. If I was trying to change the system, then this would be the route I would take. My position is different. What I am saying is I do not want to take part in the process at all. Like I said, even if I had the perfect candidate to vote for, participating would be condoning a system of power I don’t agree with in the first place.
Maybe this link will help explain:
Greg Boyd (author of Myth of a Christian Nation) wrote this piece.
To all,
Read Jacques Ellul’s The Subversion of Christianity. Boyd talks about it from the above January 11th post through the next fe posts on his blog.
-mike
I’m not going to go into the topic at hand (I’m a Christian anarchist- so my views on the subject have been expressed) but I whole heartedly agree. You are in good company on this. If Jesus himself decides to come back and run for President, I think we can all be assured it’s just some asshole in a costume. On a side note, I just finished reading that the government could “bailout” every home mortgage in America with just 100 billion… 1/8 of the current bailout?!?!?
I’m not against the idea of just refusing to participate in the system. But I’m going to back Jason up, just a tad, in that if you are seriously refusing to participate, I think that should probably also include refraining from being overly critical. I’m not saying you can’t speak your mind, but if your theology is one that just decides to be dead to America and live solely in the Kingdom – and I would support that – that would also mean that you really should be apathetic to what the Caesars of this world are up to.
Now if you want to rant about politics, decry the entire system, and wish it would be changed — but then refuse to vote at all, then I might start agreeing with Jason just a little more than I already have. Vote. Even if it’s empty – and I’d say, vote ESPECIALLY if it’s empty. It’s your direct feedback mechanism into politics. It’s the one voice every politician HAS to listen to.
Derek,
Well-said. For many things, I do end up ignoring them. Governments will be governments and they aren’t going to stop just because of me. Why I feel I must speak out as well as refraining from voting is the entanglement of Christianity with the political powers. I cannot in good conscience allow people to think that is what Christ looks like.
-mike
Okay, how did I miss this post. I must have been sleeping the whole week this was being discussed. I just want to add my two cents.
First, I understand your apathy towards this government (empire) and aversion to power systems, trust me I understand. But if you really do not want to support this government (empire) you need to stop paying taxes. Money=Power in our government. If you are anti-empire you need to protest our government where it really hurts, in their pocketbook.
Second, If you do decide to abstain from voting you are actually giving power to the politicians instead of taking it away. Politicians actually do not want you to vote because the more people involved in the process the more honesty is required from both candidates. If you look back at our nations voting history you will find that a large percentage of Americans have not voted for one reason or another for many of the recent elections and things have not changed when it comes to elections. When the people in the middle do not vote it allows each of the two sides to become more and more extreme and then elections become about who can piss off enough people against the other candidate so they can win.
Third, you can bitch all you want about government because we all fund the government, but you also need to do all you can to make it better.
And finally, WHY YOU SHOULD VOTE AGAIN:
The Preamble to the Constitution:
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
Middle of the Declaration of Independence:
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.
Here is the problem: The US Government is the people (you, me, everyone) and when more and more people become disenchanted and uninvolved you give more and more power to a select few. I know that this form of government is not perfect, but the more uninvolved you become, the more imperfect our government becomes.
Let’s put this in a church context: No church is perfect. Would you rather be part of a church where the Pastor, a Board, and the people who had the most money (largest offering) had all say over the day to day operations of the church or would you want everyone in the church to not only have a say in the day to day operations, but be involved in making changes?
THE PROBLEM WITH OUR GOVERNMENT IS THE LACK OF INVOLVEMENT OF THE PEOPLE.
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