Many are worried about corporations running our government, giving us an oligarchy, government by the few. But we already have an oligarchy because too many eligible voters don’t bother voting.
In the Minnesota primary on August 12, the turnout was about 12 percent. That means 88 percent didn’t give a damn about who was elected. In other words, that 88 percent is giving government power to the 12 percent who showed up. That is no democracy, rule by the people, but an oligarchy, rule by the few.
If you were one of the few anywhere, remind everyone you know to vote in the next and every election, no matter where in the world you live.
Always vote because every vote always counts. If you stay away you give the election away.
See also “Politics: Don Givadam wins again”.
Showing posts with label primary election. Show all posts
Showing posts with label primary election. Show all posts
Thursday, August 14, 2014
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Bye, bye, Democracy!
Today is the primary election for Duluth School Board and City Council.
At 10:30 I was the 36th voter in my precinct. My wife is an election worker in another precinct. At about 11:00 she said they had about 45 voters.
In the 2012 election, Duluth had an average of over 1600 voters per precinct, and that was with a turnout of over 70 percent.
If we can't even show up for local elections, do we deserve a democracy?
And this happens all over the world. George W. Bush was elected because many Democrats didn't show up in Florida in 2000. Morsi was elected in Egypt because many boycotted the elections. North Carolina has a Republican legislature because only 44% showed up in 2012, probably mostly Republican activists.
If you don't vote, please don't complain about potholes, taxes, schools, or anything else that government does.
See also "If you don't vote, you have only yourself to blame", Reader Weekly, 2004-10-28.
At 10:30 I was the 36th voter in my precinct. My wife is an election worker in another precinct. At about 11:00 she said they had about 45 voters.
In the 2012 election, Duluth had an average of over 1600 voters per precinct, and that was with a turnout of over 70 percent.
If we can't even show up for local elections, do we deserve a democracy?
And this happens all over the world. George W. Bush was elected because many Democrats didn't show up in Florida in 2000. Morsi was elected in Egypt because many boycotted the elections. North Carolina has a Republican legislature because only 44% showed up in 2012, probably mostly Republican activists.
If you don't vote, please don't complain about potholes, taxes, schools, or anything else that government does.
See also "If you don't vote, you have only yourself to blame", Reader Weekly, 2004-10-28.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Will moderates be returning to Minnesota state government?
I don't have any great hopes for seeing this happen in a big way soon, but a wedge has been put in to create an opening. Margaret Anderson Kelliher, the DFL-nominated candidate for governor, has chosen John Gunyou as her running mate.
John Gunyou was Finance Commissioner under Arne Carlson, the last state-wide moderate Republican. He has written many op-ed pieces for the Star Tribune criticizing the many ideologues in politics, especially Republicans. I've saved five of them.
One of my favorites is "Taxpayer's League's model for governing", Star Tribune, 2006-06-15. Sorry, it's no longer available online. His opening is priceless:
"Here's a civics question to start the day. Who provides your public services like police and fire protection, education, parks and roads? Is it: (a) cities, counties and schools, (b) Uncle Sam & Cousin Tim, or (c) the Minnesota Taxpayers League?
Listening to the Taxpayers League and their political sycophants crow about our state's drop in tax rankings is a little hard to take for those of us actually responsible for delivering the services those taxes pay for. It's a whole lot easier to pontificate about downsizing government when you don't have to figure out how to stretch shrinking resources to patch crumbling streets."
Among other things he points out is the Taxpayer's League doesn't consider that the price of asphalt has gone up but the cities's share of the unchanged gas tax has not gone up. As citizens' two biggest concerns are speeding and road repair. Gunyou proposed that his city solve these with less taxes by having inverted speed bumps. He had a couple of other tongue-in-cheek ideas for getting something for nothing.
If you are a Minnesota voter, I highly recommend looking up his commentaries in your nearest public library. That is, if it is still open and at a time convenient to you.
I was planning to cast a blank ballot in the August primaries, but now I will be sure to put an X next to Kelliher/Gunyou. Also, after I post this I'll make a small contribution to the Kelliher/Gunyou campaign. Note that I am still a Party of One and do not contribute to parties. Oh, the Coffee Party might be an exception.
John Gunyou was Finance Commissioner under Arne Carlson, the last state-wide moderate Republican. He has written many op-ed pieces for the Star Tribune criticizing the many ideologues in politics, especially Republicans. I've saved five of them.
One of my favorites is "Taxpayer's League's model for governing", Star Tribune, 2006-06-15. Sorry, it's no longer available online. His opening is priceless:
"Here's a civics question to start the day. Who provides your public services like police and fire protection, education, parks and roads? Is it: (a) cities, counties and schools, (b) Uncle Sam & Cousin Tim, or (c) the Minnesota Taxpayers League?
Listening to the Taxpayers League and their political sycophants crow about our state's drop in tax rankings is a little hard to take for those of us actually responsible for delivering the services those taxes pay for. It's a whole lot easier to pontificate about downsizing government when you don't have to figure out how to stretch shrinking resources to patch crumbling streets."
Among other things he points out is the Taxpayer's League doesn't consider that the price of asphalt has gone up but the cities's share of the unchanged gas tax has not gone up. As citizens' two biggest concerns are speeding and road repair. Gunyou proposed that his city solve these with less taxes by having inverted speed bumps. He had a couple of other tongue-in-cheek ideas for getting something for nothing.
If you are a Minnesota voter, I highly recommend looking up his commentaries in your nearest public library. That is, if it is still open and at a time convenient to you.
I was planning to cast a blank ballot in the August primaries, but now I will be sure to put an X next to Kelliher/Gunyou. Also, after I post this I'll make a small contribution to the Kelliher/Gunyou campaign. Note that I am still a Party of One and do not contribute to parties. Oh, the Coffee Party might be an exception.
Monday, May 24, 2010
A pragmatic conservative
I call Ross Douthat a "yes but conservative". He has a considered approach to politics rather than following an ideological checklist. His analysis of Rand Paul's follow-through on Paul's Kentucky Republican primary upset is a great example of Douthat's thinking. His column, "The Principles of Rand Paul", New York Times, 2010-05-24, has many wonderful, quotable statements. I'll give you this teaser: "In an age of lockstep partisanship, there’s a lot to admire about this unusual constellation of ideas, and its sweeping critique of American politics as usual."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)