The Ballot or the Bullet by William Rivers Pitt

[Jessy169]

In my American Politics 101 class in college, one of the books on the required reading list was "Democracy For The Few". The main point was that America is ruled by the elites, not by the much greater numbers of regular people, because the regular people don't vote. We studied the strategies that many of the elites use to crush the common man's will to vote.

The arc of America's long decline tracks step for step with the decline in voter participation. With every passing election, we have watched the quality of our governmental representation plummet to an ever-lowering common denominator. With every passing election, more and more of our hard-earned tax dollars are disbursed by these lesser lights to warfare, and to giveaways for the fortunate few who have bought out the whole system in our absence, instead of using those revenues to enhance infrastructure, education and the general quality of life.

http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/10605-the-ballot-or-the-bullet

[AndyTiedye]

1. They Also Crush the Actual Votes

We studied the strategies that many of the elites use to crush the common man's will to vote.

They also crush the votes themselves.

Vote anyway. At least make them go to the trouble of stealing it.

[Jessy169]

2. If we could get 80% turnout

then they'd never be able to steal enough votes to make a difference. The problem is that the Republicans get a very high turnout from their minority portion of the population, and Democrats get a very low turnout from their much larger portion. But I agree with you, with the 40% turnout, it doesn't take many stolen votes to swing the election to the other side -- the dark side.

[AndyTiedye]

3. The Republicans Get Unbelievable Turnout, Sometimes Over 100%

How do they do it?

[morningglory]

4. They are the supervisors and managers. They walk out to vote and say "take messages for me."

The dems that are in lower positions, sometimes lose pay when they take off to vote, or have to hire a sitter. Not all dems, but it is harder for low-wage people to get out and vote.

[AndyTiedye]

5. Still Doesn't Explain More Votes than Voters in Some Repiglickin Districts

[fasttense]

6. There is a saying about those who count the vote

Our votes are NOT being counted correctly and haven't been for quite some time now. The vote rigging is being done by RepubliCONS with Democrats quietly standing by. Why did Gore let the Supremes dictate the outcome of the election? Why did Kerry quietly submit to the vote rigging in Ohio? Very strange these people giving up so easily.

But the real losers were not Gore and Kerry, they were us, the voters, whose votes were ignored and quietly dismissed.

That said, the rigging can be overwhelmed if voter turnout is large enough.

And the vote rigging would stop if Americans marched in mass against it.

And so....

It's not who votes that counts, it's who counts the votes.

[AndyTiedye]

7. I Very Much Doubt that Marching Would Stop the Election Theft

And the vote rigging would stop if Americans marched in mass against it.

If only it were that easy.