“If Voting Changed Anything, They’d Make It Illegal“ Emma Goldman once said that and, while it may sound unduly cynical, there’s some truth there. Not always. Not everywhere. But maybe here and now. I often think of what she said when I hear people condescendingly criticizing protesters and those who take direct action by saying .. “we’re a democracy .. if you don’t like the way things are then vote to change them”. Well yes .. if only that were possible. The problem in the USA, of course, is that its not possible. There are two right-of-center parties, both broadly supporting the same corporate agenda. The whole system is built around wealth and privilege. Obscene sums of money, hundreds of millions of dollars, are required to mount any serious political campaign. The mainstream media are largely owned by those with a vested interest in the corporate agenda and protecting the status-quo. Lobbyists swarm over Washington like flies on dog-dirt buying political influence for their masters. That’s the reality as opposed to the fantasy. Telling people in these circumstances to ‘believe in the system’ or to ‘work for change within the system’ is asking an awful lot. Its like telling them to carry on playing rigged slot-machines and hoping one day they’ll miraculously win. It just isn’t going to happen. And that simile is apt because American politics really is just like a crooked Mafia casino that’s rigged in favor of the owners and against the ordinary people. So when you can see the reality of that situation (and not everyone wants to) what do you do ? Who do you vote for ? Why, if nothings going to fundamentally change ? Do you start your own ‘party’ and stand yourself ? Theoretically possible but in the real world the system is so monumentally stacked against you and in favor of status quo, the rich and corporations, that it would be a waste of time. The inescapable truth of history is that political systems sometimes move so far away from their intended purpose, become so corrupt and dysfunctional and hostile to the interests of the people they’re meant to serve, that the only thing to do is dismantle them completely and start again from scratch. The solution lies outside of the system. I wonder if that’s where we’ve got to now ? If you’re happy with the way things are, the gross inequalities of wealth, the hypocrisy, the lies, the unfairness, the crumbling infrastructure, the draconian control, and all the other failures of a broken system then by all means take part in the charade and register your vote for either the Pepsi or the Coke of politics. You’ll be guaranteed business as usual. No problem. But if you want something better, if you really want change, what will you do ? Elle Dark