Election Day - And what do we do?

Tomorrow -November 3^rd – is Election Day across the United States. And a political cartoon from the Houston Chronicle in today's Buffalo News raises a legitimate question about democracy in America. Two-Thirds of Americans don't vote. 

Why? 

Because they do not believe it makes a difference.

When a small group of people is deciding who holds power – that is a dictatorship, not a democracy. And we need to do something to stop that problem.

Considering the charade that the capitalist controlled parties – both the Democrats and the Republicans – make of the day with their empty promises, wild accusations, and vitriolic attacks on each other, it is very easy to see why a majority of Americans have given up on the process.

So, what is a socialist to do?

Go out and vote.

Every year I receive my ballot and pen, go off to the shielded area and fill out my ballot. If only capitalist candidates are on the ballot – Democrats, Republicans, Conservatives, Working Families Party, Libertarians, or Constitution Party – I fill in the circle on on the bottom row and write “None” in the space. I voted. For none of the above. It's legitimate.

And what of the Green Party? I bite my tongue on them. They support, in my opinion, “environmentally friendly” capitalism. I really struggle with voting for them. If they came right out in favor of socialist economic policies, I would have an easier time voting for them. Until then, I cringe.

If I see or know of a socialist running  for an office, I write them in.

Recently, the reading group that I am in finished reading Aspects of SocialistElection Policy. It's published by the Socialist Workers Party, back when it was a revolutionary socialist organization and democratically (note the small “d”) controlled. It fell under the control of a cult of personality and has degenerated into a bureaucratic nightmare since a series of mass expulsions that started in the late 1970's and early 1980's. The older literature is still good and we can learn much from this particular booklet.

We need to vote. We need to stop voting for the “lesser of two evils” (You still get evil. Just less of it). Why we need a labor party that represents the interests of workers. We need to learn the meaning and use of “critical support” is and how we can use it to advance an agenda that works for every working American. 

African Americans,  Latinos, and Asians might need to develop their own political party and break clean away from the Democrats. (Look at Bill Clinton as a perfectly good bad example of how much the Democrats have hurt minorities in spite of all their promises. I remember his “welfare reform” disaster. I still see children hurt by it.)

Learn how to do write in votes. If you hear of a socialist candidate running for office, vote for them.  Even if it is write in. Use “None” as a choice as well. Both send a message.

A secondary point that I would like to make is that the capitalist controlled media is not going to cover socialist candidates unless we demand they do. Years ago WKBW-TV covered an election where there were three candidates – a Republican, a Democrat, and a Green Party candidate.We need more and better coverage than that. Though I must praise WKBW for covering the Green Party candidate.  No other station did.

We can do better than this. We have to demand it.

It's your voice – use it.

Loudly.