On why I don’t vote in national elections…
I read about economics and politics and history. In this reading and in what I’ve observed, I’ve come to the conclusion that our two party system is in place primarily to keep the powers that be in power while giving the people a token activity to help them feel a sense of ownership in our governing. The two parties have, loudly expressed and on the surface, really big differences. In their actual governing, very little is different.
Both parties champion an egregious foreign policy of American hegemony, continuing wars and starting wars for the benefit of crony corporations and their own continued rule over us all. The many “color” revolutions of the last decade were intended to disrupt so that we can continue to influence, increase our influence, or take out a competitor.
Back at home, both parties champion increased government spending on social programs. They may have large, excited arguments about how quickly these programs grow or who will directly benefit from the programs, but the programs grow. The number of programs grow. Both parties have go-to political topics with which they can excite their voting base. The problems don’t get solved. For example, abortion is such a powerful political topic. Republican politicians routinely use it as a major speaking point to rally the Christian vote. Do they do much to stop abortion? No. The goal is to get re-elected, to stay close to the DC money and power structure. I’m less familiar with the Democratic hot topics, but climate change may be a good example.
Politicians care about the narrative that will get them elected and re-elected. Some may go into their time with altruistic goals, but with the way the parties function these goals often go by the wayside.
I was much more deeply engaged politically in 2007. Ron Paul was a surprise candidate for the Republican nomination and he was speaking truth to power. His fund raising and polling numbers were astoundingly high. The media doesn’t want an outsider. During this period, Ron Paul was running in second place and gaining. The media would report the leader, Romney at that time, and then they would list the other candidates, 3rd through 5th. Ron Paul might be mentioned deep into a newspaper article, but never above the fold. Then the results in Iowa came out and were vastly different than the polling. On the ground witnesses in Iowa attest to the Republican party powers essentially stealing the nomination from Paul through underhanded electioneering tactics.
This was my first exposure to the political party process. The Party decides the candidate. Both parties heavily prefer a candidate to come up slowly through the party and be fully and completely vetted as to the topics they’ll discuss. You simply cannot question the foreign policy of the United States, nor can you question the crony corporatism supported by the FED supported major banks.
Anyway, I don’t recommend voting. Especially in national elections. It is participation in a farce, a stage show–and we are the audience-participants. Certainly my views are not shared by many.
Why I voted for Trump in 2016
Given this abstention from voting, why would I vote in 2016? Mostly it was a vote against, but also taking a longshot.
I mainly voted to oppose Hillary Clinton. Her campaign team colluded with the Democratic Party leadership to steal the nomination from Bernie Sanders. I disagree strongly with Bernie’s policy positions. But, he had a great groundswelling of support, that sadly came to a predictable end. The Democratic Party leadership just could not have him as their nominee and I would wager Hillary had favors to call in. (See DNC email hacking.)
The Clinton family used some rather interesting political maneuvering back in the Arkansas days to move up the ladder and seize power. I won’t list them here and you would probably want proof, etc. Given, at least, what I’ve read that is credible about all that Bill and Hillary and their crew did on their way to power, I couldn’t pass up the chance to vote against her. I would vote against her again.
So, combining this with the lack of viability of voting third party, I chose to vote for the political outsider, Trump. His candidacy represented a longshot to disrupt the system.
Trump is an arrogant New Yorker. He is brash, but also bold. He is not a politician and was definitely not the choice of the party elites. His message clearly resonated with a segment of our populace that feels completely leftout and discounted by those in power in politics and media. The longshot for me was that this non-politician might just get in office and actually make some meaningful changes to disrupt the status quo in Washington DC.
I didn’t think he would win. When he won, I was hoping he would make some truly big changes. Sadly he didn’t or couldn’t. I didn’t put much hope in him being successful. One plus: he initiated no new foreign wars. That’s a first for a modern presidency going back many, many decades.
Why I voted for Trump in 2020
From his candidacy in 2015 through his election in 2016 and then on into the first years of his presidency, Trump has been opposed strongly by media and the elite like no other president before him. Why would they oppose him so strongly? He is a wildcard. A wildcard may make unexpected and unwanted changes.
Trump’s a blowhard and obnoxious. And he isn’t a politician. Maybe he can’t relate to the regular folks, but Pelosi, Harris, and Biden can’t either. I voted this time for Trump to see him have one more chance to make drastic and painful (to the ruling elite and the bureaucrats) changes in DC.
I voted for Trump because I can’t stomach what’s happened in 2020. He made some poor decisions in the handling of Covid-19. It was and is the governors and mayors who’ve shut down the economy, wrecking lives through desperation. Drug and alcohol addiction is up. Suicides are up. Depression is up. Some blame Trump. I blame the media and the elites who’ve used this virus as an opportunity to secure more power and exercise more power over the people.
I do not believe that Antifa and the BLM protests and riots were spontaneous. They were coordinated. Never in the history of mankind have over 130 cities seen burning and destruction and protests all happending at the same time. Why BLM? Why now? Racism is real. Real racism was on the decline until it became a political useful tool to divide us further. Trump has plenty of support from non-whites, but that’s not the narrative that has driven 2020.
The major events of 2020 have been spun and energized with one purpose: further divide us and make certain Trump does not get re-elected.
When it came to this election, my main motivation was to give Trump one more chance to make the establishment squirm. Secondarily, I actually believe regular people in the United States can make reasoned choices when not forced to by edict. Biden and Harris have promised more of the same without the riots and looting. They believe we cannot be trusted. Their message is this: We are children, used for our labor and taxes, but we need to be protected–from ourselves.
Conclusion
I may vote again in national elections, but I highly doubt it. I think we are headed for a financial collapse of the United States government. I would like to see that usher in a peaceful seccession of several states. I don’t put much hope in this happening peacefully.
This is written from the heart. My hope, politically, is for Christ’s return. I believe the body of Christ needs to rise above social justice on the left and abortion on the right and be tangibly different from both political parties. I believe electoral politics is a systemic way for the establishment elite to convince us that we actually have a say in our national governing.