A lot of premature euphoria is evaporating. The Democrats
think that it is imperative to restore FISA, so imperative
that they are willing to yield to Bush importuning and give
retroactive immunity to the telcos. Even the great liberal
hero B. Obama is going along with this: "It's the best we
can get", he claims. By gosh, them's fighting words!
What can we do about this? The answer, for most of us, is
simple: simply don't vote for them. Vote for someone else.
"Oh! oh! oh!" (I can hear the shrieks way back in Maryland!)
"You're going to vote for Nader!! Oh! oh! You'll put
McCain into the White House!"
No, folks. No, and again, no. I live in Maryland, which
voted for Gore with a 300,000 vote plurality in 2000, which
voted for Kerry in 2004 with a 300,000 vote plurality.
And this year Maryland will give Obama a 400,000 vote
plurality. This means that I have a Free Vote.
This same argument goes for those liberals who live in
Massachusetts, or New York, or New Jersey, or Oregon, or
California. It also goes for those liberals -- there are
quite a few -- who live in Texas, or Idaho, or Tennessee.
In these states, and in quite a few others, it makes no
sense to vote for the Democrats, either to swell their
victory, or to subtract from the overwhelming Republican
total. Far better to vote for someone else. To show
the flag. To speak up: "Dissent is still alive. Down
with the duopoly!"
I am not a Nader fan, 'cause he's a one-man show. I'd
rather build a movement. I shall vote Green here in
Maryland, and, 'cause I'm a Dreamer, hope that the
Greens might take away 50,000 of the Obama plurality
here.
But if you are a Nader fan, by all means vote Nader. If you
are a Libertarian, vote for Barr. But to join a Democratic
avalanche, or swim against a Republican tide, makes no sense.
Have your vote say something!
