July 20–27, 2000

slant

This Fall, Don’t Vote

by Scott Bostwick

I’ve been feeling a subtle queasiness these days, akin to the first stirrings of an intestinal virus. It was a few days before I realized that my body was reacting to an anticipated triad of inevitable, cacophonous balderdash, to wit, the Republican convention, the Democrat re-run and the big daddy endless bender and hangover, the general campaign and election.

But what do I know? In 1979, I scoffed at the unmitigated gall of that reactionary buffoon, Ronald Reagan, to think that anyone with half a brain would consider for two seconds whether to vote for him. Two landslide victories and 16 corrupt, race- and class-alienated years later, the monkeys are bamboozling me still. As much as we read about the new age of scientific breakthrough, rising access to information and the new crop of sophisticated, no-nonsense college graduates who are gonna really set things a-right this time, we’re still wasting time with politics as usual.

Al Gore and George Bush Junior. Aside from that last little poke at George, I’m not even going to make any of the obvious jokes. Because it’s really just not very funny anymore. With all our experience, supposed lesson-learning, Million Mile Marches and so on, we somehow still feel compelled to live in our fantasy world that embraces the notion that we’re "doing" democracy by voting for one or the other of these political whores.

Get real. One does not even get to a place of reasonable consideration for an office as powerful as state representative without selling 1,000 percent or so of his or her potential influence. Money for "consideration" in an upcoming legislative vote. Pandering to poll results. Sound bites. The Right Look. The Lesser Evil. The whole thing would be funny if it weren’t so predictable and damaging.

For we are in an age when we have an opportunity to do something different. We have the chance to evolve into something more than automatons who watch for months on end two bought-and-paid-for people lie, posture and talk trash written by their professional pundits. If you think I’m cynical, just look at the process. Even Ralph Nader, a media-produced establishment figure if there ever was one, called the Democratic Party "crypto-Republicans." Especially at the upper levels, there’s not a toad whisker’s bit of difference between them. Why? Because they’ve made a lot of deals along the way to get to where they are now and will have to make a lot more to get to the Big Prize. And when they get there, it’s time to pay off. And they sure ain’t payin’ you. They’re answering to whomever has the most power (read: money) to help them and their fellow convention-goers to continue to get their paychecks and attendant perks.

So where do we start? Well, let’s start with something simple. Let’s start with… don’t vote. I know that to many, this is a blasphemous thing to say, considering how many have fought and died for our freedoms, rights, etc. Their sacrifices are not to be discounted, but I don’t think any of them died thanking their lucky stars for the opportunity to die for our right to choose between Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee. More likely, the people who have made the ultimate sacrifice might have hoped that our great experiment would yield a more… participatory democracy.

We shouldn’t hide our heads in the sand. By all means, let’s roll up our sleeves and get to work to make a difference for our communities and ourselves. Let’s volunteer, let’s be informed and act accordingly, let’s get involved in the issues that we care about. Let’s live as if what we do is the hinge upon which our futures swing. I’ll even capitulate enough to say let’s vote for local representatives.

But let’s keep our dignity. Let’s not vote for president.

Scott Bostwick is a malcontent writer who lives in Powelton. If you would like to respond to this Slant or have one of your own (650 words), contact Howard Altman, City Paper news editor, 123 Chestnut St., Phila., PA 19106 or e-mail altman@citypaper.net.