Voting is the Problem. Here’s the Solution.
by James Corbett
CorbettReport.com
November 8, 2016
In Douglas Adams’ So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish, there is a scene where a spaceship lands on earth and a robot emerges from the craft, proclaiming that “I come in peace” and exhorting the earthlings to “take me to your Lizard.” The story’s protagonist, Arthur Dent, has this strange request explained to him by his friend, Ford Prefect, an experienced galactic hitchhiker:
“It comes from a very ancient democracy, you see…â€
“You mean, it comes from a world of lizards?â€
“No,†said Ford, who by this time was a little more rational and coherent than he had been, having finally had the coffee forced down him, “nothing so simple. Nothing anything like so straightforward. On its world, the people are people. The leaders are lizards. The people hate the lizards and the lizards rule the people.â€
“Odd,†said Arthur, “I thought you said it was a democracy.â€
“I did,†said ford. “It is.â€
“So,†said Arthur, hoping he wasn’t sounding ridiculously obtuse, “why don’t the people get rid of the lizards?â€
“It honestly doesn’t occur to them,†said Ford. “They’ve all got the vote, so they all pretty much assume that the government they’ve voted in more or less approximates to the government they want.â€
“You mean they actually vote for the lizards?â€
“Oh yes,†said Ford with a shrug, “of course.â€
“But,†said Arthur, going for the big one again, “why?â€
“Because if they didn’t vote for a lizard,†said Ford, “the wrong lizard might get in. Got any gin?â€
“What?â€
“I said,†said Ford, with an increasing air of urgency creeping into his voice, “have you got any gin?â€
“I’ll look. Tell me about the lizards.â€
Ford shrugged again.
“Some people say that the lizards are the best thing that ever happened to them,†he said. “They’re completely wrong of course, completely and utterly wrong, but someone’s got to say it.â€
If only this was a joke. But here we are, on the verge of a contest between the two least respected, most distrusted candidates to run for office in modern political history. And some people say these lizards are the best thing that ever happened to them.
If there is any solace at all in this year’s selection cycle it is that, as The Corbett Report has been pointing out since the very day of its inception, there is absolutely nothing at stake here; the presidential figureheads are mere puppets, false fronts for the shadow government and deep state that commands and controls the military, economic and diplomatic machinery of the US-led world empire.
Do you really think the oligarchs put their entire system up on the chopping block every four years, hoping against hope that the public doesn’t use the dreaded ballot box to vote them out of power, dashing decades (or centuries) of carefully cultivated enslavement with pencils and touchscreens? Just in case anyone dislikes rhetorical questions, let me answer that one for you: No. No they do not.
But don’t take my word for it. Take Emma Goldman. As she’s been reputed to have said (and if she didn’t, feel free to tell other people that I said it): “If voting changed anything, they’d make it illegal.”
Or take H.L Mencken, who in his usual inimitable fashion quipped:
The state—or, to make the matter more concrete, the government—consists of a gang of men exactly like you and me. They have, taking one with another, no special talent for the business of government; they have only a talent for getting and holding office. Their principal device to that end is to search out groups who pant and pine for something they can’t get, and to promise to give it to them. Nine times out of ten that promise is worth nothing. The tenth time it is made good by looting A to satisfy B. In other words, government is a broker in pillage, and every election is a sort of advance auction sale of stolen goods.
Or take Lysander Spooner, who wrote:
The principle that the majority have a right to rule the minority, practically resolves all government into a mere contest between two bodies of men, as to which of them shall be masters, and which of them slaves; a contest, that – however bloody – can, in the nature of things, never be finally closed, so long as man refuses to be a slave.
Or Wendy McElroy, who reminds us that:
Voting is not an act of political freedom. It is an act of political conformity. Those who refuse to vote are not expressing silence. They are screaming in the politician’s ear: “You do not represent me. This is not a process in which my voice matters. I do not believe you.”
Yes, voting is worse than a dead end. It’s less effective than bashing your head against a wall in a vain attempt to cure your headache. It’s more pathetic than allowing the oligarchs into your kitchen and then begging for a scrap of food from your own table. It is evil, immoral and contemptible. It is the act of a slave who has internalized that slavery so thoroughly that he wants to ensure that everyone around him is enslaved, too.
But, as I pointed out in yesterday’s conversation with Larken Rose, if there is any bright spot in all of this it is that your vote doesn’t matter anyway and will not change anything at all. It will not even “register as a protest” as some would like to believe, since the elections are rigged and the votes aren’t counted.
So if you are so inclined, knock yourself out. Cast a ballot. But instead of sitting back and feeling good about yourself for having done this senseless, meaningless and immoral act, can we at least agree to use the next 1460 days to do something actually productive? I leave it entirely up to you how to interpret the phrase “actually productive,” but if you’d allow me to offer some humble suggestions:
Find, join or create a community organization or freedom cell with a focus on fostering economic connections and social ties with people in your geographical area.
Find, join or create a community currency, community trading program or community exchange to foster agoristic connection between yourself and others in your area.
Commit to spending a certain amount of time each week spreading awareness about the banking oligarchy, false flag terrorism, GMO crops, or any subject you feel strongly about, either offline or online, using the work of others or by starting your own blog, newsletter or community meet up group.
Learn about gardening, canning, appliance repair, 3D printing, monetary theory, or any subject that you think will be handy in the event of a government collapse (or even if the government doesn’t collapse).
Read more books. Spend less time arguing with people online and more time making friends at the local coffee shop. Learn a new skill and teach it to someone else.
In short, do all of the million things that have nothing whatsoever to do with the phony baloney political charade exemplified by national selection day. Because if all you ever do is tick a box in a voting booth and sit back to see who wins the rigged sporting event, you probably believe the lizards are the best thing that ever happened to you.
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I disagree. I believe we should vote because God will look at how we voted and bless us if we voted sincerely trying to do what is right.
It is a correct principle for public servants to be subject to the voice of the people. We cannot stop trying to make it work.
@ erichard
You comment hit me in the face like a hockey puck…I was stopped dead in my tracks wondering if there is a lot people, voting today, who feel that very same thing.
Now if your God would bless you, for sincerely trying to do the right thing, in voting… I thought long and hard about that very same thing. A light bulb just lite up, above my pointy little head, brighter than any lightbulb I have ever seen…something around 15 or 20 watts; I got an idea ‘e’, a divine inspiration. a sorta micro-epihany.
If your God can reap rewards on you for your vote. Well…so can mine. And who is mine, why it is this big fluffy polka dot bunny rabbit that follows me around, everywhere I go; and so I asked him, the big question.
“Harvey who should I vote for.” and he said…
“Now there is a lot to consider when casting one’s vote, air temperature, humidity, whither you had beans for supper last night, whither you can kite another check before your disability check comes in tomorrow. Is it a rainy day compared to a sunny day. You don’t want to vote on a rainy day, you get all wet, waiting in those line ups, and besides nobody wants to talk about who their voting for, and hell when you try share their umbrella they get upset, and ask you not to stand so close. Whereas if it’s a sunny day its better spent on the beach with your squeeze and some toons.
Now because voting day is a Tuesday, you could miss out on two for one Tuesdays at the local watering hole, and therefore rip yourself off from having double the fun.
Now if I have been waiting for three months to see my proctologist, and the appointment falls on today, for my annual anal exam, well…no contesta, my little amigo. But to make a long story short, since I am an Irish rabbit; and Irish rabbits don’t now the meaning of a “short story’. I will zipped to the end and I would say fuckem they ain’t Bunny rabbits, their lizards.”
“Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”-Al Einstein
erichard, that is very interesting. I am a Christian (sovereign-grace Baptist). Beyond your “belief”, which is very subjective, could you give a defense as to why your god operates this way, from the Bible or whichever way your god has revealed himself? If your god is Jehovah of the Scriptures, you’ve got quite an uphill battle!
I don’t believe in God myself, but if I did it would be even more reason not to vote.
You can’t pledge your loyalty to two different leaders – to do so would be disloyal to both.
And out of the two, God would be the one I would most like to please.
God does not follow elections. God waits patiently with unconditional love for us to wake up from this illusion. What we do here – everything we do here – is nothing more than a bad dream, or a good dream, or an indifferent dream, or a nightmare. God is. God waits.
God of the Bible lists many many things we can do to serve Him faithfully…. voting is never listed… I believe scripture calls us to greater personal action than pushing a button on a screen to support someone we know is a liar. We need to actually help people with our own hands and actions, not vote in politicians who promise (but fail) to do our job for us.
Vote for a bloated goat
Put him in an ornate boat
Crack it, so it won’t float
Send him around the moat
If it lists, see what I wrote
If it sinks, gloat and gloat
More frightening than outright immorality…
The U.S. presidential elections are precious in revealing that a little over half of the functioning adult population of the United States cannot distinguish reality from fiction, criminals and con artists from credible candidates…
and thus more or less enthousiastically and even passionately participate in a dire form of mass hysteria.
Which is … kind of discouraging… well… scary actually…
apathy? fear? cynicism? delusion? lack of time? hypnotized? overwhelmed?
then again… drinking coffee, eating chocolate or wearing brand-name sneakers might just be comparable?
I do all of these things…
and I complain about political and economic corruption.
Here’s my concern over the Anarchist’s Manifesto, as I would like to call it.
Organized bands of authoritarian rulers not beholding to ANY guidelines for acceptable behavior will compel you to accept your physical death as the price you must pay for your physical freedom.
All these very persuasive, passionate arguments provide is the opportunity for corporations to fight amongst themselves (aka Feudalism), crush every individual who might get in their way, and result in a system of civilization where cooperation becomes impossible.
This is true because 22-23% of the human population are authoritarian in their beliefs; they wish to belong to an organism of cooperation that can produce and wield power on a scale beyond anything they might achieve on their own. Four percent of the population are psychopaths who want nothing more than to harness the collective will of these 22-23% of the population.
Democracy and Democratic Governance was designed to be a solution to the power-mad craziness of kings, queens and kingdoms.
So the real question is not, “how can we get 10% of the people to buy into Anarchy,” but, “how can we quarantine those 25% or so who would create business enterprises that might interfere with our freedom?”
“Because the Presidency is a relay race. We run our leg, then we hand off the baton.”
Donald Trump Recruits Corporate Lobbyists to Select His Future Administration
https://theintercept.com/2016/11/08/trump-transition-lobbyists/
Selections over, let the games begin!
I understand there is not difference between Clinton winning or Trump winning…
However, that said, both those are “vehicles” for what US deep state is aiming to achieve..
What i mean is, if you are trying to reach somewhere fast, you would choose a fast car, however, if you are moving, you would choose a U Haul..
So, the question…
US Deep State have chosen Trump as “vehicle” to move forward.. what does that mean…
It means it is a fork in the road… this can only mean knee jerk or fast pace to the “United World Government”
Does anyone share my point of view???
I agree understanding the move is something we need to make a move on. No way we can be a step ahead of the deep state, but trying to understand their motivations can mean we can try and mobilize people in time.
The only 2 cents I can add to this is maybe we need to understand who the VP is. Trump is on record as saying he offered the role to someone who “would be the most powerful VP in history”. So do we know enough about who Pence is and what he stands for? Connections?
This: “Do you really think the oligarchs put their entire system up on the chopping block every four years, hoping against hope that the public doesn’t use the dreaded ballot box to vote them out of power, dashing decades (or centuries) of carefully cultivated enslavement with pencils and touchscreens? Just in case anyone dislikes rhetorical questions, let me answer that one for you: No. No they do not… …your vote doesn’t matter anyway since the elections are rigged and the votes aren’t counted.”
…leads to this: “US Deep State have chosen Trump as “vehicle†to move forward.. what does that mean…”
The wrong premise leads to the wrong conclusion. If one actually thinks this whole process was rigged from the start, then one needs to think again. How is it that all the forces that aligned against him in the end are either not part of the real power structure in this country or were playing some kind of giant scam and their desires were the opposite of what they declared? I think this was a popular spasm against at least some of that oligarchic power, as confused and perplexing as it might be. What I see as the most dangerous and corrosive force in America, that being the Jewish/Zionist power structure, aligned almost totally behind Clinton, from their controlled media to the party-jumping neocons – and they lost.
I would like to think that the electorate understands this and rejected it, but that would likely be the wrong conclusion as well. The reality is likely much more accurately summed up by the “drink the sand” scene in the film The American President: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pf7aoj_Xcs0
The job of the oligarchs now is to try to fill this empty vessel that is Trump and not skip a beat, and that process will be interesting to watch. They didn’t want Trump, but that probably doesn’t really change anything that much, which is how this actually works.
More tying in to what Mark stated – why rig an election if you can rig (all plausible) candidates? The simplest solution is always the most probable.
I have to assume that people who never sleep and rarely if ever die chose Trump for what he is: a more divisive and slightly more probable candidate. Comparing to Hillary, at least, to the best of my knowledge, he’s not a mass murdering crazed psychopath. And he IS somewhat better looking.
All this being said, as much as I’m certain in the long run there is ZERO difference between the two, I’m glad Hillary lost, due to being a mass murdering crazed psychotic ragged and torn mega bitch; not exactly my cup of tea.
I’d rather get sodomized by President Trump than the Wicked Witch of the East.
At least Armageddon is postponed..for now.
24+ years of having that psycho-killer in the news was way too much.
But if Hillary wants to serve the public still, she can serve the rest of her life in prison.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHQLQ1Rc_Js
Corbett QUOTE
“In short, do all of the million things that have nothing whatsoever to do with the phony baloney political charade exemplified by national selection day.”
Spot on! Put our attention towards remedies, towards solutions.
(GRIN)
And I love the LIZARD talk! ha! I feel like a true “conspiracy guy” now.
I am not floating an original idea, but would still like the Corbett Report community to weigh in on this. I am not American, so the results don’t affect me directly, but unfortunately the policies of their secret government do affect the global community.
So – the unoriginal thought is, what happens if we actually spent the next 4 years running a global Kick-Starter campaign to elect a body of representatives as the next President of the USA? After all, laws now allow corporations to donate as much as they want and so far as I understand, external bodies to the US can donate to a political party. The idea would be we simply find 11 representatives from definitely different backgrounds to be financially supported by the global community. Those 11 need to be US citizens obviously and preferably without an Federal offenses, but other than that, why limit the countries citizens to only those with money or wealthy backers?
Thoughts?
The very system that made Trump rich is, he tells us, the problem. He says he will change it for “us.” This foundational lie is worth watching as it begins his presidency. Then there are so many contradictions. He wants to make peace with nations that want to get along with the US. He wants to build infrastructure at home and put people back to work. He wants to improve the lives of those in inner cities. He also wants to lower taxes of course and keep a strong military to deal with those who do not want to get along with the US. Muslims? He wants to have the strongest economy in the world. He may want to challenge NATOS legitimacy? He seems to want to end the new Cold War.
Well, in short he cannot have it all.
What will be interesting in the near future , and the long future too, is watching the squirming and double talk of those powers entrenched in the system that this website exposes so well. It’s already started in fact. The times are good I think. The “car”, is neither fast or slow. The “car” has taken a path, sometimes careening, sometimes loping, always confusing and hard to predict, that will expose some lies and put new layers of baloney on other lies. The long-term geopolitical goals of the CFR crowd have to ride out this crazy detour with the rest of us and I would say this volatility may be in our favour if we can keep our eye on the ball.
Longtime lurker. My first ever comment. Thank you James for all your work.
Here’s my solution.
I whole heartedly agree with connecting with like minded people, spending a certain amount of time each week spreading awareness about the banking oligarchy, false flag terrorism, GMO crops, etc… (very important)
I also whole heartedly agree with learning about gardening, canning, appliance repair, 3D printing, monetary theory,etc… (currently in the process of becoming self sufficient, and it is a process)
However, I strongly advocate not removing oneself from the democratic process, even if we know that it is “rigged” by the oligarchs, and here’s why…
This election cycle is over, and Trump won, he won big. Sweeping the House and the Senate, however this doesn’t mean he has ‘carte blanche’ to do whatever he wants, the people have a duty to keep their representatives in check, and make sure they respect and abide by the Constitution.
(even if you didn’t vote) the political process is ongoing and it is our duty to stay vigilante and keep exposing the “rigged system”, if not for us then for our future generations.
No matter how self sufficient oneself becomes we’ll never be able to detached ourselves completely from the system, we do not live in a bubble.
So the election was rigged in favor of Trump…?
I think it could be rigged in favour of Pence (Trump’s pick for VP). Pence has a track record for Free Trade agreements, a penchant for war and a long allegiance to the Catholic church. Considering Trump was looking for “the most powerful VP in history”, this could be a heaven send for the elites. Now lets see if Trump is indited, has health issues or is just plain assassinated.
Trump won’t be assassinated, he’s one of them (just like Hillary).
The difference between the two of them is their party platform.
My guess is, Trump will be a term president (he’s already 70 years old). Secondly, with a Republican majority in the House and Senate, he should be able to implement all of his campaign promises no trouble…right?
Again, my guess is he’ll scrap ObamaCare and shred the Iran P5+1 deal, and then “surprisingly” won’t be able to build that wall, or round up millions of illegals and send them back to Mexico, nor will he force Muslims to carry a card.
Seriously, some of his campaign promises are out right looney and scary.
Or the Pence selection is in the mold of previous VPs like Spiro Agnew and Dan Quale – a walking, talking bulletproof vest. Remember that Nixon didn’t get taken out until after they replaced Agnew with Ford; Kennedy’s choice wasn’t so strategic in this respect. With his choice Trump only has to watch out over his right shoulder and not the left…
Anybody watching the Trump protests happening in American cities right now?
Now that’s what I call democracy “in action” people.
In other words, President elect Trump and elected officials better realize that the people have the power, and yes their vote count.
God Bless America, there really is no other country quite like it.
I just got home from downtown Oakland, and on the way to the train I walked by fires burning in the streets and cops everywhere. So I assume this was the doing of blacks who weren’t so happy about America (but not California) electing a racist president. Except that it’s mostly the Democrats and the mainstream media who have been calling him a racist. And those black folks are probably on a hair trigger at least partly because of the whole BLM thing going on the last couple years, a phenomenon hugely exacerbated by those same folks, and significantly funded by Clinton’s largest individual campaign contributor. On the other hand, this sort of civil disobedience is exactly what leads to the call from the right for “law and order”, so it kind of plays into Trump’s hand – if you choose to define him in that light. And if you don’t, rest assured someone will.
So who’s being manipulated here, who’s being instrumentalized, and by whom, and for what purpose? Yes, that’s the nature of contemporary US democracy “in action”, but I certainly wouldn’t call it democracy as I define it – it’s just another puppet show. The real issue at question is discovering the puppet master…
‘…and on the way to the train I walked by fires burning in the streets and cops everywhere’
— Look out for “agent provocateurs” that will seek to derail peaceful protests.
With winter about to set in, these protest/riots won’t last long, however I believe these can be viewed as foreshadowing of what maybe to come Spring 2017 if Trump/Guiliani try to implement looney domestic policy like “Stop and Frisk” nation wide, or force Muslims to carry an identification card, or if they start rounding up “illegals”.
When I question what kind of a person I’m dealing with, all I really need to know is their disposition on Israel.
Trump proclaims ‘love and respect’ for Israel, its people
Trump quotes:
“I know very well that Israel is the one true democracy and defender of human rights in the Middle East and a beacon of hope to countless people.”
“I believe that my administration can play a significant role in helping the parties to achieve a just, lasting peace — which must be negotiated between the parties themselves, and not imposed on them by others. Israel and the Jewish people deserve no less,”
Sauce: http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=37923
What a hero and a true friend of all* people. Be sure to check the video as well, he’s very cosy around his friend Obama.
* all = war mongers, elites, crazed psychopaths, Zionists or any combination of above.
Addendum:
Chummy Obama quote:
If we let this thing slip and I’ve got a situation where my last two months in office are preparing for a transition to Donald Trump, whose staff people have said that their primary agenda is to have him in the first couple of weeks sitting in the Oval Office and reverse every single thing that we’ve done
Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2016/11/09/politics/clinton-votes-african-americans-latinos-women-white-voters/
Looking at voter demographics, I personally can’t understand by which means did Clinton manage to gather 88% of the black vote.
Even after playing so vociferously the sex card, she managed to get only 54% of the female vote, which relative to Trump is a mere 12% advantage.
80% advantage on the black vote is beyond my comprehension. Of course, assuming these votes/statistics are real.
I agree about the focal point that is Israel, but the people I followed who take the strongest anti-Israel and anti-Zionist positions were the strongest supporters of or at least had the greatest hope in Trump, and that’s because at times he made statements or used language which signaled that he gets it in that regard, things like his “America First” rhetoric or his view of Europe’s acceptance of Syrian refugees and Arab Muslim immigration problems generally.
Trump is kind of like Obama on steroids in that he’s really a blank slate and one can read whatever they want into his statements, which are all over the map anyway. Obama won in ’08 in part because he was kind of the same, and the left decided that he was anti-war and generally more leftish than he actually is, based on not much of anything. So I don’t think we know at all what Trump might be, but we do know it would be hard for him to be more tied into the Zionist and Jewish establishment in this country and beholding to them than Hellary is. Just that he wasn’t so totally supported financially by this cabal says a lot.
Well, I agree that it’s better to have less of a puppet for a “leader,” but I can’t really even estimate to what extent is Trump beholden to the financial elite.
In these times where trillions of dollars (printed or in form of credit) can exchange hands without any accountability (lets remember the epic bailout swindle or the QE fraud) I’d be hard pressed to size any businessman’s credibility.
Besides, when it comes to big business and its meddling into government less is better, none is best. We have seen far too many examples of revolving door policy, where businessmen become decision makers only to go back to fat cat positions after flying their mission successfully.
As for Trump’s statements, you’re completely right, they were all over the place. I have to assume their tactics was to cover a number of issues, as to find something which resonates with as wide selection of people as possible*. However, I fully expect those statements to gain focus and mellow out in the following months, half a year max. That’s about how long it took for Obama to show his real face and reveal that many of his most important promises were nothing but insidious lies.
The only real change, as compared to the previous two presidents, is that Trump seems like a person that has some intelligence (I’m using this word very carefully, don’t won’t to imply that I find Trump to be an intelligent man) and some actual skills. The man has certainly been around.
I found Bush to be a complete and utter idiot, serving as a puppet. Obama looked less of an idiot, but I think his main advantage over Bush was appearance. Compared to these two gentlemen, Trump looks like a better deal from my viewpoint.
* too often in politics, if you’re doing badly you can’t go wrong because when you hit rock bottom, you can only go up. Employing this tactic can allow spineless people to do wonders in politics simply because people are forgetful
and stupid.