Voting will not get US out of this Predicament

[liveonearth]

I hate to rain on everybody's parades but voting is not enough!!! It is your responsibility as a citizen of a democracy to inform your self and vote. People act as if they are doing some kind of good deed. Voting is no longer sufficient as your duty to this country. Even if you think you have a candidate who can fix things, voting is not even close to enough. We have let our democracy slide so far that it is going to take more urgent measures to reclaim it. Here are a few ways that you can act above and beyond voting:

1) Get involved in our elections, because there's plenty of evidence that they are being stolen via computerized voting machines and via eliminating the poorer and less informed voters (such as the blacks in Fla).
a. Get citizens involved in the process, oversight, nothing should be done behind closed doors with no witnesses
b. Work at the next election
c. Help with exit polling at the next one
2) Work in voter registration: esp: help get more people registered republican so they can vote for Dr Paul in the primary
3) Talk to republicans, they are the largest group of regular voters who are not fully aware of Ron Paul. Having felt they had to defend the war all this time it will take them some time to come around to a less hawkish position.
4) Talk to your elders, the folks whose political patterns are well established. Help them understand how things are changing, have changed (esp since WWII, in terms of US hegemony and our desperation to maintain it)

More ideas?

Comments

[gavin6942.livejournal.com]

You actually have to register Republican to vote that way? Weird.

Here we can vote for whomever we please, from multiple parties if we want.

[liveonearth.livejournal.com]

It depends on what state you are in. Some states you must be registered with the party to vote in the primary--most states I think. Not sure where to find the rules but I did it in AZ and when I moved to OR I just stuck with it to be safe.

What state are you in?

[gavin6942.livejournal.com]

Wisconsin. We just register, we don't claim any party affiliation.

[liveonearth.livejournal.com]

That's sane. Considering how our parties are shifting around, party affiliation should have nothing to do with voting.

[sujatasong.livejournal.com]

I'm registered as an Independent, but I tend to vote in the Democratic primaries. What I used to do is go in, declare myself Dem, vote, then change back to Independent on the way out.

However, I believe the last election they held the Democratic and Republican primaries on different days? I didn't need to declare anything.

Does it really vary from state to state how it's done? I can't imagine any state allows you to vote in both primaries. :?

[liveonearth.livejournal.com]

I don't know. Seems like the whole requirement of people to vote in the primary of the party with which they are affiliated is an attempt to prevent doublers, but if you can change your affiliation twice in one day it isn't much of an impediment. Interesting. Let me know if you learn more...please?

[gavin6942.livejournal.com]

Here, all primaries are on the same day and on the same ballot. My name is checked off fro ma list at a table where the ballot is handed to me.

Once I have it, I can vote however I choose, but only one candidate (if I choose a Democratic in the primary, that's my vote -- I don't also get to mark a Republican).

[gavin6942.livejournal.com]

I guess it never occurred to me that any state would do things in such a way... if that were the idea, wouldn't we just register our party affiliation and whoever has the most members wins?

Why bother voting?