Once again, we are being bombarded with campaign ads pleading for your vote. ‘Tis the season for flag waving and admonitions from all sides to “get out and vote.” You can’t complain if you don’t vote, we are told. Edward Bernays would be proud. But, is any of this actually true? Does voting have any meaningful effect on the direction government is to take? Or, was Mark Twain right when he said “If voting made any difference, they wouldn’t let us do it.” Did Twain write that, or did someone else? Was it Emma Goldman? Does it matter? Whoever the aphorism is attributed to it rings true. Does anything actually change as a result of an election? Or, does the agenda continue despite who is in office? Has the march toward supreme federal power abated? Sure, each side has its own style, one believes government should spend endlessly to “make the world a better place,” and the other pretends that government should be on a short leash. But, these are just slogans. Government power increases incrementally with every new face that occupies office. Never mind the old Bubba and his cronies, we have young blood that will surely change things. But, nothing really changes, does it?
Does Voting Matter?
Does Voting Matter?
Does Voting Matter?
Once again, we are being bombarded with campaign ads pleading for your vote. ‘Tis the season for flag waving and admonitions from all sides to “get out and vote.” You can’t complain if you don’t vote, we are told. Edward Bernays would be proud. But, is any of this actually true? Does voting have any meaningful effect on the direction government is to take? Or, was Mark Twain right when he said “If voting made any difference, they wouldn’t let us do it.” Did Twain write that, or did someone else? Was it Emma Goldman? Does it matter? Whoever the aphorism is attributed to it rings true. Does anything actually change as a result of an election? Or, does the agenda continue despite who is in office? Has the march toward supreme federal power abated? Sure, each side has its own style, one believes government should spend endlessly to “make the world a better place,” and the other pretends that government should be on a short leash. But, these are just slogans. Government power increases incrementally with every new face that occupies office. Never mind the old Bubba and his cronies, we have young blood that will surely change things. But, nothing really changes, does it?