The far right vs. the far left with regard to working with "the system"...

[vi5]

By the system I mean the two party, electoral college, representative government system.

I've come to realize lately that even though we (by we meaning people from the center to the left end of the political spectrum) are most definitely the majority. But one of the main differences and one that I think will always keep us at a disadvantage, is that the far right despite its grumbling and complaining, will still always work within the system and ultimatley despite the grousing, accept that they need to vote, and accept that the republican party is their best option.

The far left however,for as long as I can rememer in my 35 years, has a larger percentage of people unwilling to work within the system, less willing to vote, less willing to accept "the lesser of two evils" and less willing to accept even half of what they want rather than all of it.

Don't get me wrong, I"m just thinking aloud here and have nothing to go on but anecdotal evidence. But given the extreme rightward turn of the government under the bush administration, I thought for sure more of my far left friends would for the first time in their lives be willing to work within the system to AT LEAST get Bush out. And comparing it to the far right people I knew who didn't like Bush and didn't normally vote who in 2000 were willing to vote for Bush and/or republicans simply to get democrats out, it's disheartening.

I don't expect the people I know on that far of the end of the leftie spectrum to be enthused about Kerry or the Democratic party, or even the system in general. But I had at least hoped that more of them would take the attitude that "I'll vote for Kerry to get Bush out but will give him hell once he's in office" but they're not. But my worry is that if you take the 10% most extreme right wing people in this country and the 10% most extreme left wing people in this country, that a higher chunk of that far right 10% are willing to work within the system and accept what is being offered than that far left 10%. Or, how do you address them without alienating just as large a portion of the electorate as you would be gaining by appealing to them.

Admittedly this could be because I just know more far left than far right people, and I'm just more thinking aloud here so please don't flame me. This came about from reading e-mails and talking to friends who feel this way and having it depress me because I feel there is no hope to getting them to come around.

[IIgnoreNobody]

1. I agree with you but

those who think sitting out elections will do some good, need to think a little harder.

[vi5]

2. Exactly......

It's frustrating.

[Nay]

3. What makes it easier for the far right to work within the system

is their total willingness to take that system, hollow it out until is an almost unrecognizable shell of its former self, and use it to their own very undemocratic ends. And then they sell the system back to everyone else as democracy, the same democracy we had before. But it isn't. The voting fraud, the media buyout, etc., make sure the public has as little say as possible but still thinks it runs the show when it votes every 2 or 4 years. It also doesn't hurt that most repubs worship business and consumption, and have no problem with a system that automatically tilts the rewards toward that sector.

The left, on the other hand, generally finds it fruitless to work within a system that will never lean toward less consumption or a favoring of the society over the corporation, even if they were successful with the same "hollowing out" technique the RWs use.

Having said that, it is still idiocy to not vote for Kerry and hope for the best. We know Bush is the kiss of death for this country, so anyone else is at least a breather before total destruction. And don't forget the Supreme Court!