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» babble   » current events   » international news and politics   » Chomsky advocates vote for Obama in swing states

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Author Topic: Chomsky advocates vote for Obama in swing states
Lord Palmerston
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posted 21 October 2008 02:03 PM      Profile for Lord Palmerston     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
quote:
JAY: I mean, in this segment of the interview, just to concentrate more on the politics of this election, what do you say to the third-party candidates who say, you know, they are all the same, and that we're locked in this dilemma, they say, of one party or the other, the, you know, lesser of evils and such? What do you say to them when they say it really doesn't make any difference who wins?

CHOMSKY: Well, to say it doesn't make any difference who wins is simply to express your contempt for the general population, 'cause it does make a difference. A lot of what they say is correct: the two parties are effectively factions of one party, the business party, but the factions are somewhat different. And as I mentioned, over time the differences show up in benefits, working conditions, wages, things that really matter to people. So yes, there's a difference. It's a narrow difference, and the spectrum within the political system is well to the right of popular opinion, and certainly the public is well aware of it. So 80 percent of the population say that the government is run by, I'm quoting, "a few big interests looking out for themselves, not the population." And they can argue about the details, but the picture's essentially correct, and they don't like it. Nevertheless, there is some difference and you have to make a choice. If you're in a swing state, you have to ask: is this difference enough for me to pick the lesser of the two evils? And there's nothing wrong with picking the lesser of the two evils. The cliché makes it sound like you're doing something bad, but no, you're doing something good if you pick the lesser of two evils. So is it worth doing that? Or is it worth trying to act to create a potential alternative? For example, should I vote Green because maybe someday their party will be a real alternative? Should I express my disdain for the right-wing orientation of both parties by not voting, let's say? Or should I pick the lesser of the two evils, thereby helping people? Okay. That's a decision people have to make.


http://tinyurl.com/5nv2gx


From: Toronto | Registered: Jan 2004  |  IP: Logged
melovesproles
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posted 21 October 2008 03:01 PM      Profile for melovesproles     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
That was his position in the last election too.
From: BC | Registered: Apr 2005  |  IP: Logged
Fidel
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posted 21 October 2008 04:36 PM      Profile for Fidel     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Maybe it's time for the right-wing of the business party to finish the job of "starving the beast", and not only bear their fangs for all the world to see but sink them into new flesh? I hope not. Will Republicans support the other wing of the war party and vice versa time? I imagine the new batch of corporate hirelings in the WhiteHouse will do as instructed
From: Viva La Revolución | Registered: Apr 2004  |  IP: Logged
Cueball
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posted 21 October 2008 06:26 PM      Profile for Cueball   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
I thought you were opposed to stratgic voting?
From: Out from under the bridge and out for a stroll | Registered: Dec 2003  |  IP: Logged
Lord Palmerston
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posted 24 October 2008 02:32 PM      Profile for Lord Palmerston     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
I don't BTW agree with Chomsky on this - Obama has moving further and further to the right and I think it's wrong to suggest that it's contemptuous of suffering people to vote for Nader.
From: Toronto | Registered: Jan 2004  |  IP: Logged
genstrike
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posted 24 October 2008 02:57 PM      Profile for genstrike   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
quote:
Originally posted by Lord Palmerston:
I don't BTW agree with Chomsky on this - Obama has moving further and further to the right and I think it's wrong to suggest that it's contemptuous of suffering people to vote for Nader.

I'm not sure that Chomsky is saying that. I think all he is saying is that although both parties are very similar, there are some differences, and you have to ask yourself a personal question if that difference is enough to warrant casting a vote for the lesser of the evils. I think he is saying that it is really a personal decision, and there is nothing wrong with going either way. At least, that is hoe I read it and it is also more or less my opinion, although I am a little less hopeful about getting major changed through voting.


From: winnipeg | Registered: May 2008  |  IP: Logged
Fidel
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posted 24 October 2008 03:19 PM      Profile for Fidel     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
So it's settled then. Americans will vote for evil or more evil. The choice is all theirs. Choose wisely America!
From: Viva La Revolución | Registered: Apr 2004  |  IP: Logged
Lord Palmerston
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posted 24 October 2008 03:21 PM      Profile for Lord Palmerston     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Howard Zinn says the same

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_M2W5SisPs&feature=user


From: Toronto | Registered: Jan 2004  |  IP: Logged
Boom Boom
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posted 24 October 2008 05:30 PM      Profile for Boom Boom     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Republican strategist Ed Rollins on CNN a few minutes ago conceded that McCain has lost this campaign - citing Obama's much greater funds and something else, maybe his platform.
From: Make the rich pay! | Registered: Dec 2004  |  IP: Logged
Fidel
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posted 24 October 2008 06:21 PM      Profile for Fidel     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Well I hope so. I think Americans were beginning to sense that a third illegit government in a row was in the skunkworks.
From: Viva La Revolución | Registered: Apr 2004  |  IP: Logged

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