Occupy the Election!

    A probably bogus quote from either Albert Einstein or Benjamin Franklin says:
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." 
    Regardless who really said it, it has been quoted many times in twelve step groups and many other places. It does make sense, doesn't it? That's why it strikes a chord. 
    We're all familiar with it. 
    We all do that, more or less.
    Murphy only knows we have certainly done it every election year since George Washington. 
    Every time we get promises. "A new broom sweeps clean!" "I feel your pain." "Read my lips: No new taxes." You remember them. They come from both sides of the aisle. Republican, Democrat, Independent. Promises that can't be fulfilled, or at least haven't been. 
    I'm a bit jaded. 
    We all should be.

    You know, the Native Americans (of which I claim at least a little heritage) learned the lesson about the "American" government long, long ago. They never keep their promises.
Somehow, the rest of us aren't as smart as that. We keep expecting those different results.
    My grandparents often tended toward racist, sexist and actually mostly voted Republican. Still, they always claimed "we vote for the man, not the party."
That's a pretty wise statement, actually, if we revise that to "person".     
    But how do we know about the person?
    We can believe all those promises, or we can believe all that dirt that is dredged up about their past. I recently saw a good statement to the effect that "I think I'll run for office. They'll dig up all of my past. I'm trying to piece together my 20's anyway!"
    In spite of all the hoopla, whichever party gains whatever office, there is rarely much change.
    We can say that some of that is the effect of the checks and balances in place, etc. etc. 
    If we want to be really cynical about it, we can point to all the various powers behind the elections. 
    The fix is in.
    Both major parties are in on it. Hasn't it been obvious? I mean, really? Regardless of all promises to the contrary, whoever wins, it always degenerates to "Business As Usual."
    In my own opinion, the only thing that will ever upset the status quo is for a really large number of us to finally actually vote outside party lines. 
    Vote for someone who is truly independent. Vote "Green Party", the "Raza Unida Party", the "Independent Party",vote for whatever party you want. There are lots of choices.
    Just don't vote either Democrat or Republican unless you really and truly believe in them. 
    And don't vote for a Rep or Dem who's running Independent because he didn't make the major cut.

    I know the arguments. 
"Whatever we do, we must cast our vote for a major party so our vote will count against whomever. Don't wast it by voting otherwise!"
    Well, isn't that bogus? 
    It's time to stop buying it!
    It's time we, as citizens, take control of the process!
Occupy the election!
    Everybody Vote! Vote for real change!
    Maybe, just maybe, something will happen. Maybe it won't be the goal of an independent president.  Maybe the true process will have to become public so we see what is happening.
    It almost did in the infamous stolen election of the "Hanging Chad". Remember that one? It got pretty obvious, but in the end we all went back to sleep.
    A glitch in the matrix. Smoothed over. The drones (us) forgot about it.
    Remember "Transparent Government?"
     It's the only way I can see to achieve it.
    Vote the bastards out!