by Bella De Soto
Only the two political electoral Party Dictatorship composed of the Democratic and Republican Partys know for sure, since the popular vote does not seem to count, even in local elections!
In 2004, I ran for public office, the LA City Council District 9 then occupied by Democrat Jan Perry. My experience in this process was both rewarding and depressing. I had no funds to speak of, except a couple of folks made some modest donations so I would at lest be able to meet the Clerk’s office filling fees, etc.
I ran as Independent, and quickly realized that I was blocked from various public venues even in South Central, the heart of
Jan Perry’s headquarter! Even at Churches, I could not appeal to present my platform for vote support! I was all alone, and would come home very tired late evenings after standing up for hours getting signatures through the large district.
I was the only other Female Spanish speaking Candidate beside Jan Perry, the rest Male and mostly also Democrats.
When I met the unfair signature requirement, turned them in, but shortly afterward most were disqualified!
Was this part of the same coerce scheme to keep someone like me from challenging the system?
The USA has enjoyed a tyrannical electoral system of a two political Party (entity) for way too long, so isn’t time to pause and rethink this juggernaut?
How did we get here? Where only two voices (Democrats & Republicans) with little to no different viewpoints on all domestic, national and international affairs get elected and do as they please once in office!
Well, let me count the ways to when the League of Women Voters was still uniquely involved in coordinating actual venues and questions to be asked of the Candidates running for public office, in particular Presidential candidates at public events for national TV…
The Internet had no real footing yet, and Cable TV was not so developed as today…
Then entered Mr. Ross Perot as an Independent USA presidential candidate in 1992 to challenge this juggernaut, with plenty of money to burn on his personal electoral campaign for President. However, he did not understand the corruption extent between the two dictatorial partys: Democrats or Republicans (A or B), what about H, P or W as around the globe, where many partys compete, bringing a myriad of diversity to the public debates, issues that do concern the larger population?
Consequently, not only was his family threatened, but his own live as well! He presented some innovative political/economic and social ideas to the otherwise two party dominated presidential campaign platform.
Perot focused the campaign on his plans to balance the Federal Budget, further economic nationalism, oops–strengthen the war on drugs? and implement “electronic town halls” throughout the nation for direct democracy. His views were described as a combination of “East Texas populism with high-tech wizardry.” Supporters saw Perot as a nonpolitical and witty “folk hero”, but critics described the candidate as “authoritarian” and “short-tempered”.
His campaign relied on marketing and wide grassroots support. In certain polls, Perot led the three-way race with Republican nominee George H.W. Bush the incumbent President, then Governor of Arkansas Bill Clinton, the Democratic nominee. Mr. Perot was compelled to dropped out of the race in July 1992 amid controversy (Dem/Rep corruption issue mentioned above), but reentered in October, and surpassed the 15% polling threshold to reach his goal of participating in all three presidential debates. Despite an aggressive use of campaign infomercials on prime time network television, his polling numbers never fully recovered from his initial exit. On Election Day, Perot appeared on every state ballot as a result of the earlier draft efforts. He won several counties and finished in third place, receiving close to 19 percent of the popular vote, the most won by a Third Party presidential candidate since Theodore Roosevelt in 1912.
That my friends, was the last time a Third Party challenger was able to get enough votes to then participate in the national presidential debates!
The increasingly low turn out of voters at local and national elections has even become a critical issue to the LA City Council, which recently announced to initiate a Lottery of some sort, to attract voters!!!
However, the LA City Council and national so called “Political Public Officials” are missing the boat here!
*Is the lack of choice “STUPID”!
As a Socialist, I find it enraging not to find adequate choices to vote for!
When a two (One) party system controls everything why bother even to vote?
As a result, many stay away from the voting polls… This reality sadly has not yet entered into the discussion statewide or nationwide!
Leading up to the June 3rd Primary Election, it was exciting to vote for the various Socialists on the ballot, but the USA population has not yet realized in mass how little their votes matter when voting for either one electoral party of Democrats or Republicans.
But the population has no understanding of how the Primary election functions, the dynamics; that if the truly challenging candidates don’t get enough support, then they are immediately discarded and will not be on the November Ballot, given the unfair primary election systems!
Having spilled my heart out on this topic, there are still some Democrats and Republicans that go against their registered party platforms, because otherwise if registered as Independent or Socialist would not gain them enough votes!
The current USA electoral system is rigged, and needs immediate overhaul, starting with the removal of the Electoral College and Debate Commission, both governed by the juggernaut! Then a uniformed and just electoral system needs
to be adopted across the USA for all partys wishing to register their electoral partys at their state can do so without having to face overwhelming unfair rules and regulations.
This reality is shameful, but a current political USA landscape, until that day hopefully soon, when Socialists once again will reclaim their rightful place by getting elected to public offices, to bring about urgent necessary radical changes socially, economically and of course politically.
But once again, this November 4th, 2014 once again we face a stale presidential election list, regurgitated only by the same partys:Democrats and Republicans, and two Propositions:
Some background…
2014 Eight statewide ballot propositions are certified for the 2014 Ballot in California: Two on the state’s June ballot and six on the state’s November ballot. The two measures on the June ballot were approved by voters.
Two of the 2014 certified ballot propositions had previously been approved to appear on ballots in earlier years. The Rainy Day Fund Amendment and the Water Bond Measure had previously been scheduled for the State’s 2012. However, when Gov. Brown signed SB 202 on October 7, 2011, the Rainy Day Fund Amendment was moved to the 2014 ballot.
November 4 – For more info: https://ballotpedia.org/California_2014_ballot_propositions
Type
Title
Subject
Description
Vote
LBM
Proposition 1
Bonds
$7.12 billion bond for California’s water system
Yes
LRCA
Proposition 2
Gov’t Finances
Increase amount of potential savings in the state ‘rainy day’ fund from 5% to 10% of the General Fund
Yes
CISS
Proposition 45
Insurance
Public notice required for insurance company rates initiative
Yes
CISS
Proposition 46
Healthcare
Increase the cap on damages that can be assessed in medical negligence lawsuits to over $1 million
Yes
CISS
Proposition 47
Criminal Trials
Reduces the classification of most nonviolent crimes from a felony to a misdemeanor
Yes
VR
Proposition 48
Gambling
Ratification of gaming compacts with the North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians and the Wiyot Tribe
Yes
Thanks.
Bella De Soto
Belladsx1@gmail.com
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