Never have, never will

I’ve felt the same way since I was old enough to vote fifty years ago:

Fundamental social change is needed because the status quo is egregiously unjust and unsustainable. Neither of the major parties has a program that shows the way forward toward the radical change of direction that’s needed.

The establishment parties have been in power for generations. They get millions and millions of votes. I think every one of those votes indicates support for a party (Republican or Democrat) that’s part of the problem rather than part of the solution.

Therefore I always have and always will vote for the best alternative that I can find on the ballot.

During the New Left years we said we wanted to see a participatory form of democracy. Such is not possible within the context of the current scales of mass society and its politics. So I have no illusion that voting accomplishes much. But my vote for an alternative party (especially the Greens) at least sends a tiny message that some of us “out here” are clamoring for more voices in the system, more choices on the ballot, and a new direction for society.