THANK YOU FOR NOT VOTING
Eddie Murphy starred in a 1992 comedy called the Distinguished Gentleman. Eddie played a con-man named Thomas Jefferson Johnson who decides to run for Congress after the incumbent Jeff Johnson died. Thomas shortens his middle name to “Jeff” and uses the dead Congressman’s old campaign material running a campaign on name recognition, thinking that most people really don’t pay attention and will just vote for the “name you know.” Thomas Jefferson Johnson wins and hilarity ensues. For those that think that could never really happen in real life I give you the South Carolina Senate Democratic primary.
Alvin Greene won the Democratic primary for senate in the state of South Carolina. He spent no money on his campaign, had no rallies, had no website, has no job, lives in his father basement, has a felony obscenity charge against him, has no idea that his Republican challenger is Jim DeMint and speaks slower than Lenny from John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men ; and hilarity ensues.
No member of the Democratic establishment has called Greene to congratulate him on victory. James Clyburn the House Democratic Whip from South Carolina has suggested that Greene is a Republican plant. Greene has been declared the legitimate nominee which has ticked off MSNBC’s Chris Matthews who asked guests, “Do you think this has the look of a dirty trick, sort of a Watergate number?”
Where is the love Democrats?
Alvin Greene cleaned the competitions clock; he received 60% of the vote over Vic Rawl. Even if he was a plant, Democrats in South Carolina came out for him in full-force. Is that the Republicans fault? The questions everyone in Democratic circles are asking is how and why?
A South Carolina television station went to find out how and why and came up with this…Alvin Greene picked up votes because his name was quite similar to the great soul singer Al Green. (I seriously couldn’t make this up if I wanted to.) So the next time Edwin Rawl decides he wants to run for office with a (D) next to his name we suggest changing his first name to Lou. Alvin Greene vs. Lou Rawl, at least their campaign advertisements would have a great soundtrack. Democrat operatives offered this explanation for Alvin Greene’s big win on the cable news circuit, “I know and have spoken to many people who voted for him and none of them could tell me why.”
When Adolf Hitler was building up the Nazi movement in the 1920’s leading up to his taking power in the 1930’s he deliberately sought to activate people who did not normally pay much attention to politics. Such people were a valuable addition to his political base, since they were particularly susceptible to Hitler’s rhetoric and far less basis for questioning his assumptions or his conclusions. “Useful idiots” was the term supposedly coined by V.I. Lenin to describe similarly unthinking supporters of his dictatorship in the Soviet Union. Put differently, a democracy needs informed citizens if it is to thrive, or ultimately even survive.
Thomas Sowell
After watching the South Carolina television piece and hearing the explanation from Democratic operatives on the cable networks I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. No doubt that it is quite humorous; in fact, comedian Jon Stewart did an incredible 10 minute bit on his Daily Show mocking this nonsense. However, after closer examination, one realizes that this is not nonsense, but rather quite serious.
I have posed a couple of suggestions in regards to improving our voting laws here in the United States on my radio show over the years. Here are a few…
1. Eliminate voter registration drives. When MTV gets involved with getting people to vote you know there is a serious problem. Rock the Vote is one of the most ridiculous and dangerous ideas ever. I know…Let’s get all the bong smoking, keg standing, Real World watching people to the polls! Bill Clinton wasn’t any help either with his Motor Voter Law which allowed for people to register when they got their drivers license. Rid ourselves of all those wanna-be-do-gooders/ACORN/community organizers that use tax-payer funds to get people to register to vote. If one needs convincing to register, there is a pretty good chance that they are clueless when it comes to the issues and politics of the day and makes them an easy dupe. These people should not be voting in the first place.
2. There has been much debate recently in regards to Amendment XIV of our Constitution and the anchor baby controversy which involves the citizenship rights of children of illegal immigrants. I would take the citizenship requirement and the XIV Amendment a bit further. The only Americans that have taken an oath of citizenship are immigrants that have come here and taken a test. I think it would be fantastic for all Americans to reaffirm their citizenship before their 18th birthday by taking the test and the oath. If they do not want their citizenship they can choose to leave. If they fail the test they can take it again and again, but are not allowed to vote until he or she passes. I had to go through a similar process with my religious education. I was baptized Catholic, but I had to confirm my faith later in life after going through a religious education process.
3. You do not get to participate in our electoral process if you are living off, or are getting aid from your fellow citizens. My logic is simple; I pay the mortgage, the utilities and all the other bills in my household. Therefore, my kids do not get to determine their bedtime. We are a benevolent country with social safety nets that I have no problem with, as long as they are not abused. However, if you are living off the benevolence of the citizenry I don’t think you should have a say in how the country is being run. Once one gets off public assistance they can participate in our republic again. Many people have suggested that only property owners or tax-payers be allowed to vote. I disagree with this because whether one pays income tax or not, he or she is still paying taxes. We are in a perpetual state of paying taxes.
I know these may sound harsh, but I think it is more callous that a uniformed state subsidized voter who decides to vote for someone based solely on the fact that their choices name sounds like their favorite crooner can cancel out the informed vote of someone who is paying for the others bills.
In other news from the Washington Examiner…Forget Team Edward and Team Jacob, Organizing for America hopes Twilight fans will be Team Obama. The western Pennsylvania chapter of the Obama-supporting grassroots group recently showed up at a premiere for the new Twilight flick, “Eclipse” at a Pittsburgh shopping area. So how well did it go? According to the Allentown Morning Call, Organizing for America managed to entice some Hollister-wearing Twilight fans to register to vote and some 300 in total to promise to cast ballots in the congressional elections this fall. Note: This is not a parody. I could not make this up if I wanted to.
Editors The Greene Party Investor’s Business Daily 06/10
Sowell, Thomas Is U.S. Now On Slippery Slope To Tyranny ? Investors Business Daily 06/21/10
Schwab, Nikki Obama Courting Vampire Vote ? The Examiner 07/06/10
Editor South Carolina Voter: I Voted For Alvin Greene Because…His Name Reminded me of Al Green Hotair 06/14/10
