Sunday's successful election boycott in Italy proves that not voting can be a more effective option than voting.
The global mainstream media noted that voter turnout sharply decreased from 67% in the previous election to only 47% on Sunday, demonstrating increasing anger with politicians and government policies.
Low Voter Turnout in Sicily Suggests Anger at Politicians
http://www.nytimes.com/...
Those who have argued that even if only a few people vote, a boycott will fail, need to rethink their position in light of Italy's successful boycott where there was only a 20% decrease in turnout.
Those who believe that a boycott can be written off as voter apathy should note how crucial voter turnout is in allowing a government to claim to have been democratically elected and to have the consent of the people.
Those who think that a boycott would inevitably result in a right-wing victory should note that Italy has more fascist (ultra right-wing) voters than the US, yet it was the protest candidates who gained support on Sunday.
Most crucially, a successful election boycott can cause a country's international credit rating to be revised, and the ability to borrow money can influence a nation's military policies.
Protest party does well in Sicily election; turnout down sharply
http://www.washingtonpost.com/...
Although there certainly are differences between what the two candidates representing Goldman Sachs and the military-industrial complex in next week's US election might do, neither one would change the military expansionist policies that have led to the fall of most other empires in history, or shut down the aging, unsafe nuclear power plants that pose a greater threat to the survival of the planet as extreme weather patterns increase.
Women's rights, GMO labeling, marijuana legalization, marriage equality, and other possible gains for progressives would be of little use if our economy collapses and our empire falls due to a recklessly overextended military, or if nuclear catastrophes like Chernoby and Fukushima start to proliferate all over the country.
Important decisions need to be in the hands of the people, not in the hands of the government. As long as we keep delegating our power to government, we are shirking our responsibilities to ourselves.
Consent to Tyranny: Voting in the USA
Boycott 2012!