“So, yes, staying home is a vote for the baggers.”

That’s true… from the perspective of those who follow the false dichotomy of hotbutton issues as a differentiating factor. It’s not true from the long-term POV, or from the POV of those who have an ideological POV, or from the POV of those who see similar situations brewing in countries around the world.

Before the elections I stated:

1. High expectations are likely to blow up in the face of progressive voters, given the obvious “New Dem” stance, nominees and policies of the putative “change we can believe” in candidate.
2. A non-GOP victory in the face of a likely long-lived economic crisis is likely to blow up in the face of progressive voters.
3. An “aisle-crossing” stance in the face of adamantine opposition by the batshit crazy opposition is likely to blow up in the face of progressive voters.
4. Selling fully conservative social, economic and fical policies as putatively liberal is likely to blow up in the face of progressive voters.
5. Failure to resolve conservative-caused economic failures because of “centrist” policies is likely to blow up in the face of progressive voters.
6. Failure to deliver on high promise is likely to blow up in the face of young, novice, progressive voters – and foment apathy amongst the same.
7. Failure to adequately communicate means, ends and accomplishments are likely to blow up in the face of progressive voters.
8. Swallowing the lesser of two evil rhetoric is likely to blow up in the face of progressive voters, especially when the lesser evil applies nothing more than a watered-down version of the greater evil as somehow being different.
9. – etc….

I think it would take considerable mental gymnastics to deny either my pre-electoral statements or the virtual truth of the same. I’m sure that some herabouts are likely to do so, as is their wont. I’m certain that the tired old argument of “perfection” and “what’s possible” will come around yet again.

So be it.

But the fact is that from at least a few POV’s (long-term, historical, non-parochial), I might be considered right.

The “vote your conscience in the primaries and your fears in the real elections” POV will be restated, I’m sure. I’m sure that the centrist, anti-progressives in the New Dem/DLC/pro-corp caucuses will appreciate that, use that, and “triumph” with that… as the pendulum continues to swing rightward EVEN WHEN the putative “progressives” win.

Hotbutton issues are SO useful for manipulators, that’s a fact.

I’m sure that a supposed “victory” such as “we now have quasi-universal healthcare” will be pushed, despite the fact that 4 years ago even the insurance industry would never have DREAMED to have such a wonderful system in place that would ensure and finance a unilateral increase of their market with nary a limit to its cost.

No doubt someone will say that there are now regulations limiting the financial industry’s hegemony, without noting that such regulations were virtually written by the financial industry, that they lack both teeth and even content.

But the reality is that we’re still in 2 1/2 wars, secrecy has INCREASED, civil rights are being challenged by the admin, corps are stronger than ever and only desire a change because the alternative will be even MORE subservient than the current crop, and a long etc.

Bait and switch has been a political ploy in democracies since the 5th C BC.

A couple years ago I noted the lost opportunity…. and now I see the damage that lost opportunity supposes. Now we will have to go further down the drain before we finally wake the fuck up.

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Staying home is as much of a vote for the baggers as it is as a fucking wakeup call to the opposition to said baggers. Voting for the lesser of two evils ENABLES “appeasers” (how I hate that term) to count on YOUR fear to be able to cater to corporate interests and against your own.

Ipso dixit, who knows when and if I’ll come back hereabouts – I’m certain that I’ll be lambasted for the sick, hypocritical and unhealthy evil of maintaining the same values against Peter as I had against Paul. All of us were sick about being towed by the nose against the fear of terra – but many of us are perfectly willing to be towed by the nose against the fear of a putatively different “right”.

Vote the letter, vote the colour. Careful, Emmanuel Goldstein might be Al Qaeda, or maybe a Tea Partier.