Outside the Box (We Actually Have Options)

Thinking Outside the Box

This week's theme is one of optimism and options--yes, we actually have options this presidential election. But first, we must stop ourselves from automatically cooperating with the status quo. We must start exercising our brains and voting for our own self-interests, not the interests of the establishment. We must vote our values and not our fears.  

Our contributors this week make this point eloquently. If you don't agree with them (or even if you do) let us know what you think. Submit your piece to us at Our Revolution Continues blog at thebernieblog2016@gmail.com  It's time for all of us to crawl out of our comfort zones. It's time to vote outside the box.

Critical Thinking

by Bern Notice

Critical thought is a rare beast these days. People accept data from any source without scrutiny when it aligns with their particular bias. When information is presented that runs contrary to their view of the world, it will be rejected by a good chunk of the population. This is why there are so many people who subscribe and align themselves with one particular party while completely ignoring all other options.

It's important to note that this is a symptom of the problem. It does not explain how it began in the first place. How did we get to where we are? To get that answer, you have too rewind the clock back to your youth.

We live in a society where you are told to conform from the day one. Parents tell their children,"They are to be seen and not to be heard," or "You do what I tell you to do, because I said so!" News organizations tell you that you should trust what they tell you because they are a "credible" news source. Religion tells you never to question doctrine and to accept what you're told by "faith." Your government tells you that you are free, even though your rights, freedoms and liberties have been stripped away one by one.

The key similarity between these entities is that they are all authoritarian figures. You are supposed to accept anything that they say or do without question. This stifles curiosity and encourages the hive mentality. What you are taught in youth will most likely determine the traits that you display as an adult. That mindset tend to be narrow-mindedness and a refusal to consider (much less accept) different or new ways of thinking.

This mindset only benefits those in power as they themselves are authority figures. The more people who act like drones and refuse to question flawed ideas and lies, the tighter their grip on power will be. No small number of despots and tyrants can control the masses without their consent. For too long, people have granted their consent to the corruption in government and, in our society, by being unquestioning consumers of authoritarian propaganda.

To make matters worse, even after some of us wake up to how we've been played for fools, we fall for the "divide and conquer" strategy. The strategy pits
neighbors, who share the same primary concerns, against each other over more trivial idealism. It's not to say that the goals aren't important, but until we (the working class) reclaim control of our government, nothing else will ever truly be fixed.

I know that for some this will be hard to hear or accept, but this is the truth. The progressives can't win this fight alone. Independents, centrists, libertarians and conservatives can't do this alone, either. The only way that real reform can ever become a reality is if we shed the labels and realize that only a unified working class starts fixing the biggest problems in our society first. To reach that line of thought, one has to start thinking outside of the box and realizing how badly we've been played.

Bio: Bern Notice is a fellow revolutionary who shares his insights frequently on Google+.

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Crouching Bernie, Hidden Hillary by Jaeil Cho
www.jaeilchoart.bigcartel.com

Eye of the Liar 

(Sung to the tune of "Eye of the Tiger")

 By Carl Elderton

Gettin' out, back on the street
Did my time, just learned nothing
For my resistance
Now I'm back on my beat
Just a shill and her will to deny
So many times, it happens to us
You trade our passion for glory
Don't lose your grip on the lives of the Free
You must fight to deny them a life
 

[Chorus]
It's the eye of the liar
It's the thrill of the Right
Risin' up to suppression
Of a rival
And the last plaster saint
Stalks her prey in the night
And she's watching us all with the
Eye of the liar

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Nobody 2016 – 
Insight Behind the Surging Political Trend
photos and essay by Carly Reed

In light of the Democratic committee unlawfully selecting Hillary Clinton as the party’s presidential nominee, Bernie Sanders being discarded despite a massive following, and Donald Trump’s meteoric rise to prominence as a legitimate threat to sit in the Oval Office, the American public is simply fed up. Faith in the political system is at an all-time low, and the result of 2016’s roller coaster election has people in an uproar.

There are multiple third party candidates that hold the potential to initiate great change and bring prosperity to the USA, but the majority of citizens still fail to realize the possibility of electing a third party is a viable option. As such, numerous Nobody 2016 movements have begun to take root across America. When browsing social media, walking around a college campus, or even just conversation with friends, you are likely to come across something encouraging you to "Vote for Nobody" this election.

I first came across this movement while walking to class several weeks ago at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado. The campus is currently completely covered in purple Nobody 2016 propaganda--and the number of stickers and posters appearing on campus seems to grow by the day. Additionally, variations of this design are appearing on voter’s cars in the form of bumper stickers, taking control of Facebook groups, and can be found on many homemade shopping website like Etsy and Zazzle. The amount of Nobody 2016 gear being pushed on the public is enormous and cannot be ignored.

The motive behind the message seems fairly clear: boycott the political system and refuse to vote for either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton. After conducting some research and looking into the specific organization that was printed on my school’s stickers (www.nobody2016.us) I realized the message might not be so simple. Political frustration is at its peak within the public realm, but this particular organization seems to not be specifically encouraging citizens not to vote. Instead, it appears the Nobody 2016 movement is more of a humorous attempt to highlight the issues with today’s political system. This could be dangerous, but it could also be exactly what America needs. A serious wake up call.

Although every individual’s interpretation of the matter will vary, I personally believe Nobody 2016 is more about refusing to conform to the corrupt system that has presented two unelectable primary candidates. Progressives should vote their conscience; conforming to corruption only encourages more corruption. A vote for a third party, or rather, a vote for "Nobody", will act as the best means of implementing social change in America. Consider this: if Trump and Clinton receive significant support, just in spite of the other candidate, who will be the primary presidential nominees in 2020? 

At the end of the day, the lesser of two evils is still evil.

That’s my interpretation of Nobody 2016. But the idea behind any movement will be perceived differently by everyone. Share what you think. "Nobody" for president might turn out better than Clinton or Trump after all.

Bio: Carly Reed says: "I'm a freshmen at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado, and I'm currently a political science major. Politics inspire me to be better and hope for the best out of society, and I believe Bernie Sanders, win or lose, has done more for America within the past four years than just about any politician."

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For many voters, the 2016 election will be the first time they've even considered supporting a third party or independent candidate. For those of us who have voted "outside the box" before, this is perhaps the first time we've allowed ourselves the hope of seeing our candidates win office or achieve wider acclaim (in spite of mainstream media censorship). For students and other young voters, below is a simple manual on how to vote third party. It really is that simple...

If you're still having qualms (or you are being told/scolded/threatened that you must vote for a "certain candidate" in order to avoid electing another candidate), take a look at this excellent blog post, The Alternative Factor: http://random-musings-from-a-muse.blogspot.com/2016/09/the-alternative-factor.html

John Laurit explains the "math" of why you can vote for whomever you like (not whoever they tell you to) in a way that's easy to follow and in fact he encourages us all to vote our values: https://johnlaurits.com/2016/09/06/voting-3rd-party-will-not-elect-the-greater-evil/ 

We posted a piece on "The Birfurcation Fallacy" ("voting for Candidate A will cause Candidate B to win" logic fallacy) a while back and you can read about it here (second piece down): http://bernie2016.blogspot.com/2016/06/a-nation-based-on-love.html 

Knowing that you're not falling for a popular myth, propagated by the duopoly establishment, should ease your conscience. Always vote your conscience! 
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A new progressive group, Politics Reborn, has an event coming up soon in the New York area you may want to check out called "Tell Your Story on Camera."  https://politicsreborn.nationbuilder.com/2/tell_your_story_on_camera

They are also collecting information on the "Local Political Process--How Does It Work Where You Live?" Fill out the form by clicking here.

If you know of other progressive groups that would be of interest to our readers, please email us the details. 

Remember: Information is power, and it's all about "Power to the people!"