Why Are 'Progressive' Websites Discouraging Voting?

[stupidicus]

103. What appears to be the product of your imagination

is neither compelling nor convincing.

As one who scans and reads many a progressive website each day, the closest thing I've seen to what you're alleging today is this

In reality, American elections have almost nothing to do with any of that. They only determine who gets to serve the handful of plutocrats who run the show, and, insofar as there is a difference, who gets to steward the empire and control its perpetual war machine.
http://www.counterpunch.org/2014/10/10/72759/

which is NOT a direct effort to discourage voters from voting, but rather an effort like many of us pursue around here -- an effort to pry open some eyes as to exactly what it is they are voting for.

I suppose I'd disagree with the author to some extent, because it is almost assured that with the dems we'd get some baubbles to keep the charade alive and well, but they'd fall well short of the damage to the republic that empire maintenence and perpetual war will bring, and particularly for those who need the help the most. Gee, who's responsible for our endless ability to fund the empire and the wars that enlarge it, but find the funds inadequate or undesirable for use here at home? Is that just a rightwinger thing?

It is of course just chocked full of support for that "both the same" meme that apparently ONLY rightwingers and their paid trolls litter all those progressive sites with, as well as this one judging from insults and smears I've read since starting to participate here. That of course is totally refuted by the voter participation rate in this country of those leaning left and right alike no doubt -- unless you wanna argue it plays no role in it -- as well as the sheer number of critics like myself here that still hold their noses and vote dem that consider themselves fully aware that today more than ever it merely perpetuates the slow and undeniable rightward drift of our DC policy results in "ways that matter".

We are fully aware (most of us anyway imo) that it is a "damned if you do...." situation, and that the proper course of action is found here http://my.firedoglake.com/jasonrosenbaum/2010/01/15/to-the-pissed-off-progressives-dont-be-naderites/ but imo as argued around here many times now, we aren't the bigger much less the "biggest" problem when it comes to voter participation or the minimizing of it, those attempting to silence us are. That this is the goal is made clear by the fact that we are insulted and smeared as traitors to the cause before the elections -- the best time to hold those we intend to vote for footsies to the fire in an effort to get pledges/promises those we elect are then free to break, like engaging in "dumb wars" -- and then after the fact, we are labeled as mindless haters, rightwing trolls, etc, for daring critique the breaking of said promises.

That modern day republicans are a full barrel of rotten apples and tthat the dems are only less so is common and indisputable knowledge in terms of the rightward drift that has occurred in response to the Saint Raygun revolution. That was the main if not sole reason behind the "Third Way" formation and embracing of competition for the corporate dollars and the "corporatism" that is the bane of our collective poitical existence these days. If you and others don't know this, then you certainly should before sticking your toes into the "debate" waters.

ANd if that is the case, the before the election smears and post elections ones are tantamount to a call and to bury it just like rightwingers do all kinds of uncomfortable and inCONvenient truths. It's a cop out, just like all the "you're just a Bush-hater/suffer from BDS that is little more than a dodge in an effort to avoid defending the indefensible. We argue gray in this matter, whereas you promote and tolerate nothing less than a binary/polarized good guys v bad guys that is ignorance promoting and the perpetuating of it in nature and character.

SO I'll ask -- WHat do you think best explains in large part the problem you're trying to cure -- the sharing of the knowledge of the big picture that we're all being played by the monied masters and those dems and repubs alike on their payroll -- who the bigger problem is there notwithstanding -- or the fact that every time you dare mention it it in public on a board like this, you're smeared by those who are really in the final analysis by that action, are supporting and promoting the status quo, and eventually worse if recent history is a good guide, either slower in the case of the dems, or perhaps more swiftly with a rightwinger takeover?

Speaking for myself only, the only thing that has caused me to consider not voting in all my decades has been all the "you're the enemy" associated labeling from my alleged and oh so tolerant "liberal" allies I've been subjected to in recent years. This isn't a case of the "party leaving me", because it having done so in many ways is why I critique them, but rather one of being kicked out of a party, unless of course you consider "traitor" type labels appropriate for friends and allies. So while I won't let the purist crowd win by unduly influencing my voting behavior with such misguided and dispicable efforts, I fully expect those kinda efforts to result in the loss of many due to the personalization and anger/aversion it promotes. That's why I've long contended that on balance, that these smearing efforts are gonna result in a net loss and have the opposite impact desired by those engaging in it -- a self-fulfilling prophecy -- and loss of voters by words and deeds of that sort as the proverbial straw it certainly can and will be.

To claim that such baseless and negative smears should have a positive effect as opposed to the negative one I propose, is not something I've seen. Maybe you're up to the task eh? ANd based on the evidence of voter participation and lack of energization on the dem side of the aisle now, it seems to me that the "both the same" meme -- despite it's inaccuracy under scrutiny -- is largely common knowledge with negligible impact on voter participation with those like me and what appears to be the majority around here even.

The only unknown is how devastating or not the smears directed at dem critics of dems will be. That's what I've found so amusing about that conduct since signing up here before the 2012 election -- those participating in it have ignored the risk in their rabid offense against any and all dissent to their potential peril, like labeling fellow travelers "traitors" euphemistically or otherwise isn't the planting of a poisoned tree that can only bear poisoned fruit intended to kill the "traitors".

Maybe they'll be all those dead liberal voters those voter ID efforts are intended to discourage as well, no?