Name 5 Things VOTING has achieved in the past 100 years.

[wicked kickz]

ready. set. go.

I only ask because this is election season and well, it seems both candidates are attempting to mobilize their bases. but what for?

 

[crcballer55]

Well... we have a Republic, so we elect people to vote for us.

100 years? Glass-Steigel, Civil Rights Act, GI Bill, Social Security, Medicair.

Should I go on?

Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956

OK... I'll just leave it there and we can lock this thread.

 

[wicked kickz]

Glass-Stiegal was repealed. so much for your vote on that.

Civil Rights, GI Bill, Social Secuirty and Medicaire were all won through struggle. NOT because some benevolent president and his cabinet allowed it. They had to offer concessions, they were scared of revolution. The Civil Rights Act had a MOVEMENT behind it. The GI Bill would've never been paid serious attention to if it wasn't for the 17,000+ Bonus Army to march to Washington and the battle that ensued. The same goes for Social Secuirty and Medicare, the labor movement helped secure all of it.

your liberal history professors have failed you sir. these WEREN'T voted in, that's a ridiculous claim.

"Human progress is never initiated by the government. They merely reflect the will and desire of the ruling classes. Progress is won FROM governments as a result of struggle - strikes, demonstrations, rebellions, insurrections. If a particular government figure or bureaucracy enacts laws that do bring about some progress, it is only because the upsurge from below, the outcry of the fodder, has frightened the ruling class enough to allow concessions - for its own survival.

Depending on that strength from below, the ruling class either crushes dissent (reaction), gives in to some demands and incorporates reforms which do not change the fundamental structure (constitutionalism and/or liberalism), or is overthrown (revolution). When reforms are not enough to satisfy the discontent, the ruling class inevitably resorts to reaction. Inevitably, precisely because the reforms demanded require the ruling class to commit class suicide. It is as if we in the United States today demanded that all cars produced be indestructible, unpolluting, and cheap (all of which is technologically feasible). General Motors, Ford, the oil and insurance companies would obviously object. They're in the business to make profits, which they use to maintain their life style, buy politicians, control the television and radio media, etc. If people's demands are loud, they try a few reforms: more padding, better seat belts, a special carburetor which cuts down pollution and a policy of recalling cars to fix major defects at their expense (all of which they've done, or are doing). But suppose we still weren't satisfied, you and I and all the other fodder, and our discontent grew to the point that we were willing to seize General Motors, burn down the insurance companies (and the banks who finance the operations)? Then what? Well, Ford or General Motor bosses are certainly not going to give up their yachts and planes and villas in eight countries, nor the control they exercise through their wealth over every institution in the land. They'll tell their representatives (the government) to put an end to the dissent and the government will then try to jail or kill us. Our only alternative is revolution."

- John Gerassi (1971)

 

[imasoleman18]

more debt

 

[crcballer55]

Glass-Stiegal was repealed. so much for your vote on that.

Civil Rights, GI Bill, Social Secuirty and Medicaire were all won through struggle. NOT because some benevolent president and his cabinet allowed it. They had to offer concessions, they were scared of revolution. The Civil Rights Act had a MOVEMENT behind it. The GI Bill would've never been paid serious attention to if it wasn't for the 17,000+ Bonus Army to march to Washington and the battle that ensued. The same goes for Social Secuirty and Medicare, the labor movement helped secure all of it.

your liberal history professors have failed you sir. these WEREN'T voted in, that's a ridiculous claim.

"Human progress is never initiated by the government. They merely reflect the will and desire of the ruling classes. Progress is won FROM governments as a result of struggle - strikes, demonstrations, rebellions, insurrections. If a particular government figure or bureaucracy enacts laws that do bring about some progress, it is only because the upsurge from below, the outcry of the fodder, has frightened the ruling class enough to allow concessions - for its own survival.

Depending on that strength from below, the ruling class either crushes dissent (reaction), gives in to some demands and incorporates reforms which do not change the fundamental structure (constitutionalism and/or liberalism), or is overthrown (revolution). When reforms are not enough to satisfy the discontent, the ruling class inevitably resorts to reaction. Inevitably, precisely because the reforms demanded require the ruling class to commit class suicide. It is as if we in the United States today demanded that all cars produced be indestructible, unpolluting, and cheap (all of which is technologically feasible). General Motors, Ford, the oil and insurance companies would obviously object. They're in the business to make profits, which they use to maintain their life style, buy politicians, control the television and radio media, etc. If people's demands are loud, they try a few reforms: more padding, better seat belts, a special carburetor which cuts down pollution and a policy of recalling cars to fix major defects at their expense (all of which they've done, or are doing). But suppose we still weren't satisfied, you and I and all the other fodder, and our discontent grew to the point that we were willing to seize General Motors, burn down the insurance companies (and the banks who finance the operations)? Then what? Well, Ford or General Motor bosses are certainly not going to give up their yachts and planes and villas in eight countries, nor the control they exercise through their wealth over every institution in the land. They'll tell their representatives (the government) to put an end to the dissent and the government will then try to jail or kill us. Our only alternative is revolution."

- John Gerassi (1971)

So what's your point here? Nothing important was ever done without a struggle. You never asked whether the legislation as good or not or whether it was repealed. You simply asked "Name 5 Things VOTING has achieved in the past 100 years". Glass-Steigel prevented another bank run for 70 years until it was repealed.

 

[wicked kickz]

my point is that we need a change in this country that can only be done by organizing the masses in a counter-hegemonic bloc against liberalism and capitalism.

 

[23kidd]

Not to start anything but a black president? I find that pretty amazing especially in this world....

 

[bandit country]

Lol. Another Marxist on NT.

 

[futuremd]

Nationally? I don't know.

State wide and locally? I can go on for days. 

 

[knowledgebones72]

my point is that we need a change in this country that can only be done by organizing the masses in a counter-hegemonic bloc against liberalism and capitalism.

ain't nothing wrong with capitalism or liberalism, bruh. what are you suggesting should be in place instead, though?

do you remember why the USSR fell?

 

[wr]

ain't nothing wrong with capitalism or liberalism, bruh. what are you suggesting should be in place instead, though?
do you remember why the USSR fell?

Exactly. We all would like to see how they work out because we have yet to see it.


People should stop thinking when someone suggest a change in our politics, it's always gonna be some version of communism of old times when we are already operating in the sense.

We have yet to see true capitalism in this country. What America was supposed to be on paper hasn't really had a chance to come into fruition because of the rampant abuse of powers going on.

 

[futuremd]

The REAL problem in this country is NOW we vote...not just voting itself.

We need a more parliamentary system or a form of alternative voting or mixed-member proportional. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voting_system

There are many more different ways to run things...

 

[nationaltruckerdave]

swag

 

[sundoobie]

Let's see I live in CA, so how about Proposition 215, or the Compassionate Use Act of 1996.

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

Proposition 215 added Section 11362.5 to the California Health and Safety Code, which:
Exempts patients and defined caregivers who possess or cultivate marijuana recommended by a physician from criminal laws which otherwise prohibit possession or cultivation of marijuana.
Provides physicians who recommend use of marijuana for medical treatment shall not be punished or denied any right or privilege.

Imagine if the people of this State didn't vote for that measure? How many of us today would be paying massive fees and/or be in jail over simple possession?

 

[rocman23]

this two party system is a damn joke

 

[futuremd]

this two party system is a damn joke

Its only a joke because of how our VOTING system is run.

Two parties would naturally result anyways as a result of something called duvergers law. 

However, if we adopted another manner of electing representatives and how the system itself fills positions and distributes power, we'd have more diversity of "opinion" 

 

[daproblem53]

homework help?

 

[createdestroy]

Voting has caused politicians to pander to the public's interest in order to obtain power...

Thats the big win in my opinion.

 

[pleasurephd]

Let's see I live in CA, so how about Proposition 215, or the Compassionate Use Act of 1996.

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

Proposition 215 added Section 11362.5 to the California Health and Safety Code, which:
Exempts patients and defined caregivers who possess or cultivate marijuana recommended by a physician from criminal laws which otherwise prohibit possession or cultivation of marijuana.
Provides physicians who recommend use of marijuana for medical treatment shall not be punished or denied any right or privilege.

Imagine if the people of this State didn't vote for that measure? How many of us today would be paying massive fees and/or be in jail over simple possession?

To add to Cali voting: Prop 71 the California Stem Cell Research and Cures Act

Which gave us CIRM (The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine), new jobs, infrastructure, educational opportunities, and personally through CIRM, my Masters and soon to be PhD.

 

[sumrndmdude]

Not to start anything but a black president? I find that pretty amazing especially in this world....

yes obama was the first black president in the WHOLE world

seriously

 

[createdestroy]

yes obama was the first black president in the WHOLE world


seriously

you know what he means....don't get on him because he didn't word it eloquently

 

[trasoul82]

Americans dropped the ball as a people big time in 2000. Gore won Florida, but no one stood up to make sure the votes REALLY counted. What's even more shameful is the passive nature of some people. I was telling this chick who actually voted for Gore, and she hit me with: "That was 8 years ago. You still on that?" I'm like "Uh... that was 12 years ago and hell yes. I should not be able to say I witnessed an election get stolen in my lifetime." I mean how can anyone over the age of 30 look the youth in the eye and say "your vote counts" when they made no effort to uphold this "truth"?

 

[munnnjee]

 Bill Clinton, those were the good days.

 

[supahoopa]

OP is that red army faction on your avi ?

 

[wicked kickz]

Exactly. We all would like to see how they work out because we have yet to see it.
People should stop thinking when someone suggest a change in our politics, it's always gonna be some version of communism of old times when we are already operating in the sense.
We have yet to see true capitalism in this country. What America was supposed to be on paper hasn't really had a chance to come into fruition because of the rampant abuse of powers going on.

you are seeing true capitalism at work. it's called imperialism, the highest stage of capitalism. people are dying of starvation overseas (and even in this country), overworked in sweatshops for dirt, killed in drone strikes, ecological damage. this is the way capitalism works, on the exploitation of 3rd world peoples and workers in general.

the most successful programs in Amerikkka ARE socialist! . . . social security, medicare/medicaid, public transportation..

and to one of the people who posted up there, please tell me why exactly the USSR fell. i'd love to hear it.

all the greatest revolutionaries were communist. they had a vision. from Che Guevara, Huey P Newton, to Ho Chi Minh to Amilcar Cabral. what's good. these people have written theoretical pieces that can stack to ceilings. what intellectual works have any president ever written?