My Vote Doesn't Matter

[Ors Might]

I would genuinely like to do something about it. But I'm just some shmuck working the night shift at a shitty fast food joint. I don't have the money or influence to bring about actual change.

So then how do we fix that? Not trying to force a question on you but it's nice to start thinking about solutions, how can we allow low-income workers to run for their position while still maintaining their lives?

Local government positions do get paid by their city council, at least, from what I've seen in my district. Maybe in yours, it's the same.

Maybe the local government can hand out small checks to people running so they don't absolutely go bankrupt while they run for their positions. Although that might be a problem it seems more like a short term solution.

I'm just spitballing, maybe you have a better idea?

To be honest with you friend, the issue isn't a lack of ideas. Making it so that lower income candidates can run and be heard isn't a difficult issue to solve. The problem is a lack of will from those currently leading to implement these ideas. The best solution I can think of to that problem is protest and utilizing the threat of political violence in order to force change.

[San Lumen]

I would genuinely like to do something about it. But I'm just some shmuck working the night shift at a shitty fast food joint. I don't have the money or influence to bring about actual change.

So then how do we fix that? Not trying to force a question on you but it's nice to start thinking about solutions, how can we allow low-income workers to run for their position while still maintaining their lives?

Local government positions do get paid by their city council, at least, from what I've seen in my district. Maybe in yours, it's the same.

Maybe the local government can hand out small checks to people running so they don't absolutely go bankrupt while they run for their positions. Although that might be a problem it seems more like a short term solution.

I'm just spitballing, maybe you have a better idea?

it sounds like your advocating for a form of public financing of elections. This is an excellent idea and you find it often in Europe and South America.

[Ors Might]

Okay Lumen. Given that I have bills and loans to pay, I'm going to have to keep my near full time job. So where am I supposed to find the time to run for the office of, say, mayor and carry out the responsibilites of that office?

How did the current person do it?

You'd probably make far more as mayor then in fast food and if you got elected you would not keep your job. It would be e likely you'd quit your current job as mayor is very rarely a position where someone has a second job.

Are you implying that my mayor ran for office while working in fast food?

Okay but that doesn't tell me how I'd run an effective campaign while only having one day a week to organize it. I can't take off from work for that long.

[San Lumen]

How did the current person do it?

You'd probably make far more as mayor then in fast food and if you got elected you would not keep your job. It would be e likely you'd quit your current job as mayor is very rarely a position where someone has a second job.

Are you implying that my mayor ran for office while working in fast food?

Okay but that doesn't tell me how I'd run an effective campaign while only having one day a week to organize it. I can't take off from work for that long.

No what im asking is what did your current mayor do before running for the position?

People run for office all the time whilst having a job. Its as if you think only people who don't currently work can or do run.

[Ors Might]

Are you implying that my mayor ran for office while working in fast food?

Okay but that doesn't tell me how I'd run an effective campaign while only having one day a week to organize it. I can't take off from work for that long.

No what im asking is what did your current mayor do before running for the position?

People run for office all the time whilst having a job. Its as if you think only people who don't currently work can or do run.

Not sure but I'm pretty certain they had more than a fucking day a week to organize their campaign. You're making it sound like running for office is something one can just do .

[San Lumen]

No what im asking is what did your current mayor do before running for the position?

People run for office all the time whilst having a job. Its as if you think only people who don't currently work can or do run.

Not sure but I'm pretty certain they had more than a fucking day a week to organize their campaign. You're making it sound like running for office is something one can just do .

How do you know?

Plenty of people have jobs and run for office. That's why you have a staff and people canvassing and phone banking. The candidate themselves isn't expected to do absolutely everything.

[East Florida]

So then how do we fix that? Not trying to force a question on you but it's nice to start thinking about solutions, how can we allow low-income workers to run for their position while still maintaining their lives?

Local government positions do get paid by their city council, at least, from what I've seen in my district. Maybe in yours, it's the same.

Maybe the local government can hand out small checks to people running so they don't absolutely go bankrupt while they run for their positions. Although that might be a problem it seems more like a short term solution.

I'm just spitballing, maybe you have a better idea?

it sounds like your advocating for a form of public financing of elections. This is an excellent idea and you find it often in Europe and South America.

I'm sort of advocating for that but at the same time that's something that had to happen inside the government, which is hard. Because you have to fix the local government so people can run for it by running for the local government. Which is hard, but only until that kind of policy takes place.

So then how do we fix that? Not trying to force a question on you but it's nice to start thinking about solutions, how can we allow low-income workers to run for their position while still maintaining their lives?

Local government positions do get paid by their city council, at least, from what I've seen in my district. Maybe in yours, it's the same.

Maybe the local government can hand out small checks to people running so they don't absolutely go bankrupt while they run for their positions. Although that might be a problem it seems more like a short term solution.

I'm just spitballing, maybe you have a better idea?

To be honest with you friend, the issue isn't a lack of ideas. Making it so that lower income candidates can run and be heard isn't a difficult issue to solve. The problem is a lack of will from those currently leading to implement these ideas. The best solution I can think of to that problem is protest and utilizing the threat of political violence in order to force change.

I agree with you on that, it's gonna be a tough uphill climb until we can get a good policy for it out there. Not to mention it'd have to be done in every district and city, so it'd have to a nationwide thing if we want every city to be doing so. But the change starts locally. Maybe overtime it will spread, but there'd have to be somebody to start it. Maybe I should try.

[Ors Might]

Not sure but I'm pretty certain they had more than a fucking day a week to organize their campaign. You're making it sound like running for office is something one can just do .

How do you know?

Plenty of people have jobs and run for office. That's why you have a staff and people canvassing and phone banking. The candidate themselves isn't expected to do absolutely everything.

How do I know they had more than one day a week to organize shit?

So now I need to convince other people with full time jobs to drop everything to help me run a hypothetical campaign? Lumen, I know you know that running for office isn't as easy as you're making it out to be.

[San Lumen]

it sounds like your advocating for a form of public financing of elections. This is an excellent idea and you find it often in Europe and South America.

I'm sort of advocating for that but at the same time that's something that had to happen inside the government, which is hard. Because you have to fix the local government so people can run for it by running for the local government. Which is hard, but only until that kind of policy takes place.

To be honest with you friend, the issue isn't a lack of ideas. Making it so that lower income candidates can run and be heard isn't a difficult issue to solve. The problem is a lack of will from those currently leading to implement these ideas. The best solution I can think of to that problem is protest and utilizing the threat of political violence in order to force change.

I agree with you on that, it's gonna be a tough uphill climb until we can get a good policy for it out there. Not to mention it'd have to be done in every district and city, so it'd have to a nationwide thing if we want every city to be doing so. But the change starts locally. Maybe overtime it will spread, but there'd have to be somebody to start it. Maybe I should try.

The only way that's going to happen is to elect people who support such an idea.

[San Lumen]

How do you know?

Plenty of people have jobs and run for office. That's why you have a staff and people canvassing and phone banking. The candidate themselves isn't expected to do absolutely everything.

How do I know they had more than one day a week to organize shit?

So now I need to convince other people with full time jobs to drop everything to help me run a hypothetical campaign? Lumen, I know you know that running for office isn't as easy as you're making it out to be.

You clearly don't understand how campaigns work. People work for you. You get people to volunteer.

[Ors Might]

it sounds like your advocating for a form of public financing of elections. This is an excellent idea and you find it often in Europe and South America.

I'm sort of advocating for that but at the same time that's something that had to happen inside the government, which is hard. Because you have to fix the local government so people can run for it by running for the local government. Which is hard, but only until that kind of policy takes place.

To be honest with you friend, the issue isn't a lack of ideas. Making it so that lower income candidates can run and be heard isn't a difficult issue to solve. The problem is a lack of will from those currently leading to implement these ideas. The best solution I can think of to that problem is protest and utilizing the threat of political violence in order to force change.

I agree with you on that, it's gonna be a tough uphill climb until we can get a good policy for it out there. Not to mention it'd have to be done in every district and city, so it'd have to a nationwide thing if we want every city to be doing so. But the change starts locally. Maybe overtime it will spread, but there'd have to be somebody to start it. Maybe I should try.

Best of luck, genuinely. You're going to have to find a lot of people willing to publicly advocate for this and you may have to present yourselves as a threat of some sort. Political power and the barrel of a gun, you know?

[San Lumen]

I'm sort of advocating for that but at the same time that's something that had to happen inside the government, which is hard. Because you have to fix the local government so people can run for it by running for the local government. Which is hard, but only until that kind of policy takes place.



I agree with you on that, it's gonna be a tough uphill climb until we can get a good policy for it out there. Not to mention it'd have to be done in every district and city, so it'd have to a nationwide thing if we want every city to be doing so. But the change starts locally. Maybe overtime it will spread, but there'd have to be somebody to start it. Maybe I should try.

Best of luck, genuinely. You're going to have to find a lot of people willing to publicly advocate for this and you may have to present yourselves as a threat of some sort. Political power and the barrel of a gun, you know?

Threatening elected officials with harm is never acceptable.

[Ors Might]

How do I know they had more than one day a week to organize shit?

So now I need to convince other people with full time jobs to drop everything to help me run a hypothetical campaign? Lumen, I know you know that running for office isn't as easy as you're making it out to be.

You clearly don't understand how campaigns work. People work for you. You get people to volunteer.

Mmhm. So how many people do you know that have a full staff of volunteers on stand by ready to devote their time to a political campaign? Since it's apparently really easy to find them?

[Ors Might]

Best of luck, genuinely. You're going to have to find a lot of people willing to publicly advocate for this and you may have to present yourselves as a threat of some sort. Political power and the barrel of a gun, you know?

Threatening elected officials with harm is never acceptable.

Yes it is.

[San Lumen]

You clearly don't understand how campaigns work. People work for you. You get people to volunteer.

Mmhm. So how many people do you know that have a full staff of volunteers on stand by ready to devote their time to a political campaign? Since it's apparently really easy to find them?

Its like you want an elected office handed to you. People get friends and those in the community to join.

Threatening elected officials with harm is never acceptable.

Yes it is.

Go threaten your elected officials with harm and see what happens to you.

[Ors Might]

Mmhm. So how many people do you know that have a full staff of volunteers on stand by ready to devote their time to a political campaign? Since it's apparently really easy to find them?

Its like you want an elected office handed to you. People get friends and those in the community to join.

Yes it is.

Go threaten your elected officials with harm and see what happens to you.

I don't want it handed to me. But you're making it out to be easy peasy, Lumen.

Illegality isn't the same thing as moral acceptability. But you know that.

[San Lumen]

Its like you want an elected office handed to you. People get friends and those in the community to join.

Go threaten your elected officials with harm and see what happens to you.

I don't want it handed to me. But you're making it out to be easy peasy, Lumen.

Illegality isn't the same thing as moral acceptability. But you know that.

Didn't say it was easy peasy but your acting like only those who don't work run for office and the same goes for those who work on campaigns and the response to this is its not true.

There is nothing morally acceptable about threatening your elected officials with violence.

[Ors Might]

I don't want it handed to me. But you're making it out to be easy peasy, Lumen.

Illegality isn't the same thing as moral acceptability. But you know that.

Didn't say it was easy peasy but your acting like only those who don't work run for office and the same goes for those who work on campaigns and the response to this is its not true.

There is nothing morally acceptable about threatening your elected officials with violence.

I'm acting like the vast majority of people have neither the time nor the money nor the ability to run a successful political campaign and that telling them to do so whenever they complain about the political landscape that makes this the case is tone deaf.

Really? You can't think of a single elected official in history that didn't deserve violence or the threat of violence? I can think of several.

[San Lumen]

Didn't say it was easy peasy but your acting like only those who don't work run for office and the same goes for those who work on campaigns and the response to this is its not true.

There is nothing morally acceptable about threatening your elected officials with violence.

I'm acting like the vast majority of people have neither the time nor the money nor the ability to run a successful political campaign and that telling them to do so whenever they complain about the political landscape that makes this the case is tone deaf.

Really? You can't think of a single elected official in history that didn't deserve violence or the threat of violence? I can think of several.

Yet most of our politicians aren't rich elitists. They are people who got their start in the legislature or local office. There are also groups that can help you like Run for Something.

You won't always be successful. In many cases only one person can win and you might not be the one that does. That's how democracy works.

You know what else you can do? Volunteer on a campaign and help someone you like get elected. Im certain are plenty of elections in your area this year.

[Ors Might]

I'm acting like the vast majority of people have neither the time nor the money nor the ability to run a successful political campaign and that telling them to do so whenever they complain about the political landscape that makes this the case is tone deaf.

Really? You can't think of a single elected official in history that didn't deserve violence or the threat of violence? I can think of several.

Yet most of our politicians aren't rich elitists. They are people who got their start in the legislature or local office. There are also groups that can help you like Run for Something.

You won't always be successful. In many cases only one person can win and you might not be the one that does. That's how democracy works.

You know what else you can do? Volunteer on a campaign and help someone you like get elected. Im certain are plenty of elections in your area this year.

How many senators in the past fifty years have been lower class or even just on the lower end of middle class before they got elected into those positions? In the past fifty years, can you provide me with those stats, Lumen?

Have you thought of all the elected officials deserving of violence yet?

[San Lumen]

Yet most of our politicians aren't rich elitists. They are people who got their start in the legislature or local office. There are also groups that can help you like Run for Something.

You won't always be successful. In many cases only one person can win and you might not be the one that does. That's how democracy works.

You know what else you can do? Volunteer on a campaign and help someone you like get elected. Im certain are plenty of elections in your area this year.

How many senators in the past fifty years have been lower class or even just on the lower end of middle class before they got elected into those positions? In the past fifty years, can you provide me with those stats, Lumen?

Have you thought of all the elected officials deserving of violence yet?

Senate is not something one typically starts with.

Unless someone is truly evil like Hitler violence is not ok.

Once again I say you can volunteer on a campaign and help get someone elected.

The organization Run For Something has been very successful in helping elected people who are not rich and elitist run for office and get elected.

[Ors Might]

How many senators in the past fifty years have been lower class or even just on the lower end of middle class before they got elected into those positions? In the past fifty years, can you provide me with those stats, Lumen?

Have you thought of all the elected officials deserving of violence yet?

Senate is not something one typically starts with.

Unless someone is truly evil like Hitler violence is not ok.

Once again I say you can volunteer on a campaign and help get someone elected.

The organization Run For Something has been very successful in helping elected people who are not rich and elitist run for office and get elected.

I didn't say it was what they started with. Just what their financial status was prior to coming into those positions.

Violence is one of the pillars of civilization as we know it but putting that aside, violence is morally neutral and using it against immoral actors is a good thing actually.

[San Lumen]

Senate is not something one typically starts with.

Unless someone is truly evil like Hitler violence is not ok.

Once again I say you can volunteer on a campaign and help get someone elected.

The organization Run For Something has been very successful in helping elected people who are not rich and elitist run for office and get elected.

I didn't say it was what they started with. Just what their financial status was prior to coming into those positions.

Violence is one of the pillars of civilization as we know it but putting that aside, violence is morally neutral and using it against immoral actors is a good thing actually.

Go threaten your elected officials with violence then.

You want average person running for office? This person is running for Ithaca City Council this year. he is a student at Cornell and running for election : https://ithacavoice.com/2021/10/meet-pa ... derperson/

Run for Something is supporting him.

[Ors Might]

I didn't say it was what they started with. Just what their financial status was prior to coming into those positions.

Violence is one of the pillars of civilization as we know it but putting that aside, violence is morally neutral and using it against immoral actors is a good thing actually.

Go threaten your elected officials with violence then.

You want average person running for office? This person is running for Ithaca City Council this year. he is a student at Cornell and running for election : https://ithacavoice.com/2021/10/meet-pa ... derperson/

Run for Something is supporting him.

I will if they happen to deserve it. Thanks for your support.

I mean this sincerely, good for him. But that doesn't answer the question I asked you.

[Platoon of Peace]

Senate is not something one typically starts with.

Unless someone is truly evil like Hitler violence is not ok.

Once again I say you can volunteer on a campaign and help get someone elected.

The organization Run For Something has been very successful in helping elected people who are not rich and elitist run for office and get elected.

I didn't say it was what they started with. Just what their financial status was prior to coming into those positions.

Violence is one of the pillars of civilization as we know it but putting that aside, violence is morally neutral and using it against immoral actors is a good thing actually.

You can attempt to overthrow people you believe "Immoral" and see how that works out for you.