The fallacy of voting for 'the lesser of two evils'

Saturday, October 06, 2012 by: Jon Rappoport
Tags: presidential election, voting, lesser of two evils

(NaturalNews) For decades, disaffected Americans have been trudging to the polls and voting for the lesser of two evils. That's how they register their preference for a presidential candidate.

Choices based on that dubious strategy seem to work for the short-term (at best). But in the long run, the law of diminishing returns sets in.

Term after presidential term, the lesser of two evils lowers the quality of life for everyone and keeps nudging the decline of the American Republic. The hole to dig out of becomes deeper, and successive presidents---each one the lesser of two evils---are less capable and willing to do the necessary digging.

That's the story of leadership in America.

But prompted by new and more desperate created crises, citizens resort to the "lesser" strategy every four years, believing they must.

Carter-Reagan, Reagan-Mondale, Bush-Dukakis, Bush-Clinton, Bush-Gore, Bush-Kerry, Obama-McCain, Obama-Romney.

"I'm not that enthusiastic about either man, but I have to choose one. I have to go with the lesser of two evils, because this country is in real trouble."

Where does it stop?

"Look, this time I'm picking the lesser of two evils, because the national crisis is so terrible. But next time, I promise I'll do something else."

Really? What else will you do? Hope the sun comes out?

The voter who is chronically addicted to the lesser of two evils is like a man in debt who borrows to pay it off. Each time he borrows, the debt gets bigger. He says, "I know this is crazy, but what else can I do? Borrowing from Peter to pay Paul is the lesser of two evils. If I don't do it, I'm sunk. I promise I'll straighten this mess out---but not right now. I have a payment coming due. I have to borrow again."

And just like the federal debt, which keeps swelling, the election of one lesser after another as president keeps expanding the national misery. Finally, the idea that voters can step outside the two-party system to find a real president who actually believes in the Constitution seems like a pipe dream, because all the prior lessers have screwed things up so badly, have sold so out badly, have trampled on the Constitution so crazily...the shell-shocked public accepts these lessers as the status quo.

At that point, people say, "Stop all this nonsense about a third-party candidate. Get real. We have to choose from the two candidates in front of us. That's what life and elections are all about. Be an adult. Make your decision. Go for the lesser of two evils."

If this is wisdom, a strawberry is navigating a space ship to Jupiter.

"Hmm. You know, that's not a bad idea. If we could insert four or five hundred new DNA strands in a strawberry, give it artificial eyes, install tiny computers in its skin, it might work. Captain Strawberry. It's better than having a human pilot the craft. The distance is so great, a human could never sustain concentration for the duration of the voyage. All in all, the strawberry is the lesser of two evils."

A national poll might prove quite interesting. Ask people, "In the presidential election, are you voting for the lesser of two evils? Are you voting for the candidate who is "less bad" than the other guy?"

Better yet, let's have a candidate who says, up front, "Hi, I'm Fred Goober. I'm the lesser of two evils, and I'm running for president. Let's not kid each other. You know, I know, and everybody knows that my opponent and I are both morons and sell-outs. We got where we are by lying and stealing. What else did you expect? We're both puppets for larger forces. But at least I'm willing to admit it. And I believe, in my heart, that I'm the lesser of two evils. What do you say? Cut me a break. I really want to live in the White House and be the commander-in-chief. And my wife? Don't get me started on what she wants."

So the next time a "smarter, wiser" friend, who "really knows how the world works," tells you you've got to choose the lesser of two evils, realize who's smart and who the idiot is.

Jon Rappoport
The author of an explosive collection, THE MATRIX REVEALED, Jon was a candidate for a US Congressional seat in the 29th District of California. Nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, he has worked as an investigative reporter for 30 years, writing articles on politics, medicine, and health for CBS Healthwatch, LA Weekly, Spin Magazine, Stern, and other newspapers and magazines in the US and Europe. Jon has delivered lectures and seminars on global politics, health, logic, and creative power to audiences around the world.
www.nomorefakenews.com


About the author:
The author of an explosive new collection, THE MATRIX REVEALED, Jon
was a candidate for a US Congressional seat in the 29th District of
California. Nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, he has worked as an
investigative reporter for 30 years, writing articles on politics,
medicine, and health for CBS Healthwatch, LA Weekly, Spin Magazine,
Stern, and other newspapers and magazines in the US and Europe. Jon
has delivered lectures and seminars on global politics, health, logic,
and creative power to audiences around the world.
www.nomorefakenews.com