I think both of them are so much controlled by the same corporate interests that I see voting as a pointless practice at this point. All the Democrats really do is promise things like health care, government transparency, etc , but they never really deliver. Yah, Obama did deescalate Iraq, but I think it was just to free us up to get ready to go to war with Syria, Pakistan, and Iran. I find it weird that the only thing both parties could agree on was a bill that allows indefinite detention of citizens after being deadlocked on everything else. They were deadlocked on everything else virtually.
I believe more in direct action than political action. Casting a vote and expecting your candidate to take care of all the problems is just a way of complacently side stepping what real influence we do have in the world. ...and, of course, when they turn out to be the corrupt leaders we've always had, its sort of an American pass-time to bash politicians. I don't think I've met anyone who doesn't like doing it on some level, including myself. It doesn't get anyone anywhere though.
I think what the civil rights, free speech, and anti-war movements did in the 60's did more than any vote could have done. It ultimately made power afraid and made clear their limitations. It showed them there was an informed populace who, if their boundaries weren't respected, could be a threat to them, I think that's what these movements did more than anything and why their demands were met on varying levels. Its also why I think they're all reviled and resented too, because they weren't passively going along with the program.
I think if fascism comes, it'll be in the form of the neo-liberalism, blind nationalism, and vile rhetoric that the GOP has come to espouse. However, at this point, I think the Democrats are just enabling them. I don't really think a vote for Obama will reverse the path to fascism were on. My problem with him is he isn't doing anything significant, like reversing the PATRIOT act or closing Guantanamo Bay. When there was a Democrat majority too, he couldn't even get the payer system passed. I starting to think the party system is just a way of nullifying the public against itself and giving us some illusion of choice that's non-existent. I might vote for Obama, but I'm not as enthusiastic about him as I was in 2008.
= new reply since forum marked as read