Portrait, Michael Moore, 04/03/09. (photo: Ann-Christine Poujoulat/Getty Images)
Letter to a Non-Voter
05 November 12
get it - and I don't blame you. You're fed up and you could care less
whether Tweedledee or Tweedledumber wins on Tuesday - because on
Wednesday, your life will be the same, unchanged, regardless who is
president. Your mortgage will still be underwater. You will still owe
$50,000 on your student loan. Your son will still be in Afghanistan.
Your daughter will still be working two jobs to make ends meet. And gas
will still be at $4.
Four years ago you gave in and voted - and you voted
for Obama. You wanted to believe he would go after the Wall Street
crooks who crashed the economy - but instead the banks that were "too
big to fail" four years ago are now even bigger and more dangerous. You
thought there'd be universal health care - but the new law only went so
far (with most of it not taking effect until 2014). You were tired of
war and homeland security measures that violated our civil liberties -
but we're still in Afghanistan, we're sending in drones to Pakistan and
basic constitutional rights to privacy and fair trial have been ignored.
And you thought you'd have a middle-class, good-paying job like your
dad had - but you didn't know that Goldman Sachs was Obama's #1 private
campaign donor in 2008, and well, he was beholden to corporate America
in more ways we cared to think about.
So, I get it why you've had it with all these
politicians and elections. In the end, it doesn't really seem to be our
country any more. It's run by those who can buy the most politicians to
do their bidding. Our schools are made a low priority and women are
still having to fight for just the basic human rights we thought they
already had.
So, it's hard for me to ask you for this very personal favor. It's ok if you say "no," but I'm hoping you don't.
I cannot believe it is possible that, after a group of
rich plutocrats wrecked the economy, threw people out of work and stole
our future, we may actually hand the keys to our country over to...a
rich Republican plutocrat who made millions by throwing people out of
work! This is insane, and despite all the legitimate criticisms of
Obama, he is nothing like the tsunami of hate and corporate thievery
that will take place if Mitt Romney is president. As bad as it feels
now, it will only get worse. I need your help to stop this.
I can't promise you that your life will get better,
easier under Barack Obama. I do think he cares and I know for sure that
if the other guy is sitting in the Oval Office, I can guarantee you that
not only will your life not get better, it will get much, much worse.
Don't take my word for it. Just ask your parents what life was like
before a 30-year pillage by the Republicans of the middle class. Your
parents bought a house and eventually owned it outright. They weren't in
debt. College was free. They bought a new car every 3 or 4 years. They
took vacations and were home for dinner by 5 or 6 PM. They had a savings
account in the bank. They didn't live in fear of not knowing if they'd
even have a job next year.
That's all gone. I don't know if we can get it back,
but I do know that Mr. Romney would love the chance to complete the
final elimination of the middle class and the American Dream.
He must be stopped. Take 20 minutes on Tuesday and go
vote. If you don't want to do it for your country, then do it for me!
It's the only favor I'll ever ask of you.
Thanks for taking the time to read this. I know that
you care, and care deeply, about your future and your kids' future. You
have every right to be cynical about all this. And you hold the power to
stop the bastards who plan on squeezing every last dime out of you that
they can. Take a stand. And make a statement to those who are hoping
against hope that you'll stay home on Tuesday. Your presence at the
polls is what they fear most.
Go scare the s**t out of them! For me.
Webpage: RSN
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