Some wisdom from Jesse “The Body” (or is it, “The Mind”?) Ventura on the 2008 election, Republicans and Democrats:

“In pro wrestling, out in front of the people, we make it look like we all hate each other and want to beat the crap out of each other, and that’s how we get your money, [and get you to] come down and buy tickets. They’re the same thing. Out in front of the public and the cameras, they hate each other, are going to beat the crap out of each other, but behind the scenes they’re all going to dinner, cutting deals. And [they're] doing what we did, too — laughing all the way to the bank. And that to me is what you have today, in today’s political world, with these two parties.”

Great little video featuring economist Gordon Tullock on why your vote doesn’t matter.  As my friend Terrence Watson said, “If you want to make a difference in the world instead of voting, make sandwiches for homeless people.”

As the election draws ever nearer, I thought I’d offer a post with some links to some articles and quotes that help put elections in perspective.

Should you vote for the “lesser of two evils”? - great article by the late Leonard Read

Lorna Doone and the 2008 Election - on why it’s sad that who wins has to matter

Shut up and vote! - on why voter encouragement is stupid

The Election Doesn’t Matter - on why there are better ways to fight for freedom (probably not for statism though)

The Four Boneheaded Biases of Stupid Voters - by Bryan Caplan on why voters make bad decisions

Stopy Worrying About the Election - on how you can always be free, regardless of who’s in power

Some quotes:

“I am really sorry to see my Countrymen trouble themselves about Politics. If Men were Wise the Most arbitrary Princes could not hurt them. If they are not Wise the Freest Government is compelled to be a Tyranny. Princes appear to me to be Fools. Houses of Commons & Houses of Lords appear to me to be fools, they seem to me to be something Else besides Human Life.” - William Blake

“I do not believe that the solution to our problem is simply to elect the right people. The important thing is to establish a political climate of opinion which will make it politically profitable for the wrong people to do the right thing. Unless it is politically profitable for the wrong people to do the right thing, the right people will not do the right thing either, or if they try, they will shortly be out of office.” - Milton Friedman

“Under democracy one party always devotes its chief energies to trying to prove that the other party is unfit to rule - and both commonly succeed, and are right.” - H.L. Mencken

“And now that the legislators and do-gooders have so futilely inflicted so many systems upon society, may they finally end where they should have begun: May they reject all systems, and try liberty; for liberty is an acknowledgment of faith in God and His works.” - Frederic Bastiat

“An election is nothing more than the advanced auction of stolen goods” - Ambrose Bierce

“Aristotle said that some people were only fit to be slaves. I do not contradict him. But I reject slavery because I see no men fit to be masters.” - C.S. Lewis

“Free election of masters does not abolish the masters or the slaves.” - Herbert Marcuse

“An election is coming. Universal peace is declared and the foxes have a sincere interest in prolonging the lives of the poultry.” - T.S. Eliot

“Sed quis custodiet ipsos custodes?” - Juvenal