AlterNet: HIGHTOWER: Wanted: 120 Million Voters

The big number was 61. That's the percentage of American voters who chose not to vote -- about 120 million voters. Basically, this American majority declared that the whole money-soaked, issue-avoiding, corporate-driven campaign run by both Republicans and Democrats was a load of horsehockey.

Elections these days are not about people, but money. There's not even any real campaigning -- instead of getting out with the folks in the neighborhood, in cafes, in rallies and such, the candidates do staged photo ops, pretending to be with people, but avoiding actual voter contact, except with those who can write campaign checks of $1,000 and up. Political parties, which used to work the grassroots, now are nothing more than aloof banks. They collect money and throw it at television sets. Tons of money. This year was the first billion-dollar tv campaign -- that's how much was spent on ads, the preponderance of them nasty and untruthful.

There's a minefield of disaffection all across the land. When nearly two-thirds of the people feel shut out of the system, democracy itself is endangered. Yet, this same dangerous exclusion offers an enormous opportunity for a progressive political movement that will have the gumption and savvy to organize a democratic home for the disaffected.

Reaching out to non-voters is a big challenge and makes political veterans laugh. Still, they were a big portion of those who elected Jesse Ventura.