My reply is like three weeks late (I'm taking a break), so I'd say we're even ;)
And good luck with your dog!
"my overall feeling is that the entire system is just too corrupt at the top for even honest voting to make a difference, since they have so much money & power to choose the puppets set before us."
We have the internet and social media now, and people are really fed up with the establishment. For example, as you may know, Clinton and Trump were the most disliked presidential candidates in U.S. history, and Sanders even outraised Clinton in campaign funds. So I think if there were no electronic voting machines, and there were a truly anti-establishment candidate running for office, our chance of getting them elected would be quite good.
"I also strongly oppose the notion that at any point the majority of people ever have the right to vote the rights, liberties, money or property away from the minority, which is the foundation of democracy, which I reject."
I pretty much agree.
"I've seen it with my own eyes, the best & most honest men being turned into two-faced politicians just as soon as they get their foot in the door of politics by winning an election."
But surely you understand that it doesn't always have to play out like that. And maybe the people you're talking about were controlled opposition to begin with.
"I suppose I think that at this point the only way to put enough pressure on the system and the politicians to force them to change their ways or allow truly independent candidates is if the people boycott the polls & refuse to vote, as that would send a real message that the people have had enough of the same old wheel of hypocrisy & bullshit."
What do you think would happen if only, say, one percent of the population voted in 2020? Not to mention, voter turnout is already low, and the establishment could always lie and say that it is higher than it actually is.
"It always comes down to the people, we need enough people willing to act to make any form of resistance effective."
Agreed!