It’s really tough, but we should vote


I do think everybody should vote, everybody “knows” that. Everybody also knows that a huge mass of the country doesn’t care. They are utterly uninspired to go to the polls against the work day and whatever other barriers they perceive to doing it.

So why do people keep swearing instant allegiance to their political party? Why is it the responsibility of young voters to figure life out and also automatically support whatever crap candidate takes a primary? Why is it not a responsibility of the party to earn a vote?

I suppose the assumption on either side is that a vote has been earned. This is nonsense in the face of what we’ve actually experienced over the past two years.

On one hand you have Republicans, who cared about the deficit and loved obstructionism before the last election. Once in power, it was time for immediate tax cuts and they aren’t even finished. They are ready to start caring about the deficit again, though, with a probable challenge against social security or medicare. They outright refused to let the Democrats put a supreme court justice in place; and it worked. Now they cry at the slightest hint of Democrat resistance. I’m not sure there’s been much of that.

The Democrats have used “we’re not Trump” as their main political offering. They claim to be the “resistance” against him, and that’s all we should care about because he is so racist and evil and all that. Meanwhile, they’ve let some of their own support the tax cuts, the wall, and the list goes on. They made a deal with the GOP to expedite the nomination of several federal judges, so that everyone could return to campaigning and fundraising. Gross.

So when you get crap options to choose from, sometimes you don’t want to participate. And I get that. I struggle with it myself. I won’t stop trying and casting my ballot, but I do understand why some give up. If you are one of those people I hope it helps to know that you are not alone.

It is true that you can influence your objective more if you side with the “close enough” party, but I agree that’s not enough. But the people who donate to and own those parties actually benefit more from us doing nothing.

There are other options (sometimes) that could use the help. There are ballot initiatives that need votes and decisions. It’s not just about the most known people on the ballot. It’s the local level where you can make an impact. It’s where we need to start.