General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsFor those who are thinking of sitting out the November election, consider this...
There are a lot of people who want to vote, but are effectively denied that opportunity - either via draconian voting restrictions in states that are controlled by a certain Grand Old Party, or through not being able to take time off of work, or simply lacking access to transportation; there are a lot of reasons that many people who absolutely want to vote have a hell of a hard time in exercising their constitutional right as American citizens to do so.
As it happens, the people who are most likely to be effectively denied the right to vote are disproportionately (perhaps overwhelmingly) Democratic (or would-be Democratic) voters. And these same people - the working poor/lower-income Americans in general, persons of color, people with disabilities, college students, and others - are also the same people who will receive the lion's share of hardship and misery under any Republican administration.
Not saying that you don't have the right to abstain from voting, of course. Just giving you all some things to think about.
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pnwmom
(110,261 posts)
merrily
(45,251 posts)accurately and honestly who were denied that opportunity--and not by the GOP, either.
To prevent me from voting, this November or in any other election, someone is going to have to break both my legs and then steal my wheelchairr. I haven't decided for whom I will vote at the top of the ticket, though. It won't be a Republican, I know that.
I can't stop anyone from posting all the usual things by saying I've read them thousands of times on this board already, so you can save yourselves the trouble. However, there is a long term position to be made, as well as a short term one; and, so far, I've not seen a single good rebuttal of the long term position.
cali
(114,904 posts)They are saying they'll vote Green for President or write in Bernie and they'll vote down ballot. Not the same as your false accusation. Secondly, if one lives in a deep blue or deep red state, it doesn't make a bit of difference if you vote for her.
I for one have every intention of going to the polls and voting. There are too many state and local elections that will have a great impact on our future. That I may skip the top of the ballot or write in someone who may not be listed is my choice.
Democat
(11,617 posts)If you don't care about minority rights, abortion rights, gay, lesbian and transgender Americans, poor people, or anyone else, by all means help Trump get elected.
cali
(114,904 posts)I loath Trump but I live in a deep blue state. It makes ZERO difference to the outcome of the presidential race if I vote for Hillary. I'm not saying I will or won't vote for her but it doesn't matter a bit. Your post disgusts me.
Scootaloo
(25,699 posts)See, thing is.. .Clinton's not actually all that good in any of the spaces you mentioned. Better than Trump, in most specifics, sure. But "better than Trump" is a really low bar. Clinton's job, if she's the nominee, is to convince people to vote for her. and she's got a lot of convincing to do.
She can't just coast through the GE. We can't afford her assuming "it's in the bag" if she heads our ticket.
Democat
(11,617 posts)I will vote for either Democrat happily, and I've posted that here on DU since before either candidate was close to winning.
Scootaloo
(25,699 posts)And the statement holds true fro any Democrat - I just personally feel that she's got hte most to "make up" in this regard.
Democrats can't sit back and expect to coast through the election. They can't just demand loyalty and expect voters to fall in out of a "sense of duty" or whatever. They keep trying, it keeps failing, becuase we're not Republicans. Democrats vote Democratic not out of obsessive loyalty or a desire to make the "other team" lose; we vote Democratic because the Democratic Party most closely meshes with our standing ideals (most of us, anyway) - and if the party or a candidate fails those ideals, things start getting a little shaky on the election front.
jeff47
(26,549 posts)You have to give people something to vote for.
If all you do is give people something to vote against, you lose. Here, you are asking people to vote against the Republicans.
But I suppose when all you got is "better than the Republican", you don't have a lot of options.
Retrograde
(11,419 posts)The entire House and a third of the Senate, to start with. Plus in many places state or local races, and in California there are usually some interesting (or hare-brained, depending on your viewpoint) propositions to decide.
As a Californian, my vote for president is not likely to sway the state one way or the other. However, we've had Assemblymen elected by fewer than 300 votes, and I'm paying an extra 0.25% sales tax because a small fraction of a percent of the voters pushed that proposition over the edge.
Now, back to reading the voters' guide to see if any of the 34 candidates for senator apart from Sanchez and Harris show any glimmers of sanity...
snooper2
(30,151 posts)for the most part are trolls...the Purge will happen soon enough.
nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)But you knew that
nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)Because people would be voting on fear. And no we can't. The choices are not really good ones. No, not talking DU naturally quoting one of my neighbors. He's got a point
KamaAina
(78,249 posts)-Robert A. Heinlein
HuckleB
(35,773 posts)
Fumesucker
(45,851 posts)
awoke_in_2003
(34,582 posts)if a republican names the next 2 or 3 justices then it will be time to stick a fork in it.
FLPanhandle
(7,107 posts)Once emotions die down, IQ's will take over.
Not many here are stupid enough to skip a vote when Trump is the alternative, even if they say so now in the heat of the moment.
I have faith in the rationality of Democrats.