A protest vote for Jill Stein

[Scuba]

[still_one]

1. The stakes really are that large, thanks

[lewebley3]

29. Trump is a fascists: that is not a bad ideology: It could end up with dead American's.

Last edited Thu Jul 28, 2016, 04:12 PM - Edit history (1)

Trump is in favor of torture: maybe he won't just torture
terrorist: Maybe he thinks American's need to be tortured
that don't agree with him.

Trump cannot eliminate problems but he could eliminate people!


He talks as if congress will be his employees!

To Arms my fellow American's we need to defeat Trumps new/ old
fascism here at home.

Hillary and others should ask Mit Romey and other GOP people that are still
loyal to this country to help defeat the Trumps fascism threat.

[still_one]

32. That sure does focus on what Trump is. Thanks

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

56. I agree

Never have I seen so many in the USA in favor of Fascism, it's time to defeat Trump.

And yes, we need a revolution, a peaceful one of course

[SticksnStones]

2. Agreed.

The house is on fire, we can discuss ripping up the floor boards after we put out the flames...



Metaphorically, of course

[Pacifist Patriot]

3. Spot on

Except after watching the DNC, I'm more of a Hillary fan.

[Cracklin Charlie]

4. Last two lines...

A+!!!

[RAFisher]

5. Do people who vote Green really want their state to go Green?

Congress picks POTUS if no one can get 270 electoral votes.

[bucolic_frolic]

63. Greens will not get 1 electoral vote

they can sway the overall vote, but not win anything

they are irrelevant

[demwing]

113. I would love my state to go Green

but I live in Florida, so we have to settle for Blue Dogs

[JaneyVee]

6. Why doesnt Jill run for senate?

[MynameisBlarney]

10. INORITE?

She could actually do more there than constantly running for POTUS.

[Renew Deal]

41. She's not about doing anything

Accomplishments are not her thing

[Maru Kitteh]

91. Stein and the Greens are about maintaining their status quo

The Green party does nothing that could make them a viable national party. They work hard only to fleece children, cranks and malcontents of enough money to keep their quadrennial show-pony and staff of wanna-be spoilers afloat.

They work for Putin this year.

[bekkilyn]

12. She would be better off running for school board or some other local state election

At least if she wants people to start taking the party seriously rather than just throwing up an irrelevant presidential candidate every four years so that people who have no clue what her platform even is can use it as a throwaway protest vote.

[George II]

17. Maybe because if she won it would be too much like work. Running for an office....

....that she has no possibility of ever being elected to is safer. She can disrupt without having to worry about the inconvenience of actually following up.

[misterhighwasted]

31. Like the Big Dog said " its easy to give speeches"..doing the work is hard.

Stein, like Nina, loves the speech part.

[merrily]

28. To unseat Warren or Markey?

[misterhighwasted]

34. Kennedy will step into Warren's Senate seat if she leaves it .

Already been confirmed. Rep Joe Kennedy was asked by Warren & he accepted.
Should Pres Hillary appoint Warren to the Fed, where her passion lies, Kennedy will run for her seat and he will win.

Stein's not usurping either of those MA Dems.

[merrily]

37. I meant she could not defeat either Warren or Markey.

Kennedy's don't lose in Massachusetts.

[misterhighwasted]

40. Yes I was agreeing . Not arguing. MA would run Stein outta town

Warren & Markey are anchored to MA.
Complete agreement merrily

[Johnyawl]

39. The only race she's ever won has been to her town council...

Massachusetts gubernatorial candidate, 2002

finished third in a field of five candidates, with 76,530 votes and about 3.5% of the vote.


Massachusetts House of Representatives candidate, 2004

ran for state representative in 2004 for the 9th Middlesex District, She received 21.3 percent of the vote in a three-way race, but lost to the incumbent Thomas Stanley, who received 59.6 percent.

Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth candidate, 2006

In a two-way race with the Democrat Bill Galvin, a three-term incumbent, Stein received 18% of the total vote.

Town of Lexington Town Meeting Representative, 2005 and 2008

She finished first of 16 candidates running for seven seats, receiving 539 votes, for 20.6% of the total vote. [80] Stein was re-elected in 2008, finishing second of 13 vying for eight seats.

Massachusetts gubernatorial candidate, 2010

Stein received 32,816 votes out of 2,287,407 in the November 2, 2010 general election. (approx. 1%)

Having failed to capture any statewide office, of course Jill Stein assumed she was ready for a nationwide campaign

[joshcryer]

49. she is not qualified to run as the dirt in my big toe

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

75. Because the people of Mass know she's a moonbat

She has no chance

[MynameisBlarney]

7. Dayum! Wish I could K&R more than once!

That really nails it.

[calimary]

25. TOTALLY.

Absolutely.

Completely.

Exactly.

Precisely.

Definitely.

Emphatically.

A wasted vote for CERTAIN. And that only helps one person: Donald Trump. Is that REALLY worth it, America?

[FreeStateDemocrat]

8. recommend, logical statement!

[thesquanderer]

9. Good post, but more applicable to potential swing states than solid blues...

...where such a protest vote would not have those consequences.

[Scuba]

11. Good to keep the solid blue states solid blue. In a red state, perhaps it's different.

[Il_Coniglietto]

46. Look at the Maryland governorship.

The assumption was that the Democrat, Anthony Brown, would easily win. Yet turnout was low among Democrats and the Republicans won.

No state is truly "safe" unless people vote to keep it that way. Enough protest votes and Trump wins.

[Stellar]

13. I must have written that in my sleep.

[misterhighwasted]

36. LOL..I hear ya

Long night but worth it all.

[workinclasszero]

14. Trump is a national emergency!

This cannot be said enough!

[LongTomH]

15. Agreed; but, at this point, you're preaching to the choir!

I think anyone remaining on Democratic Underground has probably. already decided to support the Democratic candidate, no matter who they may be.

[Scuba]

22. Feel free to share it widely!

[TNNurse]

16. Perfect

I fear someone's "conscience vote" will doom us all. Please people deal with reality. He cannot become President.

[southern_belle]

19. +1 n/t

[calimary]

26. + 1 more.

[onecaliberal]

33. This is my thought. We do not deserve to live out the consequence of their stupidity. They're

Acting like petulant children because they didn't get their way. This is the most consequential election in my lifetime. It's time for maturity.

[southern_belle]

18. Exactly!

I wish they would have - or will - cover it at the DNC and stress it!

[colorado_ufo]

20. Great post!

[auntpurl]

21. k&r

[vlyons]

23. I learned much about Hillary's activism this week.

I feel much much better about voting for her. She will be a very competent Prez, and I think capable of listening to the progressive wing of the party.

[calimary]

43. Bloomberg noted that very thing last night. "Sane Competent Leader."

The word "sane" keeps coming up. I've even seen it in posts written by people who are just starting to be willing to vote for her. The one good thing they tend to come up with, immediately, was that "at least she's sane."

[Android3.14]

24. If Clinton cannot gain the edge over Trump, a vote for her won;t do those things either.

I'm casting my vote for Clinton as the strategic choice at this point, but if she cannot begin inspiring people with more than fear of Trump, then a vote for Clinton is as useless as a vote for Stein.

She needs something big on which to hang her hat.

[leftofcool]

81. She already has something big

She already inspires millions of people.

[Android3.14]

88. I really lack the interest in having this stupid fight with you

[Demsrule86]

92. Clinton is doing fine...early days.

And voting for her does give her the edge. As for inspiring...She is not a messiah but a presidential candidate...she has said what she wants to do which is close to what Bernie wanted...what else can she do? And a vote for a Democrat is not useless...consider that Bernie was inspiring..no doubt. But voters chose the candidate who wants to get stuff done.Many , many people showed up at Bernie's rallies, but more voters showed up for Hillary. Also, I like Hilarry, and I am inspired by her...if you don't like her she won't inspire you no matter what she does. And voting in order to save your country from an orange madman is acceptable and the responsibility of all sane people (mostly Democrats).

[Android3.14]

105. "if you don't like her she won't inspire"

I disagree. I've had to follow people I disliked, and a leader can still inspire people to great things, regardless of the opinion of the persons he or she leads.

[Demsrule86]

110. Sorry, I don't buy that. No matter what a person I disliked did...

I was never inspired nor would I ever be...I still did what was best...but they could not inspire me.

[Attorney in Texas]

27. That is unquestionably true in Ohio and Florida any any other states that serve as battlegrounds.

[B Calm]

58. My state Indiana will overwhelmingly vote for Trump.

[Attorney in Texas]

59. My state, too.

[Demsrule86]

94. If you are not planning to support the Democratic candidate why are you here?

I don't care where you live; the popular vote is important too. What if Virginians had felt as you do...they would still be a red state. I lived in Georgia and voted in every election for a Democrat...wrote one in if there was no one running as a Democrat.

[Duckhunter935]

77. Same with Oklahoma

Some states the protest vote can be a safe vote of concience. This election is to important if you are in a state that is even close.

[skepticscott]

83. If you only vote that way if it's "safe"

then it's not a vote of conscience.

[Demsrule86]

95. You never know

Pence really hurt Indiana.

[Demsrule86]

93. It is true in all states

We don't know how this election will go...as it is unlike any election ever. Trump was two points ahead of Hillary in Georgia recently. Everyone needs to vote Democratic...all Democrats. We need to get the popular vote up in order to give her strength. Support Democrats.

[Raster]

35. NO SHIT! Trump/Pence is UNTHINKABLE. NEITHER is qualified in any shape, form or fashion...

...to be POTUS and VPOTUS and their election to the two highest offices in the land would be AN UNMITIGATED DISASTER for this country. Unthinkable and Unacceptable. I will do whatever it takes.

[Hekate]

38. All good points. Thanks.

[NNadir]

42. Well true but...

...anyone thinking of voting for that pixilated person at this point, is not really worth speaking to.

As distasteful as this is, it's probably more important to reach a person who might vote for Trump, either to get them to stay home, or consider Ms. Clinton.

[Ernesto]

44. A vote for Nader was a vote for the chimp!.............. n-t

[Orsino]

45. In the lifeboat, we could have her ear while she rows.

And take our own turns at the oars. If Hillay Clinton isn't the president you want, make her a better one.

[DinahMoeHum]

47. More reasons from Slate as to why Stein is a piss-poor candidate. . .

http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2016/07/27/jill_stein_is_not_the_savior_the_left_is_looking_for.html

[MarianJack]

48. I'm about to vote for Jill Stein in my bathroom.

I'll wipe afterwards!

PEACE!

[Bradical79]

50. It's just stupid

Might as well make your "protest vote" a write in for a random name out of the phone book. They'd probably be just as qualified, and more likely to have reasonable views on vaccines.

[wysi]

52. Indeed

Every four years my late friend Edward would write in "Bill the Cat" for President. It's pretty much the same thing.

[YOHABLO]

51. I'm all about getting Hillary elected, but don't throw Stein's ideas under the bus.

[Attorney in Texas]

53. Love the platform, but no progressive in any battleground state should support the candidate

[forjusticethunders]

67. Stein HAS no ideas.

[Demsrule86]

96. I throw Stein and anything that comes from her lips under the bus and

then I back it up and run her over again. She is a spoiler and a Democratic hater ...she led voters out of the Democratic convention in order to show disrespect for Democrats. Jill Stein wants Trump to win; there can be no other explanation for her behavior. She crashed the convention ; she had no place there. I would not listen to one word Jill Stein said. She is dead to me. Fuck Jill Stein!

[zentrum]

54. All this is

……very true. And what I discern in it, cut down to the bare gist, is that these protest voters will in fact experience the election as a vote for the lesser of two evils.

That is the problem that reframing does not change.

An anti-Trump vote, (in other words, a vote for Hillary and no one else) essential as that is, is not what democracy should be. We need a pro-vote election.

[hay rick]

60. The "lesser evil" is simply the better candidate.

Any candidate that you don't agree with 100% is a lesser evil. The "lesser evil" framing has the effect of reducing participation in the political process and becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. The way to break out of that vicious cycle is to help build a party or volunteer for a campaign... good old-fashioned sweat equity.

[zentrum]

64. Not at all true.

Voting for Obama/Biden over McCain/Palin and then again over Romney/Ryan was not at all a vote for the lesser evil. It was for most, a pro-better vote.

Things are not quite that way this time. That's all I feel comfortable saying in this venue.

[hay rick]

70. We disagree.

Hillary lacks Barack's charisma but I think there is little difference between them on policy. The difference between the Democratic candidate and the Republican candidate, on the other hand, has only gotten greater with each succeeding election. I will vote for Hillary without enthusiasm. I will vote against Trump with absolute conviction.

I supported Bernie in the primary and I volunteer for the party because I want to rebuild the party of FDR. Our first and necessary task, however, is to save our democracy from those who would discard it.

[Demsrule86]

97. Many people were not thrilled with either

Romney or Obama who was not as popular as he is now. Many people said why couldn't we have better candidates when I GOTV. They say every year because someone's primary pick didn't get in or a second term president has done things that people don't like...the Greens were brutal to President Obama by the way.

[zentrum]

108. They don't say "why can't we have better candidates"

.....just because of petulant sour grapes. They say it because of the clear-eyed perception that things that could change more and more rapidly simply do not because of more hidden systems---Citizen's United putting K street on steroids for example, and the corporate take over of the elections etc.

My comment was more directed at Obama '08 before the disillusionment of his first term had set in. That '08 vote was the most pro-vote I've seen in my lifetime. Putting aside for the moment the PUMA's. Going back to what this thread is about ----the idea of having "to vote for the lesser evil". The '08 vote stood out as not being like that for millions.

Many aren't looking at their political choices as team sports and my tribe vs the other guys, or a set of mere "likes"---but as real life policy choices that effect life, death, health, their kid's future. I think there is a sense of desperation in the country that started to surface in the '08 economic melt down and that's what makes people feel they are trapped in the "lesser of two evils" choice.

[Demsrule86]

109. I always wonder at people who think a president can do everything on his own.

Imagine if Obama had a real majority. He never did ...with conservadems, Lieberman and Kennedy being ill.

[Paladin]

55. The lifeboat comparison is first-rate.

Not so much for me, as I've backed Hillary from the beginning. But I know a couple of sore-headed Bernie supporters who need to hear it.

[AllyCat]

57. I just got an email from my Dems and Progressives group

saying the majority of the members are working for Stein. SMH. They helped me get elected to public office. And now want to undo everything we have fought for. I am frustrated that we have to settle this election again. But when each one is more awful than the last, how can we not vote against the republicans?

[Demsrule86]

98. There will be no progressive movement if Trump gets in and packs the courts.

Your friends don't understand. How will they look at their wives and daughters and say ...'hey abortion is now illegal and I helped', being gay is now criminalized again,my vote did nothing to stop it...never mind gay marriage this is what Scalia wanted and Trump wants justices who think as Scalia did and millions are locked up in little more than concentration camps...we could even face nuclear war. How about we become a brown shirt nation and take out the families of terrorists just like the Nazis...did reprisal killings. Trump has advocated for this.Trump appears to be in bed with Putin and on course to destroy NATO. This is not an ordinary election. It is as someone said a national emergency.

[CajunBlazer]

61. Jill Stein is not qualified to run for mayor of her small town of 34K

And she would be not elected if she ran.

[Lifelong Protester]

62. I marched and put my life on the line

for women's rights-I'm not about to 'flush' it all away.

[mwooldri]

65. I'm okay with protest votes when it doesn't matter.

It's okay to protest vote when we know for sure a supermajority will vote for a particular candidate.

It's not okay to protest vote when it matters. Your vote counts. Just ask anyone from the UK.

Anyone in NC or VA who doesn't want to see Trump win better vote for Hillary. It can be seen as voting against something rather than for something. However a vote is a vote... so Hillary or Bust.

[Demsrule86]

99. I disasgree

It always matters.

[shireen]

66. I am seeing a lot of hatred for Hillary

on Facebook political pages. It's kinda scary and depressing to see people lash out that way. And some of them are really mad at Bernie.

[jimlup]

68. Yes Trump is an national Emergency

well said

[LostOne4Ever]

69. Exactly! nt

[bocaharv]

71. Jill Stein

Nader elected Bush. Stein is a spoiler & is a vote for Drumpf

[mountain grammy]

72. K&R

[Wolf Frankula]

73. Remember what GREEN stands for

Get Republicans Elected Every November. The Greens take repukelican money. They use Trumpoid talking points. Vote Hillary.

Wolf

[demwing]

112. Pot?

Environmental?
Nauseated?

[Lunabell]

74. I will never vote for an anti science candidate.

Who panders to antivaxxers.

[DonCoquixote]

76. I am in Florida

so with all due respect to any people who say "my votes doe not count because I am in a red or blue state, kindly keep in mind those of us who are not are doing the heavy lifting that you refuse to do.

[Demsrule86]

104. I would say even those that live in other states need to vote Demcratic

While the popular vote does not count in terms of the electoral college...it is significant in terms of what sort of a mandate you are viewed as having.

[DonCoquixote]

111. I hear that

but I grow weary of blue in either solid red or solid blue chide me for not seeing I am not playing on the same field as they. Granted, I despise the Electoral College, but it is what it is.

[dubyadiprecession]

78. Jill stein can't get there, from here...

You might as well throw your vote away by voting for Jill.

[lonestarnot]

79. Not that I really want an answer, but

who the fuck is Jill Stein?

[skepticscott]

84. The latest person that the Green Party has propped up

and stuffed full of their canned policy positions, ready to regurgitate them on demand.

[Demsrule86]

101. The Green Party presidential candidate

Hate Democrats and the Greens helped elect Bush II.

[beachbum bob]

80. protest vote for stein is a vote FOR trump....any way you look at it....

dishonor yourself and your country

[JCMach1]

82. The stakes are too high and have you honestly taken a close look at the candidate...

no thanks...

[2banon]

85. Excellent tweet, thank you Scuba

It's really clear as rain, but I couldn't have put it better.

[Vinca]

87. Let's put all ideology aside. The choice this November is very simple: sane vs. nuts.

I am 100% convinced Trump is clinically, mentally ill. To do anything that might enable his installation as POTUS is unthinkable.

[brooklynite]

89. ...but if the boat SINKS everyone will want to pick a better Captain next time...

...or so the theory goes.

[Demsrule86]

103. If they are still allowed to choose maybe.

But studies have shown that after a descent into super-conservatism. People are more likely to choose moderates- not liberals. And with the courts gone who cares?

[Maru Kitteh]

90. Good post Scuba.

[UCmeNdc]

100. The funny thing about Jill Stein is she is not sincere. Stein is not about real change.

If Jill Stein sincerely wanted change then she would organize herself and the Green party accordingly.

Jill Stein would say to herself I cannot win but what can I do to get my position on issues noticed and have real impact?

That is what a sincere and honest person would do.

A person that only wants glory for him or herself will seek publicity with no real plan to actually get their program through.

Bernie Sanders is sincere, he fought hard then adjusted as needed and still has his program in the game. Bernie Sanders can still build and force Clinton to go in the right direction. Jill Stein is doing nothing but talking. No real action.

[beachbum bob]

102. ego over country....and screw america...thats what a vote for stein....ebds up doing

[thucythucy]

106. Isn't the Green Party having its convention soon?

I wonder if any supporters of science--that is to say, people who oppose her anti-vaccination hysteria and the harm it's done--are planning to show up to protest.

That would be some sweet irony, and it would be interesting to see how they'd handle protests at THEIR gathering.

[BlueCaliDem]

107. One word: POWERFUL!

Thank you, Scuba.