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In reply to the discussion: When you stay home or vote third party, THIS is what happens. Make a different choice next time. [View all]zipplewrath
(16,646 posts)"...took votes from her...
Your word choice suggests they were votes that some how "belonged" to her or otherwise owed her. The bottom line is that votes have to be earned. Yes, it is frustrating to see people seemingly vote against their own interests, but that's the system.
The real flaw about the OP is that the problem really wasn't the people that voted knowing full well what they were doing and what risk they were taking. The real problem is the people (and I suspect it was on both sides of the aisle) that decide they can vote for a particular person because the "know" who is going to win "anyway". That is a risky and down right dangerous way to participate in a democracy.
Quite honestly, the primary problem was probably not people who voted for Stein, or stayed home. It was very likely the folks that voted for Trump because they thought he'd never win. If one likes Stein, vote for Stein. But don't ever vote for someone that if they won your first reaction would be "oh, crap, how'd that happen?".