2016 Postmortem

quaker bill

(8,260 posts)

115. You can imagine all you like

Mon May 30, 2016, 07:41 PM

May 2016

I am no Hillary fan and would not waste my time speaking to you in that regard. I am only stating what I see the actual options are. I was one of the people working for Al Gore in FL when we came in 537 short.

I found living day to day with GWB for the next 8 years deeply depressing. I believe I will find 4 years of Trump to be a worse experience.

I have in all honesty nearly always voted against the greater of two evils. Perhaps you are young and idealistic and think it will someday be different, as I did once.

You can sit it out, or vote 3rd party, or otherwise waste your time anyway you want. I for one, helped organize the Green Party of FL, that is right, the party that put Nader on the FL ballot in 2000.

What I have learned over decades of trying is that my vote is not sacred, not even vaguely sacred. It costs me nothing and takes 15 minutes out of my day once a year or so. Using it pragmatically to attempt to cause others and myself less pain is worth the 15 minute investment.

Don't get me wrong, this stuff is serious, deadly serious. If Trump wins, he will have the keys to 10,000 nuclear weapons for 4 years. He will be in command of the most powerful military on the planet. That is serious. While given free choice, Hillary would not be my pick, not even close, she is at least an adult with no massive psychological defects apparent. She just might listen when we protest.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

117 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Voting the lesser of two evils is blackmail [View all] larkrake May 2016 OP

It's a way to cram right wing policies down our throats AgingAmerican May 2016 #1

Correct. Corporations love doing that to us larkrake May 2016 #17

We are being set up by the oligarchy. They win either way. Jackilope May 2016 #26

exactly, throwing breadcrumbs to ducks (Not that we are ducks) larkrake May 2016 #31

More like manure and ducks spit that stuff right back up nolabels May 2016 #76

The ONLY Path To CHANGE Is For US To Stand In TOTAL OPPOSITION To This Ever Worsening Grand Charade CorporatistNation May 2016 #101

So said the Naderites in 2000 annavictorious May 2016 #102

Gore wasnt crammed down our throats AgingAmerican May 2016 #103

no, he was so afflicted by Clinton schrapnal, he didnt have a big enough lead to avoid Jeb's larkrake May 2016 #109

What is exceptionally annoying SheilaT May 2016 #2

agreed- no one is perfect, but some are bent over with heavy luggage larkrake May 2016 #15

I hope you're a straight, white male. Metric System May 2016 #3

What? Race-baiting from Camp Weathervane? Oh, I can't believe that would ever happen... Lizzie Poppet May 2016 #5

I am a female citizen of the world, lived in 11 states and 6 countries and larkrake May 2016 #13

Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish Tierra_y_Libertad May 2016 #4

What future are you talking about? Demsrule86 May 2016 #6

Thank you. I wish we could recommend individual posts. Arkansas Granny May 2016 #9

Right. Shadowflash May 2016 #10

But don't you understand? The faster we let it all sufrommich May 2016 #12

Nothing springs up overnight. Expect years of chaos. Katashi_itto May 2016 #66

this is true larkrake May 2016 #79

Too bad you can't bottle that fear and sell it. Mike__M May 2016 #27

if if if if if, are you so afraid? you really think congress ia going to listen to this conman? larkrake May 2016 #36

translations DonCoquixote May 2016 #72

well I am an under-privileged old lady so let me explain. larkrake May 2016 #83

It costs $100 for a passport and jobs are readily available elsewhere, just not here. DonCoquixote May 2016 #105

the children and poor get free education and healthcare in Europe, they dont have to be citizens larkrake May 2016 #107

+1,000,000 Mz Pip May 2016 #77

yes thank you MFM008 May 2016 #78

are you insane? larkrake May 2016 #84

Our system is voluntary voting with a secret ballot. Feathery Scout May 2016 #7

a two party system is blackmail larkrake May 2016 #37

There are multiple parties running candidates for POTUS and down ticket seats. Feathery Scout May 2016 #67

Alot of folks are not aware of this fact, and the media wont help these good candidates larkrake May 2016 #85

Said every Paulite ever. sufrommich May 2016 #8

well, it is a stretch that this is a country since the civil war. The south never joined larkrake May 2016 #29

Once they get you to violate your principles Jester Messiah May 2016 #11

yes, sort of like a wife-beating victim, stays because it MIGHT be worse if she leaves larkrake May 2016 #23

... SidDithers May 2016 #14

Use of the word moron to make your point is moronic. EndElectoral May 2016 #21

+1000. nt sufrommich May 2016 #22

Put it this way: opiate69 May 2016 #24

Do whatever you want Tavarious Jackson May 2016 #16

then vote Hill, its your belief and no one should bring up larkrake May 2016 #20

This message was self-deleted by its author TM99 May 2016 #99

It is blackmail, and it's an ugly way to force people to give up their freedom Hydra May 2016 #18

this is true, and has worked for many decades larkrake May 2016 #19

Have no fear GulfCoast66 May 2016 #104

If you believe a Trump presidency wouldn't be a unmitigated disaster you need a life counselor. DemocratSinceBirth May 2016 #25

No, it's not blackmail Nonhlanhla May 2016 #28

Interesting theory, yet I hear it as a truthful excuse larkrake May 2016 #30

That's exactly the kind of system the two parties here are fighting to prevent. NorthCarolina May 2016 #41

Truer words were never spoken which is why we need term limits in congress larkrake May 2016 #52

That is the absolute proof that the system is only for the few farleftlib May 2016 #73

Well, we have the best possible system.....for Them. NorthCarolina May 2016 #75

Damn skippy (eom) farleftlib May 2016 #82

True, and some candidates are sounding like lobbyists larkrake May 2016 #86

Blackmail is also threatening to help Trump win geek tragedy May 2016 #32

yes, the threat is there like a hemorrhoid, but she will win larkrake May 2016 #53

It is a just a figure of speech. It means no candidate is perfectly aligned w me emulatorloo May 2016 #33

That is the calculus you have to make, my point exactly. We all have to make larkrake May 2016 #42

The way to make third parties nationally viable is to start locally emulatorloo May 2016 #45

absolutely. These races are far more vital than the presidency larkrake May 2016 #55

That is a lie.. there are no lesser than two evils Peacetrain May 2016 #34

peanut butter smooth or peanutbutter chunky, you still larkrake May 2016 #50

It is simple politics gollygee May 2016 #35

So have more options larkrake May 2016 #46

That isn't how our system works gollygee May 2016 #48

I dont expect anything to change this year, it was decided in '08,it was then larkrake May 2016 #58

Things will change if Trump were to become president. gollygee May 2016 #68

I don't feel that way shanti May 2016 #71

She's part of the establishment gollygee May 2016 #74

just more wars and trade deals larkrake May 2016 #87

Calling Clinton evil is stupid. Destroys any further serious conversation. seabeyond May 2016 #38

JFK quote pdsimdars May 2016 #39

You think JFK wouldn't have voted for Clinton over trump? gollygee May 2016 #40

I'm pretty sure JFK would feel the Bern larkrake May 2016 #43

I'm not talking about Bernie vs. Clinton gollygee May 2016 #44

or not voting Pres at all, just support down ticket to prevent the inevitable destruction larkrake May 2016 #59

Right now, in case you are uninformed, there is no such thing as "Trump over Clinton" pdsimdars May 2016 #69

The OP is about the "lesser of two evils" which is about Trump vs. Clinton gollygee May 2016 #70

yes, I was referring to the GE scenario larkrake May 2016 #96

This message was self-deleted by its author gollygee May 2016 #98

Keep watching. pdsimdars May 2016 #113

clinton has the demographics, she will win, but will never be loved larkrake May 2016 #88

so true in all options in life larkrake May 2016 #47

Thank you. Yes, it is like blackmail. Even has that "strong arm" feel to it. senz May 2016 #49

Stay home already. JoePhilly May 2016 #51

Living in the real world is tough at times Gothmog May 2016 #54

Reality is- if you dont like it, change it. As Americans, that should be instinctive larkrake May 2016 #60

But it's considered bad manners to point that out in polite company Babel_17 May 2016 #56

Sadly this is true, it is more like fans rooting for their team instead of their country larkrake May 2016 #61

Every election is that way. lovemydog May 2016 #57

Exactly! I avoided the traffic, went to Estes Park Thursday where students did great at a show, larkrake May 2016 #62

Oh, how beautiful! lovemydog May 2016 #65

yes, nature is my religion and a big dose of reality larkrake May 2016 #89

Third way or the highway Babel_17 May 2016 #63

What a great analogy, thank you for a wordless op followup larkrake May 2016 #64

So, stay the hell home. Nobody is blackmailing you. No one is forcing you to do anything. TwilightZone May 2016 #80

Never ever stay home, vote senate and reps to save the country larkrake May 2016 #92

And then if Trump is elected Demsrule86 May 2016 #81

broken record here larkrake May 2016 #93

Concur laserhaas May 2016 #90

Sanders: "My job is to make sure that Trump does not become president." oberliner May 2016 #91

He means that larkrake May 2016 #94

Advocating for what? Dem2 May 2016 #95

Downticket will be our insurance larkrake May 2016 #97

I always vote against the greater of two evils quaker bill May 2016 #100

Under normal circumstances, perhaps Flying Squirrel May 2016 #106

And incredibly interesting observation Squirrel, and perhaps the catalyst for larkrake May 2016 #108

under any circumstance, the greater of two evils is more evil quaker bill May 2016 #111

Not buying it, sorry. Flying Squirrel May 2016 #114

You can imagine all you like quaker bill May 2016 #115

To the contrary Flying Squirrel May 2016 #116

...my patience with the Democratic Party has reached its limit... quaker bill May 2016 #117

Okay.... XRubicon May 2016 #110

It's sad it's coming down to this, we deserve better than Hillary and Trump! B Calm May 2016 #112