We are fighting the wrong people. We're fighting Republicans when we should be fighting non-voting. If we devoted HALF the amount of time and money we spend trying to counter the Republicans just on getting people to change their perceptions on voting...we'd kick Republican butt up and down the board year after year.
Whenever I hear "we just need to turn out the vote!" I take that as shorthand for "We're hosed."
Ya know...I used to be really angry about Ralph Nader and all the folks who voted for him in 2000, sucking votes away from Al Gore. I used to get all annoyed with those folks.
But I've changed my tune.
Why? Because at least those jerks voted. At least they got up off their butts and voted.
Just read an article where there was 28% voter turnout in Indiana last Tuesday. Pathetic.
Please don't give me that garbage about voter intimidation and Voter ID laws and "dogs ate my homework"...blah blah blah. Sure it's all atrocious and speaks of the evil intent of Republicans trying to further depress voting. But ultimately...MOST folks who CAN vote just don't and there's absolutely nothing standing in their way. Those new anti-voter things aren't why people aren't voting.
We can whine and cry ourselves dry for years about new obstacles in the way of voting and it won't make barely an ounce of difference to the turnout. It's a drop in the bucket. It's a red herring compared to the vast number of people who CAN but DON'T vote.
TWENTY EIGHT PERCENT in Indiana! What the hell? 72% of Indiana's potential voters aren't impoverished single parents surrounded by children working seven back to back minimum wage jobs 30 hours a day without any form of transportation or photo ID.
No. MOST of those folks have NO EXCUSE AT ALL except apathy. There's NOTHING stopping the vast majority of non-voters from going to the polls.
Republicans aren't the ones screwing up this country. Folks who don't vote are the ones making a mess of things.
Look...DNC...listen to me:
Take half of your money and devote it to changing perceptions on voting rather than propping up candidates who just shit talk the President anyway.
I swear to god...I've had too many friends and family say "Ohhh...I didn't vote and here's why: BARF BARF BARF BARF BARF BAAAAARF BARF BLAH BLAH BLAH BAAAAARRRFBLAAAHBLAHBARF"
For the love of god it's ONE DAY out of EVERY OTHER YEAR. We all spend more time picking our nose in line waiting for a cheesburger in that span of time. There's no excuse for not getting out ONCE EVERY OTHER YEAR to make exes on a piece of paper.