I write this in the wee hours, as befits a public service diary.
Following the paragraph below, I’ll explain how to vote. (Hint: calculate.)
The reason to vote is because it’s your civic duty. Even more than serving on jury duty (which, ahem, I’ve always got out of). Vote with passion, vote without passion, but vote in every primary, special election, and every presidential election. Vote because it matters. Especially this time.
The contest between Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton is for the soul of the Democratic Party, and it’s been a long time coming. As a voter in your state’s primary/caucus, you want a piece of that action.
You’ll notice that both camps may seem to be fighting hard over this. Harsh words have been written. That’s because this is important. We are facing the most horrible looking face of the Republican Party since before I was born, which was in the 1950s. We are facing a tipping point in global warming, financial control of the world, and the list goes on too long. Who we pick is very important. That’s why we fight now.
Whatever the differences between the Hillary-Sanders camps, they pale in comparison to our horror at any of the GOP front-runners (actually, any of them). I recall about a year ago, when everyone thought this was going to be between Hillary Clinton and Jeb Bush; there wasn’t a one of us who wasn’t primed to go hammer-and-tongs against another Bush. But things changed, and the GOP field turned from worse to nasty to insane.
Now let me address those who are ardent Hillary or Bernie supporter who have said that they won’t vote for the other in the General election. That’s your right. But vote, damnit.
For what it’s worth, here is how I vote:
- California Primary. We never get a say, and by the time it comes to vote, it’s all over. Candidates come here for the money; that’s all. So, I vote my conscience. The best I can hope for as an indie this time around is if the GOP primary comes and there’s a spoiler vote movement. So I’m in a not-going-to-matter state. Unlike Iowa, which has the worst election process known to humankind.
- The General. We will face the most horrible person the GOP has sent up since ever. Hell, they could send up a sane Republican (who does not exist) and it would still be a disaster. So WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO DO, is vote for the Democrat. Is what you’re going to do.
This public service announcement was provided by a Liberal.