ALL Elections matter, not just big "important" ones like the Senate race in MA tomorrow. I defer to someone who really said it best:
GORE: I feel your determination, after two terms of the Bush- Cheney administration, to change the direction of our country. In looking back over the last eight years, I can tell you that we have already learned one important fact since the year 2000. Take it from me, elections matter.
(APPLAUSE)
GORE: If you think the next appointments to our Supreme Court are important, you know that elections matter.
If you live in the City of New Orleans, you know that elections matter.
(APPLAUSE)
GORE: If you or a member of your family are serving in the active military, the National Guard or Reserves, you know that elections matter.
(APPLAUSE)
GORE: If you're a wounded veteran, you know that elections matter.
If you lost your job, if you're struggling with your mortgage, you know that elections matter.
(APPLAUSE)
GORE: If you care about a clean environment, if you want a government that protects you instead of special interests, you know that elections matter.
If you care about food safety, if you like a T on your BLT, you know that elections matter.
(APPLAUSE)
GORE: If you bought poisoned lead-filled toys from China or adulterated medicine made in China, if you bought tainted pet food made in China, you know that elections matter.
After the last eight years, even our dogs and cats have learned that elections matter.
I know we don't always LIKE the Blue Dogs, but they are more willing to negotiate than the Republicans are. It's just like Senator John Kerry said at a Coakley rally:
All of us in Congress have had to spend this last year, not throwing out slogans. Not playing to the cheap seats. Not just using the old time boring slogans of politics, but actually governing. Making decisions to bring this country back from the brink. How to stop jobs from hemorrhaging, how to save the banking system of our country. these are the decisions that we had to make. Many of them unpopular decisions. But all of that time, through each and every single urgent choice and every single tough decision, the Republicans did nothing but say 'no'. No alternatives to the disaster, just plain 'no'. 'No' to jobs. 'No' to the bailout money that we had to keep people in their homes. (audience member: 'No' to healthcare!"'No' to money that we wanted to put into the immediate-putting people back to work. 'No' to healthcare. 'No' to Medicare. 'No' to extension of unemployment benefits for people who've lost their jobs. 'No' to strengthening Medicare itself. 'No' to energy independence. In every case 'no'.
They made a calculated political decision that they would say no to governance, create anger, and then let the anger fall on those who are struggling to make the choices and these tough decisions. And now, they have the gall to want to receive a bonus for doing it.
Well my friends, the only things the Republicans say yes to are Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, tea partiers, and Fox News.
Even in our frustration we need to remember that President Obama won't be able to get ANYTHING done if he has a Congress that he cannot negotiate with. Refusing to vote in ANY election isn't "punishing" Democrats, it's allowing the minority to hold the United States hostage for their own political gain. If you care about ending DADT, then elections matter. If you care about whether or not women continue to have the right to choose, then elections matter. If you care about the economy recovering anytime soon, then elections matter. Presidents don't pass laws. Yes, we finally got someone in the White House who listens to us, but he still has to deal with Congress in what has become an increasingly partisan environment. As long as the Republicans think it is politically expedient to oppose anything that President Obama is FOR, there will be no bi-partisanship. We should ALWAYS be "fired up" and "ready to go" for elections. It shouldn't take the scare of a few polls and some hyperventilating talking heads to get us fired up. Being frustrated is fine, but you aren't punishing anyone but yourself by refusing to vote, especially if you are among the groups of people for whom people FOUGHT, went to jail and died so you could vote.
There should never be an "enthusiasm" gap between Democrats and people who lean Democratic and the people on the right. After the 2000 election we should ALWAYS be excited to vote, because elections matter. All of those issues he cited in his endorsement speech of then candidate-Obama still apply today. It's going to take TIME to fix those things, no matter who is in the White House.
So if you think that elections matter, remember that we have to fight for EVERY seat in Congress, no matter how "safe" it seems at any given time.