#But at least cast a ballot so the Dems have some idea of what your issues are. And you REALLY need to vote on state stuff regardless

[vamptastic]

I am trying very VERY hard to not be too optimistic about the election but I will say as someone in the Republican trenches I think Trump is getting progressively crazier and crazier and the fans of his that still think they're voting for gas prices seem to be having a bit of a wakeup call. Most of the rhetoric seems to be directed at criticizing Harris which is just not as easy of a target as Biden. I even saw some conservatives poking fun at him for his performance in the debate on a local forum. Think she might have a good chance of winning.

[desroundtree]

Vote - A Definition

Vote - a formal indication of a choice between two or more candidates expressed typically through a ballot.

There are reasons for all of us to feel unsure about the 2020 presidential election. Many things stand in the way of what feels like a fair and equitable solutions for all involved. The current administration’s attack on the US Postal Service, which would be key to having a safe and fair election, has been crystal clear. In the middle of a pandemic, his intention is for people, both Democrats and Republicans, to vote in person or simply have the chance of your vote not counting at all.

He intends to stop us from voting.

Democrats seems to think that we are the only ones that fear COVID. We have all seen the media coverage of Trump supporters arguing about the legitimacy of a disease that has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. We have seen video after video of people screaming in stores about mask requirements that not only protect them, but others around them. We’ve seen it all at this point, so much so that nothing surprises us. We are unmoved by the bad behavior. It’s become normal and day to day. That taints our version of every Republican - as media coverage does to Democrats who often appear with their hands out and no solutions to pay for any of what Dems feel are basic social needs.

I will admit I know Republicans that are not hard headed cavemen. I know Republicans that wear masks. I know Republicans that are voting on the side of their religion, though the man in the White House reflects none of the values present in any Bible story I can recall. Republicans that seem to have common sense and decency but can still legitimize everything that has happened. But still Republicans that I would normally consider kind people are accepting of the most unkind behavior I’ve seen in years in politics.

I  know that racism and racist tropes did not stop those same Republicans from voting for a man that has continually disregarded the Constitution, skirted laws, ran the economy into the ground, refused to condemn racist behavior and ideology, attacked US citizens exercising their right to protest and to be honest, has stopped at nothing to destroy every single path to growth the Obama administration had set forth for us. There is such a vast difference in presidencies of course. For some this is what they’ve always wanted, this false sense of power and control applauded by the highest office in the land. This giant leap backward into a time that had BIPOC living in a space that others created for us. A space that they constantly changed to keep us just a rung lower on any ladder of success, if we were even allowed on the ladder at all.

But the rest of us lived through the Obama administration and came away with something different. It wasn’t perfect and the best decisions weren’t always made, but admittance of fault is something we haven’t seen in the last four years from the Trump administration. Instead of blame, we saw acceptance that maybe just maybe the President was human. We were forever changed at the thought, then understood we were deserving of change, and hope. We as a whole people deserved the respect often given only to some. We were deserving too.

It is hard to reconcile the two. It’s hard to understand how we ended up here - with white supremacy at its peak, people who believe it’s their constitutional right to possibly infect other people with a virus that could kill them, humans feeling the distinct power to degrade and dehumanize others simply because of the color of their skin, their gender, their choices.

In my opinion, a vote for Donald Trump was and still is a vote for racism, patriarchy, Zionism, and rape culture. It is anti-science, anti-love, anti-acceptance. It is the antithesis of anything religion has ever taught me. It is the opposite of anything that could possibly help this country continue on the trajectory that it was once on. It is the end all be all of a lot of things that once garnered respect and faith. It ended relationships because it had to, there was just no way to salvage or respect that much of a difference in not only opinions but morals.

We have asked Mother May I for four giant leaps back, though we keep fighting to march forward. We keep reaching for that golden ring, that pass that can take us back to a place where we could at least be proud of where we stand as a nation. Even with the birtherism and the outright racism, it felt like we were more together than we are now. 

Maybe this Democratic ticket wasn’t what you wanted. I can tell you it certainly wasn’t my first choice either. To be honest, voting is important but I understand the disenfranchised feeling it can bring. The idea that your vote doesn’t really matter in the grand scheme of things. What does one vote matter? 

The answer to that question is a whole damn lot. If your vote wasn’t important there wouldn’t be these obstacles. This complete and total acceptance of ignoring the very law and order this administration promised its constituents. Voting is the only way to create real change - from your local elections to the presidential election. Your vote should be educated, though I cannot lie, this time mine is emotional.

I am completely over feeling as if I am being held hostage by the administration. I am tired of listening to the barrage of lies, inconsistencies and downright travesties that leave the mouth of the current occupant of the WH. I am tired and if I’m tired, I know other people are tired too.

We can protest. We can take to the streets and sign the petitions. We can donate and continue to push the idea that Black Lives Matter. But if we don’t place an administration that follows those same ideals, we will spend the next four years slipping further into what feels like an existence filled with more and more disconnect, more and more violence and less and less understanding.

Vote. Respect the importance of your vote. Even if it feels powerless, it’s the most powerful weapon we have right now.  Prepare for what you might encounter if voting by mail - request  whatever you need to start the process as a deterred US Postal Service struggles to ensure our democracy and keep us safe.

Watching mailboxes removed from our streets is not normal. This is not normal. There is no way, even if you cast your vote for him that this can seem normal. Don’t tell me this doesn’t feel like something you’ve seen before. There is no way that you can’t feel as if this is a violation of your rights too.

There is so much more I could say and certainly so much more I feel. But understanding that your vote is key in this election is necessary, and maybe you’ll never vote again (I hope that’s not the case) but this one right now is important.

Everything is on the line so if he wants us to stand on lines to vote - then I guess that’s what we have to do.

Voting resources -  

Are you registered?

https://www.vote.org/am-i-registered-to-vote/  

How to register

https://www.usa.gov/register-to-vote#item-212645 

Contact your elected officials about USPS cuts

Text USPS to 50409 to use Resistbot to draft a letter/fax to your representatives 

[figsandnewtons]

Hello! So I'm in the UK and from what I can piece together from twitter, there seem to have been a surprisingly high number of Dems elected yesterday. But also... I know nothing about what this election(s) were really about, why they happened now, and what this means going forward? And you're good at laying shit down... Could you give like a basic rundown or your analysis of what's, uh, happening?

There’s no clean answer to this, because the elections last night are completely state-dependent. Like…some states didn’t have anything last night at all. Other states had “local” elections (which means, not state-wide, but things like district judges, mayors, district controllers, school board officials, city officials, etc.). Other states, including the widely reported OR, VA, and NJ had state-level elections (likely in addition to municipal-level) where the state legislature and/or governorship was up for grabs.

Overall, there was a democratic sweep of like, everything. Hotly contested seats went easily in that favor, whereas “safe” seats were suddenly toss-ups. For instance, my district is pretty conservative, especially at the local level (it’s one of the ones targeted by “flip a district” for 2018 since it’s been more and more borderline for national elections), and yet 51.63% of voters walked into the booth and cast a straight-party ballot for Democrats (38.48% are registered Dem, 44.11% registered GOP, and 17.41% registered independent). That is HUGE.

Then there’s states like Virginia where, following recount, Democrats may have retaken the House of Delegates, which was just not supposed to happen at all. The governor race was important, but something like that was NEVER expected. Even if GOP retains a majority, it’s a slim one, and there’s now a Democratic governor to veto anything terrible. Like, for instance, obviously gerrymandered voting districts for VA’s next map…something that more or less “hides” votes of certain parties by either packing them all into one district, or spreading them all out. Gerrymandering is why 55% of PA voted to be represented in the national House by a Democrat, but only 5/18 seats are actually filled by one.

Also, it’s important to understand just how much state governments affect policy and protections. It’s at the state-level things like, right-to-discriminate bills are passed (in Indiana, for instance). Or on a more positive side, bills that set measures and regulations to combat climate change (California with their CAFE standards comes to mind). Voter suppression occurs at a state level. Then dripping down to the municipal level, there’s city mayors, there’s distract attorneys, there’s school board directors…they all set the agenda and can really drive things that immediately touch people. Hell, one of the biggest wins of last night was Philly’s district attorney, a huge advocate for the rights of BLM. This is going to impact a lot in the city, which is the 5th largest city in the country.

All this said, the takeaways that matter most are this:

No seat should be thought of as uncontestable. Everything is on the table in 2018 

A lot of democrats last night ran unopposed, which shows the power of actually running. So many seats just go to the default because people aren’t stirred to do anything

Progressives can win. Democrats don’t have to be appeasing centrists to get elected. A democratic socialist was elected to Virginia’s House (replacing the majority whip, no less). This is why we need to primary them all, and then unite in the general. We did it here, we can do it in 2018.

We don’t need Blandy McWhitebreads running. A transwoman beat the gross bigot who spearheaded VA’s anti-trans bathroom bills. A black transwoman was elected to the Minneapolis City Council. NJ got its first Sikh mayor (Hoboken), as well as first black mayors in a couple of key cities. A lesbian mayor was elected in Seattle. 

This is why it’s important that people turn out to vote. I don’t have a particularly large district, and many of the seats were down to

Now, that said, there can’t be any resting on laurels in 2018. This was an anti-Trump vote, plain and simple. It was also one that came in the wake of the disastrous attempt at healthcare “reform” and two mass shootings. Top issues exit polls found for VA voters? Guns and healthcare. 

It’s only good for the Democrats that like, Medicaid/Medicare continue to enjoy support (expansion passed EASILY in Maine), but it doesn’t mean they can rely on the climate to be the same in 2018. Additionally, the alarming number of straight-ticket votes shows that this wasn’t a platform-driven election across the board (there’s individual elections where that’s not true). The challenge Democrats have is standing for something (imo principles of economic, social, and environmental justice are the no-brainers and easily winnable), and well…we’ve still got the DNC pumping out bumper-stickers reading, “I mean, have you seen the other guys?”

It’s attainable, for sure. But it requires engagement to continue, especially in the 2018 primary process. We need strong candidates. What this showed was that conventional ideas of “strength” (moderate, “down-to-earth” stances, and safe demographics) are flipped on their head now. Strength now seems to be passion and authenticity. Or at least, that’s the best working theory I’ve got. 

Now, we wait.

[bespectacledbellman]

Grab Your Vote, Love, You’ve Polled!

Apparently, Napoleon once described Britain as a ‘nation of shopkeepers’. But surely we’re a nation of voters? From Eurovision and Strictly to I’m a Celeb and Big Brother, the British people are seemingly obsessed with voting… apart from when it matters.

The turnout at elections is pitifully small. At a time when the suffrage is greater than ever before, with options such as postal and proxy voting, a huge number of people abscond from their right - and some would say duty - to cast their vote for their favourite (or least disliked) candidate.

I get why people don’t want to vote. It’s easy to like celebrities dancing, or people’s singing voices - it’s not very easy to like the political process. I believe it was Germany’s Iron Chancellor, Otto von Bismarck, who said that ‘laws are like sausages - it’s best not to see them being made’. And that was over a century ago. In the modern era, with cameras filming the goings-on of Parliament, we’re able to witness the political process with relative ease. Even if you don’t tune into BBC Parliament, it’s pretty much unavoidable to hear about politics - and the dread B-word. 

The more we hear about Brexit the more frustrated everyone gets - Leavers and Remainers alike - who look at Parliament and wonder why nothing has been done. It adds to the general belief that politicians are useless. But let’s be fair, we’ve shoved a referendum (direct democracy) into a parliament (representative democracy), and it’s like fixing a grandfather clock with bits from your iWatch. Yes, they both tell the time, but they operate completely differently and aren’t compatible. Hell, I can’t even get a 90’s PC game to work on Windows 10!

Nevertheless, I believe Parliament is doing its job. As much as yes, they haven’t yet ‘delivered’ Brexit, they’ve also prevented no-deal, kept an open border on the island of Ireland and scrutinised Withdrawal Bills to ensure that the environment, migrants and workers’ rights (and more) are protected. Because yes, although MPs represent the 52% who voted to leave (only 37.5% of the overall electorate) they also represent the other 48% or, to be more precise, the 62.5% of the country who didn’t vote to leave.

And because Parliament has been doing its duty in protecting its constituents, it’s more important than ever that we vote. Because the people we vote for will be checking Withdrawal Bills, will be deciding what happens when Britain leaves the EU, and - most importantly - will actually be doing everything non-Brexit related when all’s said and done.

They’ll be deciding taxes, foreign affairs, health and social care, education, farming, welfare, pensions, the environment, workers’ rights, migration quotas and rules, women’s rights, LGBTQ+ rights, food standards, armed forces funding, foreign aid, local government funding, early years funding, housing, police, probation, the courts, prisons - the list goes on. If any of those even flicker vague self-interest, you need to vote. 

I’m a member of the Green Party, and I will be voting Green. I could now have a little tirade of why you should vote Green because I believe the Green Party have the best policies, from my standpoint. But from your standpoint, they won’t. That’s fine. You might want to vote for the Conservatives, Labour, the Lib Dems, the SNP, Plaid Cymru, Independent, Monster Raving Loony or even for the Brexit Party. Although I will likely disagree with your non-Green choice, I will respect it, because we’re a democracy. You vote for the candidate/party that you feel will benefit you and your future. If you think Labour, the Lib Dems or the Brexit Party will do that, go vote for them.

Just bloody vote!!!

Even if - in fact, especially if - you think Parliament is failing, you need to vote. If you think Johnson or Corbyn are fools, go vote for someone else. Use your vote against the candidate you dislike the most if you don’t like any of them. And once you’ve voted, you’ve registered your right to moan about it all for the next five years/months until the next general election. Oh yes, there’ll be another one before you know it.

I’m not even going to mention women chucking themselves in front of horses to get the right to vote.

 So please vote.

 And once you’ve got that in your head, start reading. Spend a bit of time to look at manifestos and websites and see which party suits you the most. The Labour of the 1990’s is not the Labour of today. Similarly the Conservatives of the 1980’s are not the Conservatives of today. The Lib Dems have regrouped since Nick “I’m Sorry” Clegg’s student loan volte-face. UKIP are more fruitcake-esque than ever and the Brexit Party are (clue in the name) a single-issue party. The Greens want to stop climate change, introduce a universal basic income and get rid of nukes (the latter of which I thought was a bloody insane idea a few years ago, until I realised how much we spend on them and how little we spend on rare diseases that thousands of children suffer from). 

Not that I’m trying to persuade you, of course…

But we’re all attracted to different things. Just like the X Factor, someone’s singing voice, stage presence and charisma might grip you to vote for them. Others acts will just not cut the mustard. Unlike the X Factor, who you vote for might determine whether you can afford a new home, get a pension when you retire, or get the medicine and treatment you or your loved ones need if, Gods-forbid, illness should strike.

So please consider carefully the party and candidate that suits you, and then go vote for them!

Because here’s the shocking thing: if you actually look at election turnouts across constituencies, more often than not the winning candidate could have been outvoted by all the people who didn’t vote. So literally if everyone who didn’t vote in Barnsley Central decided to cast their vote for me in, I’d probably beat Labour, who have held the seat since, well, forever. Just think about that before you decided not to bother voting (please don’t vote for me, politics is a spectator sport).

And if you don’t want the trouble of going to a polling station, register for postal voting. You get it through the post, and send your completed ballot paper through the post weeks before the election date, meaning you’ve got nothing to worry about come Election Day.

So, in conclusion, vote for whoever you believe will represent you and the Britain you want, but just please, please, please, please, please, please vote!

You can register to vote here: https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote