My wife and I have voted. I would encourage everyone else to do so, too. Yes, even Republicans (I, for one, think heavy voting is better on principle than light voting, even when it doesn't favor my point of view), but particularly for Democrats.
These things make a difference. Are too many (on both sides) beholden to various big interests? Sure. Are too many in the Senate multi-millionaires? Yup. Are the Dems all bold progressives interested in freedom, protection, and opportunity for all Americans? Nope.
But arguments that there is no difference between the two parties is just silly. There's not enough difference, I think, especially in some areas, but nobody can look at the insane games that have gone on in DC between the House and the Senate (or even just within the Senate) and think that having one party in control of both chambers will mean business as usual.
So, everyone, vote. But Dems? If the GOP takes control of the Senate, there will be a lot of reasons, but a big one will be Democratic turnout fell short.
(h/t +Kee Hinckley)
Originally shared by +Jeremy Nixon:
My fellow Americans: There’s an election in two weeks, and the Republicans are favored to take control of the Senate.
There is only one issue at stake in determining control of the Senate: turnout. That’s it. Democrats are on track to lose the Senate because they aren’t going to bother to show up.
Candidates can make their speeches, and throw their tantrums at debates, but there aren’t really any swing voters anyway. All they’re doing is feeding their supporters’ social media posts.
Republicans have this figured out. They show up on Election Day. They work to pass laws to make it harder for likely Democratic voters to vote.
Democrats, not so much. They don’t bother to show up. If Democrats showed up and voted, Republicans would never control any branch of government again. No, gerrymandering wouldn’t make a difference: gerrymandering gives the Republicans only a small handful of House seats, and doesn’t affect Senate races at all. The only thing that matters is whether or not you vote.
Your vote is so important that the Republicans want to stop you from using it. Good Americans died for it. People around the world wish for it. How can you possibly take it for granted? How can you just decide it’s not worth your trouble? Are you frustrated by a lack of meaningful choices? Are you angry over the role of money in politics? Well, none of that will matter if you just get off your lazy ass and vote.
Are you upset that the politicians never take your views, your needs, your feelings into account? Well, if you don’t vote, your views, needs, and feelings don’t matter at all. They’re supposed to ignore you. It’s rational for them to ignore you. They’ll ignore you, and pay attention to the wacko teabaggers with the misspelled signs and nary a clue among them. Those people will be making your decisions for you.
Yesterday, Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey said that it’s important for Republicans to win state elections this year, so they will be the ones “overseeing the voting mechanism” in the 2016 presidential election. That’s how they plan to win elections: by controlling them. They’re doing everything they can to keep you from voting, and their most potent weapon is making you not want to bother. You may not think a midterm election is important, but they know it is.
“Not voting” isn’t a protest, and it’s not a statement. It’s an abdication.
Further reading:
http://www.northjersey.com/news/christie-says-gop-gubernatorial-candidates-need-to-win-so-they-control-voting-mechanisms-1.1113989
