Dear Fellow Democrats,

I'm not considering not voting next month because I'm stupid. I get it, if I don't vote for the Democrats, I might as well vote for the Republicans. But you know what? I'm not sure there's a fucking difference anymore. I'm not going to blame Obama for not repealing DADT or getting us universal health care. I am going to blame him for continuing to prevent justice by classifying everything related to the war as state secrets so it can't be brought up in court, continuing to use torture, continuing to deny people potentially related to terrorism their day in court, continuing to abuse the executive power, and doing all the shit that has nothing to do with whether or not the Democrats can push the Republicans around. (Two good explanations.) And speaking of which, why are the Republicans making the rules when we've got a Democratic majority in the senate?

So, please. If you want me to vote next month, stop being condescending doucheholes and justify why the Democrats have been the exact same as the Republicans, except less obviously evil. Don't tell me I have to vote for the Democrats just because, I don't want to reward them for doing jack shit.

Seriously, fuck you guys,

sandglass

No offense to the nice Republicans out there, many hugs to you guys for the way your party is going.

(Post a new comment)

	tunxeh 2010-10-10 05:27 pm UTC (link)
	http://crooksandliars.com/goldy/everyone-loses-if-we-dont-vote (Reply to this)

beccastareyes
2010-10-10 05:43 pm UTC (link)

I'd at least show up for the local politics and the ballot initiatives (if any). Maybe even state politics, though I do live in New York** and am not heavily enamored of anyone in office right now (though I do want same-sex marriage). Local politicians have the benefit of usually being more locally driven* and usually being low-money races, so there's less of the 'vote for the lesser of two evils'. That and when there's only hundreds or thousands of votes, it's easy to see how your vote matters, than on the state or national level.

That and writing letters to the Folks in Charge. Most of the Democrats want your vote, and know that they will lose folks to frustration not to the Republicans.

* If they are not insane and decide to issue statements on, say, homosexuality when running for Town Dogcatcher or whatever.
** New York politics is a circus.

(Reply to this)

spawn_of_kong
2010-10-10 06:40 pm UTC (link)

The way I see it, Obama is trying to appease the right-wingers' vocal minority. In that sense, voting Democrats will bolster confidence for the party, and thus make them more willing to make better decisions that don't compromise their beliefs. Yeah, it's probably naive of me to think so, but, to adapt something Teddy Roosevelt once said, I'd rather support a bad Democrat than a good Republican.

(Reply to this)

	yomikoreadman 2010-10-10 06:50 pm UTC (link)
	If not for your party, then do it for sanity! Or the restoration thereof. Although seriously, the 'don't give them back the keys' slogan makes me want to smack the Democrats. (Reply to this)(Thread)

	sandglass 2010-10-10 06:56 pm UTC (link)
	TBH I feel worse about the prospect of voting, and giving the Democrats support I feel they do not at all deserve (both with their policies and their reaction to people not being happy with them), than I do with letting the Republicans win. The Democrats have been pretty shitty the last two years, and all. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	spawn_of_kong 2010-10-10 08:55 pm UTC (link)
	Just remember, as bad as things are now, they're more than likely to get even worse if people like the teabaggers win. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	tunxeh 2010-10-10 09:03 pm UTC (link)
	To add to which, part of the reason the Dems have been as bad as they are is that lukewarm support from the left makes them feel they have to suck up to the center-right. So continuing to be left and lukewarm and not voting isn't going to do anything to change that dynamic. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	sandglass 2010-10-10 09:21 pm UTC (link)
	Of course, they could also realize that the left-left will vote for them anyway, so there's no need to appeal to us. Honestly. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	tunxeh 2010-10-10 09:39 pm UTC (link)
	Well, if they think that, they're stupid, because as your post demonstrates, not everyone is happy voting for them regardless. So I tend to prefer a different explanation. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	seiberwing 2010-10-10 10:51 pm UTC (link)
	Simply put, if n = badness levels then n < n-1. (Reply to this)

	tehrin 2010-10-11 04:44 am UTC (link)
	I'm only voting democratic in my state because I hate Meg Whitman. Hate. (Reply to this)(Thread)

	rosehiptea 2010-10-11 04:13 pm UTC (link)
	Hey, we live in the same state. :/ No way am I voting for her. But we really aren't looking at wonderful options right now, are we? (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	tehrin 2010-10-11 06:50 pm UTC (link)
	I'll probably vote Jerry Brown because I just can't vote Whitman. Or write in Gavin Newsom. He can be both Governor and Lt. Governor as far as I'm concerned. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	tunxeh 2010-10-14 07:32 am UTC (link)
	I'll also be voting for Jerry, suede denim secret police and all. I was worried I wouldn't get to, because I'll be out of town on election day, but my absentee ballot finally showed up today. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	tehrin 2010-10-14 05:54 pm UTC (link)
	I'm mailing in my registration today. :) (Reply to this)(Parent)

	notjo 2010-10-11 09:29 am UTC (link)
	While I'm not sure if this is an option in the US, last time there was a provincial election here I refused my ballot, which is basically "I showed up to vote and hate you all." (Reply to this)(Thread)

	seiberwing 2010-10-11 08:10 pm UTC (link)
	In the US voting isn't mandatory--in fact large portions of the population don't bother to vote. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	caffeine_fairy 2010-10-12 08:30 am UTC (link)
	Isn't there an independent candidate you could vote for as a protest, asks the ignorant English person? (Reply to this)