General Discussion

There are ALWAYS reasons to vote for candidates -- even if it boils down to "Vote Blue or you will Lose..."

The VERY REAL potential of losing essential rights and constitutional rule of law being replaced by a facist oligarchy transferring even more wealth to the top, enforced by censorship in a police state, should be a HELLUVA MOTIVATOR for every citizen who gives a damn.

But that is far from the only reason to vote for Democrats in every federal and statewide election. Nearly all the progress on civil rights and legislation which actually helps the majority of Americans has been accomplished by Democrats when we hold the presidency and both houses of Congress. Unfortunately, those windows of opportunity have been few and far between. Republicans obstruct progress.

I've been voting since 1976, and have never encountered a "perfect" candidate. Voting is not like a marriage where you have to fall in love with a candidate to participate. It's more like public transit; get on the bus that takes you closest to your preferred destination. Every candidate has personal qualities and policy positions to be weighed against the others. Choose the one who is going in your preferred direction, or at least is not completely reversing course.

Every election result has consequences that can impact your life and those you love. Deciding not to vote, logically makes no sense. However, I understand that voting is often governed by emotion and/or a long history of being failed by our government. I also understand, as a white male, that I can never fully understand what it must have been like to experience discrimination and lack of so much that I took for granted growing up in a middle class household in an all white (with some Hispanic) neighborhood on Chicago's far southwest side.

Like it or not, politics is an art of compromise operating in the real world of the possible. Sometimes an inspiring candidate comes along and pushes the boundaries of the possible, but even Barack Obama came up against hard realities in office. He and the Democrats passed the Affordable Care Act while we controlled Congress for two years. It fell short of Medicare for All, but that was likely a bridge too far at that time. Then Republicans regained the House in the 2010 midterms.

Now the Republican Party under Trump threatens a lot more than obstructing progressive legislation. Democrats have to do whatever it takes to fight fascism at home and give voters good reasons to vote for them. Getting out the vote is essential, as is persuading a majority of independents. Inspiring the Democratic base without turning off persuadable swing voters is extremely difficult. We need both.

VOTE. Just now, I recalled an image from the Civil Rights movement. It was a photograph of a young African American with a four letter word emblazoned across his forehead: VOTE.