Good, common-sense arguments Brian37l; bravo.
I can empathize with the "vote your consciousness" argument but in the USA, that is best saved for the primary elections. Speak your mind there. You can have a great effect there. Even if your candidate doesn't win, he/she can have a powerful effect in moving the conversation left or right. Bernie Sanders didn't win but he did successfully move the conversation left. Even if that doesn't show up in a Clinton administration (if she wins) it will certainly carry over to the next Democratic primary.
In the general election, the situation is different. There will only be two viable candidates under our system. One will probably closely approximate at least some of your views. The other is likely to be anathema to you. The only logical choice is to vote for the candidate which most closely approximates your views. Then, vote your conscience in the next primary of the party of your choice.
The Republicans failed to see the writing on the wall in 2012 when it took Mitt Romney nearly the entire primary season to put away an extremely weak field of candidates. They sure as fuck will take notice of the result of their lack of vision - a Trump nomination 4 years later. The Republican primary results will definitely drive change in the party. Bernie Sanders' showing in 2016 will definitely shape 2020.
If you fail to vote for one of the two VIABLE general election candidate who most closely aligns with your views, YOU ARE A GODDAMNED, FUCKING FOOL! While the President of the USA isn't King, he/she still has a substantial amount of power. SCOTUS appointments alone will drive policy for at least two decades. A Trump victory would set us back decades of social progress. Worse still, it would derail and reverse what little progress we have made on climate change.
Sanders supporters need to grow to fuck up! They have already advanced their cause by propelling Bernie to a far better showing than the establishment expected. The progress might not be as fast as they want but if their temper tantrum results in a Trump presidency, it will be a lot worse. We will be set backwards for many decades. They might get a "true liberal" in 2020 but he/she might be tasked with leading us out of a Mad Max world. Better to vote with your head and avoid that to begin with.
I can empathize with the "vote your consciousness" argument but in the USA, that is best saved for the primary elections. Speak your mind there. You can have a great effect there. Even if your candidate doesn't win, he/she can have a powerful effect in moving the conversation left or right. Bernie Sanders didn't win but he did successfully move the conversation left. Even if that doesn't show up in a Clinton administration (if she wins) it will certainly carry over to the next Democratic primary.
In the general election, the situation is different. There will only be two viable candidates under our system. One will probably closely approximate at least some of your views. The other is likely to be anathema to you. The only logical choice is to vote for the candidate which most closely approximates your views. Then, vote your conscience in the next primary of the party of your choice.
The Republicans failed to see the writing on the wall in 2012 when it took Mitt Romney nearly the entire primary season to put away an extremely weak field of candidates. They sure as fuck will take notice of the result of their lack of vision - a Trump nomination 4 years later. The Republican primary results will definitely drive change in the party. Bernie Sanders' showing in 2016 will definitely shape 2020.
If you fail to vote for one of the two VIABLE general election candidate who most closely aligns with your views, YOU ARE A GODDAMNED, FUCKING FOOL! While the President of the USA isn't King, he/she still has a substantial amount of power. SCOTUS appointments alone will drive policy for at least two decades. A Trump victory would set us back decades of social progress. Worse still, it would derail and reverse what little progress we have made on climate change.
Sanders supporters need to grow to fuck up! They have already advanced their cause by propelling Bernie to a far better showing than the establishment expected. The progress might not be as fast as they want but if their temper tantrum results in a Trump presidency, it will be a lot worse. We will be set backwards for many decades. They might get a "true liberal" in 2020 but he/she might be tasked with leading us out of a Mad Max world. Better to vote with your head and avoid that to begin with.
Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former.
Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein
