WHY VOTE?

[FrenchieCat]

Me, I VOTE always, period.



Why?

Because I am voting for a Supreme Court that will protect and advance Civil Rights, Voting Rights, Women's Reproductive Rights, Environmental Rights, Union Rights, a chance to repeal Citizen's United, and safeguard Affirmative Action. These things do matter, even if not to you personally, to others who are at the mercy of what might happen if a GOP gets into the WH while also having a Majority GOP congress. The Next President will replace 2-3 Justices, so it is a BFD!

I vote for those who need food stamps, Social Security (that will be privatized otherwise), health care (for those who can't afford it otherwise), Pell grants, Planned Parenthood, Public Education (that they want to privatize and give out some vouchers, good luck with that), and for regulations that reign in corporations and safeguard our well being. If you think of what happened in Flint, just remember that it took a Federal agency to get the lead out of paint!

My vote is not based on friendship, nor do I vote because someone says everything I agree with. I do not for purity or else, and I certainly do NOT NOT vote because I'm pissed, because if I don't vote, far as I'm concerned, I forfeit the right to complain when we all are wandering in the desert till the end of this century.

Some folks can afford NOT to vote, cause their parents has them set or did don't mind personally biting the bullet, but many more cannot afford such a luxury.

I remember during the 10 years after the Civil War, they had Reconstruction, and Black folks were voting and Black folks were being elected to congress. What happened? The vote was taken away from Black folks, and Reconstruction although part of history was all but erased from the history books. I do not want to see that happen to the First Black President's 8 years, just because some folks wanted a BFF to vote for, or else they were gonna have a tantrum!

But look, For those who do NOt want to vote, then DON'T vote. It is always possible at some point, you won't be able to even if you want to. That's what the wrong Supreme court can do for you!

So, Peace, Love and VOTE while you still can!

[Meldread]

1. [phone]

You are so much nicer than me, but these are my feelings exactly. We cannot afford not to vote. We have to rally and do whatever is necessary to win.

[slipslidingaway]

21. We need to take a look at our policies that kill children in other countries ...

we have become a country of ME, ME, ME and disregard what we do others in the world.

Our reach is global and we have destabilized many countries and killed or maimed thousands of children, many of these kids are now young adults who have seen their families decimated by our hand, and yes they might also be doing whatever it takes to win. And that could be taking up arms against our country.

We need to think and have good judgement BEFORE acting.

How would you feel if another country invaded the US because they thought Trump was a dictator, but they promised to bring democracy. We need to absorb the feelings of other people and nations.

It worked out well in Iran back in 1953, we took that secular nation and turned many people into a radical religious nation. WE need to Think before we act!

[msongs]

29. maybe you could ask bernie sanders why he votes yes on military appropriations year after year nt

[kristopher]

40. Chasing war vs taking care of troops in harms way who were put there by Hillary?

Hillary wants the wars but Bernie votes against them. Then you believe he is to criticized for paying those soldiers (he didn't want to send) and providing them with the equipment to do their job.

Have I got that right?

Please Governor, proceed.

[stonecutter357]

41. like lockheed martin.

[Meldread]

44. You do realize...

You do realize that Bernie Sanders is not anti-war, correct? That he is not a pacifist, and has voted for and supported military actions in the past? And you do realize that any military action whatsoever is going to lead to the death of innocent children and other civilians?

Should we hold Bernie Sanders responsible for the death of children in Kosovo, a war he supported?

You talk about the nation being all ME-ME-ME-ME, but you're the one exploiting the deaths of innocent children for political gain.

[Agnosticsherbet]

2. Very well written.

Thanks for this.

[FrenchieCat]

3. Thanks!

[Number23]

4. I am so glad that you're back...

[FrenchieCat]

8. Living in this country is like hitting the lotto

Some people live in countries, where just having a pair shoes to wear is a lucky break!

[slipslidingaway]

15. And the kids picking up cluster bombs in other countries, do we care about them ...

they might not even have a foot to put in a shoe.

[FrenchieCat]

16. So how do you suppose we can help them

If we relinquish all of our rights?

[slipslidingaway]

18. Oh please, who voted to continue the use of cluster bombs? We do not have to relinquish our rights

to stop the indiscriminate killing of children in other countries, you are smarter than that to make such a statement.

[FrenchieCat]

19. I'm talking about voting

You're talking about cluster bombs ...


Do you want to discuss cancer too?

[JonLeibowitz]

24. did one of our candidates vote to continue cancer?

I doubt it.

But one did vote to continue use of cluster bombs.

[FrenchieCat]

28. I'm voting for the person I choose

Based on my own criteria...in the primaries, as I'm sure you'll do as well...

Then whomever is the nominee with a D behind their name in November, i'm voting for that candidate. Period, end of that!

I will have done all that I can possibly do at such time.

Thank you for caring! That's all anyone can ask of any of us !

[slipslidingaway]

33. Voting for cluster bombs, great! My husband had two transplants for a blood cancer, you want to ...

discuss that!

This is such offense, I cannot believe people use cancer as some throw away tool to end a discussion.

But that does not excuse you from not caring about those children that picked up cluster bombs and do not have a foot to fit in a shoe. Either you care about All people or you do not. Clinton voted to continue the use of cluster bombs.

Check the cancer forum for some history, sorry but I am beyond pissed that you brought cancer into this discussion.

[nolabels]

37. Thanks for that, I didn't even know there is a cancer forum, i will go check it out

[FrenchieCat]

39. I'm sorry that I mentioned cancer...

As it wasn't my aim to upset you in such a way. I do apologize to you about my mentioning it considering your experience!

[slipslidingaway]

47. Thank you. nt

[Lucinda]

5. ...

[betsuni]

6. K&R

[gwheezie]

7. I was explaining this to a nice young man

Who said he was going to stand by his principles and not vote if his candidate did not win the nomination and he wondered why others weren't as principled as he was. I pointed out that because of who he is, he was never denied the right to vote, to own property, to go to school, to get medical treatment,travel freely,wear a hoodie etc and even if Cruz became president, he would never be denied those things. Some don't have the luxury of pouting. And I told him what kind of principles would allow that to happen here to other people.

[FrenchieCat]

10. And the next question would be,

His principles? What is it that he holds Sacred ? Is a caring for the most vulnerable, or is it caring about getting what he, himself, wants? And is that truly an honorable principle?

[gwheezie]

12. Something about lying and Bill clinton

And no kidding sniper fire. Baffling.

[FrenchieCat]

14. Well that's of major importance

In the larger scheme of things in life, for sure!

[McCamy Taylor]

9. Because this is supposed to be a democracy.

[FrenchieCat]

13. You mean it's not authoritarian rule?

Do as I say, or else?

[OZi]

32. 2 parties are 1 party away from totalitarianism.

With everything from professional sports to the checkout lines at the local grocery store being rigged, am I supposed to believe there is really that much difference in who I vote for? I vote D, special interests of corporate America win. I vote R same thing. I feel like there is a lot of "free stuff" to go around in Washington but voters get "wait for the trickle." It's not like I can rely on the news to tell me who the real benefactors in Washington are from election to election.

It's getting harder and harder to tell the 2 parties apart. I say I don't want to vote for corruption, I get told the most corrupt candidate has the best chance at winning and Washington needs corruption to function. Either party ensures the SCOTUS will remain a "corporate court," though it may be possible a left leaning appointment may be more left on social issues if not fiscal ones. So I guess there is that.

Don't get me wrong, I don't intend to ever stop voting. I fully intend to vote whom I think best represents my values and my beliefs.

Being as we only have 2 parties, doesn't that give both parties a lot of leeway and room to do whatever the hell they want unchecked? I mean if there are only 2 and neither one can really fail for fear of losing to the other, where is the motivation for either party to really have to change for the better?

[FrenchieCat]

34. I agree that a system like is in England

Would be more representative of more various political points of view....true.

Maybe one day before long, Ds will have larger majorities, The Supreme Court will be not hanging in the balance, or/and at least Republicans will have calmed the fuck down, and at that point perhaps we can get that done!

[sheshe2]

11. I vote for the future.

The children ARE OUR FUTURE.

I will vote for the Democratic Candidate whoever it will be.

Thanks FrenchieCat, well said.

[slipslidingaway]

17. Which children are our future, not the kids in Iraq ...

not kids in countries who lost limbs picking up cluster bombs.

Do you care that we have helped destabilize countries throughout the world for decades, what about those kids!

Are they not THE future, not OUR future, why do they matter less?

Why is there no compassion for what we have inflicted on the children in other countries?

I vote for the future of ALL people, we need to recognize the havoc we create elsewhere, unless we do there will never be peace.

As Bush stated, why do they hate us, well we need to take a hard look.

[FrenchieCat]

20. I care,

But not voting is not going to help them.

[JonLeibowitz]

25. Voting for the wrong candidate in a primary could hurt them. n/t

[FrenchieCat]

35. I'm voting for the person who I know has a better chance

Of Winning against whomever the GOP puts up. I have done my own political analysis, and have determined who that is, in my opinion. That is who I'm voting for. This person is not my BFF, nor someone with whom I agree about on everything, nor all that they've ever done, but it is my opinion that this candidate can win, and that my other option cannot.

For me, especially in this day and age, winning is everything. It's literally winner takes all. It's the choice between a GOP trifecta or not. Based on those choices, I'm good, for now.

[slipslidingaway]

30. Voting for correct person does matter. nt

[sheshe2]

22. There is no need to attack me.

I made it clear I would vote for the Democratic candidate who ever that might be.

Do responses always have to be an assault? This is an Op about voting, not sure what that has to do with Bush, I sure didn't vote for him.

You don't like violence yet here you are attacking me. And please show me where I state that some children matter more than others?

Please stop. You can DU better than this.

[slipslidingaway]

27. This is not about You! Clinton touts her foreign policy, yet she voted for the use of cluster bombs

against children in other countries.

We need to decide if her experience as a leader in the world is worthy of our vote or not? I would say her votes leave doubt and that all lives matter around the world. She is running on her experience as someone who will lead our nation in the world, but we forget about those children who are dead, have suffered and who will suffer because of careless policies and who now might not be so kind to our country.

Sorry if you feel as if attacked you, all I can say is there are so many pictures of children who are suffering because we hastening to bring democracy to other countries when they were not ready for it.

This is not just about our country, but also the people in other countries. We need to show good judgement, to help, but not create chaos and breed a generation of terrorists.

Sometimes I think we forget the destruction we leave behind, we should not forget, because that just might come back to haunt us as I think we are seeing now. We cannot orphan hundreds of thousands of children and not expect some backlash.

It was so obvious years ago for those paying attention.

This is not about you, it is about others.

[FrenchieCat]

38. Nether is perfect, far as that goes ...

So for me I vote for who I believe can win. I'm voting to save the country, because that is the point we're at! We cannot afford to make the wrong choice! That's why am voting for Hillary Clinton.

I do not agree with her vote that you're referring to, but that doesn't make the other candidate, Bernie Sanders anymore electable, in my opinion.

I've done my research on this, which is how I've arrived at my decision. I'm confident based on all that I know about each of the two candidates. One can fight like hell and win, one can fight like hell and still lose.

[FrenchieCat]

42. Well, I've been watching the Republicans...

And boy, they are scary to watch! Reminds me of what Germany could have been like as some watched the rise of a crazy man leading an even crazier following than himself...while the good Germans bickered to ineffectiveness to a point of allowing the crazy ones to succeed, although many thought it could never happen, and if it did, it wouldn't get that bad.

Maybe this is an extreme scenario, but we don't know that...as I see 35k Americans scared that their losing their country, all gathered at a Trump rally; with hatred towards the Blacks and the Browns.

[Hekate]

23. Thanks Frenchie for being both passionate and rational

I was just in another thread where the same people nattering about revolution and battle lines being drawn, cannot be bothered to learn who is responsible for getting people registered to vote.

They are responsible -- it's their job, but no matter how often the process is explained, they still think they are being suppressed and oppressed because Hillary.

Peace and love to you too.

[FrenchieCat]

26. I try to stay rational....

Cause making sense is important!

Thanks!

[msongs]

31. year after year bernie votes to support killing by voting yes on military bills. nt

[FrenchieCat]

36. Neither are perfect...and no one ever is

[Gothmog]

43. Voting Rights is one of my passions and Clinton has the best platform for Voting Rights

I love Clinton's platform on voting rights

[Adrahil]

45. Yup. You can choose not to participate. But the results still apply to YOU. NT

[jeff47]

46. The only specifics in your post give us reasons to not vote for one candidate.

I vote for those who need food stamps

Turned into block grants in the 1990s, massively cut. Supported by Hillary Clinton, but obviously she had no formal vote. Her most direct support comes from allusions in "It Takes a Village", coupled with zero effort spent on reversing those cuts in the Senate.

Social Security

Clinton proposes adding a "bonus" to low-income seniors. Thus turning Social Security into a "welfare" program, step 1 on dismantling it.

health care (for those who can't afford it otherwise)

Clinton has no program to actually address this. She claims the Republicans who voted to repeal the ACA more than 60 times will help her fix it.

Pell grants

Cut in the 1990s. No real plan to restore them. Again, Republicans aren't going to do it despite that being a cornerstone of Clinton's college plan.

Public Education (that they want to privatize and give out some vouchers, good luck with that)

Uh...that's Obama's education plan. Arne Duncan was a real gem! Clinton proposes continuing it.

and for regulations that reign in corporations and safeguard our well being

....like the TPP.

You also left out climate change. The SoS who pushed fracking in other countries is not likely to do the massive effort required to adequately respond to climate change.

The only specifics in your post give us reasons to not vote for one candidate.

[ismnotwasm]

48. K&R

[mhatrw]

49. Why ask why?