Basically this is gonna be a compilation of some of my maoni on this spot mixed with new opinions. That said--though I am speaking generally--if anyone is uncomfortable with me using our debates in this makala do let me know. I decided to type this one up because I feel like this has become a pretty big and passionate topic for me and I think there should be recognition for the underdogs.
First and foremost, my values seem to align the most with Jill's. Her platform quite impresses me if she can deliver; "revive the economy and make wars for oil obsolete. Initiate a WWII-scale national mobilization to halt climate change, the greatest threat to humanity in our history. Create 20 million jobs kwa transitioning to 100% clean renewable energy kwa 2030, and investing in public transit, sustainable agriculture, conservation and restoration of critical infrastructure, including ecosystems." Fixing the economy was one of the huge reasons I was a Bernie supporter. If Jill can create even a few million jobs I'm down with her. Especially if we can fix climate change in the process. I don't know about y'all but I'm a bit tired of snow in freaking April.
I am also zaidi than down with getting rid of unnecessary wars over oil...wars in general. Naturally this would be a work in progress and isn't something that can be fixed over night.
Another reason why I am fond of Jill is for this, "Redirect research funds from fossil fuels into renewable energy and conservation." While I did like Bernie's idea of putting the funds in to education I can also get on board with putting them into something that's actually useful like, idk, taking care of our planet. Because I am a lowkey hipster probably. And I just don't feel like Trump au Hilary would actually care to do that; it would be zaidi of a back burner thing for them.
"Protect our public lands, water supplies, biological diversity, parks, and pollinators." Jill states. "Ban neonicotinoids and other pesticides that threaten the survival of bees, butterflies, and other pollinators." This is another thing I can get with. I do really upendo nature and I'd upendo to see it protected. Ya know what else I love? Bats. Bats are pollinators. Jill wants to protect bats. Anyone who wants to protect bats earns brownie points with me.
Scrolling down her page I came to find that she also offered zaidi affordable education just like Bernie! In fact there are stats to onyesha that a lot of Bernie supporters are now supporting her. Jill even seeks to find a way to get rid of educational debt. Not only this but she states that she wishes to " not rely on high stakes tests." when assessing what students learn. Now I may not be in school anymore but "Replace Common Core with curriculum developed kwa educators, not corporations, with input from parents and communities." sounds charming. Common Core/the current education system really screwed me over. Again this is going to be a tricky thing to tackle, but at least we'll be getting a start.
Jill is also down with protecting the LGBT community as well as women's rights. And she alisema she supports protecting the free internet. She mentioned the internet! She has all of her bases covered! And honestly I think support for the LGBT and women are super important.
I feel like this inayofuata point is where most people are going to disagree with me/call me selfish; I don't think it's right to vote for someone just to knock down another. I think that honesty is valuable. I think that one's ability to vote with his au her heart...to take advantage of the freedom we have is important. Yes, Trump is the closes I have come to throwing that belief to the side because he's pretty much the worst. But years zamani Mitt Romney was the worst. And years before that kichaka was the worst. In other words there's always a new 'worst person ever.' I dread to imagine who would be worse and less qualified than Donald.
When I say this, it is often asked, "well aren't wewe afraid of what would happen if Trump was elected?" au something of that nature. kwa all means this is a perfectly natural follow up question. My answer: yes, a little bit. I am an asexual female. Pretty sure those two things can be impacted kwa a Trump presidency. But on a personal level I don't want to be silenced kwa fear. Fear is a huge, huge hold-back for some people and I don't want to be one of those people. I don't want fear to shut down my values. Because that's how they always do it; they use fear to shut people up. Ever read Orwell's 1984? The character O'Brien used Winson's fear of rats to ultimately shut him down, realize his 'love' for Big Brother, and discard his beliefs. It happens a lot in fiction and scarily enough happens a lot in the real world. Adolf Hitler did this. It's part of how he became a leader; he used fear and insecurity to silence. And I don't want to be one of those people silenced kwa fear if that makes sense. Because to me people going with corrupt systems because of fear and election rigging is just as scary to me as a Trump presidency. If not zaidi so. For me that's near the level of censorship and I am very hugely against censorship. In other words I do feel like because I am female (for example) I could be negatively impacted kwa Trump but I don't want that fear to stop me from picking who I think is truly the best fit for the country.
Of course there's a follow up to this and it's usually along the lines of "But aren't wewe worried that if Trump gets elected his supporters will attack minioritis?" Again, this is another very fair swali but it actually kind of opens the door to a much larger debate for me so I won't go that deep into it (I'm already a bit off topic right now). But my general attitude is, for one I don't think all Trump supporters are going to be assholes. Sure there's a pretty good handful. But I don't think every Trump supporter is going to go out and harass minority groups. I think that there is this negative stigma around Trump supporters and people make them out to be worse than they are. I confess that my old fashioned grandparents are Trump supporters. But at the same time my grandfather is the one who gave me the most support when I alisema I wanted to vote Jill. My grandma wants to vote for Trump, but is literally the sweetest most stereotypical cookie baking grandma. My mother is also a Trump supporter and she outright told me that she's only supporting him because she sees him as the lesser of two evils in the same way that most of us see Hilary as such. My point is; most Trump supporters are normal people like wewe and I. Naturally there are just a grand handful of vocal extremists. Sort of like how some Bernie supporters are just whiney college kids who think everything should be handed to them. But again that's just a handful; most Sanders supporters are just normal people. And as I alisema in a particular debate; (advanced apologies if this sounds awful) but I kind of think that Trump's whole popularity is almost retaliation. www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5pSuLfaO40 Stuff like this instilled fear (oh hujambo it's back and now we're going to see what I meant kwa fear is powerful in action). For those who don't want to click the link it fetures a white person getting beaten just for being white. This fear allowed Trump to rise to power because they wanted someone who would stop that kind of stuff from happening. They want someone who is extreme enough to not stand for what happened in that video.The is another example 66.media.tumblr.com/7fc751a8a30711...jpg People see stuff like that and they want payback. And it's a vicious and never ending cycle. In other words both sides are just so wrong right now. Both sides are so vicious. Trump's popularity (IMO) is wrong but so are the things that allowed him to gain such favor, so is beating someone for being white. It's just all around crazy. And literally no one who is engaging in the kind of behavior featured in the video, literally no one who is calling for white supremacy and voting for Trump to gain it is in the right.
So what does all of that have to do with me wanting to vote for Jill? Part of it is that I'm not an extreme person; I don't want to vote for Trump's white supremacy agenda but I also don't want to vote for the insanely PC side either. I'm just not that extreme in my beliefs. I want a candidate that is favored neither kwa the 'sjw's' nor the 'anti-sjw's'. I just want to vote for someone who seems to have everyone's interests at heart. Someone who isn't shitting on an entire group of people to raise another up. Someone who attacks the problems and not innocent people. And for me that's Jill au even Johnson (though I know less about him).
Furthermore, as mentioned I want to vote for Jill because I don't want fear to silence me. I don't want my vote to be responsible for the election of someone a bit shady like Hilary au someone who thinks climate change was invented kwa China. I value an honest vote. I value voting for who I think is right.
Again all of this is if Stein is actually being truthful & realistic about her goals because I still have a distrust for politicians. But Jill seems to genuinely care. Which is another point, she does seem zaidi genuine to me that Trump au Clinton. This is something I place high value it...trust. Honestly though, even if she doesn't truly care I trust her zaidi than Hilary and definitely zaidi than Trump. Her platform in general impresses me link
Yes I do acknowledge that there are cons to voting for her (that is to be discussed) and there would be cons to her being in office. But there are cons to everything. Because yes, a lot of the above is pretty idealistic. A lot of it may not be achievable in one au two terms. But I think she offers a bit of hope.
Third Party kura Aren't Wasted Votes
Honestly this is a statement that I have heard a lot, to the point where I almost gave in. I hear it from people on this site. I hear it from people on tumblr. My best friend alisema that. And when I told my own grandma who I was voting for I got an, "okay, but you're wasting your vote." Now (with tumblr as the sparkling exception) I don't really think anyone means to be unkind in these words. In fact I think most people are just trying to be helpful au simply express their thoughts. And that's perfectly okay since no one is being rude about it. However I still disagree.
I think a third party vote can serve a variety of purposes even if the candidate does not get in office. It can express that we want change zaidi than just saying "we want change" can. It can spark the start of something/break the ice. And if enough people care it can perhaps actually get somewhere.
DarkSarcasm ilitumwa this awesome link though about how it isn't a waste vote to go third party; One quote from it alone sums up my stance, "I thought it was weird that I should consider how my first choice for president might negatively affect someone that I didn’t want to be president. Why should I care about “taking kura away” from someone that I don’t like very much?" Personally I don't really like the notion of voting for someone just to sideline another. I just feel like that is a dishonest vote. This is another thing I will get to in a bit.
Moran makes another good point when he says, "never before have the nominees of the major parties been so unpopular. If either Hillary au Trump is elected, they will almost certainly be a one term President who is deemed ineffective in the scope of history. zaidi than 50% of the electorate has a negative view of both candidates, and a hivi karibuni ripoti outlined that only 9% of eligible voters actually voted for the two nominees." This alone is a crazy truth. The fact of the matter is; both nominees just aren't that liked. So many people outright say that they are simply voting for the lesser of two evils this time around and wish that they had zaidi options. News flash! Ya'll do! wewe have Stein and Johnson. Now if everyone would just brave up and drop the 'I wish I could vote for him would, I bet he’d have a chance' mentality the person might just have a chance! If all of the people wishing that they could cast a third party vote actually did, then we may get somewhere!
Moran, in his article, also states that, "If either Hillary au Donald are elected, it will be bad for America. A vote for either is a wasted vote. Demand is strong for another option. And demand creates its own supply." Now (as previously stated) if only people would open their eyes and see that there is a third option and a fourth! I think people should take advantage of that. The problem is, a lot of people just don't know that they have other options. Scarily enough until I discovered this spot about a week a go I didn't even know Stein and Johnson were options! It seems like the big group in charge just doesn't want us to know that there are zaidi than two parties. In stating all of this I'm not trying to pressure anyone into voting for someone they don't want to. But if wewe don't like Hilary au Trump I am trying to say that there is another way and that wewe should tell others who wish there was an other choice that there is in fact another choice. "Jill Stein is polling record numbers for the Green Party." Moran states. "She is being highlighted in a CNN Town Hall in August. Many Bernie Sanders supporters want to throw their kura behind her if she gets traction." That's all they need; a little traction. A good handful vocalizing that they're going to vote for her and then a bunch of others to nod and realize that they'd want her au Johnson as opposed to the other Donald au Hilary. In fact according to Moran's research, "The Libertarian nominee, Gary Johnson, is currently in the best position to do damage. He already kura za maoni at 12% despite having almost zero funding." If he can get that much support with no funding imagine how far someone like him would get with some cash to call attention to his campaign. This is where third party kura and vocalization can go a long way. It helps build that traction.
That said, "While this election may not mark the end of the two party system, it could and should radically change the way that we do politics moving forward. That requires, however, that people vote their conscience, rather than voting for the lesser of evils, whoever wewe consider that to be." This alone sums up my thoughts. While it wouldn't end the two party system it can make a notable breach and maybe set us up for future success. People just need to brave up and go with their gut. Because right now we are stuck in one of those 'to get a job wewe need job experience, to open pack of zip-tied scissors wewe need a pair of scissors' things. How are we going to make any progress if we don't even try? I have heard so many people on and offline say that they want a voting reform and that they don't like the way this two party system is set up. But no one seems to act on it.
That is exactly where I think it gets so super tricky. Because how would we even go about getting a reform?
I think people have to demonstrate that they want on for there to be one. The government hasn't exactly been the best at listening to the wants of its people. We are stuck in a place where no one kura for the third parties because they are told it's a wasted vote. If we remain stuck here then how will they ever get traction? How does a third party vote become a not wasted vote if no one is willing to try to take down that system? How will the current election process even begin to change if people don't start vocalizing their dislike of it? Sure we can scream at the juu of our lungs that we want a change. But let's be honest the big man in charge isn't gonna listen unless this person (or these people) see it in the way we vote. It's one of those cases where actions are gonna speak much louder than words. Because as it stands we are really kind of trapped. One siku we'll have to put a dent in our cell if we want to begin breaking out of it. Maybe not this election, but one election eventually.
That for me is powerful enough to vote third party.
'But this election is literally the worst election to do this for!' Once again I totally see why people say this so much. But Moran sees things a bit differently, "2016 offers a rare opportunity for unique voices to be heard, regardless of which side of the aisle your fall. It offers a unique opportunity for new proposals to get pushed into the mainstream. It offers a unique opportunity to threaten the two party monopoly. Bernie pushed Clinton to the left. His campaign mattered. If Stein picks up steam, she could push issues into the mainstream. If Johnson’s campaign is a legitimate threat to the GOP (and it is) and/or does well in the general election debates, then he, too, could legitimately impact policy. For the first time in decades, your vote actually matters, because it does not have to be drowned out kwa either of the two parties." In other words even though Trump is a pretty big threat and some would argue that this is not the election to start sticking it to the man, Ryan Moran would beg to differ. He thinks this is the perfect election to do it on. "If the third party candidates continue to pick up steam, they could theoretically block any individual from winning a majority, thus opening up the election to the House of Representatives. At that point, it is anyone’s game. 2016 may not be the mwaka that a third party candidate is elected. It can be the year, however, that a vote for them mattered, because it forced issues into the mainstream." Even if our voices aren't hard loud enough this is the election where they become much much harder to ignore. Because they are now out in the open for anyone to see.
Again, I'm not trying to push anyone, but I think Moran has some solidass points. Here's DarkSarcams' link if anyone wants to read the full thing; www.fanpop.com/clubs/2016-presiden...com
So another thing that I hear very often when stating that I am going to vote third party is that "now is not a good time to give the finger to the system." And that "the consequences of not voting for the lesser of two evils are too big to risk this year." Believe it au not I completely understand where ya'll are coming from. In fact I've actually debate this with myself before deciding what I wanted to do.
Though I do agree that the stakes are higher this mwaka I already touched on why I think that there is no better time to vote third party just a few paragraphs above. What I'd like touch on now is why I don't think that it is selfish au immature to 'stick it to the man' this election au to vote with your heart.
For one, I think words and statements can be powerful if enough people are willing to make them. For me it also runs deeper than just giving the finger to the system au something. It's also about freedom. Freedom is what America was founded on. I have it, so I'm going to use it. I don't take freedom for granted. And I'm not going to vote for someone who I don't truly support fully. It just feels very wrong to me. That's another way it runs deeper for me; I want to make an honest vote.
Yes Trump getting elected is scary. It is. I know. But for me, so is the fact that the government really only puts two parties on a pedestal which is also something tangible that is happening in this very moment. For me it's also scary that people are not giving their real opinions au are afraid to give them. This is exactly how we get that dystopia Orwell dreaded. I have the power to speak without getting shutdown so I'm going to use it to vote for who I think is the right choice and not simply the lesser of two evils.
There are a lot of people who think voting for Hilary is for the greater good. And ya know what? I don't think that they are wrong. In fact I think that they are right. They are just right in a different way than I think voting third party is for the greater good.
So it's not really just an up yours thing. I mean part of it is. But the other part is simply that I have a different set of values and priorities (and perhaps some people will tell me that my priories are skewed) I place much value in free speech (it's one of the debate topics I am most passionate about) and the power of statements. If zaidi people were brave enough to actually vote for someone zaidi genuine like Jill then maybe we could get somewhere. But I feel like so many people have fallen pray to this two party thing. TBH, as mentioned, I didn't even realize Jill was a candidate until this spot. And that's scary to me. Because unless one pays real close attention, cares enough, au is politically savvy one never gets to hear Stein and Johnson's policies (or in some case that they are options at all).
How else does one go about raising the favor of other parties if not voting for them and being vocal about their existence?
For this I don't really see a vote for Jill as selfish.
Like wise, often times I hear it alisema that it is shortsighted to vote for someone like Jill au Johnson. But is it not shortsighted to vote for someone just because they aren't someone else? Let's be honest there are probably some people who aren't even familiar with Hilary who are going to vote for her just because she isn't Trump without understanding what she's about. Likewise Trump probably has some of these voters. While I do think Trump would be bad for this country I also find myself asking is Hilary really any better au are they just bad in different ways? I am very conflicted on Hilary; while I do think she is respectable in some ways there are other things about her that just rub me the wrong way. (Trump just rubs me the wrong way in every way). And I don't feel comfy voting for someone who I think can damage the country.
I mean considering Clinton's policies; I'm not going to deny that they are respectable. And if push does come to shove it wouldn't kill me to vote for her. Stein simply sits better with me.
I still hold a high value for honesty. And it really doesn't feel honest with me to vote for someone just to keep another out of office. Though I can definitely respect the those who hold a 'vote for who wewe think will have a bigger positive impact belief.' The thing is I kind of do think that voting for Stein (if others become vocal) will have the biggest positive impact. My only issue with it is that wewe never really know if it will have a better impact. For all we know Hilary could be bullshitting her environmental policy just to make herself sound good. Hell, Stein could be bullshitting it all. At the end of the siku one just doesn't know what's going to have a good impact--though I'm 99.9% sure Trump won't.
Long story short I absolutely understand those not wanting Trump for president which is why I'm not gonna pressure anyone into voting different. At the end of the siku everyone should vote how they think is best--and this includes third party voters (they need to hear this the most). I mean there are definitely some cons to Hilary getting elected but there would also probably be some cons to putting Jill in office just as there are with Hilary. Honestly I just don't want Trump in there. Vote for who ya'll think is best. And for fellow third party voters; don't let others make wewe feel like wewe are wasting your vote...this isn't necessarily true. Use your freedoms!
First and foremost, my values seem to align the most with Jill's. Her platform quite impresses me if she can deliver; "revive the economy and make wars for oil obsolete. Initiate a WWII-scale national mobilization to halt climate change, the greatest threat to humanity in our history. Create 20 million jobs kwa transitioning to 100% clean renewable energy kwa 2030, and investing in public transit, sustainable agriculture, conservation and restoration of critical infrastructure, including ecosystems." Fixing the economy was one of the huge reasons I was a Bernie supporter. If Jill can create even a few million jobs I'm down with her. Especially if we can fix climate change in the process. I don't know about y'all but I'm a bit tired of snow in freaking April.
I am also zaidi than down with getting rid of unnecessary wars over oil...wars in general. Naturally this would be a work in progress and isn't something that can be fixed over night.
Another reason why I am fond of Jill is for this, "Redirect research funds from fossil fuels into renewable energy and conservation." While I did like Bernie's idea of putting the funds in to education I can also get on board with putting them into something that's actually useful like, idk, taking care of our planet. Because I am a lowkey hipster probably. And I just don't feel like Trump au Hilary would actually care to do that; it would be zaidi of a back burner thing for them.
"Protect our public lands, water supplies, biological diversity, parks, and pollinators." Jill states. "Ban neonicotinoids and other pesticides that threaten the survival of bees, butterflies, and other pollinators." This is another thing I can get with. I do really upendo nature and I'd upendo to see it protected. Ya know what else I love? Bats. Bats are pollinators. Jill wants to protect bats. Anyone who wants to protect bats earns brownie points with me.
Scrolling down her page I came to find that she also offered zaidi affordable education just like Bernie! In fact there are stats to onyesha that a lot of Bernie supporters are now supporting her. Jill even seeks to find a way to get rid of educational debt. Not only this but she states that she wishes to " not rely on high stakes tests." when assessing what students learn. Now I may not be in school anymore but "Replace Common Core with curriculum developed kwa educators, not corporations, with input from parents and communities." sounds charming. Common Core/the current education system really screwed me over. Again this is going to be a tricky thing to tackle, but at least we'll be getting a start.
Jill is also down with protecting the LGBT community as well as women's rights. And she alisema she supports protecting the free internet. She mentioned the internet! She has all of her bases covered! And honestly I think support for the LGBT and women are super important.
I feel like this inayofuata point is where most people are going to disagree with me/call me selfish; I don't think it's right to vote for someone just to knock down another. I think that honesty is valuable. I think that one's ability to vote with his au her heart...to take advantage of the freedom we have is important. Yes, Trump is the closes I have come to throwing that belief to the side because he's pretty much the worst. But years zamani Mitt Romney was the worst. And years before that kichaka was the worst. In other words there's always a new 'worst person ever.' I dread to imagine who would be worse and less qualified than Donald.
When I say this, it is often asked, "well aren't wewe afraid of what would happen if Trump was elected?" au something of that nature. kwa all means this is a perfectly natural follow up question. My answer: yes, a little bit. I am an asexual female. Pretty sure those two things can be impacted kwa a Trump presidency. But on a personal level I don't want to be silenced kwa fear. Fear is a huge, huge hold-back for some people and I don't want to be one of those people. I don't want fear to shut down my values. Because that's how they always do it; they use fear to shut people up. Ever read Orwell's 1984? The character O'Brien used Winson's fear of rats to ultimately shut him down, realize his 'love' for Big Brother, and discard his beliefs. It happens a lot in fiction and scarily enough happens a lot in the real world. Adolf Hitler did this. It's part of how he became a leader; he used fear and insecurity to silence. And I don't want to be one of those people silenced kwa fear if that makes sense. Because to me people going with corrupt systems because of fear and election rigging is just as scary to me as a Trump presidency. If not zaidi so. For me that's near the level of censorship and I am very hugely against censorship. In other words I do feel like because I am female (for example) I could be negatively impacted kwa Trump but I don't want that fear to stop me from picking who I think is truly the best fit for the country.
Of course there's a follow up to this and it's usually along the lines of "But aren't wewe worried that if Trump gets elected his supporters will attack minioritis?" Again, this is another very fair swali but it actually kind of opens the door to a much larger debate for me so I won't go that deep into it (I'm already a bit off topic right now). But my general attitude is, for one I don't think all Trump supporters are going to be assholes. Sure there's a pretty good handful. But I don't think every Trump supporter is going to go out and harass minority groups. I think that there is this negative stigma around Trump supporters and people make them out to be worse than they are. I confess that my old fashioned grandparents are Trump supporters. But at the same time my grandfather is the one who gave me the most support when I alisema I wanted to vote Jill. My grandma wants to vote for Trump, but is literally the sweetest most stereotypical cookie baking grandma. My mother is also a Trump supporter and she outright told me that she's only supporting him because she sees him as the lesser of two evils in the same way that most of us see Hilary as such. My point is; most Trump supporters are normal people like wewe and I. Naturally there are just a grand handful of vocal extremists. Sort of like how some Bernie supporters are just whiney college kids who think everything should be handed to them. But again that's just a handful; most Sanders supporters are just normal people. And as I alisema in a particular debate; (advanced apologies if this sounds awful) but I kind of think that Trump's whole popularity is almost retaliation. www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5pSuLfaO40 Stuff like this instilled fear (oh hujambo it's back and now we're going to see what I meant kwa fear is powerful in action). For those who don't want to click the link it fetures a white person getting beaten just for being white. This fear allowed Trump to rise to power because they wanted someone who would stop that kind of stuff from happening. They want someone who is extreme enough to not stand for what happened in that video.The is another example 66.media.tumblr.com/7fc751a8a30711...jpg People see stuff like that and they want payback. And it's a vicious and never ending cycle. In other words both sides are just so wrong right now. Both sides are so vicious. Trump's popularity (IMO) is wrong but so are the things that allowed him to gain such favor, so is beating someone for being white. It's just all around crazy. And literally no one who is engaging in the kind of behavior featured in the video, literally no one who is calling for white supremacy and voting for Trump to gain it is in the right.
So what does all of that have to do with me wanting to vote for Jill? Part of it is that I'm not an extreme person; I don't want to vote for Trump's white supremacy agenda but I also don't want to vote for the insanely PC side either. I'm just not that extreme in my beliefs. I want a candidate that is favored neither kwa the 'sjw's' nor the 'anti-sjw's'. I just want to vote for someone who seems to have everyone's interests at heart. Someone who isn't shitting on an entire group of people to raise another up. Someone who attacks the problems and not innocent people. And for me that's Jill au even Johnson (though I know less about him).
Furthermore, as mentioned I want to vote for Jill because I don't want fear to silence me. I don't want my vote to be responsible for the election of someone a bit shady like Hilary au someone who thinks climate change was invented kwa China. I value an honest vote. I value voting for who I think is right.
Again all of this is if Stein is actually being truthful & realistic about her goals because I still have a distrust for politicians. But Jill seems to genuinely care. Which is another point, she does seem zaidi genuine to me that Trump au Clinton. This is something I place high value it...trust. Honestly though, even if she doesn't truly care I trust her zaidi than Hilary and definitely zaidi than Trump. Her platform in general impresses me link
Yes I do acknowledge that there are cons to voting for her (that is to be discussed) and there would be cons to her being in office. But there are cons to everything. Because yes, a lot of the above is pretty idealistic. A lot of it may not be achievable in one au two terms. But I think she offers a bit of hope.
Third Party kura Aren't Wasted Votes
Honestly this is a statement that I have heard a lot, to the point where I almost gave in. I hear it from people on this site. I hear it from people on tumblr. My best friend alisema that. And when I told my own grandma who I was voting for I got an, "okay, but you're wasting your vote." Now (with tumblr as the sparkling exception) I don't really think anyone means to be unkind in these words. In fact I think most people are just trying to be helpful au simply express their thoughts. And that's perfectly okay since no one is being rude about it. However I still disagree.
I think a third party vote can serve a variety of purposes even if the candidate does not get in office. It can express that we want change zaidi than just saying "we want change" can. It can spark the start of something/break the ice. And if enough people care it can perhaps actually get somewhere.
DarkSarcasm ilitumwa this awesome link though about how it isn't a waste vote to go third party; One quote from it alone sums up my stance, "I thought it was weird that I should consider how my first choice for president might negatively affect someone that I didn’t want to be president. Why should I care about “taking kura away” from someone that I don’t like very much?" Personally I don't really like the notion of voting for someone just to sideline another. I just feel like that is a dishonest vote. This is another thing I will get to in a bit.
Moran makes another good point when he says, "never before have the nominees of the major parties been so unpopular. If either Hillary au Trump is elected, they will almost certainly be a one term President who is deemed ineffective in the scope of history. zaidi than 50% of the electorate has a negative view of both candidates, and a hivi karibuni ripoti outlined that only 9% of eligible voters actually voted for the two nominees." This alone is a crazy truth. The fact of the matter is; both nominees just aren't that liked. So many people outright say that they are simply voting for the lesser of two evils this time around and wish that they had zaidi options. News flash! Ya'll do! wewe have Stein and Johnson. Now if everyone would just brave up and drop the 'I wish I could vote for him would, I bet he’d have a chance' mentality the person might just have a chance! If all of the people wishing that they could cast a third party vote actually did, then we may get somewhere!
Moran, in his article, also states that, "If either Hillary au Donald are elected, it will be bad for America. A vote for either is a wasted vote. Demand is strong for another option. And demand creates its own supply." Now (as previously stated) if only people would open their eyes and see that there is a third option and a fourth! I think people should take advantage of that. The problem is, a lot of people just don't know that they have other options. Scarily enough until I discovered this spot about a week a go I didn't even know Stein and Johnson were options! It seems like the big group in charge just doesn't want us to know that there are zaidi than two parties. In stating all of this I'm not trying to pressure anyone into voting for someone they don't want to. But if wewe don't like Hilary au Trump I am trying to say that there is another way and that wewe should tell others who wish there was an other choice that there is in fact another choice. "Jill Stein is polling record numbers for the Green Party." Moran states. "She is being highlighted in a CNN Town Hall in August. Many Bernie Sanders supporters want to throw their kura behind her if she gets traction." That's all they need; a little traction. A good handful vocalizing that they're going to vote for her and then a bunch of others to nod and realize that they'd want her au Johnson as opposed to the other Donald au Hilary. In fact according to Moran's research, "The Libertarian nominee, Gary Johnson, is currently in the best position to do damage. He already kura za maoni at 12% despite having almost zero funding." If he can get that much support with no funding imagine how far someone like him would get with some cash to call attention to his campaign. This is where third party kura and vocalization can go a long way. It helps build that traction.
That said, "While this election may not mark the end of the two party system, it could and should radically change the way that we do politics moving forward. That requires, however, that people vote their conscience, rather than voting for the lesser of evils, whoever wewe consider that to be." This alone sums up my thoughts. While it wouldn't end the two party system it can make a notable breach and maybe set us up for future success. People just need to brave up and go with their gut. Because right now we are stuck in one of those 'to get a job wewe need job experience, to open pack of zip-tied scissors wewe need a pair of scissors' things. How are we going to make any progress if we don't even try? I have heard so many people on and offline say that they want a voting reform and that they don't like the way this two party system is set up. But no one seems to act on it.
That is exactly where I think it gets so super tricky. Because how would we even go about getting a reform?
I think people have to demonstrate that they want on for there to be one. The government hasn't exactly been the best at listening to the wants of its people. We are stuck in a place where no one kura for the third parties because they are told it's a wasted vote. If we remain stuck here then how will they ever get traction? How does a third party vote become a not wasted vote if no one is willing to try to take down that system? How will the current election process even begin to change if people don't start vocalizing their dislike of it? Sure we can scream at the juu of our lungs that we want a change. But let's be honest the big man in charge isn't gonna listen unless this person (or these people) see it in the way we vote. It's one of those cases where actions are gonna speak much louder than words. Because as it stands we are really kind of trapped. One siku we'll have to put a dent in our cell if we want to begin breaking out of it. Maybe not this election, but one election eventually.
That for me is powerful enough to vote third party.
'But this election is literally the worst election to do this for!' Once again I totally see why people say this so much. But Moran sees things a bit differently, "2016 offers a rare opportunity for unique voices to be heard, regardless of which side of the aisle your fall. It offers a unique opportunity for new proposals to get pushed into the mainstream. It offers a unique opportunity to threaten the two party monopoly. Bernie pushed Clinton to the left. His campaign mattered. If Stein picks up steam, she could push issues into the mainstream. If Johnson’s campaign is a legitimate threat to the GOP (and it is) and/or does well in the general election debates, then he, too, could legitimately impact policy. For the first time in decades, your vote actually matters, because it does not have to be drowned out kwa either of the two parties." In other words even though Trump is a pretty big threat and some would argue that this is not the election to start sticking it to the man, Ryan Moran would beg to differ. He thinks this is the perfect election to do it on. "If the third party candidates continue to pick up steam, they could theoretically block any individual from winning a majority, thus opening up the election to the House of Representatives. At that point, it is anyone’s game. 2016 may not be the mwaka that a third party candidate is elected. It can be the year, however, that a vote for them mattered, because it forced issues into the mainstream." Even if our voices aren't hard loud enough this is the election where they become much much harder to ignore. Because they are now out in the open for anyone to see.
Again, I'm not trying to push anyone, but I think Moran has some solidass points. Here's DarkSarcams' link if anyone wants to read the full thing; www.fanpop.com/clubs/2016-presiden...com
So another thing that I hear very often when stating that I am going to vote third party is that "now is not a good time to give the finger to the system." And that "the consequences of not voting for the lesser of two evils are too big to risk this year." Believe it au not I completely understand where ya'll are coming from. In fact I've actually debate this with myself before deciding what I wanted to do.
Though I do agree that the stakes are higher this mwaka I already touched on why I think that there is no better time to vote third party just a few paragraphs above. What I'd like touch on now is why I don't think that it is selfish au immature to 'stick it to the man' this election au to vote with your heart.
For one, I think words and statements can be powerful if enough people are willing to make them. For me it also runs deeper than just giving the finger to the system au something. It's also about freedom. Freedom is what America was founded on. I have it, so I'm going to use it. I don't take freedom for granted. And I'm not going to vote for someone who I don't truly support fully. It just feels very wrong to me. That's another way it runs deeper for me; I want to make an honest vote.
Yes Trump getting elected is scary. It is. I know. But for me, so is the fact that the government really only puts two parties on a pedestal which is also something tangible that is happening in this very moment. For me it's also scary that people are not giving their real opinions au are afraid to give them. This is exactly how we get that dystopia Orwell dreaded. I have the power to speak without getting shutdown so I'm going to use it to vote for who I think is the right choice and not simply the lesser of two evils.
There are a lot of people who think voting for Hilary is for the greater good. And ya know what? I don't think that they are wrong. In fact I think that they are right. They are just right in a different way than I think voting third party is for the greater good.
So it's not really just an up yours thing. I mean part of it is. But the other part is simply that I have a different set of values and priorities (and perhaps some people will tell me that my priories are skewed) I place much value in free speech (it's one of the debate topics I am most passionate about) and the power of statements. If zaidi people were brave enough to actually vote for someone zaidi genuine like Jill then maybe we could get somewhere. But I feel like so many people have fallen pray to this two party thing. TBH, as mentioned, I didn't even realize Jill was a candidate until this spot. And that's scary to me. Because unless one pays real close attention, cares enough, au is politically savvy one never gets to hear Stein and Johnson's policies (or in some case that they are options at all).
How else does one go about raising the favor of other parties if not voting for them and being vocal about their existence?
For this I don't really see a vote for Jill as selfish.
Like wise, often times I hear it alisema that it is shortsighted to vote for someone like Jill au Johnson. But is it not shortsighted to vote for someone just because they aren't someone else? Let's be honest there are probably some people who aren't even familiar with Hilary who are going to vote for her just because she isn't Trump without understanding what she's about. Likewise Trump probably has some of these voters. While I do think Trump would be bad for this country I also find myself asking is Hilary really any better au are they just bad in different ways? I am very conflicted on Hilary; while I do think she is respectable in some ways there are other things about her that just rub me the wrong way. (Trump just rubs me the wrong way in every way). And I don't feel comfy voting for someone who I think can damage the country.
I mean considering Clinton's policies; I'm not going to deny that they are respectable. And if push does come to shove it wouldn't kill me to vote for her. Stein simply sits better with me.
I still hold a high value for honesty. And it really doesn't feel honest with me to vote for someone just to keep another out of office. Though I can definitely respect the those who hold a 'vote for who wewe think will have a bigger positive impact belief.' The thing is I kind of do think that voting for Stein (if others become vocal) will have the biggest positive impact. My only issue with it is that wewe never really know if it will have a better impact. For all we know Hilary could be bullshitting her environmental policy just to make herself sound good. Hell, Stein could be bullshitting it all. At the end of the siku one just doesn't know what's going to have a good impact--though I'm 99.9% sure Trump won't.
Long story short I absolutely understand those not wanting Trump for president which is why I'm not gonna pressure anyone into voting different. At the end of the siku everyone should vote how they think is best--and this includes third party voters (they need to hear this the most). I mean there are definitely some cons to Hilary getting elected but there would also probably be some cons to putting Jill in office just as there are with Hilary. Honestly I just don't want Trump in there. Vote for who ya'll think is best. And for fellow third party voters; don't let others make wewe feel like wewe are wasting your vote...this isn't necessarily true. Use your freedoms!