Vote Smart

Vote Smart: My Advice, Not the Website

Start with what you know (thanks, Daddy, for this sound advice that has served me well)

1. Republicans will vote with their party, for corporate interests and against the 99%. If you do not know this, please crawl back under your rock until you are ready to grow up and pay attention.

2. Team work can only be achieved by voting out all Republicans and by giving President Obama a team of people who are willing to read bills (even 1,000 page ones), debate them, and listen to the people. More than ever, it is important to remember this at the state level because the Republicans have given us the messes we see in Wisconsin, Ohio, Michigan, etc. and are trying to disenfranchise voters in every state.

3. Protest votes have not and will not work. They only hurt those of us who understand 1 & 2 and you, too, because that makes it difficult for those of us who want to protect you from yourselves.

4. Pretending that you believe both parties are the same so there is no reason to vote is lazy and childish. They are not the same and being lazy and childish does not make you look intelligent or cool when you try to blame everyone but yourself for the problems you cause by propagating this ridiculous notion.

5. Someone will win even if you don’t vote. And that someone will most likely be a Republican or a Democrat. Your chances with an Independent are 50/50 – think Sanders and Leiberman – and consider how well you think Democrats and Republicans will work with the Independent you have in mind.

6. The President, believe it or not, is not the dictator of the world. He cannot make all of your wishes come true, even if he wanted and that was what the majority of people wanted. He is responsible for making decisions that benefit most people, even when most people don’t understand what benefits them, and for representing us responsibly in the world. He cannot do these things without cooperation from the congress.

7. Truth matters. Investigate, consider character, determine which candidate will be able to work with others to accomplish things that matter to you, to your community, and to this world.

8. Even if you believe there is a better system, it can’t happen in a week or a year. Work on that when the stakes are not so high.

9. If you hate government and taxes, try living the next two days without using a single thing provided by the government. While you’re sitting there in the dark with nothing else to do, figure out how many of the things you miss you could actually provide with the taxes you paid last year.