I think the world will breathe a collective sigh of relief tomorrow when the outrageous shenanigans that have been this year's election cycle are finally laid to rest. Any one else feel like tomorrow is a culmination of a series of flaccid erections versus the day nationwide voting happens? I for one am just over it: No matter what happens tomorrow, we still have to wake up on Wednesday as human beings on this earth together. If this election has done nothing more, it truly has divided us as a country, as people, and as a planet.
As a world leader and often seen as the world bully, Americans don't often get to see how we are portrayed and viewed as by the rest of the world. Here in Costa Rica everyone keeps asking me who I voted for. When I was in Europe this summer, it was often a topic of conversation: who will be the next president?
Why do these countries and people care so much about who leads us? Because we so often lead them. The actions of the United States often have direct results thrust upon the rest of the world- whether they like it or not. It is important to remember that whomever we elect will be the sole person on this planet with the ability to anihilate an entire nation off this planet with nuclear weapons. It's important to remember the tone and the rhetoric that the president uses and how words can influence us. And it's important to not forget that our work only really truly begins on November 9.
I mean I will not be moving to Canada as a result of a Trump victory because there will be no Trump victory. Even if there was, what kind of American would I be to just cut and run without staying to fight for what is right? For those threatening the same if Hillary wins, don't you think it's better to stay and hold her/him accountable for their actions?
Again, I won't be going anywhere this January. Not because my candidate will win, because he won't. The DNC, the media, and many outlets in between long ago sabotaged Bernie Sanders from becomming president. Something I will never understand and never condone: what they did in my mind is just shy of treason. They lied, cheated, and stole the election--then got caught doing it. So no, for the first time this election series I guess I can finally admit it: Bernie is not going to be our president. Which is sad and tragic. Bernie is scandal free. His rallies saw attendance records that the likes of Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr never saw. He raised more money than anyone else's by individual donations from everyday people. He galvanized an entire generation. Today even, Bernie Sanders sits at a 91% approval rating: nearly 40 points higher than any other single politician in Washington. So basically that line about him not being able to win is and always was total garbage and vitriol to guarantee he "failed".
But you see, Bernie didn't fail. As I said before, I'm still here and will be here November 9. The political revolution that Bernie served as a figure head of is still alive and well: just last week we took down a pharmaceutical company that was jacking up prices of life saving medicine to low income families all while making record breaking billion dollar profits. This is not because of Bernie: this is because Bernie's campaign galvanized the nation: good and bad, and awoke sleeping giants in a lot of us not wanting to accept the status quo.
And his political revolution will continue onward under President Hillary Clinton. Not because she really wants to adopt the FEEL THE BERN platform, but because there are those of us willing to hold her to her word and accountable.
IT IS OUR RIGHT, no, OUR DUTY TO CHALLENGE OUR ELECTED OFFICALS, CALL THEM OUT WHEN THEY HAVE DONE WRONG, AND HOLD THEM TO KEEP THE PROMISES THEY MADE ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL.I plan on doing this and more under the first woman president, because it shouldn't matter if our leader has a vagina or not: they should be subject to the same scrutiny as anyone else.
I am asking that everyone goes and votes tomorrow, though, too. The best way to change our country is by the power of the pen, be it with words or filling in that oval. I'm not going to tell you WHO to vote for. Believe it or not, as a Green/Democratic Socialist, I can see reasons why people are voting for Trump. I can. He represents change and an anti-Washington appeal to so many people. He talks a big game and doesn't shy away from anything. I think all three of these things are positive attributes to the man, whether it's done behind a screen of bigotry and hate rhetoric or not. I can also see why voting for Trump means voting against Hillary. Let's face facts: the main two reasons that someone like Trump is even this close to the White House is a, because of the media, but b, because half of this country do not like nor trust Hillary Clinton.
I am one of those people. I used to like her. I voted for her in 2008 and still partially view her as the far more qualified candidate to run the office than Barack Obama. But now, not so much. Take her resume and give it to anyone else on the planet and they would have been a shoe-in for the White House. But this lady, shadowed by scandal for most of the last 25 years, can't seem to shake off her negative attributes enough to make folks want to be excited for her as president. I mean, how many of us are voting for her as a vote against Trump?
Again, I won't tell you who to vote for. You can blaim the Bush administration on my 2000 election Nader voting. I'll take that heat, tho I don't deserve it. Every four years the media loves to squash third party candidates without giving them any airtime or support. Beaucage three is harder to control than 2. That's just simple math. That's the logic that made Bernie the ultimate target of sabatoge. This is the same thinking that blaims us third party voters for the Bush years without ever holding the democrats accountable for, gee, the most boring and dullest candidate ever or holding the Clinton's responsibile for gaining the country's mistrust as a result of a series of lies and scandals that lead voters away from Al Gore in the first place. But what if I don't want to live in an oligarchy anymore? What if I want to vote for Jill's stein versus the two least liked candidates to probably ever run for office?
I am proud of my voting history, and I think that should be an important deciding factor: how will you feel about your vote in 20 years time? My first election, as I stated, I voted Nader. I begrudgingly voted for Kerry in 2004 because I drank the koolaid and had the anti-third party trash talking shoved down my throat so hard that I didn't want to be treated like I personally fucked the country over again. In 2008 I voted Hillary in the primary and then Obama in the general, despite a massive amount of hesitation. Backpeddling on a campaign promise, 2009-2011 saw more raiding of our medicinal marijuana pharmacies than any president before him and 2011 and 2012 saw more deportations of people and more droning and slaughtering of civilians at the hand of our president than ever before. These and other issues I have with him lead me to vote for Jill Stein in 2012. A decision I stand by today.
Up until last week, I really was one of the undecided ones. "God how could you be so stupid?" "There really is only one choice" and "Only idiots would think there are two options" are some of the lovely comments I received from FELLOW DEMOCRATS upon learning that I wasn't just going to pretend that Bernie wasn't completely robbed, my rights and election violated, and that I wasn't just going to bow down and annoint their queen as head of state. But also I could never vote for Trump in good conscience. EVER. So what was a socialist liberal to do in this instance? How did I vote in the 2016 election?
I VOTED WITH MY CONSCIENCE.
For over a year, Bernie Sanders proved to me to be the best fit, least scandalous, most aligned in my beliefs candidate that I have probably ever witnessed in my lifetime. I worked directly for his campaign and spent hours of my time and energy devoted to bringing about the most progressive platform ever witnessed in this country. So I voted for him. In 2016, I placed my vote for President of the United States of America for a qualified candidate:
BERNARD SANDERS and TULSI GABBARD for Vice President.
Was this the best excercising of my rights? I think so. I know I'll look back 20 years and be content and proud of my decision. But do I want the same for you? Not necessarily...
As I keep saying: I'm not here to tell you how to vote other than to say to vote your conscience. We DO HAVE MORE THAN TWO CHOICES, so choose wisely Dr. Jones.
Just because the candidate you pick won't win on Tuesday doesn't mean the Green Party couldn't use more votes: it can. Just because I wrote in Bernie for president does not mean it was a "wasted vote". Just because you don't like any of the candidates doesn't mean you don't have other options. Obviously I don't want Trump to win. He signifies everything that is wrong with this country. I truly hope Hillary Clinton does best Trump. The glass ceiling does need to be shattered, even if I think she is the wrong person to do it. I did not vote for her, but despite her scandals and everything wrong with her, I would take a Hillary Clinton candidacy over his any day. So I guess in that sense, in opposition to Donald Trump, for the first time this campaign circle, I guess #Imwithher when it comes to defeating Trump, but really, #IMWITHUS.
I'm with America. My vote matters up until Tuesday night. Then it is my voice, my work, the efforts I put in, and how I treat people in this world that really truly matters. So come wednesday, let's dust off the anger and anxiety and get to work making our country an even better place than it already is and put stock into a future we can believe in.
