I have largely kept politics out of this blog, while doing no such thing on my social media accounts including the Twitter this blog is tied to, I feel the time for that trend to stop is officially here. Life is politics. If you'd like to ignore these posts in favor of the other content, that's fine. I know not everyone will agree with the statements made here nor the ones made in the future, but I also hope you just take a moment to listen and try to understand where they come from. So, for the first official post using the "politics" label, I will look at some of the common myths surrounding independent voters and explain why you should vote Green in November.
MYTH #1: The Green Party Helped Trump Win in 2016
Trump won for a few reasons. Most Green voters weren't going to vote for a Democrat to begin with, especially not Clinton. Blaming independent voters and acting like the DNC owns their votes simply because they ran someone who wasn't Trump is laughable. The choice of voting for the lesser evil is not a choice that many want to make, which is a huge reason why many sit out elections to begin with. If the DNC wanted to beat Trump, they should have ran a candidate that was more popular. And yes, she dominated the popular vote, but that's not enough with the broken, undemocratic system that we use here in the United States. Also, because of the way the electoral college works, you are never truly taking away votes from one of the major candidates by voting independent. If you think that Jill Stein receiving 1% of the vote is what gave us Trump, you clearly need math lessons.
MYTH #2: Voting Green is a Waste of Your Vote
It is a spit in the face of voters to be told that they only have two choices and that the other options are a waste. That's not how democracy, what little we have here at least, should work. If you are one of the many that are truly tired of being told you only have two people to vote for while noticing neither truly speaks for the people, it's time to take note. The complacency we've allowed to take place for so long is our biggest flaw as a country. So, vote Green and help the party hit 5%. Just that low number of votes is enough to ensure real change. Did you know that nearly 4 in 10 Americans identify as independent?
MYTH #3: Progress Comes From Changing the DNC from Within
The desire to see the Democratic Party move to a more progressive stance is one shared by many, fueled in part by names like Bernie Sanders and AOC. Despite their efforts, the fact is that the party is controlled by lobbyist interests that will fight tooth and nail against true efforts of progress. The party has long played the role of feigning progressive natures with major candidates before they turn back into moderates when elected (Obama, for one). While there will be slow movements, they will be snail speed and only happen as reactions to forced demands. If you truly want to push change, vote Green and send a statement. The party will have to learn and adapt or will fall and crumble. That's on them to decide which route they'd like to go.
Why You Should Vote Green
If you agree with cuts to military spending, vote Green. If you support the idea of Universal Healthcare, vote Green. If you are behind a living wage to combat the disparity, vote Green. Vote Green for free education, student debt relief, clean energy, and the banning of fracking.
If you are tired of voting for the lesser of two evils, vote Green!
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