A question for everyone. Why do you vote?
Let's face it. A single vote, particularly in a Presidential election, is not going to change the outcome of the election. Nevertheless millions of us get out of bed on election day, trudge to the polls and cast our ballot.
I don't know why other folks do it but read on to see why I do.
I vote because I feel it is my civic obligation to do so. I vote because if people like me didn't vote then all the politicians would cater to folks on the right wing and create a more unjust, less free, more dangerous, more oppressive America. On the other hand if people like me get off our butt and go to the polls sometimes we will be able to elect politicians who actually make America a BETTER place to live and a better citizen in the world. I believe that people like me owe it to ourselves, our friends, children, neighbors, fellow citizens and inhabitants of the globe to help make America better.
Voting is a way, working with others, to make things better. If it were the case that I thought that even if everyone who shared my preferences were to turn out and vote there was no chance that we could make things better then I wouldn't bother to vote and wouldn't encourage anyone else to vote either.
On the other hand, for me voting is NOT about pulling a lever for someone I personally like or even someone that I think is particularly moral or decent or humane. Because very many people in America do NOT share my policy preferences sometimes I pull the lever for someone I personally find offensive and who holds views I would condemn. Sometimes it means voting for the lessor of two evils even when both stink to high heaven. Sometimes it even means voting for someone I think will promote policies that are worse than the policies promoted by other candidates I might have voted for instead.
The only meaning anyone should draw from my vote is that I think if everyone who shares my policy preferences votes the way I do then that will maximize the chances of electing politicians who will produce policies that are better from our perspective than the policies of the guy who might be elected otherwise.
Why do you vote?