Giving a shit is more work than not giving a shit. But voting for a candidate doesn’t mean you like them and it doesn’t bind you to supporting them. I can post “Harris is a cop fuck cops >:-(” after I voted for her.
IMO the key is: how long does it take you to vote, and if you don’t vote what are you doing with that time that is more valuable and progressive?
If someone told me, “I didn’t vote last election because I was campaigning 18 hours a day for native land rights and there was no way to get mail or reach a polling place” OK. I’m not blaming that person. They’re working way the fuck harder than I am to make the world better. If someone told me, “I didn’t vote last election because I barely survive on my three jobs and the GOP has made my polling place a 6 hour line that I have to drive to. I can’t even afford the gas to get there.” Yeah, that makes sense.
But I never hear that from online progressives. I hear, “oh I didn’t vote because both parties suck.” “I didn’t vote because they didn’t support <progressive issue>.” “I didn’t vote because there’s no point.” These are all shitty answers. Better answer is: “I did vote for the Democratic candidate and I’ll always vote for the most progressive candidate available.” That’s the minimum effort.
Giving a shit is more work than not giving a shit. But voting for a candidate doesn’t mean you like them and it doesn’t bind you to supporting them. I can post “Harris is a cop fuck cops >:-(” after I voted for her.
IMO the key is: how long does it take you to vote, and if you don’t vote what are you doing with that time that is more valuable and progressive?
If someone told me, “I didn’t vote last election because I was campaigning 18 hours a day for native land rights and there was no way to get mail or reach a polling place” OK. I’m not blaming that person. They’re working way the fuck harder than I am to make the world better. If someone told me, “I didn’t vote last election because I barely survive on my three jobs and the GOP has made my polling place a 6 hour line that I have to drive to. I can’t even afford the gas to get there.” Yeah, that makes sense.
But I never hear that from online progressives. I hear, “oh I didn’t vote because both parties suck.” “I didn’t vote because they didn’t support <progressive issue>.” “I didn’t vote because there’s no point.” These are all shitty answers. Better answer is: “I did vote for the Democratic candidate and I’ll always vote for the most progressive candidate available.” That’s the minimum effort.