When we introduced the "I Vote For Democrats" series back in January, one of the first posts was entitled "Why I Vote For Democrats: To Win Elections".
Well, there is another reason to vote for Democrats: to be heard.
President Barack Obama reminds us of that (and the importance of every single vote) in this campaign ad released this past week:
Apologies to those who still suffer from Stolen Election 2000 PTSD ... but this is a BHD.
"Five hundred and thirty seven."
"The number of votes that changed the course of American history."
[Newscast: "Florida is too close to call"]
"The difference between what was...And what could have been..."
"So this year, if you're thinking that your vote doesn't count.That it won't matter. Well, back then, there were probably at least 537 people, who felt the same way."
"Make your voice heard. Vote."
In red and purple states where there is little doubt about the outcome of the presidential contest or the U.S. Senate races, there might be a tendency to think that your vote does not matter. Besides the obvious need to vote to elect Democratic candidates to school boards, city and county government, state legislatures, and congressional districts, there is another reason your vote matters:
To make your voice heard
Every time you stand up and are counted, even if you are voted down or shouted down, you win. Because those who vote you down and shout you down have heard your voice and while they may defeat you electorally, they can't ignore you. Yours is one more vote that will need to be overcome for the next election and the election after that ... until maybe ... just maybe ... there are enough of you standing up and being counted that you start winning elections.
The Republicans did not all wake up one morning and say "Let's all get together and start hating poor people and people of color and women and gay people and unions and teachers and the middle class and Big Bird". They started small ("Let's hate women and people of color") and kept building their "coalition" until they became the loudest voice heard in some states and they won elections.
But they weren't the only voices.
Read More
