If you live in Nevada, Arizona, Texas, Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Georgia, or Florida (really any of the fifty states, but these are the most critical), AND you don't want to see Donald Trump elected for a second term, you must vote for Joe Biden in November. Yes Biden is a doddering old man who is experiencing rapid cognitive decline, and yes it is totally unacceptable that these are our choices, but disengaging does not solve the problem, it only makes it worse.
Believe me, I completely understand the inclination to just say to hell with it and check out, but we can't do that. I have been as guilty of it as anyone but I now fully recognize it was a mistake. But it's not too late to make it right. Voting is not only a right, it is a responsibility. If we, the people, want to rule, we must be vigilant and responsible.
Right now, our priority is damage control and harm reduction. I know, it has been that way for far too long, and that is extremely frustrating, but it is nonetheless the reality of the situation. We must vote for Biden this year, and then we MUST stay engaged so that we can work toward nominating the best possible candidate in 2028. We must stay informed and vote, diligently, in every state, local, and primary election.
It's been like 15 years of me saying at first, parallels with Idiocracy, but the last 10 or so: "you know how the beginning of every dystopian end times film begins with the news montage about natural disasters, rising populism, income inequality, and whatnot? Have you read any headlines?"
YES THIS! I've been saying over and over since 2016 - I read almost exclusively dystopic sci-fi and many books have a point where the reader thinks "run this is getting too bad it is the time to go". I'm thinking specifically when June has no money in her bank account (yes it's a tinge too late even then). So I've been trying to figure out when that point in our story will be and last year decided it is id Trump is elected again. We are a lost country and evil has won at that point.
I'm sorry if this comes across as cynical to everyone but I'm worried about the ratchet effect. Even if we vote in Biden and he doesn't have a majority in both the House and Senate, no lasting changes to government can be made. Even if we get a slim majority in both chambers there's no telling if we're gonna have another Sinema, Manchin, or Fetterman go and betray the party during a critical vote. It feels like there are so many Democrats who are willing to get in bed with corporate and fascist interests and act as sleeper agents.
How are we supposed to prevent them from sabotaging important government reforms? Republicans seem to have all the time in the world to implement their strategies while Democratic voters struggle every election cycle just to keep things from getting worse. Yes I get we need to act more locally but I'm personally located in a deep blue part of the country so my impact is negligible. Other than donating to candidates that I hope won't betray our interests, I see little in regards to what can be done on my end.
If you live in one of the 18 states that allow everyone to mail in their ballot, sign up for mail in ballots. I get mine a month before it has to be postmarked, giving me plenty of time to choose who I'm voting for.
The handmaiden’s tale is basically “what if white people were treated the way Black and Indigenous people have been treated in amerikkka since 1492” so uhhh…