#please DONT reach out if you disagree strongly with anything I've said here

[whyeverr]

Today is Election Day in the US. 🗳

My reach is small—and my influence essentially nonexistent—but it still feels important to say something, especially knowing how important the midterms are this year.

Turnout of voters aged 18–29 is on the rise—51% voted in 2020, compared to just 39% in 2016—which is fucking amazing. But, even at 51% turnout, young voters still have the lowest turnout of any age bracket. And turnout always drops for midterms, something we cannot afford to have happen as our hairline majority in the senate hangs in the balance. Maintaining and growing that majority is our best chance at protecting reproductive freedom, LGBTQIA+ rights, expanding gun reform, etc. 

I’ve seen a tweet making the rounds about how voting isn’t a valentine to a candidate you love and support 100%, but rather a chess move toward the world you want to live in. And I might not be a chess player but I think that’s a pretty damn good way of putting it. The platform of the particular Democrat candidate(s) on your ballot today likely does not perfectly reflect your ideals. But, pragmatically speaking, a vote for them is a vote against a Republican (whom I hope I can safely assume, dear mutual, reflects none of your values). A vote for them is—at minimum—a vote to hold the line of crumbling democracy against the terrifying slide into christofascism, and at best, may actually pleasantly surprise us all and lead to something positive. I never would have imagined Biden passing student loan forgiveness when I voted for him, and yet, here we are! 

Of course, there is so much room under the sun for critiques of the two party system, corrupt politicians, Citizens United, the electoral college, etc, etc, etc, and unfortunately there will always be those who insist that voting “doesn't matter,” or in some way makes you complicit in upholding an imperfect system. But I truly and firmly believe that it’s not either/or, it’s “yes and.” Gerrymandering and voter suppression wouldn’t be a thing if voting didn’t have power. And abstaining from voting is about as effective politically as abstinence-only birth control. If you have the ability to vote, please, please make it a priority today. 🥲🇺🇸 

#non sims #election day #us politics #I know voting can be scary for anxious folks #that's me as well for sure #please reach out if you need a personal pep talk to help get you to the polls #💗💗💗 #aaaaaaaaaaalso #please DONT reach out if you disagree strongly with anything I've said here #if you vote republican support tr*mp etc #the unfollow button is right there #😊