I have been following elections since 1960.

[MineralMan]

Closely. We get just what we vote for, from the school board to the White House. If progressive people turn out and bring others with them, we get more progressive governance. When they do not do that, we get something else.

I suggest we all work hard to get more progressives and fewer reactionaries elected this year. It's up to us, really, isn't it? 56 years of observation makes that clear to me. Truly.

[MineralMan]

2. And thank you!

[TygrBright]

3. I've been following near that long. Damn' skippy. n/t

[MineralMan]

4. Yup. Thanks for the kick!

[JoeOtterbein]

5. I've been watching them from '68 and I agree

It's all about getting out the vote. And don't forget to volunteer ASAP. We need all the help we can get.

[IronLionZion]

6. But that doesn't leave time for infighting and circular firing squads

or generally pretentious privileged nonsense like teaching America a painfully sick lesson by allowing things to get worse before we work to make it better.

[treestar]

7. GOTV!

There are enough sane American voters to stop Donald from having the nuclear codes!

[bhikkhu]

8. Absolutely, and sometimes the most important elections are the most local

though its very easy to just follow the presidential races. I know in my town voting in a better city council is a big goal, though more or less unobtainable this time around.

[MineralMan]

13. Local elections are the most important thing

for most people. We need outstanding turnout for every election.

[alfredo]

15. Yeah, that PVA you voted for may someday be your governor or senator.

Get em young and help them climb the ladder of power.

[MineralMan]

16. Yes. Local and state government are the incubators

of our future leaders. That has always been true.

[alfredo]

19. That's what the Christian right did right. They took over school boards and local government.

[longship]

21. And most importantly party delegates!

That was what the moral majority was about, and the Christian Coalition. Take over a major political party.

[LAS14]

9. K & R

[DemonGoddess]

10. K&R!

ALL elections are important!

[allan01]

11. ding . ding . ding

[raven mad]

12. See a reply I made earlier.

GOTV works; folks who did NOT know they could vote? WTF?? Will vote.

[Jamaal510]

14. K&R

[NastyRiffraff]

17. BIG Kick!

Absolutely, completely, exactly, unquestionably right!

I've been following elections for the same amount of time, MM. My first experience in a campaign was JFK as a child handing out leaflets.

Now let's GOTV!

[MineralMan]

18. Thanks. I've been enjoying being involved in politics

for a very long time.

[Cosmocat]

20. SPOT ON

People want to complain about our elected officials, but it takes a LOT of people voting for them and/or not showing up for them to get elected, and most often it is pretty obvious if they are not suited for elective service.

It really isnt' their fault - everyone no matter how abhorrent, has the right to get on the ballot and run.

It is up to us to make good decisions, first and foremost as you noted excercising our franchise, but even more so, making sober decisions when we do.

[Cary]

22. It's that simple mineralman

It's truly that simple. If we vote, we win.

[Cary]

23. And this villification of government,

And the discord and discontent. Whom does that serve?

[Spitfire of ATJ]

24. Actually, look at Carter....

He was backlash for pardoning Nixon.

Four years of media attacks and claims that "Everyone cheats - Nixon just got caught" and what many believe was a sabotaged rescue and we had 12 more years of Republican Rule. Clinton won because the Republicans had a hard right platform in Dallas that called for banning abortion and making "sodomy" a federal offense.

Yet to this day the Beltway Wisdom is Clinton won because he wasn't "too" Liberal.

[Stuart G]

25. k and r..nt