I have always found the I-Don’t-Voters to be annoying at best and idiotic at worst. They don’t have the naiveté of the Libertarians but they’re just as destructive because their understanding of how people work is equally skewed. They think they’re being pragmatic and morally neutral, as you say, but actually they’re evincing their deep belief that everyone sucks and we are all on our own. Plus they’ve taken over my podcasters who “feel sick” about voting for this year’s choices and want people to stop telling them that voting for anyone other than Harris is a vote for destruction. Five years younger than me (they all seem to be “elder millennials”, where are my gen X podcasters?) and their world was so different that they think they’re more moral skipping the presidential vote than choosing the imperfect candidate over the monster, while complaining about being told to vote “Blue no matter Who.” Gah.
And for the last seven years I’ve been really worried about the extent to which comedians who think they’re making commentary on the system or politicians are actually driving the narrative that both sides are banal and evil rather than just occasionally silly. It reminds me of the research suggesting that what kids take away from cartoons that show a character learning not to do a bad thing, is how to do a bad thing. Their moral is upended by the entertaining wrongdoing. Or how teaching about bullying resistance tends to make more bullies. It’s the real counterpart to the false “violent video games are making us violent,” and comedy is somehow influencing us even by making mild jokes about foibles.
As a person who finds comfort in the meaninglessness of it all, yet value in caring for one another, I vote consistently. It’s a way to care for those whose concerns aren’t often present in my own circumstances, because most politicians aren’t going to fuck over the suburban white moms (abortion being the R’s huge mistake.)
“Nothing we do matters,” Angel tells his friend, whose life he’d just saved. “There's no grand plan, no big win. If there’s no great glorious end to all this, if ... nothing we do matters ... then all that matters is what we do. 'Cause that's all there is. What we do. Now. Today.”
... I figure a lot of life is basically gardening.
A gardener does not expect to make weeds extinct. But pulls them anyway.
A gardener understands that watering today does not mean you won’t need to water tomorrow. And gets up and does it anyway.
I do not expect to make fascism extinct. I expect there will always be weeding.
The 2010 midterms were the single most catastrophic election defeat for Democrats in the last 100 years; and it was largely down to downballot Dems running away from Obama and trying to be 'Republican Lite'.
It cost us state after state after state...just in time for the decennial census and redrawing of the Congressional and state districts.
The GOP was well prepared and gerrymandered the HELL out of any districts that might possibly lean Democratic. It lead to things like the Wiconsin Lege, where 65% of the votes went to Democrats, and 58% of the legislature seats went to Republicans a few cycles back. Then the lawless SCOTUS decided that The Voting Rights act was no longer needed and that partisan gerrymandering was A-OK.
This has perhaps been the hardest lesson I've had to learn in life as I moved from young idealist to older person who still holds principles and ideals but recognizes my limits as a human being. I'm not President of the US or a vampire with a soul or Superman. I'm just some lady over here doing the good things I can do for the people I can do them for, and sometimes that's enough. It's not saving someone from a 900-year-old demon, perhaps, but for the refugee I'm helping get settled in the US after they fled a war, maybe I'm Superman after all.
Thank you for this. Constant engagement is the only thing that will save us because all of this (waves hands at fascism) is not going to end just because we elect VP Harris. Unless we have sustained and overwhelming down ballot victories and give her the Congress she needs, and the legislatures our states need, to reinforce our civic guardrails, then the fascists just need to get lucky one more time.
As far as the "safe" protest vote, it's worth noting we live in an age where running up the score is important. Enough "meaningless" protest votes for someone other than VP Harris in New York and the media narrative after her win will be that she doesn't have a mandate to govern. The more she can increase the precentage number the easier the media game can be.
I also want to give Carlin a bit of slack as he was talking about politics in 1996. While elections even then had consequences, the choice of Clinton or Dole was for most voters not a matter of stark contrasts. Both were from the moderate wings of their parties, though they had extremists to deal with and bases to appeal to, and Congress still had a large number of red state Democrats and blue state Republicans to temper the waters. That was a year of bipartisan legislation (often shitty!) and it wasn't crazy for a liberal or a conservative to say "if my candidate loses, it won't be the end of times".
Yes, issues mattered then too, and character did, and people still should have voted if they gave a crap about their preferences. But it was also just a very different era from one where we have a psychopath who is out there every day pledging cruelty and hate, and whose malicious mismanagement has already killed a million Americans from COVID. The "why bother to vote" thing, while annoying 30 years ago, is toxic now.
Sure, but ironically, that position makes sense for the average suburban white moderate. I totally get it. And I get why Trump was such a wake-up call for them. But if you’re a true “rage against the machine” liberal, you should comprehend the major differences that occur when Republicans are in charge compared to Democrats -- how policy is implemented, which federal discrimination laws are enforced, etc. It’s hard to respect supposedly well informed people who think “both sides” are the same.
Oh certainly--I just think a lot of the "rage against the machine" liberal types (though I think they're better labeled "leftists" because they use "liberal" as a slur against those not ragey enough!) are themselves ignorant of those distinctions. They see that they don't have universal free and excellent health care for everyone, for example, and decide that means things are just the same whether liberal Democrats or conservative Republicans are in charge (they wouldn't notice how many more people have meaningful health coverage under Dem administrations).
For a lot of moderates and good faith leftists alike, I think Trump did wake them up because the distinctions became more clear. For those who still haven't woken up--or are just acting in bad faith anyway--there's just nothing left to say about them. They're too far gone.
Excellent. Voting isn't ONE day, it's every day and yeh it's hard work and yeh sooo divisive etc etc but it's devisive and depressing because the other side will NEVER quit. I'm amazed people think election day is like a pill- everything will change. But everyday after election day requires the same struggle and pressure.
Wow Stephen, this whole analysis is spectacular. I don’t think I have anything of use to add at all. You’ve left me speechless, and that’s quite the trick! 🙂 I’m just going to re-read it and soak it all in. Thanks for this — one of your very best. ❤️
“Right-wing politics are fundamentally unpopular and thus rely on Americans like our handyman surrendering to political nihilism.”
And the handyman most likely voted for Donald Trump. As an aside, I still get grief for voting for Ralph Nader in 2000–an admittedly ‘privileged’ vote in the safe state of California. Even though, as I point out, more Democrats in Florida voted for George W. Bush than they did Nader. But I still consider it a lesson learned about political nihilism. I proudly voted for Barack Obama (twice), Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden (although I was diehard Elizabeth Warren), and will exuberantly do so for Kamala Harris in a few short weeks. I WILL NOT SURRENDER!
Excellent piece Stephen... the smugness of the 'both sides are the same so I don't participate' attitude belies the small bits of goodness that can be achieved by voting in a sane school trustee who defeats a motion from the board to ban books in the school library.
Well said, Stephen. Whether it's privilege, laziness, despair, or a combination of those, political nihilism only benefits the bad guys, which is why they work so hard for people to feel like "nothing matters," And shame on the media for going along with that narrative.
This is such an excellent article and the analogies are spot on.
One thing that's also important too is how easy it is to destroy things. And yet another thing to remember...if voting weren't important, then why do Republicans work so hard to make it difficult, or deregister people?
This is a perfect piece.
I have always found the I-Don’t-Voters to be annoying at best and idiotic at worst. They don’t have the naiveté of the Libertarians but they’re just as destructive because their understanding of how people work is equally skewed. They think they’re being pragmatic and morally neutral, as you say, but actually they’re evincing their deep belief that everyone sucks and we are all on our own. Plus they’ve taken over my podcasters who “feel sick” about voting for this year’s choices and want people to stop telling them that voting for anyone other than Harris is a vote for destruction. Five years younger than me (they all seem to be “elder millennials”, where are my gen X podcasters?) and their world was so different that they think they’re more moral skipping the presidential vote than choosing the imperfect candidate over the monster, while complaining about being told to vote “Blue no matter Who.” Gah.
And for the last seven years I’ve been really worried about the extent to which comedians who think they’re making commentary on the system or politicians are actually driving the narrative that both sides are banal and evil rather than just occasionally silly. It reminds me of the research suggesting that what kids take away from cartoons that show a character learning not to do a bad thing, is how to do a bad thing. Their moral is upended by the entertaining wrongdoing. Or how teaching about bullying resistance tends to make more bullies. It’s the real counterpart to the false “violent video games are making us violent,” and comedy is somehow influencing us even by making mild jokes about foibles.
As a person who finds comfort in the meaninglessness of it all, yet value in caring for one another, I vote consistently. It’s a way to care for those whose concerns aren’t often present in my own circumstances, because most politicians aren’t going to fuck over the suburban white moms (abortion being the R’s huge mistake.)
Thanks!
Amen. Amen.
“Nothing we do matters,” Angel tells his friend, whose life he’d just saved. “There's no grand plan, no big win. If there’s no great glorious end to all this, if ... nothing we do matters ... then all that matters is what we do. 'Cause that's all there is. What we do. Now. Today.”
... I figure a lot of life is basically gardening.
A gardener does not expect to make weeds extinct. But pulls them anyway.
A gardener understands that watering today does not mean you won’t need to water tomorrow. And gets up and does it anyway.
I do not expect to make fascism extinct. I expect there will always be weeding.
Wow that is disappointing in many ways, but how awful that Carlin sat out voting. Ugh!
I hear similar things and it seems like people want to make themselves sounds righteous and special by objecting to a functioning democracy.
"...but not voting in 2010"
The 2010 midterms were the single most catastrophic election defeat for Democrats in the last 100 years; and it was largely down to downballot Dems running away from Obama and trying to be 'Republican Lite'.
It cost us state after state after state...just in time for the decennial census and redrawing of the Congressional and state districts.
The GOP was well prepared and gerrymandered the HELL out of any districts that might possibly lean Democratic. It lead to things like the Wiconsin Lege, where 65% of the votes went to Democrats, and 58% of the legislature seats went to Republicans a few cycles back. Then the lawless SCOTUS decided that The Voting Rights act was no longer needed and that partisan gerrymandering was A-OK.
This has perhaps been the hardest lesson I've had to learn in life as I moved from young idealist to older person who still holds principles and ideals but recognizes my limits as a human being. I'm not President of the US or a vampire with a soul or Superman. I'm just some lady over here doing the good things I can do for the people I can do them for, and sometimes that's enough. It's not saving someone from a 900-year-old demon, perhaps, but for the refugee I'm helping get settled in the US after they fled a war, maybe I'm Superman after all.
Thank you for this. Constant engagement is the only thing that will save us because all of this (waves hands at fascism) is not going to end just because we elect VP Harris. Unless we have sustained and overwhelming down ballot victories and give her the Congress she needs, and the legislatures our states need, to reinforce our civic guardrails, then the fascists just need to get lucky one more time.
As far as the "safe" protest vote, it's worth noting we live in an age where running up the score is important. Enough "meaningless" protest votes for someone other than VP Harris in New York and the media narrative after her win will be that she doesn't have a mandate to govern. The more she can increase the precentage number the easier the media game can be.
Wow, this is so inspiring. Thank you! I’m keeping this for days of despair. This is so beautifully done.
Thank you!
I also want to give Carlin a bit of slack as he was talking about politics in 1996. While elections even then had consequences, the choice of Clinton or Dole was for most voters not a matter of stark contrasts. Both were from the moderate wings of their parties, though they had extremists to deal with and bases to appeal to, and Congress still had a large number of red state Democrats and blue state Republicans to temper the waters. That was a year of bipartisan legislation (often shitty!) and it wasn't crazy for a liberal or a conservative to say "if my candidate loses, it won't be the end of times".
Yes, issues mattered then too, and character did, and people still should have voted if they gave a crap about their preferences. But it was also just a very different era from one where we have a psychopath who is out there every day pledging cruelty and hate, and whose malicious mismanagement has already killed a million Americans from COVID. The "why bother to vote" thing, while annoying 30 years ago, is toxic now.
Sure, but ironically, that position makes sense for the average suburban white moderate. I totally get it. And I get why Trump was such a wake-up call for them. But if you’re a true “rage against the machine” liberal, you should comprehend the major differences that occur when Republicans are in charge compared to Democrats -- how policy is implemented, which federal discrimination laws are enforced, etc. It’s hard to respect supposedly well informed people who think “both sides” are the same.
Oh certainly--I just think a lot of the "rage against the machine" liberal types (though I think they're better labeled "leftists" because they use "liberal" as a slur against those not ragey enough!) are themselves ignorant of those distinctions. They see that they don't have universal free and excellent health care for everyone, for example, and decide that means things are just the same whether liberal Democrats or conservative Republicans are in charge (they wouldn't notice how many more people have meaningful health coverage under Dem administrations).
For a lot of moderates and good faith leftists alike, I think Trump did wake them up because the distinctions became more clear. For those who still haven't woken up--or are just acting in bad faith anyway--there's just nothing left to say about them. They're too far gone.
Great column. I hadn't realized the profundity of "Angel" (probably because I never watched it).
Excellent. Voting isn't ONE day, it's every day and yeh it's hard work and yeh sooo divisive etc etc but it's devisive and depressing because the other side will NEVER quit. I'm amazed people think election day is like a pill- everything will change. But everyday after election day requires the same struggle and pressure.
Wow Stephen, this whole analysis is spectacular. I don’t think I have anything of use to add at all. You’ve left me speechless, and that’s quite the trick! 🙂 I’m just going to re-read it and soak it all in. Thanks for this — one of your very best. ❤️
Thanks!
“Right-wing politics are fundamentally unpopular and thus rely on Americans like our handyman surrendering to political nihilism.”
And the handyman most likely voted for Donald Trump. As an aside, I still get grief for voting for Ralph Nader in 2000–an admittedly ‘privileged’ vote in the safe state of California. Even though, as I point out, more Democrats in Florida voted for George W. Bush than they did Nader. But I still consider it a lesson learned about political nihilism. I proudly voted for Barack Obama (twice), Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden (although I was diehard Elizabeth Warren), and will exuberantly do so for Kamala Harris in a few short weeks. I WILL NOT SURRENDER!
Excellent piece Stephen... the smugness of the 'both sides are the same so I don't participate' attitude belies the small bits of goodness that can be achieved by voting in a sane school trustee who defeats a motion from the board to ban books in the school library.
Well said, Stephen. Whether it's privilege, laziness, despair, or a combination of those, political nihilism only benefits the bad guys, which is why they work so hard for people to feel like "nothing matters," And shame on the media for going along with that narrative.
This is such an excellent article and the analogies are spot on.
One thing that's also important too is how easy it is to destroy things. And yet another thing to remember...if voting weren't important, then why do Republicans work so hard to make it difficult, or deregister people?