This is not an endorsement of any candidate. Nor an argument against any candidate. It is aimed at you, the voter. As American citizens we bear so many privileges, the most treasured of which being our right to vote. And the further into this election cycle we get, the more worried I am that we are going to totally blow it. We don’t get this important right without some work – with that privilege, it is our responsibility to be informed voters.
That means watching and listening and reading. Reading before commenting and sharing. That means being analytical. That means putting time and energy and, uggh, effort into exercising our most precious of rights.
First, what in the actual f*ck is going on with this election?
For centuries to come, this election will be studied. First female candidate. First crowd-funded candidate. And a "how-the-hell-did-that-even-happen" about the GOP that we typically reserve for huge atrocities. Collectively the most ridiculous hair and obnoxious pronunciation of “huge” from an entire candidate pool. If Kennedy-Nixon stands as the first election where TV made the difference, and for Obama it was the youth, 2016 will be known, aside from its candidates, for the sh*tstorm of rhetoric on traditional and social media.
Click-bait headlines and ire-stirring memes are flooding the internet faster than Kim Kardashian can take more naked selfies. And it has to stop.
We are smarter than this. We are better than this. Social media is so immensely powerful and this election season we are using it to share article after article, forming opinions without reading facts. Maybe reading the article, but without applying a critical eye. We don’t have time here to get everyone up to speed on the logic of rhetoric and more importantly logical fallacies, but they’re worth understanding. Here’s a great site to get the basics.
So I'm begging you, PLEASE STOP. If you are going to share an article, read it first. If you are going to comment on an article, read it first (I’m going to give you a password for this one to see if you prove my point or not – I’m even telling you I’m giving you one, I’m helping you cheat). If you are going to let the contents of an article or a meme or a post become your opinion or your reference as “fact," apply a critical eye – where is this story coming from? Is it true? Is the full picture included? How does this contribute to a healthy discourse?
Character vs. policy – which matters most?
Yeah, Trump is a total bigot, racist and just generally an a$$hole, and Cruz wants to set women’s health back centuries, and Rubio seems fine to discard the constitution if it suits him, but Sanders is a [looks around to see if anyone will hear, and whispers, scathingly] socialist. Um, what? How are we letting candidates with an utter and obvious void of moral compass (even if under the guise of religious beliefs) and such significant character flaws as how they carry themselves in public, how they speak to people, how they regard the truth, skate on through? Because we aren’t 100% on board with policy proposals from their opponents?
No. That’s not the answer. That’s comparing apples and rhinoceroses.
On inauguration day, the ONLY thing that goes into office with our newly elected president is his/her character. On inauguration day, President Sanders won’t sign into law all his commie policies and President Clinton won’t take away your guns, but President Trump will be an unqualified asshole and President Rubio will still find it acceptable to subvert the constitution if it serves his (and his party’s) interest.
And that matters.
Are there flaws in the policy proposals from all candidates? Absolutely. But that’s the beauty of the process. Candidates can talk about policies as a means to show you who they are and what they believe in, but once elected, all of that gets vetted and written and re-written and scrapped and re-written and discussed and then voted on and budgeted and then maybe written and re-written again. Confused? Schoolhouse Rock has your back.
The point here is that to avoid a candidate because you are afraid of his/her policy is naïve. The Affordable Healthcare Act didn’t become law when Obama went into office, it became law when, like it or not, US citizens voted for it.
But character is different. Preparedness and qualifications are different. The other branches of the government aren’t in place to back up a president who isn’t actually a politician and didn’t want the job in the first place, or who’s first aim is to come in and rip up what the people have voted for.
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Before you go, I have a few other thoughts to share because it seems that people are clinging to statements that I'm assuming they found on memes, but have never really thought about in much more detail.
I'm voting for Trump because we need a businessman.
Ok, your reasons for voting are your own. That's the beauty and the curse of this whole system. But, if you want a businessman, where was the nomination [a few years back] for Jobs? Or for Musk (ok, not American)? Or Bezos? Cuban? If we need a businessman, shouldn't we at least pick a successful one? Who's used great practices to build sustainable businesses rather than build a legacy of failures, undercutting and all out poor business practices?
And, if I may ask, why do we need a "businessman?" What benefits do we get from a businessman over a politician? Are there any politicians who have also been businessmen? I'm not saying this is the wrong reason to vote for someone, I'm saying it doesn't seem thought through, and I don't get it.
I'm voting for Trump because he's no bullsh*t, he tells it like it is.
He is actually 100% bullsh*t and does not tell it like it is. Watch any compilation of his answers over time and you'll see how inconsistent he is with his own story. Take a look at any fact checking and see his utter disregard for them. He paints a morose and scary version of the world that we live in – that's not telling it "like it is." That's playing on your deepest fears and your innate drive to keep your family safe.
I'm voting for Hillary because she's a woman.
Well, this seems just about as dumb as voting for Trump because he's a businessman. This point is not meant to discredit any of Clinton's merit as a candidate. But seriously, people have put more thought into who they voted for prom king and queen than this.
I’m not "feeling the Bern" because I'm not a socialist.
Ok. Fair enough. But I do have a few follow up questions. Do you like that firefighters stop things from burning down and get people out of trapped elevators and at some point in history got a kitty out of a tree and now can't shake that image? Or, do you like that police officers protect our families and go direct traffic when lights are out or you're trying to go to a baseball game? Or maybe do you like how that little sh*thead Dennis the Menace kid in your neighborhood goes off to school every day leaving you with a few hours of peace? Do you like roads and the postal service (both the actual service and the great band, which is not government-funded)?
These are socialism (ack!). Services provided by the government using our tax money. Here’s a list of more. These are things I’d much rather my tax dollars go to than a ridiculous, expectedly useless wall (that Mexico isn’t going to pay for).
But, Jessica, those are NECESSARY. College education isn't. Well, I disagree, at least in our current environment. Firstly, because even people with college degrees are having a hard time finding jobs. Secondly, I don't want to live in a country full of undereducated citizens just because we don’t think we can afford it. I want to live in a country full of the smartest people in the world, and a whole bunch of other people who are, at least, well-informed citizens.
The educated are our innovators. Our designers. Our inventors. Our healers. I want more of all of that in the world I live in, don’t you?
Also, it should be noted, the point about secondary education is not a call for it to be free, but for it to be affordable. A great explanation can be found here about what I mean. No need to reinvent the explanation wheel.
I am ok with my tax money going to college education for the same reason I am ok with it going to elementary, middle and high school education, despite the fact that I don't have children: as a fellow citizen, I directly benefit from your kids not being idiots.
Burger flippers shouldn't make the same as our military [slash EMTs, slash teachers, slash insert important profession here].
Well, no sh*t.
I don't really know what else to say beyond that, but I'll try. If your response to the assertion that a person working a full time job should make a livable wage is to compare that wage to what these important jobs pay, and subsequently your response to that comparison is to shoot it down, you have frankly come to the wrong conclusion. The minimum wage standard in this country and the pay for military, etc. are two separate, mutually exclusive, yet equally important conversations.
I agree with you, "burger flippers" shouldn't make the same as someone risking their life overseas, charged with teaching the next generation of citizens or saving our lives. But, I agree with you while maintaining that there should be a livable minimum wage AND the people working these important jobs, making huge sacrifices, should be treated with a little more damn respect in the way that they are compensated and treated.
I'll even go so far as to use a Trump approach to illustrate this point - he wants competition in healthcare (well, everywhere) because he says it will improve quality. The notion that working in the public sector means that you're going to make terrible money drives talent to the private sector, leaving a void of talent in the public sector. Taking away the competition for top talent allows employers to skate and taking away the competition against top talent removes the incentive for performance and improvement.
[I'm not going to go into it, but I know that the same people who are against a minimum wage increase are the same people who say to get rid of social security because everyone should save for their own retirement. But, le how? If the minimum wage has not even risen with inflation to cover cost of living, how in the actual f*ck is one to save above and beyond the basics?]
How about we take care of our homeless veterans before we talk about taking care of free-loading, radical, dangerous refugees?
Great idea! How about we go back in time and look at the 5 pieces of legislation since 2010 aimed directly at providing better services for veterans. Or maybe we go back in time and give a genuine #thanksobama for personally visiting VA centers amid scandal? Oh wait, we didn't care about veterans before it was the perfect out to be against refugees without seeming racist? Oh, ok.
Also, let's take a moment to understand the refugees are actually considered the most well-vetted of anyone entering the country. So the danger thing is pure fear-mongering. I wonder who could be stirring that up? And the free-loading, costs our taxpayer money thing, let's just take a look at history. Oh wait, in every instance of a country receiving a significant population of refugees, it has had, and is expected in Europe to have a positive impact on the economy? Damn. I was hoping there wasn't a valid reason beyond, you know, being a human being that we should take in refugees.
#blacklivesmatter and #yesallwomen are attacks against me, the white man.
No. They aren’t. If you see #blacklivesmatter and hear black lives matter more than white lives, you aren’t listening. If you read #yesallwomen and hear f*ck men, you aren’t listening. These movements are about creating communities that mobilize to address systemized, storied history of racial injustice and gender inequities. Neither are about saying you’re a sh*tbag. Unless you are, and that isn’t either of the movements’ fault, it’s yours. Before you say #alllivesmatter or argue the wage gap data, listen. Just listen to what they are actually saying. Yes, there’s a theme here. Wait to respond and form an opinion until you understand what is actually going on.
And as always, some of the old ones just won't seem to die… [and if you’ve made it to this point, kudos, your password for having actually read before responding is waffles]
Illegal immigrants.
Ugh. Every negative being spread about this population of people in our country is just f*cking ridiculous. They're rapists and murderers? Oh really, that's interesting because the data would say otherwise. And, logic – maybe it's just me, but if I've gone through hell and high water to get to another country to work my ass off at jobs that the citizens wouldn't deign to work, I surely would do my best to stay under the radar and, call me crazy, but it seems like raping and murdering attracts just a bit of attention, don't you say?
They receive X benefit from taxpayer money. Ok, that's fair. But it's also estimated that they pay nearly 12 billion (with a B) dollars a year in taxes, of which they don't apply for refunds like you and I do because of that whole staying below the radar thing. Jessica, how do they pay taxes?? They're illegal. Great question. It's been a while since I filled out a tax form at a new job, but I don't remember they're being a checkbox for "I'm going to opt out of this whole tax thing because I'm not here legally, so I'll just get paid and no taxes please." So if we want to talk about the tax impact, let's eat the whole cake, not just one sliver.
Does immigration need reform? Hell yes. But I would love to see us talking about creating a better, more effective process for immigration, both permanent and temporary, rather than just bashing the people picking oranges, mopping floors, trimming your hedges and all the other work that this population does. Kick 'em out! Ok, be prepared for produce prices to sky rocket and agricultural GDP to plummet. Oh, and maybe we let the people who came here to get a great education stay and open businesses! The tech industry is begging for it and for good reason.
Jessica, I thought immigrants were just dirty Mexicans making money under the table, I didn't realize they might actually be smart, capable human beings who want to work and start businesses and create jobs. Yeah, I know you didn’t.
Just about every country in the world has clear, but strict, processes for migrants to enter the country legally and safely, and to work, making money for their families and contributing to the local economy. Australia alone has double-digit working visa options.
Not saying there isn't a problem. Just saying that it's not what the rhetoric would have us think it is.
Planned Parenthood should be defunded because the government shouldn't fund abortions.
Well, it's your lucky day! The government funding for PP doesn’t touch the part of the business that performs abortions, so you don't even need to worry anymore about taking away funding from crucial education and health services!! Score!! Wait, that easy logic doesn't satisfy you? Take a look at what's going on in Papua New Guinea and then tell me if you're ready to regress women's healthcare (not taking away from the fact that PP provides services to all genders and the education and preventative services, in my perspective, are the most important).
I can't vote for Hillary because can we trust her after the email thing?
If you're still talking about these emails, just f*ck off. This is the actual dumbest. A few things the media happened to leave out of all of their reports are: 1. It wasn't against the rules at the time and 2. She was an employee – in what organization in the world is the employee responsible for their IT setup??
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Ok, that’s it. I feel better, don’t you? Did this article solve the problem? While I’d like to think I had that power, of course not. It takes a commitment from all of us to inform ourselves, to engage in positive, constructive discourse (which does mean that we can still disagree) and to call each other and the media out when perpetuating misinformation or just a slice of the cake.
Also, let’s stop the Trump thing. It’s just embarrassing. (yeah I know I said this wouldn’t be against one candidate, but I waffled – see what I did there?)
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About the Author: Jessica is a full-time traveler on a mission to visit every country in world, sharing her trip, pictures, video, stories and observations at How Dare She. Follow her on Instagram or Snapchat (jess_ismore) to see the whole world through her eyes [slash camera].