Voting is more important this year than perhaps ever before in history. We need to fight for our democracy and a better future via our ballots.
Reasons To Vote
There is so much happening in the world. I get it. For starters, COVID is a terrible pandemic, and one which has strained our mental and physical energy as well as exposed some of our country’s deepest injustices. To add insult to injury, we have to simultaneously deal with a narcissistic, misogynistic, racist, and corrupt president who didn’t win the popular vote and doesn’t represent the values of most Americans. We should all be angry watching our freedom wither, status as a country fade, passports become worthless, etc. Most importantly, by not voting — or hampering our ability to vote — is a major threat to American Democracy!
To save our country, we need to vote Trump out now — and by a decisive margin. I speak not only my personal opinion here, but here’s a sample of the data to back up how harmful this president is:
Trump wants a dictatorship, not a democracy
Trump refused to commit to a "peaceful transfer of power" if he loses the election, saying "We’re going to have to see what happens." Trump – apparently referring to mail-in ballots, which he has repeatedly attacked as widely fraudulent, despite providing no evidence to support his claims – continued: "The ballots are a disaster. Get rid of the ballots and you’ll have a very peaceful — there won’t be a transfer, frankly. There’ll be a continuation." On Wednesday, Trump said he wanted to quickly confirm a replacement for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg because he expects the Supreme Court to decide the result of the election, which could split 4-to-4 if a ninth justice is not seated. And in June, Trump declined to commit to accepting the results of the election if he lost, saying he would "have to see," before claiming that mail-in voting would "rig the election." Biden’s campaign, meanwhile, said "The American people will decide this election and the United States government is perfectly capable of escorting trespassers out of the White House." — What Happened Today?
Trump’s mistakes have cost lives
Trump lied and claimed that the coronavirus "affects virtually nobody" as the U.S. death toll crossed 200,000 – more than the combined number of Americans killed in the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Iraq War, the War in Afghanistan, and the Persian Gulf War. The number of U.S. deaths is equivalent to a 9/11 attack every day for 67 days. The U.S. death toll is expected to double to 400,000 by the end of the year as schools and colleges reopen and cold weather sets in. In March, Trump said 200,000 deaths would mean that his administration had "done a very good job" of protecting Americans from the coronavirus. "A lot of people think that goes away in April, with the heat," Trump said in February, and later this summer, Trump told Fox News: "It’s going to disappear, and I’ll be right eventually." Meanwhile at a rally in Ohio today, Trump bragged that he’s done an "amazing" and "incredible" job, adding: "The only thing we’ve done a bad job in is public relations because we haven’t been able to convince people — which is basically the fake news — what a great job we’ve done." The U.S. has the highest death toll of any country in the world, accounting for about 21% of the global death toll despite representing only 4% of the world’s population. Trump added: "By the way, open your schools!" — What Happened Today?
Trump and the GOP are abusing their power to stack the courts
[Justice Ruth Bader] Ginsburg, who once called then-presidential candidate Trump a "faker" and more recently described this period of American history as "an aberration," dictated the following statement days before her death: "My most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed." — What Happened Today?
The long lasting and terrifying outcome that could potentially take generations to unwind is best sumed up by John Oliver:
Getting Started
The Vote site makes it convenient to find everything you need. Here are the direct links for reference:
How To Vote By State
There are multiple sources for learning how to vote by state. It’s easy! Pick any of the following to find out how to vote early either by mail or in-person:
Volunteer To Help Others
You can impact the lives of others by helping others register to vote. Here’s how: