I’d have an easier time accepting this if the writer hadn’t been so dismissive of Bernie voters during the primary. Now, it just feels like this is the Clinton strategy — Hillary, she’s not that bad! Honest. If we learned anything from the Wikileaks dump, it’s that this dictating the dialog is exactly how we got into this situation.

I agree that a “protest” vote means very little in the grand scheme of things. It falls on the majority to make a choice, just as any vote for a losing candidate means little to nothing. My vote for Bernie during the primary means nothing at this point. It certainly doesn’t mean that the Democrats got the message that business as usual wasn’t going to cut it anymore. My vote is for someone I feel represents my ideals, not perfectly, but at least somewhat aspires to a an end goal that I find acceptable.

In truth, this cycle, both candidates (to me, granted) represent an existential threat — in Trump, his bellicose rantings have horrific capabilities. Thankfully, the system of government we’ve erected give him ample opportunity to be blunted by the actual cogs of government. Hillary’s pro-corporation warlike tendencies represent a different source of existential threat — a liberal in name only that will tack a party that finally had a chance to return to FDR’s ideals, that could possibly stand with JFK’s rhetoric right back to a center while more and more of America (and the world) suffers and dies because some elites need to pad their bank accounts.

I’ve donated to many Democrat campaigns over the years, and (aside from TPP) been very open about how happy I’ve been with Obama. I refuse to accept that this election has to be binary. I refuse to let my voice be used to say, “Hillary represents me.” I’m not with her. Let the Democrats keep losing elections until they wake up from their stupor and see how far they’ve lost the people that were once their base.

Both candidates are the collective worst we could come up with. Maybe I’m throwing my vote away, but at least I can look myself in the mirror. The stench is too strong and I refuse to hold my nose.