#writein2016 and 3 reasons to write-in your vote

I have a pretty limited number of friends and coworkers with whom I interact. But I do get around on social media and read lots of news and Medium articles :), and it seems that nearly all voices in my little sphere are asking each other about the 2016 US Presidential election:

• “How did we get here?”
• “In what world are Clinton and Trump the only choices we have?”
• “Which candidate are you voting for — who do you hate the least?”
• “Its like lice on rats on a horse corpse on fire”

I hope despair has not taken you. Please, please go out and vote. Let what recently happened in Columbia be our cautionary tale and a hard lesson learned by us through the unfortunate suffering of others.

So, let’s all agree we are going to vote (all: agreed)! It turns out, most of us do have a choice. Most states in the United States (ahem, what’s up California?) allow the uniquely American grand tradition of allowing voters to write-in candidates for presidential elections.

My challenge to you, dear reader, is that if you are completely repulsed by both parties’ candidates, then write-in your vote (if you can).

Here are some reasons:

Reason #1: Vote against the “top contenders”

Really, have you been watching any of this presidential election. How can you seriously be for either one of the two top candidates which either perpetuate the good old boy network in government and finance or the good old boy network of misogynistic behavior?

Reason #2: Vote against the established party committees

The RNC completely failed Republicans by not putting someone up who could win against Trump. The DNC completely manipulated the press and the public. Our current party system, with it’s committees weilding so much power, are really just a poor quality derivative of our representative democracy — and we know what poor quality derivatives got us in 2008.

Reason #3: Vote the way you want to vote

Ok. This one seems obvious, but vote your conscious. Instead of being bullied into voting for who your friends, who your favorite news outlet or who your registered party wants, vote for who YOU want. Your vote is, after all, your vote. If you want to vote for HRC or Trump, do so (although please re-read reason #1 and reason #2. Please. I’ll wait right here). If you want to vote for Bernie or Pence or Graham or Johnson, do so.

#writein<your candidate>

So plan to write-in your candidate and let your social network know you’ll be writing in your candidate. Let’s see if we can start a movement in these waning days of this farcical election. If Bernie’s supporters really are “grassrooters” than this should be an easy win with #writeinBernie. If Republicans admire Pence for his presidential poise then #writeinPence. I implore you to vote, and vote your candidate. This can be the most important election ever — where the people’s voices were heard!

You are just one ant

I know, I know. The biggest arguments I hear are:

• “If you vote for X, it will just take votes away from Y”
• “Look what happened to Nader, alot of good writing him in did”

These are exactly the arguments which repress your vote and bully you into picking someone else’s candidate. The best way to stand up to a bully is with the collective group doing what they think best for the collective group. Remember, you are just one ant!