Vote Blue No Matter Who has become a rallying cry for some Democrats, but I think it’s a way to shut down discourse and as a concept, it’s damaging to our nation.
The idea behind it is understandable. With the election of Donald Trump, our nation was thrown into an emergency situation. For the second time in this country’s recent history, the candidate who won the popular vote did not become President. The deck is stacked against us with unfair gerrymandering, voter suppression, and lies – not to mention foreign interference in our elections.
It’s understandable that as we stand on the precipice of another Presidential election season we look ahead and figure out our battle tactics. Because don’t get it twisted, this will be a battle. The Trump Campaign is nothing if not a fundraising machine, and as we know, they will make every advantage money can buy.
It is imperative that we bring our strongest Democratic candidate to the general election to stand up to the current administration.
I spend a lot of time online, and God help me, I read the comments. Here’s what I’ve noticed:
A critical comment is made about a particular Democratic candidate. Sometimes, an interesting, passionate conversation happens. But most of the time, a commenter comes along and posts something like:
If we fight about who is going to be the candidate for the Democrats, we are handing Trump another four years. We must unite now – I am pledging to #VoteBlueNoMatterWho.
And then additional well-meaning Democrats pile on in support of this idea. If the online conversation continues, and some folks reject the idea of Vote Blue No Matter Who, the PRO Vote Blue No Matter Who folks will inevitably start calling anyone who wants to continue the conversation a ”Russian Troll”. I’ve seen it over and over.
Look, I get it. We need to do something different, but this ain’t it. And stop calling me a Russian.
Shutting down discourse does nothing to improve our situation. Taking a pledge to just vote for the Democrat, any Democrat who gets the nomination so early in the process is a cop-out, and it lets your privilege show.
Odds are, if you are a white, cis-gender, straight, fairly affluent person, it doesn’t matter which Democrat gets the nomination. Your life won’t change. The same cannot be said for people who don’t fit into those categories. There are differences in these candidates on civil rights, on gun control, on taxes, on healthcare, on the environment. Just because YOUR life might not change, your neighbor’s might. Shouldn’t you fight for the candidate who will do the most good for the most people?
By coming into the conversation and laying down ”Vote Blue No Matter Who” you are opting out of the conversation. It’s easier, sure. But in 2019 America, we don’t have that luxury. We MUST discuss. We MUST challenge these candidates. Steel sharpens steel. Ask the tough questions. Think about the issues.
If the electorate is energized and unafraid to challenge these candidates, we can ask the hard questions and see who stands up under scrutiny. After the dust settles, and we have the strongest nominee possible, THAT is the time to Vote Blue No Matter Who.
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