I've been debating to myself whether or not voting for a third party candidate (Either PSL's de la Cruz or Green's West, regardless of my criticisms for both) would be the most "effective" use of my time in election season this year. The argument for "not" is that maybe voting at all is bad because it legitimizes this system, even if a third party candidate getting a record turnout would grab more attention (and piss off Blue MAGA cultists) than simply not going since it's not like abysmal turnouts, even by this country's historical standards, are newsworthy at this point. So I guess I have to ask how you people rationalize voting or not this year?
I fully understand that this is more symbolic than anything else and won't materially affect change for a while but it's still something to think about.
i've been voting third party in the general presidential slot since obozo's 2nd term run. it's hilarious. i mean, i'm already there making selections for school board seats, city council peeps, family court judges and heads of various state agencies-type shit anyway so the marginal cost of my time and effort of participation in the general prez b.s. is negligible. looking into the other races and their candidates is a far bigger hassle, even with the relatively efficient process i've cobbled together over the years.
what i like to imagine is the blue maga crowd looking at the PSL+green numbers on the day of tabulation and being incensed at all us cranks and assholes for going through all the hullabaloo and pageantry only to spike the ball and rip a wet fart on their latest disappointing savior. the humor only increases when the red vs blue horse race is tight. the nerve of wasting a vote on somebody under 100 that isn't a genocidal sex predator! and if some bozo tries to say shit about it IRL, i just shrug and tell them i'll vote for a dem presidential candidate as soon as they stop nominating the biggest horses ass in the stable. it's a low bar, but if they don't clear it they aren't trying.