Perhaps you've seen the video of her bouncing around Facebook talking about how bad the two party system is and how we need to start voting our consciences. This is all nonsense and a terrible idea. I think this strain of thinking is the most dangerous thing out there to our country and our future. More dangerous than the Bushes and LePages and Trumps, because THIS is what makes THEM possible.
It's not a conspiracy, no one's out to trick you or manipulate you, the system is not "rigged" and I am not "the establishment" whatever that means. There is no two party system imposed on us. It's not in the Constitution, it's not a law, it's not written down anywhere. It exists because it EVOLVED based on the election rules that we have in the federal and state constitutions: basically, whoever gets the most votes wins. Countries with this kind of rule have two parties, countries with other rules have multiple parties. It's a fact, not my opinion, in political science it's called Duverger's Law. The two parties are a symptom, not the cause.
It is dangerous and factually incorrect to claim that we just need to try harder and vote our consciences to have third party victories in this country. That will never happen without changing the rules (through Ranked Choice Voting for instance). Without changing the rules, you will have spoilers and the WORST of two evils (ala George Bush and Paul LePage) running our states and country, not some miraculous third party takeover.
I know it's harder, and less emotionally rewarding, but the way to make real change while this system is in place is to work within the Democratic Party (as Bernie and Elizabeth Warren so wonderfully demonstrate) to shift the debate left and support the candidacies of other progressives in the Democratic Party. The real way to make change TO this system is to work for electoral reforms such as ranked choice voting. I suggest you do both at the same time.
Support for long shot third party candidates without changing the system FIRST does not change anything, and has the potential to destroy a lot. Don't let impatience and frustration cause you to use your sacred, all important vote (and voice) dangerously and destructively. If you have two realistic contenders in a political race you should absolutely vote for the lesser evil, not the long shot who shares your values more, because in American politics THERE IS NO SECOND PLACE.
Stein WILL lose, all she can do by running and all you can do by voting for her is to cause Clinton to lose, and if that happens, progressives and the country and the world have lost everything, and will continue losing precious, possibly irretrievable things for at least four years. Who knows how far back we could be dragged.
DO vote your fears, because they could come true. Maine of all places should get this by now.
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