Many liberals feel obliged to vote for Democratic presidential candidates even when they profoundly disagree with them.  They're just "better" than the alternative.

A question to consider: Does  "lesser evil voting" produce positive outcomes for the people or just slow down the speed of decline? 

Where has “lesser evil voting” brought us?

We have recently experienced back-to-back presidential elections where voting the "lesser evil"  became a significant factor in our political decision-making. What is the outcome?  For starters:

1. 20+ years of perpetual war.
2. The real threat of a two-theater nuclear war with China and Russia.
3. US is being increasingly marginalized as the "greatest purveyor of violence" in the world ( MLK, 1967, "Beyond Vietnam: "Breaking the Silence" ) Nothing has changed since then. No improvement in this condition for the last 50+ years.
4. Out-of-control domestic violence.  341 mass shootings this year (2 per day as of July 4, 2023) [source: Gun Violence Archive 2023]
   
5. Increasing voter repression.
6. A collapsing global environment.
7. Deterioration of public services; education, healthcare, infrastructure.
8. Increasing debt related to war expenditures and massive tax decreases on the wealthy.
9. Women’s loss  of bodily autonomy
10. The list goes on.      

Perilous times and “lesser evil voting”

Living in these perilous times, dancing on the edge of a two-theater nuclear war and a coming year of political chaos, we must face reality.

It is time for a serious inventory of why America is failing. A starting point must include perpetual war, an economic system rigged to redistribute wealth upward,  and a political system increasingly controlled by an elite economic and political class. Fundamental to our demise is the loss of political choice by the majority of Americans.  Our political parties and mass media have narrowed our choices to two powerful factions, controlled by corporate financial interests.  The system is rigged to perpetuate its own power and benefits while expounding on democracy and at the same time doubling down on silencing voices of dissent and opposition. The choice of viable political options is significantly diminished by a public acceptance of “voting for the lesser evil”. This political recipe provides no potential for a sane, progressive future. 

It is our responsibility to address and correct our failures. Coping by voting  "the lesser of two evils" is an abdication of responsibility and a betrayal of future generations. 

The metaphorical  Doomsday clock, established by the  Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, is now closer to the midnight of Armageddon than ever before in its 73 years.  90 seconds to midnight does not give room for mistakes. There is no time for dreams of global dominance.  What is truly needed right now is an agenda for Peace and Justice.   This demands human beings communicate with one another through diplomacy, not aggression. We must find political alternatives that reflect our values, not just temporarily alleviate our worst fears.

Voting decisions made based on the "lesser of two evils" is acceptance of a deteriorating status quo.  Our political mindset must be elevated.  We must demand political aspirants who commit to and fight for the people’s values and needs.  We must ask ourselves, "Are my and my family’s needs being met by this system of “lesser evil choices?"

The coming electoral choice

Our imperative for the coming election cycle is to move beyond the self-defeating choice between two evils and choose instead to "vote our values'. When an increasing number of citizens vote for their values and reject the destructive choices offered by our twin parties of War and Wall Street the ruling class will eventually lose their grip on our minds, imaginations, and votes. We will then have an opportunity to rebuild a country that reaffirms life, not war. But let’s be clear, this can only happen when we collectively reject their offerings and choose our own.

Our struggle is against all evil, greater or lesser. Our struggle is for Peace and Justice and a thriving future, not for a choice of which party will exploit us more gently and kill us more slowly.

Learn about one option that works towards a positive future for all children. 

watch: The Future is Green (A Green/Progressive Alternative)

by John Blumenstiel