on the myth of "both sides are equally bad"
why your vote each election can *always* make or break america's future
tl;dr: voting matters, y'all. biden and trump are not the same, sitting out helps the worst option, and your vote impacts real lives. don't let perfect be the enemy of good. scroll to the bottom for immediate actions you can take!
hey there, mi gente politicamente exhausted -
this is more important than your tiktok feed, your latest situationship drama, or even that new taylor swift album drop. (or whatever.) i see you eyeing that "screw it, i'm not voting" button like it's the last slice of pizza after a drunken bender at 3am. i get it. you're tired. you're over it.
choosing between biden and trump feels like picking between a lukewarm cafΓ© con leche and a steaming cup of MAGA madness.
but here's the tea, hot and unfiltered: this isn't just another election where you can afford to sit on your ass and scroll through memes. this is the political equivalent of choosing between a netflix subscription and having comcast forcibly install a fox news landline in your house.
it's the difference between progressing into the future or yeeting ourselves back to the 1950s.
let's get real: this isn't just another election β it's a crossroads for democracy itself. and honey, if you think your vote doesn't matter, you're more delusional than those people who still think the earth is flat. (spoiler alert: it's round, just like the hole we'll dig ourselves into if we don't show up at the polls.)
biden vs. trump: beyond the surface
biden:
passed the inflation reduction act, investing $369 billion in climate action (that's like 369 billion mcchickens, but for saving the planet)
appointed the first black woman to the supreme court (about time, right?)
forgave $168.5 billion in student loan debt for 4.76 million borrowers (that's a lot of avocado toast)
rejoined the paris climate agreement (because science is cool)
funneled funds held up by trump for puerto ricoβs hurricane aftermath like a boss faster than you can say βrebuildβ (thatβs what being presidential looks like, folks!)
advocates for lgbtq+ rights like he's the community's favorite uncle at a pride paradeβrestoring trans rights in the military and championing anti-discrimination like itβs the new black. (remember that he was the one that dragged obama out in the open on this in 2011!)
trump:
appointed three conservative justices, tipping the supreme court balance (more on this nightmare fuel later)
implemented a racist-ass muslim travel ban (not cool, bro)
separated migrant children from their families at the border (seriously, wtf?)
rolled back 100+ environmental rules (because who needs clean air, am i right?)
attempted to overturn a free and fair election (democracy? never heard of her)
his approach to puerto rico? letβs just say if hurricane relief was a text message, puerto ricans got left on 'readβ - his administration blocked the relief money puerto rico needed and instead threw paper towels at people. (at least marginally better than βthoughts and prayersβ? β¦ right? right?!?)
lgbtq+ under trump felt more like stepping back into a less colorful eraβtrans military ban? seriously, who does that?
this isn't just policy β it's about the soul of our nation and the world we're shaping for generations to come.
the stakes: a tale of two americas
voting rights expanded and protected (your vote = your voice)
roe v. wade potentially codified into law (uterus owners, rejoice!)
continued investment in renewable energy (solar panels > oil spills)
strengthened lgbtq+ protections (love is love is love is love)
a supreme court that might not strip away more rights (fingers crossed)
the implementation of project 2025, a laundry list of conservative policies that will transform the country (in a very bad way!)
voting restrictions implemented nationwide (democracy? groundbreaking)
abortion banned at the federal level (handmaid's tale, but make it real)
environmental regulations gutted (hope you like breathing smog)
lgbtq+ rights rolled back (back to the closet we go?)
a supreme court that rubber-stamps authoritarian policies (yikes on bikes)
we're not just choosing a president β we're choosing between progress and regression, between democracy and authoritarianism.
but what about the supreme court, tho?
let's talk scotus, then. these nine robe-wearing deciders have more impact on our daily lives than any tiktok trend could ever hope. okay, i may regret saying that⦠anyway, here's the tea:
in 2022, they overturned roe v. wade, ending 50 years of federal abortion rights protection. suddenly, your zip code determines your bodily autonomy. not cute.
they've signaled they might revisit cases on same-sex marriage, interracial marriage, and contraception access. love is love? not if they have their way.
affirmative action in college admissions? gone. because apparently, we solved racism. (spoiler: we didn't)
itβs very possible that the next president could appoint 1-2 new justices. sonia sotomayor, my fellow puerto rican, has a lot of health issues and could retire soon. and justices thomas and alito are both getting older and caught up in their own scandals. itβs possible one of them could retire soon.
the power of nominating justices is incredible - weβve seen it! voting for the right person in 2024 is literally the difference between expanding rights and living in "the handmaid's tale: the reality tv show edition."
the marginalized matter
here's the harsh truth: when you don't vote, marginalized communities suffer most. don't believe me? let's break it down:
voter id laws disproportionately affect black and latino voters. in wisconsin's 2016 election, up to 23,000 voters were deterred by voter id requirements. trump won the state by 22,748 votes. let that sink in.
lgbtq+ rights? on the chopping block. the trump administration argued in court that businesses should be allowed to fire people for being gay or transgender.
immigrant communities? constantly under threat. trump's policies led to a 65% drop in refugee admissions between 2016 and 2019.
your vote isn't just about you. it's about protecting those who are most vulnerable.
local elections matter too, bestie
think your vote doesn't matter? tell that to edgewood, kentucky, where a city council seat was decided by a single vote in 2018. according to a 2001 study of state and federal elections, between 1898 and 1992, βone of every 15,000 votes cast in state elections 'mattered' in the sense that they were cast for a candidate that officially tied or won by one vote.β isnβt that crazy? your vote can make or break a candidacy, easily.
these local leaders decide on:
school funding (bye-bye, musty textbooks)
police and criminal justice reform (because black lives matter)
affordable housing initiatives (adulting is hard enough without impossible rent)
climate action plans (save the turtles, and also humanity)
the third-party trap
βoh, iβll vote! iβll vote for jill stein or for rfk jr.β really? for the guy that literally had brain worms? good lord, my friend. thatβs not the way to go. in 2016, jill stein received more votes in michigan, wisconsin, and pennsylvania than trump's margin of victory. those states decided the election and gave us the gaping wound of trump.
in our winner-take-all system, a vote for a third party isn't a protest β it's a gift to the candidate you like least.
it's like ordering pineapple pizza when the group is deciding between cheese and pepperoni. sure, you've made your point, but now everyone's stuck with pepperoni because you couldn't compromise on cheese.
but the system is rigged! why bother?
i hear you. the system isn't perfect. but not voting? that's like setting your house on fire because you don't like the wallpaper. here's why your excuses don't hold up:
"my vote doesn't matter": tell that to the people of georgia, where biden won by just 11,779 votes in 2020.
"both parties are the same": see the entire first half of this post. they're really, really not.
"i'm sending a message by not voting": the only message you're sending is that you're cool with others deciding your future.
"i don't know enough about the issues": girl, you're reading this. you're already more informed than half the electorate!
democracy is messy. it's frustrating. but it's also the best legitimate tool we have to create change.
look at the civil rights movement, the fight for marriage equality, the ongoing struggle for racial justice β change happens through persistent engagement, not by sitting out.
urgent af: deadlines and dates
don't let democracy ghost you. mark these dates in your cal:
voter registration deadlines vary by state. some are as early as october 9, 2024. check your state here. in california, itβs 15 days before election day, or october 21, 2024.
mail-in ballot request deadlines: typically 7-14 days before election day. don't procrastinate on this like you do with your laundry.
early voting periods: usually start 1-2 weeks before election day. beat the lines and the anxiety.
election day: november 5, 2024. set seventeen alarms if you need to!
so what can we do?
register to vote β like, right now. here's a link:
check your registration status β people get purged from voter rolls. don't be a statistic.
make a voting plan β decide when and how you'll vote. put it all in your calendar.
spread the word β talk to your friends, family, and that cute barista. every vote counts.
volunteer β campaigns always need help. plus, it looks great on your dating profile. (at least i think it does.)
push for ranked-choice voting in your state and for candidates that support reforms and democracy.
remember, every right we enjoy today was won through struggle and protected by vigilance. your vote is your voice in that ongoing fight.
as rep. alexandria ocasio-cortez said, "the idea that we can sit on the sidelines and not vote is a privilege... it's a privilege that many people don't have."
so, mis amiguis cansados, i feel your exhaustion. but now is not the time to tap out. it's time to stand up, show up, and fight like hell for the future we deserve.
let's make democracy fetch again.
hasta la victoria siempre,
edgard πβπ½
it's round, just like the hole we'll dig ourselves into if we don't show up at the polls IM SCREAMINGGGGG
i got really excited that maybe taylor dropped a new album that i somehow missed πΉ guess iβll vote instead