Tomorrow morning, I will leave for work not completely accessorized. Not being much of a fashionista, that’s not normally a problem. But tomorrow I will stop to make sure I have the perfect accessory:
It’s Super Tuesday, and Virginia is in with the in crowd of mostly southern states holding their primaries.
Strangely, here in Virginia, it doesn’t feel much like there is an election coming up. TV ads are not constant, and while we’ve been getting a lot of campaign calls, there aren’t any more annoying calls than usual.
Most unusual is the almost complete lack of political signs. For the past 8 years, there have been far more political signs than voters around here. The absence of them, without any sort of ordinance prohibiting them, makes me think that everyone around me is secretly supporting Donald Dfrump.*
Anyway, I’m sure you’re dying to know: I’m voting for Hillary.
Philosophically, I’m really in Bernie’s camp. I’d love government-sponsored healthcare. I’d love to make college free. I would love to erase income inequality.
But I’m a pragmatist.
Even if Bernie could get elected (and I don’t agree with pundits that claim he can’t), well, I spent 10 years watching the sausage mill that is our government. And I simply don’t think Bernie can do it.
Hillary Clinton has my vote because I think she will be a good president. Because she’s smart and capable. Because she knows the system inside, outside and upside and downside.
Is she perfect? Is she my dream candidate? Nope. I was for Obama in 2008 (actually, I wanted him to be my candidate beginning in 2004).
I am not blind to the problems with her. I would rather a flawed candidate than one who is promising more than he can deliver.
And I think that Hillary can beat Trump or whichever GOP candidate is vomited out of a brokered convention.
So early tomorrow, I will cast my vote and get my sticker.
Elections Matter. Make your voice heard.
* If you haven’t seen John Oliver’s show on Donald Trump, get yourself some popcorn:
FiftyFourandAHalf 
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Hey Elyse, thank you for following my blog. I totally agree that no matter who you vote for at least exercise your right to vote. That’s part of living in a free country. There are so many places that the people wish they had that right. Get out people and Rock the Vote! Look forward to more from you!
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I saw an Onion headline that read something like: “Former First Lady, U.S. Senator, and Secretary of State need to work on impressing the voters with her credentials.” You are so right, Elyse. She is the most qualified person for the gawd-awful job of running this country. We are so divided and, while she won’t be able to heal the country, at least she won’t set off a nuke just to see how big a bang it makes.
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Or to show how big her hands are 😆
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Yeah, right!
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I cast my primary vote for Bernie. I want him to stay in the race. I want him to continue the Revolution. I want him to continue to push Hilary to the left. When (if) Hilary wins the nomination, I will vote for her. I will do so while holding my nose.
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Funny, I was just talking to my son who also voted for Bernie, exactly what you said. I love that Bernie is in the race and doing what he’s doing.
I used to think that I would hold my nose to vote for Hillary. But I have changed my mind. Or maybe I just accepted that all politicians suck to some degree (a philosophy I have fought for years). I think she’ll be a good president.
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I’ll be happy with either Dem candidate. I’m leaning towards Hillary, but I could be convinced to go with Bernie.
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I pretty much agree. I had to choose one, and I did. But my son voted for Bernie, and I think for him that was the right vote. They are both good candidates with flaws. But the worst of their flaws multiplied exponentially do not hold a candle to the flaws of the candidates on the other side!
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I can’t really add to the conversation. It’s all been said. That clip is priceless. I don’t watch long clips but I just couldn’t stop watching.
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Ah I just watched the Jamie Oliver show about Drumpf earlier today!! It was brilliant lol!! I like Bernie and Hilary, I’d be pretty happy with either of them!!
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Bernie’s getting my vote when primary gets to NY. I think Hillary and Bernie would make good running mates. Where one is weak the other is strong. But I agree Hillary can beat that GOP front runner and that’s important.
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We’re still on the same side!
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Is it THAT Tuesday already?
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Sorry. But yeah.
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The country needs more time to get real.
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Sigh.
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It’s 7:30 am … so I’m wondering if you have your sticker. As you know, Ohio is in two weeks, and in accordance with Ohio law, I will be voting an issues-only ballot. Tonight will be an interesting evening of results.
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Not yet. I go in a little late. I’ll be voting around 9.
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Cheers to your sticker!
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A great post. You took the words right out of my mouth. The Economist just endorsed Kasich, which leaves me feeling strangely vindicated. I think in any other election cycle, he’d have mopped-up. In a way, I hope that Trump sweeps. Sometimes, you’ve got to blow something up so that something better can arise from the ashes. Like Nazi Germany. Or the GOP.
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Thanks, Mark. In any other year, I don’t think Kasich would stand out. He really is a normal very conservative republican. He is not advocating burining bridges or building walls. He is not appealing to the worst in voters. But he is very conservative and believes in (and has delivered) on cuts to social programs that I think are important.
The problem with Drumpf sweeping is that he might just take the general. And that is too frightening to contemplate!
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He also expanded Medicare in Ohio, at great political risk. But he felt it was the right thing to do. Bernie is living in a fantasy world. Kasich is grounded.
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True About Medicaid and grounding. But he also cut food stamps for kids which is horrible. My differences with him are basic den v. GOP differences.
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Obviously here in France I will not be voting, but if I could, my vote would go to John Oliver! 🙂
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That would be the best use of a vote ever!
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Well, I like both Bernie and Hillary. So I’ll compromise: I’ll vote for Bernie tomorrow, and for Hillary in November.
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I like them both too. And I think that Bernie is helping move the dialog in a more progressive direction. So yours is a good idea.
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I hope that by now you know my whole fam damily thinks you’re wonderful. But on this one thing, I think you’re wrong. You say that the only reason you’re not voting for Bernie is that he’s going to try for more than he can deliver.
And here I told Zorbear that was the reason people SHOULD vote for him. We’ve had 8 years of a president that refused at every juncture to fight for more than he was “likely” to get. It’s past time to vote for somebody that’s willing to fight the good fight — win, lose, or draw. If nothing else, it will set an example for the next time a “progressive” wants to run. And who knows? Maybe one or two little things WILL get through….
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We can still be friends! I think that history will show that Obama’s accomplishments are seriously misunderestimated 😜. The real problem is not the president but the congress. That’s who we need to get rid of. Mitch and Paul and the whole crew.
But eve with a new congress we won’t get close to what Bernie is offering.
As long as you don’t vote for Drumpf!
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“Ah, but a man’s reach should exceed his grasp – or what’s a heaven for?”
– Robert Browning
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I’m pretty sure that nobody ever described government as heaven. I’d bet big money on that!
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🙂
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Happy voting. I hope we all exercise our right to vote this year. Hard to complain about outcomes when we don’t let our voices be heard.
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Yup!
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Thanks for voting. I caucused for Clinton with similar opinions as yours, I think. Foreign policy is too important to ignore. I have to vote, also, for a commander in chief.
My blog post this evening: https://ourviewfromiowa.wordpress.com/2016/02/29/were-not-laughing-anymore/
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Oops. I hope on over to your post without commenting!
I think that there are a lot of us who have made the same decision!
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I’m almost done reading this very long article. You might find it interesting, too. http://www.vox.com/2016/3/1/11127424/trump-authoritarianism
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Great! I didn’t want to work today anyway! (I’ll have to save it for later, but it looks fascinating. Thanks!)
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We will both be wearing our sticker tomorrow.
Texas also has their primary tomorrow, and even though I (sadly) expect Texas to end up being claimed by the Republican candidate (yet again) and we head into November, that doesn’t mean I won’t still stand in line and cast my own vote for Hillary. I’m about 60/40 Hillary/Bernie, so I did more or less the same thing. I focused on what I believe is one of the most important aspects of the job, (foreign relations), and on that front, Hillary is clearly the better choice. I had no hesitation about Obama; with Hillary, it’s more a matter of trying to find the best fit, given our available choices. I also believe Hillary can beat Trump (with one brain tied behind her back).
In any case, tomorrow is an important day. We’ll see what the (entertainment shows that once passed for) news stations say by the end of the day. The worst of it is how many times I’ll have to hear the word “Trump” in one day. Give me strength. And something sweet, to get that nasty taste outta my mouth. Ugh. Yuck. Ewww.
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Drumpf. 😅
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Tonight will be an interesting night, that’s for sure! I think I agree with you that I’m 60/40 too. Partly because I don’t believe that Bernie’s “revolution” will happen.
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Well, I think Bernie has a long way to go in understanding the importance of equality and race relations, but Hillary is sometimes a little too adept at knowing how to say exactly the right thing (but then again, that’s what diplomacy is supposed to be all about, right?). I wish we could combine the best of both of them, and come up with one candidate. I truly don’t understand (and am constantly frustrated by) the fact that our elected representatives DO NOT champion the causes that matter to the electorate. It seems once they get in office, they meet even MORE opposition, and everything grinds to a complete halt. If we don’t get smarter, and soon, we are doomed.
Now that I’ve cheered you up sufficiently, I’m off to get to my sticker. The only thing more fun than having to see the shiny faces of the opposing party smiling at me, are the tons of children at the school where I am required to cast my vote (hence my late appearance, so that I can avoid those small humans that sort of make me want to be anywhere but there). Good grief. I’ve truly become a grumpy old witch. Emphasis on grumpy. Hope you have a relaxing evening. I’m turning off the news tonight. It will all be rehashed tomorrow. For tonight, I’m sticking my head in the sand.
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We could, perhaps, arrange fora transporter malfunction and combine their DNA!
You and I will, sadly, commiserate over the people’s elected reps who think they know so much more. Unless they want to appeal to our baser instincts.
Enjoy the sand. I’m watching!
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My thoughts exactly Elyse.
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It would be nice to feel inspired on the way in to the voting booth, but then I wasn’t inspired by Bill Clinton, and he turned out to be a fine president. Peccadilloes not included.
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Inspiration is overrated these days. I look to being satisfied that someone won’t totally f-up as being good enough…
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Yeah!
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Oliver is very funny. I too will likely vote for Hillary, but out here we have to wait until June for our primary. I’m independent, but Democrats allow independents to vote in their primary. I like both Hillary and Bernie about equally. But my philosophy is, if I like two candidates about equally, and one is female, then I’m voting for the female, so we can have more gender diversity in our government.
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It’s funny, but her gender doesn’t really make a difference to me. I mean it will be great to have a woman as president, but I consider the other factors way more important.
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So do I. But for me, when all else is basically equal, then gender becomes the deciding factor. At least until gender diversity equalizes.
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I pretty much agree with everything you’ve said here (except that I’m not in Virginia). 🙂 Our primary is not till June.
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The primary system is so stupid — it really places the emphasis on states that just don’t represent the nation as a whole. are you in California like Tippy? Because THAT is a state that represents the broad spectrum of the US. I’ve long argued that Iowa and NH really don’t look like ‘Merica. And here on Super Tuesday the influence is so heavily southern that the more conservative candidates tend to loose out, while they’d win in the north and midwest. Screwy system!
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And don’t forget American Samoa! 🙂 I’m in NJ, which has a pretty broad spectrum, too.
I think it’s so weird that the campaigning and primaries go on sooooooooo long before the actual election.
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Wouldn’t it be a blessing if we just had a few weeks of this???
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YES!!!
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