My gut is wrenching at the thought of a possible repug advancement or takeover of the House and/or Senate.
No...Fucking...Way.
Now, listen. I live in NM-02 - quite possibly one of the shittiest districts to live in if you're a progressive democrat. This November, I have a choice between a Blue Dog Dem (Harry Teague) who voted against the healthcare bill and who is against raising taxes on the highest income earners in this country, and a republican (Steve Pearce) who is directly responsible for contributing to the dire economic straits our country currently faces.
Talk about a rock and a hard place.
But I will not sit this one out. I will vote for the Blue Dog Dem because the alternative is completely unacceptable.
Sitting this one out is NOT an option.
I am not happy about this. I don't like holding my nose and voting for a candidate. In fact, I hate it. I want to get behind someone I believe in, someone who shares the same values and vision I have for this district, this state, this country.
Alas, I am not so lucky.
BUT, and this is a big but, as much as I disagree with Congressman Teague and some/many of his positions, I will vote for him.
Why?
Because while Teague has done a lot of things I don't like or agree with, he has done many things I do agree with. And with Teague, there is the possibility that I, and other like-minded folks, can sway him to change his position. He is willing to listen and engage his constituency, unlike his opponent who openly disdains and dismisses any contradictory position. Furthermore, Teague may take a contrary position to what I prefer, but he will not actively engage in trying to fuck over the middle and working classes. He is playing to both sides in this district: in some instances, giving the conservatives what they want even though it may fail in the larger vote (thus protecting his ass), but once the legislation is passed, he will not actively engage in dismantling it.
Please understand that I am not an apologist for Teague. On the contrary, I have taken him to task on his positions, and I will continue to criticize and hold his feet to the fire when warranted.
But, quite frankly, the alternative is completely unacceptable.
Pearce will actively engage in rolling back any and all progress this president and congress has made. Pearce will subserviently listen to his gas and oil backers and political masters to further fuck over an already overburdened middle and working class. He serves the ultra-right, cheap labor conservatives, and to hell with anyone who gets in the way of their agenda.
Neither choice is appealing, and in this case, I am choosing between the lesser of two evils. It completely and utterly sucks.
But when given a choice between someone who is trying to do some good in a district that is replete with uber wingnuts and someone who is an uber wingnut, well the answer is obvious but unpleasant:
Sitting this one out is not an option.
So, for those of you who think that not voting will teach the Dems a lesson or two, think again. Our country, our communities, can not survive another round of active assault by the republicans against it. And that's what it will be: an active assault against the working and middle class until they are beaten down to a pulp.
Sitting this one out is NOT an option.