During this primary season, with all the rox/sux diaries flying about, there has been some derision towards single issue voters. Not necessarily specifically calling them “single issue voter,” but more along the line of “How can you possibly be a friend of XX Group if you support YY Candidate??” or the ever condescending reference to a voter’s “pet project.”
There’s a few things to keep in mind here. First and foremost, politics is a very personal thing and people are allowed to be extremely passionate about issues they care about. Many, many issues are literally life and death issues. Police brutality, LGBT equality, women’s reproductive rights, just to name a few. The list is extensive. Someone here is affected day-to-day by each of this long list of issues. These are not “pet projects” or “pet causes.” These are the lives of your fellow Kossacks.
Second, no one has a right to tell others what’s the most important thing to focus on when evaluating a candidate. For the most part, readers here understand the particulars of progressive issues. Yes, we have some dumbasses and we have trolls, but I believe the vast majority of readers come here to learn about and discuss various topics. We are an intellectually curious bunch. I am grateful for that. This place returns my sanity after being bombarded with memes on Facebook from people who don’t stop and think before they “share” stuff.
Yesterday, I read an exchange here where someone said Hillary supporters are “low-information voters.” The incredibly offensive idea that if only people knew what Hillary was about, they’d vote for Sanders is just beyond the pale. That commenter apparently believes that every progressive who compares the candidates on the issues will have to side with Bernie. If they don’t then they are just too stupid to understand the world. He has completely dismissed the notion that a reasonable, well informed voter could look at all the facts and choose Hillary. Absurd.
Another thing to remember is there is no perfect progressive candidate, simply because there is no perfect (viable) solution to every problem. The candidates have different ideas about how to address the issues. These ideas aren’t good vs evil. They may just be different than what YOU want done. The DailyKos debate about healthcare is a great example. For months we went round and round about what’s the best way to solve such a huge problem. At some point idealism and pragmatism had to come to terms with the fact that it couldn’t be “solved” right now, but significant progress has been made. Those who feel that single payer was the only way to go aren’t “wrong” and those who feel like had to get something, anything passed aren’t “wrong” either.
A friend once asked me, in a democracy, should you vote with your own interests in mind or should you consider the greater good?
I don’t think this is an easy question to answer. This is something each voter needs to decide for themselves. In a perfect version of the United States, each voter would elect someone to congress who was a true representative for them, the legislative process would work as intended and the judicial branch would rule in court cases in a way that would avoid the tyranny of the majority. In other words, vote for what you want and it will all shake out in the end. Unfortunately, that’s not the America we live in.
All voters end up making a personal value judgement of what’s okay to compromise and what’s not. The difference is a single issue voter has an issue that they will not compromise on, no matter what. It’s a deal breaker if a candidate’s stand differs from them on something that is absolutely vital to the voter. I see absolutely nothing wrong with that.
This is what this all boils down to for me: The most important issue to me, and has been for decades, is women’s health and their freedom to make their own choices. Luckily, both our candidates are on my side in this. However, for women to keep the right to control their bodies, the Supreme Court must be the highest priority. If Republicans get to choose the next Justice or two, I honestly believe all the progress we have made since Roe v Wade will be undone. Not overtly, but quietly in a series of decisions that will limit our choices into non-existence. A Right leaning Supreme Court is a disaster.
So, I’m with Hillary right now because I believe she has a better chance of winning the general election. That could change in a few months and, if it does, I’ll change, too. But for now, I believe it’s Hillary. I believe this despite all the diaries I’ve read about Bernie’s electablity. I believe this despite all the diaries about how Hillary has too many skeletons in the closet to win. I believe Bernie would be a better president than Hillary on several issues, like the economy and climate change. But am I willing to gamble the Supreme Court on those things? No, I am not. I’ve been around a while and there are plenty of things I don’t like about Hillary. But am I willing to take her, lumps and all, if it gives Democrats Supreme Court appointments? Yes, I am.
Update: To be absolutely clear, this internal debate I have is for the primaries. When it comes to the general election, I'll always vote for the Democrat.
