Matt's Guide to Voting

Many Trump/Republican voters are furious.  They're viciously mad at the minority Democrats, a party who currently holds as much power in our government as a turnip, for allegedly derailing their agenda, but the reality is their agenda came up against reality.  It's one thing to support a racist bigoted jackass who says he'll stop, jail, or kill his enemies.  It's a completely different thing to put a racist, bigoted agenda into place in the US.  The Federal Government's rules make it difficult to make earth shattering federal platform changing decisions quickly.

It's one of the two reasons modern Trump voters (and if you're a Republican you're a Trump voter) are flirting with the idea of scrubbing Democracy as a whole, embracing a more authoritarian/fascist/dictator type of rule.  The three branches of Government and the Constitution make huge racist changes to America difficult, so Righto voters are entertaining the idea of moving away from the system of checks and balances (not exactly like the Republicans in Congress are doing much anyway) to give Trump some level of absolute power.  They've convinced themselves a primary individual plutocracy is more what the founding fathers wanted.  It's also the only way they're going to stay in absolute power in the age of Trump.

The other reason the right is entertaining a dictatorship is the same reason they're really upset.  Even they have to admit this experiment with Trump has been an utter disaster.  He's put babies into prisons, sold off our national park land, and even made a tax cut so unappetizing it's making Republicans afraid of offering another.  Republican voters are looking in the mirror and realizing for a split second they're the problem.  Middle and lower class conservative voters have handed over their power to the ultra wealthy because they've been indoctrinated into HATING Democrats more than they love their quality of life, health, kids, religion, and their own country.  But instead of admitting they were wrong, wearing their shame, it's easier for them to embrace scrapping Democracy.  They're willing to end America because they're terrified of being embarrassed.

The first step at fixing this mess is a simple one.  If you were one of the 110,000,000 US citizens registered to vote in 2016, but who didn't, now is the time to correct that mistake.  What 2016 undeniably showed us is that sometimes you vote to prevent a truly horrible, evil person from getting into power.

Are you registered to vote?  In Minnesota you can find out at the Minnesota Secretary of State's page: https://www.sos.state.mn.us/elections-voting/

If you're not in Minnesota, search for your individual state's Secretary of State page.

Do you know where to vote?  Once again check with your Secretary of State, but most town's City Hall have a person who can tell you where you vote, based on your address.

Remember not only are there Federal races, but a plethora of local races too.  Depending on your state, you might be choosing your Governor, your state Senators, your state House Representatives, your county commissioners, school boards, mayors and many other local civic positions.  There's usually a spate of judges to vote for too.  In Minnesota, to my knowledge, there are only two contested juridical races, where two appointees of Governor Mark Dayton (one on the MN Supreme Court [Chutich], and one on the Court of Appeals [Jesson]) are being challenged by outside candidates.  You're welcome!

Republicans, especially ones in major metro area suburban districts, are terrified of being identified as Republicans.  This is why you've seen Republicans with purple, orange, green and even Democratic Blue campaign signs, signs which make no mention of their Republican Party affiliation.  Talk to everyone getting ready to vote and make sure they check to see which party the candidates represent.  Make sure EVERYONE asks the question "why would this person work so hard at hiding which political party they belong to?"  If they're being deceptive, they probably shouldn't get your vote.

My suggestion would be to vote a straight Democratic ticket.  In Minnesota, I'll vote for the Minnesota DFL from the top of the ticket (Senators Klobuchar and Smith) to the bottom of the ticket (my Minnesota House Rep, Cheryl Youakim).

The Republicans don't deserve to stay in power at either the national or state level.  All they have done is hand over tax payer dollars to the wealthy, and in turn cut the programs and services we depend on.  They've failed at all levels.  The only way they'll learn they're wrong is for them to lose.  The incumbent Republicans haven't done squat to deserve another chance, and electing the new Republicans would only lead to more of the same.

Let's be honest about the Republicans.  They knew Trump had a less than Christian pedigree (to say the least).  They knew he mocked the disabled.  They knew he threatened to sexually assault a married woman.  They knew all about him, implied he probably should get their vote, and regardless they all voted for him in 2016.  They will ALL show up again and vote in 2018.  They will!  This was never about getting them to stay at home.  This was always about getting a large portion of that 110 million who sat out 2016 to the polls in 2018.

Ask your family, friends, and coworkers if they are registered to vote, if they know where to vote and ask if they are planning to vote.  It's your right as at US citizens.  Please don't waste it again.