IMO, are we overlooking the question, "what is there to lose"?

[MineralMan]

Another election is coming up. Every two years we have a new opportunity to vote. Whether we vote or not has a lot do do with what happens for the two years following the election. Often, the question of what we have to lose if we fail to work to turn out the vote is forgotten.

There's a lot to win in 2016, and even more to lose. Imagine this country right now with a Republican-dominated Congress and a Republican President. That's what we have to lose. It's a real possibility in 2016. A serious possibility.

It would be wonderful if we could turn the country around in a single election. It would be terrific if we could elect progressives into every legislative office, both state and federal. Wonderful, terrific, but completely impossible in the real world. Anyone with eyes in his or her head knows that.

What we can do, and must do, is to elect a Democrat as President and turn out in numbers high enough to recapture control of the House and Senate. We can do that. If we will. If we "sit at home and see if it gets fixed," though, we'll get the alternative described in the first paragraph of this reply. That's what we'll get. That's what we have to lose. That's a real danger.

That's always what we have to win and lose in elections in the United States. Voters are almost equally divided. Who wins and who gets control of our legislative and executive offices depends entirely on who shows up to vote. That's something we can work on. That's something we can do to ensure positive changes in this country.

Not huge changes. That possibility isn't even on the ballot. Incremental improvements. That's what will be on the ballot. We can either get those improvements or get ugly changes. It's our choice. Which will we choose in 2016? I don't know, but I'll be working toward electing Democrats wherever I can.

[think]

1. The game is rigged and I expect no less than this but hope for much more /nt

[MineralMan]

2. We all hope for things. We can work toward them.

However, we live where we live and have what we have to deal with. In 2016, major change will not be on the ballot. We still must make choices, though. The winners set the course for two more years. I see that as an important choice, and as the only choice we really get to make. That's why I'm involved in electoral activism every two years.

[think]

3. State ballot initiatives appear much more fruitful. The presidential race is a joke and a disgrace.

Sorry I can't be more supportive. I wish I could.

Both parties will continue to appease corporations, spend outrageous amount of money on war, defense, and security, and chip away at our rights & freedoms all while flashing us a hopeful smile.

I'll still vote as there are differences. However, those differences are there mostly to keep people thinking there is a choice to be made.

For me local politics and state ballot initiatives will be more of a focus than the circus show at the top.

JMO...

[MineralMan]

4. Local politics affect us far more than national.

The Presidential election is the least important thing we vote on, in terms of its affect on us as individuals. Congressional elections are far more important and far easier to influence. That's why I pay little attention to the presidential elections and focus my activities on state and federal legislative and local elections.

What the presidential elections do affect is turnout, and that's what makes the real difference. Beyond that, our votes for President don't have much effect. We need to re-focus our GOTV efforts to make it clear how important the down-ticket choices are. I don't understand why local Democratic organizations aren't on that with much more effort.