By: Catherine Daleo 

(Reading Time: 8-10 minutes)

If you haven’t noticed by now, we have a LOT of people running for president on the democratic side. And there are many different reasons for all these people, such as wanting to bring one specific issue or a couple of specific issues to the debate stage and/or the national conversation, to take away attention from other candidates running, and to fight for this country. But the main collective reason that everyone seems to be running is to defeat Donald Trump. 

And let me make this clear before we go further – defeating Trump is imperative. I am not in any way arguing against that. But that being said, I am not and will not be a “Blue No Matter Who” bitch. And I will not idly stand for that talk in front of me. I’ll be polite and respectful, but I will say something when I hear or see that statement.

We desperately need to take back our government, and our way of life that is being threatened right now in every way we can possibly think of. In order to do that, we must be smart about this next election. We have to be active and mobilized. And in order to do that, we need to be careful about who we support in this election. We can’t be glossed over with empty promises and we have to be very critical of the things these candidates say, what they do, and what they have said or done in the past. 

We have to make sure that whoever we nominate for the Democratic ticket is truly the most genuine person up there who will fight for us and this country, not corporations, lobbyists, special interests, or anyone else with the money that wants something done how they want. So we must observe each person’s record in politics, what their stances have been, what they have voted for or against, and so on. We must decide what issues we agree or disagree with these candidates, and then also objectively look at what their plans or policies on those issues are and everything else they focus on. 

Once you are objectively supportive of one or more of the candidates, you must then do more than just support them. If you truly think someone running for president is the best person for the job and you believe their message, then you need to act like it. Go to their events. Volunteer for them. Donate to their campaigns. Discuss them respectfully with others when issues come up that you know your candidate is fighting for. Follow them on social media and share their posts and things. Caucus for them or vote in the primary for them. Be a delegate at the nomination. Whatever you can do, do it. If you’re serious about that candidate and their message, get involved in their campaign somehow. Heck, get involved with two people’s campaigns if they’re both really good options for you. Maybe you can push for those candidates to pair up later should one drop out of the race.

There are a lot of amazing topics and issues being discussed by all these candidates, but only a few of these people are genuine, and even less have a real shot at getting the nomination. Even fewer are mobilizing people en masse – which is what a candidate needs to win. 

We only get one shot at this. Whoever is nominated next summer by the DNC will determine the fate of this country and the future of our entire planet. So we must not settle for less, we need a candidate who can and will live up to the challenge and do so with honor and sincere dedication to our country. 

Now, this is in no way a push for any one candidate, although if you know me personally or follow me you know who I am obviously biased towards. But regardless of who I personally support, I stand by my words above for any person who wishes to be a leader in our country, and in any election we have. 

The purpose of this article is not to talk about anyone candidate or even their policies. That may come later in the election cycle when it matters more, but not here at this time. And this article’s purpose is more than just who is running for president and how we try to pick the best person. 

Its purpose is about how there are people who are running for president who have good intentions and good ideas, but they’re desperately needed elsewhere. 

I came to appreciate the fact that so many people decided to throw their name in the hat and run, and why they did it. At first, I was annoyed and suspicious of most of them. But after watching the debates, I did come to understand that some of them just genuinely wanted to discuss specific things and have their ideas brought to the stage, even if they have a very slim chance of being nominated. Because some of those ideas would have never been discussed had they not brought them up.

I enjoyed the parts of the debates where they used the platform they were given to talk about things being swept under the rug by moderators of the debates, politicians, and media outlets. 

They even brought a unique quality to the debate stage, where some candidates were pitted against each other and went at each other’s throats, while these more genuine candidates offered support of other candidates on certain issues to share solidarity. They gave a glimpse of what it could be like to have people actually debate, rather than argue. A glimpse of how things could work in politics, albeit more likely in a ‘perfect world’. They had a purpose and served it well. 

And that kind of genuine and honest demeanor and the associated patriotism that I believe often comes with it, is something desperately needed in politics. Elsewhere in politics. 

By that I mean now that they’ve accomplished the goal of bringing these ideas to the stage and our national discourse, they’re needed in a different arena than the presidential race. 

We need them in Congress. We need them in the Senate. We need them in governorships, mayorships, and other offices. We need them in all the other areas of government. 

Because this election is more than just the presidency. 

No matter who wins the nomination, nor who wins next November, if we lose both the House of Representatives and the Senate, it likely will matter little if we win back the White House. Because despite the abuse of presidential powers that have been allowed during this current administration, I fully believe that if we don’t have the other two branches of government, it will be hard, if not damn near impossible, to accomplish the things that we need to happen and that any prospective president wants to do. A perfect example is how Mitch McConnel purposefully left a Supreme Court seat open during the last year of Obama’s presidency, just in case Obama was replaced in the 2016 election by a Republican who would fill the vacancy with a conservative judge. 

He refused the former president of one of the few things specifically allowed to him in the Constitution – nominating judges. And now, we’ve since seen the aftermath of that. 

Another example of what can happen if we don’t get the Senate back is how McConnel has blocked just about any vote coming from Congress from going to the Senate floor if he thinks Trump won’t like it. This stifles our representative democracy (for those who would have jumped on me for saying just ‘democracy’. If state representatives can’t vote of issues, they can’t represent their constituents. Which also means nothing moves forward in the country. And we remain static as a society. There’s no change and no growth. But rather, de-evolution of our progress as a nation.

Consider the simplicity of how hypocritical things have been between Obama’s presidency and Trump’s. Obama got ruthlessly attacked by the media for things like wearing a tan suit or putting dijon mustard on a hamburger. Trump’s list of things from indiscretions to straight-up illegal actions is neverending. So I have no doubt that if things change and we get a new president, certain people, if they are still in power *cough* Mitch McConnel *cough*, will do the same things done during Obama’s tenure and what being doing to Congress and the Senate now. 

This entire election is integral to the very sustainability of our country and our way of life. It may very well be the most important election of almost any of our lives. Especially for my fellow Millennials. Who, while you guys did a SPECTACULAR job showing up to vote in those midterms last year, breaking voter-turnout records and whatnot, I really need you all to understand that that was comparatively just child’s play and that the real battle is just getting warmed up. I need you all to step up your game. 

So what I wish that those running for president would understand is that, while I believe they’re genuine and truly patriotic for America, they really need to reconsider their game plan and figure out an alternative solution to how they want to help things move forward and how they want to fight for all Americans. 

I am not here to share my opinion on which candidates I would suggest who to say this to. That is up for you to decide.

So what you all need to do now is decide who you think is truly, honestly, and unequivocally is the BEST person YOU believe for the job. Which means don’t just let others tell you who to vote for, decide for yourself, but be objective in your research of each person. Then, as I said previously, go all-in for them however you can. 

And beyond that, we all need to start encouraging people who are running that would accomplish more good in other areas of government to run for different offices, while there is still time to announce a candidacy elsewhere. 

If a presidential candidate who is running is from your home state or can run for office in your state, consider reaching out to them and suggest a position they could run for that you would like to support them in, should they drop out of the race. 

You can decide whether you want to suggest it nicely like that to them, as in if they drop out, here’s a possible alternative route, or you can straight up tell them not to continue their run and try a different approach entirely. 

I personally would go for the nicer approach, but whatever works best for you and your candidate.

Again, I’m not here to tell anyone who to vote for, who not to support, what issues to be for or against, or any of that. 

I’m just here to talk about the things I am passionate about, and share what I’ve learned regarding those things, and try to encourage others to take action in some way or learn more on their own. 

And with this issue, with politics, I am very passionate about it. I care deeply for my country and for the people who live here – all of them. No matter their race, gender, sexuality, citizenship, or anything else. I care deeply about people in general and the world around me. And I care about how everything is connected to everything else in the world, one way or another. 

So for as long as I have a voice and a platform to share it, I will do so. And when it comes to politics, while I know it is a touchy subject and many people say they don’t like politics, it is something that affects all of us, all of what we do, and ultimately everything in the world. 

It’s why the right to vote had to be fought for. And if you’re a woman and/or a person of color, you have all the more reason and, dare I say even the obligation, to honor what those who came before us sacrificed for to have the right to vote or have rights at all, and not only go out and vote, but be involved in politics in some way. 

Politics is viewed with a negative connotation these days because of what has become of it more recently, and because of what it’s always been – an inherent source of division.

But it doesn’t always have to be that way. Politics have the ability to do good, to build solidarity, and the build-up communities, from our own local communities to the national community of which we are ALL members of. 

When people come together to form a coalition to fight for something they believe in, like the Sierra Club – that’s politics. 

When people gather signatures for petitions or ballot initiatives for issues in their local area or their state, like when groups fight to legalize cannabis or raise the minimum wage – that’s politics. 

When people come together in their community to have town halls with politicians or committees to discuss issues, like with the teachers out here in Las Vegas and across the country – that’s politics. 

Politics determines business, transportation, education, health care, innovation, technology, our food, our clothing – everything. 

So I know many of you are sick of politics, many of you don’t want to discuss politics, and many of you just wish politics would go away. 

Well like it or not, politics is here to stay, and always will be. 

So if you see something in the world you’re passionately for or against, use politics as one of the tools we are all given, at least in our country, to your advantage. 

And if you care about the country, your way of life, the world, your children, or the future, you really need to find a way to get involved in politics, and specifically, this upcoming election. 

I’ll (hopefully) see you all on the battlefield that is this election.

Don’t despair – there’s still time to care.