Like a lot of millennials, especially in the Pacific North West, I had my heart set on voting for Bernie Sanders. I believed just like so many others that he was going to be the voice of our generation I trusted him and felt that what he had planned was best for our nation. When Clinton received the democratic nomination I was perplexed on whom I was going to vote for.
I obviously was not going to vote for Donald Trump, for numerous reasons. One being, his ignorance regarding the government, how can this man lead when he lacks basic knowledge necessary for running our government? In December Trump was unaware of what nuclear triad was, for those who do not know it is the missiles the president can order if America is under attack. Also, he openly expressed his respect for Russia near-dictator leader Vladimir Putin. However, Trump is not the only problem I had with his campaign, his vice president. Mike Pence was also less than ideal. In 2013, Pence signed a bill that would place same-sex couples in jail if they were to apply for a marriage license.
I am not going to sit here and list all of the reasons why I hate Donald Trump and Mike Pence because the list could go on forever. I am however going to talk about what made me lean towards voting for Hillary Clinton. I contemplated voting third party for weeks, because I was stuck on the notion that Clinton was a liar. Until I was discussing this with a friend and she asked me “when has the third party ever won the election?” I had actually never thought about that, but she was right. The general election always boils down to the two leading parties and risking a vote for third party could be increasing Trump’s odds. I had to ask myself, if voting third party really was the best option. When you vote for one person you are automatically taking a vote from another person. Although many people do not vote third party, those votes could potentially sway the election. By voting third party the chances of this happening increase significantly.
I know she was not my initial choice but she really did grow on me as time went on. I want to make it clear that I am not voting for Clinton just because she is “not Trump.” I do not believe that she is simply the lesser of two evils. I am voting for her because I believe she is the best option we have and she advocates for issues I feel passionate towards. I believe global warming to be a serious issue that needs to be taken into consideration, so does Clinton. I also believe that women deserve to receive equal pay for equal work, so does Clinton. I do not necessarily agree with everything she has done or will do in the future, but lets be real a perfect candidate has truly never existed. By voting for Clinton I hope to avoid putting a man in office that openly sexualizes women and thinks racial prejudice is acceptable. When voting, do not just think of yourself. Remember that everyone around you is affected by your voting decision. Please educate yourself on the candidates running so you are aware of everything they stand for. Pence is openly trying to ban forms of birth control. Along with that, both him and Trump are trying to repeal same-sex marriage across the states. Not every issue they stand for affects me directly, but it affects so many people close to me in more ways than one. Even though every one is entitled to their choice when voting, please try to remember that your vote affects more people than just you love. This being said on Election Day practice your right to vote, but do so with all of this in mind.