During the last ‘election summer’ things went haywire but ultimately nothing meaningful really happened, and not a whole lot really changed as a result of that unrest. This time things are going haywire again, and it seems like something big will happen but people thought that the last time… Would it just be better to ignore everything and go work on yourself, your skills, etc. or consume whatever thing is going on? The constant fear that’s being pushed is so emotionally exhausting… I’m finding it harder to care about these things without anything major happening, as shitty as that sounds
For a lot of people, elections (particularly national elections) don’t impact their day to day life. For some, though, the outcome of those national elections are very important. If you are, for example, trans, national elections around this time could alter the course of the trans civil rights movement. The president with their power to veto may be the only one capable of halting anti-trans bills if conservatives have a slim majority in the Senate and House. That’s why many trans people must concern themselves with politics and current events, must know what platforms candidates are running on and how the public is responding, must know what to expect and plan for the worst. Likewise with state and local elections, which may radically alter the life plans of a trans person. Thus, a trans person must know what’s happening now, what will happen next, and what they can expect for the future
The same applies to the right to abortion, or access to Healthcare for those dealing with long-term illness, or those attempting to unionize for better working conditions. When these things affect you directly, and when candidates are running on taking away the protections you need, you can’t afford to live in blissful ignorance.
So please, if you care about any of these groups, do spend a little time getting up to speed and drawing your own conclusions so you can vote in a way that you believe will improve the lives of your fellow citizens