One small thing you could do to protect our democracy

It certainly feels to me that our country is in the midst of some kind of adolescent identity crisis. What kind of independence are we granted and what do we need to give in exchange for it? I understand that many of our citizens are overcome with a scarcity mindset of fear, which is displayed with anger, extreme thought, and violence (like a toddler testing limits). But let’s not let him run away from home.

It is through a Jewish-values lens that I wish to point out that perhaps rather than focusing on our rights, we should consider what our responsibilities might be. To one another and to our democracy. A child can’t just sit at home and complain, have tantrums, and demand food and toys. He must contribute… show some initiative… understand how to improve and grow into his potential. And how does he learn to do this? The parent models for him moral action, patience, and understanding. You see where I’m going with this.

It is no small thing to have the privilege of giving input into the direction of the nation. So much of the world does not have a voice or their elections are a sham. One vote plus one vote plus one vote… who knows what might happen. Maybe we could keep a semblance of national leadership that guides with pluralistic wisdom. I am cautiously optimistic.

I’m guessing that most Americans won’t vote in the primaries, thinking the outcome is inevitable. But what if every Democrat in the country (and others too) voted for the non-Trump candidate in the Republican primaries?

Today I’m glad I live in Texas. (I am generally terrible for state PR.) I just Googled “can democrat vote in republican primary” and guess what…. YES you can! Texas is one of 17 states that have “open primaries,” meaning you don’t declare your major party affiliation when you register to vote. You can choose which primary to vote in and you don’t have to choose a political affiliation to do so.

The primary elections, at least in Texas, are two separate elections on one day. The attendant will ask in which primary you are voting (probably without such excellent grammar) in order to give you the Republican or the Democratic ballot.

I am going to vote in the Republican primary, people. Why didn’t I think of this before? Why isn’t this on the Today Show?

Caveat: If I vote for Nikki Haley to be the Republican nominee, let’s just say, on Super Tuesday on March 5, and there is a runoff in the Democratic primary election for some reason I cannot fathom… I can’t vote in it.

The good news: I can vote for either party’s candidate in the general election. I am not obligated to remain a Republican for the entire year, as I’d thought. Thank goodness. No offense.

So the question is: why doesn’t every Democrat do this? I found this online from a Texas Tribune article:

Is it common for Democrats to participate in the Republican primary, and vice versa? In short, no. According to Elizabeth Simas, a political science professor at the University of Houston who spoke about this with Texas Standard, cases of strategic voting don’t happen much in primary elections. “Certainly, there are people who do it … but we just don’t see it happening as much as there’s potentially this fear for it to happen,” Simas said.

I think this doesn’t occur to most of us. Notice how she called it “strategic.” Help me keep an unhinged maniac off the general election ballot please!!! Vote for Nikki Haley and be strategic too!

See what your state’s policy is for primaries here. Some are mixed. Some are closed.

(And please do not ask me who I’d vote for in November between Biden and Haley. I don’t know enough yet to answer that one. Let’s get there first!)