I just got a call from a West Virginia for Hillary volunteer. He said that they were planning to win in West Virginia. (Sure, when Hell freezes over.) He wanted to know if I supported Hillary. (Of course I do.) Then came the ask. I knew exactly what was coming and was ready to tell him my time and money is going to local candidates.
Are you willing to work for down-ballot candidates?
I was dumbfounded.
I told him about my work with our county state House candidates and that we hope to flip four seats. He thanked me and said that was exactly what they were hoping for. There was no money ask, no phone banking ask, just a thank you for helping the down-ballot folks.
In 2012 the Obama campaign had a paid staffer in West Virginia. Her job was to recruit local activists to work in Ohio or Pennsylvania—screw the down-ballot candidates. We threatened to run her out of town on a rail.
Bernie was right—it doesn’t matter who we elect as president if the rest of the races go the other way.
Hillary doesn’t want to serve the third term of Obama—fighting for marginal improvements and blocking Republican insanity. She wants to be FDR or LBJ with a mandate to ram her platform past the futile shreds of the opposition.
I respected Hillary. I thought that she was the most qualified candidate. Her positions were close to mine (although not as close as Bernie or Jill Stein). I voted for her in the primary. I expected her to be a competent president.
But now I am all in. I just fell head over heels in love.