Voting in down-ticket races is just as (or more!) important as voting for President. The President is not a magic dictator who can do whatever they want. They need Congress to work with them. So even if you decide you can’t vote for the presidential nominee, show up to vote anyway. You can skip the box for president and vote for all the other races.

Voting matters. Show the fuck up.

Yup. I’ve been seeing a lot of assholes posturing about how they’ll keep their HANDS CLEAN OF ALL THE BLOOD SPILLED BY EITHER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, which… fine, kids, you do you. But if you stay home on election day, you’re just as responsible for the state of our country. More responsible, in fact; because you willfully neglected your duty as a U.S. citizen.

So fine, don’t vote for the President, or vote for Jill Stein or Mickey Mouse or write in your candidate who didn’t make the ballot. But you need to vote for - and read up on, and campaign for - your preferred Representative, your Senator (if they’re up), as well as your state representatives, your mayors, your judges, your sheriffs, whoever else is up for reelection in your district. Find out right now. Learn the issues right now. Get to work right now.

Because the truth is, unless you have literally just turned 18 in the past six months, the state of the country is as much your fault as anyone else’s. Your apathy toward voting in every election, toward attending city and town and county meetings, toward getting out the vote and helping registration – you caused this. So instead of worrying about blood on your hands, try getting them a little dirty this time.