Three pleas pre-election: part one

This is my first plea: people thinking about just Not Voting.

The phrase I've used for this negative, toxic campaign season is "Unrelenting nightmare." Maybe you just want it to go away, want it to be over, want to never have to think about it again. Trust me, I get it.

But you can't really sit this one out, guys. If you don't care about the election and think the outcome won't affect you, you probably either have enough privilege with your gender/skin color/economic status to be insulated from recessions and bigotry, or you're willfully ignorant of the stakes.

Most Americans work a lot. We have jobs and part time jobs and side hustles, other people to take care of, and other obligations. It's not possible for your average American to follow every twist and turn of every election and I don't ask anyone to do so.

But think about it TODAY, because a Trump presidency would be a catastrophe, and if you don't think it would affect YOU, think abut how it would affect the millions of Black and Brown and Latinx citizens, the millions of immigrants, the millions of LGBT people, the millions of Muslims and Jews, and the millions of women that Trump threatens, dismisses, insults, or abuses. Think about the shiny new hate groups spawning in his wake. If you think the last year has been toxic, I want you to imagine an unprepared, ignorant president Trump, who's never let himself be constrained by "laws" or "morals" or "human decency," playing with the country.

And then think about how the markets dive every time he pulls a lead in the polls. Think about the fact that economists have, across the board, accused his economic plan as being disastrous. Think about the fact that he thinks we should use nukes on our enemies, which would trigger a freaking nuclear war. Think about the fact that he has already alienated world leaders and promised to break our long-standing agreements and treaties with them. We live in a global world, and the balance of peace and prosperity is very tenuous. If any of these blocs chose to dump the US as a partner, hike tariffs, or break alliances, we are screwed. And when we're screwed, we bring the whole world down with us, sparking global recessions, wars, and economic insecurity.

Voting is a tiny little pain in the ass. If you'e in WI, which many of you are, early voting means there probably won't be too much of a line. You can register at the polls. The polls are open all day and are probably pretty close to your house. So, maybe 20 minutes total to get there, register, vote, get home. Don't know who to vote for? You can preview your ballot online. Once you've ticked "Clinton," which'll negate one Trump vote out there, write in Mickey Mouse for all I care.

I'm not asking for anything above the bare minimum of a Clinton vote to keep Trump out of office.

So do the bare minimum. I'm begging you.