1) I think it's about time that the Democratic Party is retired. There are Democrats I respect, and I will on the whole vote Democrat because I think the Democratic platform, at least on paper, is more moral than the Republican platform. But I have precisely zero ounces of affection toward the Democratic Party. I would prefer a more robust, explicitly progressive party that is both clear--and honest--in its platforming about social justice and civil liberties. The Democratic Party, as it exists, is largely a center-right party that occasionally gives token nods to people on the left; and only appears liberal and progressive when compared to the Republican Party.
2) Where I think the Democratic Party is largely a ridiculous mess of mixed messaging, token support, and only still exists because it's been around for so long nobody knows what to do about it; the other Big Alternative--the Republican Party--as best as I can tell has degenerated to little more than a group of sniveling sycophants who are incapable of doing anything but licking Donald Trump's shoes. Either because they are afraid of the MAGA monster he--and they--created; or because MAGA is a useful tool they think they can control (they can't); or because some actually believe it. Perhaps a mix of all three.
I don't vote Democrat because I like the Democratic Party. I vote Democrat because I'm stuck with a political system where my choice is between unseasoned raw tofu or literal poison. So I guess I'm going with compromise and bland, because it's better than literal poison. The Democrats lack any spine to actually defend the American people from the power-hungry maniacs who want to rob and exploit us, but they'll at least make token efforts to not let it get too bad; on the contrary the Republicans seem highly invested in making everything worse for every American.
So at the end of the day all I can do is try to operate with a conscience informed by the Christian values I was raised to have: Love others, especially the least of these, and desire that my neighbor flourish. I may not get to vote for what I want, but at least I'm not voting to see my neighbors actively hurt because I think people who speak a different language or who look different than me are subhuman.
-CryptoLutheran