“What’s going to happen in this next election? I’m terrified about what could possibly happen, because our leaders matter. Who we select, who speaks for us, who holds that bully pulpit, it affects us in ways sometimes I think people take for granted,” Obama told Jay Shetty on his podcast “On Purpose.”
“The fact that people think that government — ‘eh, does it really even do anything?’ — and I’m like ‘Oh my God, does government do everything for us, and we cannot take this democracy for granted.’ And I worry sometimes that we do. Those are the things that keep me up,” she said.
“The bars are different for people in life. That I’ve learned,” she said.
Without naming Trump, she continued: “Other people can be indicted a bunch of times and still run for office. Black men can’t. You just learn to be good. And in the end, you benefit from that extra resilience.”
That’s good to hear, but please, do not pretend that ignoring the presidency wouldn’t set back the good you’re working towards at the local level.
You’re only correct in the positive direction. The relationship is inverted for negativity, and not voting is the most efficient way of making lives materially worse, given the shitheads that end up in office when you let those with an authoritarian bent control who holds national office.