Open your feed this week and count how many messages tell you what to be afraid of.
One side says the other will end democracy. The other side says its opponents are bringing communism. Both argue from fear, and both end in the same place: you don’t have to like us, you just have to fear them.
There is another choice. You can vote for independent Nevada candidates who answer to you, not to either party’s talking points.
Where the fear is coming from
If you want to see the pattern for yourself, here are examples from both directions this month and last. Read them with the same skepticism you would bring to any campaign message.
- HuffPost: Democratic lawmakers rally supporters around warnings about presidential interference in the midterms.
- Portside: a warning that Republicans could refuse to seat elected Democrats after a Democratic win.
- American Thinker: an opinion piece arguing that Democrats are a threat to the rule of law and voters should be scared.
- The Washington Times: an opinion piece urging Republicans to tell voters that a Democratic vote at any level brings back the bad old days.
- The Hill: reporting on House Republicans making a communist threat central to their midterm argument.
That is the lesser-of-two-evils pitch, and a lesser evil is still evil. You deserve to vote for someone, not just against someone.
What fear leaves out
- It never says what a candidate will actually do on day one.
- It treats your vote as something to capture, not something to earn.
- It treats a fellow citizen who votes differently as an enemy.
I’m Brad Lee Barnhill, #YourIndependentVoice for Nevada Secretary of State. I spent 20 years as a litigation paralegal and 20 years as a computer systems analyst. I solve problems for a living, and I am not asking you to be afraid of anyone.
What you can vote for
- Elections you can trust. Voter ID, implemented with the authority the office already has, and voter rolls kept accurate through a flag-and-investigate process, not automatic removal.
- Proof, not promises. I filed Barnhill v. Aguilar to press for an audit and public reporting on 9,607 individuals with duplicate active voter registrations. I am not accusing anyone of fraud. I am asking for the numbers to be checked and shown.
- A Nevada-run process. Nevada’s voter data should stay in Nevada’s hands.
Your vote isn’t wasted
Independents are the largest voting bloc in Nevada. The only wasted vote is one cast out of fear for a candidate you don’t believe in.
Whether you are a Democrat, a Republican, or neither, you can decline the fear.
Keep reading:
- You’re Not Undecided. You’re Unrepresented.
- The Pendulum Stops Here: Why Nevada’s Independents Must Stop Swinging and Start Winning
- Independents Are the Plurality — And Nevada’s Voter Data Should Stay in Nevada’s Hands
- Declare Your Independence from Partisan Politics: Nevada Voter ID Plan
Who will protect your vote? Results, Not Noise.
