Granny D. -- who walked across the United States to demonstrate her suport of campaign finance reform -- calls on those concerned with justice to "vote their hearts."
Good morning. Good Evening! Hi! Can you hear me??? [YES!] Good!
The reason I am here is because up there [where the fancy DNC party is gathering] they are selling our elections! They have some very important buyers up there. And what would be worse than having someone in the white house for four or eight years who doesn’t believe in campaign finance reform? Who doesn’t believe in justice? Who doesn’t believe in environmental sanity? And who does not believe in human rights?
I’ll tell you what would be worse – much worse: four or eight years of someone who gives us illusion of reform; the illusion of justice; the illusion of environmental sanity, and the illusion of individual human rights.
I’m telling you how to vote. Vote your hearts, friends. And let the chips fall where they may. [cheer]
Don’t think of your vote as a day traders’ investment in the candidate of the moment. Vote for the long term. Invest in the moral progress of your nation and your world by building a long-term constituency. A long-term voter base for the real candidates of reform and of justice and of environmental sanity and individual and human rights.
We are here. We are here from the left, from the right, from the center of American politics – to defend the position of the individual [Amen!]. To protect the individual against oversized institutions, public and private, which threaten to destroy our heritage.
As free citizens. As artisens. As laborers. As small business people. As family farmers. And as townspeople. Every vote cast changes the political landscape and makes it easier for the best people to run and win in the future. The future must be our concern, not any one election. Vote your heart. Let the chips fall where they may. [cheer] The only wasted vote is a vote not cast. [Cheers]
Don’t outsmart yourself by spending your one vote in an attempt to keep the worst candidate from winning. America will never get great leaders if that’s what you do. What happens is the worst person gets elected because you voted for the best candidate instead of the second worst. The world does not end. The pressure for real reform continues to build toward the next election. And those that did not get elected must look over their shoulders at the growing block of voters who want real reform. If you are not adding to your block, then you are not investing your vote in your values. Vote for the long term. Vote your values, and be patient.
Friends, a vote cast in fear evaporates the day after the election. A vote cast in love and passion changes the American political landscape for all history. [loud cheers]
Vote your heart! And let the chips fall where they may.
Thank you.
Original: Complete Text of Granny D's Santa Monica beach party speech