It’s easy to get depressed as the elections come closer. Some of us hoped the Democrats would recognize a golden opportunity to unite the country against a corrupt, dishonest, and brutal administration. Instead, they seem to think voters are desperate enough to vote against Republicans no matter how outrageous their opponents’ policies are. This will leave us with poor choices in November, with both sides offering illusory safety and security at the expense of liberty. Even if the Democrats get control of Congress, they won’t use it to put enduring limits on executive power.

Focusing on backing a party and its candidates is a mistake. An individual candidate may occasionally be worth backing, but even there caution is necessary. All candidates are good on some issues and bad on others, except for those who are bad on everything. Standing behind one can lead to ignoring or supporting the bad positions. It’s far better to support the right principles, regardless of who currently supports them.

Organizations that stand for causes are more likely to be consistent than people trying to get elected. A donation to FIRE or the Institute for Justice will accomplish more than one to a candidate. Organizations can drift too, but their shifts are usually more visible to the public than a candidate’s behind-the-scenes deals.

Finding facts and making them known becomes harder as things get worse. Journalism is in miserable shape, with news sources failing to distinguish reporting from opinion. Rumors and distortions spread on social media. Checking the reliability of a report isn’t easy, but it’s still possible to compare stories, separate facts from emotional language, see what sources they used, and consider what biases could have affected them.

As we fall into the Long Night, it’s easy to fall into “lesser evil” thinking. Let’s not forget that the lesser of two evils is still an evil. Finding ways to accomplish positive good is harder, but the worse things get, the more important it is.

“The disorders and miseries which result gradually incline the minds of men to seek security and repose in the absolute power of an individual; and sooner or later the chief of some prevailing faction, more able or more fortunate than his competitors, turns this disposition to the purposes of his own elevation on the ruins of public liberty.” — George Washington’s farewell address