Booing (or complaining) may make you feel better for a second. But it’s not doing anything to achieve the political outcome you want to see.
This applies to those who think rage posting is "doing" something about X or Y problem, as well as to those who lament politics over a $150 bottle of red at a Michelin-star restaurant without actually "doing" something.
Voting remains the most important concrete action item you can do. It's a verb that can move mountains. And it's not just voting. Strategic voting is key.
Beyond the emotional enterprise of politics and beyond the morality of it all that I know you feel strongly about, the key question you have to ask yourself, Can this candidate beat the opposition in an election? Electability.
Winning actually is what politics is about. Your pet issue(s) and values will never see the light of day unless the people who share your general worldview and general policy positions are in power. (No candidate, like no human being, is perfect.)
Take a cue from the Democratic primary voters in Wisconsin. This week they chose David Crowley over socialist Francesca Hong, as their pick for governor to go up against the Republican candidate in the fall.
"Hong’s loss could serve to halt progressives’ momentum and boost the party’s establishment wing," the Wall Street Journal reported. "Some Democrats had worried that Hong—who walked back comments about canceling Thanksgiving—would be a weak candidate against Republican nominee Rep. Tom Tiffany."
Beyond voting, other concrete action items of "doing" something to influence the direction of politics include being your own strategic media machine on social media; volunteering on a campaign; calling your elected officials on the phone to express your views politely. (Old-school phone calls work.) Plus into the organizations and people who are working on the issue you care about. Give them money.
Democracy is not an instant gratification sport. It's not the dopamine hit of social media. But if you have the proper expectations going into thoughtful advocacy, you will see, over time, the effort was worth it. Public pressure has to build to a certain boiling point in the right way at the right time to move the needle. And when that needle moves, there's is nothing sweeter in civic life.