this post was submitted on 24 Feb 2024
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Though I have pushed back against the idea of sitting out this presidential election or voting 3rd party I am 100% on board with your approach. Definitely call out this sickening support of genocide, protest, write letters, and whatever else one can do. Longer term, also work on getting something better than first past the post and this stupid electrical college BS. And come Nov, don't let Trump in.
I'm only voting for Biden if we're actually allowed to put him on blast for his atrocities. It's appalling how cultlike and defensive the Dems have become.
What are you trying to say, the abyss is staring back at voters?
I'm saying the entire system is rotten, and it can't be fixed by voting for the lesser of two evils, when the lesser of two evils is still a genocidal maniac
I’m all for protesting and fighting for active change. My fear is it turning into a bunch of progressive voters protesting with their vote and the destruction that could create in the advancement of progressive views say ten to twenty years from now. If somehow trump is reelected the results will be disastrous. That’s not an excuse for Biden and certainly shouldn’t be a platform for him or any other Democrat. Showing the electorate that their is a strong reliable voting block of progressives through support of policy and candidates will promote a progressive shift over time. While not nearly perfect that has been on display for years now. Candidates are going to continue to try to secure votes, it’s what they do. Republicans are in crazy fascist mode because their is a reliable voting base that loves the narcissistic hate and racism. Young and old progressives, but especially young, voter's showing they are reliable voters will provide a foundation in which the party is incentivized to put up more and more progressive candidates. The reliance on republicans who are never trumpers and racist bigoted independents prevents true progressive candidates from being successful politicians. The only fix available in the current day climate is to show a stronger and growing progressive voter base. I am of the belief Nikki Haley is positioning her self as the defecto candidate come next election cycle and she’s nearly as concerning as trump. I am really hoping that Biden is able to secure the election and progressive’s show engagement not only on the primary but also down year elections and these same social protests outside of election years so a more progressive candidate can come forward. A shift has to happen, no party is going to put up a candidate that hasn’t shown their is a reliable pool of voters for.
Oh my gods, a comment actually worth engaging with! Thank you! I want to hug you so much right now lol
I understand this fear, but conversely I have the fear that in the process of trying to avoid this scenario, centrist Democrats are pushing progressive and leftist voters away from the polls by doubling down and dismissing our concerns every time that their raised, and by accusing us of hurting the campaign when we criticize the sitting president for putting the weight of his administration behind things like ICE, the border policy, mass surveillance of citizens, arming genocidal states, failing to introduce adequate healthcare and housing to our citizens, etc., etc. In 2020, all we heard was a chorus of liberals proudly proclaiming that they're not as cultlike as Republicans, but as soon as Biden took office ... this all changed. It was like a switch flipped, and as soon as he started opening more concentration camps and we were like "WTF," we got the defensive response ... like, "Oh he's only doing this to satisfy conservative voters" -- well guess what? Using human lives like that for political gain is not acceptable. Anyone with the slightest bit of empathy and perspective can tell you that.
And it's only gotten worse since then, with us being summarily dismissed as "Russian bots" on every forum, and "Trump supporters" like wtf bro.
Okay, but as I've said, every time we try to show this and express this, we're silenced, so can that shit like ... cease? That would sure be nice! But even for this pretty moderate, vanilla post my instance admin/mod received multiple reports from users trying to get it removed. Why? Because they are status quo warriors who don't want to engage with progressives and leftists openly and in good faith. Simple as that. (Or they're simply brainwashed and don't really think things through, or some of them are actually closet conservatives -- I've encountered a lot of Democrats like that in my community).
And after decades of observing and experiencing, including volunteering and passionately campaigning for Obama in 08, thinking finally we had a progressive candidate, only for the bait-and-switch to happen yet again -- I've concluded that the system will never provide this. It cannot be fixed from within. I still vote in every election, including local elections, but I have zero faith in the efficacy of my vote, and maybe the day will come to actually boycott the vote, though I don't think that time is now.
Meanwhile, I try to practice my anarchist principles as much as I can in South Dafuckingkota and do my best to help my friends, relatives, and neighbors. We've managed to help people evade deportation, given people a roof when they've been evicted, helped my LGBTQ+ community when they've been kicked out by their parents, and try to have conversations with my local reps to hopefully push things to a better place.
But again, I have zero faith in our system. If you take a look at our nation historically, we've always been a colonial, imperialist, and genocidal state, and none of this has ever changed, and never will by voting, in my opinion.
So now, do you understand my perspective? Let me know if you have any questions, because I'd be happy to answer them.