this post was submitted on 08 Aug 2024
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To be abundantly clear, with the system as designed in the US, third party (presidential) candidates do not have any chance of "getting in" this election, let alone a "reasonable" chance (in certain areas, some options may exist for lesser political appointments).
Voting third party is at best a weak attempt to signal preference for future elections, but at worst a gift to whichever party or candidate you consider to be "most bad".
By all means, protest vote in the primaries, campaign for candidates you believe in, and most importantly, discuss the issues that are important to you to help bolster public awareness, but please, PLEASE, don't fall for the con that is voting 3rd party in the election.
I don't know who your third party favorite is, but do yourself a favor and look at who is donating to their campaign, and what other campaigns those donors support - a lot of money is thrown at 3rd party candidates to draw votes away from credible political opponents.
I don't have any illusions about this or any presidential election.
The person who wins will do the bidding of the billionaire class, and that's how it's been since the 60's. (Though the wealth disparity has increased exponentially since Reagan's presidency.)
We haven't had a president who did anything meaningful for the poor and middle class since LBJ.
No president has ever been or will ever be perfect, but we've had some good steps since LBJ:
Clinton's increased taxes on the rich, defense spending cuts, etc, got us our first and last government surplus years since '69, and made a little progress on welfare, but that was largely hampered by a Republican takeover of the House in '94
Obama passed the ACA, which was pretty meaningful to the middle class. Again, further progress got hampered by Republicans in congress in the later years of his presidency
Biden has passed the Inflation Reduction Act, which has lots of progressive incentives that benefit middle class families, including tax breaks for home efficiency improvements, renewable energy, and electric vehicles. He has also helped wipe away billions of dollars in student loan debts, benefiting middle class families (but again, you can thank Republicans for that not moving further or quicker)
You'll note the constant tend though - since the president doesn't write the laws, without congressional support, progressive ambitions get killed.
He famously cut welfare, and did a great service to furthering fascism via the '94 crime bill and 'Don't Ask Don't Tell'. He also used the the White House has his own personal pleasure house and gave out nights in the Lincoln bedroom in exchange for campaign donations, when he wasn't taking trips on Jeffrey Epstein's plane.
The ACA only matters if you have the money to withstand being price-gouged. Most people don't, sadly. What's even worse is Obama had the power in Congress to make real change, but opted against single-payer in return for lobbyist contributions. Obama made big promises and then pretended to be powerless, but the rich were rewarded beyond measure while the rest of us lived through the foreclosure crisis.
The Trump Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and the Affordable Care Act were passed with simple majorities. It stands to reason that when the president has Congress, they can do what they want if they're actually willing to make change.
That is why I don't have any hope for the future of this country. The two previous Democratic presidents both had Congress for half of their terms, and the poor and middle classes got poorer.
True but the definition of 'imperfect' has changed vastly over the last 50 years, which is why fascism is a reality rather than the specter most Americans seem to think it is.
Two weeks ago 99% of the country was arguing with each other in support of two candidates in clear cognitive decline, and it took a very public cognitive meltdown to change that.
You are so fucking on-point. Thanks for your truths. Keep speaking up. ✊🏼
Trump would personally push the button to exterminate the Gazans. That's what we're up against. I suggest you put your energy into defeating him, then we put Kamala's feet to the fire so she listens, as she has already signalled her intention to do so.
I will believe that Biden/Harris would differentiate themselves from Trump in that way when they actually do something meaningful to stop the flow of money and weapons to Israel.
Trump would personally push it and Biden/Harris will personally prevent anyone from stopping Israel from pushing it. We know this because this is what they are literally doing. And there needs to be a way to make them understand this is unacceptable to voters.
But alas, the freedom of voters to oppose the bad actions of their candidates is a BIG FAT NO NO this days because it "threatens democracy" and will be a big fat no no until further notice.
Democracy is dying in the US but the people who try to shut up anyone criticizing the current administration's policy just because "TRUMP BAD" are the ones getting the casket ready.
So tell me, people who are about to downvote me, how do you suggest we make Biden/Harris stop supporting a genocide without ever being able to criticise them publicly without getting mobbed online?
Not saying anyone should vote Trump. Just stating the fact.
Nothing in their policy decisions would support your hypothesis here.
... But this has been happening.
the democrats are for moderate de-escalation, the republicans are for hyper genocide now!
The Democrats say they're for moderate de-escalation, but then sign off on my money and weapons shipments, thereby demonstrating what they say means very little.
Also, sorry I had to edit my other reply a zillion times. My Internet's being spotty this evening.
The democratic system in America is broken... what is democracy if you just constantly converge onto a two party system?