• @[email protected]
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    23 days ago

    Is this going to be American politics for the rest of time: continually voting for least worst of two options which will cause observable harm?

    If yes, it would be nice if that changes at some point, thanks.

    • @GoddessNoAi
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      3023 days ago

      That’s how it’s going to be as long as we continue to use First Past the Post voting.

      And since the only people who have the desire, and potentially the power, to change that are Progressives who caucus with the Democrats, vote Progressive in the primaries and Democrat in the general. If you’re not willing to do that, then yeah you might as well get comfortable with the current system.

      • @[email protected]
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        2123 days ago

        Not only, it’s democracy at it’s core. Because there is no "perfect " leader, it’s an illusion that people like trump are more than happy to sell for the masses, but unfortunately even some progressive are buying it. Democracy is based on pragmatic nagotiations and gradual progress.

        • @[email protected]
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          723 days ago

          But there is a big difference between “perfect” and “beholden at all, in any fucking way, to their constituents.”

          The DNC gets to refuse to run any progressive policies and say shit like “nothing will fundamentally change” because their entire policy is “at least I’m not Trump.”

          • @GoddessNoAi
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            1023 days ago

            Hence

            Vote progressive in the primaries

            Get enough Progressives and enough left-leaning Democrats together on the issue of rank choice voting, and it really could happen. Obviously, I’m of the opinion that it’s the only way it could happen. So even if the chances are small, it’s what I think we should shoot for.

            • @[email protected]
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              423 days ago

              I mean I wasn’t saying you’re wrong just pointing that the representation doesn’t need to be “perfect”

              But also voting for the party that has sued to keep 3rd party off ballots & runs attack ads on third parties to hope that they eventually allow ranked choice or star or etc. is kinda not exactly looking probable but hey, here’s hoping.

          • @[email protected]
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            823 days ago

            Yes it sucks but that’s reality. Until half of America stops being fascist sympathizers at best this is what you have to deal with.

            You guys are looking at the choice between eating a salad and swallowing a cyanide pill and complaining that you’d rather have pizza. Unfortunately, pizza isn’t on the table and if you do nothing that cyanide pill is getting forced down everyone’s throat. Complain about it as much as you like but at the end of the day you better choke down that god damn salad before we all get completely fucked over.

            • @[email protected]
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              423 days ago

              “Vote to kill your family or kill yourself.” Is quite the uh… great democratic message that really says “DNC, vote for us, because we’re not (all) openly facist.”

              Like I know you probably did not brain that whole thing through there but like fucking lol.

              Anyways my point was a counter to needing a perfect representative. They don’t need to be perfect, just need to actually care about what their constituents want/need. Yeah it is bad. Duh. We know it is fucked up that’s why people are discussing alternative ways to vote that do not boil down to Evil and slightly less evil. We don’t need pure good as a candidate. Just… someone who listens to those they want to vote for them?

              Like… not actively supporting and contributing to genocide would be a cool start? Public health care would also be nice…

      • @[email protected]
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        323 days ago

        The rest of the world doesn’t care about your internal politics. Fix your stupid country and stop supporting genocide.

    • @[email protected]
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      1423 days ago

      I call it “defensive” voting. Not voting for actual progress, just voting to prevent further deterioration.

      I put practicality over ideology, and in accordance with this have already voted for Harris. But I can still express my disappointment.

      • @[email protected]
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        323 days ago

        You are right, and this is what I would end up doing if I were an American citizen, however I am not, and have never even visited either American continent.

        However, as someone who grew up as an abused child, harmed by a society that blamed me for being poor, disabled, autistic, and an immigrant, I cannot help but feel that I would gladly swap my own life to save even one innocent person harmed by state terrorism. It leaves me feeling like I would prefer to be dead that see this happening.

    • @[email protected]
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      23 days ago

      You work on changing it between and across elections. When in the ballot booth with fixed options, you pick the least harmful for the most at risk in the community, of the candidates that actually have a competitive chance of winning.

    • @[email protected]
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      623 days ago

      Thats the natural end game of capitalism, yes.

      Not much you can do about it, it’s human nature.

      • @[email protected]
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        223 days ago

        Not much you can do about it, it’s human nature.

        I think there is time for humans to prove otherwise, but maybe not so much as humans would want.