2020 saw 66% voter turnout, and 2018 saw 49% turnout. Both are records for a presidential and non-presidential year. Only 37% of Americans voted in all three elections in 2018, 2020, and 2022. Politicians do care about what their constituents want/need. They do listen. But they only care about and listen to the ones who vote. People who don’t vote don’t get a say, it’s really as simple as that, and the online cohort that cries most loudly about third parties and alternative means of governance usually does exactly zero between presidential election years to make any of that viable. Jill Stein will disappear again until 2028, like clockwork.
Progressives are only about 12%6% of the population (corrected). What you want is only a small part of the overall picture. The fact remains that just because you don’t feel like politicians are listening to you doesn’t mean they’re not listening to the huge numbers of people elsewhere on the political spectrum who probably fundamentally disagree with you on a number of different issues and think of something completely different when they talk about what they want in the healthcare system.
Being a part of a pluralistic democracy means having to wrestle with the fact that you are not the center of the universe, and that the entire population probably doesn’t think like you do, and they get to vote, too.
But also, when you split shit 50%, 12% progressive is basically 24% of your base. Actively ignoring 24% of your base seems fucking crazy, but again. Sure dude. The 2016 election went so well for them when they actively antagonised progressives. I’m sure that great strategy will keep paying off.
Also I’ve voted in every major and minor election since I turned 18. But my favourite part is you’re supposed to vote. But you’re told you have to vote for one of two candidates because the others are spoilers. But then they look at less than a third of a percent of the vote going to progressive party and ignore us.
Always cool.
Also, PSL is constantly doing work, organizing, and helping out communities. Their website honestly doesn’t even have a thing on the front about their presidential candidate last I remember checking.
Also, until a majority votes based on Gaza and money in politics, neither will be addressed. Just because someone agrees with you doesn’t mean it will affect their vote. Sad but true.
Actively ignoring 24% of your base seems fucking crazy, but again.
That’s called “doing what a significant majority of your voters want.” Not doing so would be political suicide.
Also I’ve voted in every major and minor election since I turned 18. But my favourite part is you’re supposed to vote.
This is not about you. You are not the center of the universe.
But then they look at less than a third of a percent of the vote going to progressive party and ignore us.
Yes, that’s called “doing what a significant majority of your voters want.” Again. I don’t know why that’s such a foreign concept.
Retroactive correction
I actually misspoke on the first comment and double checked my source. Progressives are 12% of the left, which comes to 6% of the overall population. Despite how overwhelmingly popular progressives consider themselves to be, they are a very small minority on the national stage. Like vanishingly small. Catering to their priorities at the expense of everyone else’s would be patently ridiculous and a surefire way out of office in all but the smallest Congressional districts.
So two things:
2020 saw 66% voter turnout, and 2018 saw 49% turnout. Both are records for a presidential and non-presidential year. Only 37% of Americans voted in all three elections in 2018, 2020, and 2022. Politicians do care about what their constituents want/need. They do listen. But they only care about and listen to the ones who vote. People who don’t vote don’t get a say, it’s really as simple as that, and the online cohort that cries most loudly about third parties and alternative means of governance usually does exactly zero between presidential election years to make any of that viable. Jill Stein will disappear again until 2028, like clockwork.
Progressives are only about
12%6% of the population (corrected). What you want is only a small part of the overall picture. The fact remains that just because you don’t feel like politicians are listening to you doesn’t mean they’re not listening to the huge numbers of people elsewhere on the political spectrum who probably fundamentally disagree with you on a number of different issues and think of something completely different when they talk about what they want in the healthcare system.Being a part of a pluralistic democracy means having to wrestle with the fact that you are not the center of the universe, and that the entire population probably doesn’t think like you do, and they get to vote, too.
Damn I didn’t know 69% was a small number of people.
https://thehill.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/04/wat_04242020.jpg
Or 55%
https://news.gallup.com/poll/642695/majority-disapprove-israeli-action-gaza.aspx
Or 60+%
https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/10/23/7-facts-about-americans-views-of-money-in-politics/
Boy, I sure have unpopular ideas I would liked
But also, when you split shit 50%, 12% progressive is basically 24% of your base. Actively ignoring 24% of your base seems fucking crazy, but again. Sure dude. The 2016 election went so well for them when they actively antagonised progressives. I’m sure that great strategy will keep paying off.
Also I’ve voted in every major and minor election since I turned 18. But my favourite part is you’re supposed to vote. But you’re told you have to vote for one of two candidates because the others are spoilers. But then they look at less than a third of a percent of the vote going to progressive party and ignore us.
Always cool.
Also, PSL is constantly doing work, organizing, and helping out communities. Their website honestly doesn’t even have a thing on the front about their presidential candidate last I remember checking.
Amazing what happens when you dig beneath soundbytes on healthcare:
Also, until a majority votes based on Gaza and money in politics, neither will be addressed. Just because someone agrees with you doesn’t mean it will affect their vote. Sad but true.
That’s called “doing what a significant majority of your voters want.” Not doing so would be political suicide.
This is not about you. You are not the center of the universe.
Yes, that’s called “doing what a significant majority of your voters want.” Again. I don’t know why that’s such a foreign concept.
Retroactive correction
I actually misspoke on the first comment and double checked my source. Progressives are 12% of the left, which comes to 6% of the overall population. Despite how overwhelmingly popular progressives consider themselves to be, they are a very small minority on the national stage. Like vanishingly small. Catering to their priorities at the expense of everyone else’s would be patently ridiculous and a surefire way out of office in all but the smallest Congressional districts.