I’d imagine fair number of Democratic voters are on the side of “progress for the average american”. Something that’s been sorely lacking for a very long time from both parties. In fact, I would imagine a fair number of voters have to vote “against” a candidate rather than “for” one.
But yea, anyone who abstained from voting is not “on my side” because it was extremely clear which “side” would do active harm to america and would in fact revert progress for the average american.
Trying to take the intellectual high ground of “holding politicians accountable” is silly, especially for the office of president where you only get 1 choice per party. If they really wanted to hold them accountable you should start voting in non-incumbents in offices that allow for multiple choices per party. Or at the very least offices where the power is spread among a group of people instead of in a single role.
Abstained from voting? It’s totally fair to be upset with people who abstained from voting, they aren’t taking part in the democracy. However, I feel like there is this belief to assume that just because someone didn’t vote for the two major parties, they didn’t vote at all. This belief only perpetuates the “throwing away your vote” idea that has made the Democratic and Republican parties comfortable enough to be for their own interests rather than the interests of all. I can’t be upset with anyone who voted for Democrat, Republican, or third party because they took part in the democracy.
I read “holding politicians accountable” to be: “I didn’t vote for the Democrats because they weren’t left/whatever enough for me.” Which means either they voted green/independant (possible) or they voted republican (extremely unlikely) or they didn’t vote at all (most likely IMO). So again, I don’t view those people as being “on the same side as me”.
Voting anything other than D/R for president is in fact throwing away your vote. Until we get something other than first past the post it’s a literal throwaway vote. I don’t like it anymore than (i assume) you do, but that is how it is, and those are the rules we have to play with.
I was with you on this up until this election. But there was only 1 major party for democracy in 2024, and it was extremely clear for anyone who held America in any respect/esteem/standing. Trump holds just about everything that makes America, America, in contempt. He’s a known misogynist, xenophobe, transphobe, racist, thin-skinned, power-hungry, lying, treasonous, child who wouldn’t be able to hold down a job as a walmart greeter if he actually had to work a day in his life.
Anyone who describes what just happened as “holding politicians accountable” is not on the same side as me.
I’m actually not angry or anything. I just think empireInDecay is being dishonest, and blindly repeating various talking points and a particular seductive framing for what happened in the election, in a way that makes no attempt to be grounded in any reality. They don’t seem to be here for any kind of conversation. They seem to want to broadcast a particular point of view and ignore anyone who says anything different, and hope that the judgement they’re broadcasting about what just happened in the election, why it happened, and what to do about it in the future (“hold politicians accountable” some more, presumably) will take hold through sheer repetition, instead of through any kind of reasoned justification of it being accurate.
Yeah, I get strong tankie vibes off them. There is a big difference between saying, “I’m not voting for Dems because they won’t stop Republicans”, and saying, “I’m glad Dems lost (to Republicans)”. They seemingly have more animosity towards neolib Dems than actual fascists.
I don’t get why you’re angry with the people on the same side of the fight as you.
I’d imagine fair number of Democratic voters are on the side of “progress for the average american”. Something that’s been sorely lacking for a very long time from both parties. In fact, I would imagine a fair number of voters have to vote “against” a candidate rather than “for” one.
But yea, anyone who abstained from voting is not “on my side” because it was extremely clear which “side” would do active harm to america and would in fact revert progress for the average american.
Trying to take the intellectual high ground of “holding politicians accountable” is silly, especially for the office of president where you only get 1 choice per party. If they really wanted to hold them accountable you should start voting in non-incumbents in offices that allow for multiple choices per party. Or at the very least offices where the power is spread among a group of people instead of in a single role.
Abstained from voting? It’s totally fair to be upset with people who abstained from voting, they aren’t taking part in the democracy. However, I feel like there is this belief to assume that just because someone didn’t vote for the two major parties, they didn’t vote at all. This belief only perpetuates the “throwing away your vote” idea that has made the Democratic and Republican parties comfortable enough to be for their own interests rather than the interests of all. I can’t be upset with anyone who voted for Democrat, Republican, or third party because they took part in the democracy.
I guess a few things:
I read “holding politicians accountable” to be: “I didn’t vote for the Democrats because they weren’t left/whatever enough for me.” Which means either they voted green/independant (possible) or they voted republican (extremely unlikely) or they didn’t vote at all (most likely IMO). So again, I don’t view those people as being “on the same side as me”.
Voting anything other than D/R for president is in fact throwing away your vote. Until we get something other than first past the post it’s a literal throwaway vote. I don’t like it anymore than (i assume) you do, but that is how it is, and those are the rules we have to play with.
I was with you on this up until this election. But there was only 1 major party for democracy in 2024, and it was extremely clear for anyone who held America in any respect/esteem/standing. Trump holds just about everything that makes America, America, in contempt. He’s a known misogynist, xenophobe, transphobe, racist, thin-skinned, power-hungry, lying, treasonous, child who wouldn’t be able to hold down a job as a walmart greeter if he actually had to work a day in his life.
Anyone who describes what just happened as “holding politicians accountable” is not on the same side as me.
I’m actually not angry or anything. I just think empireInDecay is being dishonest, and blindly repeating various talking points and a particular seductive framing for what happened in the election, in a way that makes no attempt to be grounded in any reality. They don’t seem to be here for any kind of conversation. They seem to want to broadcast a particular point of view and ignore anyone who says anything different, and hope that the judgement they’re broadcasting about what just happened in the election, why it happened, and what to do about it in the future (“hold politicians accountable” some more, presumably) will take hold through sheer repetition, instead of through any kind of reasoned justification of it being accurate.
Yeah, I get strong tankie vibes off them. There is a big difference between saying, “I’m not voting for Dems because they won’t stop Republicans”, and saying, “I’m glad Dems lost (to Republicans)”. They seemingly have more animosity towards neolib Dems than actual fascists.
Because Neolibs are actual fascists.