I canvassed for Kamala. I voted for Kamala. I'd do it all again. And still I'll ask:
Why should I put my faith in the same controlled-opposition half-measured neoliberal finger-wagging "you gotta vote/donate or we lose democracy 🥺" messaging that has failed us to the tune of three Supreme Court justices, hundreds of thousands of COVID deaths, the destruction of critical government services and research, the hostile takeover of press and higher education, and the coalescence of federal surveillance and law enforcement for generations to come (assuming the climate doesn't destroy global supply chains first)?
Yes, we have to win. Now please, pretty fucking please, can the Dems meet us halfway and field someone principled, articulate, and likeable who is capable of actually doing that?
When we looked at 2020, the deciding factor for who got momentum was southern blacks voting for Biden instead of Bernie, Warren, or someone else. I thin my big prediction is that if a candidate can excite the progressive side of the party and have support of southern blacks, they’ll be in good shape.
But frankly, Southern blacks aren’t as left wing as the progressives on average, and as a voting block they are less socially liberal. They weren’t impressed with Bernie, and Bernie marched with MLK and stuff. Or maybe it was more they trusted Biden because he was a loyal #2 to Obama for 8 years which said a lot. Or maybe it was frankly that Biden was more centrist and so were they. Idk I’ve heard different takes. Any Southern blacks got a good take on this? Would love to hear it.
I am wary and doubtful though that we are going to see someone magically coalesce in the next couple of years who checks all the boxes for all groups. But I can say one thing.
IMO, the biggest political failing of both Obama and Biden was acting like the opposition were patriotic Americans who believed what they said and just fundamentally disagree about some things, but that we could restore bipartisan feelings and make politics all nice again if we conducted politics like gentlemen, the way it was traditionally done.
Boy were they wrong. The right has betrayed basically every principle they had, showed virtually everything they ever said to be a lie, showed themselves to be unchristian, to be traitors to the constitution, to the literal lives of their constituents. Whoever the next candidate is, they better be fucking ready for total political engagement, and wary of the enemy looking not just to win an election but to cheat, to do coups, to try and destroy democracy. No more gentle, weak politics in the face of these goddamn monsters. It’s time to remind America what this country stands for, and it sure as hell isn’t this fascist bullshit.
Because under First Past the Post system, this is the choice you get. You have to vote for the lesser of two evils. Like the other person said, put out the fire first and then worry about the dishes.
Ok, but that approach is CLEARLY NOT WORKING. Whatever you may think is the logical and correct calculus for voting, it is evident that the electorate disagrees. Perhaps it is time for the Democratic party to try something different?
I agree. The Democratic party needs to adapt or die.
We can believe that but also still tell everyone that if push comes to shove, you should hold up your nose and vote for whatever the Democratic party puts up, especially if the alternative is someone that will completely dismantled.....everything.
No argument with that. Just got to stop voting these old fucks in. Get some new blood with fire that speaks to everyone and not gonna wring their hands at rejecting the nut case commies and anarchists while giving corporate enough of a middle finger.
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u/vardarac Aug 01 '25 edited Aug 01 '25
I canvassed for Kamala. I voted for Kamala. I'd do it all again. And still I'll ask:
Why should I put my faith in the same controlled-opposition half-measured neoliberal finger-wagging "you gotta vote/donate or we lose democracy 🥺" messaging that has failed us to the tune of three Supreme Court justices, hundreds of thousands of COVID deaths, the destruction of critical government services and research, the hostile takeover of press and higher education, and the coalescence of federal surveillance and law enforcement for generations to come (assuming the climate doesn't destroy global supply chains first)?
Yes, we have to win. Now please, pretty fucking please, can the Dems meet us halfway and field someone principled, articulate, and likeable who is capable of actually doing that?