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Here's the thing - what is the viable alternative? We are talking the orange blob otherwise, which means fascism, and the end of democracy in this nation.
Is Biden perfect? Of course not. Is he too old? Yeah, most likely. All the purity ponies and the so-called "independents" that are setting us up for another "win" (EC only) of the orange blob are not really thinking this through...
This is where I'm at. Biden is not my preferred candidate, but I don't see a better alternative stepping up. Witmer, Newsome, Shapiro, etc have all opted not to run. Joe Biden is the strongest candidate running for president that can and has beat Trump, end of story. I'd love to live in a world where I can vote for a young progressive in the 2024 general election, but we simply don't live in that world. The focus should be on pushing Biden to the left, not complaining that he's taking the place of some imagined candidate that doesn't exist.
They've opted not to challenge Biden, that doesn't mean if he stepped aside we'd just have some nobody. Unfortunately he really is the decision point on whether we're stuck with him, and people who become president aren't known for their propensity to fade into the background and let someone else take charge.
I want to preface this by saying I'm voting for Biden.
So, those people still exist. The party still needs their votes. Browbeating ain't gonna bring them on board. Is the party going to try appealing to them, or does it prefer Dictator Trump to lowering itself to treating the left like valued constituents?
I'm voting for Biden. But I'm also disappointed that the stuff he ran on was gleefully jettisoned by the congress that he said would work with him because of his experience. The people who are happy that minimum wage stayed put and most of BBB was gutted are now turning around and being like "vote for us! you have no choice!" and it looks for all the world like they're taking advantage of the situation.
People are giving up. Out of apathy, out of disgust, because they feel betrayed. Fuck, I'm voting for Biden and I'm feeling apathetic, disgusted, and betrayed.
Biden has 11 months to turn this around. His supporters who are demanding unquestioning happiness from everyone who has been let down by this administration aren't moving that needle in the direction that gets him re-elected. But damn, does it feel good to browbeat people who see what's coming if the party doesn't alter course.
This last sentence is the fourth time I'm going to mention that I'm voting for Biden, and I expect all four will be ignored.
Another Biden voter here:
Member the democratic primary when Joe threatened to beat up somebody questioning his (questionable as hell) record?
I member.
People don't get it, like fuck Biden. Fuck trump more, of course, but fuck Biden. And fuck all these people who want you to spoon the shit soup in with a smile.
They did the same thing to us this time as they do every time. They lied to get us to vote for them then turned around and feigned helplessness when we demanded they actually follow through.
It feels like our choices are "dark path that leads to widespread political violence" or "dark path that continues existing political violence on a smaller scale."
Isn't the BBB a private company
You're thinking of the Better Business Bureau, which is a private company. I was referring to Build Back Better, which was Biden's plan that the party's republican-adjacent wing gutted.
My comment is not really aimed at people that are voting for Biden, while recognizing his issues. I'm in the same camp. Do I want a more progressive candidate? Yes. Do I wish the Democratic Party was much more progressive than it is? Hell yes.
My comment is about people that are either too cynical/too pure and insist they are going to remain "above it all" by either bowing out entirely, or throwing their vote away on ridiculous third party candidates. Or even worse, voting for donnie in the hope of some accelerationist BS fantasy that is going to put leftists in the seat of power, somehow.
I'm not sure if I'm more sick of that type, or the entirely low-info that keep claiming, no matter what the facts are, that "the economy is terrible", so it doesn't really matter who wins (and will vote for donnie in some cases, because "Biden is old" or some other fiddly irrelevant nonsense). All I know is that between these two types, our country is hanging in the balance...
The people you're insulting and belittling are disappointed about the same things you claim to be disappointed about. How are you going to get them on board? You need them on board. Our very democracy hangs in the balance.
Do you suppose that infantile mockery will do the trick?
How many of the people that are advocating to vote for the likes of Jill Stein - of those that are not just Russian bots/agents and are people even acting in good faith, that is - do you think are reachable? People that seem to take their cues from the likes of Susan Sarandon don't strike me as a market segment that will be convinced by anything.
People playing the "more leftist than thou" game don't seem all that serious to me. And calling them purity ponies is hardly a harsh criticism, it perfectly embodies their behaviors and emotional hysterias - if they don't get their way, 100%, they are willing to put the entire world in jeopardy.
Does that strike you as rational?
I didn't say it was harsh. I said it was infantile.
Rational or not, if you need their votes, you need their votes.
I don't think it's infantile to describe the behavior in precise terms.
I find it so interesting that the party that keeps abandoning its stated principles so that GOP-senpai will notice them refuses to treat people in their own caucus like they need their votes.
How many times do we have to keep voting for the lesser evil. The more years I've been doing this the more voting for the lesser evil I hear.
Until the people who don't want the job are so fed up with how it's being done that they take the job themselves.
That's some of what sets apart an earnest politician from a corrupt one.
Personally, I think society would benefit if I got into politics. But I have so much work to do on my personal life that I don't have anything left to give. Maybe someday when I am on more sure footing, I can throw my hat in the ring and start getting involved in small scale local politics to see if I have any chops for it, but I don't know when that might be.
If we keep asking why are all these people in charge assholes, I have to ask, well why don't you run for office then?
And the sad reality seems to be that it's only the people comfortable and stable enough in life that they have the security and freedom to get into politics. Those people tend to be wealthier people they are also older. And that is not a demographic that is very representative of the teeming masses.
But hell, we barely even vote in this country. Other countries put us to shame when considering voter turnout. Voting should be the absolute bare minimum level of effort.
Unfortunately it's baked into the cake.
Until people get pissed off enough to start being politically active and not just passive participants in the process. When the "high bar" is merely "showing up to vote after glancing over the candidates" what do people expect?
Get involved in local politics. Volunteer for candidates that reflect your actual ideals -- or run for a local office yourself. Actually talk to other voters about issues, form coalitions to do something about it. Annoy the shit out of your elected officials and hold them accountable. Be loud, be pissed off, and use that energy to do something other than complain on social media about it.
Anyone that actually wants change needs to realize it requires being and active participant in politics. The problem is most people don't because it's frequently frustrating, disheartening, and exhausting work just for minor change. It's a thankless slog towards a better future on top of just trying to survive.
I understand the sentiment but most people just don't have the time or energy for that. I'm a busy person, got a young one around that needs my help every day - and I need to be able to help put people into office that reflect my ideals without actively being involved. That shouldn't be a large ask.
And we should be able to do that. But we Americans love to complain about the current state of affairs, yet we put more energy into complaining than we do actually voting. Our voter turnout for presidential elections is already way behind other countries, our mid terms are worse, our general elections the remaining odd years are worse still, and oh my God... The primaries....
The primaries are where we can actually redefine the political parties and fill them with new earnest candidates. Possibly the most important of all the elections, that's where we have virtually non-existent turnout.
Our government is exactly what we made out of it.
There will be multiple Climate Wars ongoing before they consider that it may be the time to try and break away from the two parties that caused it.
The alternative is PRIMARY HIM. That ass doesn’t deserve our vote and his hubris that he will get it no matter what is driving this country into a game of chicken with madness. He must retire and the only way he will listen is if we credibly refuse to support him NOW
Didn't he initially say he was going to be a one termer? If so, he should keep his word. Either way, he should be primaries.
Politics is a process. This is the time where the parties (all two) have to sort out their policy platform and the candidates to run on that platform.
So it isn't just about it being Biden, let alone Trump. The "alternative" can also include a Biden actually pivoting to a different, more popular set of policies. He could even get some mileage on the things he ran on in 2020 and has barely moved on since, like public healthcare option or a minimum wage increase.
The bigger problem is Biden now has a 3 term track record in the White House snubbing progressive policy.
He can't promise anything anymore, he has to actually deliver, and he is running out of time, if he hasn't already. (He most likely has.)
What does the lemmy hive mind think of Marianne Williamson?
She was dismissed four years ago as bonkers. Right or wrong, that stuck. She stands no chance.
I would guess that the prevailing sentiment here is "Not Biden? ENEMY!"
Trump flavored candidates have done terribly in almost every election since, pretending Trump winning is a forgone conclusion is doomer rhetoric.
I don't believe Biden isn't a fascist.
I don’t believe Trump isn’t a fascist.
Fixed it for you.
both can be true.