this post was submitted on 25 Jul 2024
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[–] CileTheSane@lemmy.ca -3 points 3 months ago (4 children)

I prefer the Republicans offer a reasonable alternative so that Democrats can actually be held accountable. Currently Democrats can engage in insider trading, pass laws that help their stocks, continue to give weapons to war criminals, and you still have to come out in droves to vote for them or the country becomes a Dictatorship.

If Republicans are forced to rebuild and offer someone that isn't going to run the country and everyone's freedoms into the ground, (or better yet completely crash and burn allowing an actual leftist party the chance to be the 2nd party) then Democrats can actually be held accountable if they pass shitty laws.

[–] davidagain@lemmy.world 4 points 3 months ago (1 children)

You want the Republican party to compete with the Democrats by attempting to make things fairer, less corrupt and more honourable than the Democrats?! It's like expecting Biden to be the youthful candidate, Trump to be the honest and rational candidate and Bernie to be the corporate shill all in one.

[–] CileTheSane@lemmy.ca -1 points 3 months ago (2 children)

No, I meant making a 3rd party actually potentially viable

[–] davidagain@lemmy.world 5 points 3 months ago (1 children)

That's really not how your previous post reads to me, apart from the thing in brackets.

[–] CileTheSane@lemmy.ca 2 points 3 months ago (1 children)

The rest of my post was saying I want Republicans to not be a dumpster fire that is going down the fascism hole. They don't need to be "fairer, less corrupt and more honourable than the Democrats," they just need to not be taking away established human rights when they're in power so that not voting for Democrats if they aren't behaving can be a reasonable option.

[–] davidagain@lemmy.world 4 points 3 months ago
[–] Bridger@sh.itjust.works 4 points 3 months ago

I think that as long as winner take all first past the post remains the method here there will never be room for more than 2 parties.

[–] freddydunningkruger@lemmy.world 4 points 3 months ago (2 children)

https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/sens-ossoff-kelly-introduce-bill-banning-stock-trading-by-members-of-congress-2/

I like how you disengenuiously phrase everything. Oh Lordy, I wish the Republicans could force those filthy Democrats to stop their cheating ways, or I swear I'll faint!!

Meanwhile, there are already Democrats who ARE proposing fixes to your little list. LOL, we don't need Republicans to hold Democrats accountable, we need them to vote with the Democrats trying to fix the problems. But good luck with that

[–] prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone 5 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

Yep. If you're a progressive and you want an actual progressive party, the only way to do that in this current (two party) system, is to shift the Overton Window to the left such that the current Democratic party becomes the center-right party (replacing the far right Republicans entirely), and said new progressive party, the left.

That means voting Democrat (including down ballot, which would be especially important in shifting local politics to the left) for now while continuing to do everything in our power to promote and support progressive candidates.

And this would take several election cycles. The collective ADHD of social media addled brains of Gen Z voters is another massive hurdle. They haven't seemed to grasp yet just how slow things can move in politics (which by itself isn't inherently good or bad).

How do you get them to stay engaged for 12+ years when it may seem like nothing is getting better?

[–] CileTheSane@lemmy.ca -1 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

According to Insider, Sens. Ossoff and Sen. Kelly were two of only 10 sitting members of Congress last Congress to place their portfolios in blind trusts.

Oh no! I criticised something only most Democrats are doing! That must mean I support Republicans!

At no point did I say Republicans need to hold Democrats responsible. What I said was I want Republicans to present an at least somewhat reasonable alternative so that the voters can hold Democrats responsible without risking the safety of marginalized people.

If 10 Democrats are trying to stop this that's great, the problem is you still have to vote for the 100 other Democrats that are gleefully taking part because the alternative is literal fascism. Democrats don't have to actually try to improve people's lives because what are you going to do, not vote and let the Republicans win?

I would not have expected "I wish there were 2 reasonable candidates to choose from" would be a controversial take, but I suppose American "Politics" is more tribalism than anything else.

[–] prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone 4 points 3 months ago

I prefer the Republicans offer a reasonable alternative so that Democrats can actually be held accountable.

I used to say (and believe) things like this. The fact is, it cannot exist. Reasonable people don't run for office as a Republican, full stop.

[–] ChronosTriggerWarning@lemmy.world 2 points 3 months ago (1 children)

I prefer the Republicans offer a reasonable alternative so that Democrats can actually be held accountable.

What color is the sky in your world?

[–] CileTheSane@lemmy.ca -1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

"I would prefer a functioning democracy"

"What fantasy world are you living in?"

Americans are full on drinking the Kool-aid aren't they?

[–] ChronosTriggerWarning@lemmy.world 1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Republicans being reasonable? Reasonable Republicans holding Democrats responsible? For what?!?!

You're down k hole and experiencing a fever dream.

And it was Flavor-Ade. Get yer shit straight.

[–] CileTheSane@lemmy.ca 1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

What I said was I would prefer if Republicans were a somewhat reasonable option, that wouldn't be taking away people's rights or diving straight in fascism, so that voters could hold Democrats responsible.

Basically, wouldn't it be nice if you didn't have to vote for a Democrat if they didn't follow through on their promises or engaged in unethical behaviour?

[–] ChronosTriggerWarning@lemmy.world 1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Short answer: yes. I'd prefer we move away from a two party system and embrace something like ranked choice or STAR to promote more voices at the table, but that takes away power from both Dems and Repubs, so it ain't happening anytime soon.

[–] CileTheSane@lemmy.ca 2 points 3 months ago

That sounds great too. The person I was originally replying to said they hoped Trump lost and continued to be the candidate for the next couple of elections, which would not lead to a more stable or functioning democracy. (No third party has a chance when there's a risk of actual fascism if the Republican's win.)