this post was submitted on 09 Dec 2023
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[–] Stoneykins@mander.xyz 17 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (3 children)

I'm so tired of people saying not voting for biden is completely equivalent to voting for trump, but this is stupid.

[–] Spacehooks@reddthat.com 6 points 11 months ago

It's because of the view of Not voting for Hillary over what the DNC did help give us trump. People are too afraid of GOP to vote third party or even more progressive dems.

[–] chitak166@lemmy.world 3 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (1 children)

Well, what we've been doing thus far hasn't been working.

Only a fool would keep trying the same thing but expecting different results.

I think the real stupid ones are the people voting for the 'lesser-evil.' Maybe if they lost a few elections they'd change their tune.

Funny how it's always progressive's fault, though. If a moderate loses? Progressive's fault for not 'falling in line.' If a progressive loses, though, nobody will blame the moderate for not 'falling in line.' If a Progressive wins, nobody is going to acknowledge it's because they were progressive.

It's a lose-lose all around, and that's by design. I'd rather stop pretending that the lesser-evil leads to improvements because it does not. They're both just looking out for different rich people, and in many cases the same.

If you don't like it, then encourage people to vote for better candidates! If dems are truly afraid of losing elections, run better candidates and don't just favor the 'establishment.'

If they can't do that, then they deserve to lose. I don't care if you blame me.

[–] Stoneykins@mander.xyz 3 points 11 months ago (1 children)

I agree with and understand a lot of your frustrations, as they are also my frustrations.

But you basically said "I'm tired of voting for the lesser of two evils, so now I will vote for the greater of two evils." Just vote 3rd party or something, and try to not take it personally when people are assholes about elections.

[–] chitak166@lemmy.world 3 points 11 months ago

Yeah, I could vote 3rd party.

I guess it would depend on how flippant the establishment democrats and their constituency are behaving.

[–] snek@lemmy.world 0 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (1 children)

Sadly the reality of a two party state system makes it so.

[–] Stoneykins@mander.xyz 7 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (1 children)

The two party problem as a result of first past the post means that not voting against the party you dislike more can result in a spoiler effect, and reduce the chances of the not-as-bad mainstream party winning the election. But, I reject that that spoiler effect is necessarily as bad as voting directly for the worse candidate, it is mathematically untrue. Many people try to insist they are equivalent to try and motivate voting, but I think it has the opposite effect, making people feel apathetic about the entire voting process.

Under first past the post we cannot be free of the biases of the system that enforces two parties, BUT it is possible to rarely, with a big movement of people, swap a third party with on of the major parties to replace it as a major party. The way I see voting 3rd party in situations like this is like the prisonor's dilemma. People are motivated individually to cast their votes strategically for the major party they prefer by the spoiler effect, but if enough people collectively vote 3rd party then the outcome would be better for everyone. Thus, I cannot agree with or accept people claiming voting third party is unacceptable. It might not be likely to be effective, but it is hopeful and not nearly as misguided as people try to insist it is.

Also, Idk if this even applies to me, I'll probably be using my vote strategically. I just support people's right to vote 3rd party.

[–] snek@lemmy.world 4 points 11 months ago

I think you're right.