The ratchet effect is real, but it least it buys us time to try to solve problems for real outside of electoral politics. The alternative effectively immediately eliminates any chances of solving any problem.

If you're worried about the ratchet effect it's because you've pinned your hopes on electoral politics; interestingly this argument often comes from people saying they don't believe in the power of electoral politics to effect change.

[–] ZILtoid1991@lemmy.world 4 points 6 months ago

Also it's not like the far-right never had to adjust to the current political climate. There's a quite good reason why there's now blacks and Latinos working with white supremacists.

We also could benefit from the ratchet effect, but a lot of liberal politicians are trying to win over the right. That's why some back out from trans issues unfortunately, or double down on tax cuts to the rich.

The whole "we need to win over the moderates from the other side by making compromises" is an astroturf, see the Lincoln Project. All we need is better communication, and to reveal that "the cruelty is the point" of many of the far-right's socioeconomic policies, not concerns about "the transes" (previously "the gays") might regretting their "lifestyle choices", or "giving money to drug addicts that they'll use for a lethal overdose".