Kbin/Mbin (and possibly others?) definitely have the edge here since those platforms make votes public (only admins can see them on Lemmy). So, if you want to confirm what I'm saying here, go view some of these posts from Kbin/Mbin.
Every time one of the "usual suspects" says stuff like this in the comments, there will later be posts detailing how Biden is doing (or at least earnestly trying to do) exactly the things they're saying he needs to be doing (oR ElSe i WiLl noT voTE anD NEithER ShoULD yoU!!!11!!). 100% of the time, those posts are downvoted by these same "usual suspect" accounts.
What gives? They have very strong opinions about how he should run his administration, so you'd think they'd appreciate him doing what they've been so helpfully suggesting. Unless....it was never about the issues at all.
That thin veneer of concern they're hiding behind is not as thick as they think it is and is quite easy to see through. Now you know where to look.
Edit: Please don't name and shame any specific users. That may violate the community or LW rules. We all know who most of the "usual suspects" are.
No, but it is foolish to think that it begins at the Presidency. Historically, new parties have emerged from grassroots movements, beginning with local offices like school boards and city councils. Otherwise, they have been splintered from existing parties.
So do those things down-ballot instead.
Yeah, people talking about proportional representation seem to turn a blind and eye to the Senate, which has had principled socialists and libertarians in its seats. It's not a healthy state of affairs, but if you wanted to send a message to the Democrats theres a proven way to do it in house and Senate races, trying to make big swings at the presidential level is just idiotic and betrays bad faith.
Yeah we can limp along with a major party and a minor party for a couple decades. We have before.
There will never be more than 2 for more than 1 election cycle. Ross Perot couldn't do it. Pat Buchanan couldn't do it. George Wallace couldn't do it.
Teddy Big Brass Balls Roosevelt couldn't do it with with his Bull Moose Party as a two term ex president. If he couldn't do it, nobody can.
There's a variety of problems with the concept (including the issue of political dynasties), but I sometimes wish a blend of Teddy Roosevelt and FDR would show up and whip our government back into something at least vaguely respectable.