So, there's a huge debate about this in some left wing communities, and normally, you know me, totally against it, but this election, I feel a bit more mixed on it.
On the one hand, i hate the IDEA of it. Like, as far as I'm concerned, everyone is entitled to their vote, and they're free to use it however they want. I dont like the blue no matter who culture within the democratic party and believe it's toxic and that they're bad faith actors trying to bully and intimidate people into voting for candidates that they hate.
On the flip side, I do think that we need to read the room to some extent and understand the limitations of just voting third party. Third party voting should ideally be about policy, and moving the major parties in your direction. We'll always have two major parties in our first past the post system, but third parties can act as signals to pressure them to change, and if they're sufficiently unresponsive to changes, they can eventually replace the major parties like the republicans did with the whigs, for example.
This doesn't happen often. But, parties do go through occasional realignments. The going rate is every 36 years or so, but it can vary. The last one started at the 36 year mark, but still took a few election cycles to settle. The same is happening here, since the last resolved itself in 1980, 2016 was when the next one started. And we're undergoing it now.
For a while, the ideal strategy seemed to be to vote third party to pressure the democrats to the left. But as I stated, I believe they have moved a bit to the left, and I kind of think applying more pressure when Trump is such a threat to democracy, and so dangerous is troubling. Also, looking at polling and where public opinion are, most criticism of biden seems to come from the RIGHT, and if Biden loses, the democrats are more likely to move RIGHT, not left.
Yet, some leftists seem to insist on voting third party over gaza and being quite hostile to the democratic party over it. Dont worry, I get it, I respect the hustle, but I really struggle to believe that this is an issue worth protest voting over for one, nor do I think the demands are reasonable, for two, nor do I think that such efforts would be successful in moving the overton window left, for three. People are still free to pursue this strategy, but I kinda end up agreeing with the blue no matter whoers. It's not sound, it's not productive, and it's not worth doing. It's threatening progress on a lot of other progressive causes, and risks throwing an extremely important election to a lunatic who wants to overthrow democracy, and a party that's salivating to pursue an insane right wing agenda that threatens many left wing causes.
The fact is, while long term, in 2016 and 2020, I felt like I could potentially get something out of my vote, in 2024, I feel like going third party is just a bad idea.
Of course, I dont like shaming people. if people wanna start an argument with me, and get all uppity with me over it because i wont go third party like they do (and some do that), I get hostile and tell them to F off. But I also don't really like the blue no matter whoers either. Like, I kinda agree with both sides in my own way, but I also disagree with both. And I honestly feel like this whole debate is toxic.
To the blue no matter whoers, I'll say this. People can vote for whomever they darned well feel like it, and your shrill screaming just makes me wanna vote third party more. You're not owed votes, you have to earn them, and you have earned it this time. That said, STFU and stop relitigating 2016 with me, you really think you're gonna get anywhere with me on that? No. You're not. Youre just pissing me off.
To the free palestine people, I don't care about your cause. I think you guys are largely unreasonable, and you're throwing away an election over an issue that doesn't matter. It's your right to do so and i understand most of the free palestine people were gonna vote third party regardless, they were just itching for an excuse, but yeah, this is not my cause, and now you're threatening my causes over this bull####, and I really wish you wouldn't.
At the very least, I won't shame you further than that, but then you start shaming me. And I'll say this, F palestine, you're darned right, I'm not a leftist. You're darned right, I don't care. You can't shame me any more than a blue maga guy can, and yes, my ideology is different than yours, and my concerns are different than yours, and no, I'm not a bad person for not going all in on this one issue. Even more, so, now that the gloves are off, let me just say I think your pathological obsession over this issue is dangerous and you're literally screwing us all over this, so thanks for that. Hope this is worth throwing an election to a fascist over. Because I don't think so.
Generally speaking though, if you're respectful with me, I'll generally be respectful with you. if you're loud and obnoxious and self righteous with me over your vote and you start telling me how I should vote, I'll tell you to stick it where the sun doesn't shine. My problem with both sides obviously has to do with tone. The shriller and more forceful the tone, with the more ad hominems over my lack of ideological purity or dedication to a party I don't necessarily like, the more likely I am to respond negatively. You all have a right to your vote and your perspective, but if you shove it in my face, you're gonna start a fight. And don't be surprised when I go after either side over this one. I voted green in 2016 and 2020, deal with it. I'm voting for Biden in 2024, deal with it. I'll choose who I deem worthy of my vote in 2028 no matter who they are, deal with it.
We can debate strategy respectfully all day and that's fine. I'm kinda in the middle on my own side anyway and don't align with either the left or the hardcore democrats either way. Really, I just see it as "what move furthers my causes the most?" If I feel defending the dems is the right thing, like I do this election, I'll defend the dems. If I feel like the dems dont represent me and I wanna vote third party to pressure them, I'll do that. But make no mistake, I'm in charge of my own conscience and shaming behavior either way will elicit negative responses, not positive ones. And I very much hate both sides of this debate this election cycle.
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