No one person can be blamed for the sorry state of the nation, but if you’re interested in an example of legislation which has done significant harm to Americans and funneled billions into the carceral state that Biden himself takes credit for and that third parties have reenforced, the ‘94 crime bill is one.

I am aware of Biden's history.

What is considered progress now (progress for whom, measured how) may very well be abhorrent in the future.

Yeah, that's how progress works. I don't care for these semantics. You well know what I meant about local politics.

I'll respect your request to quote in full if we forget the semantics.

Now didn’t you just say that federal elections can only maintain the status quo and that change has to happen at a local election level?

I said federal elections generally only can maintain the status quo. Not always. In some respects Biden (for as milquetoast centrist/boomer as he is) has made progress towards dealing with climate change for example.

It seems like I just described the logical steps a person with your views would take when it comes to elections. Why are those ideas perfectly normal when you write them down but suddenly fantastical when I say them?

The difference is, in local elections there is often less competition, and less fuckery in the primaries. Key word being less, not none.

The last president to run unopposed was 1820. Wheras for local elections, every year there is some seat that is being run unopposed.

The democrats always go for some centrist/conservative for the big federal seats. The local seats and minor congressional seats are the only places progressives have a chance. Hence why it is fantasy land to try this stuff for federal positions and not so for local.

So use that, leverage the democratic party into being a party that actually serves the people to make progress, and we'll be doing significantly better. Splitting the vote to get Trump in power will only serve to hurt women, minorities, and the LGBTQ.