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this post was submitted on 31 Aug 2024
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Good enough for now. When we've accomplished your list (which I agree with), maybe we can all vote in a more nuanced way than which of the two will be better.
This bit is just hyperbole, though. I get your frustration, but it's objectively untrue and even if it was, doing nothing would still be better than actively sabotaging us.
If I’m wrong, please educate me.
What has she proposed that is even remotely leftist? Name even one of her plans that I would easily support that doesn’t have:
sneaky means-testing to prevent impossibly large swaths of those that need it from qualifying
poorly-disguised handouts to ultra rich multinational corporations that are being marketed as populist reforms
weaponized identity politics (making it a crime to say anything critical of or even boycott 🇮🇱)
militarization of the police (I wouldn’t even put Trump ahead of her on this one. She is literally the most pro-police militarization politician in the entire United States. She loves “cop city” so much, it’s terrifying).
Edit: I’m waiting for your replies but I’m not seeing any. Just downvotes! Is it because you can’t name a single policy that I would support?
I haven't downvoted you myself. My habit is if I'm responding to someone I don't downvote because that must mean I think it's a worthwhile conversation. I know not everyone does that. I didn't reply right away because I have a family and shit to do in the morning.
That said, this is a bit of moving the goalposts, right? You said nothing that would benefit lower and middle class. I can't say what you would easily support. I don't really have a response to this for that reason.
No problem. Thanks for not being one of those downvotes then.
I’m happy to lay out what a non-corrupt politician could offer that would excite me and get me to vote for them (obviously this is a big list but any non-corrupt politician would be able to promise/strive for at least one of these):
I could go on all day. Basically, you could easily offer what Bernie had on his platform in 2016 and get me to be enthusiastic about the Democrats.
I agree with a decent chunk of that, not all, and even what I disagree with, it's more like lukewarm agreement because I think it would cause as many problems as it fixes. I was just trying to respond to your frustration. Not aggravate you further.
Kamala isn't everything anyone would want, but the things you want to see are more likely during or following a Harris administration. I know none of this mollifies you. There are urgent matters that are hurting us to do slowly and in half measures. But Harris moves us closer than Trump and for most of us that's all we can do.
Of course I have a Midwest, swing state perspective. And I have the perspective of watching things change over 50 years. I know many of the policies you and I want would lose Kamala the race. I don't want her to lose either because the far left stays home or because she's forced to adopt policies that lose the states that the election hinges on.
If you ask me, gerrymandering is the root cause of much of the polarization and extremism in this country and I think it is urgent to end it or at least let democrats draw the lines. And we need to look at the judiciary. That all takes a lot of time, unfortunately.
I could go on and on with how much I agree with you and why. But we have two choices, and one moves this country in a better direction whether a little or a lot, and the other makes us all a hell of a lot worse off. I can't endorse any statement that says they are basically the same.
But, friend, keep fighting. You are right about a great many things. I just implore you to do it strategically and not let "great" be the enemy of "better."
Not sure why it made me reply to myself instead. Pasting in comment here:
That’s fair. Thanks for at least discussing it with me. I beg to differ on the whole, “we need to appeal to the Centrists and reach across the isle” trap that the two party system put your perspective into. That reaching seems to conveniently only happen in one direction. It’s the one-way valve of corporatism!
Anyway, thanks for the discussion. It was fun making that list. 😂
Edit: IMO, gerrymandering is just another effect of a fake democracy where only two parties are actually viable due to FPTP.
You’re asking for too much all at once. Don’t forget, these people are people and those people have to get things passed within a group. A single administration wouldn’t be able to do that, even if they tried.
Of your list, what are you top 5 desires from a candidate regarding reform/actions within the country?
I just made a list that I could think of. The top ones are at the top. Then, I just went into fantasy mode, obviously. TBH, I wanted to keep going. Haha.
Here’s the only three I will absolutely fight someone over, though.
I do think it would be a lot easier if we did not have any parties at all. However, I don’t think anybody’s going to go for that. I do agree with you that more than two would be a very good thing. I think the only way to accomplish that is by removing the electoral college and putting ranked voting In place. That is going to be difficult because it’s not up to the federal government how a state handles its voting.
Guaranteed healthcare would be nice.
I don’t want innocent people to die any more than you do. I also don’t think the US should be handing out weapons and cash to Israel anymore. However, there are relationships in place that are favored by a lot of powerful people. It’s also not a topic that “center” people care about. So when it comes to the presidency, pushing that topic is not going to win them any votes.
It sucks, I know. One step at a time. And the next step is preventing Trump from getting into office again. I’m not overjoyed about the road we are on either, but that is the road we are on at this moment.
Here’s a graphic that I like to show people that illustrates just what FPTP does to the voting makeup of Sweden’s government as a point of comparison.
This graphic is a tad old now but it still paints the picture perfectly of how the two party system fucks us.
I would like to stop feeling “totally fucked” when the house or senate flips red. A multicolor system—A rainbow if you will—would be far less stressful and I think would get a lot more done.
Me too! It is maddening.