The importance of this post cannot be understated, and I wish everyone could read and understand it. Unfortunately, not enough people will read it, and the people who SHOULD read it won’t understand it.
I wish that I could be as optimistic as you are, but the fact that we have such a clear choice between a fascist and an older but honorable man, and polls are TIED, shows just how dire the situation is.
Not to completely ignore polls, but we need to view them realistically.
We are a LONG way out from the actual election, over a year, and there is a lot that changes over the course of that time. (Wasn’t Herman Cain leading around this time in 2019?)
Second, a LOT of the polls we’re seeing these days are not much different than PR releases by Republican-supporting groups. They control what they ask, how they ask, and how to present the results so things seem closer than they are if you actually asked a broad, diverse group.
Example, I saw a recent one that “Trump leads Biden among unlikely voters.” Yeah, people who are *unlikely* to vote. How does polling them tell you anything about how a vote will go?
I keep thanking fate that actually we have had this Biden era to rescue us so far, we are still not without the threat, but at least we have seen the distinct contrast this era has given us & the sheer lunacy of the trump past 4 years that almost took down this Democracy ! Hopefully enough Americans have recognized the danger & will make sure he does not get another stab at the destruction. The thing that boggles my mind is not that there was a person with dictatorial ambitions, but that a whole political party abandoned it's stated belief system in order to try & take over the country permanently ! We can never trust them again - the reason for the plot is still there - they KNOW they are outvoted if the whole electorate votes - hence the move to stymie as many votes as possible instead of actually changing their policies towards being helpful to the masses IOW they have shown us their deepest intentions !
I hope it is not too late, but we need to remember that Democrats shoulder some of the blame. We have elected them for decades, after which they slip into the “other side of the aisle” bullshit. The problem is that smart folks have been saying for quite some time that there is no other side of the aisle, while some Democrats are still repeating that.
Faced with a party that uses power to punish opponents and further their own agenda, Democrats still talk like there is some truce or peace on the horizon. They still refuse to discard the filibuster. Bipartisanship is one thing - Biden looked good and DeSantis bad by not meeting after the hurricane.
How can we trust a party who will not wield the power they have now to combat this? Why does it have to rest on voters? Now, I will be voting for Biden next year as long as he is both on the ballot and living. I get the stakes. But I understand why people might sit this out and not vote. I totally get it.
Donald, with respect, I understand the Democrats aren't perfect but they are the ONLY thing standing between democracy and fascism. Not being able to discard the filibuster is NO reason to sit this one out, regardless of any valid frustration of voters or whining from showboating contrarians. This is not a drill. Also, without paid intransigent hacks like Sinema and Manchin, more of the agenda would've passed. Let's put the intraparty bellyaching and navel gazing aside and vanquish this VERY. REAL. THREAT. It really is democracy or fascism. Peace.
I definitely understand what is going on, and I will certainly be doing all I can for the effort to elect Democrats. No question there. But I find myself going back and forth on the approach currently elected Dems need to take. Will spirited talk of “the fascists are coming” turn people off? How many will think the Dems have gone crazy?
Personally, I am into telling the truth as I see it. I have told extended family that if they are planning on voting for Republicans, they should also prepare to defend themselves. If the shit hits the fan, there are lots of well-armed Americans who will not hesitate when it comes to killing fascists. We have done it before, and we will do it again.
My quote in my bio is "The road to fascism is lined with people telling you to stop overreacting." And I am optimistic that we'll ultimately defeat them again -- it's going to be such an ugly year and half dealing with fools. UGH. But LFG!
Donald, it really is a stark and SIMPLE choice: Anyone who doesn’t vote for Biden is casting a vote for Trump.
They may not like that being the fact. They may not like some, or even much, of what Biden does. But if they vote for anyone else, they are casting a vote for Trump. And, for any faults or shortcomings in Biden and Democrats, they are not out to destroy democracy as Republicans, by their own admission, are. Everyone will be much worse off if Trump is re-elected. Anyone not voting for Biden is voting for that. For themselves to be worse off.
There is ZERO chance a 3rd party candidate gets even one electoral vote. The reality of our politics is it will be Biden or Trump. A vote for Cornell West or a vote not cast at all is just one vote less for Biden. And therefore one vote less that Trump needs to win.
The importance of this post cannot be understated, and I wish everyone could read and understand it. Unfortunately, not enough people will read it, and the people who SHOULD read it won’t understand it.
I wish that I could be as optimistic as you are, but the fact that we have such a clear choice between a fascist and an older but honorable man, and polls are TIED, shows just how dire the situation is.
Not to completely ignore polls, but we need to view them realistically.
We are a LONG way out from the actual election, over a year, and there is a lot that changes over the course of that time. (Wasn’t Herman Cain leading around this time in 2019?)
Second, a LOT of the polls we’re seeing these days are not much different than PR releases by Republican-supporting groups. They control what they ask, how they ask, and how to present the results so things seem closer than they are if you actually asked a broad, diverse group.
Example, I saw a recent one that “Trump leads Biden among unlikely voters.” Yeah, people who are *unlikely* to vote. How does polling them tell you anything about how a vote will go?
I keep thanking fate that actually we have had this Biden era to rescue us so far, we are still not without the threat, but at least we have seen the distinct contrast this era has given us & the sheer lunacy of the trump past 4 years that almost took down this Democracy ! Hopefully enough Americans have recognized the danger & will make sure he does not get another stab at the destruction. The thing that boggles my mind is not that there was a person with dictatorial ambitions, but that a whole political party abandoned it's stated belief system in order to try & take over the country permanently ! We can never trust them again - the reason for the plot is still there - they KNOW they are outvoted if the whole electorate votes - hence the move to stymie as many votes as possible instead of actually changing their policies towards being helpful to the masses IOW they have shown us their deepest intentions !
I hope it is not too late, but we need to remember that Democrats shoulder some of the blame. We have elected them for decades, after which they slip into the “other side of the aisle” bullshit. The problem is that smart folks have been saying for quite some time that there is no other side of the aisle, while some Democrats are still repeating that.
Faced with a party that uses power to punish opponents and further their own agenda, Democrats still talk like there is some truce or peace on the horizon. They still refuse to discard the filibuster. Bipartisanship is one thing - Biden looked good and DeSantis bad by not meeting after the hurricane.
How can we trust a party who will not wield the power they have now to combat this? Why does it have to rest on voters? Now, I will be voting for Biden next year as long as he is both on the ballot and living. I get the stakes. But I understand why people might sit this out and not vote. I totally get it.
Donald, with respect, I understand the Democrats aren't perfect but they are the ONLY thing standing between democracy and fascism. Not being able to discard the filibuster is NO reason to sit this one out, regardless of any valid frustration of voters or whining from showboating contrarians. This is not a drill. Also, without paid intransigent hacks like Sinema and Manchin, more of the agenda would've passed. Let's put the intraparty bellyaching and navel gazing aside and vanquish this VERY. REAL. THREAT. It really is democracy or fascism. Peace.
I definitely understand what is going on, and I will certainly be doing all I can for the effort to elect Democrats. No question there. But I find myself going back and forth on the approach currently elected Dems need to take. Will spirited talk of “the fascists are coming” turn people off? How many will think the Dems have gone crazy?
Personally, I am into telling the truth as I see it. I have told extended family that if they are planning on voting for Republicans, they should also prepare to defend themselves. If the shit hits the fan, there are lots of well-armed Americans who will not hesitate when it comes to killing fascists. We have done it before, and we will do it again.
My quote in my bio is "The road to fascism is lined with people telling you to stop overreacting." And I am optimistic that we'll ultimately defeat them again -- it's going to be such an ugly year and half dealing with fools. UGH. But LFG!
To be clear, I'm not talking about *you* Donald, just the people you say "might sit this one out and note vote." No excuse for that.
Donald, it really is a stark and SIMPLE choice: Anyone who doesn’t vote for Biden is casting a vote for Trump.
They may not like that being the fact. They may not like some, or even much, of what Biden does. But if they vote for anyone else, they are casting a vote for Trump. And, for any faults or shortcomings in Biden and Democrats, they are not out to destroy democracy as Republicans, by their own admission, are. Everyone will be much worse off if Trump is re-elected. Anyone not voting for Biden is voting for that. For themselves to be worse off.
There is ZERO chance a 3rd party candidate gets even one electoral vote. The reality of our politics is it will be Biden or Trump. A vote for Cornell West or a vote not cast at all is just one vote less for Biden. And therefore one vote less that Trump needs to win.