this post was submitted on 07 Aug 2023
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Vote 3rd party, the 2 party system in the US is a scam, and your vote is just a drop in the bucket anyway.
This is the worst plan possible because of the phenomenon of vote splitting. If your #1 issue you want solved is FPTP voting, vote for the party that's shown the biggest tendency to reform that, the Democrats.
If you feel your vote is still worthless, stop complaining online and get involved locally and on a state level to enact the voting reform of your choice.
The US uses a First-Past-The-Post voting system. Third parties are non-viable in such a system. Mathematically.
That is why you have this inane conversation every four years. Because any progressive third-party candidate becomes a "spoiler" for the Democrats, rather than forcing coalitions and compromises, as it should in an actual functional democracy. So every four years we get to hear how leftists should "compromise" by completely giving up their entire position to support a neoliberal candidate because to do otherwise allows the Republicans to continue to hurt women and minorities.
Nothing will fundamentally change until the voting system changes. So of course neither political party is especially motivated to change it.
Again you are correct. There are right wing donors funding RFK Jr and right wing commentators supporting RFK Jr. They feel he can take enough votes away from Democrats for Republicans to gain power again.
Vote for either party provides legimacy to the regime as a whole, which is a nice feature for them as they take turns playing good cop/bad cop.
No. Don't leave power on the table.
Voting is not enough for real change, but that doesn't mean you don't vote. You vote, in every damn election you can, for the most progressive candidate that you can. Because at the end of the day those election will still put people into positions of power. You are not undermining the system by not voting.
This is correct. Republicans want to change the way we count votes, so that they can decide if they want to count your vote or not.
They can not gain power again if we want to keep our democracy.
I don't care to okay two party circle jerk. So I vote third every time.
You are free to continue support the system as is. I am sure we will get reforms needed today in 50 years.
I literally just said that "voting is not enough for real change". The implication being that one should vote AND agitate for change via other channels.
Because what you are proposing, is doing nothing. Your choice not to "support" the system, accomplishes zero.
You are within your rights to do nothing, but don't pretend that it is anything other than that.
I am sharing my opinion, others can make their own judgements on how they want to proceed.
You are entitled to yours, I am sure shilling your political party is a priority to you but most of us just looking to shake things up. Voting either party is feed the troll, you like or or not.
Obviously things like this require generational shifts since voting for any of the critters provided now won't do jack shit for the working people.
"If only y'all plebs voted for my candidates, we wouldn't be here" logic never checked out. See Obama or trump for that matter lol.
Where the hell have I done that? Go read my comments. And pull your head out. I'm quite obviously no fan of neolibs.
Then actually DO SOMETHING! Because what you are proposing is doing LITERALLY NOTHING. Not voting does nothing. Even third party is mathematically doing nothing. You might not like that, but it's true.
If you want actual change, vote for progressives in local elections. Vote out the neoliberals one by one. And in the mean time, build alternative power, organise in your workplace, unionise, build mutual support networks.
"You vote, in every damn election you can, for the most progressive candidate that you can."
You think you vote 3rd party but in reality you're just donating it to the GQP
Math & Game Theory will never allow a viable 3rd party in the USA as long as we still have FPtP voting.
Your individual vote is worth little but convincing many people of their impotence is incredibly effective at swinging elections. See: US Bernie/Green Party votes 2016.
Bernie conceded to hilldawg...disgusting
I voted for Bernie in the primaries, twice. But the young people didn't go out and vote for him and he lost. I think Bernie is too old to run now too.