I don’t like Biden either, but anyone with half a brain knows there are two choices in the 2020 election. If we had a sane voting system, voting third party might be worth it, but as it stands, no one but you knows your favorite candidate exists and unless you want to become their campaign manager that will still be true in November. Even if you did, and even if you convinced two thirds of the people who would otherwise have voted for Biden to vote for your chosen candidate instead, Trump would still win because half the country voted for him and your guy only got a third. If you vote third party you might as well stay home.

Not voting isn’t going to stop the genocide in Gaza. The US will continue to funnel them arms no matter which candidate wins this November. Trump practically campaigns on how much he hates the Jews and he’s publicly told Israel to “finish up their war”. He’ll also make life a living hell for anyone who isn’t a straight cisgender male back here at home.

A vote for a candidate is not an endorsement of them or their policies, it’s a statement that you like their policies more than the other guy’s, and “sticking it to liberals” and “refusing to support genocide” (that’s not what voting for Biden is doing, by the way – a vote for either candidate is a vote for genocide and a vote for neither is an endorsement of both) is not more important than keeping the furthest right politician America has ever seen out of office.

How incredibly privileged do you have to be to see an entire national election as what will happen in the Middle East and ignore Trump’s campaign promises to wipe transgender Americans off the map, and further, to not realize that the same thing will happen in the Middle East regardless of which candidate wins?

I hate Biden as much as every other leftist here. But I’ll still vote for him because Trump is worse. If there’s a single bone in your body that cares about the lives of your trans friends you will too.

  • makyo@lemmy.world
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    8 months ago

    Okay so you’re saying he isn’t liberal enough I guess. I am pretty far left myself and would of course love more but I would argue that he’s also gotten a lot of pretty great leftist stuff accomplished.

    And while we should absolutely hold his feet to the fire to pull him further left, saying “earn my vote or else” with the ‘or else’ being Trump, is not a very practical threat. Like a cut off your nose to spite your face kind of stupid.

    If you want to see the things you care about set back another four years OR MORE than sure, don’t vote for Biden this year.

    • Cowbee [he/him]@lemmy.ml
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      8 months ago

      How has Biden meaningfully moved America towards some form of worker ownership of the Means of Production, and away from Capitalist ownership of the Means of Production?

      When will the Democrats move to the left? Will it be next election? What about the one after that? Why has this same line been tossed for decades, prevent fascism now, leftism later?

      I ask this as a leftist that will probably hold my nose and vote for Biden: why on Earth do you imagine the DNC will ever move leftwards, instead of remaining liberal right-wingers?

    • go_go_gadget@lemmy.world
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      8 months ago

      Okay so you’re saying he isn’t liberal enough I guess. I am pretty far left myself and would of course love more but

      I’m not trying to tell you what to call yourself but if you spend all your time and energy arguing against leftists instead of moderates and liberals what exactly makes you left? Call yourself whatever you like but your actions are indistinguishable from a moderate or a liberal.

      I would argue that he’s also gotten a lot of pretty great leftist stuff accomplished.

      🙄Oh please, do tell me what material leftist victory was made by Biden. A bunch of corporate handouts? Not leftist. Passing the IRA? That was the BBB stripped of everything leftists and progressives were excited about. Maybe you’re so delusional you think blocking a rail strike is a leftist victory. Or maybe you think shipping weapons to a country committing genocide is some kind of leftist victory. Or raising the defense budget. Or forcing federal workers back to the office. Or setting Yellen and Powell on a war path against American workers.

      You clearly have no idea what you’re talking about.

      If you want to see the things you care about set back another four years OR MORE than sure, don’t vote for Biden this year.

      The stuff I care about was already held back four years with Biden.

      Like a cut off your nose to spite your face kind of stupid.

      Yeah I’ve heard this plenty. You realize this cuts both ways right? Moderate and liberal voters refusing to compromise with leftists and progressives is every bit the same. Why are you trying to hold progressives and leftists to a different standard?

      • makyo@lemmy.world
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        8 months ago

        I’m arguing with other leftists because I have hope that I can help them make the right choice strategically while countering the rampant rightwing disinfo which like it or not, that’s what you’re parroting.

        • go_go_gadget@lemmy.world
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          8 months ago

          Again, you’re indistinguishable from a moderate or a liberal. You talk like one, you act like one, you vote like one. Regardless of what you believe you’re not doing anything that would accomplish anything we’re fighting for.

          • makyo@lemmy.world
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            8 months ago

            Abstaining from voting this election will drive the leftist cause backwards so not accomplishing anything would be much preferrable.

            • go_go_gadget@lemmy.world
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              8 months ago

              Four years of Biden has driven us backwards. If moderates and liberals refuse to compromise with us now when they themselves believe democracy is at stake what does that tell you? They never will.

              I am done propping up their trash procorporate candidates. If they aren’t willing to fight fascism head on then it’s not a choice between fascism and democracy it’s a choice between fascism now or later.

              I choose now. You’re free to make your own choice.

            • Kalysta@lemm.ee
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              8 months ago

              And you will make the exact same argument next election. And the one after that. And the one after that.