this post was submitted on 28 Jun 2024
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That is not a simple question. My life is what it is because I live in America. I am not driven to move elsewhere.
But America is far from what I want it to be. Last night's debate was a good example. I am so baffled that those two are who we have decided should have power.
I agree, though I haven't watched the debate yet. Personally, I have mixed views on current America, particularly on mass surveillance. But I believe we can change that if we all try hard enough!
I appreciate Chase Oliver's views and see him as a better choice than RFK in my opinion. He's running as libertarian, supports immigration, opposes war, is pro-gun rights (his motto is 'Armed and gay'), against government surveillance, pro-abortion, 38 years old, and wants to end the war on drugs. I feel like I could vote for him, even as a right-leaning straight white male! I really don't like Trump or Biden, and I refuse to give them my vote.
Sadly, the effect of not voting for one of the 2 candidates is to intensify the power of the most extreme views. Say 100 people can vote. 25 on each side are going to vote for their party no matter what. 20 want something crazy in one direction and 20 in the other direction, and both sides are likely to protest and/or not vote if their guy doesn't pander to them. That leaves 10 persuadable people -- mostly people who are busy with other stuff and not paying attention to the minutia of various policies and the likely after effects they will cause.
What is a candidate to do? They pander to the crazies. They can hardly bother to assuage the persuadables because those folks aren't paying attention anyway. They have to go after the people who might bail if they aren't appeased. I hate the system, but there it is.
Pro gun rights is precisely why I don't like America, along the other statemente in this thread. Y'all got it tough to only be able to vote for two terrible options.