this post was submitted on 16 Dec 2023
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It's not that it's "not a big deal." It's that he's still the better of the two realistic possibilities. No Republican running for president will be harder on Israel than Biden is being (which is, admittedly, in no way hard), and they are all far worse on other metrics important to the left.
I remember Democrats telling me that the strategy was to elect Biden and then "hold his feet to the fire". When did that happen?
But that's another hand-waving deflection. When can we discuss the deeply problematic words and actions of our current president without establishment liberals popping out of wells to tell us he's not as bad as Republicans? He's still doing and supporting some unacceptably fucked up shit.
We can do that once the threat of right wing extremism is not so imminent. We lashed out at Hillary and got Trump. Now women can't get abortions without dying first. Corporations have their record profits and record tax breaks. We don't want another four years of constant stress
Lol. Do you really think that Trump became president because the Left critizized Clinton too much?
It surely didn't help. At this point I don't think people can be blamed for being spooked and leery of anything that might help Trump.
You raise a good point, and just as a disclaimer I'm not American, but I feel like there's space for a) voting and campaigning for the democratic candidate, while also b) decrying your poverty of choice in the matter.
But maybe the stakes are just so existential (clearly), that any disent has to take a backseat to just getting the less shitty party in power.
The right wing extremism will always be imminent. It's like a show that ends every episode on a cliffhanger to try to keep audiences watching. Hillary gave us Trump: https://www.salon.com/2016/11/09/the-hillary-clinton-campaign-intentionally-created-donald-trump-with-its-pied-piper-strategy/
Then she positioned herself as the only solution. It's funny when people say "OMG HILLARY WAS RIGHT" yeah, of course she could tell the outcome of a situation she was key in creating. She wanted that presidency and she was willing to promote fascists to get there. Vote for her or die. This is basically the only democrat strategy now. I'm going to keep voting for democrats anyway because our system has no real choice, but don't use this situation to shield democrats from criticism, they deserve plenty of it.
That's s stupid comment regardless of which candidate or election you're taking about. "Hillary warned us about Trump!" Of course she did. She was running against Trump! She would've warned us about her opponent regardless of who it was. In fact, if she didn't do that, she would be a shitty campaigner.
You know who else Hillary warned us about? Bernie Sanders!
This is all 100%.
Criticizing them doesn't matter though. They're still happy and rich if they lose.
The fight won't be small jabs, it will be big and all at once
Yeah... people are quick to point out that Republicans can't win elections without massive voter repression - but they never admit that Democrats can't win without literally threatening everyone with the other side's fascism, either.
It's been that way ever since the Obama betrayal - and that's not something corporate liberalism will ever deserve forgiveness for.
That's some absurd reasoning. "pointing out how the GOP are literally acting like fascists is the stupid Democrats fault".
Get the fuck out of here.
Really? Tell me again who are the ones "reaching across the aisle" as soon as the voting is done, enlightened centrist understander?
No. I won't.
So you're doubling down on blaming democrats for conservative fascism? Because you're blaming democrats for conservative fascism.
I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you simply forgot who it is that fascists actually serve.
Want a hint? You need me to remind you which dems are proud capitalists?
This "both sides" bullshit only flies until the one side starts actively pushing LITERAL fascist talking points.
What "both sides?"
How many Dem politicians did you see standing up for antifa when they were busy pushing the fash off the streets, Clyde?
Did you notice Biden's running mate? A proud memebr of the institution that was literally protecting fascists when they were marching in the streets?
Again... what "both sides?"
*asks "what both sides?" *proceeds to literally 'both sides' it.
In order to use a "both sides" fallacy, Clyde, you first have to have two opposing sides. The "good cop, bad cop" routine that the US political establishment plays with you doesn't mean there are two opposing sides here.
Are you in America? Because right now, in America, wr have literally two choices: shitheel Hitler or old establishment.
I would LOVE it if we had viable third party candidates or ranked choice shit. But we don't. So yeah I'm going to throw all my weight behind the candidate who ISN'T parroting shitheel nationalist rhetoric.
Your complaints against Biden are valid and worth discussing... but it's stupid and irresponsible to suggest that pointing out the fascistic tendencies of conservatives is the fault of the democrats.
Nope.
Even from here it's pretty easy to see that those are not two mutually exclusive things.
But you don't, do you? Do you think it's some coincidence or "Act Of God" that you don't?
If that makes you sleep better at night, be my guest. Hell, if I was a USian I'd probably do the same.
Biden is not the problem - it's the political establishment people like him (and Trump plus the rest of them) represent. That's the problem - and voting is not going to fix that.
Democrats are not just pointing out that republicans are acting like fascists, democrats are actively funding and supporting fascists because they think of it as a valid strategy: https://www.npr.org/2022/06/20/1106256047/why-democrats-are-paying-for-ads-supporting-republican-primary-candidates
https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2022/07/democrats-spend-millions-on-republican-primaries
https://nypost.com/2022/09/12/democrats-spend-53m-to-boost-far-right-gop-candidates/
Then they turn around and point at those candidates to say "we must defeat fascism". The problem is that some of these crazy candidates actually get elected (see trump, as I pointed out with the link I posted about clinton's team helping him). Democrats would rather slide into fascism instead of moving to the left, which is why they're funding these campaigns and then claiming they're the only way to fight it.
It was that way during the 2004 Bush v. Kerry election and probably the 2000 Bush v. Gore election, too. (I don't remember much about 2000 because I wasn't really paying attention to politics yet.) And it probably goes back even further than that.
You know all of the rhetoric used against Trump? They were saying all of the same things about W. Bush.
Obama was very different... when Obama promised change people believed him. People don't really talk about this... but I believe that Obama delivering nothing except more of the same was the last time people who voted Dem would ever trust corporate liberals ever again. There was a break there that the Dems can never fix, and deservedly so. It's the reason why the Dem strategy to win elections now pretty much boils down to "vote for us or we hand you over to the fascists."
You mean the threat that he has basically only delayed? That as a party, historically, the democrats have only ever delayed because their shitty centrist candidates do nothing to progress beyond; leading to an America that is on the brink of fascism?
You should probably retire that macro… it’s getting a little musty.
Is exactly the kind of attitude that results in the kind of right wing democrats that gave the extreme right wing enough leeway to take over the GOP rather than be shunned by society like they were before the DNC and their media arm elevated Trump.
It's coming from a place of privilege to think we can wait until then. It's coming from a position in which you can stand back and look at everything through the lens of a campaign rather than being deeply hurt by his policies. People in the border camps need to be freed NOW. We need to give the land back NOW. Israel needs to stop committing genocide NOW.
I'm sorry if it causes you "constant stress" to think about this. I'm sure other people's pain and suffering is so hard for you to bear, but we need to talk about this. We need to somehow stop Biden and his party from continuing to support and bolster these atrocities.
Wow you assume a LOT
Yep, and all based on experience with US liberals
"My world view is defined by my limited personal experience" is the most right wing thing I've ever heard. If we're going around judging a person's entire life on single statements.
You know what else is a right-wing thing? Completely misrepresenting someone's words. I didn't say what you quoted, nor did I allude to it.
Thinking we're supposed to be satisfied with a right-wing neoliberal president who open supports and bolsters genocidal and colonial practices because there is worse opposition, or treating humans like pawns in some sick tactical election game while people suffer under Biden's leadership-- these are objectively damaging and privileged positions to take.
If your response to someone criticizing the president for his genocidal practices is to become defensive and say "tEh RePuBlIcAnS aRe WoRsE!!!1!!" then you've got a fucking problem.
Edit: Besides, the Democrats are a right-wing party
And voting for Trump or DeSantis or Halley is going to do what, exactly, to help?
Here's another thing you do that really pushes people away: No one said a damn thing about voting Trump, or DeSantis, or anyone else.
In fact, I don't think I even mentioned voting at all.
Who's president right now? Let's talk about him. We need to be able to demand he cease his genocidal actions without having people like you constantly deflecting criticism with this pointless whataboutism. It's as pointless as it is exhausting.
You are badly confused in your vision of what's possible.
OK. I'll be that vs. someone who excuses atrocoties like fascism and genocide. I'll be that vs. someone who clothes their speech in tolerance while building camps and walls at the border.
That's still much better than what you are.
Eat a bag of dicks. I'm not going to shut up about genocide because you're afraid of losing an election.
Lol, Biden himself has admired that there are 50 other democrats that could also beat trump.
So try again there, bub.
At least 40 of which would probably be more likely to than himself.
Yup.