this post was submitted on 14 Nov 2023
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2020 was... truly unique. It was so hard to stay away from doom scrolling, and I (and many others) were pretty disillusioned by the sad fact that so much of our country legitimately supported the Orange Man. I didn't get a wink of sleep the night of the election because I genuinely considered it to be a make or break decision for America.

My point is that looking back on it, in the end the only real difference I made was at the ballet box. This year I'm going for the Head-in-the-Sand approach. I'm done with the political memes. Done with the Twitter screenshots. It just riles me up and this year I'm gonna do my best to fight that.

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[–] MedicPigBabySaver 158 points 11 months ago (5 children)

Unless he dies, I'm voting Biden. I don't like him, but, best option.

Truly hoping Cheeto chimp gets thrown in jail and disqualified.

I've tried to avoid news well before anyway.

[–] [email protected] 109 points 11 months ago (2 children)

If Trump is the Republican nominee I would vote for Biden even if he was dead.

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[–] [email protected] 25 points 11 months ago (1 children)

best take. Dems don't follow Biden religiously. He's just better than the godawful alternatives that are on the otherside.

I will stay informed on the issues, but unless the GOP does a 180 on about most of their platform I'm kinda forced to vote Dem (Stop denying climate change, stop trying to de-humanize LGBTQ, stop the culture war shit, come up with a real gun control plan, those would be a start). Hooray 2 party system.

I just turn off the news now, all sources are meant to keep us angry in an "us vs them" situation and never really talk about the real issues, so instead of it just flare up my anxiety and anger I'm just going to keep my headphones on and play games. Someone ping me if suddenly the GOP decides to be pro-humanity again and I need to reconsider my vote.

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[–] [email protected] 11 points 11 months ago

If he were to die after the ballots are set but before the election, it effectively becomes a vote for his running mate. Still getting my vote over the dollar-store fuhrer.

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[–] [email protected] 102 points 11 months ago (4 children)

It's not a question of policy. Republicans literally killed people last election trying to overthrow democracy.

Not that I even like democrats, but anyone who votes red after Jan 6th is fundamentally an enemy of democracy.

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[–] [email protected] 79 points 11 months ago (1 children)

It can be easy to feel like a drop of water in a large ocean when it comes to national elections. But you should also vote in your county and state elections; you can probably make more of a difference there.

I'm not saying "don't vote in the national election", but just know that there are other elections to vote in, and thry are just as important as the nationals.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 11 months ago (4 children)

Yah I can vote for the red mayor who wants more cops or the blue mayor who wants more cops. Freedom rings!

[–] [email protected] 35 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (3 children)

Unless you're in a big big city, mayoral and council races can actually have a lot of diversity in terms of political outlooks. Never forget that a town elected a dog as mayor. Nobody that pure would ever make it to federal office.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

There certainly are places like that. I'd vote for a dog over any of our candidates in the last local election. Or anyone running on banning the damn roadside signs. Alternatively, the candidates themselves have to pluck them out from along the highway on ramps and whatever other places they've been planted the night of the election and before the morning light.

Our local election was bupkis. The red one won because the blue one won last time and nothing changed and people are still unhappy. The mayoral race prior went about the same way, but the blue one won because the red one in the office did nothing differently and no one was happy.

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[–] [email protected] 56 points 11 months ago (5 children)

I’m voting for the most progressive candidate possible in the primary, and then whoever’s not the Republican in the general, and I fully intend to do that for the rest of my life.

The Republican Party has some plans they’re putting together, and between that and the rhetoric that most major Republican politicians and candidates spout these days (very specifically including Trump), it’s abundantly clear they’ve more or less completely given up on democracy, and are planning on dismantling a significant proportion of the core institutions of our country and government, which will effectively usher in the American Empire (as in: a possibly theocratic, but definitely authoritarian and likely outright fascist dictatorship). To be clear: that would be a Very Bad Thing. You think Russia is troublesome now? Wait until Trump or someone similar starts treating them like an ally, emulating as much of Putin’s power structure as possible just because they think it’s cool and would make them look powerful, and potentially teaming up to do shitty things to the rest of the world because we have something like 95% of the nuclear weapons ever produced, and while Russian ones are in a questionable state, ours definitely work.

If Republicans win this next election - and especially if they are able to secure the presidency and both houses of Congress - I genuinely don’t think things will recover without significant domestic political violence, which may ultimately result in a civil war. I’m doing my best to prepare for some “GTFO” contingencies that could be executed in the next few years, but it’s not an easy thing to do, and there’s still a huge number of unknowns in a ton of dimensions.

If you think I’m being hyperbolic, you’re not paying attention.

[–] [email protected] 18 points 11 months ago (21 children)

Oh hey look, it's the only rational voting strategy in a FPTP elective structure! Anyone who thinks different is just more evidence we need Civics back in our schools.

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[–] [email protected] 52 points 11 months ago (3 children)

Voting straight Democrat. The republican party is the biggest threat to the US right now.

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[–] [email protected] 49 points 11 months ago (12 children)

Well I won't be voting for the fascist party.....

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[–] [email protected] 41 points 11 months ago (1 children)

I'm going to complain about not having a primary option for president, vote for the left-most person I can in the primary, and then vote down-ballot (D) in November. There's nothing I need to research with respect to these modern conservatives. Most democrats aren't really much better in most ways, but at least I can look my marginalized friends and colleagues in the eye after the election.

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[–] LemmyIsFantastic 41 points 11 months ago (1 children)
[–] taiyang 24 points 11 months ago

Oh, who told you the 2024 campaign slogan?

[–] [email protected] 40 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

I like the Green Party’s eco-socialism, but their anti-vaccine lunacy and inability to do anything electorally beyond run a presidential candidate every four years doesn’t give me the warm fuzzies.

I like Cornel West, and I appreciate his long-standing commitment to left-wing and anti-racist values.

That said, I live in the real world, where Donald Trump is running as an open fascist promising to make America a dictatorship if elected, and Joe Biden is the only candidate running with a realistic chance of beating him.

So I’ll be voting for every Democrat I possibly can, while wishing they were better than they are, as always.

[–] [email protected] 40 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (1 children)

I see a lot of people here frustrated with our two party system. I too am frustrated. Donate to FairVote to get ranked choice on the ballot in more states. Ranked choice voting allows voters to express actual preferences between more than two parties and it is a win no matter who you normally vote for. Many states have a ballot measure system that can be used to pass legislation without requiring the agreement of the state legislature. Several US states have implemented ranked choice voting already. http://fairvote.org

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[–] [email protected] 33 points 11 months ago (2 children)

I’ve voted for both Democrats and Republicans in the past. Frankly, neither one of them deserves too much power.

If Trump is the nominee I’m voting for the other candidate no matter who that is. There is no circumstance in which I would vote for Trump. The devil himself could be running against Trump and I would either vote for the devil or abstain. If he is the nominee then the election is essentially a fight for democracy.

Although I generally like Biden’s administration, I am concerned about him and his age. If there was a normal candidate running against him I would consider voting for them, but it’s mostly a bunch of wackadoos on the Republican side.

Chris Christie and Nikki Haley were the only ones in the last Republican debate who had any common sense. Christie’s campaign isn’t going anywhere because he’s anti-Trump. Haley is too conservative for my liking. Ramaswamy and DeSantis are garbage humans. The Republicans need a reboot because they really suck.

In other words, I’m team blue - not because I’m thrilled with them but because I’m afraid of the alternative.

[–] [email protected] 19 points 11 months ago (1 children)

The Republicans need a reboot

That sums it up. I’m conservative, but the GOP is such a train wreck now I just can’t support them.

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[–] [email protected] 12 points 11 months ago

Spot on friend. Trumpers look at us and think we like Biden as much as they like Trump. Noooope. There were way better candidates. If anything the Dems are the party of the status quo and republicans are the party of "Fuck anyone who isn't rich, white, and male". I'd love an actual progressive party - I don't see anything that the democrats have done in the last 8 years that has actually been progressive.

[–] [email protected] 32 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Right now, the choices are between boring corporatists and 100% concentrated evil. It's not that hard a choice.

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[–] robocall 31 points 11 months ago

Vote against Republicans.

[–] [email protected] 29 points 11 months ago (2 children)

In 2016, I was an Independent. Straight down the middle. Would consider reasonable Democrats, Republicans, and 3rd party candidates.

In 2020, I was an Independent leaning Democratic. Would not consider Trump. Biden was locked in. Would hesitantly consider reasonable Republicans or Independents on a split ticket.

In 2024, I'm a Democrat. Will only consider Democrats up and down the ballot. No 3rd parties.

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[–] [email protected] 27 points 11 months ago

Blue no matter who. Nothing has changed about that.

[–] TeenieBopper 25 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (3 children)

Probably vote blue all the way down the line but I'm going to be shitting on the democratic party publicly and loudly for all the fucked and/or cowardly shit they do because not as bad != not bad.

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[–] [email protected] 24 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (1 children)

Stuck between a rock and a hard place. It sucks.

I’m tired of the 2 party system. I don’t think I really have a party or political ideology that aligns with Democrats or Republicans and third party candidates are all over the place. I want to start voting on issues and not just politicians.

I don’t care what my politician’s feelings are. They represent a constituency and the only things they should be speaking about and for are exactly what they’re being asked for. Instead we have this political machine that takes every issues and gives it a red spin and a blue spin and then it’s force fed to the people.

Congress should not be creating our ideologies they should create the laws that structure the things the citizens want.

The Supreme Courr overturned Roe v Wade, put it on the ballet and let the people decide.

Gun control, put it on the ballet

Universal health care, put it on the ballet

Abandoning fossil fuels, put it on the ballet

Stop forcing your political and personal ideologies on us and start listing to the people. If we vote “Yes” on universal health care, the politicians must then go and figure out how to make it happen.

Let it truly be a government of the people, by the people, for the people.

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[–] rip_art_bell 23 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (2 children)

Honestly there's not that much one can do, but I will:

  • Hope Trump is thrown in prison
  • Vote straight ticket Democrat
  • Hope another Jan. 6 doesn't occur
  • Try not to lose my shit when idiots say stuff like "both parties are equally bad"

I live in a solid blue state, so my national-level votes don't do much (though I'll cast them anyway).

In past years I've thrown a few hundred dollars at close senate and house races. In 2020 I volunteered for a phone/text bank sort of deal to make sure people were registered to vote.

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[–] [email protected] 22 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (2 children)

I'll vote for a non-Zionist candidate in the primaries with no real expectation of them winning. But I will vote blue no matter who for national and state politics, and Working Families Party for local if any run.

Is "Genocide Joe" an accurate nickname? Yeah. But fuck that, it's not like Trump will be any less zionist and third parties/independents don't work in FPTP. I'm mixed race, I'm bisexual, I'm worried about worst case scenarios with a second Trump presidency (which is basically "what Trump is saying out loud" at this point,) and I am willing to vote in enlightened self-interest.

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[–] [email protected] 21 points 11 months ago (11 children)

I emigrated. I'll vote by mail and hope for the best, but the two party system America has will inevitably produce horrible results.

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[–] s_i_m_s 21 points 11 months ago

Voting by mail as usual.

Trying to avoid customers that can't shut up about how wonderful trump is.

"I think he's the antichrist but he's doing a good job"

You know, bat shit insane things republicans say.

[–] ClockNimble 21 points 11 months ago (4 children)

Well, I've had to remove multiple people that used to just be right leaning for outright fascist statements and ideas in the last few months as they've deteriorated into hate speech and ethnic cleansing....so while I grew up conservative...yeah, I can't support that shit.

Democrats are a mild improvement at best but at least they aren't constantly being approved of by the KKK and being touted by mass shooters.

I'd like a proper left-leaning candidate, but with America's history. They'll end up assassinated.

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[–] [email protected] 19 points 11 months ago
[–] [email protected] 15 points 11 months ago (2 children)

I remember 2016 going to bed with Hillary in a strong lead and waking up to a conman in office.

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[–] [email protected] 15 points 11 months ago

Same as usual. Vote for the least harmful candidates while advocating for actual grassroots improvements, because voting harder won't move America to the left, ever.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 11 months ago (3 children)

Well my choices are backslide slowly by voting dem, maybe buying enough time to get out of the country safely in the next few years, or risk being federally persecuted for being trans. So I'm going to dissociate through the whole thing and hopefully won't be able to remember voting for fucking Biden. Outside the election I do what I can to support actual leftist movements but until any of them have a chance to win against the fascists on ballots I'm team 'slightly better of two shitty choices'. I just want to be left alone to garden I hate all of this

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[–] skybreaker 13 points 11 months ago (3 children)

I'll research the voting habits of the candidates and vote for whoever has proven they can vote for what they believe in and not just party lines. So, probably no one.

For president, there's no way I'm voting for the orange convict if he's the candidate, which he probably will be because people that vote republican are morons. Unfortunately, based on where I live, my vote won't matter. I'll vote anyway.

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[–] [email protected] 12 points 11 months ago

hard liquor probably

[–] [email protected] 12 points 11 months ago (2 children)

It does not matter who I vote for for federal office. My state is never close to competitive and my house district is gerrymandered.

If fascists win my districts for state office, it will not affect the balance of power in the state assemblies.

So I told all of the Democrats running for state and local office that if there is not a primary for the presidential election, then I will not vote for any Democrats in the general elections in 2024, for any office. Maybe they can put pressure on the DNC.

This is the only way I can potentially have any input.

The only way this works is if Democrats would shift left if they started losing elections because people refused to vote for old white male conservative Democrats.

But I fear they would actually shift right. The Democratic Party is not a big tent that holds both the neoliberal corporate shills and the progressives. It is a hostage situation where the neoliberal corporate shills demand our support, otherwise the fascists will kill us.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 11 months ago (1 children)

I just want to say that your vote for the federal office does matter even if you live in a non-competitive state. Some states allocate a percentage of their electoral votes rather than all or nothing but even if yours does not, voting still adds a data point that says I support this person instead of that person. There have been several times where a candidate has won the presidency without winning the most votes but it was always very close to 50%. If everybody that had a preference voted and the outcome was 55% this guy / 45% the other guy and the other guy won... that could be a real driver for change to the electoral college system.

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[–] FireTower 11 points 11 months ago

I think avoiding political memes & etc is probably a good idea.

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