You feel disenfranchised by Democrats so you’ve concluded that it would be most politically expedient to disengage from the entire process?
Don’t get me wrong, I follow your reasoning, and certainly see where you’re coming from, but this is precisely the kind of reasoning that politicians pay attention to when deciding whose interests to cater to. If the average progressive-leaning voter refuses to show up at the polls anytime that policymaking doesn’t exactly match up with expectations or a best case scenario, but the political donor class shows up to your fundraiser every year with a big ol’ check and a promise to vote, whose interests are going to receive the most discussion?
How will withholding your vote make anything better? If it won’t, why do you waste your time writing about it on the internet?
The flip side is that Democrats have no incentive at all to shift leftward if progressives always vote Democrat. Leftists aren’t going to vote for Republicans, so it’s in the best interests of the party leadership to court the so-called center because the left wing has no alternative. Being a safe vote is therefore a losing strategy for leftists, which is why you should only vote if there actually is a progressive option.
Problem here is I have lived life when the republicans win and yeah I don’t want to be fucked up the ass but if im tied down and going to be raped but they will give me the option of lube im going to take the lube.
So if the polls show overwhelming support for Democrats and the Democratic platform, you think that those politicians would then start passing conservative policies? I’m sorry, I simply don’t follow. What would be their incentive to enact policies that are out of step with their own platform?
The only reason the center gets courted is because those are the voters who can be convinced to come out and vote on issues where some middle ground exists. If the progressive base fails to vote for the best candidate, which will typically be a Democrat, then the only choice that a Democrat has to gain enough votes to get elected is to shift to the right, towards the voters who are possible to sway.
The modern Republican strategy is to activate as much of their base as possible and get them angry enough to go to the polls and vote. This has been successful in some areas and less so in others, but it was a signal to the Dems that the middle was up for grabs, which is why a lot of our politics have shifted to the right.
The only path available to combat this change is to match the furvor on the left. In a republic like the US, the best case scenario is landing somewhere in the middle. It’s the theory our system of government rests upon. That theory fails when people disengage from the process.
It seems like you have strong convictions about how things should work around here. This is a great first step. We have a limited ability to express those views by voting, but keep in mind that politicians want to stay in power, so if you go to events, call their office, or send them an email about how to earn your vote, they’ll pay attention. They might not do exactly what you say, but your voice will be heard and that becomes a factor in policymaking. If you disengage completely, then they have no choice but to hear the voices that remain, which are generally conservative these days.
With respect, there are other and more effective ways to make your voice heard than participation in a system that is designed from the ground up to prevent the people from achieving parity in government with the wealthy.
deleted by creator
You feel disenfranchised by Democrats so you’ve concluded that it would be most politically expedient to disengage from the entire process?
Don’t get me wrong, I follow your reasoning, and certainly see where you’re coming from, but this is precisely the kind of reasoning that politicians pay attention to when deciding whose interests to cater to. If the average progressive-leaning voter refuses to show up at the polls anytime that policymaking doesn’t exactly match up with expectations or a best case scenario, but the political donor class shows up to your fundraiser every year with a big ol’ check and a promise to vote, whose interests are going to receive the most discussion?
How will withholding your vote make anything better? If it won’t, why do you waste your time writing about it on the internet?
The flip side is that Democrats have no incentive at all to shift leftward if progressives always vote Democrat. Leftists aren’t going to vote for Republicans, so it’s in the best interests of the party leadership to court the so-called center because the left wing has no alternative. Being a safe vote is therefore a losing strategy for leftists, which is why you should only vote if there actually is a progressive option.
Problem here is I have lived life when the republicans win and yeah I don’t want to be fucked up the ass but if im tied down and going to be raped but they will give me the option of lube im going to take the lube.
So if the polls show overwhelming support for Democrats and the Democratic platform, you think that those politicians would then start passing conservative policies? I’m sorry, I simply don’t follow. What would be their incentive to enact policies that are out of step with their own platform?
The only reason the center gets courted is because those are the voters who can be convinced to come out and vote on issues where some middle ground exists. If the progressive base fails to vote for the best candidate, which will typically be a Democrat, then the only choice that a Democrat has to gain enough votes to get elected is to shift to the right, towards the voters who are possible to sway.
The modern Republican strategy is to activate as much of their base as possible and get them angry enough to go to the polls and vote. This has been successful in some areas and less so in others, but it was a signal to the Dems that the middle was up for grabs, which is why a lot of our politics have shifted to the right.
The only path available to combat this change is to match the furvor on the left. In a republic like the US, the best case scenario is landing somewhere in the middle. It’s the theory our system of government rests upon. That theory fails when people disengage from the process.
It seems like you have strong convictions about how things should work around here. This is a great first step. We have a limited ability to express those views by voting, but keep in mind that politicians want to stay in power, so if you go to events, call their office, or send them an email about how to earn your vote, they’ll pay attention. They might not do exactly what you say, but your voice will be heard and that becomes a factor in policymaking. If you disengage completely, then they have no choice but to hear the voices that remain, which are generally conservative these days.
With respect, there are other and more effective ways to make your voice heard than participation in a system that is designed from the ground up to prevent the people from achieving parity in government with the wealthy.
deleted by creator