I’ve noticed a lot of posts asking how we’re going to vote, and people coming in trying to shame people for not voting for Biden, or any candidate in the general election at all.

So I’m curious and, asking in good faith, want to know - what will make you stop voting for Biden?

  • PM_ME_YOUR_FOUCAULTS [he/him, they/them]@hexbear.net
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    1 year ago

    Just swinging my big materialist dick around here, but real change isn’t going to happen through electoralism under any circumstances. But if we can pressure the establishment to move on the issue of genocide in whatever way we can, including, but not limited to, withholding our votes and convincing others to do the same, we should. It’s also an excellent moment to highlight the fundamental contradictions of American “democracy” and foreign policy, to agitate and organize.

    Being a materialist is about working within the conditions as they actually exist. I’d rather be storming the capital and putting Biden on trial for his crimes, but that’s not happening right now. What is happening is this movement and this conversation.

    • Frank [he/him, he/him]@hexbear.net
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      1 year ago

      Word. All the libs screaming “you have to vote for genocide!” Are doing more harm to the notion of democracy than any fascist coup could. The democrats should be killing their electeds for this, not whining at us to endorse their genocide. The fact that they can’t conceive a course of action other than supporting genocide and bullying everyone else to support genocide too is damning.

    • impiri@lemm.ee
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      1 year ago

      I would very much like to believe that anyone would take away the right lesson from that, but the “gosh, it seems the young people/Muslims/whomever are just too lazy to vote” articles are already written and cannot go to waste.

      Seriously, though, this is the answer to the thread’s question: if there’s more value in a protest vote than a strategic vote in a swing state, that’s what changes my vote. Even if the only value is convincing a generation of political consultants that “supporting genocide is bad optics and a big oof”

      • MayoPete [he/him, comrade/them]@hexbear.net
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        1 year ago

        If Biden gets WAY less votes than downballot Democrats he will be flagged as “underperforming” and will be blamed for “dragging the ticket” if those downballot Dems lose. So for an individual you can vote for the local candidates and leave President blank, do a write in, vote 3rd party, etc.

    • Red Wizard 🪄@lemmygrad.ml
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      1 year ago

      I hear you, but almost half of eligable voters do not vote regardless of what is happening. How is our abstinence going to read as signal in that noise?

      If we want to make a point I don’t know that pissing into the ocean of non-voters is going to do it.

      • FunkyStuff [he/him]@hexbear.net
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        1 year ago

        Respond to surveys, make it clear that it’s your disillusionment with the Democratic Party’s support for genocide that’s making you withhold your vote.

        • Red Wizard 🪄@lemmygrad.ml
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          1 year ago

          You guys are getting survays to respond to? I think I’m going to just call every week and say the same shit unless things change.

      • MayoPete [he/him, comrade/them]@hexbear.net
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        1 year ago

        You can spoil your ballot or turn in a blank one. That gets seen as an “undervote” by politicos. Or if there’s an unusual surge for a 3rd party candidate that could help.

        Or IDK, stage some protests at Dem Party events. Every county has a local meeting and they’re very easy to crash!