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I'm sorry if this comes across as cynical to everyone but I'm worried about the ratchet effect. Even if we vote in Biden and he doesn't have a majority in both the House and Senate, no lasting changes to government can be made. Even if we get a slim majority in both chambers there's no telling if we're gonna have another Sinema, Manchin, or Fetterman go and betray the party during a critical vote. It feels like there are so many Democrats who are willing to get in bed with corporate and fascist interests and act as sleeper agents.
How are we supposed to prevent them from sabotaging important government reforms? Republicans seem to have all the time in the world to implement their strategies while Democratic voters struggle every election cycle just to keep things from getting worse. Yes I get we need to act more locally but I'm personally located in a deep blue part of the country so my impact is negligible. Other than donating to candidates that I hope won't betray our interests, I see little in regards to what can be done on my end.
I'm not voting for Biden to get major changes. I'm voting for him to make sure I can keep voting in the future.
Voting for Biden gives me 4 more years to get the fuck out.
Problem is this already was not enough in 2020 and since. Despite all the evidence of Trumps presidency and then fucking January 6, Dems decided to just get back to business as usual and just ignore the fundamental problems in American society that became apparent with Trump.
And Biden is not in shape to deal with any of this, while the DNC seems hellbent on pretending there is no serious problem.
We need a different younger candidate and voting will not be enough. We need local action, in the communities, local governance, protests..
It might not be enough. But all of those things you listed take a lot of time and enough people to care about it to get out and do things.
It's definitely not good enough, but it's like if you have a giant puncture wound on you leg and no one else is there to help you. You could stuff it with cloth you tore from your shirt or make a makeshift tourniquet and try your best to not bleed out until better help arrives. OR just be like fuck I'm not cut out to deal with this. I'll just lay here and do nothing.
We do need all of those things! But we don't have them right now so we just have to try and stop the bleeding until we do.
Even if we get a slim majority in both chambers there’s no telling if we’re gonna have another Sinema, Manchin, or Fetterman go and betray the party during a critical vote.
That's why we need more than a slim majority. Seems pretty obvious.
The public option was killed when we had a supermajority.
There are always enough Manchins.
We had the slimmest of supermajorities for like four months, still passed health care legislation that saved countless lives and is the biggest advancement towards universal health care in our lives. You are literally complaining that everything isn't perfect all the time, so why bother.
Also, conspiracy theories are religion for people who think they're too cool for religion, but are truly too stupid/cowardly to face reality. Conspiracy theories are simple and make the world make sense. Reality is complicated and difficult.
It's not a conspiracy theory to say that centrists lie to get elected then go back on their word.
The ACA has been a disappointment to everyone but the insurance industry and to centrists who are just happy that it was limited to what Clinton ran on.
The thousands of people who got life saving health care because of it disagree.
You giving up is part of the ratchet effect.
Republicans move to the right. Democrats prevent moving back to the left. Democrats blame the left for noticing.
Tankies are just fascists in socialist clothing. They blame liberals for noticing.
Yes, tankies are everywhere. They live under your bed.
Nah y'all tend to hide under your own beds. I mostly just see tankies on the internet talking loudly about revolution while being too disconnected from reality to be able to even have a conversation with someone in the working class.
Also see them protesting in favour of fascists, but again, too disconnected from reality to influence anyone.
Just annoying nuisances.
Nah y’all tend to hide under your own beds.
See, I was wondering if you were calling me a tankie. Now I know. I'd tell you to enjoy watching Netanyahu's genocide, but I don't think I need to.
Unlike the TikTokers you watch who are profiting off the suffering from the war Hamas started (and therefore are encouraging Hamas to continue it indefinitely), I don't enjoy anything about it.
You're bad at guessing things about me. Keep it up, I'm interested in seeing where this fanfic goes.
Ok so maybe you load up commondreams.ord and see a donate request form strategically placed so you can see a photo of crying Palestinians while you decide whether or not you want to donate to "good people" that are providing the narrative you want?
You're on the side of monetized suffering. You want to feel holier than thou, so you pay to see suffering and you're provided imagery of the suffering you demand. The leaders of Hamas are billionaires living in palaces in Qatar because of this business model.
But you can't fathom that you might be part of something evil, because you lack the ability to do any critical thinking and introspection. You believe you're good person, so any cause you're a part of must be good. Anyone against your cause most be evil. You can't question anything or it all falls apart.
I'm in a red state in one of the reddest counties. I cant manage anything here, pretty sure I'll get shot if I try
The one thing to remember is that, while the chances are never zero, people are standing up against Fascism in red states, and they aren't getting shot for doing it. Joining them makes us all stronger.
You decide what falls in or out of your comfort levels, but be wary of inventing excuses for inaction. If you think you are at risk of being murdered by your community, fight like hell because it may become legal soon enough.
If you fight for what's right today, you'll probably survive, but if fascism takes over millions won't, and you still might be one of the victims.
"Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing." - John Stuart Mill, 1867