the funny thing is theres a straight forward argument for every leftist ideology, except i guess accelerationism if you count, for voting
whatever message people think they’re sending dems by not voting, the only one dems receive is “i don’t vote” and by extension ignore their policy preferences
I really wish people in the DSA etc would realize that the Democrats will assume (probably correctly) that you would not vote for them anyway when you threaten to not vote given that the opponent is literally planning an authoritarian Christo fascist regime and so that is not an effective tactic
like i write and call my reps threatening to withhold my vote and saying i’m undecided over his gaza policies, it’s just this is a lie and i’m going to vote dem regardless of the policy but it’s the only leverage i have at present to push him on gaza
I do get the theory behind this strategy though it’s always struck me that if the ask is something the administration feels they’re not able to do, it’s likely as not to work in reverse.
yeah i mean if im being honest i think the level of letter writing required to make that achievably would already achieve that policy without the threat and by just saying its important to you, short of a highly organized and large one in a swing state
Writing actual physical letters about how pissed off you are is honestly underrated. Not emails, not phone calls. Physical letters.
They take them really seriously because people who are willing to buy a stamp to complain to a politician also probably vote
Realistically the levers that determine the length of the war in Gaza run almost entirely through Netanyahu so unless you can withhold your vote as an Israeli citizen there is not much that will change
Anyone who is asking for the US to cease all military funding to Israel is asking for Israel to be bombed into oblivion for the crime of having a terrorist attack against them on Oct 7 and even the sternest UN genocide representative does not support that
i think we could cut off offensive aid, maintain an alliance if iran attacks, and cut off offensive aid without that being any way a risk.
honestly we could cut them off entirely and that wouldn’t be an issue it’s just that probably leads to nuclear war quick
Yeah, like
If voting for Biden would “do you a moral injury*” because of Gaza, what the fuck does actively assisting the guy who said Palestine should be wiped off the planet back into office by not voting for his opponent do to you?
*actual argument I’ve been given
What the actual fuck do you think Trump
Who has SAID, OUT LOUD, that Palestine should be “wiped off the planet”
Will do?
HOW will helping him get elected by not voting against him make what is happening in Gaza in any way BETTER?
I mean at least you are being honest that you would not vote for any of the war criminals who have ever been president so your vote isn't important to them
Hmmm. I wonder why low voter turnout is going to hand this country over to Trump.
If you’re trying to get people not to vote, you’re doing a really good job at it.
The whole gist of this thread is that there is no point chasing the vote of anyone who will not vote unless the candidate opposes the United States government and wants to abolish it
"send a message" is a good starting point but the Uncertain vote re: Gaza was at least making a clear point. A lot of the rejection of the party just gives Democrats excuses to ignore you.
I think a reasonable position is "are you in a state that could possibly swing? vote dem. are you not? vote third party at the top or leave it blank but vote dem down ballot". basically paraphrasing Chomsky here
my biggest suspicion is that the people who are loudly refusing to vote are mostly young people, who historically do not vote to begin with, so it's not even withholding a vote the party is counting on...it's the status quo
That “I’m not voting and neither should you” bs in the New York Times the other day was by a well-known right winger in the mode of Steve Bannon. It was malpractice.
