I understand and acknowledge the "you have to vote" folks have valid reasons for feeling that way but it seems to me the fact that the only viable alternative to open, direct fascism is slightly more subtle, covert fascism is a systemic problem, not an individual one.
Definitely, though I think the conclusion from that is "voting is not nearly ENOUGH" rather than "don't vote".
I get the "lesser evil is still evil" sentiment - it's true! - but it's also, you know, *less* of it lol, which does matter too
this is all valid but the thing is i can't unthink the thought "consistently rewarding the lesser evil has caused it to become inexorably more evil and at some point the distinction becomes meaningless" this simply isn't sustainable.
this is hard. this is a hard question.
My feeling is that at the national level, any time you refine the political choices of a nation of 400 million people to two options, you are going to get a real sludge of compromise and it's pretty much always going to feel not very good, and that's an unavoidable feature of democracy.
Which sucks, but incorporating that many perspectives in a meaningful way otherwise is basically impossible (so far). So I think don't spend much time on the national race - vote for sure, but not much else - and focus on grassroots local stuff. Good ideas and good organizing spread and...
... I think that's where the real, meaningful, GOOD change can happen. And it'll be opposed! But it can be won, over time and with effort and solidarity.
