I’m voting green because if democracy is ‘on the ballot’ then I figure it’s the choice I actually believe in and not just the slightly lesser of two evils. And so recently I feel targeted by democrats and its getting kind of weird and I was wondering if any other greens are experiencing the same thing in the US. I’m very open about my party preference and intentions for 2024.
Congrats on giving Republicans one extra vote.
Being pro environment is great. The national Green party in the US is kind of fucked though.
Let’s see, an honest question posted about voting Green nets you a current score of -8. Yeah I’d say you’re justified in feeling attacked.
I’m Canadian and don’t know much about the US Greens, but I can tell you that any party that would run Joe Biden twice is not a party I’d ever vote for, especially now given his miserable response to literal genocide.
The Democrats can do this because they think they have your vote by default. It’s not like you’re going to vote Republican, right?
But here’s the thing: you don’t get progress that way. The Democrats are never going to run someone who doesn’t support Israel unequivocally or isn’t fixated on helping capitalism destroy the planet so long as they think they can count on you voting “not Republican” every time. Yes, the Republicans are worse, but contrary to appearances, they’re on the same team, presenting the illusion of choice so long as that choice favours as little actual change for the rich as possible.
So yeah, fuck the Democrats, and definitely fuck Joe Biden and any other “let the world burn” candidate. Vote green if you want, or stay home if you like. Just make it clear to Democrats (and their apologists in this thread) that your vote isn’t a given. That’s how you drag them kicking and screaming toward progress.
Unfortunately the US is just… very right wing. Even the democrats are right of center on most things. This is just a conservative country. The democrats are about as left as you get in this country with any mainstream support, no matter how much we wish it weren’t so.
And I know man, I hate it, and I’m not going to lecture anyone that votes their conscious. If you don’t want to vote for democrats, and Biden specifically, I can’t blame you. It bewilders me that the most we can get from him over a goddamn genocide is “that’s a little much, Jack.” If you can’t vote for that I get it.
Just don’t fall into the trap of thinking that the US is more left leaning than it is. We might win on issue-to-issue polls, but when it comes down to it we’re a selfish nation that has bought into the temporarily embarrassed millionaire meme. And I don’t think that’s just the pessimism talking. We have generations worth of work ahead of us.
This is how I feel and how I handle it: I truly believe that allowing Trump to regain power will be the end of American democracy, and that the likely successor forms of government will be repressive, vindicative, dehumanizing and marginalizing of everyone they consider “other” - and so far, “other” is everyone who isn’t a older, white, upper-class, Christian male. [Not that you won’t be attacked if you’re an older white upper class Christian male, but if you’re young, or not white, or poor, or non Christian, or not male, they’re going to feel free to attack you.] And getting the Democrats into the White House isn’t overly helpful if the Republicans control Congress - something that’s particularly important when the Supreme Court is so conservative.
So that’s my starting position: I need liberals (or at least non-conservatives) in every post I can vote for. How can I influence things while still maintaining those goals?
Well, every party micro-analyzes every piece of data they can get their hands on, and every election report is analyzed for advantages and weaknesses. So I publicly contribute to Green causes and liberal candidates. I vote for Green, or DSA, or other liberal candidates in the primaries. The Democrats are harvesting my data and I want them to be fucking worried about me and my vote. I want them to look at me and say, “This person is talking to other people and maybe changing opinions, so we need to pay attention to the things that move this person.”
And I don’t do that just subtly, I do it openly: I write letters and emails and make phone calls to my representatives at all levels of government. I tell them when I’m against a position, and why. I tell them when I support a position, and why (so many people only contact when they’re against, but it’s just as important to contact when you’re for!). I tell them when I approve of a piece of legislation but wish it went further. There’s some old estimate that every letter represents 1000 other people who feel the same way but who didn’t write in, and I try to make sure our positions are represented in the feedback they get. On and off, I’ll talk about my concerns with friends and family. I’ll also write letters for friends or family, if they want me to, give them a pre-addressed stamped envelope - but they have to sign and mail the letter. Probably only half of them actually go out, but that’s another theoretical-1000-people for each one that does.
Like I said, I’ll vote “extra liberal” in the primaries. If my liberal candidate of choice isn’t an option, I’ll write them in. But when it comes to the general elections, right now, it’s too important to keep the Republicans out as much as possible. So I’ll hold my nose and vote Democratic then, then continue trying to influence the thoughts and policies of those that get into office.
I think of it as follows: Five of us in a car and we’re sorting things out democratically. Two of us, including the driver, think the ride would be way more fun if the driver goy blackout drunk and wore a blindfold. Two of us want to go to Mcdonald’s. You don’t want to go to McDonalds and suggest a salad bar.
Well, the votes are tied and the driver and his buddy win by default and we all die in a car crash.
Yes, a salad was better than McDonalds OR a car crash but goddamn, reality is also a thing and doesn’t care about what we want.
The time to push for significant change was the primaries and our fellow progressives didn’t show up to vote. Voting a third party now just feels “if I don’t get my way, I’m taking my ball and going home!”
