• xor@sh.itjust.works
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    67
    arrow-down
    14
    ·
    10 months ago

    ok but, trump actually directly said he plans on being a dictator… it’s really the most important election in much of american history…

    • Viking_Hippie@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      32
      arrow-down
      17
      ·
      10 months ago

      Just because Biden is the lesser evil (and he most certainly is. By far) doesn’t mean that he should be allowed to be an evil.

      He’s supposed to represent the interests of every American who isn’t a fascist, not a foreign government that IS fascist.

      • BeefPiano@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        29
        arrow-down
        4
        ·
        10 months ago

        Agreed. What does that change? I’m still voting for Biden.

        There aren’t any perfect choices in life, all choices of consequence have downsides. Sometimes it’s choosing harm reduction. The man has a solid record of progress with climate legislation, pardoning marijuana possession charges, limiting insulin prices and more.

        Could he do better? Hell yeah. But I’m an adult in a democracy and I understand that a vote is a tool, not a moral stance. I can apply that tool in the most effective way by voting for a lesser evil.

        I also have other tools at my disposal, like money. So I give my money to groups like FairVote that supports Ranked Choice Voting so that, long after the 2024 election, we can vote for candidates instead of against them.

        But I’m not boycotting the system we have unless someone can convince me that Trump will see a lack of voter turnout as a lack of mandate to implement his anti-Democratic, thuggish, racist, sexist plans.

          • Promethiel@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            15
            arrow-down
            1
            ·
            10 months ago

            I agree with you 100% but boy howdy, you’re, bluntly, a terrible communicator this morning. Just dropping here arguing with your own demons. Neither you nor the other person are on the same topic. They’re only seeing up to the election.

            You’re rightly looking further and calling for people to hold the fire under their Representatives so the shittery and evil can be burned out of them, specially as the fire is turned up as time goes on, not lowered.

            That makes the world a better place, but no one hears your message when you call them spineless cynics for their ignorance (of your point, the only thing you have in evidence).

            Seriously, read yours and their responses again. They’re looking at the base of the hill and arguing. You’re looking at the horizon and arguing something else. Maybe direct their gaze to the goal instead alongside the crushing of all their held opinions?

            • BeefPiano@lemmy.world
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              2
              ·
              10 months ago

              As one of the participants in the conversation, thanks for pointing that out. I see that I am being shortsighted and reading a meaning into the comments that may not be there. My vision shortsighted in an election year, a time to influence votes and non-votes, and this particular election year is a dire one.

              So I cast my gaze as far as November, after which I either go back to the work of citizenry or the work of planning to flee the country.

              I can’t deal with the world after January 20, 2025 until after the votes are counted. It’s easier for me to see further up the hill if I know the person I’m talking to isn’t encouraging people to sit out the election, because that is the source of my biggest anxiety right now.

              What will my kids’ future be? I hope it will be egalitarian, where people are freed from the chains of capitalism to have their needs met and allow them to reach their full potential as humans. One where humans live sustainably in the natural and social environments. That won’t be on the ballot in November, but a vote for Trump would likely mean that future won’t happen in my kids’ lifetimes.

            • Viking_Hippie@lemmy.world
              link
              fedilink
              arrow-up
              4
              arrow-down
              11
              ·
              10 months ago

              On the one hand, I see what you mean.

              On the other, I didn’t at any point say anything that wasn’t true and it’s not my responsibility to patiently teach them how not to be a short-sighted sycophant. Even if I wanted to, that would almost certainly not be possible for me to do during the course of one written conversation

              I’m rightfully fed up with condescending idiots pretending that a lack of principles equals great maturity and shaming them is the closest thing to achieving something constructive when dealing with avoved anti-idealist cynics like this one.

              Entrenched anti-idealist tribalists can’t be reasoned with, but vehemently pointing out how idiotic their perspective is might jolt someone tempted to adopt a similar attitude awake.

              • Lynthe@sh.itjust.works
                link
                fedilink
                arrow-up
                3
                arrow-down
                1
                ·
                10 months ago

                I would ask you to step back and honestly consider if your words would be persuasive to an uninvolved observer

      • Xanis@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        4
        arrow-down
        4
        ·
        10 months ago

        Sometimes choices aren’t fair and even the objectively best decision can have poor outcomes. Biden over Trump, there is no question. If we fight now and Trump or one of his lackeys gets into the chair it isn’t likely to end well. Nevermind wars elsewhere, we are hovering dangerously close to something dangerous here in the US. The best course of action is coming together to make sure every Republican possible is not elected, Biden or another non-GOP candidate is made POTUS, and from there carry the momentum into placing real pressure on the government while continuing to systematically knocking out local elections.

        We tend to do this as a whole: Get distracted, time passes and we mostly forget about some crisis or another we were supposed to be all-in on, something vital slips past us, we realize it too late. Rinse repeat. What they count on is us arguing over the rights/wrongs as we always do, and for the loudest amongst us to drown out those trying to pull everyone else back in by doing things like, “THEY DON’T CARE ABOUT [insert major topic here]” and working to socially isolate.

        Conflicts like in Ukraine and Gaza are horrendous. Yet we here in the US are at that point where either we step up and work to fix things here, or we risk a future where other countries report on atrocities committed inside our borders, by our government. Maybe a distant future and yet I can’t help but see that dim path ahead.

        • Semi-Hemi-Demigod@kbin.social
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          4
          ·
          10 months ago

          Sometimes choices aren’t fair and even the objectively best decision can have poor outcomes.

          So basically every election ever.

    • orcrist@lemm.ee
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      5
      arrow-down
      19
      ·
      10 months ago

      And if future candidates make the same threat, will your analysis change?

      • TrickDacy@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        24
        arrow-down
        7
        ·
        edit-2
        10 months ago

        It’s absolutely braindead to attribute this to Biden and it’s not reasonable to think anyone would actually believe that.

        • NoneOfUrBusiness@kbin.social
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          17
          arrow-down
          3
          ·
          10 months ago

          It’s not and it is. Biden has been going all out for Israeli support, even going so far as to bypass congress. Meanwhile Ukraine are still begging for US aid so they don’t get conquered by Russia.

            • NoneOfUrBusiness@kbin.social
              link
              fedilink
              arrow-up
              12
              arrow-down
              5
              ·
              10 months ago

              I know that, but Biden is going above and beyond what’s “customary”, so to speak. There are past examples of US presidents taking action to stop Israeli atrocities, including Reagan (yes, Reagan). And no, Biden’s “please would you do your genocide a little more quietly” doesn’t count as action when he’s still overriding congress to fund them.

          • LordOfTheChia@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            6
            arrow-down
            2
            ·
            10 months ago

            bypass congress

            Power of the purse.

            There’s a difference between authorizing sales of weapons and authorizing gifts of weapons.