2020 US General Election Thread VI: Covid for VP!

[The Huskar Social Union]

If you wana Vote third party you vote third party, and see if that triggers some people to the point they try and slander you as wanting the other big party to win and act as if they are entitled to your vote, tell em to jog away on.

[Loben The 2nd]

vote your conscious, that is your choice entirely, and your right.

“B-but WASTED VOTE!!!”

is it a wasted vote to you?

[Kannap]

Seriously, stop acting like asking for Biden to be held accountable for his words and actions implies support for Trump.

With no realistically viable alternatives for President in the current system, yes it is.

Well, lucky for you I'm also asking for Trump to be held accountable, by default supporting Biden.

[Aureumterra]

Seriously, stop acting like asking for Biden to be held accountable for his words and actions implies support for Trump.

With no realistically viable alternatives for President in the current system, yes it is.

lol

[Kannap]

Then the system is shit. And anyone who justifies the system is likewise, justifying shit. Go lick the boots elsewhere.

Sometimes the only choices you can make are bad ones. But you still have to choose.

Actually, there is no requirement to vote for either the Democratic or Republican candidate; nor a law requiring people to vote for the presidential election. So actually, you don't have to choose.

[West Leas Oros 2]

“B-but WASTED VOTE!!!”

is it a wasted vote to you?

No. But unfortunately, as long as 2 party propagandists have their way, the third parties won’t gather enough support. So it’s important to fight against that propaganda.

[Nobel Hobos 2]

“B-but WASTED VOTE!!!”

is it a wasted vote to you?

There are two kinds of wasted vote:

• Not voting at all
• Writing-in a name in a state that doesn't record write-ins.

Anyone planning to write in: look up the electoral page of your state, check if write-ins are reported.
In at least one state, write-ins are only reported if there are enough of them for one candidate
In some states, write-ins are only reported if that candidate registered their interest in having them reported.
In many states, all write-ins are just reported as Other.

[Gormwood]

Sometimes the only choices you can make are bad ones. But you still have to choose.

Actually, there is no requirement to vote for either the Democratic or Republican candidate; nor a law requiring people to vote for the presidential election. So actually, you don't have to choose.

There's a reason Republicans do well with low voter turnout.

[Ifreann]

Yes, criticising America's saviour, the chosen one, is nothing but sanctimony, or support for Trump, or some other bad thing. Praise Biden! He will lead America into the light!

---

You know exactly to what I am referring.

No, I don't. A tone-deaf and stupid remark about police dealing with unarmed suspects in everyday situations is not "protesters should be shot".

So enlighten us - where did he say protesters should be shot?

So you do know exactly to what I am referring, you know that Biden wants the police shooting people, but since he didn't explicitly say the word "protesters" you're apparently going to pretend that he meant that the police should only shoot unarmed people when there isn't a protest.

[West Leas Oros 2]

Actually, there is no requirement to vote for either the Democratic or Republican candidate; nor a law requiring people to vote for the presidential election. So actually, you don't have to choose.

There's a reason Republicans do well with low voter turnout.

Because the Democratic Party has voters who stick to their principles rather than capitulating to the establishment?

[Gormwood]

There's a reason Republicans do well with low voter turnout.

Because the Democratic Party has voters who stick to their principles rather than capitulating to the establishment?

Democrats fall in love, Republicans fall in line.

[Kannap]

Because the Democratic Party has voters who stick to their principles rather than capitulating to the establishment?

Democrats fall in love, Republicans fall in line.

Maybe the question is what can the DNC do to keep more Democrats falling in line rather than abandoning the party?

[South Odreria 2]

It's almost like his election had causes and effects.

It's almost as if he got more votes overall than his opponent, instead of a mere 77,000+ in three states. Gosh.

Oh yeah, Hillary Clinton is president you right.

[Cannot think of a name]

Democrats fall in love, Republicans fall in line.

Maybe the question is what can the DNC do to keep more Democrats falling in line rather than abandoning the party?

Every third party and unaligned voter wants to think their vote is the belle of the ball. Yet counter intuitively they carve themselves into ever increasing intractable fracturing to the point they don't become worth courting. If you lose two votes chasing one, you've wasted your time. Spending time trying to string together the People's Front of Judah and the Judain's People's Front when knitted together that coalition is only worth half a point or a point and in doing so you ignored a larger demographic that isn't as into political hipsterism, you've wasted your time.

I'm empathetic to the third party vote because I've been doing it practically since I could vote before a lot of this board was even born. I've grown immune to the level of smug self satisfaction of my confreres as if we were the only voters of integrity. This getting into a race to the bottom where third party voters and major party voters do the dozens to see how much they can call the other out for not giving a shit or whatever misses the point, and I'm afraid its' on the side of the third party folk. Your level of purity or how finely crafted and immovable your platform is misses the point. If you want third party votes to matter even slightly enough to get that 5% (and if you don't know what's important about 5% and why its important, are you really interested in third parties or do you just think it makes you sound cool?) you have to form a coalition. I don't know who gave you the impression that elections are won by being the rightest or the most ideologically pure, it's by getting more people to vote with you than against you. If you're going to dogmatically scold major party supporters for shaming you into voting for them...well, it's not going to work for you either.

Never mind that if you're a third party voter only every four years and somehow think that's going to topple the major parties, I ask again...are you really interested in third parties are do you just want to look cool?

[-SARS-]

My roommate was arguing the same thing the other day. I don't get it.

It's easier to hit the center of mass - the torso - than it is to hit the legs, much smaller targets. Besides, if you have time to get an aim on said smaller target, you have time to run and therefore not pull the trigger. Firearms are lethal tools and, as inhumane as killing somebody is, shooting to maim is also grossly inhumane. Shooting to maim also leaves no room to really argue self defense or immediate action when you have to take the forethought and plan to shoot somebody specifically in the leg.

Yes, that's why I don't get it. If you've got time to worry about not killing them then you've got time to think of a way to avoid shooting them at all.

I think my roommate watched too many movies where the heroes have unrealistically good aim.

[Valrifell]

is it a wasted vote to you?

No. But unfortunately, as long as 2 party propagandists have their way, the third parties won’t gather enough support. So it’s important to fight against that propaganda.

It's not just a self-perpetuating cycle based on propaganda from the top down. If that were true, then you have to ask yourself why two parties always emerge after the end of a great political transition, even after the Era of Good Feelings when only one was dominant. You'd also have to ask why countries like Britain tend to struggle with the same thing, while ostensibly a mulitparty system, it's more or less down to two major coalitions spearheaded by two parties. Very little different from the big tents of the US.

Instead, it's the inherent workings of the First Past the Post system that encourages voters to rally into two diametrically opposed broad camps.

[Kannap]

Maybe the question is what can the DNC do to keep more Democrats falling in line rather than abandoning the party?

Every third party and unaligned voter wants to think their vote is the belle of the ball. Yet counter intuitively they carve themselves into ever increasing intractable fracturing to the point they don't become worth courting. If you lose two votes chasing one, you've wasted your time. Spending time trying to string together the People's Front of Judah and the Judain's People's Front when knitted together that coalition is only worth half a point or a point and in doing so you ignored a larger demographic that isn't as into political hipsterism, you've wasted your time.

I'm empathetic to the third party vote because I've been doing it practically since I could vote before a lot of this board was even born. I've grown immune to the level of smug self satisfaction of my confreres as if we were the only voters of integrity. This getting into a race to the bottom where third party voters and major party voters do the dozens to see how much they can call the other out for not giving a shit or whatever misses the point, and I'm afraid its' on the side of the third party folk. Your level of purity or how finely crafted and immovable your platform is misses the point. If you want third party votes to matter even slightly enough to get that 5% (and if you don't know what's important about 5% and why its important, are you really interested in third parties or do you just think it makes you sound cool?) you have to form a coalition. I don't know who gave you the impression that elections are won by being the rightest or the most ideologically pure, it's by getting more people to vote with you than against you. If you're going to dogmatically scold major party supporters for shaming you into voting for them...well, it's not going to work for you either.

Never mind that if you're a third party voter only every four years and somehow think that's going to topple the major parties, I ask again...are you really interested in third parties are do you just want to look cool?

Am I, somebody who's been a Democrat until recently, not allowed to be displeased with the Democratic Party?

[West Leas Oros 2]

No. But unfortunately, as long as 2 party propagandists have their way, the third parties won’t gather enough support. So it’s important to fight against that propaganda.

It's not just a self-perpetuating cycle based on propaganda from the top down. If that were true, then you have to ask yourself why two parties always emerge after the end of a great political transition, even after the Era of Good Feelings when only one was dominant. You'd also have to ask why countries like Britain tend to struggle with the same thing, while ostensibly a mulitparty system, it's more or less down to two major coalitions spearheaded by two parties. Very little different from the big tents of the US.

Instead, it's the inherent workings of the First Past the Post system that encourages voters to rally into two diametrically opposed broad camps.

FTFP is often supported by these same propagandists.

[Valrifell]

Every third party and unaligned voter wants to think their vote is the belle of the ball. Yet counter intuitively they carve themselves into ever increasing intractable fracturing to the point they don't become worth courting. If you lose two votes chasing one, you've wasted your time. Spending time trying to string together the People's Front of Judah and the Judain's People's Front when knitted together that coalition is only worth half a point or a point and in doing so you ignored a larger demographic that isn't as into political hipsterism, you've wasted your time.

I'm empathetic to the third party vote because I've been doing it practically since I could vote before a lot of this board was even born. I've grown immune to the level of smug self satisfaction of my confreres as if we were the only voters of integrity. This getting into a race to the bottom where third party voters and major party voters do the dozens to see how much they can call the other out for not giving a shit or whatever misses the point, and I'm afraid its' on the side of the third party folk. Your level of purity or how finely crafted and immovable your platform is misses the point. If you want third party votes to matter even slightly enough to get that 5% (and if you don't know what's important about 5% and why its important, are you really interested in third parties or do you just think it makes you sound cool?) you have to form a coalition. I don't know who gave you the impression that elections are won by being the rightest or the most ideologically pure, it's by getting more people to vote with you than against you. If you're going to dogmatically scold major party supporters for shaming you into voting for them...well, it's not going to work for you either.

Never mind that if you're a third party voter only every four years and somehow think that's going to topple the major parties, I ask again...are you really interested in third parties are do you just want to look cool?

Am I, somebody who's been a Democrat until recently, not allowed to be displeased with the Democratic Party?

I don't think that was the point.

[Kannap]

Am I, somebody who's been a Democrat until recently, not allowed to be displeased with the Democratic Party?

I don't think that was the point.

My point is when I feel I've been actively pushed away by the DNC, I'd prefer people like Gorm not spend all their free time calling me a Trump supporter for not voting Biden.

[Cannot think of a name]

Every third party and unaligned voter wants to think their vote is the belle of the ball. Yet counter intuitively they carve themselves into ever increasing intractable fracturing to the point they don't become worth courting. If you lose two votes chasing one, you've wasted your time. Spending time trying to string together the People's Front of Judah and the Judain's People's Front when knitted together that coalition is only worth half a point or a point and in doing so you ignored a larger demographic that isn't as into political hipsterism, you've wasted your time.

I'm empathetic to the third party vote because I've been doing it practically since I could vote before a lot of this board was even born. I've grown immune to the level of smug self satisfaction of my confreres as if we were the only voters of integrity. This getting into a race to the bottom where third party voters and major party voters do the dozens to see how much they can call the other out for not giving a shit or whatever misses the point, and I'm afraid its' on the side of the third party folk. Your level of purity or how finely crafted and immovable your platform is misses the point. If you want third party votes to matter even slightly enough to get that 5% (and if you don't know what's important about 5% and why its important, are you really interested in third parties or do you just think it makes you sound cool?) you have to form a coalition. I don't know who gave you the impression that elections are won by being the rightest or the most ideologically pure, it's by getting more people to vote with you than against you. If you're going to dogmatically scold major party supporters for shaming you into voting for them...well, it's not going to work for you either.

Never mind that if you're a third party voter only every four years and somehow think that's going to topple the major parties, I ask again...are you really interested in third parties are do you just want to look cool?

Am I, somebody who's been a Democrat until recently, not allowed to be displeased with the Democratic Party?

I don't give a shit how you feel about anything, to be honest. You don't get a medal, though. And it doesn't change the way things work just because you got upset.

[Cisairse]

Did any of you watch Joe Biden's speech today?

I thought it was very good. VP Biden is back after an extended hiatus.

[Post War America]

Maybe the question is what can the DNC do to keep more Democrats falling in line rather than abandoning the party?

Every third party and unaligned voter wants to think their vote is the belle of the ball. Yet counter intuitively they carve themselves into ever increasing intractable fracturing to the point they don't become worth courting. If you lose two votes chasing one, you've wasted your time. Spending time trying to string together the People's Front of Judah and the Judain's People's Front when knitted together that coalition is only worth half a point or a point and in doing so you ignored a larger demographic that isn't as into political hipsterism, you've wasted your time.

I'm empathetic to the third party vote because I've been doing it practically since I could vote before a lot of this board was even born. I've grown immune to the level of smug self satisfaction of my confreres as if we were the only voters of integrity. This getting into a race to the bottom where third party voters and major party voters do the dozens to see how much they can call the other out for not giving a shit or whatever misses the point, and I'm afraid its' on the side of the third party folk. Your level of purity or how finely crafted and immovable your platform is misses the point. If you want third party votes to matter even slightly enough to get that 5% (and if you don't know what's important about 5% and why its important, are you really interested in third parties or do you just think it makes you sound cool?) you have to form a coalition. I don't know who gave you the impression that elections are won by being the rightest or the most ideologically pure, it's by getting more people to vote with you than against you. If you're going to dogmatically scold major party supporters for shaming you into voting for them...well, it's not going to work for you either.

Never mind that if you're a third party voter only every four years and somehow think that's going to topple the major parties, I ask again...are you really interested in third parties are do you just want to look cool?

Thing is tho that major party voters, and in this case especially the Dems wanna have it both ways where people who criticize them from the left are both so small as to be safe to ignore, while simultaneously to blame for every Democratic loss in the past decade. I really just want them to decide whether the votes from the left are important or not, and if not leave them the fuck alone rather than throwing a tantrum when they decide that their candidates are insufficient.

[San Lumen]

Did any of you watch Joe Biden's speech today?

I thought it was very good. VP Biden is back after an extended hiatus.

He is the leader we need right now

[South Odreria 2]

^^This. If you decide that left wing voters are permanently irrelevant non democrats, you can’t also blame them for every election defeat.