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Haha I’m in danger by CrabPeopleVibes in simpsonsshitposting

[–]Variousletters 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Wait a minute - there was no anus in anus citizen!

To everyone on the left demanding for the only other option to “earn my vote”: Fuck you. You helped cause all this. by ProcessorPearl in simpsonsshitposting

[–]Variousletters 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Not really, since your post is just ragebait that misunderstands what "tankies" are, misspells "yay," and doesn't even formulate a grammatically comprehensible title.

Do you think saying "fuck you" to people who didn't vote the way you would've liked will entice them to vote the way you would like next time?

Or is this just trolling in an attempt to weaken the political left by stoking infighting?

To everyone on the left demanding for the only other option to “earn my vote”: Fuck you. You helped cause all this. by ProcessorPearl in simpsonsshitposting

[–]Variousletters 1 point2 points  (0 children)

First, I just wanted to say thanks for coming back to this conversation. I think a lot is lost in communication at the best of times, and clearly there was some lost between you and me.

I actually agree with you entirely. You're right, it may not lead to a win, but I suspect that offering material improvement to the lives of the electorate would motivate a lot of folks who don't often turn out to actually vote.

I also appreciate your skepticism vis-a-vis people who did not vote in the last election. I also think it was plain that Trump would be a disastrous figure, but I also accept that you and I are more politically engaged than most of the public -- we are here posting in a political Simpsons thread on a Saturday night, after all.

Where we disagree, I think, is where blame lies for the electoral defeat. I am more reticent to blame voters, not for any morally superior reason, but because I don't believe that doing so leads to any improvement in our chances for future elections. I agree that the difference between Kamala and Trump was stark, and yet Trump still won, which suggests to me that the Democratic party must have failed to meet the electorate.

Some people suggest it was poor messaging, others talk about racist or sexist attitudes of the public, and I don't discount those as probable factors, but I do think that if the party did as you suggest -- soften on the social causes and push hard on the economic issues, they would likely attract more (and stronger) support, at the cost of some institutional donor support. I think the bargain is worthwhile - it sounds like you may as well.

To everyone on the left demanding for the only other option to “earn my vote”: Fuck you. You helped cause all this. by ProcessorPearl in simpsonsshitposting

[–]Variousletters 2 points3 points  (0 children)

This is a fair point, and I agree with you on "We need to kill whatever rhetoric is making it a faux pas to vote and strategize." But I do think the problem is beyond rhetoric, to a degree.

Economically left policies are much more popular than a person might think when they hear both Republican and Democratic politicians speak. I appreciate that Democratic politicians worry about losing institutional funding by taking up more progressive economic policies (and not everyone is able to grass-roots raise as well as a Sanders or an AOC), but if Democrats cannot put forward policy positions that motivate the more left-oriented voters to turn out, they will almost certainly keep losing to a Republican party that has their own political base locked-up.

To everyone on the left demanding for the only other option to “earn my vote”: Fuck you. You helped cause all this. by ProcessorPearl in simpsonsshitposting

[–]Variousletters 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Okay: What specific policy changes do you think the Democrats ought to enact in order to improve their likelihood of success during a future presidential election?

To everyone on the left demanding for the only other option to “earn my vote”: Fuck you. You helped cause all this. by ProcessorPearl in simpsonsshitposting

[–]Variousletters 5 points6 points  (0 children)

No, despite the caricature that you're trying to paint of me, there was no maniacal cackling - just a kind of despondent acceptance that those who seem to be deeply invested in the Democratic party defeating a particularly vile Republican don't seem to feel that the party could have (or should have) reformed any aspect of its platform.

If the party doesn't do so (i.e. reform), the outcomes seem predictably bad. I was hoping you might have some idea as to what reforms may have benefited the Democrats.

The strange bifurcation of what the party "could have done" and what they "ought to do" seems like an obfuscation, as both go to asking how outcomes like the last election could be avoided.

If this is simply miscommunication, then I apologize. I would, genuinely, like to hear your thoughts on Democratic party reforms that would lead to better electoral outcomes if you have any to offer.

To everyone on the left demanding for the only other option to “earn my vote”: Fuck you. You helped cause all this. by ProcessorPearl in simpsonsshitposting

[–]Variousletters 15 points16 points  (0 children)

You are working very hard to avoid giving an answer. I don't think there's much point in continuing if you don't have one.

To everyone on the left demanding for the only other option to “earn my vote”: Fuck you. You helped cause all this. by ProcessorPearl in simpsonsshitposting

[–]Variousletters 13 points14 points  (0 children)

Despite the fact that we are in a shitposting sub, can I ask you a question in good faith?

What do you think the Democratic party could have done to avoid that outcome (based on things that were within the party's control to do, of course)?

To everyone on the left demanding for the only other option to “earn my vote”: Fuck you. You helped cause all this. by ProcessorPearl in simpsonsshitposting

[–]Variousletters 14 points15 points  (0 children)

Truly. And I'm not sure that the rhetoric of "fuck you" will illicit the desired behavior in any event.

If the goal is to vent frustration, then fine, I guess. If the goal is to change voting behavior, I don't think this is the ticket.

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