• Skyrmir@lemmy.world
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    8 months ago

    Why the fuck do we always aim for “slightly better than the Republicans”?

    Two party voting. In order to win, you have to get voters that are as close to your opponent as possible, without your base staying home in protest. Having a more objectionable opponent just means you can ignore your own base even more, because they’re not going to stay home when that means the other asshole might win.

    • Viking_Hippie@lemmy.world
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      8 months ago

      In order to win, you have to get voters that are as close to your opponent as possible

      That may have been the case in the 90s, but nowadays not many people occupy that space. Nobody wants an almost-Republican when they can get the real deal and if you’re morally bankrupt enough to ALMOST be a Republican, you’re usually willing to take that last step in exchange for a shitload of bribes.

      without your base staying home in protest.

      That’s just it: Dems arepretending that it’s always going to be 1992.

      That Republicans are always going to be legitimate opposition acting in good faith rather than a fascist cult.

      That just a little to the left of the GOP is the ideologically perfect Democrat and always will be.

      This stubborn insistence on keeping up pretenses and never admitting they’re wrong or trying another way is costing them a shitload more people staying home than they’re gaining independents or wavering Republicans.

      It’s why Democrats are only winning by the slimmest of margins and even lost the House at a time when winning by landslides should be easier than ever since the opposition is the most incompetent fascist party in history and the majority of the population is to the left of center. Not just left at where neoliberals pretend that the center is, left of ACTUAL center.

    • givesomefucks@lemmy.world
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      8 months ago

      you have to get voters that are as close to your opponent as possible

      That is one of the dumbest opinions I’ve ever heard, but don’t feel bad, the people running the DNC share it too.

      Some of us are just in the “sweet spot” where we’re old enough to remember 08 Obama but young enough the normal mental effects of aging haven’t made us forget yet.

      Obama was the furthest from center Dem we’ve ran in decades, and he was flipping red states all over.

      What you said just isn’t based in reality, it’s just what neoliberals have been repeating for 30 years over and over and over…

      It doesn’t make it true.

      Because whether the “moderate” candidate beats the Republican or loses, the neoliberals will always say whatever just happened is proof we need to be more conservative.

      All it’s led to is running a candidate that needs over a billion dollars spent to beat donald fucking trump in a presidential election.

      My dumb ass dog could beat trump. And he doesnt even have opposable thumbs. And there’s a very good chance Biden can’t beat trump twice.

      • Skyrmir@lemmy.world
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        8 months ago

        What I said is what got Clinton, Obama, and Biden elected. Not saying it’s a great thing, it’s just reality. Neither party has the base to win on their own, the GoP is a lot closer to being able to do it due to voter turn out rates. So they either chase the middle, or demonize their opponent to get more of their base off the couch.

        • givesomefucks@lemmy.world
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          8 months ago

          Obama was the furthest from center Dem we’ve ran in decades, and he was flipping red states all over.

          What you said just isn’t based in reality, it’s just what neoliberals have been repeating for 30 years over and over and over…

          It ain’t complicated, but I dont think I’ll be able to get you to understand this.