this post was submitted on 24 Jan 2024
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That's reactionary. Since there are only 2 options, the lesser of two evils provides more room for the Proletariat to make grassroots change and build up pressure. Virtue signaling won't get anyone anywhere.
There is a third option, but it's not one found at the ballot box.
At the ballot box, there are 2 options, and there's no reason you can't combine grounded electoralism with radical grassroots praxis like Unionization and setting up networks of Mutual Aid, a la Food Not Bombs.
That's what I advocate for, actually. Focusing on the grassroots for positive change, while defensively voting in federal elections.
Sure but a lot of these are infiltrated and dismantled by the Dems/Reps as they are a threat to the states monopoly of authority.
Black Panthers, MLK, BLM. They are all hollowed out one way or another until they cease to exist.
Just because it's difficult, doesn't mean it isn't worth doing, nor does it mean there are better ways.
that third option becomes harder by not voting at the ballot box
What has this strategy that you've been following achieved exactly? Have you curbed the united states' imperialism? Did you get abortion rights? Did it stop the literal genocide that is going on right now? You have nothing to show for it. Strategies are implemented in order to succeed. When one turns out to be ineffective, you abandon it. The only useful thing you people in the imperial core can do is organize outside and against your government. Everything else is less than useless.
Let me reiterate. Your country and president are committing a genocide. If you do not wash your hands of this government then you are complicit.
How would you recommend I go about it? Since you know, of course.
I am a Palestinian watching my people be murdered gruesomely, sadistically, in the hundreds every day. I cannot stand to see people legitimize the rule of the man arming our genociders. Your government is irredeemable. It has built a system where peaceful democratic change is impossible. Even just telling people to participate in it is complicity. I cannot tell you what has to be done because it is illegal.
Electing Trump would be far worse. He has not at all indicated that he would stop the genocide of your people.
Violent revolution has never worked in America.
Therefore, the best answer is grassroots movements and building up of revolutionary pressure from below to influence the top. Unfortunately, America has a huge number of fascists who are gleefully trying to go even further.
Biden is evil, yes. Trump is worse, and third party does not functionally exist. The best hope is grassroots protest and activism.
Unless if the movements are building organizational power to confront state power then they are useless. American "grass roots movements like AOC's campaign did less than nothing. It was made a huge ordeal and now look at her, not even voting against genocide. If that is not a scathing indictment of all electoralism in the US then I don't know what is. The leftmost person you are able to elect is not even against genocide.
I agree, electoralism is not the way to get meaningful leftist change. Unfortunately, the only choices are a Neoliberal or a fascist, so leftists must pick the Neoliberal in elections.
Grassroots movements are the only way to move to the left, and it's very difficult to do so. Leftists have been battling liberals and fascists for centuries, and slowly building up coalitions.
It is objectively untrue that there is greater room for organizing under a democrat than under a republican. There has proven to be no demostrable difference. Orgs don't face any less sabotage, infiltration, or state repression under democrats than under republicans.