Yes, progressives who stay at home for the general election do not understand US democracy. The US has a 2 party FPTP system, not proportional representation. Unlike multi-party parliamentary systems, we usually have to vote for a compromise, not our top choice. If you don't vote, you don't "send a message", you simply forfeit your political power. If Republicans win, and keep winning, then that's a signal for Democrats to shift right, to try to win back the median voter.

I hate the argumentative strategy of criticizing candidates for being political "losers". Rightwingers do that all the time. By that logic, progressives also had "loser candidates", since many fail in the primaries. I personally don't think Sanders, for example, was a "loser", even if he lost in the primary.

[–] go_go_gadget@lemmy.world 2 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

Yes, progressives who stay at home for the general election do not understand US democracy.

Or we do? "We lose regardless. Let's stay home."

I'm getting really sick of this inversion of responsibility. Moderates dominate the primaries and elect someone who doesn't resonate with the leftists and progressives but aren't responsible for how that candidate does in the general? They control the outcome in the primaries but aren't responsible for what happens in the general? That makes no sense.

As the majority moderates must take the lions share of the responsibility. Where is that happening?

[–] bigMouthCommie@mastodon.social 2 points 9 months ago

right

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