"Progressives should not make the same mistake that Ernst Thälmann made in 1932. The leader of the German Communist Party, Thälmann saw mainstream liberals as his enemies, and so the center and left never joined forces against the Nazis. Thälmann famously said that ‘some Nazi trees must not be allowed to overshadow a forest’ of social democrats, whom he sneeringly called ‘social fascists.’
After Adolf Hitler gained power in 1933, Thälmann was arrested. He was shot on Hitler’s orders in Buchenwald concentration camp in 1944."
To be clear, I did not advocate for not voting. I actually believe voting should be compulsory.
You do advocate for throwing your vote away and enabling the worst possible candidate though.
I advocate for people voting for the candidate they want to win.
Which you will not do, and you tell other people not to do.
Thumbs up
What? How could you have possibly gathered that from what I’ve said so far? In another comment I said I think that voting should be compulsory…which you replied to!
I’m able to follow the discussion just fine.
You seem to have a less than firm grasp on how the real world works.
Yet you came to the conclusion somehow that I don’t vote and encourage others not to vote… Okay mate, we will need to disagree on this one.
You telling others incorrect information, and encouraging others not to vote.
What? How am I encouraging others not to vote?? I cannot state in any more clear terms: I think that everyone should vote, every citizen has a responsibility to vote.
Voting absolutely should be compulsory, it would be such a moderating force on US politics if you couldn’t get more votes just by stirring up your base.
Unfortunately, I don’t think it will happen in the States within my lifetime. Too much identity tied up in the idea of freedom.
I’ve been shocked by the amount of pushback I get when I talk about compulsory voting. I suspect it has less to do with freedom and more to do with how classist US society is.
Many people here seem to have internalized the idea that it’s better for the country if ‘apathetic’ and ‘stupid’ people don’t vote. Of course the bulk of non voters are working people, the poor and those who benefit most from an increased voice in society.
I don’t think you need laws to force voting if you can keep the public informed and interact with them. It won’t be 100%, but anything has to be better than the low amounts the US has, caused by apathy and oppression.
I’m glad you didn’t mean to not vote, however that’s almost the default behavior these days because of the above mentioned. A change in the voting system would be another huge help, bringing in third party voters who would get a better chance to have their voice heard and their parties grow with that, as well as having more votes for the main parties with the alternate vote that would come with such voting. But to get that requires a change now with the existing one.
I think we would agree that election reform is sorely needed.
I saw that Canada tried to get election reform passed too (I don’t know the details) and it failed. You guys up north aren’t trying to follow us as a role model are you? Please don’t.
Unfortunately there are already too many up here that trying to emulate the States, even walking around with MAGA flags.
Just saw this: https://fedia.io/m/[email protected]/t/1193896/Raskin-Beyer-Welch-Bill-Would-Bring-Ranked-Choice-Voting-to#comments
I hope they can follow through!