Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez recently made headlines for calling perennial Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein “predatory” and “not serious.” AOC is right.

Giving voters more choices is a good thing for democracy. But third-party politics isn’t performance art. It’s hard work — which Stein is not doing. As AOC observed: “[When] all you do is show up once every four years to speak to people who are justifiably pissed off, but you’re just showing up once every four years to do that, you’re not serious.”

To be clear: AOC was not critiquing third parties as a whole, or the idea that we need more choices in our democracy. In fact, AOC specifically cited the Working Families Party as an example of an effective third party. The organization I lead, MoveOn, supports their 365-day-a-year efforts to build power for a pro-voter, multi-party system. And I understand third parties’ power to activate voters hungry for alternatives: I myself volunteered for Ralph Nader in 2000, and that experience helped shape my lifelong commitment to people-first politics.


Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

    • MegaUltraChicken@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      19
      arrow-down
      3
      ·
      2 months ago

      You will affect the race in one of two ways regardless of what you do. You will either benefit Party A or Party B, those parties being the two largest parties, aka Democrats and Republicans.

      When a 3rd party becomes larger than the Democratic or Republican party, you would be correct. That is not the case, so you’re still incorrect.

      So in your opinion what makes the GOP more deserving of your support compared to the Democrats?

        • MegaUltraChicken@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          14
          arrow-down
          3
          ·
          2 months ago

          And yet when you look at this from the perspective of voting in the general election, everyone is going to support one of them regardless. Unless you can explain how a 3rd party will realistically win the election or how the GOP winning is beneficial. Why can’t you explain that?

          So again, why do you want to support the GOP over the Democrats?

          • anticolonialist@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            2
            arrow-down
            4
            ·
            2 months ago

            I don’t support the GOP over Democrats. They may have different methods of delivering their message but the overall outcome is the same. They take money from the same people, the same bankers, the same CEOS. One is just covert in their racism bigotry and lies.

            • MegaUltraChicken@lemmy.world
              link
              fedilink
              arrow-up
              3
              arrow-down
              1
              ·
              2 months ago

              If you think the GOP and the Democratic Party are equal threats that’s an opinion you are welcome to hold.

              I find that view to be completely asinine and at odds with reality but you do you. That doesn’t change the end result of your actions if you don’t vote or vote 3rd party: you’re supporting the GOP.

              I truly don’t care why you choose to vote the way you do. I just want you and everyone on earth to know the results of your actions, support for the GOP.

              • anticolonialist@lemmy.world
                link
                fedilink
                English
                arrow-up
                2
                arrow-down
                6
                ·
                2 months ago

                A vote for a right wing authoritarian Democrat is closer in ideology to GOP and their end game than voting for 3 party.

                • MegaUltraChicken@lemmy.world
                  link
                  fedilink
                  arrow-up
                  2
                  arrow-down
                  2
                  ·
                  2 months ago

                  Are you going to back up ANYTHING you say?

                  1. How does the election result in neither the Democrat or Republican nominee winning? If your 3rd party vote isn’t helping one of those two parties, there must be another possible outcome. Just give us one. One single realistic alternative outcome.

                  2. Assuming you can’t handle #1 (which I’m pretty sure you can’t without resorting to fantasy), how does a vote for the “right wing authoritarian” Democrat help the GOP MORE than a vote for a 3rd party when there are 2 possible outcomes?

                  If you can answer for either of these giant gaping holes in your logic I will be astounded. I’ll let you answer but I think I’m done with this thread. Have a good night!

                  • anticolonialist@lemmy.world
                    link
                    fedilink
                    English
                    arrow-up
                    2
                    arrow-down
                    5
                    ·
                    2 months ago

                    In a FPTP system all it takes is enough voter refusing to vote for either fascist and vote for a 3rd party.