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.
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And the rest of the world could take it upon themselves to do something. Yet, as with every major election, people just like you are tricked into ignoring the problems we must face here, to fix other issues elsewhere. There is always a conflict. Always.
But hey, be a proxy to the problem, world cop. I won’t stop you, can’t stop you. I can tell you you’re wrong. Shitty as it is we’re making a disgusting choice to not jeopardize an election against a fascist state. I’m sorry if you feel so strongly that the minorities, LGBTQ+ community, women, and the children of this country aren’t worth your time. Them and others are the ones we are trying to protect, along with the rest of the world which will suffer if the U.S. falls into fascism.
If you are against a fascist state you should look at third parties or else
Uh-huh. And in a two party system where one side has been proven beyond doubt to be worse, you want us to vote third party while that side literally promises fascism if they win.
Yeah sure, and while I do that I’ll donate $20 to charity and believe over half of it actually goes to the cause.
You see, all you 3rd party types never put in the work. You just come scuttling out of a dark corner every four years, yell about it, do literally nothing except confuse people and steal a few votes, and then disappear. No work in local elections, hardly a peep in off years, zero long term commitment to build a base. All of it derailment and disillusionment.
You want change? Shut up and do the work.
They are both fascists, if your concern is fascism don’t vote for them