Mastodawn

Marina Who Games May 13, 2023

I find it fascinating that as Republican controlled legislature after legislature is tumbling down a path of criminalizing healthcare, and the existence of LGBTQ people in different ways, when the Republicans in charge of the US House want to make senior citizens and disabled people pay for their tax cuts for billionaires and millionaires we still have people saying that Democrats are failing to sufficiently demonstrate the difference between them and Republicans for disgruntled voters.

Amadi Lovelace May 12, 2023

At some point, voters have to do the work. At some point, voters have to decide what they personally stand for, and they have to assess candidates and parties, and figure out which one is closer. They can’t be handheld in that process and pulled along one by one.

Having a society of 330 million people is complicated and messy, and voters have to be willing to step up and do the tiniest part, reading a voter guide or asking a question, talking to friends or even phonebank callers. Something.

Amadi Lovelace May 12, 2023

Every candidate can’t give civics lessons as part of their campaign. Every candidate can’t provide answers to every individual question every individual voter in their district or state might have.

And honestly, at this point, when the differences are more stark than they have ever been in any of our lifetimes it shouldn’t be so difficult to make that case.

People who say they don’t see the difference between Democrats and Republicans don’t want to. It’s a lie and a copout.

Amadi Lovelace May 12, 2023

I am not saying, by the way, that Democrats don’t need to do more where and when they can. Of course, there’s more that could be done. There’s always more.

But if, at this point, someone needs to be persuaded to see which of these two parties should have power in the system we are currently enduring, that’s a demonstrated failure on their part.

E. Hatt-Swank May 12, 2023

@amaditalks
Yes, yes yes! Thank you for talking about this. it drives me nuts how voters are treated primarily as *consumers* in the US, rather than active participants in a democracy, who have a responsibility to take that role seriously.

Amadi Lovelace May 13, 2023

@ehattswank that’s exactly it. People are acting like it’s reasonable that voters choosing candidates are acting like they’re choosing between Ragu and Prego and they can’t choose between them because it’s all just spaghetti sauce. Meanwhile, the Ragu in this tortured analogy will cancel your social security, take away your insurance, kill your sister, imprison your queer kid and put your nonbinary grandkid in a reparative therapy center.

E. Hatt-Swank May 13, 2023

"It's all just spaghetti sauce" 🤣 That's perfect.

Cynthia loves masks May 13, 2023

@amaditalks At their core, Republican policies are designed to optimize violence in support of white supremacist patriarchal capitalism. I used to say the R's don't have any real policies, but I was wrong. It's all about the ability to deploy violence against anyone that gets in the way of those goals and the "right" to extract everything out of our planet to feed the system.

Amadi Lovelace May 13, 2023

@cynthia1960 oof. That’s really succinctly and beautifully put.

Cynthia loves masks May 13, 2023

@amaditalks you inspired me, thanks

Patricia Kayden May 12, 2023

@amaditalks It's willful blindness to not see the blatant differences between Republicans and Democrats. I can't take anyone seriously who says that.

Paul Cantrell May 13, 2023

@amaditalks It is exactly that. People get so confused, thinking that voting for somebody…I don’t know, means you joined their fan club or married them or something?! To quote Mpls abortion rights activist and all-around sharp person Stacey Burns: I have zero cognitive dissonance about both voting for and protesting any given politician.

Nire Bryce May 13, 2023

@inthehands @amaditalks

it's about picking your opponents, and who would require the least fighting so you can actually get the work done.

Nire Bryce May 13, 2023

(but a lot of the leadup to primaries is going to have rhetoric like that, because they think (and there's truth to it, though from observation, 60%) it will make the politicians try to actually represent constituents instead of... whatever it is they'll do. but it hasn't worked the last 30 times)

Paul Cantrell May 13, 2023

@NireBryce Yup. “Withhold your vote from them, and then they’ll •have• to listen to you!” is just the stupidest scam in the Plurality Voting book, and people still keep falling for it over and over.

Nire Bryce May 13, 2023

@inthehands if you look at voting patterns, most of those people end up voting once it actually becomes time. But yeah after 8 cycles bluffing sorta loses it's power.

i don't like the sitch we're in, but, well.

Amadi Lovelace May 13, 2023

@inthehands I will have an absolute blast telling Stacey that she was just quoted in this context.

Paul Cantrell May 13, 2023

@amaditalks Please tell her I said hi and we miss her here on Mastodon!

Stacey Burns 🤷🏻‍♀️May 13, 2023

@amaditalks @inthehands 👋 I miss both of you (and many others), too! I really should wade around some more, having become frustrated by the structure months ago. I’m on Bluesky and enjoying it, but the criticisms (another Jack product: why on earth would anyone trust him?) are valid.

Paul Cantrell May 13, 2023

@WentRogue @amaditalks Hi Stacey!!

The structure here is…bollixing to say the least, but not so bad once you get your bearings. I’m enjoying it! Like lots of community-built stuff, it’s built first for those already there, and doesn’t do a great job rolling out the welcome mat.

Paul Cantrell May 13, 2023

@WentRogue @amaditalks The experience can be miserable depending on who ends up in your replies. Being on a server that’s already blocked the worst offenders can help, but the techy origins can make it especially pedantic. Like everywhere, moderation is chaotic.

If we do get to hear your thoughts here sometimes, we’d be lucky!

Stacey Burns 🤷🏻‍♀️May 14, 2023

@inthehands @amaditalks it’s good to see you both!

Lacci May 14, 2023

@amaditalks
I think it says more about the people saying Democrats are failing to demonstrate the difference than it does about what voters know or think or need to hear. It's a pretty small percentage of people who can't tell there's a chasm between Democrats and Republicans, and those people aren't paying enough attention for a demonstration to help. I do wish the Democrats would be less dysfunctional and more in touch with people's needs and struggles.