Step 2: use the extra time to build dual power and/or electoral reform.
Note: The time to build an alternative to the DNC for 2024 was no less than 4 years ago. The time to start building the coalition for 2028 starts no later than December 2024.
Note: the time to build dual power is any day you can afford the time, acumen, and experiense.
Step 3: hit snooze again.
Voting doesn't change anything. Not voting kills us.
We vote to buy time. We use that time to perform direct action.
Voting doesn't change anything. Not voting kills us.
We vote to buy time. We use that time to perform direct action.
These 2 things are not mutually exclusive.
This is what I've been trying to tell people, especially young lefties.
It just does not make sense to me why you would look at a broken system which gives a massive advantage to one party, see that the people trying to fix the system all belong to the other party, and arrive at the conclusion that both parties are equally at fault and the only solution is to throw your hands up in invisible protest.
It would be one thing if they just said they didn't care, but they seem to be convinced they are actually able to affect change this way.
It's like finding yourself in a fist fight and seeing your buddy just standing there laughing.
I really dont understand americans, they are so proud of their weapons yet can't control them so theres a school-shooting every month or so. But when there is a grown-up (politician/capitalist) they suddenly dont have their guns anymore?
It seems shooting kids is easier then shooting the evil people. Not that I would ever do either...
just saying, dead people cannot maintain a broken system.
Politicians strategically used gun rights as a wedge issue to ensure that the segment of the population with the most guns are more likely to be intensely loyal to the fascist continent of our political class. Furthermore, our law enforcement has more and even bigger guns.
This, but unironically. Considering the fact that right-wing violence has decreased, Ukraine has remained standing, and fascist rhetoric is on the decline.
If you're dissatisfied with the results, consider engaging in the aforementioned tactics instead of yelling at people who have a plan.
So what's the solution here? I've heard a lot of stuff about how stuff should be, but the options are not particularly promising. As I see it:
vote local, wait for change to filter up (counterpoint: that's over a long time range, and for every incremental change it seems like there's a Citizen's United, Roe vs. Wade, and PATRIOT Act working in BIG ways in the opposite direction)
vote Biden and try to push him left (counterpoint: hahahaha.... oh, sorry, I mean yeah, it has worked to a certain degree when it doesn't cost him anything or when literally the rest of the Democratic world is against him like with Israel, and only to a small degree, but major changes? Good luck)
Full on revolution (counterpoint: most of the armed and violent people are on the fascist side and have been giddy over the prospect of Civil War 2.0 since Obama took office)
just hold your nose and vote Biden, press and support the Democratic Party to block ways for The Fascists to get more power... register Republican in super red areas to push them away from Fascism, and generally focus on stopping the Fascists first and if we can get back to where we were in the 90s/early 00s, focus on making those big changes. But focus on stopping the Fascists before you lose everything (counterpoint: that is exactly what the people in power want, to give a unending battle to keep what you have so you can't push for more, and instead lose it all by inches).
Don't vote, let the Fascists burn it all down, and pick up the pieces to make our Utopia from the ashes like the Federation after the Eugenic Wars. (Counterpoint: ...do I need to point out how silly this is? If the Fascists even manage to burn it down instead of doing what Fascists do and expand the crazy and make the world a battleground, the type of people who "rise from the ashes" are rarely the good, Democratic, peace-loving kind. Sorry Star Trek)
I'm not seeing good options, so if anyone can say another option, or how my conclusions are incorrect, I'd love to get new information. But it seems like choosing the best of bad options, and anything but voting Biden (and Democrats) is the path to suffering. As bad as it is, it can always get worse.
Saying "the system is working as intended" is wrong on so many levels. The system was cobbled together and you're relieving the ones abusing the system of their blame.
Love it, though would have put "abolish the system" rather than "fix the system" myself, since that implies trying to work within the existing framework, rather than completely outside of it.
That is a fair point. Although there is a point to be made that "the system" is democracy and overthrowing a government that doesn't represent the population is a part of the system. But I agree that most people probably don't think that way.
If you can think of any improvements feel free to make changes and upload your own version.
I see what you're saying, and I think it would probably appeal more to those with left leanings who aren't actually anarchists (yet 🤞), because it isn't as big a shock to the system to think about fixing a thing they know vs abolishing that thing and starting something completely unfamiliar and most likely still foreign to them (even as an anarchist, thinking outside of the indoctrination, and constructs I've/we've been socialised with since birth can be a challenge), but then I'm also a big believer in not coddling people in to change - facing and sitting with the discomfort of seeing the box we're kept in and starting to think outside of it is a huge and really important part of unlearning what we know and even how we are, so personally I generally favour blunt and to the point lol
I think having these conversations in the comments can be more helpful than posting an alternative, because the people your meme speaks to can read on and hopefully broaden their views!
That's great info and I'll check it out. But I mean in regard to this meme: what do we do now? Because this meme seems to be addressing the 2024 general election in the US and it makes it seem like there's 3 voting options. But to my knowledge, there isn't a popular 3rd party that meets progressive or anarchistic values. So is this suggesting not to vote? Other direct action like a strike? And if so how does that address the issue of the election this brings up?
Not an American, but in a country well within the imperial interior (Australia). Jesus Christ, go vote, and go vote for the less shit candidates (the democrats).
The voting system is entirely broken, granted, but you not voting does not help.
It we vassals of the US get the MAGAs in charge, shit is going to hit the fan, and unlike you, we can't do anything about it other than plead with you to go vote.
First-past-the-post means go vote for the less shit candidate.
I'm not sure I understand. Are you saying that "polictics" is a valid alternative spelling of "politics"? Or that, as in the video, misspellings are not your fault, they're the fault of English?
Perhaps you live in a world where first impressions don't matter, where what you do is not subject to quality control, and attention to detail doesn't matter. Still, is it too much to ask that people pay attention to spell check?
I'm not saying that everyone should be perfect all the time, but gracefully admitting mistakes and being slightly abashed, resolving to do better next time, would be a positive response.