2016 Postmortem
In reply to the discussion: Please STOP TELLING ME I'll Vote for Hillary Clinton Because I'M A CHICK. [View all]RiverNoord
(1,150 posts)'Vote for Dems, or you're implicitly helping the GOP ruin the country.' If you don't pre-commit to hand over your vote to Democratic candidates, whoever they may be, you're culpable as a party to the ruination of the country?
Your perspective is part of the problem, which is much bigger than the fact that the GOP is dedicated to privatizing the federal government so that its functions are available for sale to the highest bidders. The Democratic wing is also deeply immersed in that initiative.
Your way never, every allows for substantial change in the process of governance of our country, since each wing is deeply committed to gaining and maintaining their grasp on political power. Little by little, regardless of which wing has the temporary advantage, all other possible means of electing candidates to political office are cut off.
Oh - BTW, I don't know if you were around in 1992, but Bill Clinton became president because of the presence of a kook who siphoned off votes from the GOP. It can go both ways. And you say 'They tried your way in 2000.' I assume you mean the handful of votes that Ralph Nader received as a candidate for President. Did that really cost Al Gore the presidency? If it did, and it is highly unlikely that it is so, then he didn't merit the office on the basis of support of the American people. If you say our political system can't handle votes for anyone other than the Democratic or Republican candidates for political office, than you have proven my point. We no longer have a representative democracy. We have a one-party (two, if you must cling to the notion) hegemony that owns the American government and sells it off to the highest bidders. In that case, there is only one option if you really want to be a 'good guy,' and that is to vote only for candidates you are comfortable sending to particular offices. Otherwise, you are explicitly helping a bribery racket utterly devour the country.