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Election in the USA

Discussion in 'General political debates' started by atlastitan, Feb 4, 2024.

  1. atlastitan

    atlastitan Member Forum Member


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    Jan 27, 2024
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    Vermont, United States  United States
    As much as I hate the US government, I will be able to vote for the first time this coming November.
    My problem with this lies in the fact that every candidate with a shot at winning is horrible, so I don't want to vote, but by not voting, I give up my power to influence change. I'm conflicted between voting for a candidate I mostly agree with who has a very low shot at winning, voting for one of the major candidates I feel would be the lesser of the evils, or not voting at all.
    I feel that the fact that the two major candidates are both horrible really reflects the state of our government as a whole in the United States. On one side we have a candidate who is actively awaiting trial for 91 felony charges including rape, forging business documents, and inciting a riot against the capitol, while on the other side the other candidate has done almost nothing good for this country in the last four years and is very clearly unfit for the position.
    My question, I guess, is what do I do? Do I use my vote on something I believe in that has little to no chance at winning, on something I don't believe in simply so something worse isn't elected, or do I forfeit my voice in this election?
     
    Milo and Bones like this.

  2. Punkginuity

    Punkginuity Member New Member


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    Jan 30, 2024
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    Virginia, United States  Netherlands
    It's honestly a shitty spot to be in. The amount of Americans across the political spectrum who feel the same way speaks a lot about the current state of affairs. I think part of the reason the US has such a bad issue with the two-party system is because people have developed a sort of Stockholm Syndrome with it, or just simply see no point in fighting this monster.

    So I'm gonna take a more optimistic-realistic approach.

    Choosing the lesser-evil of a candidate should never be the option the people of a nation should face (especially a country with as many resources as the US). I never believed that choosing a 3rd party candidate is a waste of a vote. At the end of the day, the losing party (and their candidates, supporters, etc.) almost always blame 3rd party voters for their loss. Our votes, while seeming AND feeling insignificant at times, can make a difference. Maybe not in the way where it'll skew the course of American politics overnight...but maybe simply sharing your vote to a stranger, friend, or whatever can inspire them to start voting third party too instead of settling for less.

    The reason we critique our government so much is because we know it could be better. WAY better. Reaching the age to where you can vote at the federal level is cool and all, but don't forget your local elections. I can confidently say those make an immediate impact to your community. People who made significant impacts to their respective nations (and even world) all started somewhere, and that's with their home/community.
     
  3. TreyofToday

    TreyofToday Experienced Member Uploader Active Member


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    Research your local offices; definitely vote, but don’t get worried about it. Vote 3rd party if you hate both the candidates. It’s your vote, use it the way you want to. This is ameriKKKa so I doubt it will be counted anyway, but not voting at all, would just make the assholes’ jobs easier.
     
    atlastitan likes this.
  4. Spike one of many

    Spike one of many Experienced Member Uploader Active Member Forum Member


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    I normally don't vote. I think I've only voted twice in my life. I tend to agree with the notion that voting legitimizes government but recently I've been seriously considering making an exception in our upcoming elections and vote for a 3rd party to try to get rid of our current government. This party has been in power since 1994 and have become increasingly corrupt and complacent, thinking only of enriching themselves and leaving the country to rot. There comes a time when enough is enough. The problem for the last 30 years was that there have only been two major parties, the ANC and the Democratic Alliance (DA), and the DA has always been seen by the black majority as a "white" government, representing white interests and since the bitter taste of apartheid still lingers in the mouths of the majority they've stuck with the party of the struggle years. But their popularity seems to be at an all-time low and since there are now many more 3rd parties to vote for and talks of big coalitions that might finally be able to unseat this monster that it's become. Time will tell.
     
  5. Spike one of many

    Spike one of many Experienced Member Uploader Active Member Forum Member


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    Yeah american elections.... Trump? Biden? Pfff. My prediction: the first clown's gonna win again if he runs.
     
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  6. Spike one of many

    Spike one of many Experienced Member Uploader Active Member Forum Member


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    BTW, is Biden still gonna run in your next elections? I haven't been following american politics in a while. Cos I reckon if the democrats put up some other candidate other than Biden they might have a better chance at winning. Still, different shit, same smell.
     
    atlastitan likes this.
  7. TreyofToday

    TreyofToday Experienced Member Uploader Active Member


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    I’m in North Carolina, I really am only voting to make sure that Robinson doesn’t become the governor. This state has been a little more progressive than the rest of the south, but we’ve been taking tremendous steps backward recently. I have always voted; I will again, but I am always voting against someone!! The only prez election vote I was ever proud of was in 2016 voting for Gary Johnson. It is important to vote locally; there are school boards, judges, etc that the red-hat retards are doing a great job of embedding themselves in. We need to be at least as active as our enemy. Truly though, I don’t blame anyone for not voting though; sack ‘o shit vs. bag o’turds; fuck it, anyone just wanna get fucked up and do fucked up shit with me until the system destroys the planet?
     
    atlastitan and Spike one of many like this.
  8. StacyFilth

    StacyFilth Member Forum Member


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    Jan 9, 2024
    Female , 30 years old
    Pennsylvania, United States  United States
    I'm really nervous about this upcoming election. I don't want a fascist Amerikkka under Donald Trump to be a reality, but I'm deathly afraid he's going to win the election.
     
    atlastitan likes this.
  9. atlastitan

    atlastitan Member Forum Member


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    Jan 27, 2024
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    Vermont, United States  United States
    Trump and Biden are both running and, looking at it in a political stand-point, they are the only "real" options, given they both have major support from their parties. One of them will more than likely win this election and become president again.
     
  10. atlastitan

    atlastitan Member Forum Member


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    Jan 27, 2024
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    Vermont, United States  United States
    I feel similarly about voting, but at the same time, I worry that by not casting my vote in the direction we need this country to go, I am complacent in its staying the same.

    I haven't had much experience yet in the world of politics, especially outside of the USA, but it is both interesting and disturbing to see the similarities between the political and governmental state here, and in other countries. The two-party system really screws everyone over, as far as I can see.
     
    Last edited: Feb 7, 2024
    Spike one of many likes this.
  11. atlastitan

    atlastitan Member Forum Member


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    Jan 27, 2024
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    Vermont, United States  United States
    I agree completely about the state of our government in the US. A country built off the statement "We the people," no longer values or cares about its people. Part of the reason I feel I need to vote is because I do know our government could be better, and I feel like by not voting, I send a message that I am okay with this.

    I hadn't really considered my weight in local elections before, but you make a very good point. While the president may be the most powerful, they are not the only powerful official I can have a say in giving authority.
     
  12. TreyofToday

    TreyofToday Experienced Member Uploader Active Member


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    Ok, I’m middle aged and I have voted every two years since I was 18. I have voted for all parties including third parties; I have written in names; I have left choices blank. I’m sorry, but I’m drunk; wtf am I saying?? Burp….

    yeah, I have not met anyone who likes Trump nor Biden, so how is this happening? I had a boss, who was a CRAPitalist, make a lot of sense, when he said: “why the fuck would anyone smart wanna be president? I make more money than the president!”

    I pointed out how he had to bribe people, but politicians get bribed. He completely understood. He was a free-market republican; he voted for Biden. i did too. I most likely will again; I won’t vote 4 Trump.

    as I said in a previous post, with the erection being what it is, please be active on ur loco elektions.

    im gonna bong hit resin, drink another beer, and read some Vonnegut until I pass the fuck out. We’re fucked!
     
    atlastitan likes this.
  13. Spike one of many

    Spike one of many Experienced Member Uploader Active Member Forum Member


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    (I've got nothing against tactical voting. I totally get that.) I think it's more about power, ego, ideology, and/or leaving a legacy. A lot of these presidents already have lots of money. That's also very useful when you wanna get elected cos people trust they'll be above corruption. I don't quite understand why spineless Biden wants to be president (maybe it's also partly tactical but his Israel politics may cost him that advantage over Trump) but I understand why suck-up-to-dictators Trump wants to be president, I mean he'd love to be a Dictator himself, that's his dream. Ultimate power. He even said so himself.

    Other presidents believe they can actually make a change, only to reallise they either don't have the ability (because the system prevents them from doing so) or the balls to tackle corruption effectively.
    And those that are in it for the money, well they're very likely to become corrupt
    themselves.

    Interesting fact: they did a survey here in South Africa and more than half of the
    participants (I think it was over 60%) said that they wouldn't mind living under a dictator
    as long as he were benign. I do understand their reasoning, the problem is you can't get
    rid of dictator that easily, and if they do it usually ends up in a military dictatorship.
     
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  14. Spike one of many

    Spike one of many Experienced Member Uploader Active Member Forum Member


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    Let me correct myself here. This sounds a bit contradictory since I've already stated, and I think we agree that it's unlikely anyone would want to become president for the money alone.
    But once they're in power it can be an opportunity to "supplement" their income through corruption. Jacob Zuma comes to mind.
     
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  15. StacyFilth

    StacyFilth Member Forum Member


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    Jan 9, 2024
    Female , 30 years old
    Pennsylvania, United States  United States
    Alright, I feel the need to explain myself.

    I'm 29. I'll be 30 in May. I've been paying attention to politics and have considered myself an anarcho punk since I was like 12. I've noticed the trends and how things work over time.
    When I was growing up, most anarcho-punks I knew were anti-voting and preached against voting because they felt like voting legitimized the government we lived in. This was a fine belief until Donald Trump and the threat of actual fascism came around. I didn't vote the first election I was able to (2012) I didn't fucking care, and the fact of the matter is that if I talk to anyone older than me (even and especially other American anarcho-punks) they tell me that who was president didn't matter as much back in the day as it does now, and tbh I actually remember that if only vaguely.

    Donald Trump is a different beast entirely. He is comparable to Hitler, because he IS the Amerikkkan Hitler, saying he would be a dictator on day one. Anyone who doesn't take this threat seriously is lying to themselves. This is a big deal. I've studied Nazi Germany as well as the Spanish Civil War, I understand how fascism comes to be and we are VERY MUCH in a similar position here in Amerikkka these days.

    I didn't vote at all in 2016, naively believing that it didn't matter, because like I said, it used to not matter so much who was president, and I hated Hillary Clinton as much as I hated Donald Trump. I can honestly say that by 2020 I regretted this decision and begrudgingly voted for Joe Biden.

    As someone who isn't really young, but isn't really old at this point. I'm concerned by the shit I hear older people AND younger people saying. I don't feel like either are really taking the position we are in seriously enough. I don't think younger people understand how much different life in this country used to be and how much things have changed, but I also don't believe older people understand how much things have changed either. We are on the cusp of Amerikkka becoming a straight up fascist dictatorship like Mussolini's Italy or Nazi Germany.

    I hate Joe Biden for a lot of reasons (his support for Isreal being at the top of the list, but not the only reason), but I can honestly say that he is the lesser of two evils in this scenario because at least he won't be a dictator like Trump. (Keep in mind I am telling you this as someone who used to be anti-voting myself). Things have changed. Things are different in this country than they used to be.

    I can also say that, as much as I have ALWAYS hated both the Republicans and the Democrats, that I am old enough at this point to recognize that voting 3rd party is a waste of a vote. I've seen enough elections to realize that it's always either the Republicans or the Democrats that win, that is almost guaranteed. If you ask me, this election is honestly too high stakes to even consider wasting a vote on a 3rd party instead of casting a vote AGAINST Donald Trump's fascist ideology.

    Also, I am transgender. I feel very vulnerable these days, and I honestly believe that if Donald Trump is reelected, that I will be killed. This thought scares me and has been on my mind a lot every day for the past 8 or 9 months. Lives are at stake here, and it isn't just me, so keep that in mind with this upcoming election.

    I've waited for the death of Amerikkka as long as I can remember, because I've hated this country even before I discovered punk rock or anarchism. We are at the cusp of the death of Amerikkka as we know it, but anarchy won't prevail in its wake, it will be fascism. The only way to stop this to recognize what Donald Trump and the Republican party are doing and to put a stop to it. They can't win. It will be a huge disaster if they do. Not just for the average Amerikkkan, but for the entire world. Donald Trump must be stopped at all costs.
     
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  16. StacyFilth

    StacyFilth Member Forum Member


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    Jan 9, 2024
    Female , 30 years old
    Pennsylvania, United States  United States
    Also I mean, to be completely honest... I full heartedly advocate for the assassination of Donald Trump, Amy Coney Barret, and Brett Kavanaugh if you wanna create some real change via direct action.

    Propaganda by the deed would probably work in this context given the current state of affairs in Amerikkka.
     
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  17. atlastitan

    atlastitan Member Forum Member


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    Jan 27, 2024
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    Vermont, United States  United States
    Yeah, as a young trans person myself, I am really scared of the way I’ve seen the US going in the last couple years. I worry seeing not only what Trump advocates for, but what Biden has allowed southern states to do given that he claims to be on the side of LGBTQ+ people.
     
  18. Bones

    Bones Active Member Forum Member


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    Man, I feel you. The whole system is fucked up. No candidate seems worth it. But sitting out ain't the move either. Gotta figure out how to resist while navigating this mess.
     
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  19. kelliegator

    kelliegator New Member New Member


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    Sep 21, 2019
    Female , 34 years old
    Visby  Sweden
    I am trans, but I am not American, so I may not be able to fully understand the struggle some of y'all have been going through.

    I am against voting, but I am also against telling people what to do, if they want to vote, it won't bother me.

    My problem is that the whole election rhetoric gets very apocalyptic and no one even considers a plan B. Like, it will suck if Trumps wins, but surely you must have some sort of strategy for what to do if he does win? Surely that must be better than sitting on your ass complaining about it on social media.

    Stay safe, American comrades!
     
    HeavenHead likes this.
  20. aint ashamed

    aint ashamed Experienced Member Active Member


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    Aug 22, 2010
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     United States
    Too Much At Stake, Gotta Stop Satan Incarnate! ( of course that would be trump )
    :a: aint ashamed :antifa:
     
    Rune likes this.

21 members have read this thread this month

  1. atlastitan
  2. Punkginuity
  3. TreyofToday
  4. Chris Meitanis
  5. CameraBag
  6. Milo
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  9. pedrodalion
  10. ungovernable
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  17. Rune
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