I don’t like Biden either, but anyone with half a brain knows there are two choices in the 2020 election. If we had a sane voting system, voting third party might be worth it, but as it stands, no one but you knows your favorite candidate exists and unless you want to become their campaign manager that will still be true in November. Even if you did, and even if you convinced two thirds of the people who would otherwise have voted for Biden to vote for your chosen candidate instead, Trump would still win because half the country voted for him and your guy only got a third. If you vote third party you might as well stay home.

Not voting isn’t going to stop the genocide in Gaza. The US will continue to funnel them arms no matter which candidate wins this November. Trump practically campaigns on how much he hates the Jews and he’s publicly told Israel to “finish up their war”. He’ll also make life a living hell for anyone who isn’t a straight cisgender male back here at home.

A vote for a candidate is not an endorsement of them or their policies, it’s a statement that you like their policies more than the other guy’s, and “sticking it to liberals” and “refusing to support genocide” (that’s not what voting for Biden is doing, by the way – a vote for either candidate is a vote for genocide and a vote for neither is an endorsement of both) is not more important than keeping the furthest right politician America has ever seen out of office.

How incredibly privileged do you have to be to see an entire national election as what will happen in the Middle East and ignore Trump’s campaign promises to wipe transgender Americans off the map, and further, to not realize that the same thing will happen in the Middle East regardless of which candidate wins?

I hate Biden as much as every other leftist here. But I’ll still vote for him because Trump is worse. If there’s a single bone in your body that cares about the lives of your trans friends you will too.

  • doubtingtammy
    291·
    3 months ago

    I hate Biden as much as every other leftist here. But I’ll still vote for him because Trump is worse. If there’s a single bone in your body that cares about the lives of your trans friends you will too.

    I’m a trans person. Here’s what I’m most concerned about: the dehumanization of Palestinians and immigrants. Biden has gone along 100% with the dehumanization of these groups

    how the fuck am I supposed to trust Democrats that claim to support trans people when this is how they support Palestine? This is a president thats supporting an ongoing genocide while persuing draconian immigration policies. Am I supposed to just throw those groups under the bus for my own personal gain?

    You’ve made it abundantly clear that if Biden was pushing anti-trans policies, you’d still support him. You’ve made it clear there is absolutely nothing Biden could do that would lose your support.

    • UNY0N@lemmy.world
      304·
      3 months ago

      It’s not about support. It’s not about 100% agreement with Biden’s policies. It’s about using your vote as a tactical choice to influece the government as best you can.

      Each US citizen has three options: vote for Trump, vote for Biden, or don’t vote. For me it’s clear what the only viable choice is.

      By all means protest. By all means vote undecided in the primary. Of course we should use other means to put pressure on someone like Biden to change his policies. But at the end of the day he’s playing the tactical game too. And so is Israel, btw. They know that the US is weakened by the election cycle, that Biden’s hands are tied right now by the need to retain centrist votes.

      It’s a practical decision, that should be made not based on an ideal world, but based on the real world in which we currently live and the options we actually have.

      • Cowbee
        20·
        3 months ago

        How does commiting to voting for Biden this far out from the election influence his policy? If he knows he has the leftist vote, why would he change? Why would leftists give up the only leverage allowed to them to continue genocide and liberalism, rather than protest and force concessions from Biden?

        • doubtingtammy
          13·
          3 months ago

          I just want to add: this isn’t only a leftists thing. This is a Michigan thing. It’s Muslims and Arabs who are watching their brethren slaughtered.

          • EndlessNightmare@reddthat.com
            1·
            3 months ago

            This is a key point. Biden is playing a dangerous game if he is serious about winning this.

            I have no stats to back this, but I’d wager that leftists are more willing to concede and vote for Biden than Muslims and Arabs.

          • Cowbee
            12·
            3 months ago

            So then protest against Biden as hard as you can, now.

            • Juergen@lemmy.sdf.org
              11·
              3 months ago

              Absolutely do that. But still vote against Trump in November. And due to the aforementioned flaws, in a tight race, abstaining or voting 3rd party may be ideologically superior, but tactically ill-advised.

              • knightly@pawb.social
                10·
                3 months ago

                Make up your mind, do you want people to protest or to make themselves safely ignorable by promising their votes six months in advance?

    • Habahnow@sh.itjust.works
      251·
      3 months ago

      Yeah you’re right, trump is better. /S Don’t let perfect be the enemy of progress. Trump will ensure to help Israel, and he will look for more ways to hurt trans people.

          • doubtingtammy
            17·
            3 months ago

            In September 2023, did you think you’d be supporting a candidate that you acknowledge is committing a genocide? Because my expectations for liberals in 2023 were already very low. But this is some Nazi Germany shit that we’re living in now.

            • CluelessLemmyng@lemmy.sdf.org
              143·
              3 months ago

              In September of 2023, I was prepared to vote blue in my State of Virginia, where we had a Red governor, a Blue Senate, and a Red House with the legislature seats all up for grabs. Now the legislative branch is Blue and the Governor is kept firmly in check and unlikely to run for President any longer.

              And I never acknowledged Biden supported genocide; merely pointing out your fallacy in supporting actual genocide. In fact, the actions of the Biden administration to Palestinians in the US is contrary to your claims of the administration supporting genocide: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/biden-protects-palestinian-immigrants-in-u-s-from-deportation-israel-hamas-war/

              • gamermanh@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
                14·
                3 months ago

                In fact, the actions of the Biden administration to Palestinians in the US is contrary to your claims of the administration supporting genocide:

                Doing minor shit while paying lip service to the idea that maybe you’ll actually do something about your closest ally committing a genocide is WEAK. Especially when it’s almost 6 months after this shit already started.

                It’s very clear that Biden supports this genocide and is only now doing something about it because the commoners are actually reacting to it

              • doubtingtammy
                11·
                3 months ago

                In fact, the actions of the Biden administration to Palestinians in the US is contrary to your claims of the administration supporting genocide:

                This is an honestly insulting thing to say. We have eyes. We know where the missiles are made. We know that a convoy of trucks can deliver more aid than air drops and a dock built out of rubble and corpses. The Biden administration supports genocide in palestine. Full stop. No amount of gaslighting can change that fact.

      • WraithGear@lemmy.worldEnglish
        6·
        3 months ago

        There is no better time to make demands from the Democratic Party than right. now. as they need progressives and leftists to win. They have shown time and time again they are not willing to change their party in times of ease.

        • Habahnow@sh.itjust.works
          5·
          3 months ago

          You want to change them? Get them to the white house. If Biden loses and becomes a perfect angel attempting to fulfill your every wish, want to know what you get? Whatever the fuck Trump wants to give you for 4 years. That’s continued Genocide in Gaza, and more laws restricting Trans rights.

          To say that Democrats have not changed party in all these years is ridiculous. The first US president to join a picket line is Joe Biden. The largest investment to fight global warming was signed by Joe Biden.

          You want Democrats to pass more things? they need more than just a 1 vote lead in the senate. They need to control congress AND the presidency.

          • WraithGear@lemmy.worldEnglish
            3·
            3 months ago

            And i probably will, but this “you don’t have a choice, so shut up about criticizing Biden because in 6 months there will be an election” Is very much bull shit. Sounds like people who are happy with a right wing Democratic Party don’t want the disenfranchised to have a say. Right now is THE time to call out Biden for his horse shit. And if he loses the next election, that’s not on the disenfranchised voters, that’s on the democrats for disenfranchising their voters. If we ever get ranked choice voting i will most Likely never vote democrat again. And i wonder if that’s why they kill voting reform

      • doubtingtammy
        11·
        3 months ago

        It’s like that old poem:

        First they came for the immigrants.

        So I also went after the immigrants, because the other side was going to go after them worse

        Then they came for the Palestinians.

        So I also went after the Palestinians because the other side would’ve gone after the Palestinians even worse…

      • LinkOpensChest.wav@lemmy.blahaj.zone
        7·
        3 months ago

        Even if they don’t do this one thing better

        1. It’s not “just one thing”

        2. One of those things is making a straight up genocide possible

        If we’re not actively trying to get him to change course now while he’s the sitting president, then I scarcely see the point in voting in November. If we’re going to tolerate a genocide and the myth of a “border crisis” to extend the arm of fascism. If we’re not willing to speak up now, then that means we’re not willing to stand for LGBTQIA+ people either. And make no mistake about it: Biden is not an ally.

        I’m not saying don’t vote, but I’m saying now is the time to pressure him to change course. He’s not going to do so on his own. He’s less moral than the worst serial killer, to put it into perspective.

      • Cowbee
        6·
        3 months ago

        What do you think shapes the policy of the Democrats, their morals, or their material goals? Do you think politicians are just “good” and “bad” people who can be swayed by a good conversation, at large, or do you believe policy is dictated by material realities?

        How do you wish to get meaningful change?