• QuandaleDingle@lemmy.world
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    9 months ago

    The Green Party. But nah, apparently republican democracy doesn’t work like that. Winners take all.

    • silence7@slrpnk.netOPM
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      9 months ago

      First-past-the-post does not. Let’s look at three scenarios:

      Scenario 1:

      Democrat: 10 votes

      Repbulican: 9 votes

      Green: 0 votes

      Democrat wins


      Scenario 2:

      Democrat: 9 votes

      Repbulican: 9 votes

      Green: 1 vote

      Tied election, decided by a coin toss


      Scenario 3:

      Democrat: 8 votes

      Repbulican: 9 votes

      Green: 2 votes

      Republican wins outright


      This spoiler effect is well-known, and why for any first-past-the-post election, it’s worth voting for the candidate with a large coalition who is closest to your position, rather than a tiny third party. You even see Republicans funding the US green party in order to damage Democrats.

      • Sybil@lemmy.world
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        9 months ago

        if republicans are funding the greens, it sounds to me like they are closer to me than democrats.

        but i’m not voting for either of them.

        • dangblingus@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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          9 months ago

          That’s a rather naive and myopic way of looking at politics and you ought to do more research before committing your vote.

          • Sybil@lemmy.world
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            9 months ago

            i’ve been donating to cornel west monthly, but i might end up voting for jill stein again anyway, and it has literally nothing to do with what republicans think is in their own interest.

            • silence7@slrpnk.netOPM
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              9 months ago

              Polls make it very clear that they both serve as spoilers in the general election. Every bit of support they have means that Trump is more likely to be elected.

              • Sybil@lemmy.world
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                9 months ago

                the narrative of spoilers assumes that the votes belong to one party and are stolen by the other. this is wrong. the votes belong to the voters and it is up to candidates to win them.

                • silence7@slrpnk.netOPM
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                  9 months ago

                  It’s reality though; their decision to be on the ballot (and yours to provide financial support) increases the odds of a Trump win.

                  Changing how elections are done could change that, but under the system we have, that’s what the impact of your actions is, no matter what you tell yourself.

                  Cornel West is financially supported by big-time Republican donors for precisely because of this.

                  • Sybil@lemmy.world
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                    9 months ago

                    i have a policy of voting only for candidates who i want to win. it’s not a team sport for me. its not placing a bet for me. it’s a matter of choosing the candidate i want to win.

              • Sybil@lemmy.world
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                9 months ago

                Polls make it very clear that they both serve as spoilers in the general election

                not for me. i haven’t voted for a democrat for president since 2008. i don’t believe you’ll find a single person who is voting for them who would have otherwise voted for biden or trump.

        • Quadhammer@lemmy.world
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          9 months ago

          While not to diminish the presidency but people REALLY need to vote more in local elections. If more people want dems locally then it will help you get a more suitable president