• Pezevenk [he/him]
    ·
    4 years ago

    I'm not sure why the American left decided abstentionism is, like, a good leftist position or whatever.

    • Sacred_Excrement [comrade/them]
      ·
      edit-2
      4 years ago

      It's why I vote for leftist politicians and ignore parts of the ballot where that is not an option (or write someone in). Is La Riva perfect? No, but she's a hell of a lot better than Biden or Trump.

      • Pezevenk [he/him]
        ·
        4 years ago

        Yeah people forget that it doesn't matter if they get elected, getting votes helps both them and the rest of the country gauge support or dissatisfaction with other parties etc.

    • MarxMadness [comrade/them]
      ·
      4 years ago

      The problem is that it plays well in leftist circles, but looks ridiculous to any non-leftist who's politically active. Which is the more important audience?

      • Chapo0114 [comrade/them, he/him]
        ·
        4 years ago

        And voting for Biden looks complicit. I use my non vote at presidential level and votes down ballot to signal where the bulk of my disaffection lies.

        • MarxMadness [comrade/them]
          ·
          4 years ago

          I get that strategy, but I'm already here. I don't see evidence that people who aren't already leftists are receiving the message you're sending.

    • Catherine_Steward [she/her]
      ·
      4 years ago

      Having any position at all on who to vote for is completely pointless. So just let people enjoy memes about abstaining from the sham elections lol

      • Pezevenk [he/him]
        ·
        edit-2
        4 years ago

        What?

        Also no, you're not taking this seriously enough. There's more to politics than memes.

          • Pezevenk [he/him]
            ·
            4 years ago

            I'm not sure what you are saying either.

            But this is not just memes. It's actually counterproductive if people decide "haha abstentionism is so cool and true". Abstaining does absolutely nothing. You don't have to vote for someone to win. Obviously people who are not expecting to win or even get a lot of votes are still running for a reason (although there is also people who are expecting to achieve that on a more local level). Even if someone is not even anywhere close to doing well, gathering votes is a decent way to gauge support or dissatisfaction with other candidates and the popularity of some positions, as well as a way to gain more visibility. Not to mention that the vast majority people just won't take your politics seriously at all if you just say "fuck elections haha", especially when you're not doing great at presenting a viable alternative for them.

            So voting does matter, as does "electoralism" and they should be utilized because you just can't afford not to milk every last available avenue, especially when it is something as simple as just dropping a ballot in a box. Almost every major communist movement in the past has participated or tried to participate in elections of any kind etc whenever they were allowed to, regardless of their prospects of winning or the legitimacy of the process. There are reasons for that.

                • Catherine_Steward [she/her]
                  ·
                  4 years ago

                  If you think voting actually accomplishes anything you are simply wrong. There's really not any more to it than that.

                  • Pezevenk [he/him]
                    ·
                    4 years ago

                    I made an entire post where I explained to you why yes, it does indeed matter. And if you don't believe me at least believe... Idk, the bulk of communist parties since forever.

    • EATFOOD [none/use name]
      ·
      edit-2
      4 years ago

      your government is owned by bankers and arms contractors. the only "good" leftist position full-blown insurrection, last summer's rioting was a good start