As the 2024 presidential election approaches, a familiar narrative resurfaces: voting for a third-party candidate is tantamount to handing the election to the worst possible contender. It's crucial to be discerning about where you get your political advice, especially from those who are entrenched in the two-party system. Figures like
"Voting third party is not a waste; it's a powerful statement against a broken system. "
Amen! Voting your conscience is never a waste. The waste is voting for something you don't want. The great Eugene V. Debs said: "I'd rather vote for something I want and not get it than to vote for what I don't want and get it."
This is spot on. I'd add that it's incredible how intense the backlash from Democrats is when you proclaim you will vote your conscience. I did so here on Substack and on my blog (https://ivwords.com) a couple of weeks ago. I'm being called a traitor, a moron, a Trump enabler and on and on and on. I can only reply this way: First, Trump is a narcissistic dictator wannabe and Biden is a genocidist. Neither one deserves my vote. Second, it's astounding how people feel justified in telling me that following my conscience is wrong or ignorant when, just maybe, rather than criticizing my value system they should be examining their own.
100%. I'm troubled by Cornel West's history of pro-Israelism. I think the most credible voice and true transformative activism rests with Dr. Stein. She's been on the front lines since she was a student at Harvard.
It's only safe to vote 3 party if you are voting on a solid state e.g NY, CA, TX, etc. If you live in a swing state, voting 3rd party (unless you were otherwise going to vote GOP) is as good as voting for Trump. Biden has been not great on Gaza, but Trump will be incalculably worse. Try and change the system, sure, but voting for president is too high stakes for that.
Sadly - these doctrines of faith have zero evidentiary basis, to support them.
Trump is probably just as bad on Palestine - but he hasn't actively assisted an undeniable Genocide, yet. And he's even said a few things suggesting that the Netanyahu Regime had gone beyond what even he can stomach.
And let's not ignore the inevitable Nuclear War with Russia and China, if Biden is allowed to steal this next election.
Trump is many things - but I don't see him pushing for a suicidal nuclear exchange, sure to ruin business for everyone.
We've already seen the rollout, by active duty US Military and NATO officials of the idea of the NECESSITY for it (wars with Russia and China) in the media, and the plans have been in place since the days when Daniel Ellsberg was at Curtis LeMay's RAND Corporation...reupped by Dick Cheney and Wolfowitz, under Clinton - and then reasserted as a First-use/First-strike option by the people actually running the Biden Regime (in direct contravention of one of his campaign promises)...
So I'm going to classify what you just wrote as baseless, evidence-free contradiction/denial/stupidity - as I have plenty of evidence - anyone who's minimally informed would already know about, without need for me to start making citations. Jens Stoltenberg just yesterday engaged in Nuclear sabre rattling - so please wake the fuck-up, and shake yourself - out of whatever Trump Derangement Syndrome or Biden Cult membership would lead to say something of that sort.
As I literally just heard Caleb Maupin put it https://www.youtube.com/live/F0RVRmbqhDk - Trump's narcissism may have the upside, that he doesn't want to be remembered as the guy who starts WWIII. He WANTED to be the guy who made peace with the DPRK, and reunified the peninsula. He was thwarted initially by Pompeo amd Bolton, and the NeoCons within his own Administration and the CIA - but Joe Biden's managers were quick to nail that door shut, permanently, right upon taking over the office.
RFK Jr. actually outperforms both Trump and Biden, in favorability ratings - and in a 3 way race, could EASILY wind up winning, given a free and fair, uncorrupted elections process - which we lack, sadly.
You're apparently WILLFULLY IGNORANT about the incredibly dangerous position the Imperialist Warmongers in the Biden Regime have pushed us into. It's not JUST the incredibly stupid, and irresponsible nuclear threats being issued by Blinken, Sullivan and Nuland's NATO sock-puppet, Stoltenberg. It's the entire scenario caused by the Biden Regime's elective War of Aggression against Russia - culminating recently, in attacks upon Russia's strategic early warning radars. Based upon their publicly available Nuclear Doctrine - that alone could have started a Nuclear war, that you're not going to survive, no matter what you think, or who you're working for.
Russia's former President Medvedev, currently on their National Security Council, has just announced that they're going to start escalating into asymmetrical hybrid warfare - to match our own. They're going to arm America's enemies - with Hypersonic missiles, for which we have no reliable defenses. The situation has NEVER BEEN more dangerous. The Doomsday clock has never been this close to midnight...
Sure - Trump eventually sent the NAZIS in Ukraine some guns - but he didn't deliberately unleash them. And he didn't do it fast enough for the DNCIA Warmongering Democrats, so they impeached him. Joe Biden has me looking back longingly for the days of Trump. And if you weren't so clearly 'in the tank' for the gang of War Criminals, running things for Biden, you'd be more willing to acknowledge the basic elements of our common reality.
Really - one rarely see such DAMN FOOLISHNESS, as yours exhibited, outside of the Biden Regime's State and War Departments. "Shalom" - I guess by that you mean the Genocidal peace of the graveyard - as the ZioCons do in Occupied Palestine. Good luck to you David Strangelove.
You're either a Stalinist or a Putin apologist. That's your choice. When I'm personally attacked I choose to disengage. I'm blocking you, comrade. Adios amoeba!
Don't vote for sociopathic_ genocidal serial killers vote Green or vote more of the F'ing same BS. Bote for peaceful rational dialogue rather than perpetual wars. Use your words not your fists.
I have voted 3rd party in the past. The issue with 3rd parties is they focus on the presidential race. They need to build from the ground up if they want to be successful. They need to win offices at the local and state levels if they want to be successful.
The Green Party has over 1000 office holders at the state and local level. Not all "third parties" (I like to call them "alternative parties") only run every four years. BUT most states have rules that state that in order to be a recognized party in the state, the party MUST run a presidential candidate. That forces the alternative parties' hands, but it's also good publicity.
Still the same problem. A thousand office holders equals 20 per state. Not a lot. Play the game. Nominate someone for President but don't spend time and money there. Elect state senators and representatives. Elect a governor. Build it from the ground up. Even if a third party presidential candidate would win, they would probably be unsuccessful because the House and Senate would not pass her agenda. It would still be a standoff like today.
You should listen to Jill Stein's "organizer in chief speech." She can get things done and she won't be alone. If you live in Washington State's Congressional district 3, please consider voting for my friend Jason Call. In you're in North Carolina, please consider voting for my friend Michael Duncan for US Senate. If you're elsewhere, I can find out the Green Party candidates for you. Be positive and vote People, Planet and Peace (not continuing the genocide of Palestinians).
In my youth, I protested the Vietnam War, opposed LBJ, and supported politicians against the war. In hindsight more than 50 years later, LBJ was probably one of the most successful Presidents in modern times. He accomplished more than any President since. He passed the Civil Rights Act, and Voting Rights Act, and created Medicare and Medicaid. Yes, he made mistakes. Vietnam destroyed his Presidency. History will also judge Biden. He has accomplished more legislatively than most Presidents since LBJ. Yes, he has made decisions that I don't agree and so has every President in my lifetime. Look at Jimmy Carter. He was forced out of office by high inflation and the Iranian hostage crisis; yet, he has probably done more good in his post-presidency than any other President. I would vote for a Green Party candidate at the local or state level, but not the Presidential. The convicted dictator and antichrist can not be elected to a second term.
Of course, our political system here in the UK differs significantly from yours, but the argument still holds. Large swathes of our population feel utterly disenfranchised by what amounts to a two party system and we have seen that "voting for the lesser evil" has largely pushed political discourse ever further to the right, so that very mildly centre left social democratic views are portrayed as loony left extremism. None of this has been helped by the media focus on the far-right Farage and his succession of populist parties. Many of the disenfranchised see him as the only viable alternative to "business as usual", much as those in the US turned to Trump.
That's why so many here are calling for people to vote for independent candidates on July 4th - which has spawned the hashtag #IndependentsDay. I don't expect to see many such candidates actually win, but hope that giving both both major parties something to really worry about can force some sort of change. Though it's certainly possible things are going to get even worse before they can start getting better.
You build third party power from local out. That's what Democratic Socialists are doing. Voting third party before a realistic power base has been built is stupid. A garbage vote for president is not "Voting your conscience." If your conscience tells you to vote ineffectively your conscience is an infantile narcissist. Your presidential vote is not your identity. Stop looking at your navel thinking it's a mirror. Be productive. Because the people who are really doing hard work are going to find it extra hard with Trump in office. Don't handicap them because of your vanity. Grow some ovaries.
Voting third party isn't about vanity; it's about pushing for real change and challenging the status quo. If you want me to vote for a genocide aiding Democrat who is actively legitimizing the anti-immigrant racist right, then sell me on a longer strategy that will actually defeat, not temporarily delay, the right and how short term voting for Democrats will help that.
No it's not about voting for Real Change. Voting for Real Change is voting at the municipal and state level to build a base of power not some moronic narcissistic expression of your morals with no teeth behind it that hurts the actual people doing actual work.
My first presidential election was 1980. I voted for the candidate with the best solutions--Barry Commoner. I've also voted for Ralph Nader. I wholeheartedly agree we need a multi-party political system for full representation of American's concerns and ideals.
Robert Reich's post was more about the dangers of voting for RFK, Jr.
I don't support all of Joe Biden's policies like his latest executive order on immigration, and his foreign policy decisions, particularly in regards to Israel. However, he has made a fundamental shift from neoliberal economic policies that began after that fateful 1980 election to demand-side policies.
Our nation cannot survive another Trump administration. There are NO policies of the GOP, MAGA, or Trump I support. Project 2025 is more dangerous than Biden's tacit approval of Israeli war crimes. It just is!
If you live in a swing state voting third party isn't smart. It's a bitter pill to swallow, but the reality is a few hundred votes per state can be the difference.
I have no strong opinion either way, but I've heard from folks in other countries that multi-party systems tend to lead to watered-down versions of every ideology to rise to the top. I have no personal experience draw a strong opinion but that seems realistic. I only know a little about ranked-choice voting. Any thoughts on that?
Yeah, they've totally flipped the script, rather than they're losing because they're not listening to the people, it's they're losing because the people are not listening to their entitled a$$es. As long as people are going to continue voting for the duopoly this crap is going to continue.
So according to Robert Reich - to honor the RUSSIAN Victory over Fascism, 80 years ago... we need to support the guy who's now overtly arming Banderite Nazis, in Ukraine - as part of an American-led, NATO Empire war, against Russia... Boy... That sounds like genius advice...
And yes, as you pointed out - the man who scared Menachem Begin, with his bloodthirstiness and Genocidal Zionist Colonial Zeal - has been directly responsible for this lastest expression of Genocidal Zionist ethno-supremacism in Gaza, and the other parts of Occupied Palestine.
Good thing that we saved "Democracy" - 80 years ago 😂... I'm sure that it's a great solace to the (at least) hundreds of Millions that we've killed since, directly and indirectly. From his solitary prison cell at Belmarsh, Julian Assange must also be quite thankful. As are, no doubt, those who've target by our Intelligence Community, for their reporting - most recently several reporters at-, and the Grayzone itself. Those on the KILL LIST, maintained by our Ukrainian Proxies, and paid for by the largesse of our collapsing fiat currency, and its globalist masters in London and Switzerland will probably be willing to regard their potential murders as an anomalous but needful outlier - in the fight to keep Donald Trump, out of the White House.
While I was no fan of the 45th President, or the NeoCon swamp monsters that he allowed himself to be forced into empowering (often at the expense of his own publicly-stated Agenda) throughout his first term in office...I must say, that I've come to regard him as the LESSER of the two Evils, promoted by the American Uniparty. He's just the less competent of two major possibilities, for being the head of our crumbling Empire. When he says the quiet parts outloud - he exposes the cravenness and evil of American policy... By contrast, Joe Biden's incantations are much prettier-sounding, funhouse mirror inversions and distortions of reality. Whatever he says, you can just assume that the opposite is true. And that holds doubly true for his surrogates, like his ReichsTwitterer, Robert.
While the world has been distracted with Grandpas Joe's bloody wars for Monopolar Global Imperial Hegemony - he's been quietly working to end any semblance of "Democracy"; whether here in America, or around the world.
Illegally under their own rules, the WHO's World Health Assembly - has recently advanced "amendments" to the "International Health Regulations" - that seek to empower Tigrayan Terrorist, and Bill Gates crony/apparatchik Tedrose Ad Hominem to become the High ruler of the Globalist Technocratic Totalitarian Empire - as soon as he decides (without any appeals available) - that there's another Plandemic afoot...or perhaps just deemed convenient and necessary for already stated Global Plutocratic/Oligarchical Agendas - like massive depopulation (meaning Democide) and the virtual enslavement of the survivors. And the Biden Regime has also proposed a largely redundant "Pandemic Treaty" which while currently stalled, may yet move forward. Unlike the IHR "amendments", at least the Treaty would theoretically require ratification by the Senate.
The "amendments" go into effect, in 18 months, unless a given nation announces their withdrawal from the IHR Compact, or the WHO, itself. In this respect - I would say that either Trump or RFK Jr. would be a preferred winner of the 2024 contest - because either or both, might be willing to thwart this transparent Global powergrab attempt, orchestrated by the Davos Eugenicist/Transhumanist Philanthropath Class.
As I recall, Trump withdrew US support for the WHO. The next President NEEDS to exeunt this Nation from the Globalist Suicide Pact, that the WHO represents, now - or initiate MASSIVE and IMMEDIATE reforms, to what has become an unaccountable and potentially dictatorial Global body. Based upon past behavior and positions, RFK Jr. and Trump appear to be the Candidates most likely to take these needful and drastic steps - necessitated by the Perfidy (frankly, TREASON) of the Joe Biden Regime, in PUSHING FOR, these IHR "amendments", and "Pandemic Treaty".
Neither Trump nor RFK Jr. is any improvement over Biden, when it comes to unconditional support for the Genocidal Zionist Apartheid Settler-Colonial Entity. But sadly, that appears to be by systemic design. Nobody with a better position, will ever be allowed even a whiff of a chance at being elevated to the Presidency, it seems. But the good news, is that when Trump is in power, the rest of the left will predictably awaken from their 4 year nap. We'll have 'pussy hat' marches again - and brunch will be cancelled. Assuming that he can get onto the ballot in all 50 States, RFK Jr. looks to be the best we can hope for. He's progressive in many ways, and has established his bona fides in opposing the Globalist BioSecurity and Hybrid BioWarfare State/Empire, during the horrors of the Plandemic.
I really WISH that I could take the Cornel West and Jill Stein campaigns seriously... But after watching West's intellectual collapse, in an interview with Jimmy Dore, it's been apparent that his campaign isn't what it appears to be. He just submitted a grand total of 4,000 signatures in New York - which is nowhere close to the number needed, to appear on the ballot there. Jill Stein submitted a much larger number of signatures, but still fell short of the threshold required. I'd love to see her being interviewed by Jimmy Dore - but she's clearly afraid of the questions he's already been asking, about her advice to Cornel West, that he engage the services of "Peter Douche", a longtime Clintonite swine, who later made a public recantation - but many of us still have doubts.
Let's not forget Claudia Dela Cruz... She's perhaps the best on Palestine and anti-Zionism/anti-Colonialism - if people are looking for a progressive protest vote, with 0 actual chance of winning.
As for lesser offices - Jose Vega, recently submitted more signatures than he needed, to challenge AIPAC's darling in the Bronx, Richie Torres. A long term and committed activist against the Imperialists' wars, and Fauxgressive "Squad" collapses on those issues - he deserves our support, from around the country.
"Voting third party is not a waste; it's a powerful statement against a broken system. "
Amen! Voting your conscience is never a waste. The waste is voting for something you don't want. The great Eugene V. Debs said: "I'd rather vote for something I want and not get it than to vote for what I don't want and get it."
This is spot on. I'd add that it's incredible how intense the backlash from Democrats is when you proclaim you will vote your conscience. I did so here on Substack and on my blog (https://ivwords.com) a couple of weeks ago. I'm being called a traitor, a moron, a Trump enabler and on and on and on. I can only reply this way: First, Trump is a narcissistic dictator wannabe and Biden is a genocidist. Neither one deserves my vote. Second, it's astounding how people feel justified in telling me that following my conscience is wrong or ignorant when, just maybe, rather than criticizing my value system they should be examining their own.
Hey, Hey, wait a second!!!!
CARTOON: The HUGE Difference Between Democrats & GOP!!!
https://mark192.substack.com/p/cartoon-the-huge-difference-between
🇵🇸💔🙏
100%. I'm troubled by Cornel West's history of pro-Israelism. I think the most credible voice and true transformative activism rests with Dr. Stein. She's been on the front lines since she was a student at Harvard.
It's only safe to vote 3 party if you are voting on a solid state e.g NY, CA, TX, etc. If you live in a swing state, voting 3rd party (unless you were otherwise going to vote GOP) is as good as voting for Trump. Biden has been not great on Gaza, but Trump will be incalculably worse. Try and change the system, sure, but voting for president is too high stakes for that.
Sadly - these doctrines of faith have zero evidentiary basis, to support them.
Trump is probably just as bad on Palestine - but he hasn't actively assisted an undeniable Genocide, yet. And he's even said a few things suggesting that the Netanyahu Regime had gone beyond what even he can stomach.
And let's not ignore the inevitable Nuclear War with Russia and China, if Biden is allowed to steal this next election.
Trump is many things - but I don't see him pushing for a suicidal nuclear exchange, sure to ruin business for everyone.
You have a zero evidentiary basis for your claims about Trump, Biden, or nuclear exchanges with China and/or Russia. Thanks for sharing.
Yeah... No.
We've already seen the rollout, by active duty US Military and NATO officials of the idea of the NECESSITY for it (wars with Russia and China) in the media, and the plans have been in place since the days when Daniel Ellsberg was at Curtis LeMay's RAND Corporation...reupped by Dick Cheney and Wolfowitz, under Clinton - and then reasserted as a First-use/First-strike option by the people actually running the Biden Regime (in direct contravention of one of his campaign promises)...
So I'm going to classify what you just wrote as baseless, evidence-free contradiction/denial/stupidity - as I have plenty of evidence - anyone who's minimally informed would already know about, without need for me to start making citations. Jens Stoltenberg just yesterday engaged in Nuclear sabre rattling - so please wake the fuck-up, and shake yourself - out of whatever Trump Derangement Syndrome or Biden Cult membership would lead to say something of that sort.
As I literally just heard Caleb Maupin put it https://www.youtube.com/live/F0RVRmbqhDk - Trump's narcissism may have the upside, that he doesn't want to be remembered as the guy who starts WWIII. He WANTED to be the guy who made peace with the DPRK, and reunified the peninsula. He was thwarted initially by Pompeo amd Bolton, and the NeoCons within his own Administration and the CIA - but Joe Biden's managers were quick to nail that door shut, permanently, right upon taking over the office.
Sure Comrade. Vote for West, Stein, or RFK, Jr. Or Eugene Debs. Or Emma Goldman.
Your evidence sounds like paranoia. Nuclear saber rattling is just that.
Also, in this case, take the log out of your own eye, etc. I'm not brainwashed or hypnotized.
Also, what's so bad about living in a huge underground fallout shelter? It seems real cool in that TV series based on a video game.
Shalom.
RFK Jr. actually outperforms both Trump and Biden, in favorability ratings - and in a 3 way race, could EASILY wind up winning, given a free and fair, uncorrupted elections process - which we lack, sadly.
You're apparently WILLFULLY IGNORANT about the incredibly dangerous position the Imperialist Warmongers in the Biden Regime have pushed us into. It's not JUST the incredibly stupid, and irresponsible nuclear threats being issued by Blinken, Sullivan and Nuland's NATO sock-puppet, Stoltenberg. It's the entire scenario caused by the Biden Regime's elective War of Aggression against Russia - culminating recently, in attacks upon Russia's strategic early warning radars. Based upon their publicly available Nuclear Doctrine - that alone could have started a Nuclear war, that you're not going to survive, no matter what you think, or who you're working for.
Russia's former President Medvedev, currently on their National Security Council, has just announced that they're going to start escalating into asymmetrical hybrid warfare - to match our own. They're going to arm America's enemies - with Hypersonic missiles, for which we have no reliable defenses. The situation has NEVER BEEN more dangerous. The Doomsday clock has never been this close to midnight...
Sure - Trump eventually sent the NAZIS in Ukraine some guns - but he didn't deliberately unleash them. And he didn't do it fast enough for the DNCIA Warmongering Democrats, so they impeached him. Joe Biden has me looking back longingly for the days of Trump. And if you weren't so clearly 'in the tank' for the gang of War Criminals, running things for Biden, you'd be more willing to acknowledge the basic elements of our common reality.
Really - one rarely see such DAMN FOOLISHNESS, as yours exhibited, outside of the Biden Regime's State and War Departments. "Shalom" - I guess by that you mean the Genocidal peace of the graveyard - as the ZioCons do in Occupied Palestine. Good luck to you David Strangelove.
You're either a Stalinist or a Putin apologist. That's your choice. When I'm personally attacked I choose to disengage. I'm blocking you, comrade. Adios amoeba!
https://www.youtube.com/live/A4fll7taZTw
https://www.youtube.com/live/W4nzeZiVMIU
Trump moved the US Embassy to jerusalem, declaring Jerusalem the capital of Israel. Don't be a moron
Everyone everywhere vote peace over war.
Don't vote for sociopathic_ genocidal serial killers vote Green or vote more of the F'ing same BS. Bote for peaceful rational dialogue rather than perpetual wars. Use your words not your fists.
I have voted 3rd party in the past. The issue with 3rd parties is they focus on the presidential race. They need to build from the ground up if they want to be successful. They need to win offices at the local and state levels if they want to be successful.
The Green Party has over 1000 office holders at the state and local level. Not all "third parties" (I like to call them "alternative parties") only run every four years. BUT most states have rules that state that in order to be a recognized party in the state, the party MUST run a presidential candidate. That forces the alternative parties' hands, but it's also good publicity.
Still the same problem. A thousand office holders equals 20 per state. Not a lot. Play the game. Nominate someone for President but don't spend time and money there. Elect state senators and representatives. Elect a governor. Build it from the ground up. Even if a third party presidential candidate would win, they would probably be unsuccessful because the House and Senate would not pass her agenda. It would still be a standoff like today.
You should listen to Jill Stein's "organizer in chief speech." She can get things done and she won't be alone. If you live in Washington State's Congressional district 3, please consider voting for my friend Jason Call. In you're in North Carolina, please consider voting for my friend Michael Duncan for US Senate. If you're elsewhere, I can find out the Green Party candidates for you. Be positive and vote People, Planet and Peace (not continuing the genocide of Palestinians).
In my youth, I protested the Vietnam War, opposed LBJ, and supported politicians against the war. In hindsight more than 50 years later, LBJ was probably one of the most successful Presidents in modern times. He accomplished more than any President since. He passed the Civil Rights Act, and Voting Rights Act, and created Medicare and Medicaid. Yes, he made mistakes. Vietnam destroyed his Presidency. History will also judge Biden. He has accomplished more legislatively than most Presidents since LBJ. Yes, he has made decisions that I don't agree and so has every President in my lifetime. Look at Jimmy Carter. He was forced out of office by high inflation and the Iranian hostage crisis; yet, he has probably done more good in his post-presidency than any other President. I would vote for a Green Party candidate at the local or state level, but not the Presidential. The convicted dictator and antichrist can not be elected to a second term.
Of course, our political system here in the UK differs significantly from yours, but the argument still holds. Large swathes of our population feel utterly disenfranchised by what amounts to a two party system and we have seen that "voting for the lesser evil" has largely pushed political discourse ever further to the right, so that very mildly centre left social democratic views are portrayed as loony left extremism. None of this has been helped by the media focus on the far-right Farage and his succession of populist parties. Many of the disenfranchised see him as the only viable alternative to "business as usual", much as those in the US turned to Trump.
That's why so many here are calling for people to vote for independent candidates on July 4th - which has spawned the hashtag #IndependentsDay. I don't expect to see many such candidates actually win, but hope that giving both both major parties something to really worry about can force some sort of change. Though it's certainly possible things are going to get even worse before they can start getting better.
You build third party power from local out. That's what Democratic Socialists are doing. Voting third party before a realistic power base has been built is stupid. A garbage vote for president is not "Voting your conscience." If your conscience tells you to vote ineffectively your conscience is an infantile narcissist. Your presidential vote is not your identity. Stop looking at your navel thinking it's a mirror. Be productive. Because the people who are really doing hard work are going to find it extra hard with Trump in office. Don't handicap them because of your vanity. Grow some ovaries.
Voting third party isn't about vanity; it's about pushing for real change and challenging the status quo. If you want me to vote for a genocide aiding Democrat who is actively legitimizing the anti-immigrant racist right, then sell me on a longer strategy that will actually defeat, not temporarily delay, the right and how short term voting for Democrats will help that.
No it's not about voting for Real Change. Voting for Real Change is voting at the municipal and state level to build a base of power not some moronic narcissistic expression of your morals with no teeth behind it that hurts the actual people doing actual work.
My first presidential election was 1980. I voted for the candidate with the best solutions--Barry Commoner. I've also voted for Ralph Nader. I wholeheartedly agree we need a multi-party political system for full representation of American's concerns and ideals.
Robert Reich's post was more about the dangers of voting for RFK, Jr.
I don't support all of Joe Biden's policies like his latest executive order on immigration, and his foreign policy decisions, particularly in regards to Israel. However, he has made a fundamental shift from neoliberal economic policies that began after that fateful 1980 election to demand-side policies.
Our nation cannot survive another Trump administration. There are NO policies of the GOP, MAGA, or Trump I support. Project 2025 is more dangerous than Biden's tacit approval of Israeli war crimes. It just is!
If you live in a swing state voting third party isn't smart. It's a bitter pill to swallow, but the reality is a few hundred votes per state can be the difference.
Shalom!
I have no strong opinion either way, but I've heard from folks in other countries that multi-party systems tend to lead to watered-down versions of every ideology to rise to the top. I have no personal experience draw a strong opinion but that seems realistic. I only know a little about ranked-choice voting. Any thoughts on that?
Yeah, they've totally flipped the script, rather than they're losing because they're not listening to the people, it's they're losing because the people are not listening to their entitled a$$es. As long as people are going to continue voting for the duopoly this crap is going to continue.
So according to Robert Reich - to honor the RUSSIAN Victory over Fascism, 80 years ago... we need to support the guy who's now overtly arming Banderite Nazis, in Ukraine - as part of an American-led, NATO Empire war, against Russia... Boy... That sounds like genius advice...
And yes, as you pointed out - the man who scared Menachem Begin, with his bloodthirstiness and Genocidal Zionist Colonial Zeal - has been directly responsible for this lastest expression of Genocidal Zionist ethno-supremacism in Gaza, and the other parts of Occupied Palestine.
Good thing that we saved "Democracy" - 80 years ago 😂... I'm sure that it's a great solace to the (at least) hundreds of Millions that we've killed since, directly and indirectly. From his solitary prison cell at Belmarsh, Julian Assange must also be quite thankful. As are, no doubt, those who've target by our Intelligence Community, for their reporting - most recently several reporters at-, and the Grayzone itself. Those on the KILL LIST, maintained by our Ukrainian Proxies, and paid for by the largesse of our collapsing fiat currency, and its globalist masters in London and Switzerland will probably be willing to regard their potential murders as an anomalous but needful outlier - in the fight to keep Donald Trump, out of the White House.
While I was no fan of the 45th President, or the NeoCon swamp monsters that he allowed himself to be forced into empowering (often at the expense of his own publicly-stated Agenda) throughout his first term in office...I must say, that I've come to regard him as the LESSER of the two Evils, promoted by the American Uniparty. He's just the less competent of two major possibilities, for being the head of our crumbling Empire. When he says the quiet parts outloud - he exposes the cravenness and evil of American policy... By contrast, Joe Biden's incantations are much prettier-sounding, funhouse mirror inversions and distortions of reality. Whatever he says, you can just assume that the opposite is true. And that holds doubly true for his surrogates, like his ReichsTwitterer, Robert.
While the world has been distracted with Grandpas Joe's bloody wars for Monopolar Global Imperial Hegemony - he's been quietly working to end any semblance of "Democracy"; whether here in America, or around the world.
Illegally under their own rules, the WHO's World Health Assembly - has recently advanced "amendments" to the "International Health Regulations" - that seek to empower Tigrayan Terrorist, and Bill Gates crony/apparatchik Tedrose Ad Hominem to become the High ruler of the Globalist Technocratic Totalitarian Empire - as soon as he decides (without any appeals available) - that there's another Plandemic afoot...or perhaps just deemed convenient and necessary for already stated Global Plutocratic/Oligarchical Agendas - like massive depopulation (meaning Democide) and the virtual enslavement of the survivors. And the Biden Regime has also proposed a largely redundant "Pandemic Treaty" which while currently stalled, may yet move forward. Unlike the IHR "amendments", at least the Treaty would theoretically require ratification by the Senate.
The "amendments" go into effect, in 18 months, unless a given nation announces their withdrawal from the IHR Compact, or the WHO, itself. In this respect - I would say that either Trump or RFK Jr. would be a preferred winner of the 2024 contest - because either or both, might be willing to thwart this transparent Global powergrab attempt, orchestrated by the Davos Eugenicist/Transhumanist Philanthropath Class.
As I recall, Trump withdrew US support for the WHO. The next President NEEDS to exeunt this Nation from the Globalist Suicide Pact, that the WHO represents, now - or initiate MASSIVE and IMMEDIATE reforms, to what has become an unaccountable and potentially dictatorial Global body. Based upon past behavior and positions, RFK Jr. and Trump appear to be the Candidates most likely to take these needful and drastic steps - necessitated by the Perfidy (frankly, TREASON) of the Joe Biden Regime, in PUSHING FOR, these IHR "amendments", and "Pandemic Treaty".
Neither Trump nor RFK Jr. is any improvement over Biden, when it comes to unconditional support for the Genocidal Zionist Apartheid Settler-Colonial Entity. But sadly, that appears to be by systemic design. Nobody with a better position, will ever be allowed even a whiff of a chance at being elevated to the Presidency, it seems. But the good news, is that when Trump is in power, the rest of the left will predictably awaken from their 4 year nap. We'll have 'pussy hat' marches again - and brunch will be cancelled. Assuming that he can get onto the ballot in all 50 States, RFK Jr. looks to be the best we can hope for. He's progressive in many ways, and has established his bona fides in opposing the Globalist BioSecurity and Hybrid BioWarfare State/Empire, during the horrors of the Plandemic.
I really WISH that I could take the Cornel West and Jill Stein campaigns seriously... But after watching West's intellectual collapse, in an interview with Jimmy Dore, it's been apparent that his campaign isn't what it appears to be. He just submitted a grand total of 4,000 signatures in New York - which is nowhere close to the number needed, to appear on the ballot there. Jill Stein submitted a much larger number of signatures, but still fell short of the threshold required. I'd love to see her being interviewed by Jimmy Dore - but she's clearly afraid of the questions he's already been asking, about her advice to Cornel West, that he engage the services of "Peter Douche", a longtime Clintonite swine, who later made a public recantation - but many of us still have doubts.
Let's not forget Claudia Dela Cruz... She's perhaps the best on Palestine and anti-Zionism/anti-Colonialism - if people are looking for a progressive protest vote, with 0 actual chance of winning.
As for lesser offices - Jose Vega, recently submitted more signatures than he needed, to challenge AIPAC's darling in the Bronx, Richie Torres. A long term and committed activist against the Imperialists' wars, and Fauxgressive "Squad" collapses on those issues - he deserves our support, from around the country.
Death to the Duopoly! Communism will win ✊ DO NOT VOTE FOR IMPERIALISM !