I agree strategic voting is a good thing. I never said or implied it isn’t. But it seems like your trying to straw-man me here.
Please explain how not voting for someone = handing someone else a vote.
To put it in another context, if I say I don’t want to go to applebee’s, does that mean I’m supporting going to olive garden? Here’s another one. If a republican withholds voting for trump in the general, does that mean they are handing a vote to biden even if they don’t vote for president at all?
Anyone who wants to run on ranked choice or proportional representation will get my vote
There’s a newish party for that. See the forward party.
It is an extremely prevalent delusion to think that we can only choose from the 2 parties nominees for president or any other office. But it is a very convenient delusion for party insiders and elites of DC that neither party is interested in dismantling.
That is not to say we shouldn’t be strategic in our votes. That means voting for the best(This is highly subjective and will usually come down to the lesser evil) candidate there is for a given race. Because it is also a delusion to think that everyone will suddenly realize they don’t have to vote for either party and elect a different candidate. Especially when other candidates aren’t really much better than the party candidates.
Yeah, I’m not gonna watch an hour long video. If you put it in your own words why you are opposed to them, I will certainly listen. I don’t come to lemmy to watch videos telling me who or what I should support. I come for discussion. So if you want to convince me, explain your view.
That’s fair. It’s a fun to watch infotainment type show if you’re not familiar. You could probably jump to 40:48 and see most of what I say below.
Summing it up, they don’t stand for anything and there is no reason for the Forward Party to actually be a party. They could simply be a voting rights activist group since that’s all they claim as a platform. They don’t even have Yang’s signature Universal Basic Income as a policy. Yang’s Old Forward Party merged with the groups Serve America Movement (SAM) and Renew America Movement (RAM). The entire party is run by former Reagan, Bush and Trump administration staff and Never Trump Republicans. Surprisingly for a party entirely based on changing the voting system, they do not advocate for elimination of the electoral college (shocking since it so heavily favors Republicans). In short, it’s a conservative scam.
Thanks for giving me your take on it. My take on the Forward party in general is that it is somewhat of a single issue party focused on improving our democratic system through issues such as Ranked Choice Voting and open primaries. I do agree that a they could conceivably function as a advocacy group, and I also can see how organizing as a party can have advantages as the entire point of parties is to influence public policy like voting. They are essentially acting as an advocacy group for candidates who support their proposed reforms right now. If a state representative or senator promises to support their policies, they will help to funnel support to them by endorsing and promoting them.
State representatives are the people who have the power to change the voting system like they propose. But they do not have really have any reason to in our current system. If they replace our current First Past The Post voting system they would be opening the door for allowing more parties to have a chance to represent their constituents.
Sure, there are some conservatives that have joined, but I think you are exaggerating that the party is only run by them. Yang is on the board and he is no conservative even if he is willing to ally with them. I can understand and sympathize why you don’t like the association with conservatives. I don’t either really. I’m sure that part of the reason the UBI and elimination of the electoral college is absent from the platform is to get those conservatives willing to work with the party.
Conservatives control the vast majority of the state legislatures that make the rules for voting. Apparently Repubs hold 28 and Dems hold 19 currently. Both of those parties are pretty conservative by and large. One is regressive and conservative. The point is if you want to change the voting system you have to have a voice on the legislatures that make the voting rules. That is what they are attempting to build. It’s not something that’s gonna happen overnight.
You are welcome to believe they are a scam. I believe all parties are scams to some degree. Even so, I don’t see how instituting Ranked Choice Voting is really a conservative position. It is changing the existing system which is by definition not conservative.
Really making the name an oxymoron huh?
Thats fine im no longer supporting the two party system. Anyone who wants to run on ranked choice or proportional representation will get my vote
^Republican voter trying to generate apathy. Or worse, someone who actually believes voting 3rd party is not handing a vote to the fascist party.
“Everyone to my left is all the way to my right.”
Shits just gonna keep getting worse until we scrap first past the post. Even more right leaning dems against republicans holding democracy hostage.
Ahh yes, everyone not a democrat or republican must be a nazi. Totally sound reasoning /s
Strategic voting in the general is required. Saying otherwise is a lie. Or idiocy. You can choose.
I agree strategic voting is a good thing. I never said or implied it isn’t. But it seems like your trying to straw-man me here.
Please explain how not voting for someone = handing someone else a vote.
To put it in another context, if I say I don’t want to go to applebee’s, does that mean I’m supporting going to olive garden? Here’s another one. If a republican withholds voting for trump in the general, does that mean they are handing a vote to biden even if they don’t vote for president at all?
From the people who brought you “party unity my ass.”
There’s a newish party for that. See the forward party.
It is an extremely prevalent delusion to think that we can only choose from the 2 parties nominees for president or any other office. But it is a very convenient delusion for party insiders and elites of DC that neither party is interested in dismantling.
That is not to say we shouldn’t be strategic in our votes. That means voting for the best(This is highly subjective and will usually come down to the lesser evil) candidate there is for a given race. Because it is also a delusion to think that everyone will suddenly realize they don’t have to vote for either party and elect a different candidate. Especially when other candidates aren’t really much better than the party candidates.
Here’s why nobody should vote for the Forward Party
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dd399ppGoBU
Yeah, I’m not gonna watch an hour long video. If you put it in your own words why you are opposed to them, I will certainly listen. I don’t come to lemmy to watch videos telling me who or what I should support. I come for discussion. So if you want to convince me, explain your view.
That’s fair. It’s a fun to watch infotainment type show if you’re not familiar. You could probably jump to 40:48 and see most of what I say below.
Summing it up, they don’t stand for anything and there is no reason for the Forward Party to actually be a party. They could simply be a voting rights activist group since that’s all they claim as a platform. They don’t even have Yang’s signature Universal Basic Income as a policy. Yang’s Old Forward Party merged with the groups Serve America Movement (SAM) and Renew America Movement (RAM). The entire party is run by former Reagan, Bush and Trump administration staff and Never Trump Republicans. Surprisingly for a party entirely based on changing the voting system, they do not advocate for elimination of the electoral college (shocking since it so heavily favors Republicans). In short, it’s a conservative scam.
Thanks for giving me your take on it. My take on the Forward party in general is that it is somewhat of a single issue party focused on improving our democratic system through issues such as Ranked Choice Voting and open primaries. I do agree that a they could conceivably function as a advocacy group, and I also can see how organizing as a party can have advantages as the entire point of parties is to influence public policy like voting. They are essentially acting as an advocacy group for candidates who support their proposed reforms right now. If a state representative or senator promises to support their policies, they will help to funnel support to them by endorsing and promoting them.
State representatives are the people who have the power to change the voting system like they propose. But they do not have really have any reason to in our current system. If they replace our current First Past The Post voting system they would be opening the door for allowing more parties to have a chance to represent their constituents.
Sure, there are some conservatives that have joined, but I think you are exaggerating that the party is only run by them. Yang is on the board and he is no conservative even if he is willing to ally with them. I can understand and sympathize why you don’t like the association with conservatives. I don’t either really. I’m sure that part of the reason the UBI and elimination of the electoral college is absent from the platform is to get those conservatives willing to work with the party.
Conservatives control the vast majority of the state legislatures that make the rules for voting. Apparently Repubs hold 28 and Dems hold 19 currently. Both of those parties are pretty conservative by and large. One is regressive and conservative. The point is if you want to change the voting system you have to have a voice on the legislatures that make the voting rules. That is what they are attempting to build. It’s not something that’s gonna happen overnight.
You are welcome to believe they are a scam. I believe all parties are scams to some degree. Even so, I don’t see how instituting Ranked Choice Voting is really a conservative position. It is changing the existing system which is by definition not conservative.