If you are going to make a principled vote in the name of sending a message, I think it’s only reasonable to be honest about the effects of that decision.
Oh my god I feel this so much.
Did you take a stand and stick to principles? Yes! Congratulations. But if you cannot accept that in doing so, you effectively voted for whatever you felt the majority of votes would go to.
I am related to several people who voted 3rd party, are adamant they did nothing to assist Trump getting elected, but ALSO hold the opinion that congressional members who vote “present” instead of yes or no are cowards hiding behind a “no vote” because they want the majority to win but they don’t want to be on record for it.
The problem is that by reinforcing the narrative you reinforce the two party system. Noone believes in a third party so a third party cannot gain critical momentum because of people saying not to believe in a third party.
Repeating this mantra at every point makes it dogmatic to ensure the Democrats not faving any accountability for being a far right party with some gay rights sprinkled in between (but only if these arent inconvenient to uphold).
We have the same issue in proportional systems with a minimum votr to enter parliament. The threshold is lower but the game is the same. The old parties will always band together to fight any new party that could emerge and require them to deal with people they havent brought in line of the donor class yet.
Oh my god I feel this so much.
Did you take a stand and stick to principles? Yes! Congratulations. But if you cannot accept that in doing so, you effectively voted for whatever you felt the majority of votes would go to.
I am related to several people who voted 3rd party, are adamant they did nothing to assist Trump getting elected, but ALSO hold the opinion that congressional members who vote “present” instead of yes or no are cowards hiding behind a “no vote” because they want the majority to win but they don’t want to be on record for it.
What is a 3rd party vote if not “present”?
The problem is that by reinforcing the narrative you reinforce the two party system. Noone believes in a third party so a third party cannot gain critical momentum because of people saying not to believe in a third party.
Repeating this mantra at every point makes it dogmatic to ensure the Democrats not faving any accountability for being a far right party with some gay rights sprinkled in between (but only if these arent inconvenient to uphold).
We have the same issue in proportional systems with a minimum votr to enter parliament. The threshold is lower but the game is the same. The old parties will always band together to fight any new party that could emerge and require them to deal with people they havent brought in line of the donor class yet.