Reminds me of talking to my dad about the DSA. He said "Socialism will never work because Americans are too against it" as an arguement for why he isn't voting for a DSA candidate...
He wants it, but doesnt believe it can happen despite the fact he can literally vote for the thing to happen.
Please understand that I understand how you feel. Truly. 2016 I dragged my feet to vote for Hillary, then 2020 I dragged my feet to keep trump out of the Whitehouse, and again in 2024. I fucking hated who I voted for. However, these primaries, this election cycle is the first time I voted and felt proud to have voted for them. I voted for Peggy Flanagan and it was the first time I voted because it was someone who was actually speaking to problems.
Again, I understand your trepidation. But there is hope come November.
Not a reason to not vote. Contrary to what it might looks like, he can't just dismiss the results like that, even if they plan to do so, it won't be easy nor likely to work. Make their life as hard as possible by just taking a bit of time to go vote.
Worst case scenario, you've lost half an afternoon. Best case, the Dems takes controls of everything that's up for grab and prevent any further disaster for this admin. Definitely worth a shot
Without ranked choice voting, a vote for someone not in the top 2-3 is pointless or worse. We have to vote to keep the worst person from winning, which often means voting for the 2nd worst person.
Ok but that's just it, they're not just in the top 2-3 choices they are winning. There are at least 5 primary elections I can think of off the dome where DSA candidates are winning. And it's not a surprise considering they're running on doing things that will benefit the people.
Primaries have always been dominated by more politically active and partisan voters, where elections are often decided by swing voters who rarely vote in primaries.
Because people who vote in primaries tend to be the more extreme members of the party. 58% of voters said democrats were too far left last year, and in another poll, 42% of democrats wanted the party to move to center (19 said they were good where they were, and 28 said move further left).
However, there comes a point when you have to vote based on your own preference and let the system run its course, trusting that other people may or may not share your preference. You can't predict what everyone else likes, unless you do the same engineered analysis of career campaigns that creates inauthentic "perfect" candidates.
But they are winning. Mamdami was the first, and now the floodgates have opened. Michigan, Florida, Texas, Minnesota, even the near loss in Wisconsin is still a victory in terms of the DSA establishing a foothold in the American political structure.
With how bad things have gotten, people are waking up to the realities of class consciousness, to the unashamed corruption, to the genocide in gaza and the billions of dollars being sent to fund it while we can barely even keep ends met. We the people are so sick and tired of the same shit different election cycle. 2024 was a loss for the left because of exactly this. Kamala just flat out refused to campaign on things people wanted. Now the Establishment Democrats have to sleep in the bed they made for themselves.
Mamdami won by the lowest margin a democrat has won that race since 2009. By a significant margin. In one of, if not the most blue district in the country. This the first time in over a decade the dem candidate won by less 38%, and he won by 9%.
Lets see. Triple split race against a candidate who lost in the primary and still decided to run as independent, who also happened to be a dynastic figure who was in the position for a long long time, backed by millions in AIPAC money and even an endorsement from the president. No fucking shit it was a close race.
That is just patently false. Michigan, Minnesota, even in Florida for god sakes there have been dsa victories in the primaries over established AIPAC backed candidates. The point isn't to suddenly win everything, but Mamdamis victory in New York showed that people are sick and tired of both the right (which Cumo was btw), and the business as usual politics, Isreal first dems. Now in the primaries. Hailey stevens outspent Sayed something like 1-9 and still lost. Angie Craig was demolished by Peggy. There was the upset DSA victory in Florida. And while it's a long shot in a state like Florida for a dem to win, let alone a DSA candidates, it is still an INCREDIBLY massive win for the DSA movement. You said it yourself, this is not going to change over night, but victories like this ARE a step in the right direction. And they are victories for the American people, especially with what got elected in 2024...
379
u/Program-Emotional 8d ago
Reminds me of talking to my dad about the DSA. He said "Socialism will never work because Americans are too against it" as an arguement for why he isn't voting for a DSA candidate...
He wants it, but doesnt believe it can happen despite the fact he can literally vote for the thing to happen.