Who, what, where, and why My vote is not for the established parties
So yeah, who to vote for? who to not vote for? and why? I mean 3rd parties do have it tough ever since the RNC and DNC conspired to lock or hinder 3rd party runners to avoid splitting the votes and diminishing their domination of the political scene in America.
So, for me the Republicans for obvious bad reasons of how they vote and pick issues are flat out for me, they have been for decades. Their 3rd party mirror,,,the Libertarian Party, is also as bad in my view as Republicans except they want to be rich and smoke pot and screw all others, (I know, a nutshell view and not detailed enough). But those two are the most moderate of the right wing parties officially recognized legally by the Government.
The Constitution Party is like Rabid Jihadists, they use the word Constitution in their name, but the sad reality is they are a far right Christian party that would turn America into a Christian version of Iran with a strict theological state that would force one aspect of Christianity down all our throats, forgetting that our Constitution protects us with "Freedom FROM Religion as well as of what folks want to worship.
So, some would say that defaults me to vote Democrat, NO! Manchin is my states' senator, and the fool votes more like a Republican and pro-Trump over 50% of all votes. DNC is dead set to pick and support lame old same old candidates while shitting on Progressives, and present a Republican Lite candidacy for each state. Failure is now the by-word for the Democratic p[arty establishment, One could even make a whole essay on these failed benchmarks by these Reaganite era toady's
So in all good conscience, and my personal disgust, I am going with the WV Mountain Party, our Green Party to help them get a numbers going, and maybe even a actual candidate in Congress who is NOT part of the problem! Democrats and Republican parties for years now have been two sides of one coin, aka, the "Two-Face Party" of America, it is time we massively derailed them by voting pasty the "Brand name" parties.
Even if i vote Democrat to get a "Blue Wave" Manchin is closer to being Red than blue in his voting decisions, WV may as well be a full on Red all the Way state with our Democrat Coal Boy!
And I am sick and tired and disgusted with the current way of things.
Comments
Same dilemma we had two years ago
No hate mail please.
You are in a particularly tough state for making this choice. I believe if I had to make this choice, I would go with Manchin to help ensure that Dems keep as many seats as possible. (PS: my state senator is also a Dem-in-name-only) Then, I would work like hell to build up Greens or whatever in other ways.
Dems are what the Rs were decades ago but with a social agenda. They love their wars and capitalism. We really need more choices but the two ruling parties are blocking the way. Someone needs to figure out how to break that block short of armed revolt.
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.--Aristotle
If there is no struggle there is no progress.--Frederick Douglass
@WindDancer13
Manchin most likely will still hold power here and in Congress, but with his voting along lines that show he supports so many Trump initiatives it is hard to support the Dems when they feed us that "We ain't them" tired old line as they tried with Hillary against Bernie
So long, and thanks for all the fish
Numbers count
The only reason I suggested a vote for Manchin is so Dems can possibly have the majority. Period. With the majority, they will have a little more luck tamping down some of the T's most egregious efforts. It is not much, but it is more than we (the People) will have with a R majority.
ALL of the Dems vote way too much with the T, but with the numbers, they may find the tiniest bit of backbone. We need to hold on one way or the other until we can get better people in Congress. Imagine if K had been nominated with a Dem majority. There would be a better chance (though still small) that they would not confirm him.
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.--Aristotle
If there is no struggle there is no progress.--Frederick Douglass
Let's say that the democrats do become the majority party
Then what? They were the majority in 2009-2011 iirc and what did they do with it? Sure they passed that flawed ACA and Lily Ledbetter. They got to be head of all committees, but again what did they do with their power?
They really could have passed single payer if they wanted to because they had the votes, but they played with the republicans for over a year and let them take out everything good in the ACA. Why? Bipartisanship..... blehh.
Not trying to be contrary, but I just don't see that it'd make any difference if the democrats become the majority. Especially when Pelosi is going to bring back pay go. I haven't heard what they are running on except for MFA which has nothing to do with with making it like single payer. It would still have insurance companies being the go between with doctors and patients. And from what I've heard it's not going to be real universal health care, but access to universal health care coverage.
Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.
I know very well the sins of the Dems
I thought I had made that clear, but I guess I didn't. The point of my opinion is do you really what the Rs to retain a majority?
If the Dems do not take the House and/or the Senate, Trump will feel emboldened. Really want that? The venom-spewing that we saw at the K confirmation hearing and the allegation hearing will become exponentially worse as they take their cues from the T. Things can and will get uglier.
With the Dems having some power, even if they still have to bow to their corporate masters, being in at least one majority will dampen the party. It may only be a slight drizzle, but it could put out the match that is set to light off the bonfire.
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.--Aristotle
If there is no struggle there is no progress.--Frederick Douglass
Good points
Hoping for a tiny backbone is better than no hope at all. Match/bonfire. Heh .. I used this same phrase yesterday. It sure feels like the world is a tinderbox right now don't it?
Right on cue a loud thunder just went off. Yay. We're finally getting some rain.
Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.
Rome is burning
Cue the lightening! Maybe it is a sign.
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.--Aristotle
If there is no struggle there is no progress.--Frederick Douglass
It is what the Dems count on.....
No matter how many times they beat you, you'll be too afraid to leave.
"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon
That is in part true . . .
What I have been trying to make clear though is that we can have the majority while working to get rid of the slightly left wing of the R party (Dems in case that last is not clear).
In other words, this is a two parter: 1) Hold a majority to stop at least some of what is coming AND 2) organize to take out the trash. I am in no way suggesting we keep the current Dems in place. They have to go, but we can use them like a wedge until such time as they can be replaced.
Use THEM for a change.
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.--Aristotle
If there is no struggle there is no progress.--Frederick Douglass
In the face of no good prospects
I’m much more inclined to actively work towards the destruction of the Democratic Party. At least then I would only have a single corporate party working against me, plus the political vacuum would force “the Left” (however you want to define non-Republican voters) to support a non-corporate party, such as the Greens.
I certainly agree that this current version
of the Dem Party needs to be thoroughly reworked, but I do not think that "destroy" would work. Without a foundation, the "Left" or whatever would be, ummmm, left without any power to build the People's platform. The DNC has made sure of that.
Should we throw people like Tulsi Gabbard out with the scoundrels? Or Bernie Sanders? Or others who are trying but being drowned out by the corporate wing? They are a first step, albeit on some policies a shallow step, but nonetheless a step in the correct direction.
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.--Aristotle
If there is no struggle there is no progress.--Frederick Douglass
I would think Gabbard and Sanders would join up with whatever
leftist party was most viable. At the moment, it’s the Dems, and so long as they exist then no alternate option will take their place.
For now, there is no viable alternate option,
and given the choices we currently have, blowing up the Dem party is not recommended. We need cement to fill up the resulting hole, not straw. Alternate parties are not gaining any ground, but it may be possible for Independents to do so.
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.--Aristotle
If there is no struggle there is no progress.--Frederick Douglass
If a candidate doesn’t back We the People’s right to know things
— for example, all that WikiLeaks has revealed, from “Collateral Murder” to the DNC’s role in the 2016 primaries — then they’re already too invested in oligarchy, authoritarianism, and elitism for me.
Turn power in Congress over to a contingent of ex-military and intelligence-agency Democrats, so the “permanent secret state” can further undermine the legitimately elected chief executive?
If that’s what’s on offer, no thanks. I agree with the OP.
Trump was elected by Crosscheck and Billary.
If that's what passes for legitimate, then I'm Queen Elizabeth.
Modern education is little more than toeing the line for the capitalist pigs.
Guerrilla Liberalism won't liberate the US or the world from the iron fist of capital.
DJT is as legitimate as any of his predecessors
Where is the evidence that “CrossCheck” was the deciding factor in DJT racking up over 300 electoral votes — or is that as elusive as the “Russia” evidence?
DJT is definitely more legitimate than GWB, chosen by SCOTUS.
More so than JFK, even (decided by cough Mayor Daley’s Chicago cough).
Of course, one could very well argue that no post-Reconstruction, pre-Jimmy-Carter president whose win required Southern-state electoral votes was legitimately elected, because of Jim Crow, after all . . .
Greg Palast had a pretty good article on it.
The Election Was Stolen - Here's How
The same asshole who runs Interstate Crosscheck was also picked to 'investigate' the very fraud in which he was an accomplice.
Modern education is little more than toeing the line for the capitalist pigs.
Guerrilla Liberalism won't liberate the US or the world from the iron fist of capital.
Fair enough. But then, by Greg Palast’s standard,
because of the pervasive primary shenanigans, a Hillary presidency would not have been legitimate either.
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=greg+palast+hillary+sanders+primary
https://www.gregpalast.com/california-stolen-sanders-right-nowspecial-bu...
I remember him mentioning that also.
Modern education is little more than toeing the line for the capitalist pigs.
Guerrilla Liberalism won't liberate the US or the world from the iron fist of capital.
Michigan here....
I voted for Stein 2016 and don't regret it one bit. Plan to repeat my green vote in 2018 and 2020.
I will vote blue no matter who at the state level, but the national level, they can all drop dead. Stabenow and the rest of the Dems up for election are all running ads with Republican endorsements that brag about how they can work with Republicans. Not a one of them will say "medicare for all", apparently a directive with threat from the Democratic leadership.
Dems suck because they want to.
"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon
Truth, sadly
Took me a long time to finally believe this, but it's so:
Yep it is tough, but I did
Yep it is tough, but I did Vote Green in 2016 as well to help get those numbers up, Folks in WV wanted Bernie, but when the DNC tossed up Hillary instead, they did NOT want the established candidate, they wanted what they thought would be real shaking up and change in their eyes.
By now many are regretting it, they fell for the hornswaggle Trump was pushing with his BS just to beat Hillary.
Trump is a salesman, not a real businessman, 6or so bankruptcies show he sux at running things, he was however always able to sell folks on crazy ideas he had. The Dem party is NOT even trying to show they are different than the Reps besides their color code.
So long, and thanks for all the fish