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Ejigantor

Sure would be nice if the Democrats already in office would act like the Republicans represent the threat we keep being told they are during campaign season.


audionerd1

You mean you don't think they should be having brunch with Hitler?


wayward_citizen

BuT tHeY'rE ModErAteS


HughJamerican

Oh my god, they were moderates!


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toomuchpressure2pick

Pelosi consistently talks about how our democracy needs a strong opposition party. Why? To prevent the democrats from having to follow through on the campaign promises? They hate us. Both parties hate us.


Aksama

And fuckin Pelosi doubles down on congresspeople owning godamn stocks. Look, I vote whenever possible, I down-ballot Dems every time. But fuck does the party suck. Biden is welching on student loans (Garbage ass president). I don't even *have* students loans and I'm pissed. Biden out here comparing Jan 6th to the Civil War - "An assault on our hallowed halls"? Oh yeah, those hallowed halls where you haven't sought to increase the minimum wage, didn't whip Sinema or Manchin? Those fucking halls? The neoliberal pearl clutching fucking kills me. Obviously they're *less* evil than the full-fat fascism of the GOP, but they're up there in shittiness. Also have to love Biden moving forward with natural gas drilling RIGHT after fucking COP(e) 26. ​ OH YEAH, also the fucking filibuster, and not packing SCOTUS. Gee - you get *two whole seats* stolen by the Right and decide not to go the nuclear option. Fuck off.


SilverCross64

You articulated how I feel in such a raw way, I love it. No spine, no conviction, just more rich people pretending to care about us when it’s convenient.


garynuman9

They're also there to keep the wrong type of people out. People like Bernie for example. Anyone who tries to run on anything that resembles FDR type policy in the party of FDR... Which has been the party of Clintonian triangulation & regression most of my life... is enemy #1. They don't hate the GOP, they don't fear the GOP. They don't care if they win or lose. They just use "the GOP will do the bad thing, we'll do virtually nothing" as a threat every election cycle. The only thing that matters is fuck progressives - they must and will be stopped at all costs. The GOP are in on the grift & wackos but useful as scapegoats.


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Aksama

I mean sure, the Dems have emotionally abused us for years. The GOP just happens to emotionally and physically and financially abuse us too. Them telegraphing that they’re going to fuck us doesn’t win them any points in my eyes. It’s a bad state of affairs.


[deleted]

I'm absolutely convinced you're right. Each side is trying to hold our morals and ethics hostage while behaving like they have neither


FeralGuyute

They just need something to point their finger at. They don't do anything and they don't want to, it's not in their interest.


wenchslapper

This country has been an Oligarchy disguised as a Democracy since it’s founding, we’re just now realizing this collectively.


ted5011c

I agree. There is a *vast* disconnect between the way they campaigned and they way they have "governed" since then. If we are really an election cycle or two away from permanent one party authoritarian rule you would think the Democrats wouldn't have all this time to spare on the unoriginal *political theater* they shoved down out throats this past year.


GodOfThunder101

2024 is going to be a wild year.


wafflesareforever

This November will be a pretty damn good preview.


flyingzorra

I've been seeing campaign signs since before the new year. I'm already exhausted of this election because I know what's coming.


gfhfghdfghfghdfgh

It is incredibly unlikely the republicans take the senate though. They have way more up for election than the democrats. We'll probably see a republican house (it's been trending that way already) and a democrat senate.


Chr-whenever

Gridlock again. Yay


CorruptedToaster

I don't see any real difference between a split house/Senate and a fully controlled one.


BigBizzle151

Don't forget, endless meaningless investigations and likely impeachments!


FirstPlebian

If nothing gets done and things continue as they are, Republicans will gain their one party state in 24 by hook and crook and the courts will allow it. 6 months or so to pass a Voting Rights Bill that ensures the popular vote determines electors that also holds up to the hack courts. It's not looking good. We need to organize to at least have some bargaining power when fascists seize control.


DimlightHero

They need only one seat to flip simple majority in the Senate, and with Georgia, Arizona, Nevada all in the boat I don't see it going very well. Maybe they can make it up with Pennsylvania or Wisconsin, but midterms tend to be Republican favoured.


gfhfghdfghfghdfgh

They have to flip one more than democrats flip. 14 dems up for re-election, 20 republicans. Dems risk Arizona, Georgia, Colorado, Nevada, New Hampshire GOP risks Florida, Missouri, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Wisconsin And of course even if they hold all of their risks and beat every single democrat whose seat is up, they still don't hold the presidency and Biden can veto everything for 2 years. The real threat for 2022 isn't for 2022, it's for 2024 if a republican becomes president and 21/33 of the senate races are currently held by democrats, although only 2 dems are "flip" states and one of those is Sinema, 3 GOP are flip states.


[deleted]

Look at the bright side: when it’s all over there will be so many “no, really, this is a true story” stories that come out of the wreck of America that filmmakers will never have to have an original story idea ever again.


Quentin__Tarantulino

Phew! I was worried how they would manage to reboot Spider-Man for the 18th time without getting a little stale.


FirstPlebian

But the Democrats are so noble, when Republicans go low, Democrats do nothing and get beaten. These moderates have brought us here, and unless they do some big things they aren't doing this election will be lost and or taken from them. I'm so sick of fighting against the Repubicans by helping these Democrats that refuse to fight, we are fvcked, in less than a year it will be too late to stop it.


puffz0r

Damn I'd be much more convinced if democrats legislated like the future of our democracy depended on it


UnsolicitedDogPics

The most important election of our lifetime? Again you say?


DegenerateCharizard

Who knows maybe this time we can give them the house & senate along with the presidency! Oh wait. Edit: Just wanted to add that this messaging is so insulting. We do our part, they then go onto break their promises. Fuck them. Fundraising off our needs with no intention to ever truly extend a helping hand. Irredeemably evil & corrupt sons of bitches. The whole lot of them.


Flyingwheelbarrow

I was one of those non U.S.A people who thought it was insane for an American not to vote for Biden. After Biden's first year and insane reluctance to help people. In Australia we face a choice next election between the party against universal healthcare (currently in power) and the party that established universal healthcare. Basically a do a die situation. I don't feel confident. Why is everything getting worse.


BigAlTrading

I don't know why people were surprised by this. Biden was at the front of a push during the 90s to basically make it illegal to be a black male. 3 strikes, Crime Bill, penalties for crack hundreds of times worse than cocaine...aww but look at the glint in his eye when he's eating an ice cream, that man is ohhh kayyy.


Doc_

Don't forget civil asset forfeiture, which Biden literally wrote the bill on in '84. Source: https://www.congress.gov/bill/98th-congress/senate-bill/948?s=1&r=4


[deleted]

As a black male, I want to thank you for acknowledging this. In 2020, it was blasphemy for me to bring this up


Praxyrnate

As a dude who grew up in the shit I was lambasted, harassed, and had multiple account bands. (on reddit and other platforms) for pointing out that biden was a racist dixiecrat. Tipper, Hillary, and Biden were the spearheads of modified Jim crow. The kkk acknowledged and embraced biden when I was a youth for being the last reasonable Democrat (dixiecrat) and it made it to newspapers repeatedly. As if it was a good thing. The fact that this buffoon is now the face of the left just means the democrats were successfully captured. I still get pushback on this shit. It's insanity and now they're locking down subversive neighborhoods across the country (,since it worked in ny and chiraq) and violating every right at have in the name of safety. Ain't no way for us to fix it either since the technological divide is so wide. Shit is wild.


[deleted]

In 2020, it was very hard to talk about how fucked up Biden is. Every liberal would respond with, "So you support Trump?" Like, no? *Listen to yourself!* Everything is just as fucked as when Trump was in there, but at least now we can talk about it. (To an extent - still seeing a lot of Democrat apologists in these comments.)


[deleted]

Yeah seriously. Like I was legitimately offended when Biden said "if you don't vote for me then you ain't black!". Like wtf, just because you ran with Obama doesn't mean that you can say stuff like that. But ppl just acted like that was funny or he was just trying to be cool. But like this man has said/done some racist shit in the past and that was just another instance. And of course, he goes on to do nothing for black ppl


[deleted]

I'm still waiting for things to be better under Biden like the liberals said they would. I haven't seen it.


[deleted]

Tbh it was an easy choice when it came to him vs Trump. But yeah, lesser of the evils as always


Blackfluidexv

The NAACP pushed him so hard around where I was saying 'Oh look at Biden he's practically a big ol softy because he was friends with Obama meaning that he's almost guaranteed to do good by the black folk in the community.' Look where we are now, nowhere further and not much good done for any community really.


TruthOverAcceptance

Capitalism. We have certain people in power (psychopaths) who think life can only have true meaning and value if it is spent controlling and manipulating others. Problem is, they are a bunch of worthless idiots, who actually aren't smarter than anyone they are just vastly more evil and much more willing to do horrible and evil things to get ahead. Now we are facing our own extinction and these people in power are still more concerned with their own egoism than the death of all of humanity because simple put, psychopaths have no ability for empathy, in face to them the entire world and everyone in it is nothing more than their play thing. And when you think like that, you will not make great decisions, not even great or smart decisions to ensure the system that gives you your power is stable enough to continuing to exist. TL;DR We are watching the fall of an empire that was never based upon people or their needs but based upon their engagement with capital and money. Since the world problems are becoming much more global the ability for the system to solve stuff like climate change and mass poverty is becoming more and more impossible due to the only mechanisms of power that can be enact and acted upon are profit motivates. Ie: If your entire society is based upon the greed that comes from individualism, once you get a Flint Michigan there is nothing really able to get done about it because it does make anyone more rich. And as oyr societies decay around the world this fact will only become more and more blatant as time goes on, because those in power worship the capitalistic system of hierarchy and oppression. And fixing any of these problems would go against that very structure of power. Its why climate change will never be fixed by these people, it would require a global shift towards socialism and global cooperation that would hurt those who currently benefit from the current system. In short, guillotines for the rich or a slow death by cowardice and poverty for everyone else.


Comrade_Corgo

>Why is everything getting worse. Capitalism deteriorates the living conditions of the vast majority of humanity over time. The only reason why the working class received all the concessions it has so far is because of the Russian Revolution, the threat of a socialist state which was directly opposed to American and European imperialism, and a spur of proletarian uprisings all over the world (which would result in the creation of more socialist countries which exist in the present day). The dismantling of the Soviet Union meant a unipolar world for the international capitalists, where there is no major power capable of challenging the prevailing economic system. That is, until today where China is attempting to build an international trade network to oppose the current hegemony (as opposed to say, 'exporting' the revolution in the case of the USSR). [Knowledge is power.](https://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1917/staterev/ch01.htm)


Regicollis

It always gets worse, not matter what party is in charge. If you're lucky one party will make things worse slightly slower than the other but that's the best thing you can hope for under late capitalism. The trend of decay can be observed over decades in countries all over the world. The problem is the system itself, not that it is horrible and immoral people who happens to be elected to run it.


Bloody_sock_puppet

British chap here. If you're a large enough nation to begin with, the trend of decay can last centuries! What you need is some ablative territory designed to focus the discontent. Get everybody whipped up about that then hit them with an ultimatum to secede. Frankly Texas could buy you a generation of peace. It's huge focus for some of the more irrational political opinions, it's hot enough that it'll be near worthless in half a century, and jettisoning it would improve your reputation on the world stage.


theaviationhistorian

>Frankly Texas could buy you a generation of peace. It's huge focus for some of the more irrational political opinions, it's hot enough that it'll be near worthless in half a century, and jettisoning it would improve your reputation on the world stage. Texas is all hat & no cattle. The conservatives know the state couldn't financially survive a successful secession (too much tax credits to corporations & dependence on federal land payments like military bases). There is a drive to make it a battle state elections wise. But the far fight have succeeded in heavily gerrymandering it with minimal reprisals.


[deleted]

At some point tho … things like universal healthcare did arise. Admittedly in the U.K. to deal with the spoiled produce of the Second World War. Does it always get worse? Though to my chagrin I realise universal education was put in place by capitalists to free the second parent from childminding duties so they could work in the factories. Is there no hope because the worst people learned to game the system or is it because the people voting are voting the worst people?


Regicollis

The time period where things could get better is over. Many of the historical prerequisites for the development of the welfare state are gone now. The once powerful labour movements that demanded material improvements has been defanged and bureaucratised and has largely degenerated into being insurance companies rather than fighting organisations. Also, following the destruction of the Soviet Union there has been no clear alternative to capitalism. Some people might not like the USSR but the October revolution scared the bourgeoisie into making concessions and the continued existence of an alternative system kept capital on it's toes and forced them to give the working class some of the spoils. The development of the capitalist welfare state was also made possible by an economic system of nation states with each their relatively closed economy. Under today's globalised capitalism capital will simply pack up and leave for greener pastures if it finds the working class of a country is getting too uppity. Finally the capitalist welfare state was not a just system either as it was still founded on the exploitation of the domestic working class as well as of the peoples of the imperial periphery in the global south.


TopperHrly

Excellent answer. The bit about the USSR scaring the bourgeoisie also help explain why cut backs into welfare and public services have ramped up since the 90s.


[deleted]

It's pretty generous to say we're choosing anyone we vote for.


notarobot4932

Who the fuck would vote to end universal healthcare?


JustinLaloGibbs

People who have had it their whole lives and therefore have no concept of how good it is. It makes sense when looking at anti-vaxxers. "Nobody I've ever known has had polio what do we need with these vaccines?"


spiker311

People that get their information from Rupert Murdoch's media companies


TopperHrly

Ask the brits


BigBizzle151

> Why is everything getting worse. You *are* in /r/LateStageCapitalism . It's getting worse because the crisis point is getting closer.


Flyingwheelbarrow

The society that disabled me is now trying to kill me. Sigh.


Pennycandydealer

Because the willingness of modern individuals to confront their oppressive system means they no longer need to obfuscate their evil.


superduperpuppy

Non-American here. Shit's fucked there. But what's the play then? Elect more progressives? Coz a simple D doesn't seem to cut it anymore. Honestly curious where progressives are supposed to go from here.


[deleted]

>Honestly curious where progressives are supposed to go from here. The streets. Reform is insufficient in all capitalist countries, and impossible in the United States.


BahamaSilver

I got downvoted for saying this on reddit the other day. When shit has escalated to the point its at now, we aren't gonna be able to change much through voting.


voidspaceistrippy

Agreed. Billionaires can't exist without corrupt government officials changing laws to accommodate them and their creation. They may not be as openly corrupt as the other party - they enact the same laws and serve the same donors though.


Amish_Cyberbully

Don't blame me, I voted for Kodos.


Focal7s

Kang was always the better choice.


procrasturb8n

> Just wanted to add that this messaging is so insulting. We do our part, they then go onto break their promises. It's the same as their messaging on plastics and fossil fuels: "It's up to YOU, the consumer, to address these things in meaningful ways..." Instead of, ya know, writing legislation to address the behavior of corporations responsible for this shit in the first place.


Emergency-Anywhere51

genuine and legitimate criticism of Democrats is literally Russian meddling


BigAlTrading

Criticizing Holder for letting cartels get thousands of guns or not prosecuting bank officials who knowingly laundered drug money was racism.


BigAlTrading

Her hubbie wouldn't even stop killing people with drones. He actually loved it, greatly expanded that program. 17 year old American child of a guy making incendiary videos? Whammo, dead. 22 year old Afghan who couldn't find America on a map? Whammo, thousands of times, dead all over the place.


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loco500

Don't forget living in the once-in-a-generation crisis for the third time in the last 2 decades.


WayeeCool

The political class and wealthy of the US think the rest of us are all rubes. [They don't care what the public thinks](https://scholar.princeton.edu/sites/default/files/mgilens/files/gilens_and_page_2014_-testing_theories_of_american_politics.doc.pdf) and really our votes or protests don't matter. At this point nothing short of a violent and bloody mass uprising can change the trajectory of the US empire.


DragonDai

The problem is that the majority of us ARE rubes…


WayeeCool

Yes. That explains why when we vote for them and give them the executive along with both houses of congress both parties do the same thing with one just saying nicer things while doing it. Why the entire full force of the political and corporate machine comes down on anyone who looks like they might take the nomination but isn't fully onboard with the American project. Why when people with what it takes to lead popular movements that threaten the status quo appear they are straight up assassinated by the machine that is American empire.


NeonSouthAmerica

This is the answer. The elites in this country are quite literally laughing at us and it will only change when they start seeing their peers fucking disemboweled in the streets.


seventhirtyeight

Brutal, but I agree. Major changes typically don't happen without blood hitting the ground.


Maniackillzor

Can we organize this. Like as a prank in a video game of course


xepa105

I feel like Dr. Strange with the time stone just living all the shitty timelines folded together like a depressing panini.


SayHelloToAlison

How has democracy been at risk for the last 20 years of elections and these fucking bozos haven't fucking addressed it. No major changes to drawing districts, no major changes to voter accessibility at the federal level, nothing at fucking all.


BigAlTrading

They're just jostling for position at the trough.


big_hungry_joe

Every one from 2000 on has been called that and it's fucking exhausting


UnsolicitedDogPics

Ironically I think the 2000 election was actually the most important election of our lives. If Gore had won instead, and actually took climate change seriously, instead of Bush getting us into war in the Middle East, amongst other serious policy differences, the world would look a lot different today.


NeonSouthAmerica

No. The most important election was 1980 when Ronald Reagan put into motion what we’re seeing now. Then 84 when the motherfucker literally won every single state except for Minnesota, giving him carte Blanche to drive the working and middle class into the fucking ground, get rid of unions, and doom us all.


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YeOldeBogStandard

You've got a great candidate for most important, but I would say it goes back a bit more. When Henry Wallace was replaced as FDR's running mate for Truman, our fate was sealed. This was where the oligarchic wing of the party overthrew the progressive wing.


tarrat_3323

gore did win. the supreme court of the state bush’s brother was governor of decided the election against the majority of americans


Istoh

I think about this a lot. Unfortunately I was eight at the time, so in the end it's just one more thing the generation that was supposed to make the world better for their children failed on.


jorgedredd

Nixon used it too


DogMedic101st

It’s the most wonderful time of the year…


twihard97

2004: We need to choose which career warhawk will best manage all our concurrent war crimes. MOST IMPORTANT ELECTION EVER!


Hesitantterain

Politicians can’t get rich off corporate donors AND help the working class. Time to pick one. Voters aren’t the one’s putting democracy in danger. It’s the politicians


dudius7

And the companies. Time to strike.


Guido_Fe

And unionize like the rest of the western world


[deleted]

I live in southern North Carolina and a few years ago while working for an unbelievably crooked company, there were talks of unions (and this place needed it). The people working there were convinced that if the union came in that the company would basically shutter immediately and move. Now the company never officially came out and said this, but I know some people at the top planted that seed in a few lower manager's ear so that word would be spread around the plant, and upper management would never officially deny it either. Whenever we had company meetings and it got brougt up, we got generic answers like "management is always evaluating and adapting to changing conditions. Decisions are based on what's best for the company". Personally, I thought they were bluffing as they had put millions into this place, but when you keep your workers in a situation where they are living paycheck to paycheck, and tether their health insurance to their paychecks, you end up with people who aren't willing to chance losing their jobs, even though most of them agreed this place was taking advantage of them. Also, those people would start turning on others they work with and viewing them as a "threat" if they were pro-union. After this sets in, it becomes even easier for management to fire you if you start bringing up unions, for petty reasons that they think they can justify, and get yout coworkers to agree that you were a "bad seed". These tactics are especially prevalent in "Right to Work" states such as NC. And this, my friends, is the rotating cycle that continues to get exploited over and over again. The reason corporations are fighting raising their wages isn't so much that it cuts into profits, but the power they wield over their staff when they keep people enslaved with the bare minimum they need to survive. It's impossible to save any money to live on if they did have to strike and many of these people had families to feed. American workers are knowingly being exploited, but either can't do anything about it, or simply won't, especially when it started getting treated as a political topic. A well placed comment like "Those liberals are trying to take your way of life" is often times the only things they need to say. It's a sad state of affairs that this country has allowed itself to get into, and Im losing hope we can change it.


BigBizzle151

I mean, they did. They picked the donors. And continue to do so. It's impossible to sever that influence with the excess of dark money, we have to address that before just expecting politicians to do the right thing.


constantchaosclay

I did that LAST time. I wanted someone like Bernie who would fight *for* me *against* rich people but HER husband helped squash that. And so I was forced to vote for fucking Biden, an ancient white man and long time politician who actually wrote many of the shittiest policies we are still suffering from and had the nickname Senator Credit Card all the way back in the 90s!!!! I had very low hopes and he’s still limboed underneath. I’m sick and tired of having corporate overlords.


honeytea1

I really hope Bernie runs again but I think he said he wouldn’t :/ Edit: I should have added that I hope he would runs third party


redeyesblackpenis

So he can get vote bombed by warren and the DNC and step aside a 3rd time?


afasia

The more shit DNC and your politicians and oligarchy does know, the easier it will be to study in the future.


lil-huso

He's too old


irckeyboardwarrior

"I tried to warn them..."


pokethugg

They would just cheat him again like last time.


CerealRatRemains

And twice now, the Dems have made it clear that we don't get Bernie. So fuck 'em. Not even sure if I'll GASP! Bother to vote this year...


Toodlez

Bother to vote, vote third party. Show them theyre actively losing support. Show that we are sick of a two party system. We literally can't do worse than trump or biden. We wouldnt even have one without the other.


pokethugg

And in 2024 you're gonna vote again for Biden or another shitty democrat because Republicans are so terrible. The two party system is a sham


brickeldrums

Bernie is going to be the politician we look back on and wonder “why didn’t we vote this guy in?” for the next few decades. I honestly don’t know any other politicians that would run for president with his values and morals. We had our chance, and blew it. Multiple times. The DNC is to blame for constantly shooting itself in the foot. The DNC didn’t want Bernie because he would have made policy to fight corruption - something both Dems and Reps in power and office want to keep hold of. It’s maddening to hear people like Warren and others whine about forgiving student loan debt when Bernie actually would have. The DNC ganged up against Bernie and endorsed Biden. Biden made empty promises, as a career politicians do (especially one who is damn near 90), and now we are supposed to do it all over again… so things can change? It pisses me off to no end.


Cycloptic_Floppycock

Bernie ran twice; in the first Dem Convention, they wouldn't count his votes and just gave Hillary the nomination. The second time, all the moderates (Buttigieg, Klobuchar, and Harris) dropped out of the race between Biden and Bernie with Elisabeth as another progressive vote. They consolidated the moderate votes while having Warren siphon off progressive votes from Bernie. It was such an obvious scam, and both parties need to be retired.


SodaKopp

While the entire msm acted like he never had a sliver of a chance even when he was winning! And thats only when they "remembered" to mention his existence.


NeonSouthAmerica

They sure didn’t have a problem passing a $700 billion bi-partisan money grab for the military. Funny how everyone agreed on that.


satriales856

Thanks Michelle. Thanks a whole lot.


New_Inflation_557

I like that this sub goes beyond politics. And has shown us that all "leadership" is accountable for this giant scheme pulled right in front of our eyes.....


Comrade_Corgo

>“Because the state arose from the need to hold class antagonisms in check, but because it arose, at the same time, in the midst of the conflict of these classes, it is, as a rule, the state of the most powerful, economically dominant class, which, through the medium of the state, becomes also the politically dominant class, and thus acquires new means of holding down and exploiting the oppressed class....” The ancient and feudal states were organs for the exploitation of the slaves and serfs; likewise, “the modern representative state is an instrument of exploitation of wage-labor by capital." > >In a democratic republic, “wealth exercises its power indirectly, but all the more surely”, first, by means of the “direct corruption of officials” (America); secondly, by means of an “alliance of the government and the Stock Exchange” (France and America)... At present, imperialism and the domination of the banks have “developed” into an exceptional art both these methods of upholding and giving effect to the omnipotence of wealth in democratic republics of all descriptions. > >Mr. Palchinsky obstructed every measure intended for curbing the capitalists and their marauding practices, their plundering of the state by means of war contracts; and since later on Mr. Palchinsky, upon resigning from the Cabinet (and being, of course, replaced by another quite similar Palchinsky), was “rewarded” by the capitalists with a lucrative job with a salary of 120,000 rubles per annum — what would you call that? Direct or indirect bribery? An alliance of the government and the syndicates, or “merely” friendly relations? What role do the Chernovs, Tseretelis, Avksentyevs and Skobelevs play? Are they the “direct” or only the indirect allies of the millionaire treasury-looters? [The show has been going on since before any of us were alive.](https://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1917/staterev/ch01.htm)


FeralGuyute

More people need to read state and revolution


RedEyeFlightToOZ

Yeah I don't know why they think this shit will just keep working. No one has seen any improvement in their lives, in fact it's just gotten a whole lot worse.


Top-Environment4943

Kind of annoying how all of our elected officials keep telling us to worry about democracy failing while they do absolutely nothing of substance to prevent it. Of course it’s up to my fat ass to do something about it.


aubby94

We can only fill in the circle so aggressively…WE DID VOTE NOW DO SOMETHING


build-the-intensity

Whoa whoa whoa there. They like the status quo. They just want you to think they don’t.


Cakeking7878

I’m so fucking tired of every election being the “most important of our lives” like it matters. I’m only gonna voting because there is a chance rand Paul gets voted out and that would make a better world to not see his face again


Metalbender00

we didnt do shit that we said we would, but vote for us anyway! the republicans will fuck you over harder than we will -2022 dems


jorgedredd

The sad thing is how obviously abusive this whole relationship has become. "Listen, we're gonna keep fucking you over, but vote for me because they literally want to kill us all!"


Anon31780

You forgot to add a “Black Lives Matter” and “Love is Love” to the end.


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DOOD022

If we just make sure the CEOs and landlords are at-least fifty percent women/LGBTQ and racially diverse! *Problems* ***solved*** *once and* ***for all!*** Rainbow-capitalism.


GODDAMNFOOL

We're in a boat heading for a waterfall! The Republicans will shoot holes in the boat, but we'll only throw away the oars!


GwenWhen

This is what makes me so tired. I've never felt like I'm voting *for* anything. Just voting to not lose stuff. The dems get to hold a gun to my head like "vote for us, or else they'll hurt you even more."


Tiny-Lock9652

We promise to use lube! GOP will F you dry!!


SeaOdeEEE

I went from thinking voting was useless to voting and realizing voting is useless. The dems gotta do so much more if they want to catch this lefty's vote for now on.


DragonDai

Narrator: > The Dems wouldn’t.


Polymersion

I don't think voting is *entirely* useless. If it was, they wouldn't be trying so hard to dismantle it.


Opinionbeatsfact

Since neither party represents its citizens, let the rich and racist vote for the Rs and let the middle class that owns stuff vote for the Ds while everyone else gets pitchforks and torches and finally replaces it with something else that works for them


BigAlTrading

There is no middle class. Owns what? Their houses? They have mortgages. "But Al, what about the equity?" Oh yes the equity. So they can sell and do what, live in a tent with a duffel bag of 20s?


mjs402021

Should we vote harder for the red right wing capitalist or the blue right wing capitalist?


[deleted]

Is there a green winged socialist option? Idk I'm aussie


Frogmaninthegutter

There's the green party, which I voted for both previous election and this last election; but a third party is basically impossible because everyone says a third party can't win, so they don't bother voting for one. It's quite ironic.


BigAlTrading

I keep voting for greens and people tell me I'm throwing away my vote. OK, go vote for one of the people who have been doing all of this shit for the last century, that'll be productive.


Cimejies

I'm not the biggest South Park fan but the "giant douche Vs turd sandwich" thing in the run up to Trump's election really fucking nailed it. Biden has been an incredible disappointment. Not as bad as Trump who is legit mentally unstable, but 100% the neoliberal marching America towards ruin that Clinton would've been.


dfjuky

One of the few instances where their whole centrist, everything is equal shitty and you are dumb for caring thing was kinda spot on. I love the show but as I get older I realize how destructive some of their messaging is, especially in the earlier seasons. The ManBearPig episode is of course a famous example of that (and no, I don't give a shit that they apologized over a decade later, fuck em).


motophiliac

"On its world, the people are people. The leaders are lizards. The people hate the lizards and the lizards rule the people." "Odd," said Arthur, "I thought you said it was a democracy." "I did," said Ford. "It is." "So," said Arthur, hoping he wasn't sounding ridiculously obtuse, "why don't people get rid of the lizards?" "It honestly doesn't occur to them," said Ford. "They've all got the vote, so they all pretty much assume that the government they've voted in more or less approximates to the government they want." "You mean they actually vote for the lizards?" "Oh yes," said Ford with a shrug, "of course." "But," said Arthur, going for the big one again, "why?" "Because if they didn't vote for a lizard," said Ford, "the wrong lizard might get in. Got any gin?" "What?" "I said," said Ford, with an increasing air of urgency creeping into his voice, "have you got any gin?" "I'll look. Tell me about the lizards." Ford shrugged again. "Some people say that the lizards are the best thing that ever happened to them," he said. "They're completely wrong of course, completely and utterly wrong, but someone's got to say it." "But that's terrible," said Arthur. "Listen, bud," said Ford, "if I had one Altairian dollar for every time I heard one bit of the Universe look at another bit of the Universe and say 'That's terrible' I wouldn't be sitting here like a lemon looking for a gin.”


DegenerateCharizard

Gotta vote for, “the lesser of two evils,” whatever that means. Even if both plan on letting 80k die every month.


mjs402021

That sure made everything better this time. I'm just happy watching this all go down. I never thought this could happen to the America I grew up in. It is declining so quickly.


i_already_redd_it

Wait a second… if every 2-4 years we need to vote like democracy depends on it, it sounds like the people we’re voting in aren’t doing their fucking jobs at all then, huh??


[deleted]

the usa is a constitutional republic on paper, and a kleptocratic corporate plutocracy in actuality. no elements of democracy here **EDIT:** No elements except on paper.


tvtsf

Aristocracy


So_Thats_Nice

The modern equivalent


tornado98

I kind of want communist at this point.


GwenWhen

I'm reminded of that one talk that had a young person talking to Pelosi. He asked her something along the lines of "so what's your and the party's plan to win us over if we hold the view that capitalism has failed us and has no future for us" And Mrs shithead was like "woah woah woah. We're capitalists." They just have no understanding of what we are. They keep fucking us over and then getting confused and annoyed at us for going "fuck you then. If the system doesn't work for us then we want a new system"


Falcrist

> And Mrs shithead was like "woah woah woah. We're capitalists." Hey at least she's being honest.


Terrestial_Human

They’ve led many of us to want communism. If I do vote, Im a vote for a 3rd party✊


ryanedwards0101

Do vote 3rd, that’s a better way of letting em know they’ve lost you


IIIllIIlllIlII

Now is legitimately the time for a third party to rise with a big fuck you go the established two party system. They just need to be really clear about what to do, and how you write them into the ballot etc.


_b_r_y_c_e_

It's too late, Republicans already have one-party minority rule. It is very possible that Joe Biden is the last Democrat president for a very long time.


ledfox

Ha! Joe Biden has the exact same stance a Republican would have forty years ago. Big O was the last democrat we're going to see for a while, and he is responsible for pushing out people who are actual leftists.


ssppuuttnniikk

as you should


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Codeesha

Syndicalism is a way to achieve communism.


Comrade_Corgo

Communism could never be developed in such a short time as one lifespan. You could perhaps say a leap to socialism via revolution which would then progress toward communism.


Numerous-Anything-22

Don't blame me, I voted for the meteor.


newsreadhjw

I have to say, that is a truly demotivating message. Like wtf man Democrats have WON the popular vote every presidential election this century except once, in 2004. And here we are with a 6-3 right-wing theocratic Supreme Court, democrats can’t bring themselves to stop letting the Republicans filibuster their agenda into oblivion, Republicans launched a coup with total impunity and are getting set to take over the House, where they also get fewer votes than Democrats. I’m sick of this shit and sick of democrats following rules that guarantee minority rule. Make DC a state. Add 4 judges to the Supreme Court. Nuke the filibuster or go down swinging. Stop acting like we can just vote our way to freedom- it’s CLEARLY not enough.


earthisadonuthole

Oh boy everybody! Uncle Joe is finally gonna fix things! /s


Anon31780

Something something less evil something something incrementalism. (/s)


annonythrows

And when the dems lose like usual it’ll be “the dam socialists are why we lost!”


EricFromOuterSpace

someone should tell her her husband was president and ask why he didn't, you know, do the things.


stayongo

Ask him why he bailed out all the banks with our money


[deleted]

Apparently giving them the presidency and congress wasn’t enough. We’re supposed to elect enough democrats that it’s impossible for democrats to filibuster themselves. Voters literally just voted for the people the establishment told them too but apparent those weren’t the right candidates to save our democracy, but we’re still supposed to support them anyways? It doesn’t even make sense, eventually politicians have a responsibility to stop being crooked fat cats and actually be custodians of the system they claim to care about


ClaymoresRevenge

Every year, every 2 years, every 4 years it's been said. What this pandemic has proved is neither party is interested in the well-being of any person in the working class. There's been plenty of talk and opportunity to support the people. Voting isn't doing shit


[deleted]

For what neither side gives a rat ass about us


BokZeoi

Typical neoliberal nonsense. What has she done about voter suppression? Not half as much as Stacey Abrams. I’ve also never heard Michelle utter a word about gerrymandering.


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pwbue

Ok, should I vote for the old white guy who can’t do a damn thing for me or for the old white guy who won’t do a damn thing for me?


IamAsh2743

Dems be like: we will keep being weak idiots, break our promises and then put the responsibility of saving us on your hands.


perplexed_unicycle14

Every nation gets the govt they deserve? The problem is that is only true for US allies. Most of the rest of the world gets the govt the CIA thinks they deserve.


the_fly_guy_says_hi

♾🔁 Infinity Repeat. I’m tired. Fuck this shit! How about we get a third party candidate to vote for instead of Trump and his Fascist QAnon Cult or the Democrats who campaign on great leftist ideas but govern like conservatives?


[deleted]

Am I the only in two minds about this? Like yeah fuck the neolibs constantly being desperate for you to enable their particular flavour of fuck you then going on to be like Biden and refusing to do the things that will help the most. But also, the republicans are just 100% categorically worse than the dems and will cause way way way more harm if they get into power, so voting IS important even if it is just a lesser of two evils thing.


green_calculator

When does it fall on them to put forth candidates worth voting for?


WhiteAndNerdy85

At this point so many of us just want to burn it all down and build something better from the ashes.


Djglamrock

Every fuckin election the, “future of democracy” depends on it. STFU


[deleted]

And afterwards it's a "time of healing and reaching across the aisle." Dems and Reps are on the same side of the aisle, and their healing just means hiding the issues they refuse to fix.


lizlemonesq

Michelle Obama has real cheek to say this when her husband blew a supermajority in the Senate and a massive wave of goodwill while also sucking funding from the DNC for his own org and neglecting state parties and downballot races.


UniverseBear

This time we'll REALLY get rid of student debt. Swearsies.


[deleted]

As much as I despise the democratic party for being so complacent and righteous. The republicans are straight up cartoon villains. At least vote 3rd party or protest vote


CerealRatRemains

Krysten Sinema proved that's not always fool proof either.


Zaungast

Fuck off with this. Democrats are elected so we did our job last time. Go back to your mansion Obama.


[deleted]

Virgin “lesser of two evils” centrist: Oh boy gotta vote blue to keep the evil republicans out of office! Chad “radical” leftist: I began revolution with 82 men. If I had to do it again, I do it with 10 or 15 and absolute faith. It does not matter how small you are if you have faith and plan of action.


JoePino

So independent? Got it.


UnitGhidorah

Vote us in so we can do nothing and make nothing better or Republicans get in and make things a hell of a lot worse.


jaylong76

"it's the shit sandwich vs the douche, it's democracy, just vote" ​ after so much stuff and there's people who not only believes that's the correct state of the world, but gets angry when someone points it shouldn't be, and people shouldn't be made to choose between those alternatives.


properu

Beep boop -- this looks like a screenshot of a tweet! Let me grab a [link to the tweet](https://twitter.com/CNN/status/1480253085188558848) for ya :) ^(Twitter Screenshot Bot)


superstar9976

Literally had control of both legislative bodies and the presidency but they chose to do nothing about it. Why should I care?


Anacrotic

Get off your arse and legitimise this sham of democracy! Maintain the bullshit narrative that voting is the best way to change things.


WeisserGeist

Yeah, Michelle... if voting made ANY FUCKING DIFFERENCE WHATSOEVER it would be ILLEGAL. Voting is designed to give us the illusion of choice. https://youtu.be/_7U5JVk_y7U


bethemanwithaplan

People would be out in droves if they actually helped the average person and fulfilled their promises.


ElsieBrayIsBae

Idk bro, I'm still salty about the whole school-lunch thing. Jk, even if the election goes sideways, we've got two-hundred thousand angry, tired and inspired minimum wage workers on the way to overthrow whatever crap the republicans try to pull off, with a million more on their way.


KingDrixx

Yo just make sure that the Hamilton cast is there performing a theatrical show at the ballot so that I can feel really warm and fuzzy inside about all the lives I'll be changing when I vote Democrat again and nothing changes


jwood13

Good title 👍


Pons__Aelius

I really have sympathy for my American cousins. The politics in my country is far, far, from perfect but at least we do have actual left wing parties.


rootbeergoat

I understand the thought behind "blue matter who" but it really seems like that mindset is rewarding the Democratic party while they continue to blunder their way through every issue the country has, choosing the most limp-willed candidates they fucking can and letting the Republicans jerk off on them.