Did voting for Bernie Sanders in the last two primaries (especially the ones when Trump won for the first time) amount to anything?
I wonder how long can the American public keep the self delusion that the elections are anything but a theater for the naive, to keep the pretense the public has any say in things that matter.
How much has the current administration asked the public about going to war with Iran?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_Democratic_Party_presiden...
Skill issue. Run your candidate. Convince people to vote for them.
> How much has the current administration asked the public about going to war with Iran?
THE ELECTIONS are how the public weighs in.
But you are saying: You lost fair and square, wait 4 years to have any say in what is going on.
Re: THE ELECTIONS are how the public weighs in.
When the choice is between Tweedledee and Tweedledum, the public's choice is meaningless.
To say nothing about politicians outright shamelessly lying (e.g. Trump campaigning on 'no more wars').
Sorry I didn't invent the idea that there are federal elections every two years, I'm just telling you that you have to win them. Bonus points: this is also how you can change the election schedule or political system!
If you're saying both candidates were bad when one was Trump, and the other was Hillary, Kamala, or Joe, then you don't have very good judgement. I agree Trump lying about not starting a war was bad. Many of us have said for years that he is a terrible liar. Please help us.
Trump is monstrously bad (= force the shit hitting the fan NOW), the democratic alternatives were just 'normally' bad (= continue the same old crap driving the shit closer to the fan, ignoring the looming disaster).
(Also, political donors are unusually engaged upper-middle-class people which means they are left of the average voter.)
That's the second box only. There's also the soapbox (that you also referred to), the jury box and ultimately the ammo box.
Here is the 2026 Senate map [1]. Do you suggest any of them will flip over Iran? (I don’t. The folks who regularly vote simply don’t show any sign that this is a priority. Folks who stay at home grumbling don’t matter.)
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_United_States_Senate_elec...
He didn't win the primaries though. It would have amounted to something if he got enough votes.
2) If he won the primaries, there is still no guarantee that that would have amounted to anything.
First, he might not have won the elections (mainstream media and the whole ruling elites were heavily against him). And even if he won, he might not have been able to do much against the permanent state.
I still think the main cause of Trump's wins is the deep disillusionment of the democratic voters by Obama's failure (inability/unwillingness) to impact a meaningful change.
Sadly, it is also factually correct (i.e. not delusional).
Which of my statements are you contesting?
From my point of view, your stance (play fairly, according to the rules set by your stronger opponent) is delusional. Note that the opponent is not 'republicans', but the whole ruling elites.
And no, I can't help you, I am not USian, just an outside observer. Sadly, due to its weight, whatever USA does, heavily influences everybody else as well.
No, it isn’t. Sanders’ supporters didn’t have the votes. That’s a fact.
If people believe in something, they should call their electeds and vote. The fact that a lot of people with a certain confluence of views (privacy, anti-war, et cetera) are too lazy to do either (regardless of post rationalization), but not self aware enough to not complain about it, is delusional cynicism.
I said the leadership of the democratic party did dirty tricks to prevent him winning.
The mainstream media was also against him.
Not anywhere close to a level playing field.
Note, that I am not against voting or calling your elected officials and all the related stuff. That is necessary. But, sadly, far from sufficient. If you think that that is sufficient, you are delusional.
Your subsequent generalizations are lazy and unsubstantiated, in fact they fit the classical smear patterns established by the mainstream media.
But still, ultimately, turnout was turnout. Media saying mean things about your side isn’t a real excuse, Trump has been saying the same for a decade.
> they fit the classical smear patterns established by the mainstream media
Of course they must. In the meantime, the issues I care about seem decently reflected (outside privacy and war, where I concede most Americans who share my views are lazy, delusional and nihilistic). I’ve even had the opportunity to help write some state and federal legislation. So I guess I should be okay with the lack of political competition.
Uh, yeah? I voted for Biden/Harris.
And in any case, focusing almost exclusively on one race is part of the problem. Where I live, we also had a Dem primary for the house district, and a more electable candidate won - and then went on to win in the general. It was one of the very few red->blue flips in 2024.
Our former congresswoman, incidentally:
https://newrepublic.com/post/207234/trump-labor-secretary-ch...
Then there are all the races for school boards, city council, county commission and all those things that provide the base and the bench to build off of.