And, yes, Congress is a huge issue that everyone is ignoring. Single digit approval rating, yet everyone seemingly thinks their elected official isn't part of the problem. People in power who think 'legitimate rape' is a thing, and for all the talk about it being a group that represents us, it's still overwhelmingly male, old, straight, white, and rich. But, they convince the working class that they're 'fighting for them' and other nonsense. It'd be laughable if it didn't come with very real consequences.
GOP voters are consistent. They always vote. Midterms, Presidential years, etc. They're clockwork. Voters in the middle and on the left often feel disenfranchised, or are otherwise not interested (not that constant media distractions and pressure to feel that way plays a part, or increasingly restrictive voting laws, or intimidation, nosiree). And that's one of the problems I have with Clinton edging closer to the nomination.
There is a portion - I'm not sure how large it is because corporate news media sucks - of Bernie supporters who simply won't vote for Clinton. There's also no guarantee that this grassroots momentum will continue past November. The same problems that have plagued the center and left - inconsistent voter turnout stemming from disenfranchisement and malaise - are still there. Bernie is the outlier. An awesome one, but I'm not sure how it continues past November.
So, if/when she gets the nomination, I see the movement ending with a thud because the left has never been able to sustain it like conservatives, and she represents the status quo remaining immovable. I really, truly hope I'm wrong.
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Influencing others to vote Bernie (or for people like him going forward) is impossible for me. I'm the only true independent voter (I largely vote left on the political spectrum, but I don't identify as Democrat because I hate our political party setup, and have never been a "rah rah team" kind of person anyway) in my family. Everyone else is Republican. They loathe Bernie. They don't actually know him, or his politics, but when the 'socialist' dog whistle is blown, they react predictably, and my voice and reason is too feeble to break the hold. My friends are almost all Bernie supporters. Those that aren't are Clinton supporters, for a variety of reasons ranging from emotional to illogical. I literally only have my vote, which I always use.
We really need viable third, fourth, fifth, etc. parties in this country. I don't think it'll ever happen, but it would be the perfect balance to the insidious parasite that has infected and spread throughout the GOP over the last 2-3 generations. I can only hope that the RNC is split, and that what few semi-rational members of the GOP remain try to forge their own party. It may backfire if it happens - I can see them fading into obsolescence if the current wave of hate mongering is more permanent than I think - but something needs to happen. The two party system simply isn't working the way it's constructed.
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I wonder when Trump will start handing out armbands?
GOP voters are consistent. They always vote. Midterms, Presidential years, etc. They're clockwork. Voters in the middle and on the left often feel disenfranchised, or are otherwise not interested (not that constant media distractions and pressure to feel that way plays a part, or increasingly restrictive voting laws, or intimidation, nosiree). And that's one of the problems I have with Clinton edging closer to the nomination.
There is a portion - I'm not sure how large it is because corporate news media sucks - of Bernie supporters who simply won't vote for Clinton. There's also no guarantee that this grassroots momentum will continue past November. The same problems that have plagued the center and left - inconsistent voter turnout stemming from disenfranchisement and malaise - are still there. Bernie is the outlier. An awesome one, but I'm not sure how it continues past November.
So, if/when she gets the nomination, I see the movement ending with a thud because the left has never been able to sustain it like conservatives, and she represents the status quo remaining immovable. I really, truly hope I'm wrong.
---
Influencing others to vote Bernie (or for people like him going forward) is impossible for me. I'm the only true independent voter (I largely vote left on the political spectrum, but I don't identify as Democrat because I hate our political party setup, and have never been a "rah rah team" kind of person anyway) in my family. Everyone else is Republican. They loathe Bernie. They don't actually know him, or his politics, but when the 'socialist' dog whistle is blown, they react predictably, and my voice and reason is too feeble to break the hold. My friends are almost all Bernie supporters. Those that aren't are Clinton supporters, for a variety of reasons ranging from emotional to illogical. I literally only have my vote, which I always use.
We really need viable third, fourth, fifth, etc. parties in this country. I don't think it'll ever happen, but it would be the perfect balance to the insidious parasite that has infected and spread throughout the GOP over the last 2-3 generations. I can only hope that the RNC is split, and that what few semi-rational members of the GOP remain try to forge their own party. It may backfire if it happens - I can see them fading into obsolescence if the current wave of hate mongering is more permanent than I think - but something needs to happen. The two party system simply isn't working the way it's constructed.
---
I wonder when Trump will start handing out armbands?
"I was thirsty for everything, but blood wasn't my style" - Live, "Voodoo Lady"
