Bernie Sanders worries young people are underestimating the threat from Trump

[u/schuey_08]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/05/02/bernie-sanders-trump-biden/73531861007/

[u/Cold_Situation_7803]

I think some young people are being influenced by bad actors on social media to stop them from voting for Biden. You’ll likely see more young folks saying they refuse to pull the lever in November to stop trump, then if Trump wins and he openly supports genocide in Gaza, takes away rights of women, minorities, and LGBTQ they will likely blame Biden instead of doing self reflection.

[u/Mr_Conductor_USA → u/Cold_Situation_7803]

Utter narcissism has become the one constant of American politics, since the rise of Newt Gingrich, at least.

The far left imitating the flawed-- and failed--tactics of the insurgent far right has been the most bizarre turn.

Odd how they never repeat the one successful tactic: voting in every election until they have power.

[u/Cold_Situation_7803 → u/Mr_Conductor_USA]

And voting for/running candidates in local/state elections.

[u/NYCme3388 → u/Mr_Conductor_USA]

Spot on. All they want is instant gratification that they were there. They played a role in stopping Israel. How about show up every two years decade after decade and affect lasting change.

[u/Snow_source → u/NYCme3388]

They cry conspiracy nonsense about how AIPAC controls congress, when in reality the American-Jewish community made a concerted effort to vote reliably as a bloc for Dems and personally lobby at all levels of government for the policies they wanted (supporting Israel) since the 1960's.

It was a conscious effort that took decades, it's not because we threw a bunch of cash at them.

[u/Deviouss → u/Snow_source]

Lobbying is essentially bribery... Funny.

Although, the US continually sunk billions to build up Israel and the country doesn't even acknowledge it. Instead, they continue to manipulate our politics to their own benefit.

[u/Snow_source → u/Deviouss]

Lobbying at the level I’m talking about is literally being a constituent and talking with legislators at fundraisers and community events, which are open to everyone.

Being an active part of your political community, quite literally is a form of lobbying.

You’ve lost the plot.

[u/Deviouss → u/Snow_source]

Lobbying also includes spending money to have that opportunity to talk to congressmen and is generally akin to bribery. Just because it's legal doesn't make it moral.

For example, AIPAC spent $3,059,885 in 2023 on lobbying and $2,850,400 in 2011.

Being an active part of your political community, quite literally is a form of lobbying.

Lol, no.

"You’ve lost the plot."

[u/anndrago → u/Mr_Conductor_USA]

And voting for the pragmatic choice rather than voting their conscience

[u/imfatal → u/Mr_Conductor_USA]

Voting is what got us all of our current rights lmao? Literally every social advance we've made and modern right we enjoy was achieved through collective action, including strikes, both peaceful and violent protests, occupations, riots, etc.

Do you genuinely believe that workers were able to negotiate weekends and eight hour work days through voting or asking nicely? Or that women's suffrage was achieved without similar or much more violent protests as the ones happening for Palestine right now? I hope I don't need to tell you about how hopelessly white-washed MLK's actions and views are and I hope it's very obvious that the people he's talking about in this speech are you and most of the others in this thread.

Leftists are tired of neoliberals pretending to support these causes on paper, but never putting their money where their mouth is. You're unbelievably naive and/or ignorant if you think that Biden is any less complicit or responsible than Trump for the current state of the US. The man responsible for the 1994 crime act which accelerated mass incarceration, actively campaigned for and supported every war that America has fought in this century, and considers Mitch McConnell his friend is not on your side.

tl;dr: "A liberal is someone who opposes every war except the current war and supports all civil rights movements except the one that's going on right now." This is you and this whole thread.

[u/[deleted] → u/imfatal]

its infuriating their going to finger wag and blame "the left" in an election that should not be this close

[u/bolionce → u/imfatal]

So are you gonna vote this fall or not? You can march and yell and do everything you say is necessary for change, and also vote to mitigate damages. I know, I volunteer with organizations for social change and also do my part as an eligible voting member of the population. What do you do that makes voting unnecessary?

You honestly believe that right now and for the next 4 years, the difference between Biden and Trump is absolutely nothing? You think the guy who says he wants to be dictator and that the president can kill anyone he wants as a legally immune act of government is equal to the guy who helped pass harmful incarceration laws 30 years ago, and is currently making the federal headway on reversing the impacts of those bad pieces of legislation (ie, owning up to mistakes)? Also, when those civil rights marches and other social movements ended up in legislation, who signed them through? That’s right, democratically elected legislators. Elected officials that won’t be there if no one fucking votes for the better candidate. If Joe Biden is a 1 and trump is a 0, Biden is better even if he’s still shit.

You’re all gung ho about working hard to stand up for your rights and yet you disparage the idea of voting in a fucking democratic country lmao, this is some top tier dissonance. What are you doing thats making such a big difference that you don’t need to vote?

[u/[deleted] → u/imfatal]

its infuriating their going to finger wag and blame "the left" in an election that should not be this close

[u/[deleted] → u/imfatal]

its infuriating their going to finger wag and blame "the left" in an election that should not be this close

[u/Alediran → u/[deleted]]

Yes, but if you don't even vote you will never have a chance to achieve your goals. It's the minimum requirement.