#IT ISN'T ABOUT BIDEN

[rymurrsneckbeard]

Politics is not about likeability. Politics isn't romantic. You shouldn't love your politicians, you should always view them with some form of unease, and you should hold them accountable. Politics is not about being a fan of your elected officials. Politics is strategic, not emotional.

The US has a two-party system regarding presidential elections. That will never change unless the electoral college system goes away or is altered. Republicans will never let that happen if they're in office, because that is their only real chance to win. Democrats may only pay the idea lip service but they aren't entirely opposed to the idea - and if you vote, especially at the local/state level, you can get more left-leaning candidates into office who do want to see the EC abolished.

This coming election is not about liking Joe Biden. I would love to have better options. It would be great. But that's not the world we live in. The world we live in and the world we have to deal with is the world in which your options are Biden or Trump. Despite pushback from the GOP and SCOTUS Biden has eliminated nearly $160 billion in student loan debt. His administration has heavily curtailed the use of drone strikes on foreign adversaries. The Inflation Reduction Act is the biggest piece of legislation to curb climate change that the US has ever seen. There are a lot of other very very good things this administration has done that I'm currently spacing on as well. What I'm saying is that despite being a centrist, with a hostile House of Reps, the SLIMMEST of margins in the Senate (and even that is questionable with Sinema and Manchin being who they are), and an incredibly right wing SCOTUS, Biden's administration has actually done a lot of good things.

Palestine is obviously a huge problem for Biden, I'm aware of that, but also: Trump would be worse. Trump wants Netanyahu to get it done faster, more violently, with more bloodshed. He would be better for Netanyahu, he would be worse for Gazans.

And that doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of what happens in the US itself if Trump wins another term and is able to add 2-4 more justices to the Supreme Court (with Alito and Thomas both in their 70s, and Kagan/Roberts both at 69). If Biden replaces Alito and Thomas we can pull the balance of the court from 6-3 conservative to 5-4 liberal. That is a STRATEGIC vote, to suck it up and vote for Biden with the hopes of changing the makeup of the Supreme Court for probably the next 10-20 years. If Trump replaces those two justices, we are likely stuck with a conservative SCOTUS for 20+ years.

I don't give a shit if my politicians are likeable. I need them to do the least harm possible. Biden would do drastically less harm in the immediate, and a SCOTUS with Biden-appointed replacements for Alito/Thomas would do drastically less harm in the future.

I desperately need people to stop seeing politics as a dating game and realize it's a fucking strategic battlefield. The GOP/Conservatives understand this and play the game. They'll sell their souls and vote for the actual devil if it means they'll get right wing judges installed. The left is so busy battling over purity tests and likeability that we can't get shit done.

So, there's a lot of USians around who are very clearly fucking fed up with their political choices this election cycle, and planning to sit it out.

And I get it! What's the point of voting if there's no one to vote for?

The thing is, I'm Australian. In Australia, voting is compulsory. We don't get to sit out our elections, and I'll be real honest with you - we don't exactly get better choices than you lot. So how do you vote if there's no one to vote for? You find someone to vote against. And there's always someone to vote against.

Now, we have the pleasure of preferential voting in Australia - We get to rank every candidate from 1 to X, and I'll tell you, there's something so cathartic about putting the biggest bastard of the lot at the very bottom of your preferences. I understand that USians don't get that option - you get to mark one person, and that's it.

That means that you get one shot, so aim it at the biggest bastard of the lot. The candidate you most utterly detest. Put your vote in the worst possible place for them. Don't even think about who that vote's going towards, that's not the point. Remember, every vote is a vote against someone. Make sure you fuck up that someone's election day!

[lazylittledragon]

taking all my american followers by the shoulders. listen to me. just because you have a more promising candidate now doesn't mean you just assume it's going to be fine and don't bother voting. assuming trump wasn't going to win is how you got here in the first place so you go out and fucking vote for harris and give everyone a fighting chance.

also if you're still in the 'they're both as bad as eachother' delirium, please take your head out from between your cheeks and consider that your options are an imperfect president and the literal worst person alive who is going to get masses of people killed. i've said it like this before, but it's like deciding between maybe getting food poisoning or definitely having a brain aneurysm. take your pick i guess but don't be surprised when you drop dead.

[reasonsforhope]

This is now a Kamala Harris for President blog btw

Obviously I'll keep posting good news as usual! And I'm going to pull up as much good news and reasons for hope about Kamala Harris's campaign as I can.

[charlesoberonn]

Wow it literally is Joever.

[zerofuckingwaste]

Zero waste isn't just about trying not to create extra waste, it's about not wasting the things you have.

If you live in the United States and are of majority age, you have the right to vote.

Don't fucking waste it.

#VoteKamala

[aspiringwarriorlibrarian]

If genocide joe loses the 2024 election don't cry about the people who understandably will not vote. I dont want trump but it'll be his own fault if he loses. If you still believe in the 2 party system you need to grow up

If you still believe that your own righteous fury is worth more than people's lives, then you also need to grow up. If a compromise will save lives, I'll compromise. I won't let people die holding out for a perfect solution that will never come.

[terryfuckingturniptruck]

Alright, here we go again. I'm sorry that you all want to feel righteous and just but not voting or voting third party is only going to make everything worse. Of course the dems are fucked up politicians too but if you are going to just not vote for anyone bc of the genocide, then you are voting indirectly for that orange fucker to be back in office. And not only is he for the genocide in Palestine, he is for various other types of genocide and other egregious behaviors as we've seen.

[gooseontheinternet]

getting blocked by one of the biggest tumblr blogs these days is like a point of pride

(i said trump was the lesser evil against biden because i, a trans person, would love to not have to detransition or get my rights taken away) (i did not even say biden was a good person or that i support genocide)

[poisonousquinzel]

"a dude in Texas legally changed his name to "Literally Anyone Else" and he's attempting to run for President against Biden & Trump" [source]

okay, but putting aside the comedic aspect of this, it is concerning the amount of people who are prompted to vote for candidates just because it's funny. I'm not the biggest fan of how his policy about the boarder sounds [Site], but I do implore anyone who is able to vote in the 2024 US election to please research other candidates.

The media is only going to continue pushing the idea it's inevitably going to be Trump vs Biden 2.0 and we have no other options, that we have to vote for Biden again because of Project 2025. Is that whole thing terrifying?

Yeah, fucking absolutely.

But voting for Biden will not solidify our safety from that. Biden is exactly like the rest of them. He always has been. You can't make the lesser of two evils argument when they're both just plain evil.

You cannot say that Biden is even mildly a better choice than Trump when he is currently directly involved in a genocide. That is not some little fucking thing. That in and of itself disqualifies him as a lesser evil. Biden is just as bad as him and he will not save us because he doesn't fucking care.

Cornel West [Site] is an Independent candidate running for President in the 2024 Election. [Policies]

Claudia De la Cruz and Karina Garcia [Site] are running for President and Vice-President as the candidates of the Party for Socialism and Liberation in the 2024 Election. [Policies]

There are options.

There are people trying to change the corrupt foundation our system is built on, but we have to help amplify them because the mainstream media will not.

[mrsgojosatoru]

"Biden can't do anything and if you knew anything you'd know he has stopped the support of Israel so much that it's impeded operations 😭😭😭😭😭😭"

Anyways, war criminal US secretary of state Anthony Blinken met with war criminal Yoav Gallant TODAY (6/24). The International Criminal Court is pursuing arrest warrants for Gallant. So tell me again how mad Biden is at Israel.

[chongoblog]

A trend in the past few years I've noticed that makes me Feel Something™ is "whoa hey, a new thing that's affecting society with major potential consequences.........at least we can get some really good memes about it, right?"

[traumatizedbymay2016]

The thing that really makes me upset when people try to make the "they're the same candidate" argument about Biden and Trump with respect to America's complicity in the genocide Israel is committing — putting aside literally any thought not directly tied to that exact issue — is that they're not even exactly the same on that front.

Like, I'm not going to lie to you and say that I like Biden's response here any more than you do. But one of these candidates has responded to protests with silence, and the other one thinks that your first amendment rights shouldn't apply on this issue.

Not only are there a mountain of tiebreaker issues that you could use to determine that one of these presidents is meaningfully less awful than the other, the issue where they're supposedly the same level of awful takes less than a minute's worth of googling to show that there are significant differences in the approach here that are one hundred percent worth choosing a side between.

[covid-conscious-and-silly]

i wanted to post something else, but here we are 🙃

Image Description: Press Release with heading: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 17, 2024

Statement from Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre

Earlier today following his first event in Las Vegas, President Biden tested positive for COVID-19. He is vaccinated and boosted and he is experiencing mild symptoms. He will be returning to Delaware where he will self-isolate and will continue to carry out all of his duties fully during that time. The White House will provide regular updates on the President's status as he continues to carry out the full duties of the office while in isolation.

Note from the President's Doctor:

The President presented this afternoon with upper respiratory symptoms, to include rhinorhea (runny nose) and non-productive cough, with general mailaise. He felt okay for his first event of the day, but given that he was not feeling better, point of care testing for COVID-19 was conducted, and the results were positive for the COVID-19 virus. Given this, the President will be self-isolating in accordance with CDC guidance for symptomatic individuals. PCR confirmation testing will be pending. His symptoms remain mild, his respiratory rate is normal at 16, his temperature is normal at 97.8 and his pulse oximetry is normal at 97%. The President has received his first dose of Paxlovid. He will be self-isolating at his home in Rehoboth.

also did a brief skim through a cnn article and found this picture of him getting into a car not wearing a mask AFTER TESTING POSITIVE. and the narrative the media is trying to spin by continuing to state what the CDC has "advised" is truly awful.

Image Description: Joe Biden wearing sunglasses getting into a car. Caption reads: "Biden gives a 'thumbs up' as he prepares to board Air Force One after testing positive for Covid-19, July 17."

[vibinglikethat]

this is going to sound harsh but hear me out: y'all have got to stop begging/demanding/guilt tripping people into voting for biden just so trump doesn't become president again. Y'ALL DID THIS SHIT THE FIRST TIME AND IT WASN'T FUCKING HELPFUL. IT STILL ISN'T.

it's just blowing my mind that y'all have somehow forgotten or ignored or dismissed the fact that president joseph biden is actively participating in a genocide against palestine. AND YOU ALL THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO DEMAND PEOPLE TO FUCKING VOTE FOR HIM?

i really need y'all to wake up. democracy isn't dying because it's already dead. if it was ever alive to begin with. i'm not going to vote for a man who cares more about power and money than he does about palestinian men, women and children. your hatred for trump should not come before your compassion for others.

[meanya]

I think the internet has divided us on issues and politics because talking about problems and bad things on the internet isn't the same as in person.

The other day, a friend who's more politically active thank I am invited me to go door-to-door advocating for a local Senator running for office. I was nervous about this, but luckily we didn't get a lot of negativity or anger from neighbors. Matter of fact, a lot of people said they'd met the Senator, has been to his rallies, had had drinks with the man, new his wife even! Felt so weird to hear that. When I think of election season all I can think about is Trump and Biden, I almost forget the importance of local elections and just how tight-knit those relationships are...

One guy we met said the Senator had complimented his old fancy car while going door-to-door a few years ago, and he knew he'd vote for him after that.

I've been thinking about that ever since. He complimented his car...

It's really sunk in since I heard that that the way we experience and understand problems is through personal connections. That's how we empathize with people, that's how we understand the different dimensions of a problem. Not through articles or even statistics, but through conversation.

I believe that a political Tweet with a thousand likes will likely have less of an impact on a thousand people's beliefs than one conversation between two friends will impact those 2 people's beliefs. Connections matter. Knowing a person before diving into what they think/believe means everything.

That's hard to come by on the internet though. Not impossible, but hard. Even here on Tumblr, the first thing you see on a new person's blog is a summary of who they are and maybe a DNI list. We can decide if someone is like us or different, decent or morally reprehensible, worth a follow or a block, all without ever exchanging a word. We can decide whether to speak to or cut off a person so quickly now, and in doing so we may sometimes lose opportunities for growth...

When my dad was overseas in the early 2000's during W Bush's presidency, he struck up a conversation with a local. They had some beers and played pool. That local never would've talked to my dad if he'd introduced himself as U.S.American before striking up conversation, he would've dismissed him immediately.

Everyone knows that politics seem to be getting more divided every day. I think the only solution is to talk to people we know in person, and I think that's harder than ever for us for a lot of reasons.

Take a moment to think about the last time you had an argument in a comment section somewhere online. Think about the things you said to the person for a moment.

Try and remember the last time you talked like that to someone in person. Isn't it almost always easier to type insults on a screen to a pfp than to insult someone to their face? It's easier to talk about subjects you have a strong opinion on online anonymously with strangers, isn't it? Easier to insult someone's intelligence when you don't know or care who they are. Insulting a stranger online over a divisive topic has no consequences for you, but it also typically has little impact on the person you're talking to, even if it feels cathartic for you in the moment.

In real life, divisive topics are scary. I think we've become afraid of divisive and polarizing topics for a lot of reasons; Cancel culture, Covid, discomfort, etc. I think we're afraid of stepping out of our comfort zone (to a healthy, safe degree that is.) I think we're afraid of getting into an argument, afraid of losing people. That's understandable, arguments are unpleasant after all... And I think a lot of us lost contact or blocked former friends and family members during the Trump presidency. I also think a lot of our social skills in general deteriorated a bit during Covid when the internet was the only way to communicate with people.

I think we're afraid of being wrong about something, afraid of messing up, afraid of upsetting someone, of being lumped into a group or called bigoted, small-minded, disgusting, perverted, secretly racist or sexist or homophobic or antisemitic or evil... The very idea is gut-wrenching, no? Easier to avoid such a conversation altogether isn't it?

And I don't know a lot about politics or government... but I do know that we here in America can do better than Trump and Biden. I also know that my ability to affect who becomes President is probably much smaller than my ability to affect who becomes Senator, and even that is much smaller than my ability to change a friend's mind by talking to them about a divisive subject.

It's easy to say "the world is fucked" and "all politicians suck." It's hard to have hope. It's hard to get your hopes up and think you can make a difference in the face of a million dissenters who will laugh at you for trying.

I think maybe this is the way to start though. I think we discount the impact we have on the people around us, but stories and relationships are powerful things.

Have a difficult conversation this week. Ask someone their opinion on a complicated issue. Don't put yourself in danger of course, but get a little uncomfortable. That's where change starts. Humanity is made of humans, and if you know some humans, then you can change humanity. That's where real change begins.

[the-voice-of-night-vale]

whatever ur electoral decision is. can we PLEASE stop pretending america is a democracy. it is, and has always been, a farse of a democracy at best. the electoral college? the supreme court? anyone?? i remember finding those things distinctly undemocratic in middle school.

saying that 'we're choosing between fascism and democracy' is just patently untrue and frankly disrespectful to the vulnerable people who have been harmed by the authoritarian state even (and in some cases ESPECIALLY) under democrats.

(and before you say, "okay, fascism vs worse fascism" please take a moment and think about how fucking insane that is.)