About those so called progressives who won't vote Hillary
Last edited Sun Jul 24, 2016, 12:13 AM - Edit history (1)
I spent half an hour or so looking at a few websites that are known for Hillary hating, out of curiosity. I wanted to know what the thought process was. I think it's smart to know what the opposition argument is, because if they make good arguments... well, I want to know if my own thinking has holes in it. If someone makes a strong, well supported argument that shows my thinking is wrong, I will absolutely change my position. The truth, after all, is what we should all be seeking.
Here's what I found.
I found people saying things like "we can survive 4 years of Trump," and "the whole system, both parties, consists of wealthy individuals and corporations whose main goal is to protect their wealth at our expense." If you just look at the second statement at surface level, it taps in to fears we all have. We may even fear there is a little bit of truth there. But then you stop and you think about all the great things the Democratic Party has achieved for us just in the last 8 years, and you know there's a difference between us and them. But still you go on reading the comments to see where else their argument goes, to see what more they have to say. And it's then that you get statements that are clearly written by people who believe in chem trails and underground lizard people in the Southwest.
So who are these holdouts? I think a portion of them are people who are normally quite reasonable in their thinking, but they are still really crushed that their candidate didn't win and their emotions won't let them see the general election clearly yet. I think there's a good chance these people will eventually realize that the Democratic Party is and has always been on their side, and they'll vote for Hillary. (But honestly, some people won't be able to let go of the grudge. Years later they'll understand how crazy it was to not vote if only to take the Supreme Court.)
Then there's that other portion of, well, how do I put it... crazy people. I think the normally reasonable people who are on those websites recognize they are sharing space with real nutters, and deep down somewhere it disturbs them, but for right now the camaraderie is comforting. Disturbing, but comforting.
I think those reasonable people can see that "surviving 4 years of Trump" does not make sense as a statement. You don't survive 4 years of Trump, you survive 30 years of it, at least. Because that means you have to survive the Supreme Court that he designs, and you survive all the economic and foreign policy damage that he does that will last as long as Reagan's trickle down has. Every policy you cared about? Demolished by a right wing Supreme Court, Congress, and President. When it's all over, we would look back at 2016 as a heavenly year when we had so much and could have had more, and have to spend 30 more years just getting back to where we are in 2016. Then. just as we are on the cusp, 60 years after voting in Trump, of getting back to where we were in 2016, another "anti-establishment" movement will come along right at that moment and have its portion of nutters saying something like "it's taking too long, let's blow it all up again and give it to republicans."
Are these so called progressives who won't vote Hillary, really progressives? I don't think they are right now. Everything boils down to action, not thought or intention. A true progressive is someone who takes actions that will result in achieving progressive goals. If I say I'm for something, but take actions that result in getting further away from that thing, can I say I'm for it? Throwing your vote away on an impossible candidate like Stein, or not voting at all means you get further away from your goal. It means you forgot the one candidate that can actually take you to your goals. And who could that be?
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word. 
"Does Bill Clinton have AIDS?" I mean, really. There are even people in that thread who are embarrassed. I'd be ashamed to be a part of a site that had that as a serious OP. I think of reasonable people who are over there (like cali) and wonder what they must be thinking.
I've never been to that site before this week and I have a sick feeling when I read it - it feels toxic, and I don't think I'll be going there again. Although I might peek in when Bernie endorses Hillary this week - that'll be epic. 
I think I'll peek in when he endorses Hillary, too...should be pretty entertaining. I can only imagine the meltdown that will ensue. 
The bitterness is so powerful, they are willing to endure Trump so they can punish Hillary and her supporters for not having backed the candidate they consider to be progressive. Never mind the irrationality, what does that say about their real motives and their characters?
I confess to sometimes imagining an outcome that I would never really want to come true, no matter how much some deserve it. For all those who want Hillary, we will have her as our President and enjoy all the progress we will make. And, for those who refuse to vote for her, they will be rewarded with Trump and all that entails.
Right? Justice served.
