Local politics are important, which is the most realistic form of social engagement most, but how exactly does that have any semblance of relevance to an issue that's the result of a presidential and statewide elections?
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Supreme Court lets GOP-drawn Alabama congressional map stay in place in 5-4 decision
- Thread starter nhlducks35
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Local politics are important, which is the most realistic form of social engagement most, but how exactly does that have any semblance of relevance to an issue that's the result of a presidential and statewide elections?
It's the senate which is currently held to a 60 vote filibuster which Sinema and Manchin refuse to get rid of or alter.
that is where I am at as well cause that really f'ed up the SC
Nobody said it was the only solution. Why don't you bring up another one that's achievable also?
If anyone's waiting on a revolution by the complacent white moderates that will somehow make this country care for minority voting rights... they're gonna wait for a long time.
November 2020 didn't stop fascism in the US. I live in Texas and can tell you, it's alive and well.
Weren't the people of Bolivia in the streets with massive protests and blockades? This is not voting out fascism.
There's plenty to do including mutual aid, organizing, civil disobedience, etc. People may not do this but it gets change to happen. Simply voting is not nearly enough and not the only thing one can do. Abortion funds in Texas are still running despite the threat of lawsuits. The people that run them didn't say "Well, we'll just wait until we can vote in the next local election."
Outside of people like us in this forum, again, the country seems blind to it, like they are in a daze. It's going to take things drastically changing for the worse before they wake up, it needs to start effecting their lives, and not, well mostly, vulnerable people and Minorities, let's be honest.
Part of me really does feel like 2016 was the end and the left is our here still playing a game we already lost.
Agreed. That's why one organizes and helps those vulnerable people through whatever means one can.
Vote, by all means. But if I don't vote in the midterms, nothing will play out differently in my state.
What they accomplished with those protests was a new election. Again, I didn't say that voting was the only thing, but any road to recovery leads through elections.
These things are happening; they're just not breaking through massively.
I think what's most needed is better PR if we're being honest. The fact that this country is sleepwalking into fascism but the masses don't seem to get it is infuriating.
Yeah, the unfortunate truth is that I can see the American public being comfortable with an authoritarian regime for a long, long time so long as it keeps up a meager front of "respectability." Even the people in my life who should know better roll their eyes when I say democracy is in trouble. They genuinely think we're fine (or at least far from a crisis point, anyway).
Not gonna bother with this one because you're just assuming intent that isn't there.
Actually, what I said was, all people can do is vote, AND that it probably won't be enough. Part of the reason for that, is the very reason you said, Republicans are taking away Democratic votes.
I was more pointing out the grimm reality of the situation than saying "hey vote! We can fix this!"
The agitation was needed to get the new election. Voting didn't stop fascism in that case. What stopped the fascist takeover was being in the streets. The people in the streets allowed the voting to happen.
I know they are happening. I participate in them. We've seen a good uptick in people helping each other through mutual aid in my community due to organizing. I'll vote because, for me, it's easy enough but I know nothing will immediately change because of it. My efforts outside of the voting process is where I focus my energy because I know it will help people's material conditions right now. Voting isn't going to help the people in my community that need abortions now. But my efforts with abortion funds do and it's worth risking lawsuits.
There are 2 republicans in the SC that are old and may die in office.
Wake me when Biden actually gets a nominee through. Alito isn't remotely that old, the guy is 70 not 80. Sotomayor is basically 70 now. SCOTUS has three justices under 55 and they are all Republicans.
The court will be solidly conservative for the rest of my life. I highly doubt Biden will win reelection.
Even if we have a Democratic President, we won't be able to put in a new SC if we don't have the Senate. That makes the odds of a Democratic Candidate being pushed down to 25% or something. Bad odds.
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Seeing as we still haven't undone the damage from Reagan, that 40-50 year estimate is VERY optimistic
Seeing as we still haven't undone the damage from Reagan, that 40-50 year estimate is VERY optimistic
Yes, it is white voters fault.
The day clarence thomas dies is gonna be a day of celebration.
Republicans already made it so they can't really lose close federal elections, and if Democrats do nothing about voting rights they will make it so they can't win elections at all.
Accountability? In this economy?
But if you don't blame voters you might have to blame politicians, and we can't have that.
Accountability? In this economy?
I remember a lot of people saying Trump was just putting on a show and would not be much different than Hillary. That was coming from liberals.
Exactly!! For me, her legacy is not retiring when she should have and looking at this SC. Take one for the team because millions of people are on it and we are going to suffer.
We are screwed and people that put her on a pedestal should really understand the magnitude of her stubbornness.
Voters vote for one Presidential candidate by the millions, and that candidate loses. Voters come out in record terms in a midterm to deliver the House to Democrats after a decade of being the minority. Voters come out in record numbers to swing an election, including turning two red states blue. Voters come out in record numbers to win two special elections in Georgia, a traditionally red state, to give Democrats a trifecta in the national government.
If only voters did more.
It's like watching someone burn themselves drinking a cup of coffee and thinking, "Damn, that was hot as fuck. If only this cup was a different color."
If only voters did more.
It's like watching someone burn themselves drinking a cup of coffee and thinking, "Damn, that was hot as fuck. If only this cup was a different color."
The SC is screwed alright, but I'd be more concerned about America's Democracy the next few years.
I agree completely, and it just makes me sad. She used to be my hero, and now, I can't even think about her. Her hubris led to the situation we are in. She was very vulnerable with her age and health problems, and she was also in the middle of a damn pandemic that wrecks people her age.
Anyway, like I said, it makes me sad and I don't like to think about it.
And why not?
Because of this decision the most consistent left voting demographic is about to be even further disenfranchised. And why? So that largely white Republicans and largely people (including "leftists") who just want to cheer at the demise of Democrats while not doing their civic duty their damn selves can gloat?
Black people vote Dem/Left, overwhelmingly.
Black voters are getting screwed by this.
While our allies shit on Southern States and "lazy voters"...again.
Another banger from this SCOTUS, that 2016 bell is still tolling sheesh. What could've been.
Hoping we batten down the hatches over the next few years and just do better. There's not just one answer -- will take cooperation on many fronts to right these wrongs within the rule of law. Hopefully that sticks around and gets healthier too because my goodness, it's been ugly lately.
Hoping we batten down the hatches over the next few years and just do better. There's not just one answer -- will take cooperation on many fronts to right these wrongs within the rule of law. Hopefully that sticks around and gets healthier too because my goodness, it's been ugly lately.
SOCTUS took this case pretty fast . They wanted to make sure Republicans kept the advantage.
From the looks of this thread the GOP's voter suppression efforts are working. Getting people to give up on trying is what they want.
That's the lesson I took from older generations anyway. These voter suppression tactics are weak compared to the stories I heard. So far no one is getting beaten or killed for voting. That can change pretty fast depending on how the next few elections go.
Diluting our votes or not counting them isn't new. It's straight bs that we're still dealing with this crap though.
I agree that voting alone doesn't change things. History is clear on that, but they wouldn't invest so much time and money in suppressing votes if voting didn't matter.
Republicans winning so many state elections in 2008 and onwards really screwed the country too.
Not to mention congress swinging back to the GOP because the ACA and everything else Dems did wasn't perfect.
That history is about repeat again.
From the looks of this thread the GOP's voter suppression efforts are working. Getting people to give up on trying is what they want.
That's the lesson I took from older generations anyway. These voter suppression tactics are weak compared to the stories I heard. So far no one is getting beaten or killed for voting. That can change pretty fast depending on how the next few elections go.
Diluting our votes or not counting them isn't new. It's straight bs that we're still dealing with this crap though.
I agree that voting alone doesn't change things. History is clear on that, but they wouldn't invest so much time and money in suppressing votes if voting didn't matter.
Republicans winning so many state elections in 2008 and onwards really screwed the country too.
Not to mention congress swinging back to the GOP because the ACA and everything else Dems did wasn't perfect.
That history is about repeat again.
It's not really one or the other. We need to reform the system and we need people to vote.
But I'll tell you one thing for sure: sitting out of voting does literally nothing to reform anything. It doesn't actually send the message people think it does, because some (maybe lots) of people in power are totally okay with people staying home on voting day.
It's not necessarily about sending a message. Many people struggling are just tired of their vote not affecting their material conditions. I see it often. It's not so much "This will show them!" it's more "What's the point when promises aren't kept?".
They invest far more time and money on continuing the police state because they know the real power is people coming together.
For some of us, voting doesn't matter.
We're all tired. We all wish more promises were kept. But not voting does nothing. I'm not going to insult people who feel their vote doesn't matter, but I will always plead for people to get out and vote regardless. Doing nothing does nothing.
That's the spirit. Hopefully everyone thinks like you.
And in case it's necessary: /s
I think that's a good attitude. I don't think admonishment is going to do anything. I don't have any problem with people getting others out to vote. By all means.
Not voting is not inherently doing nothing, however.
Helping vulnerable people in my community while voting even if I think it doesn't matter in my case is a bad thing?
He may have dissented in this specific case, but I was referring more to the gutting of the VRA itself as his legacy. Rulings such as this one are a pretty direct result of his previous votes against protecting voting rights.
(Quick edit for wording 'cause phone typing sucks)
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