this post was submitted on 28 Oct 2024
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The atmosphere is so heated, and the statements are getting more and more extreme. Let's just assume Harris wins the election. After a campaign like this, how could you ever have a normal relationship with your pro-Trump neighbor/father-in-law/Uncle/Barber or what ever again?

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[–] pjwestin@lemmy.world 58 points 4 weeks ago (2 children)

Oh, that's easy; we don't! Every four years, the fabric of our society frays and tears a little more, while our politicians either exploit our divisions or attempt to repair them without making any changes to the material conditions or systemic problems that create these fractures, because fixing these underlying issues would upset the handful of billionaires that actually control our government! But there's a new Fast & Furious movie every two or three years, so it balances out.

[–] Wrench@lemmy.world 8 points 4 weeks ago (1 children)

because fixing these underlying issues would upset the handful of billionaires that actually control our government

And how exactly are they supposed to do that without a super majority that is impossible with the population continuing to elect MAGA Republicans?

There is no bipartisan possibilities. No one from the right will step across the aisle to make constitutional amendments or impeach corrupt SCOTUS justices or fascist party members. And they'd need 1/3rd of them to do so for the authority to fix anything.

There is no moving on. Nothing can be fixed. Voters should have woken up after Jan 6th, but Republicans still gained seats in the mid term elections.

There is no legal path to fixing this, we can only do our best to bail water and keep them from sinking the ship.

[–] pjwestin@lemmy.world 10 points 4 weeks ago (2 children)

History didn't start in 2016. The Democrats were happy to cozy up to the Silicone Valley tech giants, even as they developed into monopolies whose products gave users the very brain-poisoning that delivered Trump. They were happy to prioritize Wall Street bailouts over homeowners' bailouts after the subprime mortgage crises, even if meant their constituents lost their homes. They've been happy to sideline or undermine anyone who dares run to their left, from Bernie Sanders to Rashida Tlaib.

The Democrats are not well-meaning, helpless progressives that just can't get anything done because of America's byzantine political structure. They have actively stopped any significant changes to the status quo in order to keep their donors happy. They've spent decades deluding themselves into thinking they could somehow improve conditions for the working class without demanding concessions from the billionaire class, even as the largest wealth transfer in history, from the lowest income Americans to the highest income Americans, was taking place. They may not be as vile or hateful as the Republicans, but they are just as responsible for America's decay.

[–] Wrench@lemmy.world 12 points 4 weeks ago* (last edited 4 weeks ago) (1 children)

There's miles of difference between the damage that corporate stooges do versus a literal fascist movement. If this were the 2000s, yeah, I'd be with you all the way, both sides pillaging our futures and all that.

But you're focused on that asshole stealing your catalytic converter down the street, when you're actively getting mugged and curb stomped, here and now.

There is a very real possibility of this country descending into fascist dictatorship, and/or huge loss of life from an ensuing Civil War.

Right now, the Dems are at least united like they haven't been in recent memory because they finally understand what's at stake. It is absolutely infuriating that you guys are still nitpicking over comparatively trivial stuff compared to cataclysm.

This isn't hyperbole, this is literally what they have been repeatedly caught expressly trying to accomplish. Yes, it seems like it's crazy to consider that they might actually achieve their goals. But with everything we know, Trump is still very likely to win this election thanks to people like you who can't seem to prioritize the violent muggers trying to kill you, over the guy stealing your catalytic converter.

[–] pjwestin@lemmy.world 5 points 4 weeks ago

What about my original comment led you to believe I thought they were equivalent? As I said, Republicans are vile, hateful, and exploiting our political divisions for power. But the Democrats are just as responsible for the material conditions that have allowed facism to flourish, and demanding accountability and change for that isn't nitpicking. If the Democrats don't stop being corporate stooges, this doesn't end if Trump is defeated; it ends when another fascist finally wins.

[–] skeezix@lemmy.world 4 points 4 weeks ago (1 children)

Yup, but they’re all we got at the moment.

[–] pjwestin@lemmy.world 4 points 4 weeks ago

Yup. We gotta vote for them this election, but replace them in the next. Otherwise, we're just hitting snooze on fascism for another 4 years.

[–] ArcaneSlime@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 4 weeks ago

Not only that, but if they fix the problems that they used to get your votes, they can't use them again next election, and we can't have that so at most you get a pittance of "fixes" while they just blame the other side for blocking it and then the other side does it with a few of their issues. And we'll keep voting for them too because A) who else? B) the other guy is worse, and C) this time they really will fix everything they continually run on. Any day now...