• EatATaco@lemm.ee
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          4
          arrow-down
          4
          ·
          6 months ago

          Not voting or voting third party for POTUS does nothing. It’s just pure vanity. Do what you want, I’m not really trying to change your mind, but it’s a virtually pointless move that doesnt make any sense under the current way we do things.

          • sub_ubi@lemmy.ml
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            4
            arrow-down
            3
            ·
            edit-2
            6 months ago

            Not voting or voting third party for POTUS does nothing.

            While that’s a popular and oft-repeated opinion, it’s heterodox among academic historians.

            "Let a third party once demonstrate that votes are to be made by adopting a certain demand, then one of the other parties can be trusted to absorb it. Ultimately, if the demand has merit, it will probably be translated into law or practice by the major party that has taken it up…The chronic supporter of third party tickets need not worry, therefore, when he is told, as he surely will be told, that he is “throwing away his vote.” [A] glance through American history would seem to indicate that his kind of vote is after all probably he most powerful vote that has ever been cast."

            • John D. Hicks, Professor Emeritus of American history at Berkeley
            • EatATaco@lemm.ee
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              6
              arrow-down
              1
              ·
              6 months ago

              Except we have 2 parties still. How did voting third party in the past solve that problem? Proof is in the pudding.

              • sub_ubi@lemmy.ml
                link
                fedilink
                arrow-up
                2
                arrow-down
                4
                ·
                edit-2
                6 months ago

                When one of the two major parties becomes tired of losing elections, they adopt policies from a third party to attract their voters.

                The impact of third parties on American politics extends far beyond their capacity to attract votes. Minor parties, historically, have been a source of important policy innovations. Women’s suffrage, the graduated income tax, and the direct election of senators, to name a few, were all issues that third parties espoused first.

                • Rosenstone, Behr and Lazarus
                • EatATaco@lemm.ee
                  link
                  fedilink
                  English
                  arrow-up
                  2
                  ·
                  edit-2
                  6 months ago

                  So, it didn’t solve the problem? I’m not sure what you’re driving at here. I’m not saying there shouldn’t be multiple parties, I’m saying the vote during our presidential election, under our current system, is a strategic one, not one to throw away on a third party.

                  • sub_ubi@lemmy.ml
                    link
                    fedilink
                    arrow-up
                    2
                    ·
                    edit-2
                    6 months ago

                    It’s solved many problems.

                    The point that the American historians quoted above are making is that if you enjoy certain policies, like being able to vote for senators, women’s rights, or progressive taxation, thank a third party voter.

    • oxjox@lemmy.mlOP
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      15
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      6 months ago

      I hope you vote for the candidate whom you feel best represents you and the interests you prioritize. I hope your interests and your morals come from a place of clarity that isn’t clouded by biased content designed to manipulate you.

        • TrippyFocus@lemmy.ml
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          3
          ·
          6 months ago

          You may have done so already but you may want to see if the PSL is on the ballot where you are.

          • sub_ubi@lemmy.ml
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            2
            arrow-down
            8
            ·
            6 months ago

            Yeah they’re on but if I’m protest voting I’ll be doing it in solidarity with Palestinian groups, which I’m assuming will be similar to primaries.

              • sub_ubi@lemmy.ml
                link
                fedilink
                arrow-up
                1
                arrow-down
                2
                ·
                6 months ago

                Like any other vote, by machine or hand depending on where you live.

                • Crazyslinkz@lemmy.world
                  link
                  fedilink
                  arrow-up
                  1
                  ·
                  6 months ago

                  I think I’m a bit confused, is there a radio button to fill in on the ballot that says "protest " and then when all votes are counted, we can see a report that says x for dude, y for other dude, and z for protest?

                  • sub_ubi@lemmy.ml
                    link
                    fedilink
                    arrow-up
                    2
                    arrow-down
                    1
                    ·
                    edit-2
                    6 months ago

                    Yes, fairly close to that. 3rd party votes, uncommitted, and no-votes are all tracked, and people studying the (lack of) interest in the candidates take note.