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This is what boggles my mind. We had progressive candidates running this cycle that were outright commiting to trying something different. Yet the majority of t

This is what boggles my mind. We had progressive candidates running this cycle that were outright commiting to trying something different. Yet the majority of the voter base ran towards people promising the same strategy as previous administrations. Either this crisis is magnified on HN and the majority of the voter base is unaffected by the pandemic or something else is going on.

claudeganon 6y ago
The Democratic party made the correct bet that they could use their media apparatus to discredit progressive candidates, get away with cheating in Iowa, and use Obama to get the other moderates to concede with promises of internal advancement. It was corrupt and repugnant, but a strategically sound approach to make sure they're headed on the ticket by a center right leader (which their donor base demands).
- Answerawake 6y ago
  As someone who volunteered for multiple campaigns this cycle, I saw this clearly. But I also see most people that I have met on my travels just seem to be checked out, even if they vote. I think this is the bigger problem. The previous cycles have already just turned people off from thinking they can do massive change. Even with a record number of volunteers and supporters with a campaign like Bernie, it still wasn't enough numbers. I often wonder how painful things will have to get to enact some change with the checked out masses. What will happen if we reach that point?
  - Red_Leaves_Flyy 6y ago
    >What will happen if we reach that point? More riots, looting, autonomous zones, and probably hostile us army deployments stateside.
- babycake 6y ago
  Don't forget that the Democratic party has something called Super Delegates, which basically blocks any candidate they don't agree with, even if the candidate won the popular vote. If Trump ran as Democrat, he wouldn't be president today due to this. Also, we shouldn't forget that Michael Bloomberg decided to run last-minute as a Democrat, with the Democrat party changing the applicant rules so that he could specifically run. The whole political apparatus is entirely corrupt. I'm not sure voting helps at this point. We have a massive amount of people who are on the last of their savings, with no unemployment benefit coming their way to help out. This may be the beginning of a revolution, if people are angry enough, maybe.
deleted 6y ago
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stainforth 6y ago
There is the glut of the older population, captivated by neutered or divisive nightly news, that does not want change, only preservation of the perceived status quo.
fzeroracer 6y ago
That's because for a lot of people they just want to stop hearing about politics and go back to a status quo for them where they can ignore the growing disaster that's consuming the younger generations. There's a massive, massive class divide between generations and ultimately this pandemic is going to explode it even further. We're still in the fingers-in-our-ear phase.
mnm1 6y ago
Lots of early votes didn't count because they were cast for politicians who dropped out. Actually, no votes other than Biden's counted since Bernie dropped out before the race ended as well. Yes, the odds were stacked against him by the party, but that doesn't change the fact that he did have a chance and could have given Biden a good run. So when you don't actually have a race and everyone drops out, what do you expect? The party will simply not allow progressive candidates to rise to any position of power. Maybe once the current old guard dies out, but I'm not holding my breath.

claudeganon 6y ago

The Democratic party made the correct bet that they could use their media apparatus to discredit progressive candidates, get away with cheating in Iowa, and use Obama to get the other moderates to concede with promises of internal advancement. It was corrupt and repugnant, but a strategically sound approach to make sure they're headed on the ticket by a center right leader (which their donor base demands).

Answerawake 6y ago
As someone who volunteered for multiple campaigns this cycle, I saw this clearly. But I also see most people that I have met on my travels just seem to be checked out, even if they vote. I think this is the bigger problem. The previous cycles have already just turned people off from thinking they can do massive change. Even with a record number of volunteers and supporters with a campaign like Bernie, it still wasn't enough numbers. I often wonder how painful things will have to get to enact some change with the checked out masses. What will happen if we reach that point?
- Red_Leaves_Flyy 6y ago
  >What will happen if we reach that point? More riots, looting, autonomous zones, and probably hostile us army deployments stateside.
babycake 6y ago
Don't forget that the Democratic party has something called Super Delegates, which basically blocks any candidate they don't agree with, even if the candidate won the popular vote. If Trump ran as Democrat, he wouldn't be president today due to this. Also, we shouldn't forget that Michael Bloomberg decided to run last-minute as a Democrat, with the Democrat party changing the applicant rules so that he could specifically run. The whole political apparatus is entirely corrupt. I'm not sure voting helps at this point. We have a massive amount of people who are on the last of their savings, with no unemployment benefit coming their way to help out. This may be the beginning of a revolution, if people are angry enough, maybe.

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stainforth 6y ago

There is the glut of the older population, captivated by neutered or divisive nightly news, that does not want change, only preservation of the perceived status quo.

fzeroracer 6y ago

That's because for a lot of people they just want to stop hearing about politics and go back to a status quo for them where they can ignore the growing disaster that's consuming the younger generations. There's a massive, massive class divide between generations and ultimately this pandemic is going to explode it even further. We're still in the fingers-in-our-ear phase.

mnm1 6y ago

Lots of early votes didn't count because they were cast for politicians who dropped out. Actually, no votes other than Biden's counted since Bernie dropped out before the race ended as well. Yes, the odds were stacked against him by the party, but that doesn't change the fact that he did have a chance and could have given Biden a good run. So when you don't actually have a race and everyone drops out, what do you expect? The party will simply not allow progressive candidates to rise to any position of power. Maybe once the current old guard dies out, but I'm not holding my breath.