President Biden on Friday delivered a ferocious condemnation of Donald J. Trump, his likely 2024 opponent, warning in searing language that the former president had directed an insurrection and would aim to undo the nation’s bedrock democracy if he returned to power.
On the eve of the third anniversary of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol by Mr. Trump’s supporters, Mr. Biden framed the coming election as a choice between a candidate devoted to upholding America’s centuries-old ideals and a chaos agent willing to discard them for his personal benefit.
“There’s no confusion about who Trump is or what he intends to do,” Mr. Biden warned in a speech at a community college not far from Valley Forge in Pennsylvania, where George Washington commanded troops during the Revolutionary War. Exhorting supporters to prepare to vote this fall, he said: “We all know who Donald Trump is. The question is: Who are we?”
In an intensely personal address that at one point nearly led Mr. Biden to curse Mr. Trump by name, the president compared his rival to foreign autocrats who rule by fiat and lies. He said Mr. Trump had failed the basic test of American leaders, to trust the people to choose their elected officials and abide by their decisions.
“We must be clear,” Mr. Biden said. “Democracy is on the ballot. Your freedom is on the ballot.”
Believe it or not, I’d say that’s who this message is targeted at. It’s for the people saying “Biden isn’t the exact candidate I want, so I’m not going to vote this time to teach Dems a lesson. Then they’ll have to run the exact candidate I want next time.” The message is that you should know that strategy will get you Trump, and you should know by now how that will go.
This really does depend on where ya live, though.
As a Californian I already know what my states 55 will be voting for (yay electoral college) and since I can also tell that people going “Biden ain’t good enough” are in the minority here I can pretty safely not vote for him this time (did last time) to hopefully help send the message that they’re losing numbers even in deep blue states. I get that it’s a small protest but when youve already called and written your representatives to say shit like this you can only do so much.
My local elections will be voted in, as normal, but I’m gonna give my presidential one to a third party or nobody this year guilt free
A perfectly fair point. My only concern there is that reliance on “sure things” in 2016 is part of why Hillary lost. There were, after all, more votes for Trump in California than any other state, simply down to population size. I’d just hate to see us all get shot in the foot again due to complacency.
It’s a stupid protest, because the only reason any third party people are on the ballot is because they want to be Biden spoilers. Jill Stein is a Russian op, for example.
None of these “third parties” even run in want local, or even any federal elections besides president. They are fake parties, why would you encourage that sort of thing? To “say” you don’t like Biden enough? You think these Russian and GOP dark money funded people are more worthy of your vote?
they need to give people something worth voting for. not being trump just isn’t good enough.
-> You’ll be shot in the head if you don’t eat your Brussels sprouts.
-> No, cookies and ice cream or nothing!
Life and especially politics is full of compromises. Everybody compromises on something on every vote. You know what the stakes are, and you know what the consequences of inaction are.
Unfortunately, “not Trump” IS a good enough reason, and you have the choice to come to terms with that fact before November, or during a Trump presidency/dictatorship.
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This implies the working class has any impact on policy. The only ones with political influence are the donor class. When your single voice has the same impact on politicians as people like Jeff Bezos, then maybe. But you have no voice or representation in politics.
The whole ‘push him left after the election’ hasn’t worked out so well, as Biden continued to shift to the right.
I mostly agree with that, but biden has shown that he can be swayed by public opinion. I wish he would hurry the fuck up when it comes to Israel, but he’s slowly moving to a harder stance.
When has he been swayed by opinion? He ignored cries for defunding police by doing the exact opposite. He’s ignored demands for healthcare, wages, housing. He won’t come around on Israel until all of Gaza has been cleansed. Then shrug his shoulders proclaiming he’s done the best he could
You think that would improve in any way if Trump gets elected?
I agree, it sucks that Dems don’t have to actually try right now. But the fact is Trump has openly said he would be a dictator (“just for one day”) and has openly demonstrated his unwillingness to ever give up power. When people tell you who they are, believe them.
There’s no sense in “teaching Dems a lesson” to run a better candidate if it leads to a very real possibility of the Dems never being able to run a candidate again. Unfortunately right now the only 2 options are:
Option 1 perpetuates the cycle of dysfunctional government. There is no pressuring Dems into anything if they are allowed to do whatever they want with no repercussions then get elected again. The working class doesn’t have the money necessary to pressure anything like the donor class does.
This is hyperbole, regardless of what Trump says, the Constitution allows 2 terms total, and that’s it.
How is it democrats believe Biden is completely powerless to pass anything because of Republicans, but believe Republicans would be able to pass all these things immediately? If democrats are so weak they can’t pass effective legislation then reelecting them is not the answer to the question.
And what does it say to Republicans when they can attempt a literal insurrection to overthrow the government with no repercussions then get elected again? “That’s okay, just give it another shot.”
And how much voice do you think the working class would have under a 2nd term of Trump?
They attempted a literal insurrection to overthrow the government to keep control of it What makes you think they won’t try harder given a 2nd chance?
Constitution also says the candidate with the most electoral collage votes gets elected president. They didn’t obey then, they won’t obey it at the end of the 2nd term. “He gets another because his 2nd was stolen!” or some stupid bullshit like that.
Nobody is saying the Republicans will “pass all these things”. Republicans won’t bother with following the legal pathways because getting reelected will prove to them that they don’t have to. Biden is having difficulty because he is obeying the constitution and laws, Republicans have already shown that they won’t.
At this point I have to believe you’re a Russian Troll. That’s the only logical explanation for “The law abiding President isn’t doing everything I want, so I’m not going to stop the Dictator from taking over who definitely won’t do anything I want.”
>You’re either an accelerationist that wants to see another civil war or a toddler throwing a tantrum.
false dichotomy
>“Give me a perfect progressive candidate or I’ll let fascists dismantle democracy.”
this is a straw man
Let me present a more charitable interpretation then.
“Give me a better candidate or I’ll let fascists dismantle democracy.”
Better?
no, this is still a strawman.
if you are going to argue with me, argue with what I’m saying, not some caricature you make up.
>Not voting won’t teach dems shit.
that was never the plan
Then what is the plan?
my plan is to organize and fight.
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>The system is bullshit but the best we can do is stave off fascism for another election,
the system is already fascist. it doesn’t matter if you vote for the architect if the crime bill and the patriot act
Sounds like the mental gymnastics people in Dictatorships, Slavery or Servitude use to justify going along with what their masters want.
Better be the master’s trusted slave than the slave that gets beatings all the time, eh?!
What executive level policies would you like to see enacted?