Few people who don’t make money off publicity will buy objectively worse options just for political ideology. Most of the slowdown is the Model Y switchover and ramp. Over 50% of my neighbors in Canada have at least 1 Tesla and most dislike Musk. Had to borrow one of their chargers the other day and they were complaining about vandals and saying no one buys products based on who the CEO is. And Canada makes CA look conservative.

They’d still have a hard time winning without at least one of the others. Or more, as the Midwest, Northeast, and CA are losing population, mostly to the South.

I was told Lemmy was like Reddit early days when people didn’t downvote one another for differing views. But if anything, this seems worse.

Run as an Independent (which he is anyway, he only caucuses with the Dems) and split the vote. In 2016 it wouldn’t have even mattered. Then maybe they wouldn’t have undermined him before Super Tuesday 2020 when he had destroyed Biden in IA bit the DNC put out rumors that SC was going to overwhelmingly vote Biden.

Then also maybe they wouldn’t have pushed Kamala, without so much as a single primary vote (in 2020 or 2024).

Anyway that’s water under the bridge. Do you honestly think the DNC will let either of these 2 run for president, regardless of the support they get? If so, be prepared for disappointment like Bernie Bros in 2016 and 2020.

You could get into that easily before the tariffs. Paying Chinese companies and drop shipping via Amazon FBA. It’s quite possible you can via other countries, China is the only one I’m familiar with.

Amazon is a publicly traded company. You’re not competing with Bezos. 65% of Americans have money in the markets, most with a 401k that likely invests in Amazon.

I’d agree with you that they can influence discourse, but prior to Musk buying X, in 2022, the platform was (per CNN’s Harry Enten) overwhelmingly liberal. As of after the election, it was 48% Democrat/47% Republican. So he shifted it towards the 50/50 in the population vs every other site including this one

I’m from NC and the South previously being Democrat doesn’t have a positive influence. Especially since Dems have taken the opposition to tariffs. The people whose jobs were replaced associate globalizing decisions with Democrats (especially Clinton) and want to punish other countries who “stole” our jobs, whether it’s ultimately better for us or not. Also we weren’t big fans of Obama, he just faced weak candidates, MAGA didn’t exist yet, and he could rally the black male vote that has slowly been turning conservative. Those guys are not going to vote for an old white dude or AOC. Perhaps they’ll have a better chance in WI, MI, and PA.

The only ways I see Dems winning in the South is to change their priorities (ie stop dying on the 20% hill on 80/20 issues), if the tariffs cause a recession, or there’s another Black Swan event like the pandemic that Trump fumbles. Otherwise, as Jon Stewart was saying lately, Trump is beating their approval ratings by 20% overall, so likely even more in swing states.

Trump won by a larger margin in 2024 than in 2020, after multiple convictions and Jan 6. He had the biggest swing state vote margin apart from Obama who as I’ve said was a unique candidate/cycles.

I volunteered for Kamala and was semi shocked at the results, but it also made me expand my news sources and talk more to ideologically different people, which is why I’m more negative about Dems’ swing state chances, particularly in NC and GA.

The only issues that have remotely resonated with fellow independents is if they go past pursuing visa students and attack free speech for citizens.

Honestly, I plugged my nose and supported Dems chosen candidate since 2020 and I won’t do it again unless it’s someone like Pete.

I supported Bernie in 2016 and 2020 but we’re at this juncture because he rolled over and let Dems cheat him out of the nomination twice. The Dems have continued to push disastrous strategies one after another.

These types of demonstrations only serve to rile up the base, not help them with Independents in swing states, who are the ones that decide elections. They should be going there and building their networks now and seeing what those people think.

How specifically?

The sad fact is the American dream has been diminished (not entirely stolen) by fellow Americans voting contrary to the policies that enriched them and earlier generations. Free trade with poor countries we couldn’t compete with, attacking unions/right-to-work, redlining, suburban flight, restrictive zoning, NIMBYism. None of these were caused by Billionaires. Even now, they’re kept in place by fellow Americans who see housing as an investment and who’ve gotten theirs and want to keep the casino going.

In the case of Elon, the number greatly increases

Mac: “It’s foolproof, dude!—nobody’ll bid when see my sweet ninja moves!”

Charlie: “Yeah, and I’ll huff some paint to really sell the unhinged vibe!”

Dee: “How will that help?”

Dennis: “Because, Sweet Dee… of the implication.”

I thought he did it for engagement but he doesn’t have a blue check mark. So he’s doing this for free. Truly dumb.