If you were to listen to the critics on lemmy, they’ll argue that this is empowering Trump.
However, the actual effect of VBNMW has been that we’ve ended up with weak Democrats making indefensible policy choices, a time where candidates need to show how they are different than the other side (but largely can’t). The effect of a lack of criticism on Democrats, by offering your vote with no constraints, is that they do not respond to your policy positions.
The recent Michigan upset, which should be an extraordinary shot across the bow for Democrats nationally, is exactly how voting should work. Ro Khanna and Michigan Dems are completely right to have organized this protest vote, and now Biden needs to come to them on policy.
Thinking you can brow-beat voters, or guilt, or shame, or demand voters into supporting your party “or else something worse” is basically what Hillary did in 2016. And it doesn’t matter that she won the popular vote because she lost it where it counts. You can’t abuse your voting base into liking someone or something that they don’t. But you’ll see people here defending that action out of national Democrats constantly.
Its Bidens job to get voters excited about voting for him. Its how you win an election. You identify voting blocks, and you give them incentive and create common cause by voting for you. Trump is doing it on the stump daily. Terrible incentives. Disgusting causes being promoted. But he’s out there earning voters and Biden is not. Biden is losing support. If ~10% of likely Democrat Michiganders don’t vote for Biden because he is supporting the genocide of the Palestinian people (and he currently is), I can’t blame them. Its not their fault Biden has taken this policy position that is orthogonal to the position of the people who would vote for him.
If this is about winning the election as the VBNMW crowd would claim, the strategy of not expecting Biden to respond to voter criticism is one that will deliver us Trump in 2024. IF you want a higher probability for success, you need to hold Biden to a higher standard or find a better candidate. You will not get there abusing the voting base.
If you were to listen to the critics on lemmy, they’ll argue that this is empowering Trump.
However, the actual effect of VBNMW has been that we’ve ended up with weak Democrats making indefensible policy choices, a time where candidates need to show how they are different than the other side (but largely can’t). The effect of a lack of criticism on Democrats, by offering your vote with no constraints, is that they do not respond to your policy positions.
The recent Michigan upset, which should be an extraordinary shot across the bow for Democrats nationally, is exactly how voting should work. Ro Khanna and Michigan Dems are completely right to have organized this protest vote, and now Biden needs to come to them on policy.
Thinking you can brow-beat voters, or guilt, or shame, or demand voters into supporting your party “or else something worse” is basically what Hillary did in 2016. And it doesn’t matter that she won the popular vote because she lost it where it counts. You can’t abuse your voting base into liking someone or something that they don’t. But you’ll see people here defending that action out of national Democrats constantly.
Its Bidens job to get voters excited about voting for him. Its how you win an election. You identify voting blocks, and you give them incentive and create common cause by voting for you. Trump is doing it on the stump daily. Terrible incentives. Disgusting causes being promoted. But he’s out there earning voters and Biden is not. Biden is losing support. If ~10% of likely Democrat Michiganders don’t vote for Biden because he is supporting the genocide of the Palestinian people (and he currently is), I can’t blame them. Its not their fault Biden has taken this policy position that is orthogonal to the position of the people who would vote for him.
If this is about winning the election as the VBNMW crowd would claim, the strategy of not expecting Biden to respond to voter criticism is one that will deliver us Trump in 2024. IF you want a higher probability for success, you need to hold Biden to a higher standard or find a better candidate. You will not get there abusing the voting base.