Lebanon’s health minister has said what is happening in his country is “carnage”, as hospitals struggle to cope with the number of casualties from two days of widespread Israeli air strikes targeting the armed group Hezbollah.
Dr Firass Abiad told the BBC it was “clear” that many of the 550 people killed in Monday’s attacks were civilians, including children and women.
Not voting for is the best strategy. If everyone who was dissatisfied would stop voting, there would be more progress than continuing to choose the “lesser of two evils” (who happily enable and cheer for genocide, BTW)
“The best strategy is to stay silent on Gaza. Because if everyone is silent on Gaza, then politicians would be forced to ask us: Hey, what are you thinking about Gaza?”
Of course the Silent Treatment strategy won’t work. Refusing to vote is the same strategy.
OK well tell me about Michigan Arabs and how much power they are holding in this election.
If not voting is so powerless then why are you all so upset about the idea of people not voting?
This is just incorrect mathematically. I get the argument - in foreign policy both parties ARE fascists. But they are not equal. Especially internally they are not. But there is a huge difference in ideology between liberals and fascists, and one of them is much worse, and much harder for revolution or reform.
I believe there are only two reasons for your position: 1. is you stick to principles absolutely, refusing to acknowledge the consequences of your actions - which is wrong and stupid. 2. You believe in accelerationism and believe Trump leading to collapse of the US empire faster is the better outcome.
Neither has to do with ideology. I’d love someone to explain how an actual fascism is a better outcome than a neoliberalism or “capitalism-in-decline” fascism. This is simply about outcome and using the little power we have.
Another consequence of this tactic of arguing for not-voting is that it creates a rift between mainstream and socialists or “tankies”. The actual fascists love that.
Liberals are fascists 🤷
Well, I believe the marxist-leninist definition of liberalism and “fascism is capitalism in decline” just means that everyone not calling for the overthrow of capitalism is a fascist. I don’t find those definitions that helpful. And it doesn’t really tell you how you should use your limited political power.
But I do understand arab americans who just can’t bring themselves to vote for democrats. So there would be a reason 3. you’re just so revolted and you just can’t stand the disgusting feeling of supporting them.
For example Jake Tapper just spread racist lies about Tlaib. Tlaib criticized the Michigan US attorney office for prosecuting and showing biases against Pro-Palestinian Protesters (including Jewish protesters). Now they are smearing her as anti-semitic. CNN Hosts BUSTED Manufacturing Quote To Smear Democrat
That is one of the stupidest takes I have ever seen, and I’ve been on the internet since AOL chatrooms.
Not voting makes politicians less accountable to you. If you somehow organized everyone who thought like you do, regardless of your agenda, and convinced every single one of them to not vote, then you would achieve the lofty political goal of… absolutely ensuring that no politician would ever try to pursue your goals.
Voting, by definition, is what makes politicians give a shit about your cause. There’s a reason why the Greek word meaning “one who does not take part in public affairs” is the root of the modern word “idiot.”
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I wish anybody would pay me!
If enough people stop voting it would force the government to legitimize itself. It would show how many people are actually dissatisfied and empower all of us. It could lead to more people refusing to vote in future, further eroding the appearance of legitimacy of the current arrangement
LOL, no. It wouldn’t force the government to do anything.
Since you’ve never seen a ballot, try googling one. You’ll see a bunch of downballot races in which very few people vote. Those races all have winners, and those winners always have and always will give zero fucks about legitimizing themselves to nonvoters.
OK then it sounds like voting and not voting have the same result so why should I bother?
It’s not the same result. Politicians have to appeal to voters, they are free to ignore nonvoters.
If you’re not voting, then you’re not voting for Trump as well as not voting for Harris. Are you surprised that Trump isn’t courting your vote? You shouldn’t be.
But Harris has no more reason to court your vote than Trump does. You’re a nonvoter, so they are both ignoring you.
OK I don’t understand your logic. They spend billions of dollars to get people to vote. Door knockers are there to get people like me to vote. Do you not understand how elections work?
No, they are trying to reach people who are not sure if they are going to vote.
They are not trying to reach people like you, who have decided not to vote.