Thread by @paulcrider

I appreciate that Cory's language here is much more measured than you often see from the antivoting anarchist crowd. He admits voting *can* be useful, with "lower" (not zero) transformative potential. A few comments: 1/

Consider a "democracy of fear" perspective. Voting fascists into power is transformative! The power of direct action & mutual aid are sharply diminished in a fascist state. Some (not all) elections are event horizons. This may yet be true of 2016. It's still a risk for 2020. 2/

Voting may "reinforce the status quo and complacency" in the absence of thick democratic values of communication, getting informed, persuasion, and activism. Voters shouldn't think voting is *sufficient* (a "thin" democratic commitment). 3/

But similar thick democratic values are needed for direct action, mutual aid, etc. There's nothing inconsistent in voting, building political power within political parties, and direct action, etc. Thick democratic values can encompass all the above. 4/

Finally, while voting is not sufficient for social transformation in either the positive sense or the "of fear" sense, it is *necessary*. Others, who vastly outnumber anarchists, *will* vote, and the social understanding that elections have consequences will prevail, ... 5/

even if that social understanding serves to midwife antidemocratic fascism into power. Antifascist anarchists and voting democrats should be allies against fascism. Voting, including persuading others to vote, is an essential tool against fascism. 6/6