Thread by @dcpetterson

For anyone not planning to vote in 2022, or planning to vote for a minor party candidate (who cannot possibly win)--and, therefore, possibly help fascists gain control of the House and/or the Senate:

Tell me exactly what good you think that would do.

1/

I'll respond to your arguments favoring helping fascists.

(Any tweet with the message "My vote doesn't count anyway" or "Democrats are no better" will earn you an immediate block without comment. Stupidity in the face of an existential threat doesn't merit a platform.)

Go.

2/

Let me be clear. The accounts saying your vote doesn't change anything, or tHe TwO pArTiEs ArE jUsT aS bAd! are all telling you to give up and let fascism win. When you see those messages, just block without engaging. Arguing with them spreads the psyop hopelessness.

3/

The idea of not-voting-for-Democrats to "send a message" is just as bad. It sounds good, but when fascists take over, no one will care about any "message" that was "sent." It's not as if letting fascists take power will move the country in any desirable direction.

4/

Similarly, the argument you're "punishing Democrats" for doing or not-doing something--or that you don't want to "reward" them for some failing--won't do any good when America is under fascist rule. You're not punishing Democrats by electing Hitler. You're harming yourself.

5/

The argument, "I don't want to vote for someone imperfect" is nothing more than masturbation. It may make you feel good for a moment, but it accomplishes nothing, and it leaves a mess.

Is your momentary pleasure worth the price of a permanent fascist reich?

6/

All the arguments I've seen are variations on the above.

Prove me wrong. I dare you. Make a case for letting racist fascist bigots take power. Go ahead. Try. I dare you.

7/

I missed one argument: "I won't vote for the lesser of two evils". It's a variation on the masturbation idea. EVEN IF Democrats are simply the "lesser evil" (which they're not--they're a positive good), that doesn't justify allowing the greater evil--even if you moan.

8/

This is a practical thought. If you live in a state or a district that will go red, there is an argument to be made for voting for the least objectionable Republican.

Sometimes though, despite appearances, a Democrat may have a chance. Watch polling.

9/

https://twitter.com/SueRichart/status/1464009056465481747

Gerrymandering is dangerous--to the party that does it.

The idea is to collect massive numbers of the OTHER PARTY into a few districts, while making narrow majorities of OUR PARTY in MANY districts.

Since those majorities are narrow, a few votes could change the outcome.

10/

The only attempt at answering my challenge (so far) is this account, which doesn't even try to justify not voting for Democrats, but instead wants to incite anger and division between Democrats so as to ensure more Republican/fascist victories.

11/

The "blame" for "fascist takeover" clearly should fall primarily on the fascists themselves and the people who vote for them--and secondarily on voters who stayed home or wasted their votes on non-Democrats, resulting in us having no margin for error in the House or Senate.

12/

Here's one of those bothsides accounts for you to block without responding.

13/