Vote Like It

The most important part of this is the primaries. If we fill these seats with a bunch of Chuck Schumers/Hakeem Jeffries it won't make a difference. If we fill them with Zohran Mamdanis, on the other hand...

Yupp, don't let them tell you yet another "compromise" candidate, who "at least isn't the red elephant person" is gonna cut it. They have been losing elections, they spark no enthusiasm, they are not the "safe option".
That being said, do organise and network outside of party politics, too. Elections are an important part of everything, they to mould the status quo to some degree, and can heavily shift context of further political work - but getting beyond the structural shit that put Trump into power requires more than that. Joining (preferrably radical) unions, showing up to town halls and the likes, networking with neighbours and friends for mutual aid and emergency support, community defence organisations, civil rights orgs, etc. etc. Both informal and formal organisation is needed wherever you can.
- ‘They’ say that because turnout for primaries is always abysmal, so candidates who make it to generals are usually centrist.
  If progressives actually voted in primaries, they’d have the options they want in generals. But usually, the vast majority who vote in primaries are older, more moderate voters.
  Progressive candidates exist, but if you want them, you can’t just vote every 4 years.
Which is probably why the DNC didn’t let us have a primary for the 2024 election. They knew their status quo candidate didn’t have any juice behind her but didn’t want to open the door to that criticism.
- There was a primary, and Biden won by a landslide.
Fair - find and support your people, people!
Honestly, primaries are all that matter.
If progressives don’t win the primaries, all we have to vote for are centrists and fascists, which means more fascism.
Please, please vote in primaries and get everyone you know to vote in the primaries, too.

Learn from Zohran Mamdani’s win and VOTE IN THE PRIMARIES.

Sign up for mailers if you forget to vote. Sign up for mail-in ballots if you have an irregular schedule.

30/50 states have closed primaries, meaning you must be registered as a Democrat to vote in the Democratic primary. Check your state’s primary type here: https://ballotpedia.org/Primary_election_types_by_state

Then the DNC runs an “independent” in the race against you when you win your primary and the monied interests fund that person, splitting the vote against the MAGA republican who calls them both commies and wins anyway. It’s happening in NYC already with Cuomo remaining on the ballot.
- Adams and the other guy are the MAGA Republicans. Cuomo running as Independent will only take votes from them. They all share the same target demographic: assholes. Adams and Cuomo are pretty much universally hated by anyone who voted Zohran

Remember folks, every vote counts. We did this to ourselves.

I've said it before elsewhere but it needs to be heard...

It's just wild to me continually seeing posts not understanding how this all works, and how it would play out. It's like the people who thought China paid the tariffs...

The house is almost tied. That's who passes bills, handles impeachments, some of the most powerful committees are, and who impeaches Presidents...

218 Republicans, 213 Democrats.

Let's see, take New York for example.

26 representatives total, 19 Democrat and 7 Republican.

5 of those were within 2 points last time their seat was up.

People who think that New York is blue, their vote doesn't matter, skips the votes for the House and Senate and end up losing a Blue house seat but later complain that nothing changes are literally the fucking problem.

Every. Fucking. State. Is. Like. This.

Apathetic morons who don't realize that the president is only held accountable by the other branch of government then wave their hands around when they did jack shit to help put people in place to, are the fucking problem.

District 3 of California was lost by 24,000 votes. District 22 was lost by 3,000.

Those two seats in the house, along with the close ones in New York, Jersey, Michigan, Illinois, Washington, hell every state... Are what makes the House of Representatives or breaks it.

So, if you think that your vote for president doesn't matter, so you skip voting and let these other seats slip, yes, you're a fucking moron who can't grasp basic concepts of government that are taught in 4th grade.

And don't get me started on the State House/Senates, how they define voting laws and voting zones and engage in gerrymandering.

Every fucking vote counts.

And until the country realizes it, and starts acting on it, we'll keep getting the shit we deserve.

House needs a simple majority, and two thirds of the Senate.

Democrats would need ~18 seats.

First, that won't happen in 2026.

Even the best cases make it hard to win enough by 2028. Which is why impeachment is just not something we can hold out for.

Gerrymandering is part of why this is a problem, which is done at the local level, and again why every vote counts.

How could it play out? Assuming some absurdly weird upside down world just opposite of what we're living in, this is the only path just looking at the numbers...

Again, Democrats would need to gain 18 net seats. Seats Potentially in Play (Republican Incumbents): This requires looking at seats up in upcoming cycles.

Class 1 Seats (Up in 2026):
- Highly Competitive Targets: These would be the first priority. States where Democrats have won statewide recently or that lean only slightly Republican. Examples based on recent political history might include:
  - North Carolina (Budd-R)
  - Alaska (Sullivan-R) - Unique dynamics with ranked-choice voting.
- Stretch Targets: States that are more Republican but could potentially flip under exceptionally favorable conditions (like the hypothetical turnout).
  - Iowa (Ernst-R)
  - Montana (Daines-R) - Depends heavily on candidate matchups.
  - Kentucky (McConnell-R's seat - potential retirement changes dynamics)
  - Kansas (Marshall-R)
  - South Carolina (Graham-R)
- Very Difficult Targets: Solidly Republican states requiring overwhelming Democratic turnout and significant shifts among other voters.
  - Texas (Cornyn-R)
  - Mississippi (Wicker-R)
  - Alabama (Tuberville-R)
  - West Virginia (Capito-R)
  - Oklahoma (Mullin-R - Special election winner)
  - Wyoming (Lummis-R)
  - Idaho (Risch-R)
  - Arkansas (Cotton-R)
  - Nebraska (Ricketts-R)
  - South Dakota (Rounds-R)
  - Louisiana (Cassidy-R) - Jungle primary system.
Class 2 Seats (Up in 2028): (Looking further ahead)
- Highly Competitive Targets:
  - Maine (Collins-R) - Often competitive, depends on matchup.
  - Georgia (Perdue/Ossoff dynamic showed competitiveness, depends who holds it after '26 potentially) - Assuming GOP holds a seat here.
- Stretch Targets:
  - Michigan (Peters-D currently, but listing potential GOP flips back if one happened hypothetically before 2028) - Generally leans D, but could be contested.
  - New Hampshire (Shaheen-D currently) - Generally leans D, but listing potential GOP flips back.
- Very Difficult Targets: (Many solidly Republican states)
  - Tennessee (Hagerty-R)
  - Alaska (Murkowski-R historically, depends on dynamics)
  - North Carolina (Tillis-R)
  - Iowa (Grassley-R seat potentially)
  - Texas (Cruz-R)
  - Kentucky (Paul-R)
  - And many others similar to the 2026 list (SC, AL, MS, WY, ID, NE, SD, KS, WV, OK).

It's going to take an absolutely historic level of pain to both drive enough people to vote MAGA out to make this change though.

The amount that's being excused, sanewashed, and just drowned out with other absurdities...

We're on all on this shit ride until some new wildcard comes into play.

No impeachment, no Supreme Court, no guardrail is going to change that.

Something new and unaccounted for is the only feasible catalyst.

I'm not American and I wish you guys the very best, but my expectations for the 2026 elections is on par with the elections in Russia. Every non republican candidate may end up in jail or out of a window.
- Unfortunately as someone who lives here and has no choice but to watch it, I think you're right.
  Far too many of my countrymen are just complacent in letting this happen.
Totally get all of that, but U cant help but look at McConnell's seat and remember how Schumer and co rejected the exciting young candidate and instead forced a PRO-TRUMP "democrat" to challenge him.
It's simple: if you think you can challenge a red conservative with a blue conservative, the red conservative will win every time. Blue conservatives are just carpetbaggers to the voters.
The challenger to conservatism is progressivism. If you don't actually provide a choice you WILL lose.

He's going to deploy troops to cities and seize voting machines.

And Johnson will refuse to swear in any Democrats that do happen to win seats in areas machines weren't seized.
He will have chosen poorly, then
- Choosing poorly is kind of his thing though.

After what I've seen the last 10 years I have absolutely zero faith that Americans can make this happen. I'd actually put money on them continuing to empower the traitorous Republican party and continue our descent into authoritarianism.

But I'll still show up and vote against them, like I always do.

I am utterly convinced that it won't matter, but damnit we still have to fucking try.

Ah yes, impeach the already twice impeached, 34 time convicted felon

These cunts don't care about law so stop taking the high road, when they go low, kick them in the fucking teeth

Literally if possible
Well with a bulletproof majority we could do that.
Not counting fucking piece of shit Sinemas/Manchins. Actual Democratic leaders. People younger than 65 who want to break this fascist headlock.

before that we also need to make sure superpac backed trash don’t get past the primaries.

trump got elected twice because dnc has become infested by shills like pelosi and schumer who keep sabotaging progressives like bernie and aoc.

pelosi will happily support ice and any anti-working class initiative as long she gets her cut. schumer is an israeli agent who would support brining back slavery if it allows idf to murder more children.

also DNC wouldnt even investigate the eleciton rigging of the machines, 2 times it happened until it was too late, they are totally complicit. yes we know they are going to get called out as rigging the electiona s well.
- Blue maga take

The first step is to crucify any Democrat that isn't willing to actually fight.

By my math, Dems need a clean sweep to get to 65 (+2 independents) for a total of 67. If even a single Republican up for reelection next year gets it we’ll fall short as usual. So nope, no convicting the traitor in the White House after the next election either.

Ah, c’mon! Where’s your spunk?!
- Spent my whole life watching Dems grab defeat from the jaws of victory. With the stakes so much higher I expect nothing less of them.
- in the balls

vote like it in checks notes a year and a half.. we need to be acting now and not waiting for elections.

Nothing stopping us.
But a bunch of people around here have no intention of voting Democrat and so finding their person, getting the signatures, raising some money, getting on the ballot, it’s all going to take time.
If you can’t be arsed to change your local party, find a new one or GTFO. Last August we had a truckload of people just proud as a pig in shit that they weren’t going to vote. Fuck that.

It's time to take our fuckin country back

Democracy isn't real
- Perhaps, but fascism has no place in the 21st century at all.
The seats that need to be taken I don't think are sided towards the Democrats getting enough. States like Alabama have had a Democrat Senator in recent years but for it to flip from a Republican back to a Democrat seems tough with how divided and how far right some states have slid. (Nearly 65% voted for Trump there in 2024).
Kyle Sweetster may be their best shot of a democrat winning , but it's a long ways away and who knows what could change. https://www.kyleforalabama.com/
- I swear it's always the fucking South dragging the rest of us down...
Never going to happen until the mega rich (who run the country) are afraid to walk the street.
- We need to make fascists afraid again

Hahahahahahaha

Not even if the Dems had the vote. I am positive someone would block it for civility reasons.

The dems can not get out of their own way. See Zohran win in NYC.

The dems can not get out of their own way. See Zohran win in NYC.
So vote to expand the progressive side of the dem party
- You mean to say our votes can override an organization that argued in court that since its a private service they could just ignore the vote of the people and pick who they wanted?
  The same organization that always manages to organize and attack leftist like Zohran and Bernie but can't find any footing against Trump?
  Yep. That will work. Just gotta vote harder.
See Zohran win in NYC.
Why? The headlines on lemmy made me think that he is the good candidate.
- Yes he's wildly popular.
  The DNC is considering not giving him the nomination regardless of his win of the primary.
  Andrew Cuomo is running independent with his Super PAC that raised billions of dollars.
  Bill Ackman is offering billions of dollars to anybody who can ensure that Zohran cannot win. Admittedly this last one's a bit of a stretch since this dude's also a trump supporter.
  These are examples of the DNC not getting out of its own way.
- He was running against someone that was
  famously forced out of office for corruption a few years ago
  running on a party platform that was uninspiring and brought Trump back to power in November
  He ran a really focused campaign on lowering cost of living and income inequality
  He's smart, charming, and authentic - and that motivated a lot of people to campaign for him
  He released a fire track about how dope is grandmother is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQVsVNPkPmE

I honestly quite afraid they are gonna rig the fuck outta the mid-terms somehow. I realize I have little to no evidence to support that, but doesn't mean it couldn't still happen under this regime.

2024 seemed to be rigged at the top only. That's how we ended up with so many people voting a straight Democratic ticket, except for HitlerPig at the top, which Dems have been trying to convince us is perfectly normal, which it isn't.
Its one thing to rig the vote in one race in seven swing states, it's another to rig 435 Congressional races around the country. That would be nearly impossible. It would take multiple operatives in every district, and at some point, somebody would squeal.
The Senate races pose other challenges, although they only really have to identify a handful of close races, and make sure those fall to MAGA.
The MAGA Nazis can't afford to let either chamber flip, or the Democrats will have control of investigative committees with subpoena and arrest powers. If that starts, it will end with prison terms for many.
So I'm convinced that they will "suspend" elections using Martial Law, or the Insurrection Act, or some other legal atrocity.
- people voting a straight Democratic ticket, except for HitlerPig at the top, which Dems have been trying to convince us is perfectly normal, which it isn't.
  What. The dems saying that’s normal? Where!
  So I'm convinced that they will "suspend" elections using Martial Law, or the Insurrection Act, or some other legal atrocity.
  They’re stupid enough to do it, but I doubt they’ll get all the buy in they’d need.
You’re not the only one.

Remember to vote in new blood that's not afraid to impeach a fascist. Refer to this list for the Dems you need to vote out: Fascist-Enabler Democrats Vote Against Impeachment

That's good, but instead of a list of who not to vote for, howabout a list of who to vote for?
- Basically any progressive challenger to anyone who has been in Washington 12 years or more.

its hilarious that people still think "going through the proper channels" is going to work. you're playing a game with someone who has cheats activated. playing by the rules aint gonna work if the guy you're playing against rewrites the rules whenever he feels like.

Sure, hopeless. It’s understandable. But we got in a few times and we can do it again if we unite. A clear platform, a slate of dedicated candidates and some breakthrough messaging. It CAN be done.
The bad news is we actually have to do it. The corporate news isn’t going to help until it makes them money.
- We won't be getting in. I will be voting for Democrats and I hope they get in, even though they're mostly detestable.

Articles of impeachment were just in front of the house

DEMOCRATS voted them down.

What the fuck is the point of voting?

It depends on if you really want to know.
TL;DR: because voting is a right and a duty
- I agree it's ducking maddening
Gonna have to vote out the shit Democrats and vote in progressives
Vote blue no matter who is out-- primary goddamned everybody is in
- Yep - red party is actively hostile. Blue party is cowardly or outright wearing red undershirts under their blue suits.
  We need primaries and general election wins.
Well, all the people you voted for are bad, and they're in power because you voted for them.
Now I wonder, what's the point of voting actually is. A mystery, really.
The rationale behind the most recent articles of impeachment were unprecedented and kind of nonsense.

Not only that, demand reinforced impartial safeguards against potential electoral rigging.

The wolf must not guard the hen house, and there's already a lot of weird stuff regarding the last election from said wolf.

Turn-out for primaries is minuscule. If you’re in a deep red state that has fully open primaries, you can request a republican primary ballot. I guarantee if you fully look into every primary candidate there will be a reasonable person who is at least open to impeaching or otherwise opposing Trump.

If it’s a partially-open primary state you will have to switch to independent to vote strategically in primaries.

If you’re in a deep-red state with closed primaries, it’s worth considering switching affiliations just so you can have some say in who represents you.

I know it’s like sifting through shit to find an edible kernel of corn, but it’s what has to be done to stop this in deep-red states.

Dont forget, if dems dont vote its a guarantee that rupublicans will win. Vote early and dont forget to vote on your local elections too. Even a judge can make all the difference

also the fuckery with them rigging the voting machines which are predominantly in republican areas.

Still thinking that salvation will come from within the system is peak levels of cope.

Sure lets not vote and make it certain Trump gets equal or more power. Even if you don't believe change will come from the system, any chance to slow Trump down should be fully used!
- Ah yes, an entire population of people who have been disenfranchised by the system absolutely don't have incentives to rally around dismantling the very institutions that oppress them. Obviously thinking so is delusional.
  K bud. Cool story. Just keep voting harder, cause that's been working so well since fucking Reagan.

"let's wait for the midterms" yeah i bet the colonies are going to rid themselves of bigoted nazis this time for sure

Yuuup. All these calls to "fix it at midterms" are just going to keep happening until more people see that our system is not working for them in a more drastic way.

Watch Americans vote even more fascists into power.

It's not enough to just elect Democrats. Ok technically Democrats would have 67 votes in the Senate if they flipped every single Republican seat, which would be just enough to convict. But that's not happening.

Instead, there needs to be a movement by anti Trump forces from across the spectrum to primary Republicans and replace them with anti Trump candidates. That effort needs to start now.

Which will never happen because Trump has support of like 95% of Republicans. Still.
Tfw electing Democrats is “not happening” but flipping a cult against it’s demented, corrupt, rapist leader makes way more sense.

Yeah no. Whether American democracy will survive will have already been decided by the midterms. The timeline simply doesn't allow for an electoral victory to stop Trump.

Why wait? The amount of people and goodwill to do this would have the same effect if the same people started striking today.

Strike. Today.

Many people would be homeless off of one missed paycheck.
- Many people will be homeless with rising income inequality, the draining of social security, and fascist isolationist policy. We will all be dead when global warming goes unaddressed.
  Rip the bandaid off. Act now, the longer you wait the worse the fallout will be.

Remember these cowards names when it’s time for them to beg for our votes.

If voting was actually a threat to totalitarians in power they wouldn't let us do it anyway.

They have been MASSIVELY trying to stop people from voting, what the fuck are you talking about you absolute nincompoop? They keep purging voters and trying to implement new ID requirements and closing polling places and encouraging people to "poll watch" (voter intimidation).
Have you heard of a little thing called The American Experiment?
Funny story. They actually were in on the ground floor of a new nation and they said, "We left this England place because it was totally bogus. So if we don't get some cool rules - pronto - . . . well then we'll just be bogus too."
If voting was actually a threat to totalitarians in power they would spend a lot of money and power to convince you that it's pointless and you shouldn't do it.

Can’t wait for it to be more corporate trash that pushes people into Republican arms!

B-but what if I just want to be like 90% of Lemmies and bitch about bOtH sIDeS and how the "Democrats are 98% Hitler" but literally not want do the bare minimum (voting) so that Republicans can win again and I get to keep bitching?

It’s a bold stance but we have to dig deep and find the fucks to give.
The both sides bitchers aren't 90% of Lemmy, not even close. They've just got loud mouths. Usually I see downvotes on this type shit and see someone challenging them.
I think after so many didn't vote because of both sides genocide, and have seen what they caused, they've shut the fuck up a good bit compared to election season. A lot of those were probably ops anyway.
- I do see some downvotes and challenges true but there is too large of a percentage that are blaming everyone but themselves for putting us in this position by dissuading people from voting this last election. I'm sure a large part of it is just the tankie instances brigading though.

Which party do I vote for to get him impeached? Democrats just overwhelmingly struck down a motion to impeach.

True, true. Go with the party that impeached him twice the first time around.
- So just ignore what's going on right now? That's like saying I should vote republican if I care about black rights because they abolished slavery.

If voting actually matters, they won't let you do it unless you're going their way.

If only that wasn't disproven every single election, you'd have a point there.
- Idk how its been disproven. America has moved right every single election over the past 3 decades, even when dems have won.
If voting actually matters, they would spend so many money and resources convincing you that it's pointless. Like, leaving comments about it under every post.
Fun fact, it's the second time in this thread I needed to write this exact answer to this exact comment, repeated almost exactly word to word.

Your last shot was last november. Too late now.

Nope
There are so many steps between this and too late. Soo many.

your last chance was Nov 2024

We've been doing this shit for a decade now. It's not working, the system is broken, we should try something else. Yelling VOTED HARDER has failed.

Also, don't put status quo Democrats on those ballots, especially ones who voted to table impeachment earlier this week.

Voting for whomever the Democrats wheel out on a gurney will not achieve this.

That's why you take control of the gurney in the primaries.
- Haven't missed a primary since I'm 18 and I wish more people knew that primary polling spots are alway staffed by attractive young flirty people giving away free burritos.

Can't Trump just issue an executive order saying there's no more elections, or that Democrats are a terrorist organization and just like, not let any democrats win at all? Judges can't stop his executive orders anymore... he could just abolish congress at a whim.

“I once knew a man who swallowed a fly…”

You forgot Execute. I forgive you.

I can’t recognize him without the orange makeup

Sounds like the other side's strategy is to make it easier to arrest, imprison, and deport, plus cheat while throwing accusations. I fully expect them to use this strategy to try and "win" the next election so be on guard.