i take every opportunity to shit on, mock, ridicule, insult, verbally abuse bothsidesbad dipshits everywhere they show their stupid fucking faces

whatever happened to all the "vOtE 3rD pArTy BeCuZ gEnOcIdE" fucking morons? actually j/k i don't miss them at all. how's that iran war going? we sure helped palestine by throwing away our vote, huh? fucking idiot clowns

40 plus years of neo liberal policy, that yes have been embraced by 'both sides', has been destroying the nation and for some reason people don't want to admit it.

Okay, but there's a difference between "both sides are bad" and valid criticism of the democratic party.

Getting slapped and getting stabbed are both bad. But not equally bad.

I vote so I can cancel out a maga vote

We need to show the Democrats that being conservative light is not good enough by making it have consequences in primaries.

The lesser of two evils trap demoralizes people and makes them think that this is the best we can hope for from a politician but it’s not, We’ve seen a rise of left-wing politicians lately and we can do better.

We must participate whenever possible and the choices aren’t always great but they do still matter.

So yes, Democrats actively doing less damage than the Republican counterpart, and no it isn’t good enough.

People deserve a world where hope can be a part of it.

votes third party

No not like that

Seriously though, I think it's important to confront and admit that voting for the lesser evil does legitimize the evil they do, even if the greater evil does it worse. Because critically digesting both that fact alongside the fact that voting for the lesser evil really does result in better outcomes for society is what will actually get the hesitant on board with going and doing it. If you try to dismiss or handwave that fact, you are dismissing and handwaving the very real concerns of the disillusioned non-participants. Acknowledging the dissonance is far better.

I think it's also important to point out that while direct action and social organizing are the most effective things things you can do to change society, they are incredibly time consuming while voting usually takes 5 - 30 minutes. And if you're actually interested in the former, there's little to no excuse to avoid the latter.

Just whatever you do, don't shame people for being disillusioned. That makes people really dig in their heels.

Oh is it the time of year for liberals to start telling us we can no longer complain?

Well that's just nonsense. Any criticism of the democratic party, a famously spineless and dismissive organization, is a psyop?

A party that has collaborated with the Republicans the whole way? Going so far as to make ICE one of the best funded militaries in the world?

https://youtu.be/9X4Z1lLUMfw

George Carlin put this idea to rest a very long time ago. If you truly believe that Democrats are somehow fundamentally different from Republicans you have lost the plot.

Both sides are bad, but both sides are not the same. One shows time and time again they are scared of their voters and will change course with enough pressure. The other one only puts pressure on us under the heel of a boot.

Yes, both suck, but we are not getting anywhere with this stupid flip flop between two awful options. You take the less bad one, then work really fucking hard to get better people to replace them. Don’t keep falling for this one weird trick bullshit, where one cultish figure that claims to solve it all will get the nod in an effort to “try something different”.

Third parties are useless, unless we can get ranked choice. Until then, we play the fucking game, not keep flipping the board every few years.

The largest non-voting registered group in the 2024 election were those associated with neither party: independents and unaffiliated voters.

About a quarter of eligible voters aren't even registered on top of that.

"Both sides are bad" statements aren't necessarily driving partisans to not vote. They are, or can be however, an important message for those two big parties running the elections to hear from the people.

It's also, possibly one of the few talking points that forces acknowledgement that those independent, unaffiliated, and unregistered voters exist and whose interests might matter towards the outcome of policy and/or elections.

But yes, the interests that align with at least the GOP are furthered when votes are suppressed, that has been demonstrably true for decades.

Nevermind that we hold parties accountable and make them actually represent the people. If centrist/corporatist Democrats wanted to win, they should be listening to the people, and they refuse to do that. They are absolutely complicit in what's been happening over this past decade, even long before that.

The real problem is that both parties have convinced most people that striving to change the voting system that produces the two-party system is pointless.

As long as that system exists, this useless and polarizing debate won’t stop and evil and corruption will continue to flourish.

The land of freedom, choice and competition doesn’t want freedom, choice and competition in its elections. Think about why that is.

Multiple things can be true. Both sides are bad, but that's why the concept of voting for the lesser evil is a thing.

Everybody sucks. But you should still vote.

It's far from the only way. They have the means to rig elections or cancel them altogether.

If you think voting is getting you out of this mess, you're in for a reality check.

I don’t think “both sides are bad” is designed to keep people from voting. It’s meant to give the people that follow the definitively worse of the 2 sides a justification to keep voting the same way.

gotta ask yourself if you want a chance to fix things or no chance at all. with trump, its no chance at all

First of all, half the non voters would vote republican (unless you actually believe democrats are just actually lazier people than republicans?!).

Second of all, 99% of the shit trump does wrong is just plainly wrong under both parties "values." It doesn't matter what party this is way bigger than party this is about an enemy of the state controlling the white house.

Also the democrats keep voting to fund his government, instead of shutting the whole damn country down, which is in fact necessary because an active unrepentant child rapist is controlling the white house and he's starting illegal wars and stealing billions of dollars. So, to vote in the house or the senate for even one dollar of taxpayer money to be entrusted to donald trump as the chomo-in-chief of the executive branch is in and of itself treason worthy of capital punishment.

So yes, fuck the democrats who have voted to pass budgets that hand trump trillions of dollars that he treats as a blank check. Domt tell me dems are the best way to get him out of power, tell me who to vote for to express my desire that the federal government ceases functioning immediately until he gets out. Because this whole lets vote him out ive been hearing it for ten fucking years now and yet here we are. Stop telling me to wait for November, shut the whole fucking thing down today. This guy rapes children and we're letting him do anything??? Why?? Shut down the government light the constitution on fire because literally zero authority for anything good in the world can exist while the "leader of the free world" is a rapist murderer who is grifting billions of dollars. Like it just has to stop, fuck the vote, just stop this fucking maniac who slathers his face in orange paint and rambles about how the epstein files exonerated him!!

Voting is an illusion of choice. At best, you’re voting for a personality. Who voted for these flock cameras? Who voted for this war with Iran? Who voted for citizens united? I can go on and on.

This is a misunderstand. It's not about voting. It never was. It's about organizing.

Sure vote for harm reduction. Yes, it can slow things down a bit temporarily, but don't think it'll save your life. Both parties are genocidal fascists who will continue to escalate war and state violence. From a capitalist standpoint, fascism is correct and necessary. Profits have fallen too low, democracy is no longer profitable, no matter which party is in charge. The billionaires need living standards to drop much lower. But in a democracy, people would not be willing to accept that, so they need to be disciplined violently.

Democrats, just like Republicans will come for your loved ones, arrest communists, continue imperialist wars and genocide, shut down strikes and unions, militarize the police. Simply because Democrats are capitalist and within capitalism, fascism is the next logical step. Not for ideological reasons, but because of real material economic facts. The facts demand fascism. Democrats will adapt or cease to be Democrats.

When Nazi fascism was defeated in Europe, it wasn't by voting for the lesser fascists. The only way to save democracy is to organize real resistance, that's able to enforce demands.

If you have limited capacity to contribute and organize, don't waste your time campaigning for the Democrats. Vote for them, if it makes sense in your state, but that's just one day. If you have any energy to spare the rest of the year: talk to your neighbors and coworkers about real solutions. For example general strikes and anti-fascist community self defense. Learn communist theory, start a reading group. Join a Marxist org.

That's like saying the US is good for materially enabling Israels genocide in Palestine because the US is killing people more indirectly than Israel.

Critique has nothing to do with voting.

No, not voting for either genocide party.

No one is obligated to vote for Democrats based on lesser evilism. We're circling the drain with a neoliberal/reactionary crisis cycle in perpetual imperial war while wealth keeps consolidating upward and working people get crushed. The billionaire donor base they solicit money from is the same, their economic and foreign policies are quite similar. Even when Democrats have achieved majorities at the state level they serve their masters, not the economic interests of the people.

Workers party now.

Orban lost because everyone went out and voted for the other party. If you watch interviews of voters, a lot of them said they don't agree on everything with who they are voting for, but it must be done to progress away from the Orban era.
Democracy is a slow process, and sometimes, voting for the lesser of two evils is the only choice you have. It opens the door for better candidates in the next elections to come.
Or, you know.. you can do an armed revolution. But lately, they don't bring the change everyone hopes for.

Shouldn't you be more concerned with the parties caucuses? Since you have a two-party autocrcacy anyways

Both the Republican and Democratic parties are cults at this point. This post proves it.

It's either:

• There's a big fat online conspiracy to deter people from voting in the US even though voting in the US is the thing that truly determines how the country is ruled and other things such as Money, have no or minimal influence in how the US is managed.
• First Past The Post undemocratic voting systems like the one in America create political duopolies, which are populated by people in well entrenched power positions who when not in front of the cameras are basically work mates and protect each other. Further, the extreme political stability of such system attracts people who become lifers in that system, selling their political influence to the highest bidder in order to enrich themselves, and the politicians of both facets of the duopoly have a shared interest that such selling out is either not illegal at all or, when illegal, de facto not prosecuted, so together they'll change laws and nominate the "appropriate" people to the Judicial system to make sure it is so.

I relate to the SPIRIT of the meme, but quite honestly, here in 2026, I don't know if the conclusion holds any water anymore. It turns out WAY more people are WAY more shit than I ever expected and I'm no longer convinced high turnout means victory for anything good.

Maybe they WERE the silent majority all along...

Don't let perfect be the enemy of good. Fyi... vote in fing primaries, that is the only way to fix the kinda bad side.

Which side thinks that food, medicine, and shelter are a human right and not just access to them is a right? I'll always vote for that side.

Sir, this is a Lemmy. The issues are black and white. Pragmatism means you're a Nazi. Everything you're doing to try and make a difference is worse than genocide AT BEST. I checked your post history and there's not a single comment about how many Republicans you have personally punched simply for being a Republican and having a different opinion than you, so you might as well be a Republican yourself, which makes you a double Nazi.

There's only two parties on the same side, there's no other side in the USA. Stop trying to say the Democrats represent leftist values.

Doesn't matter when winning is losing

or vote green

If the States didn't have a system that makes voting third-party an effectively wasted vote, this strategy wouldn't be as overwhelming.

Posts about blaming a minuscule minority of voters are specifically designed to encourage people to not look for the causes of rising fascism.

Keeping people distracted and attacking their socialists allies is the only way Democrats can continue to move further to the right and join Trump's new "War on the Extreme Left".

If you don't see the connection, you have a problem.

Literally why Israel got trump in office

That's why you Vote for Pedro... duh!

Just like when Hitler won, democratically

Not the only way. There are many other, also-successful ways.

So if I were in the US, I'd have how many choices? Two (2)?

Don't tell me El-Sayed, no.1 candidate for the Michigan mayor, won't be chosen despite the public reception over him..........

F*ck this country.

I assumed part of the reason Hillary lost (I said "part") was because all the media was talking non-stop about how she was going to demolish Trump with ease and it was all a hilarious joke that Trump even thought he had a chance. That much media coverage basically told so the Democrat voters to not bother going to vote because Hillary had it in the bag.

People actually still believe there's going to be free elections in November... ROFL

Trump is fully intending to pull a Netenyua and call a national emergency to stay in power.

Still peddeling this bullshit.

Usually this is where I would post videos on the shortcomings of First-past-the-post voting, but that time has past us by.

Good luck everyone.

Ashley B noted in one of her YouTube videos (Here we go) that in 2016, the largest focus of social media campaigns by Cambridge Analytica and by Russian assets, targeted black voters in battleground states to encourage them not to vote.

And yeah, the gerrymandering war, voter suppression campaigns, voter caging, election tampering, false rumors of massive election fraud, all these are Republican efforts. When states have free and fair elections to which everyone has access and is allowed to vote, then Democrats win over Republicans.

Huh let me see, choosing between genocide or genocide. Tough choice. Boy howdy.

No shit. Because they dont like the gun, they let a rapist sleep with their kids, then blame the lazy cops for not doing shit to repair a situation they could have prevented.

Anything but admit they failed.

I did some political stuff back in the day. We used to say "when people vote, democrats win." I don't need a win, I just need the fascist pedo kleptocratic octogenarian to lose.

Both sides are bad" is true, though. The Democrats and Republicans are infiltrated by Zionists. The reality that both sides are bad could also motivate people to vote for a third party.

Its amazing to me that there are still people who believe their are "two sides " and that voting works.

Just gotta vote harder guys and next time we won't get an Israeli puppet!

There's a certain amount of self reflection and questioning that's worthwhile and sometimes it definitely is the lesser of two evils when voting. I wouldn't say any political party or system is perfect, therefore there's still valid and worthwhile criticisms to be made. It would be nice to see choice ranked voting and to officially end gerrymandering.

Thank you for posting this, OP.

The fact that this is still a thing is baffling to me. I am, by no means, a fan of Establishment Democrats. But this is why we have primaries. We can walk and chew gum at the same time; vote for progressives in the primaries, vote agaist the fascists at the same time.

And while we're at it, between primaries, we criticize the people we elect because we demand better of them. And we warn them that they will lose to a progressive next primary if they don't find the plot again.

This is not very hard. We can't just note vote if we want to escapw the jaws of fascism without a civil war. We don't have to like establishment democrats, but right now electing a do-nothing is objective improvement. It's voting to get more time. And if the narrative for the democratic party is a progressive narrative, then progressive candidates can drag them kicking and screaming further to the left where they either find some values, or we send them to an early retirement next primary. We call this process "democracy."

And I don't wanna hear shit about it being "rigged." If Viktor Orbon couldn't hold on to an openly rigged system, the DNC doesn't have that much more control either! Half the fucking country doesn't vote. If everyone did, they couldn't ignore the mandate. And so we circle back to the meme above: if you're discouraging people from voting, you are part of the problem. Get them informed, get them motivated, get them registered, make a plan, and go with them if you have to! This is the easiest call to action we will get. If we fail to meet it, the next one will be a lot more painful for the whole world.

given the choice between the benign tumor and the malignant tumor, one is better off with the benign one. refusing to choose just hands it to the malignant tumor by default. furthermore, it's not about supporting the lesser of two evils but identifying which evil is the worst overall and focusing everything you have on punishing it. refraining from punishing evil is, surprise surprise, AN EVIL ACT

I have been making sure my newly or soon to be 18 year old stepchildren and nieces and nephews all understand that voting is not just who is in Washington, but also who is deciding what happens right around us. Local elections are so much more important than I ever really understood at their age.

Bro I live in Missouri. No Dem is gonna win or give a shit here and hasn't since before I was born. Even at local levels. I go vote cause I'm bored sitting at home and it gets me out of the house, but I never vote for either of these bastards.

Broke: Both sides are bad.

Woke: Governments are bad.

Bespoke: Nations are bad.

So any criticism of Democrats is a psyop?

Isn't that what the Republicans have been saying since 2016? Fake news?

Wow, America is fucked. Both parties think using your head is proof you're not real.

Voting is literally just one way both "parties" can stay in violent control

it works, propaganda, flood the news with the trump bs has made people i know just turned off to politics altogether.

Also plus GOP can only use gerrymandering, propaganda so much before they have to use voter suppression methods. DNC will never try to combat this, because they lose their political capital.

Almost a good meme. Should have ended you are the problem.

Both sides are bad, but one side is considerably less bad and is not openly racist and fascist.

I hopped on here expecting a bunch of pro dem discourse and I'm so glad to see these comments.

Both sides: Fund genocide Don't hold epsteinites accountable Increase centralized power Are corrupt as fuck

Any discourse pretending that a vote for either party will make any difference in the grand scheme of things is holding back actual change.

Keep putting down both parties. Fuck these politicians. They're finally getting scared that people are wising up to their pretend rivalry.

I have remained a voting Democrat since I started voting during Bush. I do not find "both sides" a way to prevent people from voting. I find that Dems have taken to also nominating insufferable assholes, following the lead of the Republicans. But people like paying more attention to crappy leaders than learning how to elect good ones.

Also - Trump hasn't been as bad as claimed. He has mostly been what I expected for 12 years. Mostly ineffectual and inconsequential. Undeserving of the attention he is given.

Wow that post triggered a lot of people good job OP. Luckily m country is not yet two party

Lol I made fun of both siders for years, they don't both sides now that Trump's president again. Now they're just quiet.

This is not true, voting is the problem. You think it will solve problems, but it won't!! Both sides work for the same team. Find a way out with unions

Same with third party voters.

Jill Stein is a talentless goon and a complete commie tyrant.

This post just got you on the list buddy

Ah, yes, everyone I don't like is conspiring against me.

That's not true anymore in my experience. As a mostly non-voting European, I think my cynical, nihilistic ideas of direct action have made more right leaning people not vote for right wing parties than left leaning people not vote for left-wing ones. The political 'left' has long lost a big chunk of the working class. Hand labourers, once the base of the left movement, have been victimised, disenfranchised, and then antagonised by it. So these ideas of 'if more people were voting the right would never win' are obsolete.

Both sides proponents should be mocked, ridiculed, and banned out of the Lemmy community.

pLeAsE vOtE fOr HiTlEr-LiTe

This is binary thinking and it is a way to prevent any realistic change for the good. Here are my priorities for voting.

1. Democratic Socialist
2. Non-MAGA Republican.
3. MAGA Republican
4. Democratic Establishment.

I see myself cross-voting in November.

Still not voting in your colonialist elections