I think this is semantic(definitions) confusion. Please let me explain. For example communism by definition is a stateless society. Meaning a state cannot be communist. The countries you are thinking of have all called themselves socialist not communist. Socialism does not necessitate dictatorship or democracy. It's simply economical. Socialism is an economic system that abolishes private property which marx defined as different from personal property. Personal property includes your place of living your tv your clothes all your personal shit. Private property refers to owning the means of production. So under socialism you could own your house but not a factory or Google ect.

The countries that are exploited the worst have sometimes had socialist revolts in the past. These countries are typically not functioning democracies beforehand. The USSR had a tsar. China's last emperor ended up joining the socialists once he was overthrown. Cuba had a U.S. backed dictator before Castro's popular revolution. These countries were not made into dictator ships because of socialism. You have the idea in your head because of capitalist propaganda.

Democratic socialism is just capitalism with a nice welfare state built on it. Despite the name it doesn't necessitate having democracy or socialism. Infact it's incompatible with socialism. These states are nicer then usual capitalist states but often backslide. For example Britain moving closer and closer to privatizing their healthcare.

I hope that makes some sense.

I'm voting for a third party instead of the slightly less evil fascist. I recommend y'all do as well. Dr. West and Claudia La Cruz are good options.

If you're not in a swing state I recommend you do the same.

Can I pet that dog?

They should buy less avocado toast 😏. Lazy ass generation

You know who actually doesn't work hard at all? steve schwarzan. Fuck these lazy ass execs and share holders. I think we outta put em all in metal tubes and drop em in the ocean.

Same here. lemmy reminds me of how reddit was 10 years ago. Feels like home... God I'm old.

Nope and if you don't understand there are more than two options that's a you problem. 😜

Photoshop in your browser for free: https://www.photopea.com/

I'm voting for a third party instead of the slightly less evil fascist. I recommend y'all do as well. Dr. West and Claudia La Cruz are good options.

If you're not in a swing state I recommend you do the same.

Not voting is lazy in most circumstances for sure. What I hate is that people equate voting third party with not voting. I'm not voting blue. Y'all can't guilt me into it. I'm voting for a third party socialist. 😏

Not sure how you got that out of my comment. I knew the literacy rates in the US were bad but jeeze.

Nope, it's actually a vote for a third party. Vote for Biden is a vote for Trump. See how dumb that sounds?

I appreciate you being nice. I understand the concern you have with the spoiler effect. But our country has been stuck in this lesser evil game for my whole life. That being said I also live in a very blue state. If my state were to go red it won't be because of the few people like that vote third party.

Awesome! Are you going to vote third party?. I'm voting for either Dr West or Claudia La Cruz. I'd recommend either of them to you stranger 👈😎

No.

Could just also mean you live in a non swing state and want to give a 3rd party a shot at getting over 5% of the vote so they can get federal funding and be a more serious option in the next election. 🙂

There are literally more options. It's people like you that prevent a third option from becoming mainstream. Do you understand that??

Ayyye exactly 👈😎. Glad you're on the same page stranger.

Thanks for sharing. I found I got the same email so I canceled immediately. Guess I'll just watch those shows else where for free 🦜🏴‍☠️

Marxs definition of socialism is the important definition because it's his word. Marx did think socialism would be the next step after capitalism and that communism would eventually follow. But he thought communism would follow in a far off future.

"The United States regulates businesses, provides welfare. Those are socialist ideas. China, controlled by the Chinese Communist Party, has rich and poor people. It isn't communist."

Socialism is not when the government does stuff. I know you have been conditioned to think that but that's not what it means.

I'm 28. Yes how could I not know?

Thanks stranger, I appreciate it. 👈😎

Yep I know. Sadly elected officials are needed to change the voting system so that's largely unhelpful.

I'd love to have ranked choices voting. But like only the third party candidates would possibly do that. Candidates from team red or blue have nothing to gain by doing that and stand to lose everything by doing it.

This is fucking asinine. How do you possibly think that anyone who would vote for kanye West or RFK would otherwise be Biden voters you dummy. Do you not understand that the Nazis in the vaccine conspiracy heads are all conservatives, who would vote for Trump?

The third party candidates you have to worry about stealing votes from only Biden or Jill Stein Dr. West and Claudia de Lacruz. So congrats you got Jill Stein right. Now compare the share of the vote. RFK is getting compared to Jill Stein and the others. Dumbass.

This insane worldview where anything that's not a vote for Biden is a vote for Trump is fucking crazy and it's why no one likes neoliberals.

Dude same! I fucking love those memes

Thanks you strangers ☺️. I didn't have a good education growing up. I actually grew up in a cult. I managed to leave on my own when I was 16. Since I've gotten myself a degree but I've never really gotten spelling and grammar completely figured out. There are a lot of things I honestly just missed out on basic education wise.

I always assume the people focus on that have no way of reasonably disagreeing with me. I guess they just get mad they're wrong 🤷. Just a bunch of classist elitist assholes who couldn't think their way out of a paper bag.

Thanks for clarifying 👈😎

Where are you getting this idea of anti-voting astroturfing? All the propaganda I see seems to be catered to getting people to vote for the lesser of two evils.

Also don't get me wrong. I'm very much against not voting. I just don't see any money being spent on pushing anti-voting but maybe I've missed it. 🤷

Kind stranger, I will keep an eye out for this. Thank you for bringing this to my attention and for talking with me like a normal person. 🙂

I hope you have a great day. 👈😎

I am going to try to show you the same kindness and genuineness you are showing me.

"I’m just saying, your logic only works if enough people dont follow it. That kind of makes it bad advice." I think this is a key part. I know the vast majority of people that hear my advice will not take it. So I am depending on that. I also feel it's correct. I think it wouldn't be unrealistic for me to expect everyone or even most of the people who hear it to take it to heart. Do you think I'm wrong?

https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/rfk-fires-staffer-endorsed-trump-reelection-1235002839/ I think I see this news article a different way then you do. I hate rfk and wouldn't recommend voting for him unless that vote was going to go to trump instead. I also don't believe most of the votes going to rfk would have gone to Biden. I believe the COVID conspiracist that want to vote for him were much more likely to be trumpers. I think a lot of the fear on the media that all third party votes would ha e otherwise gone to Biden is wrong. I may be crazy but I think of the Dems pied Piper strategy and wonder if this related. They really seem to like catching us in thos lesser of two evils trap. I live in Maryland. The Dems helped far right candidate David Cox get the Republican nominee in our last govenors race. I ended up voting dem because it scared me. Democrat nominee won hands down because Maryland is a blue state but I was tricked. I feel similarly about this presidential election now.

"When you’re aligning yourself with pro-fascists—or at least have the exact same tactics (minus an exception), you cannot be on the right side of history." Doesn't this with us or against us rhetoric feel odd to you? I believe the "unless you live in a swing state" part of my sentiment is what clearly divides me from them.

"Two party systems are doomed to be a road to fascism. We are reaching the end of that road." I completely agree and I think we need to start taking a third party exit. I know this is a many election process but starting now is better than later and the safest way to do so is to try to convince as many people in non-swing states to start voting third party. That momentum takes time.

"It’s a shitty situation for us to have to negotiate. But we’re not the ones gambling with our own lives. We’re gambling with the lives of trans people, women who need abortions, those living in poverty, the environment…just so we can “send a measage?” " As a side note I am not the wealthy cis het man you seem to think I am.

"All you’re doing is throwing extra danger into the pot and supporting the people who are pushing your same messaging in order to see trump win. Just…how can you justify it?" In this way, by only promoting this idea for voters in non swing states I believe additional risk is minimized. I also believe this is the only way to possible make things better by ballot. Outside of this the only ways I can imagine the USA getting off this "two party road to fascism" (to borrow your elegant words) will create much more misfortune and suffering before getting better.

Also just to clarify. I know trump is worse on all fronts compared to Biden. Whether it's Palestine or pro working class policy at home. I hate trump and I also see him winning as the worst case scenario for the election. You don't have to convince me of any of that. I think our only disagreement really lies in how much additional risk voting third party in non swing states generates but please tell me if you think otherwise.

Also thanks for talking to me like a normal person 🙂

What does tankie mean to you? Genuine question I promise. This is what I see when I Google the term.

All right and if you got every single person on lemmy to vote for the dems or the Republicans, it wouldn't change the outcome of the election. Are you saying this argument determines absolutely nothing? Because I agree lol.

Do you know that the popular vote doesn't determine the outcome of US presidential elections? Cuz it sounds like you don't understand that. I'm totally for switching to rank choice voting. Sadly we need elected politicians to do that sooooo not really productive 🤷

If we vote in some third party candidates who are actual leftist, they might enact rank choice voting. So maybe start there.

Yes, I'm annoyed because you don't even understand my country's voting system or why it would matter what state you live in when it comes to voting yet you want to mansplain it to me. You are insufferable lol. I wish men like you who think that they can just guess the correct thing which shut the f****** when someone who knows what they're talking about is speaking. I'm not going to reply to you again. 🖕

Bro, I live in one of the bluest states. It will not go red. If I were in a swing state I'd understand where you're coming from. If you don't understand the difference then this conversation isnt productive.

A second ago convincing everyone on lemmy wasn't "even a single digit percent" now it could be a few percent and change the result of the election🤣? Do you see why I think you are ignorant and dramatic?

Like dude I get it trump and his fascist cronies are scary as fuck. But My state will not suddenly become contested in the 2024 election. I guarantee it. It will be blue. My vote for a third party just slowly puts their number up over time to get us out of this mess. The more people who can do that the better. Obviously if you're in a swing state or state that could become contested. Yeah, vote for the lesser evil. I'm not in that situation. If you're not able to grasp that, that's your problem.

You sound exactly like a trump supporter. Crazy how you don't even realize you're the same thing as them. 🤣🤣🤣

Have fun licking the boot dude.

So now you're actively praising a guy who's helping assisting in genocide.... Take a good, long hard look in the mirror buddy. Why should I respect you anymore than I respect dumb ass fascist Republicans? You're just a dick Rider for the less funny fascist. 🖕

Honestly I hope any of these variations replace the old logo. Looks great OP! Thanks for sharing

You've clearly never heard of 3rd party candidates then! If you have heard of them, I want you to ask yourself why you feel compelled to so overly simplify a situation that you boil it down to a blatant lie.

I guess so. Cut a liberal a fascist bleeds 😞