That's just where we differ I guess. I respect your beliefs and political alliances but I refuse to follow any "party" that is so clearly run by $$$ and special interests, which means I refuse to follow both republicans and democrats. Suggesting to vote democratic because it's just the better option of the two is exactly what I'm against.
I don't understand this logic. Really can't wrap my head around it.
In the current US political system, the third parties are mostly irrelevant. That's just the reality. Presidential elections are between republicans and democrats. There aren't anywhere near enough people voting third party to have a real "protest vote". It's almost literally throwing your vote away at this point.
In my country we have mandatory voting in national elections, so we are forced to vote for something either way. Technically you can write a blank vote but all blank votes are added to the party/individual with the most votes. So it's pointless and you might end up helping a party you dislike the most.
I believe our government system is deeply flawed for a numbers of reasons I have detailed in the past, and have no allegiance to any particular party.
My first national election vote was for a centrist party, my latest vote was for our conservative party.
In each election year, I examine the various parties' platforms, policy proposals, candidates, past actions, ...
I wouldn't say I particularly like any party, so my decision making would be better characterized as finding out which party I have the least disagreements with. If I voted blank because I don't fully support any specific party, my vote would simply be added to whichever party has the most votes. So instead of wasting it and potentially indirectly voting for a party I may have even more disagreements with, I pick the party that is closest to my ideological beliefs and values.
Hypothetically, if I were a US citizen I would always vote democrat. Social issues are high on my list of top priorities so that alone would already categorically exclude the GOP in its current state. I also don't believe in trickle down economics and am disgusted by their stance on abortion, healthcare, equal rights, ...
I wouldn't say I like Hillary but I don't hate her or anything. I preferred Bernie. But in this example let's assume I was deeply disappointed with Hillary's nomination and the state of the DNC. Taking into account my views I listed above, in what world would it make sense for me to vote third party or abstain because I was dissatisfied with the current nominee and status of the party? Knowing that plays right into the hands of the republicans, who are unified and vote for their candidates in large numbers.
I would then have contributed to a possibly victory of a candidate or party who stands firmly against everything I believe in, all because I wasn't satisfied with the current state of the DNC. Regardless of that dissatisfaction, the party's platform and policies would still be far more aligned with my views than the GOP could ever hope to resemble. So it would make zero sense to play into the hands of the GOP.
I would assume that for black people, or people of color in general, playing into the hands of the GOP because of dissatisfaction with the DNC seems even more ridiculous and backwards. I think it's fair to say that the DNC does not do enough for people of color and African-Americans in particular. However the GOP actively supports voter suppression, which primarily targets African-Americans, have a long history of racism and dog whistling, and a generally awful track record on race issues. Sessions is ramping up the war on drugs again, Betsy Devos sees no problem with taxpayer funded schools discriminating against people of color, lgbt citizens, ...
Instead of criminal justice reform, Sessions is making private prisons great again. Police reform? Only blue lives matter.
Science? That's not in da bible b
The point is, the GOP generally stands firmly against key values and beliefs of someone who identifies as liberal or on the left. And since voting third party at this time plays right into the hands of the GOP, by doing that or abstaining you're indirectly voting for a party whose views and policies are likely the polar opposite of yours. There is no scenario in which this makes sense. Whether you're dissatisfied with the DNC or whatever, what other choice do you have as a leftist that aligns best with your views and values? Maybe the third parties do, but they have zero power in presidential elections, so the DNC would be the closest alternative.
In short, I really can't think of any scenario in which a leftist playing into the hands of the GOP because of dissatisfaction with the DNC makes sense.
