In 1968, I didn't want to vote for Humphrey, due to his support for the Vietnam War as LBJ's VP, and I couldn't imagine enough people would be stupid enough to vote for Nixon for him to win, so I voted for Dick Gregory and went to bed pleased with myself. I wasn't so pleased with myself when I woke up to find that Nixon had won. I became more and more disgusted with myself as I watched his criminal behavior as POTUS.
I realized then that the US has baked into its very structure a 2 party system and that, like it or not, the President would be either a Democrat or a Republican, so, even if I disliked both candidates, I'd better hold my nose and vote for the lesser evil--and that voting 3rd party would only make it likelier that the greater evil would win.
I did that when I voted for Biden, assuming he'd be another neoliberal like the Clintons and Obama: the lesser evil. In 2024, I intend to vote FOR Biden because he's been a much better President than I expected and is trying to bring the Democratic Party back to the party of the people it was from FDR to LBJ.
That doesn't mean that I think he's the best possible POTUS, but he's the best one who can possibly win--and I won't even have to hold my nose to vote for him.
System needs changing to the popular vote elects the President and also allow for a run off vote between the two people who top the ballot if no one get 50%. This would give third parties a place in elections that is not a spoiler.
I like Cornel West. He is a brilliant and erudite man. However, I simply don't buy his argument that he would not be siphoning votes from Biden because the people who voted for the Green Party in 2016 would not have voted for HRC in the first place. While this may or may not have been true, the margins are razor thin, as you say, and this is no time to play games. Does he honestly expect to win?
As for going down to the South and trying to reason with the diehard incorrigible MAGA crowd, is he kidding? How well did that work out for Don Shirley?
We don't need this. We will have enough problems dealing with that legacy idiot Kennedy.
Never in my life did I ever think that there would be so much turmoil in a race for the White House..it has gotten to be sickening..In my opinion for what it's worth, Biden has done exactly what he set out to do....jobs are up, unemployment is down, things are being repaired and fixed across the country..sure he's not perfect...but what on God's green earth did Trump do that was for the good of the country? Give the rich a major tax cut (which the Republicans voted in again and this time make permanent), made us look stupid in the eyes of the world, threatened the country with a shutdown unless he got his way ( Republicans doing that again) screamed the election was stolen from him (being a former poll worker that's all but impossible..far to many checks and balances) tried to overthrow the government and democracy that we've all had our entire lives..and that just mentions a few things that Trump did..now we have to deal with additional persons running basically to give Trump the election.... Trump followers are all BRIANWASHED and sucked into his fascist cult..ift hat disgusting SOB of a man gets back into the oval office..we can all remember the "good old days" just as the people who we're put to death in "NAZI GERMANY" because HITLER was going to save them....
Omg! I want to throw up when I read some of these whiny responses. We f——-g don’t have any other choices no matter what you want! Read. Educate yourself about our system and understand if you don’t vote for Biden we lose our democracy. Done! It’s as simple as that so use your brain.
Professor Reich has hit the nail on the head once again. The ultra-right-wing strategists and mega-donor capitalists know that there is more than one way to skin a cat. In this case the cat is the growing potential for a Biden victory. That is why we cannot be too complacent or just hopeful that Biden will win. While Democrats and Never-Trumpers are dreaming and hoping for a Biden win, those that would benefit from a Trump victory, namely the ultra-rich and the mega-corporations, have been carefully planning and executing back-up strategies to sandbag a Biden win. A viable third-party candidate with a well-funded organization is one way to derail a Democratic victory. It is a sign that they see the very real possibility of a Trump loss without some strategies to Undermine Biden’s support. They saw that it was the existence of Ralph Nader that handed the presidency to George W. Bush in a close election over Democratic candidate Al Gore. So, on one hand we should put primary efforts and focus on a Biden victory, we should also take heed that this third-party effort is likely only one of other planned strategies to insure a Republican win.
I completely agree with Robert Reich. The stakes are too high, and the differences between the two candidates are stark. Joe Biden is a Centrist, but Donald Trump is a Fascist. Joe Biden has been the most progressive president we've had in some time, and "Bidenomics," which squarely opposes trickle down economics with an economic policy of using the government to restore our infrastructure, support job-creation in the US and build the middle class, has been successful and promises greater success if we can stay the course He recently took on the drug companies to significantly lower the cost of healthcare. He has taken significant steps in addressing climate change. If we can deliver a more progressive Congress to him, I believe he will accomplish a great deal more in another four years, rebuilding our country's confidence in government to provide solutions to problems, thereby taking the steam out of arguments to the contrary made by the radical right. Hopefully this will set the stage for administrations that are even more progressive in the future. A second Trump presidency would reverse this progress as well as endanger our democracy and democracies around the world. Please do more than vote for Joe Biden. Please work to elect progressive Senators and U.S. Representatives to Congress. It is up to us.
What if the Democratic Party decided to put their support behind a younger, qualified candidate? What if they worked with Joe Biden to find a replacement? The people are tired of having a candidate shoved down their throats. I supported Joe Biden. I've been pleasantly surprised by what he has done. But he IS done. He is too old. Why not support Whitmer or Sherrod Brown? Those are great candidates. And Cornell West's platform is so much more appropriate for the world right now. Why not communicate with him to run as a Democratic candidate? You have some sway. Instead of getting us to give up our hopes, why not work behind the scene to influence the Democratic party and those who offer an alternative?
The fear of spoilers is justified. Especially since the small ALEC dominated States already intend to give Trump the vote regardless of how the constituents vote.
If Biden and the Democrats want the Green Party members to support them., they should declare that they are going to support the Green Party policies of higher wages, free Medicare for all, affordable housing, affordable high quality childcare, the Green New Deal, equal pay for women, etc, instead of continuing with their policies of only helping Wall Street, Big Business and the Oligarch Billionaires, that fund Biden and the Democrats, just like they also fund Trump and the Republicans. Biden has no support from any Grassroots Organization, like "Fight for $15" and the Environmental Groups, etc. Both the Democrats and Republicans are financed by Wall Street, Big Business and the Billionaire Oligarchs and they both only support their Big Donors. Only the Green Party works to help the Middle Class, the Working Class and the Poor and Disadvantaged. If Biden wants the Green Party's support let him commit in specific detail to adopt their progressive policies.
After hearing and reading about the Wisconsin Supreme Court debacle, I am seriously worried about what else the far right may be doing to sway everything in its favor. These things were not done overnight.
I agree with what many Americans have wanted for a very long time. The Electoral college must be abolished. This country is already being overtaken by the Corporations and those of wealth. Is there hope for change? Will the far right continue to ignore rules, laws and fairness? Have they already put in place the agenda in other places the way they have in Wisconsin? I have been concerned for many years, but I am much more concerned than ever. Thank you for always teaching your readers & listeners about how we all need to vote in EVERY election and what will happen if we don’t.
Sir Robert, you are yelling my yell! We need organized groups with signs pushing this fact anywhere and everywhere ---- on billboards, on street corners, on social media, at social clubs/events, and outside the polls, etc. etc. etc. anywhere we think up.
Same pablum, different election year. The fact is, the Democratic Party has never embraced democracy either as evidenced by their antagonism towards independents and third-partys. If they wanted to convince voters to support Joe Biden and a democrat-controlled Congress, they would push for and enact Ranked Choice Voting, multimember congressional districts -- reforms that would do away with the “spoiler effect” and spur political competition, reforms that would make democracy a real thing in the United States. Vote shaming increases divisions, do better.
Perhaps you should ask why Biden had such a slim lead in the states you mentioned and come up with a remedy. This would bode better than just instilling the age old tactic, used by both major parties, fear of the other side winning. What if this “no labels” party takes away votes from the twice impeached former guy? We really need more choices, and not be limited to two corporate parties.
I agree with your assessment. Biden is not really my pick but I will not vote for a Republican and I will not vote third party and split the vote. We can not afford to have Trump or his ilk in the White House.
In 1968, I didn't want to vote for Humphrey, due to his support for the Vietnam War as LBJ's VP, and I couldn't imagine enough people would be stupid enough to vote for Nixon for him to win, so I voted for Dick Gregory and went to bed pleased with myself. I wasn't so pleased with myself when I woke up to find that Nixon had won. I became more and more disgusted with myself as I watched his criminal behavior as POTUS.
I realized then that the US has baked into its very structure a 2 party system and that, like it or not, the President would be either a Democrat or a Republican, so, even if I disliked both candidates, I'd better hold my nose and vote for the lesser evil--and that voting 3rd party would only make it likelier that the greater evil would win.
I did that when I voted for Biden, assuming he'd be another neoliberal like the Clintons and Obama: the lesser evil. In 2024, I intend to vote FOR Biden because he's been a much better President than I expected and is trying to bring the Democratic Party back to the party of the people it was from FDR to LBJ.
That doesn't mean that I think he's the best possible POTUS, but he's the best one who can possibly win--and I won't even have to hold my nose to vote for him.
System needs changing to the popular vote elects the President and also allow for a run off vote between the two people who top the ballot if no one get 50%. This would give third parties a place in elections that is not a spoiler.
I like Cornel West. He is a brilliant and erudite man. However, I simply don't buy his argument that he would not be siphoning votes from Biden because the people who voted for the Green Party in 2016 would not have voted for HRC in the first place. While this may or may not have been true, the margins are razor thin, as you say, and this is no time to play games. Does he honestly expect to win?
As for going down to the South and trying to reason with the diehard incorrigible MAGA crowd, is he kidding? How well did that work out for Don Shirley?
We don't need this. We will have enough problems dealing with that legacy idiot Kennedy.
Never in my life did I ever think that there would be so much turmoil in a race for the White House..it has gotten to be sickening..In my opinion for what it's worth, Biden has done exactly what he set out to do....jobs are up, unemployment is down, things are being repaired and fixed across the country..sure he's not perfect...but what on God's green earth did Trump do that was for the good of the country? Give the rich a major tax cut (which the Republicans voted in again and this time make permanent), made us look stupid in the eyes of the world, threatened the country with a shutdown unless he got his way ( Republicans doing that again) screamed the election was stolen from him (being a former poll worker that's all but impossible..far to many checks and balances) tried to overthrow the government and democracy that we've all had our entire lives..and that just mentions a few things that Trump did..now we have to deal with additional persons running basically to give Trump the election.... Trump followers are all BRIANWASHED and sucked into his fascist cult..ift hat disgusting SOB of a man gets back into the oval office..we can all remember the "good old days" just as the people who we're put to death in "NAZI GERMANY" because HITLER was going to save them....
Omg! I want to throw up when I read some of these whiny responses. We f——-g don’t have any other choices no matter what you want! Read. Educate yourself about our system and understand if you don’t vote for Biden we lose our democracy. Done! It’s as simple as that so use your brain.
Professor Reich has hit the nail on the head once again. The ultra-right-wing strategists and mega-donor capitalists know that there is more than one way to skin a cat. In this case the cat is the growing potential for a Biden victory. That is why we cannot be too complacent or just hopeful that Biden will win. While Democrats and Never-Trumpers are dreaming and hoping for a Biden win, those that would benefit from a Trump victory, namely the ultra-rich and the mega-corporations, have been carefully planning and executing back-up strategies to sandbag a Biden win. A viable third-party candidate with a well-funded organization is one way to derail a Democratic victory. It is a sign that they see the very real possibility of a Trump loss without some strategies to Undermine Biden’s support. They saw that it was the existence of Ralph Nader that handed the presidency to George W. Bush in a close election over Democratic candidate Al Gore. So, on one hand we should put primary efforts and focus on a Biden victory, we should also take heed that this third-party effort is likely only one of other planned strategies to insure a Republican win.
I completely agree with Robert Reich. The stakes are too high, and the differences between the two candidates are stark. Joe Biden is a Centrist, but Donald Trump is a Fascist. Joe Biden has been the most progressive president we've had in some time, and "Bidenomics," which squarely opposes trickle down economics with an economic policy of using the government to restore our infrastructure, support job-creation in the US and build the middle class, has been successful and promises greater success if we can stay the course He recently took on the drug companies to significantly lower the cost of healthcare. He has taken significant steps in addressing climate change. If we can deliver a more progressive Congress to him, I believe he will accomplish a great deal more in another four years, rebuilding our country's confidence in government to provide solutions to problems, thereby taking the steam out of arguments to the contrary made by the radical right. Hopefully this will set the stage for administrations that are even more progressive in the future. A second Trump presidency would reverse this progress as well as endanger our democracy and democracies around the world. Please do more than vote for Joe Biden. Please work to elect progressive Senators and U.S. Representatives to Congress. It is up to us.
What if the Democratic Party decided to put their support behind a younger, qualified candidate? What if they worked with Joe Biden to find a replacement? The people are tired of having a candidate shoved down their throats. I supported Joe Biden. I've been pleasantly surprised by what he has done. But he IS done. He is too old. Why not support Whitmer or Sherrod Brown? Those are great candidates. And Cornell West's platform is so much more appropriate for the world right now. Why not communicate with him to run as a Democratic candidate? You have some sway. Instead of getting us to give up our hopes, why not work behind the scene to influence the Democratic party and those who offer an alternative?
I agree with Mr. Reich. Trump is too much of a danger to consider voting for a third party.
The fear of spoilers is justified. Especially since the small ALEC dominated States already intend to give Trump the vote regardless of how the constituents vote.
If Biden and the Democrats want the Green Party members to support them., they should declare that they are going to support the Green Party policies of higher wages, free Medicare for all, affordable housing, affordable high quality childcare, the Green New Deal, equal pay for women, etc, instead of continuing with their policies of only helping Wall Street, Big Business and the Oligarch Billionaires, that fund Biden and the Democrats, just like they also fund Trump and the Republicans. Biden has no support from any Grassroots Organization, like "Fight for $15" and the Environmental Groups, etc. Both the Democrats and Republicans are financed by Wall Street, Big Business and the Billionaire Oligarchs and they both only support their Big Donors. Only the Green Party works to help the Middle Class, the Working Class and the Poor and Disadvantaged. If Biden wants the Green Party's support let him commit in specific detail to adopt their progressive policies.
After hearing and reading about the Wisconsin Supreme Court debacle, I am seriously worried about what else the far right may be doing to sway everything in its favor. These things were not done overnight.
I agree with what many Americans have wanted for a very long time. The Electoral college must be abolished. This country is already being overtaken by the Corporations and those of wealth. Is there hope for change? Will the far right continue to ignore rules, laws and fairness? Have they already put in place the agenda in other places the way they have in Wisconsin? I have been concerned for many years, but I am much more concerned than ever. Thank you for always teaching your readers & listeners about how we all need to vote in EVERY election and what will happen if we don’t.
Sir Robert, you are yelling my yell! We need organized groups with signs pushing this fact anywhere and everywhere ---- on billboards, on street corners, on social media, at social clubs/events, and outside the polls, etc. etc. etc. anywhere we think up.
Same pablum, different election year. The fact is, the Democratic Party has never embraced democracy either as evidenced by their antagonism towards independents and third-partys. If they wanted to convince voters to support Joe Biden and a democrat-controlled Congress, they would push for and enact Ranked Choice Voting, multimember congressional districts -- reforms that would do away with the “spoiler effect” and spur political competition, reforms that would make democracy a real thing in the United States. Vote shaming increases divisions, do better.
Perhaps you should ask why Biden had such a slim lead in the states you mentioned and come up with a remedy. This would bode better than just instilling the age old tactic, used by both major parties, fear of the other side winning. What if this “no labels” party takes away votes from the twice impeached former guy? We really need more choices, and not be limited to two corporate parties.
I agree with your assessment. Biden is not really my pick but I will not vote for a Republican and I will not vote third party and split the vote. We can not afford to have Trump or his ilk in the White House.