For a progressive, having a fascist opposition party is ultimately detrimental to the non-fascist party as well.

“The good guys” only need to hold the specter of fascism over their constituents’ heads and demand that their voters fall in line, rather than blazing trails for truly progressive ideals. It also ramps down incentives for party politicians to maintain good ethical hygiene (with no legitimate alternative for people to choose from in the event of bad behavior).

At what point do we get to stop holding our collective noses to vote for the lesser of two evils? If we’re talking about the complexity of holding multiple ideas in our heads at one time, why can’t the Biden administration publicly acknowledge that:

1. the Oct 7 2023 attack on Israel was an act of war,
2. Israel is committing a genocide in response,
3. these are both unacceptable, and
4. we’re going to fucking do something about it.

Is this really such an abominable idea? If so, why???

I like Bernie and AOC, and I’m thankful for their joy (despite their exhaustion) over growing the progressive caucus. But what’s the plan to grow the movement?

I’m trans and I’m ready to fight. When I volunteered for Biden in 2020 and they had me soft-phone cold-calling voters in swing states to make sure they’d go vote, it was the biggest waste of time I’d ever spent volunteering. Nobody wants a cold call, and even if they did, the latency of soft phones destroys the ability to communicate like a regular human person. Further, being trans, a) my voice is a perpetual betrayal, and b) I acknowledge that my identity is too marginal to be useful to reaching the centrist constituency that they so desperately seek.

So this year I’ll be volunteering in local elections, supporting local leaders who are more aligned to the causes that are important to me. I’m here to support the next Bernie and AOC.

The Biden camp is welcome to go canvas the dying malls and suburbs of the blue USA for help in their re-election army, and honestly I wish them the very best. Good luck with that.

If they want my help (and the help of so many more), I’ll be waiting for them to earn it.