The Sneaky Reason Progressives and Leftists Should Vote for Biden

I’m what is considered a ‘radical leftist’ in American discourse. I am called that, so far as I can see, because I dare suggest that any system or idea has both aspects worthy of merit and of critique. While that sounds reasonable, once you expand this logic to include socialism and the dreaded communism, many stop listening.

And that’s fine. By limiting the scope of ideas they are exposing themselves to, they are only doing themselves a disservice.

I say that only to put space between myself and the average American liberal; I have floated this idea in many leftist corners of the internet, only to be ridiculed as an ignorant liberal happy with the status quo.

And that’s fine too — I know nothing could be further from the truth.

But I think the best way forward for leftists and progressives alike is to ensure Biden wins through swing state voting.

Now, if you do not live in a swing state, your vote for president will effectively not change the outcome; it basically does not count. California is going Blue, Alabama is going Red, and your vote isn’t going to chance that. You should absolutely vote Green party in those states to help get them to 5%. And you should reach out to voters who are sick of both Trump and the two party system, and let them know that their vote for Biden is more or less meaningless, but their vote for Green could help end this two party nightmare.

But if you are in a swing state, you should vote for Joe Biden. Stay with me.

The biggest — and most legitimate — reason leftists are not willing to vote for Biden is in attempt to break the 2 party cycle. Nothing will fundamentally change under Biden, who has done far more to court moderate Republicans than those to the left of him.

I am told over and over again, that when Biden wins, liberals will go back to brunch, and all of the activism we’ve seen will die down. That liberals will consider defeating Trump the end game win, and they will lose interest in politics once more.

And that is exactly why we should deliver them Joe Biden.

See, I agree with all of that. We do need to end the two party system. Biden is a terrible candidate, only marginally better than Trump’s policies (thought I think there’s a strong case to be made he’s much better is ability to run a government). And if Biden wins, I don’t doubt that liberals will wipe their hands clean from the moment, ‘done and done’, and settle back into the status quo.

In fact, I’m counting on it.

Doesn’t that make the future easier for leftists and their candidates?

We have two outcomes. Trump wins, or Biden wins. Nevermind the differences between them in terms of direction (though America’s leading leftist dissenter, Noam Chomsky, calls a second Trump term the greatest threat to the “survival of organized human society”), let’s look at the liberal reaction to both.

If Trump wins: they stay angry and vigilant. They stay active in the system. They keep fighting back. And in doing so, we have to deal with all of them through the political system.

If Biden wins: they go back to brunch. They get quiet. They revel in their comfort of the status quo.

But if you’re running in 2022 or the 2024 primaries, isn’t this ideal? Does it not then become much easier to run and win with a leftist candidate? With liberals disengaged, and leftists remaining energized, we swing the balance in our favor. And if done right, we put liberals into the position they keep putting us in: vote for our nominee, or you’ll make a Republican win more likely.

I live in Florida. I’m voting for Joe Biden. And I’m telling all of by Blue friends in locked states who are voting for Biden to make their vote actually count by voting Green. Even if you do not agree with those policies, most would agree that a wider range of topics being discussed would be wonderful.

I hope Biden wins, in a landslide. First, it will end a Trump presidency that threatens the imminent future of American democracy. The leftist movement will be hard pressed to win out if we first have to conquer a true authoritarian rule.

And second, it will mean the only people still mobilizing in left-of-center American politics are leftists. From 2022 and into the 2024 primaries (where I hope Biden faces a primary challenge, something that used to be more common), I think the best thing leftists can do is to send liberals back to brunch.

And as a bonus, we end Donald Trump.

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