RobPalmerIRL (he/him/his)
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thread 1/13
I noticed something in my time line that actually made me angry and had to respond. Somebody straight off said they were proud of their Green Party vote in 2016. That didn't garner the response they hoped they'd get. Let me explain to you WHY third party/protest voting isn't beneficial.
10:09 PM - Jun 05, 2023
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RobPalmerIRL (he/him/his)
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thread 2/13
First, America was never set up to have a multi-party system like Canada, the UK, France, and other parliamentary countries. Even the UK has a major, sustainable third party, the Liberal Democrats. The USA started with the Federalists, and the Democratic-Republican Party.
10:10 PM - Jun 05, 2023
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RobPalmerIRL (he/him/his)
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thread 3/13
Also it's very rare for a third party to win a seat in congress, or in the state/local races. Indies would have a better shot, since by nature most educated/logical ones (like Angus King) would form a coalition with the Democrats (and vice versa with Evan McMullan of Utah).
10:12 PM - Jun 05, 2023
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RobPalmerIRL (he/him/his)
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thread 4/13
Third, Third parties have NEVER made headway into a presidential election. Even Teddy Roosevelt whom was a Republican was rebuffed when he tried to run as a Bull Moose party after his term.
10:13 PM - Jun 05, 2023
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RobPalmerIRL (he/him/his)
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thread 5/13
George Wallace (who was a Dixiecrat) tried to run with the American Independence Party which used busing, and desegregation as the dog whistles of "woke" and CRT is used by the GOP today. However, the AIP siphoned votes away from the Democrats and give Nixon the bare win in 1968.
10:14 PM - Jun 05, 2023
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RobPalmerIRL (he/him/his)
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thread 6/13
Another third party challenger was H. Ross Perot (whom could have ran as a Republican) in 1992. However While Perot did get 19% of the total votes then...he still lost. Unlike other third partiers, he actually attempted to discuss policy...however the VP Debates sunk him.
10:16 PM - Jun 05, 2023
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RobPalmerIRL (he/him/his)
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thread 7/13
Now we're getting into Ralph Nader (whom as an investigative journalist and consumer advocate was tops). He has run...he was the one who siphoned votes way from Gore (and helped Bush win with an Assist from the SCOTUS with Brett Kavanaugh, Amy Barret, and John Roberts) with team Bush.
10:17 PM - Jun 05, 2023
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RobPalmerIRL (he/him/his)
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thread 8/13
That 2000 election was decided by less than 600 votes. When the SCOTUS ruled that the counts had to end. Think about it...if Nader didn't run, or if people didn't withhold their votes, Gore would have been president with Joe Liberman as his VP.
10:18 PM - Jun 05, 2023
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RobPalmerIRL (he/him/his)
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thread 9/13
Now...we're getting into 2016...the perfect storm of fuckery. First we had the known Russian interference with the elections, with an assist by Steve Bannon with Cambridge Analyitca (which has caused Meta to settle a class action against them).
10:19 PM - Jun 05, 2023
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RobPalmerIRL (he/him/his)
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thread 10/13
The second part of the perfect storm is partially Hillary's fault as she made the fatal error to assume she was going to win. In politics never assume you're going to win, you have to go fight for all the votes.
10:20 PM - Jun 05, 2023
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RobPalmerIRL (he/him/his)
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thread 11/13
The biggest thing that helped Trump win ultimately were Jill Stein and Gary Johnson. Remember when I said the AIP in 1968 siphoned votes...and in 2000 when Nader siphoned votes...this happened again in 3 States, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin where Trump barely won.
10:21 PM - Jun 05, 2023
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RobPalmerIRL (he/him/his)
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thread 12/13
That was just enough people to vote for Stein or Johnson that cost Hillary the race (I didn't touch also on James Comey torpedoing her with an "investigation" into those e-mails).
10:22 PM - Jun 05, 2023
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RobPalmerIRL (he/him/his)
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thread 13/13
In total...in America voting for a third party is a fatal mistake since our system isn't designed for it. It also is a fatal mistake to do a protest vote against a candidate with a better record and better morals for a guy like Trump who had a set-up persona, or for DeSantis who's just an ass.
10:24 PM - Jun 05, 2023
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Paul Loop
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Here are the numbers for 2016
Wisconsin: Trump margin of victory 22,748; Stein total 31,072.
Pennsylvania: Trump margin 44,292; Stein total 49,941
Michigan: Trump margin 10,704; Stein total 51,463.
In response to RobPalmerIRL (he/him/his).
10:48 PM - Jun 05, 2023
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Trauma Epidemic
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In response to Paul Loop.
Unfortunately(?), the 'what' (accurate numbers, in this example) is less consequential than the 'how' of presenting (and choosing) such information, because of the psychological factors involved.

In short, #SelfJustificationIsAThing (for both 'them' and us). In 'long', see my timeline.
05:22 AM - Nov 10, 2023
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CPfromCA
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In response to Paul Loop.
Thank you for the actual numbers.

I don't think I'll ever be NOT bitter over that.
11:23 PM - Jun 05, 2023
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