"Progressives should not make the same mistake that Ernst Thälmann made in 1932. The leader of the German Communist Party, Thälmann saw mainstream liberals as his enemies, and so the center and left never joined forces against the Nazis. Thälmann famously said that ‘some Nazi trees must not be allowed to overshadow a forest’ of social democrats, whom he sneeringly called ‘social fascists.’

After Adolf Hitler gained power in 1933, Thälmann was arrested. He was shot on Hitler’s orders in Buchenwald concentration camp in 1944."

  • iAmTheTot@sh.itjust.works
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    2 months ago

    One, I don’t know any progressive that is planning on voting for RFK.

    Two, can we stop this lie? Only a vote for Trump is a vote for Trump.

    • jordanlund@lemmy.worldOPM
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      2 months ago

      Unfortunately, that’s not true. The Trump base is not as fractured as the Democratic base is. Voting 3rd party, statistically, ONLY helps Trump.

      A 3rd party will not, cannot win a Presidential election, so Progressives who would otherwise vote for Harris, but instead back a loser like Stein or West are removing their vote from Harris, which has the exact same effect as +1 for Trump.

      See here:

      https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/sep/11/robert-reich-third-party-candidates-will-help-trump-win

      "Just 44,000 votes out of more than 10m cast in Arizona, Georgia and Wisconsin – less than half of 1% – were the difference between the Biden presidency and a tie in the electoral college that would have thrown the election to the House of Representatives, and hence to Trump.

      If candidates from No Labels, the Green party and the People’s party peel off just 15% of the anti-Trump vote from Biden, and Trump’s base stays with him, Trump would win all five swing states comfortably and return to the Oval Office."

      • iAmTheTot@sh.itjust.works
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        2 months ago

        “Not true”? What part are you refuting? Are you saying that they count non-Trump votes as Trump votes?

        Would you agree with me that if no one voted for Trump, he would not win?

        • jordanlund@lemmy.worldOPM
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          2 months ago

          I’m saying the candidate isn’t “Not Trump”.

          If Trump has 47% of the vote, and you allow the “Not Trump” majority to be divided among 3 or 4 people, Trump wins.

          Only one person can beat Trump, the Democratic candidate. Voting for anyone else only helps Trump.

          We don’t have an Presidential election that goes “Well, OK, nobody got 50%+1 so knock out everyone but the top two and do it again…”

          • iAmTheTot@sh.itjust.works
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            2 months ago

            I’m well aware of how the election works. You did not answer my most important question.

            Would you agree with me that if no one voted for Trump, then Trump would not win?

    • someguy3@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      Only a vote for Trump is a vote for Trump.

      The no vote protesters in 2016 sure helped Trump.

    • ori@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      They usually do surveys with ranked choice voting and then you can assume who wouldve voted for dem/rep if the third party didnt exist.

      • iAmTheTot@sh.itjust.works
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        2 months ago

        Pretty shallow vote of that’s all they are looking at, but I certainly can’t rule out the possibility I suppose. Don’t know if I’d call those people progressive, though.