In the last election I think it was mathematically proven not to have been a deciding factor.zorg wrote: Tue Mar 03, 2026 3:22 pm You really think the outcome of the election was because of the protest vote? I don't think there is any evidence to show that. The voter turnout has been hovering between 50-60% for like a century. Thus I think you can pin the outcome on those "politically engaged" enough to show up at the polls and decided this was a good idea...these are the people you need to convince otherwise. But yeah, I find your central premise of voting for the lesser evil and then taking them to task for the next four years to be...exhausting and unconvincing.
I don't think any vote, or non vote in a presidential election is going to clean up some of the persistent problems with our political system. I'll continue to support any candidate who seems to be working on that, but I'm long past thinking a president is going to solve all of our problems. It's going to take a lot more than a cool president.
That said, if Harris had won a lot of people who are dead would be alive, and a lot more innocent people who are currently imprisoned would be free.
I'd say our best chance at some streak of authentic leftist thinking tinging a presidential mind is in 2028 though. I certainly don't want anyone to see Gavin Newsom as a foregone conclusion.