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You’re Being Lied to About Graham Platner (jacobin.com)
submitted 1 year ago by to c/progressivepolitics@lemmy.world
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[–] 7 points 1 year ago (3 children)

I would agree with you if the election was next month. The primary election literally isn't until June 2026 and general November 2026. There is no reason to hold onto an absolutely unremarkable guy like him. If the progressive left wants a candidate they should burn his bridges and build up an actual principled candidate.

Even IF you gave him full benefit of the doubt on the Nazi tattoo. Like, you assume he was just an edgy "23 year old child". Well, he literally had a Nazi tattoo for two decades and was too dumb to realize that? Yeah, red flag of stupidity. I wouldn't want that person driving the bus I'm riding.

I'm absolutely for people "being able to change". But that's for people that aren't my policians. Please, have a higher standard for politicians than you're favorite YouTuber or Twitch streamer.

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago (2 children)

    He had it covered up. It's a red flag, but I would take him over the former governor that isn't a leftist at all.

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  • [–] 3 points 1 year ago* (1 child)

    The tattoo is nowhere near as bad to me as his military history (literally as recent as 2018 for blackwater) and his "rebuild our military" shit. Like, I feel like he'll literally only be useful in pushing some pro imperialist legislation for liberals and be completely useless in his other very generalized policy positions.

    Compare Mamdani's very specific free bus and rent freeze policies to Planters "oligarchy is the problem" messaging. It feels like a means of capturing the momentum of that sentiment than anything else.

    And, again, being "better" than a Republican is not enough. We have nearly a year to find a better candidate EVERYWHERE. Dropping some rich unexceptional white guy for some massive red flags is more helpful than spending a year defending a dude like him and at best getting some pro military legislation he "reaches across the aisle" for to make a name for himself. I'm sorry. I'm tired of unexceptional white dudes that use military service as a means to collect voters.

    He'd have my respect if he actually called the military out for what it is. A terrorist organization.

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago*

    There are 1.3 million people in maine. Of those, half are over the age of 45. And roughly 45% of the voters voted for trump.

    There are roughly 213 thousand Mainers under the age of 45 that are politically engaged and not Trumpers.

    Doubtless, some of them would be better candidates than Plattner. If they run I will consider donating to them. But currently, they are not running. Plattner has released videos, put together a team. It may be a grift. I'll take that risk. I want candidates to say the things he says when they run. The boring centrists have a machine behind them. The DNC. There is no progressive National Committee. There is only people like you and me chattering online and donating money.

    If he was still denying the tattoo was a Nazi symbol I would shake my head and forget about him. I will not dismiss him because he is not polished. The campaign is will polish him as a candidate or it won't. Either way, my 20$ will do a tiny bit to encourage more candidates like Plattner to take the plunge and run for office.

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