While the Democratic leadership defends the status quo, the American people are angry and want change.
Which actions american did to make change?
While the Democratic leadership defends the status quo, the American people are angry and want change.
Which actions american did to make change?
It will be interesting if Platner can beat Collins in Maine. For a decade now democratic leadership has been holding people like him and Bernie Sanders back because they don’t think they’re “electable”.
If he can be the first democrat in 30 years to beat Collins, it would show the direction the party should be moving.
I hope he wins and am donating to his campaign, though I'm worried about him becoming another Fetterman.
Collins is a snake acting like a moderate. She only opposes unpopular bills when her vote doesn't matter, I hope Mainers see who she is.
I guess we are just going to have to hope that the former blackwater mercenary who was an out and proud Nazi until about ten minutes before becoming a progressive candidate doesn't turn out to be another fetterman.
Fetterman had a LOT of guys around here saying the same sort of shit you are saying right now.
It's interesting that some of the top political aides that used to work for Fetterman now work for Platner in Rebecca Katz and Joe Calvello.
I guess we are just going to have to hope that the former blackwater mercenary who was an out and proud Nazi…
All good points, especially if you’re partial to Republican talking points and manipulation tactics.
I don’t think it’s fair to make other progressive candidates answer for what Fetterman did. Any new candidate can turn their back on the entire party if they wanted.
Was it the republicans that hired him to be a mercenary and tattooed a totenkopf on his chest? Well, i guess it probably was, but I kinda think they don't want us to think about that too hard.
Using Fetterman as a cautionary tail to make people think a little harder about who they support is not making other candidates answer for what he did. It is called "learning" and its a thing we probably should be doing more of.
It’s the Republicans that exaggerated his role and say things like “he’s an out and proud Nazi“ because he had a tattoo that 99% of people would have no idea was associated with nazis.
Doesn’t sound like an out and proud nazi so much as a Republican talking point you’re spreading.
Its probably the third most recognized nazi symbol after the swastika and SS lightning bolts. It was literally on every single SS uniform.
Its literally on the hat of the "are we the baddies?" meme.
In any case, you know who DOES know what it is? Three tour mercenaries who get it tattooed on their chest.
I’m sure you’re right. I for one did not recognize it. Though I don’t tend to pay attention to nazi symbols, except the main one… Nazi symbols is not exactly something they teach in schools. You can easily learn about the history while never seeing the symbols.
I have been in the military before, and I understand the brainwashing that takes place. I can understand the team choosing something and the individual not really caring what it means. Even if they understand its history. If he really knew what it meant and was supportive, I would think he would have covered it up before getting into politics. I think he genuinely did not think about it till he was running.
If you look at his Reddit comments, he absolutely does not come across as an “out and proud Nazi”. He clearly didn’t remove his problematic posts, but there isn’t anything that aligns with him being a Nazi. When I listen to what he has to say about his past, and I read the comments he made on Reddit, he sounds consistent and genuine.
When I hear people call him “out and proud Nazi”, I think they clearly have an agenda that aligns very closely with the people that want Collins to win reelection.
I've probably had a dozen reddit accounts over the years. I would imagine that he did too.
People that actually wanted Collins to lose wanted a better candidate to win the Democratic primary so that she would face a less problematic opponent. The people that wanted her to WIN are probably ecstatic that they get to campaign against someone they can throw on an attack ad with their neo-nazi tattoo.
I've probably had a dozen reddit accounts over the years. I would imagine that he did too.
This sounds like you’re just reaching for something to keep the narrative going. Despite the tattoo, the dude does not come across as a Nazi. And his excuse for the tattoo sounds reasonable.
I’m not too familiar with previous elections, but Collins has beat plenty of other democrats. Janet Mills seemed a pretty standard candidate. Platner was backed by Bernie Sanders. I honestly give that more weight than anything.
Republicans can try their attack ads, but it didn’t work in the primaries. Going into the actual election, this will be old news.
I am responding to statement that his posts on reddit somehow prove that he isn't a nazi, which is an absurd claim to make about a person that made those posts with a totenkopf drawn on his chest.
I am not sure what you are saying about "the primaries" but Platner is getting the party nomination without having to actually run in a primary. He is the only candidate from the party and will be on the ticket without a single person voting for him ahead of the election. Running unopposed candidates without a primary has worked out great for the DNC so far.
But yeah, I guess we get to do the experiment to see if a weak republican can lose to a nazi and if that somehow results in things being better for us.
Fun. I kinda thing the stakes are too high to be playing this game right now, but here we are.
I am responding
No, you’re reaching. You called him an out and proud Nazi and have nothing to show for that comment except a tattoo that he has a reasonable excuse for. You don’t believe him cause you don’t want to.
As for the primaries, you’re technically right that there are not primaries. But that is not because he didn’t face competition. His competition desperately tried to say the same things you are, but it wasn’t effective. And it won’t be in the election either.
Lol, “weak republican”. Omg you’re a trip. She’s a Republican in a consistent democratic state that has beaten 5 democrats. You keep saying things that make me think you’re full of crap, but this one was too much.
His competition bowed out because the DNC pulled funding because something made them not worry about this guy being too progressive, his "reasonable excuse" is an obvious lie, and you are running on pure pathetic hopium because you are too fucking lazy to hold the party accountable for its part in this.
THIS is why we are here. People like you with your eyes closed just going along because doing anything else is just too hard. Remember this conversation in a year when you wonder how this happened.
something made them not worry about this guy being too progressive
You keep making stuff up and hoping it’ll stick.
They dropped out because he was trouncing them in the polls. DNC did not want him to do well, but they cannot deny how well he’s doing.
Which goes to my entire point at the start of this thread. DNC has been holding back progressive candidates with the argument that they aren’t electable. If this guy runs as a progressive and wins, something 5 traditional democrats were unable to do, it only goes to show the DNC has been wrong this whole time about what is electable.
The DNC isn't holding back progressives because it thinks they will lose. It is holding them back because they WILL WIN and the people that pay them don't want to see them get elected. The fact that you haven't figured this out tells me all I need to know about you.
It was also Mills who pushed this narrative before dropping out of the primary.
I’ve seen him talk in person and my bullshit detector is pretty good. It didn’t go off for what he said about it and his upbringing mirrors mine besides the military part. It’s possible he’s a better liar, but there isn’t much incentive to believe anything Collins says over Platner.
Anyone who is running against a Nazi is going to "push the narrative" that people shouldn't vote for the Nazi. That isn't exactly a difficult strategy to come up with.
Not sure what to tell you, but every time he opens his mouth he sounds like he is lying to me. So i guess we will see. Best of luck.
Saying that 99% of people don't recognize one of the most recognizable Nazi symbols is absurd. Simply absurd.
Many people educated by the United States school system have a very surface level understanding or knowledge of the Nazi’s, even if 99% is exaggerated I think anybody that has a deeper than surface level knowledge would be surprised how much ignorance a typical American citizen has about Nazi’s, especially symbolism beyond the swastika. It is likely intentionally so given how many Nazi’s were integrated into the US.
The US media represents Nazis in popular films going back to the actual days of WWII. The only reason any American would fail to recognize this symbol is because they are stupid.
Seriously, you have to be a moron not to recognize this symbol as being associated with the Nazis and you didn't need to go to school to learn it. Here is Indian Jones about to punch a Nazi on a zeppelin.

Ignorance isn’t stupid. Doesn’t even have to be willful ignorance. Expecting people are taking notes or paying that much attention to a movie seems odd. Also a weird flex to claim Americans are stupid if they didn’t pass your bar for a Hollywood education. I fundamentally disagree with you but you have obviously emotionally made up your mind so you do you boo.
LOL. Solid point. I should be focused on a politician's reddit shitposting that they've publicly disavowed, not the fact that people can't afford to eat.
You're comparing apples to oranges. Fetterman did not run as a progressive, and until a few months ago, running as a progressive made it harder to get elected and not easier. And the DNC is still publicly working against actual progressive candidates despite Mamdani's obvious success.
Platner's going to turn some heads in a positive way. I just hope he helps open the door for other progressives to get elected, because centrist is a synonym for fascist now.
Fetterman absolutely did run as a progressive, pretending he didn't doesn't change what actually happened.
And the DNC only works against ACTUAL progressives, not fake ones, which is why they supported Fetterman and is probably why they are supporting Platner.
hope springs eternal in the hearts of anyone not an actual fascist and platner intelligently talks a good game (the redemption arc is attractive). were there any better options? I sure didn't see any. bernie carries weight as a lefty moderate and has not called out platner as as a snake - so... let's see what happens.
agreed that the dnc is shit, but their support of platner seems to be a pretty mealy-mouthed attempt to curry favor with a potential senator they may have to work with. regardless, its now collins or platner; which would you prefer? I dont expect platner to be great, just good enough. if his actions meet his words, thats what he will be.
the redemption arc is attractive
Yeah, this right here is my biggest problem with him and the thing that springs alarm bells for me.
He is NOT claiming to have been redeemed. He is claiming that he was always this progressive, even when he was fighting as a mercenary, even when he was getting and then proudly wearing his Nazi tattoo. He has never admitted to being wrong or said what made him change, because he does not think that he was wrong or that he has changes. That is what tells you that he is a liar.
You are correct that we already lost this one. Our choice is a Republican vs a fascist plant, exactly as the DNC and RNC intended. Now both parties can walk away from Maine and put their money into deplatforming actual progresses instead of fighting over a state that is already locked in.
They do not view the electorate as the people. They believe that elections are won by donors and until we prove them wrong it will continue.
Just replace "electable" with "able to shill to corporate and wealthy donors."
I have a Dem rep, and have been actively promoting his primary opponent because he is just another establishment Dem. Though I'm not sure who my rep will be with the new maps in my state.
Are we so out of touch?
No, it's the working class that failed us.

For fuck’s sake, form a new party already Bernie! Dems are simply too corrupt to bother.
Wrong. You primary the corrupt out. If your car has a flat tire, you fix it. You don’t buy a new one that you can’t afford.
Wrong. The primary will be used by the old guard to eliminate all opposition (like they did with Bernie already).
Ds and Rs are private organizations and are not democratic.
If this is new to you, please read up on Bernie's primary "loss" to Clinton. Blatant corruption. Don't believe me, check it out yourself.
I agree, if the Democrats had a flat tire. But they have 3 flats, a leaky radiatior, leaky engine, busted windows that don't roll up all the way, the seat foam has turned to dust, the seatbelts are fraying, speakers are fuzzy but only play AM talk radio anyway since its been stuck on that station since the 70s...
The parties have no obligation to follow the results of the primary. It's not legally binding.
To think we coulda had him instead. Can I switch to that timeline please?
I thought it was hilarious when RFK Junior started banning food additives and dyes. If the democrats cant capitalize on that gaping wound then they are lost, I dont think any rational person believes in food dyes.
Our last dinosaur, thank you Bernie! After he is gone, who will be the voice of reason?
One of the few politicians today smart enough to oppose the Fed, for very good reasons (which we can't discuss here unless we'd like to get censored and/or banned, but read up on it! It's obscene).
There will also be many posts in the coming months insulting independents who dare to question Democrat orthodoxy.
Others will insist that all independents are just "republicans in disguise." Don't fall for it!
Remember, it's a FACT that 40% of registered voters are independents, and the Ds and Rs have fallen to 30% each.
The independents reject the major parties, because the major parties have rejected them.
Please vote! And maybe don't shit on the independents, whose vote you REQUIRE to win. Perhaps you could stop calling them "secret Republicans" (and liars, Russian agents, etc.) why you're at it? One can dream.
Your party line is not held by the majority of people any longer, D or R. Remember that.
Damn right, Bernie. I was a blue-no-matter-who because they actually make some policy sense, but now it’s only because the Right is absolutely insane. If a Progressive or Social Democrat actually had any traction I’d vote for them over the straight (D) instantly.
So start a third party.
Bernie is already a member of a 3rd party
He did that already, but the system is rigged.
We have an emergency rip cord, You can write in a name.
And it's the only way we'll ever get around the far right, near right problem
Nooo you can't do that!!! If you do that then why are you even wasting time voting despite we'll also yell at you for not voting?!?!?!?! /s
Given the choice between a republican and a republican, people will choose republican all the time.
True but lets concentrate on the issues themselves and not on bernie. I love the guy but he is not perfect
organize to vote 3rd party while you still can. You will never get change from the establishment. Edit: Downvote all you want. There isn't anything that will make me vote for someone I don't believe in again. Dems have had 30+ years to do better. They don't and you're deluding yourself if you think they're the answer. 2024 and 2020 should have showed you that.
@StarryPhoenix97 Fuck off, Ivan.
I've been called a lot of things since joining Lemmy but this is the first time I've been called a Russian plant. kinda wild. I'll tell you what bud, why don't you tell me how I'm wrong?
Bernie, tell us whether there's genocide in Gaza or not.
SocDem hypocrite.
But... is his statement wrong?
Bernie is not an ally, no SocDem or SocLib is.
Also, broken clocks and being right, you know the drill.
if you're picking a fight with Bernie I heavily doubt you have any allies at all.
So you admit that he is making a correct statement here.
The point I'm making is that ad hominem attacks regarding an accurate statement take away from you and your legitimate argument making people less likely to consider what you have to say.
Just took him some years and many lives to admit.
@SocialistVibes01 @Worstdriver Anyway, good luck with the revolution, sounds like it's going swimmingly!
Good luck building any sort of coalition that can have any political influence whatsoever with an outlook like that.
Hamas, a terrorist organization
Nah you liberals are so limited
I'm not saying everything he wrote there was absolutely factual and unencumbered with rhetoric, but you asked a question he already answered
Is it... not? I'm confused.
It's nuanced. But right now they're freedom fighters against a genocidal Colonial power.
I guess that makes sense in an "one man's terrorist" way. Still, I don't think I know enough to form a stance either way yet.
I don't need a politician that won't represent me.
If we have electronic voting machines, then we can vote on the issue instead of voting for someone that may or may not do what they "promised".
Politicians have made themselves useless. Let's work around them.
Boaty McBoatface
I'd like to take another step.
Mother may I?
If you don't know anything about Gaddafi, start here and consider if you actually want to invest any time in the Green Book 😂
Inb4 people scream at Bernie for saying things that they think got Trump elected.
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