2024-06-28 Biden
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When I see all this talk about Biden and the US elections I keep
thinking: almost all that matters is that Biden has a vice president
that can take over as soon as things break down. I still remember
thinking when Biden got elected: this guy has nothing; he is the most
boring and conflict averse choice. And this was exactly what the US
needed. And it’s what the US still needs. A boring candidate whose
administration gets stuff done.

Of course, the US also needs a lot of other things: reforms, policy
changes, and on and on. And you can have both! Do not vote for the
fascist and keep the criticism up. So I can say: racism, Israel,
Ukraine, immigration, gerrymandering, gun control, Snowden… work on
all these things!! Do it! But just because I’m unhappy about the lack
of progress does not mean you should abstain or vote for a fascist.

The fact that both candidates are old white men is a shame, yes of
course! But it is not a reason to hand power to the fascists.

And often things can get done at the local level. The Swiss based
their constitution on the US constitution (senate, congress, states,
federalism) and I know that what is impossible to achieve at the
national level can sometimes be achieved at the state level, and what
cannot be achieved at the state level can be achieved at the city
level, in the community, in the library, at the bar, at home.

Wherever things are not first past the post you can kick Democrats
where it hurts and beat them. And then, perhaps, one day, things will
get better.

Then again, here in Switzerland percentages go up and down here and
there and yet one feels that nothing really changes. It’s hard and
people aren’t as social I would prefer them to be.

I do like flowers and trees and birds and amphibians and bees and ants
and marine mammals and bison and many other things, though. The help
me through the dark times.

​#USA

2024-07-02. I found following @mekkaokereke@hachyderm.io eye to be
quite interesting. He says stuff like the following:

> A quote from the Biden Trump debate. Which candidate said this,
> Trump or Biden?
>
> "I put more – we put more police on the street than any
> administration has. He wants to cut the cops."
>
> As a reminder, Biden is the candidate that needs more Black men to
> vote for him, or he is likely to lose the election.
>
> As a reminder, Biden is the one that pushed for and passed the 80s
> crime bill.
>
> As a reminder, Biden is the one that instructed cities to transfer
> ~$1B of Covid relief funds to police budgets.
>
> Y'all are betting the future of the free world on Biden being able
> to say and do stuff like this, and then still get 95% of the votes
> of Black men? Seriously? That's the strategy?
>
> Man, lemme go ahead and prepare for this next Trump term then,
> because that strategy is awful.
>
> How did y'all ever think that would work?

Note how he isn't in favour of Trump. But he sure isn't in favour of
Biden, either. The message that I'm hearing: Democrats, do better! And
by "do better", I mean: Do better for the constituents that you expect
to vote for you.

This is what all the austerity has led to: People hate the current
government and don't see anybody else to trust and vote for.

This is not about poor misguided undesirables voting for Trump. This
is about the Democrats not doing enough for the people that aren't
voting.

2024-07-21. Good luck, Kamala Harris!