I’m seriously considering moving to Marie Gluesenkamp Perez‘s district and challenging her seat. She’s part of the “Blue dog coalition” and votes like she’s MAGA, she’s not any more qualified to do the job than I am, frankly I’m more qualified because she has no actual qualifications.
I vote Republican, and I don’t care about the whole trans thing, to each their own. I do, however, draw the line when it comes to certain things like forcing the issues on my kids, and telling me that a trans girl can compete with my kids in sports. Sorry, not going to support that.
I’m not sure that changing absolutely nothing and allowing trans people to play sports is forcing anything. Banning trans athletes from competing within their identity would actually be much closer to forcing an ideology on a group of people.
As a trans person I beg you, do not listen to my sister, Erin. She is not thinking clearly or responsibly about what will happen to us if Democrats lose.
If you would like to protest on our behalf, please don’t do it by not voting.
A Republican victory costs the community one seat for one term
No. Republicans plan to “end” us. Letting them win costs us our very lives.
Even if that weren’t the case, we are not so selfish as to sacrifice other people, and our planet, just to prove a point.
Many, myself included, have argued against voting for the worst offenders on this list even where it means a Republican takes the seat.
Fascists love your strategy and support.
When Trump ran the first time, I made the point to everyone I know that even if you yourself aren’t racist, if you vote for Trump, you’re voting for racism, so the difference between you and a racist is too negligible to count.
The same is true of anyone willing to vote for a transphobic Democrat.
Single-issue voters are the bane of democracy and progressive progress. And nothing is more ironic that voting to sign your own death warrant.
So.why are you Blue MAGA types so gung ho for doing it?
You understand that Neoliberal Austerity is the breeding ground of fascism, right? You are advocating for continuing doing the exact thing that made Trump viable to begin with. Blue No Matter Who is just MAGS with extra steps.
Oh look. Yet another article post primary election to convince people not to vote so the Republican wins the general election.
If you don’t vote you’re a moron.
“Calling out transphobia is bad” - you, probably
If this article was before the primaries it would be more helpful and get the right people elected.
Since this article came out after the primaries and two months before the general it serves only one purpose.
And it appears your dumbass is taking the bait.
“I’m not voting because no candidate is perfect and I’ll let the party that views me as property win.” - your dumbass, without a doubt.
I never said I wouldn’t vote for the Democrats if I could, the article doesn’t say you shouldn’t either, just that the author personnaly wouldn’t
the article doesn’t say you shouldn’t either,
The article literally says:
Many, myself included, have argued against voting for the worst offenders on this list even where it means a Republican takes the seat.
What part of that says to you “This is what I’m doing, but you shouldn’t do that.” - particularly with the second part of the sentence where it’s clear they are talking about more than a single vote (their vote).
You’re right that the article doesn’t say “you shouldn’t do that” but that’s not what I’m claiming, I’m saying the article says it’s up to the readers to consider if transphobia is a deal breaker, if it is then I would say the blame is more on those Democrats for being transphobic, than on the people that are against transphobia
The article doesn’t need to say it. The author said it and implies other should via the context of the article itself.
This is the type of shit that makes idiots not vote.
I’m sure the Republican opponents in these states will be much better for Trans rights.
In fact, if we just allow another Republican majority in the legislative branch, they’ll probably just fix the whole thing.
I never called to vote for Republicans, I didn’t even say you shouldn’t vote for those Democrats and neither does the article.
All the article says is that those Democrats are transphobic and that the author, and that’s only his view, wouldn’t vote for them. I, myself would probably vote for them if I could vote in the US, but I can still understand why the author wouldn’t.
If there was an election between Hitler and Stalin, would you have voted for either one because he was slightly less worse than the other one? I personally wouldn’t have, if that is your case too then clearly there is a point where a candidate can be so bad you wouldn’t even vote for them if their opponent is worse, that threshold is just different for everyone
This article does argue for abstaining, it’s literally the entire point of writing this article just before midterms:
Many, myself included, have argued against voting for the worst offenders on this list even where it means a Republican takes the seat. A Republican victory costs the community one seat for one term.
And it’s such a fucking idiotic take.
It’s an article calling out politicians for their answers on “gotcha questions” like ‘do you want biological males playing women’s sports’
It’s interesting you quote that without showing the previous sentence
What you do with this information is up to you.
Also, these politicians didn’t just answer poorly to gotcha question, they actively helped pass bills that took away the rights of trans people
Shomari Figures and Terri Sewell […] Voted yes [for a bill] banning gender-affirming care for transgender service members
Mary Peltola […] One of only six Democrats to vote for [a bill] which contained severe anti-trans and anti-DEI amendments.
Adam Gray […] One of only three Democrats to vote for a bathroom ban on military bases for transgender people, along with a sports ban, a gender-affirming care ban, and several other anti-trans amendments to the NDAA.
Should I keep going or do you think all these bills that marginalize trans people were only “gotcha questions”?
It’s interesting you quote that without showing the previous sentence
Oh please… Just because the author framed the statement with some weasel words doesn’t make the intent any less clear. “I’m not telling you what to do, but…”
Rob Sand, Democratic nominee for governor. Actively opposes transgender participation in sports, answering “no” when a conservative radio host asked whether “biological males” should play women’s sports.
When you pile weak examples like this into your list, it’s clear that you’re just trying to discredit any Democrat and discourage voting.
Taking away an oppressed minorities right is “weak”, what would you consider strong evidence of them being transphobic then? Would they have to start directly beating trans people while calling them slurs? Because if you don’t consider taking away trans people rights transphobic then you don’t have any right to say who trans people should vote for.
Edit: Also I’m not trying to discredit all Democrats, only the transphobic ones
do you think all these bills that marginalize trans people were only “gotcha questions”?
Do you think Republicans running against those Democrats would be better for trans rights?
No, that’s clearly not what I’m saying
How many of those bills do you think would have even been up for consideration if republicans weren’t the majority?
Yeah, democrats could be a lot better, but of the two options we have, a democrat majority is clearly the better choice.
But neither me nor the article is saying to vote for Republicans, it’s just showing that these democrats voted for transphobic laws, if readers decide that that makes them not want to vote, then maybe the blame should be on the Democrats that willingly took away the rights of an oppressed minority and not on the people that don’t want to compromise on trans rights
So tired of seeing my congressperson on every one of these lists. I voted against them in the primary, but in the general election my other choice will be someone who openly supports Trump.
That is, alas, the way. Support better candidates when you have the chance, and vote against fascism and genocide when able.
Fact. Not voting might succeed in teaching Dems a lesson about how important it is to vote for bills that contain pro-trans legislation and against bills that contain anti-trans legislation.
But do you want to know what not voting is far better at? Giving Republicans the power to end us.
Early election begins in two weeks. Not voting Democrat = voting to exterminate trans people. Anyone who tells you otherwise is either confused or wants us to die.
The number of people arguing trans people should compromise and vote for people who actively take away their rights is disturbing
I get it, but most of us here from the US are not single issue voters. From my viewpoint the democrats controlling Congress stops or at least slows laws harmful to the trans community, plus a lot of other harmful things compared to republicans.
Or people sit out and you get the republican agenda all the way. No good options.
I see many commenters wishing to accelerate the decline of the US (understandable but also fuck you) but it’s also a good reminder that the fights for gay rights, worker’s rights, and more took decades.
Shit even MLK day took near 20 years to be recognized and his family had to fight tooth and nail for that.
It’s not an anti-trans Democrat. It’s a Republican who ran as Democrat
Which ones?
Most of these states will never elect a progressive Dem (as proven by the primaries over and over again). Someone left of center is far better than a Republican.
“Normal” Democrats are slightly right of center.
Okay, so which of the Dems named here are Republicans running as Democrats? I just want to look up the rest of their policies.
If you don’t know by now, what’s the point in me telling you? It’s over.
whoopsie doodle your mask slipped
Nah. They’re right. If you have to ask at this point in the game, it’s a dead giveaway you won’t care what the answer is.
Go on and vote to support the slow creep towards fascism over the sprint towards fascism. The fascists love that you’re trying. They all know how to boil a frog.
Hey watch, I can make false statement too: you never voted for Trump.
my dude if you want to get in to a little whiny fight pick someone who wants to be in one
Democrats only care about the marginalized as far as it keeps them in power. They say idle while Republicans passed over 500 anti trans laws across the country. They talk a big game while they throw the game to Republicans
Democrats only care about the marginalized as far as it keeps them in power
Most of the Democratic party is a lot better than this, but we do need to do a much better job of kicking shitheads out
Having spent a decade as a volunteer and then paid Dem campaign staffer and heard the way the people you’ve never heard of who actually control the levers of power inside the party apparatus talk about trans people, BLM, and anything at all that might fuck up their Wall St gravy train, I can assure you that “most of the Democratic Party” is absolutely not better than this, and the few who are will never be given any power to act against the ones who aren’t.
Stupid advice. Post primary season, vote for the democrat, no matter who, because as hideous as some of them are, they’re better than the republican alternative, and we’re voting to take back the majority.
Think of the big picture.
The VBNMW crowd got us to where we are. Despite liberals wildest fantasies the DNC is a right wing party that continues to shift further to the right with every VBNMW vote. You’ve taught them they can do whatever they want, pass the most opppressive laws, and you will keep coming back
If you believe democrats are a right wing party you’re delusional… Could they be more left? yes, but they’re hardly right wing…if they were, republicans wouldn’t vilify them quite as much…
Objectively they are a right wing party, you are a right wing country, nothing overtly left wing is allowed to exist. You might have a handful of policies that are vaguely reminiscent of left wing policies, but the reality is you have a right wing party and an extremely right wing party.
NYC’s mayor Mamdani is probably the single biggest step forward… If he can make it work, and demonstrate that it works, it’s going to be easier to advocate across the country. That being said, NYC has a HUGE tax revenue base that most places don’t have. it’s easy to have all the public programs when you have the tax base to pay for it… Shithole Arkansas is not going to be able to pull that off… There aren’t enough millionaires to tax to pay the bill.
That seems wrong. They’re the only other major party, Republicans have to go after Democrats regardless of how close they are on whatever specific issues. Otherwise who else would they run against?
But also, if you think Republicans are acting reasonably in the first place…
Come on, you know the democrats are constantly trying republican lite plateforms. Then say ‘see I’m not as crazy as them!’
It’s like you didn’t read the article at all, the point is yes, MAGAts are awful, but they are temporary. If we allow the dnc to abandon people then there is nobody for those people.
That’s just it…they aren’t temporary…as long as they have air they’re breathing…
in European politics they would be considered right wing. in USA I guess they should count more as centrist
They are centrist in the US…but the way our system is built makes it a 2-party system by default… Until we get either ranked-choice-voting nationwide or a complete remake into a parlimentary system, it’s not going to change.
Think of the big picture.
This is the big picture. If we allow them to capitulate on human rights, there is no coming back from that.
The correct response to knowing Chamberlain is going to appease Hitler is probably not appointing a literal Nazi as prime minister.
If you’re in the Sudetenland, it probably feels about the same either way.
Well keep pissing away your vote and see how that changes things…
What an absolutely condescending response. A majority of Democrats that have conceded to Republican positions is no better or worse for me than Republicans. Overall, and long term, it is a much more damaging position for the Democrats to cede civil rights positions.
Isn’t calling democrats "the other Nazi party* and the like the same kind of condescending bullshit?
Again, you’re doing the republicans job for them.
Grow the fuck up.
you’re doing theil republicans job for them.
No, that would be your party spending the last forty years working their asses off to ensure that the conditions in which fascism can arise would blanket the whole country.
The Republicans couldn’t have done in two decades as much damage to the country as Clinton did in two terms.
See that’s the problem. “Your party” vs. “Our party”
We have a two party system, by design. It’s a stupid design, but it’s the design. So as long as we are broken into “Progressives”, “Democrats” and “Republicans”, progressives and democrats are going to continue to lose and the far right will continue to move to the white because they can, there is nothing stopping them. They don’t have to cowtow to the reasoned left, they can just ignore it because they know the left will continue to fight each other and end up being fucking useless in the process.
We need to figure out how to bring Progressives and Democrats together…and calling Democrats “just as bad” isn’t going to do that at all…
Like it or not, Democrats have the fundraising, and fundraising wins elections, so maybe figure out a way to get them onboard rather than demonizing them. You need them more than they need you.
We have a two party system, by design.
And that’s the only correct thing in your reply. Since we have that system by design, what in the world makes you think the people who designed it would ever allow you to use it to vote away their wealth and power?
We need to figure out how to bring Progressives and Democrats together
Under the banner of a revolutionary socialist party that isn’t interested in asking at the ballot box for permission to stop fascism.
Like it or not, Democrats have the fundraising, and fundraising wins elections
And if you can’t see how that implies that the Democrats are just as much a part of the problem as Republicans, then I’m not sure there’s any hope for you.
they’re better than the republican alternative
Except they aren’t if you’re trans.
The people who really need advice aren’t voters, it’s the professional political consultant morons who are allowing their own candidates to throw away voters like this. Besides being morally abominable, it’s just bad politics.
That sounds a lot like “fuck everybody else if I’m not getting mine”.
Do you think many legislators and activists who fought to abolish segregation were pro LGTBQ? No fucking chance. Yet they were unequivocally better than the alternative. Fifty years later, here we are, debating if we should let literal nazis take congressional seats because the opposition hasn’t taken a pro trans stance. What a joke.
You think the MAGA candidate is better?
Pick the least bad…that’s the only way we get better. Vindman is my rep and he’s absolutely useless, but he’s better than ANY of the republican alternatives in much the same way “Zero” is a bigger number than a negative.
And I’m voting for taking the majority, which right now is all that counts - the longer MAGA holds the majority, the harder it will be to ever recover.
What I think doesn’t really matter. Big picture, you’re asking trans people and their allies to be active participants in their own dehumanization, and that’s just not going to happen at the numbers you need to reliably win elections so we’ll just be back into a fascism crisis in one or two elections again at best with these kind of candidates.
The only way things get better is if the least bad party gets better, both so they actually try to make things better and so that they do a better job keeping fascists out of office, so I hope for every comment people make telling voters what they need to do and think they’re writing five to their lawmakers telling them to stop being such a hard product to sell.
It doesn’t matter. I’ve given up trying to help the world. Pulled back all political donations, Bought a big gas-guzzling muscle-car and stopped caring about living into my 70’s. The world is in their hands now… This is the world they failed to vote for.
I vote for the least bad every election. We don’t get better, we just get worse slower. I don’t have a better alternative though, it’s all pretty hopeless.
But what do you do before the general election? That is the only place to make any real change. If you’re hoping for better options in the general election, what are you doing to help make that happen?
I gave up in 2024…when 7 million people who voted for Biden failed to show the fuck up to vote against Trump, I took that as my cue that it’s fucking hopeless. I bought a gas-guzzling monster and stopped giving a shit about my cholesterol and blood-pressure… Fuck the world if this is how it works.
The propaganda about “both sides” and “it doesn’t matter” is relentless, yes, but I’m afraid that doesn’t mean you didn’t fall for it. It also worked on 7 million people. That’s why the propaganda is relentless.
Which one of these people are the same as their republican opposition if you’re Trans? Be specific.
Republicans will legitimately support making their medical treatment illegal at the federal level. If they win again, will probably support imprisoning or executing trans people, they are subhuman to the republican party.
While their Democrat counterpart might stop them from playing highschool sports.
Oh, if the Dems are only going to trample on some of my rights, I guess that’s okay.
Have you not seen what’s happened in the UK in the last few years? That’s the playbook. Their center-left party realized that every time they take away another right from the trans community, they get more support from conservatives and only lose support with trans people that they want to exclude anyway. Transphobic Democrats will steer the party into doing the same thing here if they can.
That said, this article should’ve come out months ago. The best way to kick transphobes out of the party is to primary them, not let them lose in the general.
Their center-left party realized that every time they take away another right from the trans community, they get more support from conservatives and only lose support with trans people that they want to exclude anyway. Transphobic Democrats will steer the party into doing the same thing here if they can.
So your argument here is that these Democrats are attempting to steer the party into a transphobic agenda, so maybe a few party members attempting exert a small amount of pressure on the direction of party.
And your solution is for democrats to abstain from voting and… What… Allow Republicans complete control? I’m sure that will work well for you.
Or maybe these politicians aren’t transphobic at all and are simply attempting to walk a tightrope in an imperfect system so that they can take power away from a much worse party.
I’m sure that will work well for you.
This is the point of the article: none of these options are good for trans people. If the choice is “the people who campaign on wanting to erode my legal protections” (like many Republicans) or “the people who campaign on wanting to erode my legal protections” (like the entire list in the article), then, from the perspective of preserving trans rights, there is not a choice. Electing transphobes empowers transphobes and normalizes transphobia, regardless of which letter they have next to their name.
If you’re a single-issue voter who only cares about trans rights and you’ve seen this exact bullshit play out already across the pond, there’s no vote that will make your life better.
As for this line:
maybe these politicians aren’t transphobic at all and are simply attempting to walk a tightrope in an imperfect system
So I’m not supposed to trust what a candidate tells me or how they’ve previously voted, and I should just assume they mean something more secretly benevolent? That’s literally exactly why my in-laws voted for Trump: they didn’t believe anything that was reported about Project 2025 because, and I quote, “he used to be a Democrat.”
Oh, if the Dems are only going to trample on some of my rights, I guess that’s okay.
So would you rather have some of your rights trampled or all of them? That’s the choice in the general, because as you say:
That said, this article should’ve come out months ago. The best way to kick transphobes out of the party is to primary them, not let them lose in the general.
Precisely. But when you ARE facing the general election, for fucks’ sake at least vote for the one that will fuck you over much less.
“Oh, you’re going to stab me with a knife? Well, fuck it, if you’re gonna stab me, just… just keep going then, I might as well get stabbed a dozen times.”
Yes, it sucks, and “sucks” doesn’t even begin to cover it.
It’s over for the US. The important election was 2016 and we didnt even know it. I think it’s just best if America settles into its new role as third world Nazi country.
The important election was 1980, maybe 2000. Every election is important, for that matter.
And no, it is not better if we accept this. “Oh, well, Nazi Germany is invading countries and killing Jews, LGBTQ+, Poles, many many other groups. Welp, I guess just let them keep doing that.”
The smart ones will get out. Bye.
Except a) we still have the biggest nuclear arsenal on the planet, b) there really is no settling with fascists, they will keep genociding and invading and stirring shit up until enough people finally get sick of them and put it to a stop
US ain’t nuking anyone (maybe itself). The world is gonna let the US rot from the inside out and everyone will easily transition to another ally.
No thing on earth is irreplaceable. US is just getting replaced.
I think they should just go full on crazy to thin that lead poisoned herd they have. Maybe a civil war is the answer. With like, 80% casualties.
I mean, you’re not wrong…I thought we had a chance when 2020 came and Biden turned it around for a bit… but then people gave up… Yeah, he was old…but you know what? He was old and sane, unlike the psychotic fossil we have now…
wrong…I thought we had a chance when 2020 came and Biden turned it around for a bit…
Well yeah. If that’s what you think Biden did then it’s not surprising that you also think he was sane.
Hey I got to keep my job through covid. I didn’t die (though came close in 2020) The Chips act pumped a lot of money into the industry (until the fascists killed it)
He did ok as president. The mistake he made was thinking he could run for a second term. That’s the one thing I have difficulty forgiving him for… He should have handed over the reins at the end of his term and let Harris run a full primary…
He did ok as president
If you’re labor aristocracy and view the stock market as the economy, sure.
For everyone who lives in the real world he was just as bad as Trump, cable news just didn’t put it in your face and spoil the grift.
Fun trivia question: at what point in Biden’s Presidency were those “kids in cages” at the border released?
I dunno how sane Biden was…
Congrats on falling for fascist propaganda. The man had a stutter. Everyone makes occasional gaffes (q.v. Obama and the… 53 states? whatever, many many examples of every fucking politician saying SOMETHING stupid at some point)
You think Biden was all there? Wow. No wonder.
From everything I’ve read about him he was a kind, caring, giving individual who cared deeply for this country. I’ve seen nothing to suggest otherwise.
Rich people sure do have a way of making themselves look good. How many bombs did he drop?
goalposts ← → you
What are you?
Every president drops bombs… That’s gone on since the beginning of time… But some are more judicious about HOW they’re dropped (and where) and some just let shit fly…
Americans are disgusting.
We had this same discussion in 2024. The ‘don’t vote for democrats’ crowd got what they wanted.
And the Democrats doubled down on everything that was driving away their voters, proving that not only were those voters right, but that there is no redeeming the party.
But keep doing exact the thing that created the problem, I’m sure that’ll eventually fix it.
