this post was submitted on 11 Jun 2025
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Seems like this article is trying to do the latter.
I wish these tactics didn’t work but this is how the GOP got control of our country.
These tactics would not work if Democrats were not grovelling for Israel at every opportunity.
raising money by calling donors is most of a congressman's job. AIPAC rolling up and saying they can skip that hassle must be a pretty compelling offer.
Also, if they all collectively called it out, call it the "Pro-ICE Bill" or "Pro-kidnapping Bill" or whatever. Make the vote about that. Call the Republican who sponsored the Bill a coward for trying to do it, and a fool for thinking it would work.
"Why did you vote against the Bill condemning attacks on Pro-Israel protesters?"
"I didn't. I voted against a bill that supported the mass deportations and unconstitutional actions made by ICE, which we are absolutely against because we support due process. The bill was a cowardly and foolish attempt to get us to support this despicable practice by pretending it's about something else, but we're not fools or cowards ourselves, so we won't fall for it."
"But the Bill is called..."
"Sycophantsayswhat?"
"What?
"I guess that sort of trick works on you."
These tactics work with voters. That’s how the GOP got control of our government.
If politicians ignore voters they don’t get elected.
Our politicians are ignoring the voters, at the expense of elections
Their corporate donors are more important to them than their actual constituents they are supposed to represent
If politicians could just ignore voters they wouldn’t spend money on campaigns and propaganda.
Voters are getting what they voted for even if it is not in their best interest.
They are ignoring the policy interests of their voters and instead relying on scare tactics to secure votes.
The politicians have no interest to fight for or run on the best interest of the voters, only the best interest of their corporate donors.
Voters are caught in a political system where no party is interested in fighting for the working class, for everyday americans. As the party that is supposed to be the opposition to the fascist party continues to ignore the material harms people are experiencing, and instead moves to their policies to the right, those voters become angry and resentful. The fascist party takes advantage of that by acknowledging those material harms people face, yet utilize scapegoating to capitalize on gaining those votes while furthering their fascist policies.
So you’re saying you think both sides are the same.
Not quite, you're being reductive. I'll just link my previous comments if you're interested in my position.
Liberalism and appeasement are the problem. We need genuine opposition.
https://lemmy.world/comment/16680564
https://lemmy.world/comment/16870354
If they care about winning.
Democrats had no problem ignoring voters pleading with them to stop supporting genocide.
The majority of voters didn’t plead for that
If we take this to be true, either
A) The majority of voters wanted a continuation of the genocide, which doesn't make sense unless they're a "silent majority" or:
B) The majority of voters don't care, leaving the Democratic party to pursue its own goals in spite of a vocal minority opposed to genocide.
They did. A vast majority of voters said they wanted a ceasefire.
The GOP got elected because the Democrats adopted GOP voting and tactics.
You are flipping reality on its head and pretend it is an argument.
The majority of Americans dont support whats going on in Israel. So its not much of a box to be in. https://news.gallup.com/poll/657404/less-half-sympathetic-toward-israelis.aspx
What the dem congressman as a group and individually risk is campaign contributions from AIPAC. This has always been about bribes from foreign lobbyists. They arent trapped in any box they dont want to be in. ITs like saying your cat is trapped in a box. They love that box.
Bribes are part of it. But as recent progressive candidates found out, those donations also make or break an election.
The system is broken in a way that favors campaigns with funding.
yeah. I just wish they cared more about doing whats right and what their constituents want. Except for the abstract threat of re-election, I dont think many of them care what we think. There needs to be a new school house rock series to describe this new reality to us filthy peasants.
Dems sprinting right to be gop lite along with citizens united saying money = speech is why we're in this mess