"#Hungary's opposition #Tisza party widens its lead ahead of #Orban's #Fidesz"

[benroyce@mastodon.social]

@iju oof

[moz@fosstodon.org]

@benroyce @idahobucks Anning is widely hated, yes. But also voted in.

Assuming that if people who don't vote did they would all vote against fascists isn't a safe assumption. Hungary elected Orban and his government more than once, for example.

Anning is from a nice white English-speaking country so a lot of USA voters find it easier to understand. Plus Australia has compulsory voting and a wider "universal" franchise than the US does.

[benroyce@mastodon.social]

@jztusk

Right. And the question is what is effective to achieve that

Validating bad behavior doesn't achieve that

We're talking about adults here

The idea that there is someone who goes "well i'm not going to vote because someone was mean on social media" is not a serious proposition

[benroyce@mastodon.social]

@moz @idahobucks

Currently we have trump specifically because not enough showed up

The general idea that fascists can still win elections doesn't mean anything

On the average, fascists have an easier time of it when less people vote

[moz@fosstodon.org]

@benroyce @idahobucks A lot of my caution comes from the US habit of letting governments pick their voters.

The strategy of yelling abuse at non-voters might get a useful outcome, I don't know your local situation well enough to know. But in general yelling abuse is a poor tactic.

[idahobucks@mastodon.social]

@benroyce @moz I have voted in every election I could since I was old enough to vote and have driven people to the polls that need transportation.

[benroyce@mastodon.social]

@idahobucks @moz

then BLESS YOU

you are my hero

so why the fuck would you ever downplay voting in premature capitulation, which only helps MAGA

[benroyce@mastodon.social]

@moz @idahobucks

If we're at a place where people won't vote because someone was mean on social media, we're already doomed. Such immature people unable to advocate for their own needs and wants and are that emotionally addled, if they represent a large enough part of society, it speaks of such disgusting laziness and entitlement then just say good bye to it all now

And you certainly won't get such inept losers to vote by coddling their feelings

[francoisprague@mastodon.social]

@benroyce May 2026 be the year when they all fall like dominos... Spring: Orban -> Summer: Putin -> Autumn: Trump -> Winter: Netanyahu

[joepbc@mastodon.social]

@FrancoisPrague the world could really use some of that.

[illdisposed@mastodon.social]

@benroyce I presume Uncle Volodea will make sure he falls from a balcony in the meantime not to disturb his mate Viktor

[missqarnstein@eldritch.cafe]

@carbon_compound @benroyce there's really no need to paint just some nations with a broad brush. Stupidity is an ubiquitous human trait.

There's reasons why people in Eastern Germany, Hungary and Slovakia voted for hard right parties. But i feel like it is currently very visible demonstrated that hard right parties lead down a path that fails even harder on these reasons...

[missqarnstein@eldritch.cafe]

@carbon_compound @benroyce (hard agree on the Austrians thou hahaha)

[klegdixal@social.vivaldi.net]

@benroyce @moz @idahobucks

I find the idea of "iterating to better" somewhat naive. Even with perfectly proportional electoral system elected individuals tend to reflect the worldview and education level of the general population.

Turnaround at the recent elections was merely the last straw. Underlying economic and social issues combined with uselessness of the Dem leadership played a much bigger role.

Even if Harris would win the problem would return in 4 years.

[angelascholder@mastodon.energy]

@FrancoisPrague @benroyce We can at least hope so!

[benroyce@mastodon.social]

@klegdixal @moz @idahobucks

the problem is always there

defeating fascism is not "yay we won!" then it is all over forever. that is what is naive

it requires people to constantly vote and constantly show up

and so that is naive on my part:

that so many people "on the left" have the constitution and resolve to just fucking vote, something easy to do- relatively speaking compared to other forms of struggle

and that is the failure:

loser assholes who don't vote

they let us all down

[benroyce@mastodon.social]

@klegdixal @moz @idahobucks

we lose an election?

we keep going

correct?

no

what we get is "waah waah we lost one election. waah waah this is so hard. waah waah i give up"

fucking losers

and so fascism has it easier. *because of* people supposedly on the left. supposedly, because the real left in days of yore had a fucking backbone

that's what we lack nowadays

[benroyce@mastodon.social]

@FrancoisPrague

VOOOOOTTTTTTTEEEEEEEEEEE

[benroyce@mastodon.social]

@cflynnbooks

VOTE!

[atlovato@mastodon.social]

@benroyce @FrancoisPrague