"Russia’s economy minister admits ‘reserves have largely been used up’ while communist lawmaker warns of 1917-style revolution as #GDP shrinks"
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@benroyce @crcollins @spreadthetruth @retech people think it’s like getting married. It’s more like ordering dinner, get the best thing on the menu…
@gregwardo @crcollins @spreadthetruth @retech
*why* people think of voting as romance, as some sort of declaration of pure ideological perfection, is something that drives me up the fucking wall
voting always was, always will be, a choice between better or worse. perfection is never on the menu. and not choosing simply means "i'm fine with worse for society, what's really important to me is not dirtying my vain perception of my holy purity"
disgusting entitlement
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@benroyce @crcollins @spreadthetruth @retech people think it’s like getting married. It’s more like ordering dinner, get the best thing on the menu…
@gregwardo Best analogy I know for this is public transport. You take the one that’s getting you closer to your destination.
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@benroyce @retech Speaking of which, do you know which candidates you'll support in your state's primaries, or how a candidate could win your support? This is addressed to all readers, not just Ben.
Personally, I'm gonna ask my state's candidates to promise to fight as hard as they can for the Protecting the Right to Organize Act, the Abolish ICE Act, the Ranked Choice Voting Act, the United States-Cuba Trade Act of 2026, and the Recognizing the Genocide of the Palestinian People in Gaza Resolution (and turn it into an Act to give it real power), among others. I'll find specific demands regarding the environment and retaliation against the Republican Party when I have more time later this week.
I also have some demands in mind for candidates in my state's (Colorado's) government, namely promising to protect our LGBTQ rights laws (need to see which ones in particular) and increasing our minimum wage to the minimum amount required for one adult anywhere in the state to survive according to the MIT Living Wage Calculator (I know the average is $26, but idk what it is in the cheapest county).
I'm registered as unaffiliated, so I'll really be able to ask these questions to *all* candidates and choose which party primary to vote in. Just in case the Unity, Libertarian, or Republican Party candidates give better answers than the Democratic Party ones lol
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@benroyce @retech Speaking of which, do you know which candidates you'll support in your state's primaries, or how a candidate could win your support? This is addressed to all readers, not just Ben.
Personally, I'm gonna ask my state's candidates to promise to fight as hard as they can for the Protecting the Right to Organize Act, the Abolish ICE Act, the Ranked Choice Voting Act, the United States-Cuba Trade Act of 2026, and the Recognizing the Genocide of the Palestinian People in Gaza Resolution (and turn it into an Act to give it real power), among others. I'll find specific demands regarding the environment and retaliation against the Republican Party when I have more time later this week.
I also have some demands in mind for candidates in my state's (Colorado's) government, namely promising to protect our LGBTQ rights laws (need to see which ones in particular) and increasing our minimum wage to the minimum amount required for one adult anywhere in the state to survive according to the MIT Living Wage Calculator (I know the average is $26, but idk what it is in the cheapest county).
I'm registered as unaffiliated, so I'll really be able to ask these questions to *all* candidates and choose which party primary to vote in. Just in case the Unity, Libertarian, or Republican Party candidates give better answers than the Democratic Party ones lol
@mikelovesbikes @benroyce @retech If you're unaffiliated are you allowed to vote in the Primaries?
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@crcollins @spreadthetruth @retech
so we push for the most left of the centrist assholes
or we run someone more left. maybe even run ourself
AND we vote against MAGA. even if the dem is a piece of shit
that people don't understand that drives me bonkers
the game is not "i want perfect, waah"
*it never is*
it's sustain
iterate
move left
*there is no better deal*
that people think "magic perfect candidate appeared then everyone lived happily ever after" is insane delusional entitlement
Do you understand we only get one primary here? We don't have separate Dem and Rep primaries. The top 2 winners of that advance to the general. As of the last polls, Trump's guy was in 1st place & the 2nd MAGA was tied with the billionaire Dem. That Dem wouldn't be my first choice but seems he is the best shot at not getting a choice between 2 MAGAs in the general. I keep hoping for some good news upset where I get a better choice before primary day.
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@gregwardo @crcollins @spreadthetruth @retech
*why* people think of voting as romance, as some sort of declaration of pure ideological perfection, is something that drives me up the fucking wall
voting always was, always will be, a choice between better or worse. perfection is never on the menu. and not choosing simply means "i'm fine with worse for society, what's really important to me is not dirtying my vain perception of my holy purity"
disgusting entitlement
I don't see it as purity to want at least to have a choice in the primary. I'm happy to vote for whatever Dem gets into the general, but I'd like to be able to choose between them in the damn primary.
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@mikelovesbikes @benroyce @retech If you're unaffiliated are you allowed to vote in the Primaries?
@roknrol @mikelovesbikes @retech
every state has different rules about who can #vote in the #primary
you got closed, partially closed, partially open, open to unaffiliated voters, open, multi-party, etc
it's fucking complicated, and part of our problem with voting in general in the #USA because people are never educated about it and never figure it out
it still doesn't mean they are free of blame IF THEY DON'T FUCKING VOTE IN THE #PRIMARIES
educate yourself AND VOTE
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@roknrol @mikelovesbikes @retech
every state has different rules about who can #vote in the #primary
you got closed, partially closed, partially open, open to unaffiliated voters, open, multi-party, etc
it's fucking complicated, and part of our problem with voting in general in the #USA because people are never educated about it and never figure it out
it still doesn't mean they are free of blame IF THEY DON'T FUCKING VOTE IN THE #PRIMARIES
educate yourself AND VOTE
@benroyce @mikelovesbikes @retech That was why I asked the question. In Oregon I'm pretty sure not, but there are 49 other states that I have no idea about.
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Do you understand we only get one primary here? We don't have separate Dem and Rep primaries. The top 2 winners of that advance to the general. As of the last polls, Trump's guy was in 1st place & the 2nd MAGA was tied with the billionaire Dem. That Dem wouldn't be my first choice but seems he is the best shot at not getting a choice between 2 MAGAs in the general. I keep hoping for some good news upset where I get a better choice before primary day.
@crcollins @spreadthetruth @retech
i don't have a single problem with you
you vote
if you vote you are my best friend
but please do not give voice to the endless problems we have as if they are an impediment
*we have to vote*
we have to work through the shit
and inch our way to better
it is the only way
you can't let the problems crush our spirit and destroy our resolve
we need to sustain, iterate, be determined
what else is there?
drowning in cynicism and helplessness and fascism?
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I don't see it as purity to want at least to have a choice in the primary. I'm happy to vote for whatever Dem gets into the general, but I'd like to be able to choose between them in the damn primary.
@crcollins @gregwardo @spreadthetruth @retech
and how do we fix that? how do we address your complaint? we vote and vote on that concern
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that americans complain about their #candidates, but don't fucking show up and vote in the #primaries, is nothing but a massive indictment of average americans
you need to fucking show up in the fucking primaries people!
that is where you get real #left candidates
if you don't do NOT fucking complain about the candidates in the general #election!
YOU failed to show up in the primaries so that is on YOU
@benroyce @spreadthetruth @retech 100%. 25% show up for primaries. Even if your far left choice doesn't win the primary, their relative success informs the platform, cabinet nominations, and policies of the winner.
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"Russia’s economy minister admits ‘reserves have largely been used up’ while communist lawmaker warns of 1917-style revolution as #GDP shrinks"
Endless gloom and #doom stories about #Russia's #economy means you can forgive people for being jaded on the topic
They are correct that people saying #collapse is imminent are wrong
But
It's also wrong to conclude that Russia won't collapse
The truth:
It won't be tomorrow
But it also won't be never
Russia is in deep shit
Russia's economy minister admits 'reserves have largely been used up' while communist lawmaker warns of 1917-style revolution as GDP shrinks | Fortune
"If you (the government) do not urgently adopt financial, economic and other measures, by autumn a repeat of what happened in 1917 awaits us."
Fortune (fortune.com)
Honestly i feel Russia has never been *not* in deep shit. Kinda why they have had the market of cynicism cornered for literally -ever-.
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@crcollins @spreadthetruth @retech
so we push for the most left of the centrist assholes
or we run someone more left. maybe even run ourself
AND we vote against MAGA. even if the dem is a piece of shit
that people don't understand that drives me bonkers
the game is not "i want perfect, waah"
*it never is*
it's sustain
iterate
move left
*there is no better deal*
that people think "magic perfect candidate appeared then everyone lived happily ever after" is insane delusional entitlement
Very much a "white savior will come to rescue us" flavor in there.
American voters need to wake up and realize that it is THEIR job to find and pick good candidates, not some party leadership or deity. -
@benroyce @spreadthetruth @retech 100%. 25% show up for primaries. Even if your far left choice doesn't win the primary, their relative success informs the platform, cabinet nominations, and policies of the winner.
@farbel @spreadthetruth @retech
it's SO FUCKING OBVIOUS
but instead these fake, weak willed cosplaying so-called "leftists" go "waah, not fair", don't vote, and of course they lose
who the fuck are these loser assholes?
if you play the game, you can lose
if you don't play the game you WILL lose
all i see in people who don't vote is massive disgusting entitlement
they are NOT real leftists!
they do not have an ideological agenda
they are people with a self-serving psychological agenda
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@mikelovesbikes @benroyce @retech If you're unaffiliated are you allowed to vote in the Primaries?
@roknrol @benroyce @retech In Colorado, yes. You're allowed to vote in any *one* party's Primary if you're unaffiliated. If you try to vote in more than one, none of your votes will be counted. Also, if you want to vote in the Primary for a party other than the main two (Libertarian or Unity, in Colorado), you have to specifically ask to be mailed that party's ballot (if you vote by mail, which I do).
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@roknrol @benroyce @retech In Colorado, yes. You're allowed to vote in any *one* party's Primary if you're unaffiliated. If you try to vote in more than one, none of your votes will be counted. Also, if you want to vote in the Primary for a party other than the main two (Libertarian or Unity, in Colorado), you have to specifically ask to be mailed that party's ballot (if you vote by mail, which I do).
@mikelovesbikes @benroyce @retech Oh excellent...that's a fab setup.
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@farbel @spreadthetruth @retech
it's SO FUCKING OBVIOUS
but instead these fake, weak willed cosplaying so-called "leftists" go "waah, not fair", don't vote, and of course they lose
who the fuck are these loser assholes?
if you play the game, you can lose
if you don't play the game you WILL lose
all i see in people who don't vote is massive disgusting entitlement
they are NOT real leftists!
they do not have an ideological agenda
they are people with a self-serving psychological agenda
@benroyce @farbel @spreadthetruth @retech
it's a social/moral/psychological laziness
too lazy to oppose nazis.. ffs -
@benroyce @farbel @spreadthetruth @retech
it's a social/moral/psychological laziness
too lazy to oppose nazis.. ffs@DonChacale @farbel @spreadthetruth @retech
it really is
these fucking fake leftists
they whine and whine
they don't fucking #vote
in their immature minds they think magic perfect #candidate descends from the clouds, *then* they vote, and everyone lives happily ever after
fucking idiocy
1. you pick better or worse
2. you sustain
3. you iterate to better
but!
this takes effort and time
useless whiny entitled pieces of shit don't like that
so they don't vote and help give us #fascism
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@DonChacale @farbel @spreadthetruth @retech
it really is
these fucking fake leftists
they whine and whine
they don't fucking #vote
in their immature minds they think magic perfect #candidate descends from the clouds, *then* they vote, and everyone lives happily ever after
fucking idiocy
1. you pick better or worse
2. you sustain
3. you iterate to better
but!
this takes effort and time
useless whiny entitled pieces of shit don't like that
so they don't vote and help give us #fascism
@benroyce @farbel @spreadthetruth @retech
it makes me literally spitting mad... -
@roknrol @mikelovesbikes @retech
every state has different rules about who can #vote in the #primary
you got closed, partially closed, partially open, open to unaffiliated voters, open, multi-party, etc
it's fucking complicated, and part of our problem with voting in general in the #USA because people are never educated about it and never figure it out
it still doesn't mean they are free of blame IF THEY DON'T FUCKING VOTE IN THE #PRIMARIES
educate yourself AND VOTE
@benroyce i'm lucky to live in an open primary state
