If the two genocidal geriatrics leading the polls this primary season do not excite you, then you’re in good company. Most Americans do not like the top choices in 2024, since they’re the exact same choices we had in 2020, except now they’re that much older.
Feels bad.
Now, don’t get us wrong. Though we here on the Stranger Election Control Board do consume enormous amounts of extremely high-potency cannabis products, we draw no equivalence between the openly fascistic Republican party and the corporate-friendly but socially progressive Democratic party.
We’re just kinda wondering: In a country of more than 330 million people, is the Democratic party’s answer to American fascism really a guy who bent over backwards to help Israel displace and annihilate Palestinians, flout International Court of Justice orders to prevent genocide, and continue apace with an illegal occupation? A guy who lurched hard to the right on immigration, using Trump-era rules to limit asylum-seekers and promising executive action to limit access to asylum even further? A guy who failed to fully cancel student debt, who rejected court reform even after Dobbs and multiple corruption scandals, who let US Sens. Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema take his job for the first two years? A guy who’s older than Pop Tarts and credit cards?
A quick glance at the sane side of the ballot reveals that, yes, in fact, that guy, President Joseph R. Biden Jr, is the best that Democrats think they can do against former President Donald Trump this year.
The other options just suck. Democratic Congressman Dean Phillips is a corporate “gelato tycoon” who’s basically self-funding a campaign to increase his name recognition. Self-help author Marianne Williamson seems fun at parties, but she’s already suspended her campaign. Writing in “Ceasefire” or “Mickey Mouse” simply amounts to throwing away your vote–according to state law, officials only have to tally write-in votes from candidates who filed “timely declarations” of a write-in candidacy and who also exceed the number of votes earned by the second-place candidate. In other words, no one is going to see your write-in vote.
But the Washington State Democratic party did provide an option on our ballots that allows voters to express our disapproval of war crimes without throwing the country out with the bathwater: “Uncommitted Delegates.”
What are “uncommitted delegates?” Um, give us two short paragraphs to explain.
To win the Democratic party’s presidential nomination, a candidate must rack up 1,968 delegates at the Democratic National Convention in August. Washington State will contribute 92 delegates to that national tally, and the state party will award a certain share of those delegates to any candidate that wins more than 15% of the primary election vote.
Uncommitted delegates simply do not have to cast a vote at the convention for a specific presidential candidate during the first round of balloting the way delegates who pledge to vote for a certain candidate do, so they can make noise in a very public way if the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians hasn’t stopped by then.
And Washington’s uncommitted delegates likely wouldn’t be alone. In Michigan, Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib launched an informal campaign asking people to select uncommitted delegates to support the call for a ceasefire. With about 200,000 registered voters who identify as Muslim in a state that Biden only won by a little more than 150,000 votes in 2020, he will be paying attention.
Campaigns to vote uncommitted in other states, including right here in Washington, are revving up as we speak.
But let’s be real. If Biden lives to see the convention, he’ll likely win the nomination, and Washington’s uncommitted delegates will serve only as a measure of our primary electorate’s disapproval. But unlike a protest vote for Phillips or a throwaway write-in vote, voting for “uncommitted delegates” delivers a message to Biden in a language he can hear and understand.
Sure, even we screaming socialists must admit that Biden has chalked up some impressive wins while working with a functionally divided government. He signed the Inflation Reduction Act, which included a historically large investment in combating climate change. He signed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act, which included the “largest investment in public transportation in history.” He helped execute a soft landing after inflation shot up. After Uvalde, he signed a gun safety law that the NRA hated. We can buy birth control over the counter now. And, though he could be doing much more, he’s the most pro-union president we’ve had in recent memory.
But the potential benefits of pressuring Biden to do the right thing on the global stage outweigh the potential benefits of backing him outright in the primary.
First of all, though presidents hold the most direct power over foreign policy decisions, they almost never have to heed public opinion on those issues because of the structure of the national security apparatus and the fact that voters tend to focus on domestic concerns at the ballot box. Joining a movement to vote for uncommitted delegates to support a ceasefire gives us the rare opportunity to speak directly to the president on this issue, and the humanitarian disaster unfolding in Gaza is simply far too dire not to take advantage of that opportunity.
That said, we’re aware of the potential folly here. Looking at the polls, 82% of Democrats approve of Biden’s performance in office. That means there’s a real chance that voting for uncommitted delegates will quantify the exact size of the “ceasefire left” as part of the Democratic base, which will show Biden exactly how little he may need to care about us. And will winning Washington 80% to 20% instead of 90% to 10% scare him into doing the right thing on foreign policy and immigration? Probably not.
But, again, Trump and Biden are basically tied in the polls right now. In a race with margins that tight, Biden needs everyone to knock doors, to make phone calls, to email family members who live in swing states. And if he wants that level of support–especially from the youth and from other members of the winning Obama coalition–then he’s going to have to respond to our demands in real, material ways. And he should want that level of support, since that work will do a hell of a lot more to help his electoral prospects than touting a Washington primary endorsement months ahead of the general.
Look, we know Biden is the answer to the general election question because Trump would be worse in every conceivable way. He’s worse on Israel, he’s literally “planning militarized mass deportations, and detention camps” at the border, and on social media he repeatedly promises to destroy the “radical left.” With Republicans favored to take the Senate and maintain control of the House, he’ll have all the power he needs to do whatever he wants for who knows how long.
But let’s make one thing clear: The reason we will eventually have to make that easy but somewhat depressing choice is because white men designed our institutions to preserve white power, which Trump so totally embodies. The electoral college that elects the President continues to dilute the Black vote, as the “framers” designed it to. The President and the Senate, a minoritarian body that inflates the power of white voters, seat the members of the Supreme Court. Using judicial review, the Supreme Court–perhaps the most minoritarian institution in government–holds an ultimate veto over the legislative and executive branches. Though the House of Representatives most directly represents the people, they face reelection every two years, which means they’re not incentivized to solve problems. Until we abolish the electoral college, abolish the Senate or at least the filibuster, and reform the Supreme Court, then none of this governance shit is going to get any better.
A Trump victory would set back those goals indefinitely, and a Biden victory keeps them in reach. But right now, it’s the primary. And if we can’t push the likely Democratic nominee to do what we want now, then when can we push him?
Vote uncommitted delegates.
The Stranger Election Control Board is Hannah Kreig, Vivian McCall, Charles Mudede, Ashley Nerbovig, Megan Seling, a tipsy go-go dancer in a jock strap, and Rich Smith.
@52 what’s the argument for Biden other than that he’s not Trump, an argument that works equally well for any other Democrat? What’s the compelling reason that we need to settle for a man well past retirement age who can’t reliably put full sentences together?
@52,
Right on and hopefully no big deal. Though if Biden has any more embarrassing gaffes in the next few weeks you may want to seek out the counsel of someone more persuasive than myself, as I can assure you the calls for him to step aside will grow both louder and more frequent among those he’s dependent upon for support.
If you feel like you gotta send a REWARD to a bunch of terrorists who started a war unnecessarily, took a bunch of innocent civilians as hostages, and then killed those hostages, for no good reason at all, then be my guest.
Stranger, enough with this “endorsement” nonsense. Do you really want to risk another Trump victory by garnering more anti-Biden momentum? Do you really think he – or any world leader – has that much sway over Netanyahu and his ilk to change course in Gaza. And, last I read, Hamas just rejected the latest ceasefire proposals that Biden was supporting. I voted Sawant years ago based on your recommendations, and look where that got us. GET REAL, Elections Control Board!
I can find more intelligent political analysis from any drunken lout at any bar. The idea that there are better Democratic candidates than Biden is total nonsense. Name one. Name one who could actually win in November. Biden has done a better job than you assholes will ever give him credit for. I know you want a useless loudmouth who will say everything you desire while getting nothing accomplished but I prefer competence.
@56 George H W Bush was able to push back against Israel more effectively, by conditioning aid on no more illegal settlements.
@57 Raphael Warnock. Andy Beshear. Gretchen Whitmer.
We will not vote for either party ever. We cannot go along with parties that fund Israel that is committing genocide against the Palestinian people and the people of the Congo for greed. Biden has declared himself a militant zionist. it is clearly delusional to expect him to give up his maniacal support for Israel without extreme pressure from the people.
For many, many years the Palestinian people have been murdered by the zionist military and this knowledge has been denied the American people by the mass corporate media.
This never started on Oct. 6. By international law the Palestinian people have the right to defend themselves and as an occupier in stolen land Israel does not.
The democrat party will not stop funding Israel against the wishes of millions of people who give their lives to stop genocide. The American empire with all its attacks on foreign countries throughout its history cannot last. It is starting to crumble. It is isolated against the world. The world is crying out against genocide funded by our tax dollars.
STOP THE FUNDING OF ISRAEL BY THE USA. All the vicious lies by those that support Israel do not work. Please demand that the funding of Israel be cut off now or these genocides will not be stopped. Recover the World
@59: Good to see you’re back, and making as much sense as ever! Thanks also for validating Horseshoe Theory, with “democrat party,” a VERY long-running verbal tic of the American hard right.
Now, for points upon which you could improve: use “colonialist” or “imperialist” along with “occupier,” and demonstrate your actual knowledge of the Middle East by including a statement which lazily assumes all Israelis are white.
Once again, welcome back! This blog has lacked your entertainment value.
“Though we…do consume enormous amounts of extremely high-potency cannabis.”
Political journalism written under a hazy fugue gets you the kind of trash product emblematic of this rag.
Bonus points for not even mentioning Ukraine. In fact, the Stranger has been absent on that issue, but you want to lecture about “genocide.”
What a joke.
I no longer support the Stranger as they want me to play games with Democracy and vote uncommitted in the 2024 primary. I also am deeply offended by the ageist comments about Biden – things like “if he lives to see the election…” come on Stranger, that is discriminatory, stereotypical and disgusting. What is your age limit for treating people with dignity and respect? 40? 50? 60? When do you cross the age boundary that makes it ok to abuse people about their age with jokes and assumptions they are now stupid, as well as telling them they are going to die soon? As well as discounting all their contributions to society. You are a hypocrite, you claim that you are not racist, or sexist, or that you are working to save lives in Palestine, but you attack people over a certain age, why is that ok? Hypocritical and wrong. PS – If you are lucky to live that long you will get there too, then see how it feels.
@62 Same. I used to love the Stranger and come to the comments to defend them. Now look at how reckless they are. Like others have said it’s like the writers get their news from tiktok and twitter and expect us to take them seriously. I’ve never seen them walk anything back. This is how we got Trump and how we will get him again and they don’t even understand after that we might not ever be able to vote again. That’s not hyperbole. This is dangerous and they are being lazy about our fucking democracy. It’s gaslighting and virtue signaling and it’s fucking sad. I give up on TS. I’ll be back in November to say I told you so.
You are never getting anything you want again, as the Party has learned they can simply say “Vote for us, or the Trump Boogeyman wins!” and your vote is guaranteed. Vote uncommitted and make them work for it.
@64 — remember the other day when you lied and said that Trump would be better on abortion than Biden? Here’s Trump floating a nationwide 15 week ban, which of course he would sign and of course Biden would veto.
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4499352-trump-on-abortion-limits-im-hearing-about-15-weeks-i-havent-decided-yet/
Just stop wasting everybody’s time here and admit you support and are voting for Trump.
@65 If you read the article, he’s saying “I heard about this, and I’m not agreeing to anything”, which again is hardly a statement of support, but since the Dems have a perfect boogeyman of a National Abortion Ban which is never happening, which he never supported, you’ll just vote out of fear of the pretend thing forever.
I’m really not sure why you need me to be a Trump voter – I would look inward if I were you and try and figure out why independent and unbiased stances are so difficult for you to accept.
@66 If you have all this evidence that someone might not support Trump, like they’re saying “I don’t support Trump”, and they have different opinions than him, and it is, as you say, weird and inexplicable for them to do this, then maybe, just maybe, this sense you have that it’s “obvious” they really are secret Trump supporters isn’t coming from a place of reason?
@69 Well, it was clear enough to persuade you to backtrack, so you’ll have to forgive my nice big informative sentences.
A high uncommitted vote in the states that allow it may help encourage him to recognize his profound weakness (as a candidate, not as a president) and graciously leave the race if he can’t get his poll numbers above water before the August convention.
–@CKathes
this’s a Brilliant
Solution & gives
geriatric Joe an easy
way out. the “d”nc gave
us Hilary & Joe & I Shudder
& wonder at whom they’ll Next
come up with. Whitehouse* for the
Whitehouse suits me Fine.
he don’t even
Want it so
who bet-
ter?
“The democrat party… ”
[the good ole
“Democratic”
party — a closely-
held group of Centrists, Inc
LLC, who’ve already Got Thiers] [lol]
“… will not stop funding Israel against the wishes of millions of people who give their lives to stop genocide. The American empire with all its attacks on foreign countries throughout its history cannot last.
It is starting to crumble.
It is isolated against the world.
The world is crying out against genocide
funded by our tax dollars.” what if it’s not Actual
Genocide. what if it’s only “genocide” lite? then Obv we
MUST Support Nutnhyaoo’s War on Gazans – no — on HAMAS!
fucking BINGO
Ivy. missed you!
oh & fuck off
Wormtongue
“[El trumpfster] appointed Supreme Court justices who were fairly conservative, as would be expected, but who are also known to vote unpredictably and not completely on party lines, which is generally the case with Supreme Court justices in general (and you can say goodbye to even the vague sense of judicial philosophies over party if you manage to ‘reform’ the Supreme Court, which you’ll really miss if the new judges ever don’t go your way)… “
–@ nekrasova
ever since
the Heritage Found.
discovered right wing
appointes tend to shift
Leftward over Time they’ve
Figured out that lavishing them
With Gifts helps them keep Perspective
so if we can Stop
the justices-buying
the natural Arc of the
Universe will be allowed
to Bend in its Proper Direction
FDR never
had to re-Stack
the USSC; the Threat
alone was Motivation enough
but Traitor MKkKonnell
DID stack the Court
&’s now Paying For
it by Gawd turning
him into Statuary
occasionally for
Laffs or whtvs
so How is
That wrong
Re-righted?
I applaud your push for uncommitted delegates, but for a different reason: to elect Biden or any Democrat instead of Trump at all costs! To improve that possibility (considering Biden’s age and poor poll numbers), uncommitted delegates could identify and support an alternative presidential candidate who would:
• openly agree to energize Biden’s campaign, pushing him and the DNC to put their “Attack Trump” and “Look what we’ve done for you” acts into high gear.
• actually be nominated if Biden becomes incapacitated or dies pre-Convention; or it becomes apparent to Biden’s delegates from polls that he cannot win, and Biden releases them; or a huge ground-swell of public support for the alternative candidate develops.
• become the Democratic presidential candidate post-Convention if Biden dies or abdicates his candidacy for any reason.
We need a contingency candidate who can re-energize Democrats regardless of what happens to Biden.
Furthermore, you should quiet-down the “genocide” reason for opposing Biden. I agree that Israel is close to committing Palestinian genocide, but that is hugely exacerbated by Hamas’ ruthless human-shield tactics sacrificing their fellow Palestinians! Biden and his Cabinet-level officers are doing everything possible to negotiate a cease-fire, short of declaring a divorce from Israel by refusing further military aid and diplomatic support for Netanyahu’s war. Trump hates Muslims and would arm Israel to the teeth, so he must not win! But (per Wikipedia) U.S.-resident Jews outnumber U.S.-resident Muslims/Arabs (which includes Palestinians) 7.6 million to 3.5 million. If the U.S. divorces Israel, both Jews and Muslims will refuse to vote for either candidate, and Trump will win by having less than half as many millions of “non-voters” as Biden.
I applaud your push for uncommitted delegates, but for a different reason: to elect Biden or any Democrat instead of Trump at all costs! To improve that possibility (considering Biden’s age and poor poll numbers), uncommitted delegates could identify and support an alternative presidential candidate who would:
• openly agree to energize Biden’s campaign, pushing him and the DNC to put their “Attack Trump” and “Look what we’ve done for you” acts into high gear.
• actually be nominated if Biden becomes incapacitated or dies pre-Convention; or it becomes apparent to Biden’s delegates from polls that he cannot win, and Biden releases them; or a huge ground-swell of public support for the alternative candidate develops.
• become the Democratic presidential candidate post-Convention if Biden dies or abdicates his candidacy for any reason.
We need a contingency candidate who can re-energize Democrats regardless of what happens to Biden.
Furthermore, you should quiet-down the “genocide” reason for opposing Biden. I agree that Israel is close to committing Palestinian genocide, but that is hugely exacerbated by Hamas’ ruthless human-shield tactics sacrificing their fellow Palestinians! Biden and his Cabinet-level officers are doing everything possible to negotiate a cease-fire, short of declaring a divorce from Israel by refusing further military aid and diplomatic support for Netanyahu’s war. Trump hates Muslims and would arm Israel to the teeth, so he must not win! But (per Wikipedia) U.S.-resident Jews outnumber U.S.-resident Muslims/Arabs (which includes Palestinians) 7.6 million to 3.5 million. If the U.S. divorces Israel, both Jews and Muslims will refuse to vote for either candidate, and Trump will win by having less than half as many millions of “non-voters” as Biden.
I applaud your push for uncommitted delegates, but for a different reason: to elect Biden or any Democrat instead of Trump at all costs! To improve that possibility (considering Biden’s age and poor poll numbers), uncommitted delegates could identify and support an alternative presidential candidate who would:
• openly agree to energize Biden’s campaign, pushing him and the DNC to put their “Attack Trump” and “Look what we’ve done for you” acts into high gear.
• actually be nominated if Biden becomes incapacitated or dies pre-Convention; or it becomes apparent to Biden’s delegates from polls that he cannot win, and Biden releases them; or a huge ground-swell of public support for the alternative candidate develops.
• become the Democratic presidential candidate post-Convention if Biden dies or abdicates his candidacy for any reason.
We need a contingency candidate who can also re-energize Democrats regardless of what happens to Biden.
Furthermore, you should quiet-down the “genocide” reason for opposing Biden. I agree that Israel is close to committing Palestinian genocide, but that is hugely exacerbated by Hamas’ ruthless human-shield tactics sacrificing their fellow Palestinians! Trump hates Muslims and would arm Israel to the teeth, so he must not win! Biden and his Cabinet-level officers are doing everything possible to negotiate a cease-fire, short of declaring a divorce from Israel by refusing further military aid and diplomatic support for Netanyahu’s war. But (per Wikipedia) U.S.-resident Jews outnumber U.S.-resident Muslims/Arabs (which includes Palestinians) 7.6 million to 3.5 million. If the U.S. divorces Israel, both Jews and Muslims will refuse to vote for either candidate, and Trump will win by having less than half as many millions of “non-voters” as Biden.
@74, -5 & -6:
leavin’ Smokin’ Joe
an Out is a brilliant Plan
the Job takes so Much
out of a Mortal human
being it’s a Wonder Joe’s
held On as Long as he Has
the Genocide thingy is
wormmy’s derailment strategy
& your’re Correct he Should be
Ignored & Mocked for the Buffoon
he portrays to us here on derr Schloge
Thanks!
p.s.
the double/
treble submit
is-this-Working
button’s a Trap.
I would write in my man Dark Brandon, regardless of the particulars.
The problem isn’t him. It’s you.
A ‘cease-fire’ in 1944/1945 would have saved a great many German / Japanese lives. It would have also left Hitler / Tojo in power. The ‘cease-fire’ crowd should be seen as pro-Hitler or at very least Hitler tolerant.