Demands? What a collaborative and productive attitude that will surely build bridges and cooperation! You don’t even have the leverage to make demands. This loaded gun is pointed at both of you, and one side taking that as an opportunity to make demands is just scummy, to be honest. The Biden administration has not been some kind of progressive revolution, but it would be foolish to suggest that he has not compromised with the left.
Push him, fine. Convince him. Advise him. Let’s be clear though: progressives are in no position to make demands. We don’t have the power or the leverage. It’s foolish to make demands and set expectations for ourselves that are just entirely unrealistic. Biden’s first term was positively impacted by progressives doing meaningful work and building bridges. Right now, we are a coalition. That means compromises and allyship should be our North star.
What progressives need to do is come up with a long term strategy to get more political and cultural influence. Then maybe in a few decades we can finally achieve some of our goals.
Exactly! I’m not anti-progressive, and consider myself one. It’s just not pragmatic or honest with ourselves to act as if we have any leverage to make demands. As a coalition, democrats can be strong, but all factions involved will need to give and take. Progressives, look at what you have earned from this admin. Compare it to the Clinton era, or the Obama era. Work with your allies and let’s use our collective power to achieve more on the things we agree on collectively, and negotiate on the things we don’t.
Darn, guess the conservatives will get in and… propose turning Gaza into a parking lot for the new Jerusalem mega church. You want your ends achieved with Gaza? You want actual progress made and not just moral soap boxes to stand on? Then consider which avenue available to you actually gets closer to that end: negotiating with democrats to harshen Biden’s stance on Israel (which I heartily endorse and is already happening) or to try to somehow work around/with the GOP? Or do you have some secret third avenue for magically handing progressives more political power than they’ve ever had to do something about it? That’s reality. Feel free to sit it out for your ethics, but that’s a choice too, with impacts for Gaza, the entire middle east, and the rest of the world.
I’m doing the pragmatic thing: trying to pressure the Biden administration to change course on Gaza, because if he stays on his current course then a Trump victory is assured.
You are doing the desperate, ineffective thing: Voter shaming. Its counter-productive and you should stop, you are only hurting your cause.
And let’s be real, this presidential election does not matter much to the Palestinians. If the current blockade stays in place there will be mass death from starvation. The next 6 months are critical for the survival of the Gazan people, it is cowardly and unethical to keep your mouth shut for political reasons.
I’m not shaming you trying to get your vote. Your vote is yours to strategically use as you see fit. I’m just trying to make you see your best and most pragmatic option. If you’re not interested, all good with me. Fact of the matter is, you can withhold your vote, vote for Biden, vote for Trump, or vote for another option. Only one of those options has the chance to make improvements for Gaza, assuming they’re still standing by then, as you say. A lot of people make “sitting out” to not be a choice, but it is one, and if Trump wins, Gaza and the idea of a Palestinian state are toast for the rest of our lives. I’ll be voting for Biden, and pressuring/negotiating for Gaza in the meantime. Nobody is asking you to sit down and shut up along the way.
Demands? What a collaborative and productive attitude that will surely build bridges and cooperation! You don’t even have the leverage to make demands. This loaded gun is pointed at both of you, and one side taking that as an opportunity to make demands is just scummy, to be honest. The Biden administration has not been some kind of progressive revolution, but it would be foolish to suggest that he has not compromised with the left.
Biden is funding and supporting a genocide. Pushing him is in fact productive.
Push him, fine. Convince him. Advise him. Let’s be clear though: progressives are in no position to make demands. We don’t have the power or the leverage. It’s foolish to make demands and set expectations for ourselves that are just entirely unrealistic. Biden’s first term was positively impacted by progressives doing meaningful work and building bridges. Right now, we are a coalition. That means compromises and allyship should be our North star.
What progressives need to do is come up with a long term strategy to get more political and cultural influence. Then maybe in a few decades we can finally achieve some of our goals.
Exactly! I’m not anti-progressive, and consider myself one. It’s just not pragmatic or honest with ourselves to act as if we have any leverage to make demands. As a coalition, democrats can be strong, but all factions involved will need to give and take. Progressives, look at what you have earned from this admin. Compare it to the Clinton era, or the Obama era. Work with your allies and let’s use our collective power to achieve more on the things we agree on collectively, and negotiate on the things we don’t.
My position: Genocide is unacceptable.
DNC position: Unlimited free weapons to Israel, veto all the ceasefires, spread the worst of Israeli propaganda.
It seems negotiations have broken down :(
Darn, guess the conservatives will get in and… propose turning Gaza into a parking lot for the new Jerusalem mega church. You want your ends achieved with Gaza? You want actual progress made and not just moral soap boxes to stand on? Then consider which avenue available to you actually gets closer to that end: negotiating with democrats to harshen Biden’s stance on Israel (which I heartily endorse and is already happening) or to try to somehow work around/with the GOP? Or do you have some secret third avenue for magically handing progressives more political power than they’ve ever had to do something about it? That’s reality. Feel free to sit it out for your ethics, but that’s a choice too, with impacts for Gaza, the entire middle east, and the rest of the world.
I’m doing the pragmatic thing: trying to pressure the Biden administration to change course on Gaza, because if he stays on his current course then a Trump victory is assured.
You are doing the desperate, ineffective thing: Voter shaming. Its counter-productive and you should stop, you are only hurting your cause.
And let’s be real, this presidential election does not matter much to the Palestinians. If the current blockade stays in place there will be mass death from starvation. The next 6 months are critical for the survival of the Gazan people, it is cowardly and unethical to keep your mouth shut for political reasons.
I’m not shaming you trying to get your vote. Your vote is yours to strategically use as you see fit. I’m just trying to make you see your best and most pragmatic option. If you’re not interested, all good with me. Fact of the matter is, you can withhold your vote, vote for Biden, vote for Trump, or vote for another option. Only one of those options has the chance to make improvements for Gaza, assuming they’re still standing by then, as you say. A lot of people make “sitting out” to not be a choice, but it is one, and if Trump wins, Gaza and the idea of a Palestinian state are toast for the rest of our lives. I’ll be voting for Biden, and pressuring/negotiating for Gaza in the meantime. Nobody is asking you to sit down and shut up along the way.