In fairness, it was a common refrain that Clinton and then Harris lost *because* of Stein voters. Is it true? I don't think so. But it's what they were told by some of their own opponents. Why wouldn't they try to take advantage of it?
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Even if they didn’t believe it, it would be political malpractice not to use the blame shifting by Clintonites to their advantage. When you’re a rump and the establishment pretends you’re a Power, you pretend you’re a Power because that’s the path to being one.
sep 1, 2025, 12:00 pm • 2 0 • view
here, "Stein voters" is being used as a synecdoche for a larger pattern of behavior encouraging defections from the not-Republican coalition, whether towards Greens or just apathy in general
sep 1, 2025, 8:11 am • 0 0 • view
The margins are so small you can blame literally any group and theoretically be right. But 24 was a historic anti incumbent wave the world over. The fact it was even close is a win in that context.
aug 31, 2025, 8:17 pm • 12 0 • view
Yeah, hence why I don't believe the idea that perfidious Sanders supporters cost Dems the election. But a lot of other people do, because it serves their political ends.
aug 31, 2025, 8:21 pm • 2 0 • view
Centrists believe it because it confirms their priors that the left wing of the party are traitors who are willing to stab the party in the back to deny the center victory. Leftists believe it because it confirms their priors that they command a constituency that can hold the party over a barrel.
aug 31, 2025, 8:21 pm • 5 1 • view
The only reason not to believe that Sanders and his supporters did not cost Democrats two elections against Trump is because it is probably not true, but this is politics, so the truth doesn't matter all that much.
aug 31, 2025, 8:21 pm • 3 0 • view
Sanders and progressives in power did a LOT to try and get both Biden and Harris over the line, even Clinton who snubbed the absolute SHIT out of him had him doing events for her. The same can NOT be said for some of his staff or voters. And I think that sucks a lot. Nuance is just dead online.
aug 31, 2025, 8:23 pm • 8 0 • view