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Bernie and AOC, Put Your Platform on the Ballot (jacobin.com)

submitted 3 weeks ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Bernie and AOC have a national platform, an energized base, and the infrastructure to gather small donations. Now they need winnable policies to back. It seems impossible in the MAGA-controlled government — unless they turn to state ballot initiatives.

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 weeks ago

For example, their rightwing pivots on trans rights and the border, not because anyone inside the party was advocating for it, but because of advocacy from the right and from the RNC.

I disagree with your conclusion here. I believe this pivot was because more right wing voters consistently turn up to the polls to vote on these issues than do left wing voters. They see the voters who advocate for trans rights and immigrant rights skipping the primary and declaring that they're not going to vote, so the party targets the voters who say they will come out to vote.

There hasn't been a single Electoral College vote for a 3rd party presidential candidate since 1968. Even when Perot received 19% of the national popular vote. Third party and independent legislators hold under 1% of the seats at the state and federal level. In 2024 only 3 third parties were on the ballot in more than 10 states, and none were on the ballot in all 50. You're better off putting that effort into overtaking your local and state Democratic party, because of ballot access That means both with better candidates running in the primaries and voters showing up to secure them the nomination, but also actually joining the party and voting in the internal leadership elections.

Only 21 states allow direct legislation by voter-led ballot initiatives. How are you going to overcome first-past-the-post spoiling the vote in favor of Republicans at the national level facing these odds?