So why not let puerto ricans vote? Not like it matters

But the US is not a modern democracy, so what's the relevance of this?

I already said I think they should be able to vote.

We probably agree on quite a bit more than that-- or at least we agree on all the concomitant points like how the major parties are corrupt and how the US is an oligarchy.
In fact, welcome comrade.

We're going to let them. Me, Lagtight and Victor have decided to make it happen.

You realize that people who think both sides are the same don't actually vote at all?

Thanks, LB!

It definitely isn't "both sides are the same so I might as well vote GOP".
It's "both sides are the same so **** this system".
I'm fine with the idea that some of that is deliberately played up/amplified in public discourse in order to make people apathetic about politics. But when "both sides" are legitimately awful, I'm not sure what the solution is. Probably not re-investing in a bankrupt system.

I quit participating in the farce. They won't send me a ballot anyway so it was easy to take a stand on principle.

Doubtless many do abstain. However, the "disengaged low information" voters that voted for Trump to "drain the swamp" in Washington are those I am talking about. Their reasoning was basically 'Washington is full of corrupt politicians on both sides so we should send in an outsider to shake things up.' Trump was a direct repudiation of the GOP establishment and the political system at large.

'Both sides are awful so I'm not voting' ignores that both sides are not equally awful, and that voters can and do actually effectuate change. That change can be a net negative on the current state of affairs, as we are now seeing. So why not vote and take a side? No one will impugn your ideological purity.

Obama was also supposed to be an outsider who ran on hope and change.
Supposed outsiders running against the status quo are always running for and winning the presidency. Reagan too. So that isn't anything new.

I agree that both sides aren't equally bad. GOP slightly less swfuller than the Dems, in my humble opinion.

Right, and Obama had historic black turnout. So it's always possible to motivate some of the apolitical people to vote.

Well, there you go. There's your incentive: be slightly less awful. (Unless you do vote already, and are just saying your vote doesn't matter anyway).

*awfuller

Here in Cali, any vote of mine for President, Senator or Governor would be futile.

Go try out real red-land so your vote can count. We'll see ya when you come running back screaming

I love California. Don't plan to ever move out.

Bay area?

Orange County.

How quickly we forget The Gubernator!

Dude, Orange County has been sending GOP reps to Congress forever. It only flipped in 2018 as part of a blue wave.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Califo...Harley%20Rouda.

You have a super high leverage vote there.

In my opinion, there will never be a Republican STATEWIDE office holder for at least ten more years.