> How much importance, in practical terms, is this debate. The domain is
> fairly small: it consists of leftists for whom voting or not voting for
> the DP is a matter of conscious choice. That is a rather small number.
> Their decision never has and never will make a difference in the outcome
> of an election. Suppose each of them were to 'convert' at least one
> additional person to their view. They still won't make a difference. In
> other words, we are in the realm of whimsey, not politics, of an
> individual choice for which the only standard would be, "Which way is
> more fun."
>
> Most of the people on this list have more fun voting for the DP. Fine. I
> believe in fun, even for Reds. I think I have more fun not voting.
> That's my whimsey. No political impact. As Michael says, it's a null
> choice. But so, actually, is the decision to vote. Both null choices.
> Flip a coin. It doesn't matter.
============================
This is largely true for most socialists - if not for most organized workers
and social movement activists, who have concluded that liberal and social
democratic parties are more sympathetic to their concerns than conservative
ones - but I thought you heretofore attached a great deal of urgency to
whether US leftists voted for DP candidates. I think your current
perspective is more realistic, but that you now swing too far the other way
in suggesting that you and others who participate in these discussions are
merely engaging in "whimsey".