accidentally posted this in world news before bcs i forgot about the no internal US news rule by accident

Congressman Adam Smith says ‘totalitarian’ protesters are ‘trying to silence anyone who dares to disagree with them’

Protesters calling for Israel to cease fire in its war with Hamas who have disrupted US public events and infrastructure are practicing “leftwing fascism” or “leftwing totalitarianism”, a senior US House Democrat said, adding that such protesters are “challenging representative democracy” and should be arrested.

“Intimidation is the tactic,” said Adam Smith of Washington state, the ranking Democrat on the House armed services committee. “Intimidation and an effort to silence opposition … I don’t know if there’s such a thing as leftwing fascism. If you want to just call it leftwing totalitarianism, then that’s what it is. It is a direct challenge to representative democracy now.”

    • Saurok@lemm.ee
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      8 months ago

      We have anti-genocide parties. The problem is not enough Americans are willing to vote for them or organize for them as alternatives to the Democrat and Republican parties. Plus the coffers for the Democrats and Republicans are filled by corporations, so it’s grassroots funding vs multi-billion dollar industry donations and super PACs.

          • SquirtleHermit@lemmy.world
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            8 months ago

            viable /vī′ə-bəl/

            adjective

            Capable of success or continuing effectiveness; practicable:

            synonym: possible.

            • blazera@lemmy.world
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              8 months ago

              Right, theyre capable of being elected if people vote for them. Same as any party.

              • SquirtleHermit@lemmy.world
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                8 months ago

                Oh fantastic! So they are capable of getting enough votes to overcome the two party duopoly created by our first past the post voting system? Wow, that’s amazing! Why have I never heard of them?!

                • blazera@lemmy.world
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                  8 months ago

                  candidates dont take votes, voters give votes. any candidate is capable of receiving enough votes to win, it’s up to voters to decide. If you want to get rid of that first past the post voting system, well guess what. That same anti-genocide party also supports ranked choice voting! So if you’re anti-genocide and dont like first past the post voting, why would you decide on the total opposite of that?

                  • SquirtleHermit@lemmy.world
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                    8 months ago

                    Sadly, “voters give votes” isn’t a strategy to actually break the duopoly in America… Looks like I got my hopes up for nothing…

              • _tezz@lemmy.world
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                8 months ago

                Been really unimpressed with them the last several cycles, from my perspective they’re not really ‘viable’ in terms of can we get these people elected to office but you’re entitled to support who you like of course.