Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said the reelection of former President Trump would be the “end of democracy” in an interview released Saturday by The Guardian.

“It will be the end of democracy, functional democracy,” Sanders said in the interview.

The Vermont senator also said in the interview that he thinks that another round of Trump as the president will be a lot more extreme than the first.

“He’s made that clear,” Sanders said. “There’s a lot of personal bitterness, he’s a bitter man, having gone through four indictments, humiliated, he’s going to take it out on his enemies. We’ve got to explain to the American people what that means to them — what the collapse of American democracy will mean to all of us.”

Sanders’s words echo those President Biden made in a recent campaign speech during which he said that Trump’s return to the presidency would risk American democracy. The president highlighted the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol in an attempt to cement a point about Trump and other Republicans espousing a kind of extremism that was seen by the world on that day.

  • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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    10 months ago

    If you were voting against Trump, you would be voting for the only person who has a chance to beat Trump. Otherwise you are voting for Trump. That’s how elections work.

        • Pratai@lemmy.ca
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          10 months ago

          Dude, this guy is true to his user name. I’ve seen him across multiple posts in multiple communities essentially preaching to not vote for Biden. He’s a MAGA zombie at this point. An unwilling participant in ther propaganda campaign.

          • rbhfd@lemmy.world
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            10 months ago

            The chance isn’t just slim. It’s astronomical.

            The chance of Cornell West winning is probably smaller than a bit-flip happening, switching your vote to another candidate. That’s how little chance your vote would have to make the country a better place.

            On the other hand, every vote not casted for the only viable non-Trump candidate helps Trump.

            I’m European and would love for you to have the option to vote for proper social democrats or greens (especially greens!). But please, every US citizen needs to do their part to not get fascists get hold of your country.

            It’s sad to say, but if you don’t vote for the democratic candidate, you might not have a chance to vote 3rd party in 4 years. (I don’t like fear mongering, but it’s a real enough possibility)

              • rbhfd@lemmy.world
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                10 months ago

                Clearly you don’t understand the first-past-the-post system the US presidential election utilises.

                • Pratai@lemmy.ca
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                  10 months ago

                  This person has been going off in almost every post on the topic, and myself among many others have tried to explain to the their logic is entirely flawed. They’re a lost case. But responding to them with the truth of how things work will at least help anyone on the fence that they met accidentally influence.

              • Pratai@lemmy.ca
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                10 months ago

                How many people need to explain to you that this is NOT how it works? I’ve done it- others have done it. And you just report them and move on.

                You can’t be this stubborn to not accept when you’re wrong, can you?

                I’ll explain it again:

                A vote for Biden cancels a vote for Trump. As we know, Trump’s loyalists will show up in droves to support their dictator. If you do ANYTHING outside of voting for the one person that stands a chance to beat him- you’re throwing away a vote and allowing a vote for Trump to be counted unchallenged.

                We alll know Biden sucks. But so does a total loss of democracy. And that’s what you’re looking at. I’ve lost family over this. I’m blacklisted from ever speaking to actual family members because I won’t support Trump.

                THIS is what you’re up against. Now is NOT the time to take a stand against single issue agendas.

                Vote like your freedom is at stake. Because it Is.

                  • Pratai@lemmy.ca
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                    10 months ago

                    Okay, as I’ve said- you’re wrong, and myself along with countless others have explained this to you. So again, I’m not here to change your mind- just to counter the disinformation you spread.

                • HACKthePRISONS@kolektiva.social
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                  10 months ago

                  >THIS is what you’re up against. Now is NOT the time to take a stand against single issue agendas.

                  genocide is one of a long list of reasons I haven’t voted Democrat for president since 2008.

                  • Pratai@lemmy.ca
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                    10 months ago

                    lol…. I’m not here to argue with you. Your report people And get accounts banned. I’m just replying to counter you in the event someone reading along is even considering taking you seriously.

                • HACKthePRISONS@kolektiva.social
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                  10 months ago

                  >If you do ANYTHING outside of voting for the one person that stands a chance to beat him- you’re throwing away a vote and allowing a vote for Trump to be counted unchallenged.

                  wrong. I’m voting for cornel west, a different candidate. they aren’t allowed to just throw out votes.

                  • jordanlund@lemmy.worldM
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                    10 months ago

                    A vote for West does nothing, and means nothing if you’re in a safe Red or a safe Blue state. Safe states are going Trump or Biden regardless of who you personally vote for.

                    In a SWING state, your vote does make a difference and voting for West is a lost vote. Congratulations on helping Trump win if you’re in a swing state.

                  • Pratai@lemmy.ca
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                    10 months ago

                    they aren’t allowed to just throw out votes.

                    No, but you are.

      • Jyek@sh.itjust.works
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        10 months ago

        No but it counts a vote away from another contender without hurting trump. This is the effect of FPTP voting. Essentially, if you have a vote, and you cast your vote for someone who cannot win, your vote is less useful than someone not voting at all. Voting against one candidate only hurts that candidate if the vote you cast won the election. Otherwise it was part of a split vote that helped them win.

        • HACKthePRISONS@kolektiva.social
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          10 months ago

          > Essentially, if you have a vote, and you cast your vote for someone who cannot win, your vote is less useful than someone not voting at all.

          impossible. why are you trying to suppress voter turnout?

        • HACKthePRISONS@kolektiva.social
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          10 months ago

          the only other candidate i might want to win is jill stein, but i like cornel west ever-so-slightly more. is jill stein splitting the cornel west vote? no. there are people who she will persuade, there are people who he will persuade, and all those people are people who aren’t persuaded by the genocidal politicians we’ve already let try to run the country.

          • Jyek@sh.itjust.works
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            10 months ago

            Every vote splits a vote for every other candidate. That’s how first past the post - winner takes all elections work. I would wholeheartedly agree with your sentiment if our voting system didn’t encourage our ugly two party system. I don’t particularly like Joe Biden as a candidate for the next 4 years either. But I understand that the system doesn’t work for me, meaning I have to work within the system. If I want my vote to produce any meaningful change, I have to make sure my vote goes to the candidate that I believe has the best chance of winning while providing the least amount of harm to the country and the highest chance of productive change of that system. That happens to be Biden this year which sucks. But it’s not as dangerous as allowing Trump to win who has clarified twice now that he intends on authoritarian action and being a dictator day one.

          • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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            10 months ago

            That’s absolutely delusional. The only way he has a chance is if both Biden and Trump die and the Democrats and Republicans both say, “never mind, we’re sitting out this election.” Which is like saying “a polar bear could live in Antarctica.” Yeah maybe, but polar bears don’t live in Antarctica.

              • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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                10 months ago

                I didn’t call you delusional. I said that idea is delusional. And if it isn’t delusional, please explain exactly how Cornel West would achieve becoming president.

                • HACKthePRISONS@kolektiva.social
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                  10 months ago

                  please explain to me exactly how Joe Biden is going to win every one of his votes.

                  your standard is far too high for what we’re discussing here.

                  The fact is that Cornel West is running for president. if he is elected, Trump is not elected.

                  I’m not saying that I know how it will happen. I’m saying you don’t know.

                  • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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                    10 months ago

                    I did not claim anyone will or even has a chance of winning.

                    And I do know he doesn’t have a chance. I explained why.

                    You don’t know he has a chance. You, again, have religious faith.

                • HACKthePRISONS@kolektiva.social
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                  10 months ago

                  >I didn’t call you delusional. I said that idea is delusional.

                  You’re splitting hairs. and apology is better than getting defensive.