Re: Democratic Challengers 2020 - 12: The End of the Beginning
A couple of things before getting to your post:
First & Foremost: Unless something drastically changes, I WILL be voting Biden this fall. (If by some unexpected shift in the current trend and Bernie becomes the nominee, I will be in the position that solo finds himself now i.e. both candidates are unacceptable. This will cause a major reassessment of my vote but in no way will it be for the current squatter in the WH). I state this in hopes of avoiding the erroneous assumption that failing to comply with blue no matter who is equivalent to Dump support.
Ever since Trump won in 2016 there has been the theory that third party voting assisted him in winning. Recently, this theory has seemingly become dogma on this board. I find this theory to be illogical at it's core. If trying to point out the fallacy of said "logic" is trolling or being obtuse then I am guilty as charged.
You are being intentionally obtuse.
The voter hates Dump. Only one challenger can beat Dump. The voter has three options:
Cast a net +1 vote for Dump
Cast a net -1 vote for Dump
Cast a neutral vote
Casting a neutral vote (either voting third party of abstaining) is half as beneficial to Dump as actually voting for him would be, relative to voting against him.
I'm certain you are trolling so you'll get nothing more from me. I appeal to the Reasonable Man Principle as embodied in the others on this thread.
In any election, a vote that is cast is an additive process and not a subtraction one. As such, your net sum argument is, IMO, questionable at best. But let's assume it's 100% correct.
In a binary election of Dump vs. Biden, we can agree that a vote for one candidate is an advantage over the other candidate. Utilizing the additive process shows that Biden [receiving vote is] +1 > Dump [not receiving vote is] +0 while Dump [receiving vote is] +1 > Biden [not receiving vote is] +0. Advantage recipient. Utilizing your "net sum" theory reveals the same. Biden [receiving vote is] +1 > Dump [not receiving vote is] -1 or Dump [receiving vote is] +1 > Biden[not receiving vote is] -1). Advantage recipient. However, choosing not to vote impacts both candidates equally based on additive process (Biden +0 = Dump +0) or "net sum" (Biden [receiving vote is] +0 and [not receiving vote is] -1 = Dump [receiving vote is] +0 and [not receiving vote is] -1). Advantage, no one.
Since our current presidential elections are rarely binary, third party (Candidate Bozo) voting becomes an option. Utilizing the additive process the outcome is crystal clear. Biden +0 = Dump +0 < Bozo +1. Utilizing your "net sum" theory: Biden [receiving vote is] +0 and [not receiving vote is] -1 = Dump [receiving vote is] +0 and [not receiving vote is] -1 < Bozo +1. Bozo has the advantage while Dump & Biden are equally harmed. QED
Again, one can argue that voting third party is "wasting" or "throwing away" ones vote on a candidate that can't win. I still respectfully disagree (as does Joe Liberman, Jesse Ventura & Bernie Sanders) but it is a legitimate argument. A third party vote (or no vote) providing one of the major party candidates an advantage is not.
TMWDNR: if
Casting a neutral vote (either voting third party of abstaining) is half as beneficial to Dump as actually voting for him would be, relative to voting against him.
is true, then
Casting a neutral vote (either voting third party of abstaining) is half as beneficial to Biden as actually voting for him would be, relative to voting against him.
Is equally true