i don’t like joe biden. plain and simple. he is an abuser and the epitome of the status quo. HOWEVER, i will reluctantly cast my vote for him in november. here’s why... (thread)

we simply cannot risk the appointment of more conservative justices to federal courts (especially SCOTUS). a 6-3 conservative majority would spell judicial disaster for decades to come.

we cannot let trump continue to dismantle federal agencies and offices that serve very important functions (which he will continue to do). look at what happened when he eliminated the NSC’s global health security office.

we also cannot let him continue to grant fossil fuel companies access to public lands. although biden is a moderate democrat (i.e., insufficient), his climate policy is still infinitely better than trump’s.

furthermore, it is imperative that voters punish certain forms of norm-breaking. trump’s overtly hateful rhetoric has the potential to set dangerous new norms in the US if he is allowed to remain in office.

also on the norms front: trump’s attacks on factual reporting and the free press are damaging to our information environment. a certain degree of skepticism is healthy, but denial of the truth is not.

finally, if you abstain from voting entirely, YOU MISS THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN VALUABLE STATE AND LOCAL ELECTIONS.

so, even if you are disgruntled democratic socialist (like me), PLEASE show up to the polls this november. a lack of political participation is not the solution to our nation’s problems.