Some thoughts on #Bernie people not voting for Biden:

There are a lot of assumptions about these people, but I think they basically fall into three camps, only one of which can be convinced to vote for Biden.

1. The default assumption is that people are just petty and upset that their candidate didn’t win. There are probably some people like this, like there are after EVERY primary. These people come around or don’t. You don’t convince them.

2. There are people who refuse to vote for someone credibly accused of sexual assault. Don’t try to convince these people. A lot of them have traumatic experiences, and you telling them that it’s their fault people die/suffer if they don’t vote for Biden is the same...

kind of language they often face at the hands of abusers. Don’t do this. Accept their position and move on with trying to convince other people.

3. The third group is the only group that can be convinced. This group is trying to make a distinct political calculation. Let me explain: these are people who have cared about progressive policies for a long time. These are activists and people who followed politics before Trump

A lot of us look at Trump and see that he is exacerbating problems, but the problems were all there before he got into office. We don’t view him as this crazy aberration from the status quo, but rather a continuation and magnification of it.

The one positive of Trump is that he’s drawn a lot of people into politics who would have otherwise not gotten involved. This is why 2018 was exciting and why I was super excited for this election. For the first time in my life, it felt like we had the chance...

to change the status quo, because so many people were getting involved who didn’t normally care. Instead, we got Biden, who’s whole platform is to make America great again, just for Biden, the time America was great is 2012, and not 1950.

So, the calculus basically becomes this: we can vote for Biden, solve none of the underlying problems, and ensure that most of the newly active voters go back to ignoring politics, including when a new, less abrasive Trump comes along...,

or we can refuse to vote, deal with the horribleness of Trump for 4 more years, but hopefully keep those new voters invested in midterms, down ballot races, activism, and the 2024 race.

So, how do you convince group 3 to vote for Biden? There are two possible ways.

1. Show us that Biden has policies that are going to address the underlying problems. A lot of this is on him, but he should be putting out policies that address core issues and...

meeting and listening to activists and members of marginalized groups. His policy proposals should mirror those of these groups who are on the front lines of fighting bigotry and poverty.

One important side note here is that fascism draws on real problems of social and financial insecurity to win over new converts. It’s why addressing root problems is the best way to stop a new Trump.

2. Convince us that you won’t stop paying attention if Biden is elected. Get involved. Volunteer for Biden and for Congressional, state, and local candidates. Talk about the policies you want to change.

If Biden won’t listen to marginalized communities, you should. Magnify their voices in whatever way you can. Run for your local school board. Do things that convince us that you won’t allow the status quo to remain unchanged if Trump is defeated.

Finally, don’t be an asshole to any of the groups. A lot of us in group 3 have an affinity to those in groups 1 and 2, and if you’re an asshole to them, it makes us a lot more likely to join group 1.