Progressive Politics

While I agree about the "everything is rigged already" problem, the cold hard fact is that 80% of the election is considered to be decided before the first vote is ever cast, and I think Blackmist knows that, and discussing the electoral college suggests that … yeah, kinda. Which makes your otherwise helpful admonishment harmful too, because it doesn't dissuade them of that view. In fact, a cynical reading of what you said is, "we know that, but you're not supposed to say it out loud."

What I'd recommend instead is pointing out that the people who assume 80% of the vote is irrelevant are failing to account for political sea change events on a large scale. They're rare. Very rare, actually. But they happen and we're kinda in one. So while 80% of the vote is already a given in most elections, it's not a given in this one.

I upvoted Blackmist for his comment about ICE only needing to hit a minority of polling places to create fear, because that's true. And you as well because you're right that a message of hopelessness is harmful. I hope you both come away ready to defend the idea that this is an election that can actually erase and rewrite the status quo in America. The focus in the primary season needs to be getting strong candidates and flushing some weak-ass Dems, and then fighting like hell to get as many Dems elected as possible to avoid squandering people's sheer outrage at the violence, lawlessness, and nothing short of Nazi saluting fascism in this country.