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CommonHumanity

(325 posts)
85. 100% correct
Sun Aug 24, 2025, 10:40 AM
Aug 24

The FACT is we have to live and resist in the REAL WORLD we have, not some idealized version of the perfect candidate/politician!!

As the evidence shows: Sacrifice the good for the perfect and you get the WORST.

IN THE REAL WORLD: Supporting a politician or cause IS NOT the opportunity to showcase all your personal political preferences. Many are confused about this. The REAL option is to choose the best candidate from the options available at that point in time! that doesn't negate building a 3rd party, pressuring a candidate to move closer to your beliefs or advocating for change. It MEANS choosing the best/most strategic options at that point in time. Purity tests are the antithesis of strategic.

Recommendations

1 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

"I never submitted the whole system of my opinions to the creed of any party Ping Tung Aug 23 #1
"We must all hang together or assuredly we shall all hang separately." W_HAMILTON Aug 23 #4
Said the man who, soldierant Aug 23 #39
Well, if we are going all the way back to the very beginning, ReRe Aug 23 #52
ssshhh, mah principles are peaking. praying for the gaza voters in dearborn Nimble_Idea Aug 26 #147
There is no perfect candidate. People waiting for one are going to have a long wait. Jim__ Aug 23 #2
Yes, and in my old age they come across to me as privileged a*holes. RandomNumbers Aug 24 #87
Those applying the purity tests of which you speak almost assuredly are NOT Democrats.... W_HAMILTON Aug 23 #3
🤔 mcar Aug 23 #12
Right, most make a career out of right wing being in office JI7 Aug 23 #18
??? niyad Aug 23 #45
Tell that to all those who didn't like Democratic candidates who disagreed even slightly with them on the Wonder Why Aug 23 #34
Most of them hated Democrats to begin with and Gaza was just the most recent thing to bash them over. W_HAMILTON Aug 23 #72
The young are marching in the streets all over the world over genocide womanofthehills Aug 24 #101
The pro-Pals have been conspicuous by their silence comradebillyboy Aug 25 #131
Wrong - thousands protested in NYC last week womanofthehills Aug 25 #136
People living their lives aren't a purity test. WhiskeyGrinder Aug 23 #5
He never said that. The comments about the age 25 Phoenix61 Aug 23 #19
Thank you. nt Sparkly Aug 23 #21
On the Shawn Ryan podcast last month, Ryan was setting up the point that people under 18 should not get transition care WhiskeyGrinder Aug 23 #28
"Totally get it" doesn't mean he agrees. Phoenix61 Aug 23 #32
Thanks for this link. ShazzieB Aug 24 #86
This. He is educable and to jump on him for those answers is ridiculous. travelingthrulife Aug 25 #135
Thanks. BannonsLiver Aug 23 #71
it's irrelevant AlexSFCA Aug 23 #48
💯 agree BannonsLiver Aug 23 #6
May I please point out customerserviceguy Aug 23 #7
and he won...... moonshinegnomie Aug 23 #9
EXACTLY!!! johnnyfins Aug 23 #30
precisely.. it's called PRAGMATISM, as in B.See Aug 24 #81
Yes, that is true customerserviceguy Aug 24 #98
Yep. Why our side doesn't get that writerJT Aug 23 #64
Yeah and they won. EllieBC Aug 24 #74
We have to do better on social media womanofthehills Aug 24 #109
If you don't win Susan Calvin Aug 24 #83
Ah yes, the absolute horror of winning elections! BannonsLiver Aug 24 #96
Yeah, not quite Hitler, but close enough. thought crime Aug 24 #115
Being against purity tests should be a litmus test for leadership in the party gulliver Aug 23 #8
Or someone self-aggrandizing who's out to sabotage a Democratic candidate Sparkly Aug 23 #22
That's the reason we lose elections samsingh Aug 23 #10
Candidates need to market themselves like Mamdani womanofthehills Aug 24 #107
this is good strategy samsingh Aug 25 #123
None of this is new mcar Aug 25 #126
You have to admit having a scavenger hunt was pretty unique womanofthehills Aug 25 #137
Yeah, that was cute mcar Aug 25 #138
Mamdani appears to be a good deal more politically skilled comradebillyboy Aug 25 #133
He's really knows how to appeal to the young womanofthehills Aug 26 #145
No pedestals CloudWatcher Aug 23 #11
I tend to like people Sparkly Aug 23 #26
Al Gore v. George Bush? ReRe Aug 23 #55
Can't remember the comedian, for sure BlueKota Aug 26 #153
Oh, it had to be Chris Rock. ReRe Wednesday #154
No reason to bring Al Gore into this. BannonsLiver Aug 23 #68
People with great personalities are more electable womanofthehills Aug 24 #110
For the last 40 years at least, Dems have been held to standards... ananda Aug 23 #13
Yep - ever since Reagan, they've had no standards at all FakeNoose Aug 23 #25
That's true. He was the first to play the race card. ananda Aug 23 #56
1968 was so messed up because of Bobby Kennedy FakeNoose Aug 23 #62
1968 RobinA Aug 25 #143
yup Skittles Aug 23 #31
Yep, we want to protect the rights of women and POC and that's why they hate us Walleye Aug 24 #104
Yep, we protect the rights of women and POC and that's why they hate us Walleye Aug 24 #105
i agree moonshinegnomie Aug 23 #41
Needing to be "enthusiastic" over the Dem in a general election BaronChocula Aug 23 #14
Yes, and Sparkly Aug 23 #35
Many kids online have said if there was ever a draft they would not show up womanofthehills Aug 26 #146
2025 and we are talking about how do Dems go about figuring out how NoMoreRepugs Aug 23 #15
They go low we need to go lower ironman_25 Aug 23 #16
Since the 'playground bully' has purportedly won two presidential elections, Jack Valentino Aug 23 #63
that's right! IzzaNuDay Aug 23 #65
Mamdani is not going low to win womanofthehills Aug 24 #108
Agree. There is no such thing as the perfect candidate. You vote for the one closest CousinIT Aug 23 #17
The problem is people treating politics like a personal religion JI7 Aug 23 #20
Believing that all politicians are corrupt except their pure moral authentic anti-establishment outsider heroes betsuni Aug 23 #54
At the same time they view those that vote Republican as victims JI7 Aug 24 #77
They'll make cryptic little comments implying everybody stayed home in a dark closet rocking back and forth betsuni Aug 24 #79
And looking for a soul mate JustAnotherGen Aug 23 #60
That's why I always ask about who they voted for in other offices JI7 Aug 24 #78
Which is a highly dubious claim in even the best marriages. Heidi Aug 24 #88
Oh come on! You KNOW we want cat pics!!! niyad Aug 24 #94
Hahahaha! Heidi Aug 24 #99
Now we absolutely HAVE to see them! niyad Aug 24 #100
Here you go! Heidi Aug 25 #119
squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!! They are soooo adorable! Thank you!!! niyad Aug 25 #121
Thank you! Heidi Aug 25 #124
Just one of many reasons we love them. niyad Aug 25 #125
! Heidi Aug 25 #139
First of all, Just Jerome Aug 23 #23
I remember that from the JustAnotherGen Aug 25 #127
Me meeting Obama! LeftInTX Aug 25 #140
Only "purity test": RVN VET71 Aug 23 #24
My only comment... WarGamer Aug 23 #27
hes not my top choice either moonshinegnomie Aug 23 #42
Fair enough BannonsLiver Aug 23 #70
I'd like to see a full primary slate and let "iron sharpen iron" WarGamer Aug 24 #91
I don't support JustAnotherGen Aug 25 #128
Let's be honest angrychair Aug 23 #29
id love aoc but i dont think she can win moonshinegnomie Aug 23 #43
I'm 52 JustAnotherGen Aug 25 #129
"VP Harris got more votes..." R0ckyRac00n Aug 23 #49
To be truly fair, Kamala Harris got exactly the same number of votes as Biden in 2020... PunkinPi Aug 25 #120
Republicans get angry about something, they go out and vote. sop Aug 23 #33
Not this Democrat. ;-) ReRe Aug 23 #57
Keeping a Republican from being able to make Supreme Court appointments... 3catwoman3 Aug 23 #36
Purity tests Jilly_in_VA Aug 23 #37
just be a democrat marti Aug 23 #38
100% this relayerbob Aug 23 #40
Please, way too early for this! Emile Aug 23 #44
If you want a very perfect candidate. You should run. Give us all the benefit of a really perfect person Srkdqltr Aug 23 #46
We need to educate ourselves to understand that choosing a Democratic candidate is like choosing which bus to take. Scrivener7 Aug 23 #47
Purity in politics is for the weak minded. The Wizard Aug 23 #50
(sigh!) Nothing But The Best For The Oppressed DinahMoeHum Aug 23 #51
Sorry? You lost me. ReRe Aug 23 #58
Letting the perfect. . . DinahMoeHum Aug 23 #59
Ah. I've never been fond of that term, myself. ReRe Aug 23 #61
It's a fact of life radical noodle Aug 24 #84
I must admit ReRe Aug 24 #97
Well, let me know if you ever find a perfect person radical noodle Aug 25 #118
Indeed. writerJT Aug 23 #66
The only goal is defeating evil, and saving our democracy. Irish_Dem Aug 23 #53
Lose the election and no principles writerJT Aug 23 #67
I think it would be helpful if people got a little more wise to that. BannonsLiver Aug 23 #69
We play right into their hands with the culture war bullshit. BlueTsunami2018 Aug 23 #73
Dems need to discuss all of this flamingdem Aug 24 #76
Newsom is stepping up and acting presidential flamingdem Aug 24 #75
I think middle America & Independent voters will be a problem for him womanofthehills Aug 24 #111
I made similar observation weeks ago. B.See Aug 24 #80
Much of the nitpicking happens murielm99 Aug 24 #82
Sorry to say, but B.See Aug 24 #114
100% correct CommonHumanity Aug 24 #85
We need to nominate candidates who will win Mysterian Aug 24 #89
That is absolutely true. Srkdqltr Aug 24 #90
This is one of the biggest lessons to be learned. thought crime Aug 24 #117
What I don't like is when they buy into the GOP narrative iemanja Aug 24 #92
True allies LISTEN. (nt) Heidi Aug 24 #93
Tell that to the League of Women Voters Geechie Aug 24 #95
I agree. love_katz Aug 24 #102
yup. and if they don't our Democracy will be over. lostincalifornia Aug 24 #103
Alwayshopefull Alwayshopefull Aug 24 #106
No Cirsium Aug 24 #112
Agreed. But the NOses! Behind the Aegis Aug 24 #113
Yes, the purity tests have resulted in a presidential cabinet full Nixie Aug 24 #116
I know there is or was JustAnotherGen Aug 25 #130
Great post, and totally agree about Newsom and the culture element Nixie Aug 25 #141
I don't understand the oligarchy tour message. betsuni Aug 25 #142
Self-promotion, it looks like. Some of the headlines are so bad, I've noticed they are not even Nixie Aug 26 #144
Far as I can tell the only mention of Democrats is the "both sides controlled by oligarchs" one. betsuni Aug 26 #149
I'll vote for candidate who most closely aligns to my vision and values Torchlight Aug 25 #122
Transgender men competing in women's sports was reverberating everywhere before the Nov election. Omnipresent Aug 25 #132
Yes. There are still idiot Palestinian protestors protesting Democrats, travelingthrulife Aug 25 #134
100% this uponit7771 Aug 26 #148
A candidate who passed my own purity tests could never be elected. hunter Aug 26 #150
Just Because We're Cheering Newsome's Media Team Deep State Witch Aug 26 #151
I may not always be entirely happy with a Democratic candidate, but BlueKota Aug 26 #152
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