The Disorganized Third Option(s)

Quick little history lesson:

Before Lula became the famous global leader we know today, before his multiple stints as president of Brazil, he had unsuccessfully run for the presidency multiple times. Brazil had politically been right-wing since the 1950s when it was ruled by a military dictatorship for decades, and once free elections were finally allowed it was won by right-wing politicians. Lula realized that he needed to make some concessions if he wanted to implement some of his policies that would help Brazilians, especially in the poorer communities.

For the 2002 election, he picked a center-right as his running mate, and also penned a public letter to Brazilians nationwide in an effort to try to calm wildly exaggerated fears that was going to become some psycho socialist seeking a dictatorship like certain leaders within the hemisphere. He would make some controversial concessions within his own party because he knew that the endgame would justify having to back off some of his more “extreme” ideas at the time.

The decisions worked and Lula wins in 2002, and in 2006 despite his political party constantly finding themselves in hot water. Lula would solidify his status as among the most-beloved leaders in the entire world as his ideas would create a spectacular 27% drop in poverty while also making Brazil a top 10 global economy for a time.

His popularity would never really waver much (especially among the lower/middle class) as he would have won in 2018 had a scandal not taken him to jail (controversially, as the judge who sent him to jail literally supported the opposition before ultimately running for president himself) and after his prison sentence was removed, he’d win yet again in 2022, even with his political party in absolute shambles.

But none of this happens had he kept with his initial agenda and not made any efforts to form smaller coalitions with other political parties and more distant ideologies. It took him four elections before finally getting over that obstacle, revolutions in politics takes time, and Lula did the work and time and dramatically elevated Brazil into a South American economic force (and trying to bring them back to that same position again).

So let’s talk about the 2024 U.S. election.

We have seen the polarizing Robert F. Kennedy make good strides in his campaign, while in the background the likes of Jill Stein, Cornell West, and Claudia/Karina make very minimal gains that as of now is all but guaranteed to result in an impossible shot for the presidency. Some of the newer politicians have done a good job in spreading the message, in challenging the two-party system, and in presenting themselves as a good alternative, but in the complicated rules of U.S. politics they remain out of the question when discussing an actual chance to be president.

That damn Electoral College is quite the obstacle.

So if Biden and Trump are such actual threats, why are they not forming a coalition?

Why aren’t they working harder to work together and become eligible in the ballots of all 50 states?

If the Green Party has the most nationwide access, why aren’t they trying harder to reel in Claudia/Karina, West, and others to create an actual proper progressive moment to truly challenge the status quo?

RFK for all his setbacks was actually an environmental lawyer, which sounds like a pro-Green Party candidate indeed. In fact, everyone I have mentioned have roughly similar stances on the major topics at hand, so where is the merging of forces to take on the two-headed monster? Where is the desperation? Where are the wilder ideas to truly give themselves a good shot at an upset? Where is the separation of signature and financial-related tasks per state to improve their chances at more recognition?

With an absolutely furious United States voting population publicly and loudly wanting better options, why not actually be in the forefront by presenting a lineup of progressives and independents under the same ticket?

Why aren’t there more efforts to boost smaller candidates in smaller roles within Washington D.C.? Look at this concerning picture.

How can you build momentum if you aren’t winning the smaller races? How can you battle the status quo if you aren’t willing to constantly engage in the local and state battles against the two superpower parties? And I think in the midst of our well-earned criticisms towards Biden and especially Trump and his MAGA cult, the lack of foresight and effort to throw more progressives in different races despite the obvious tall hill to climb in the general election also warrants criticism.

The Green Party and American Socialist parties have constantly screamed about the dangers of Democrats and Republicans all century long, ever since Ralph Nader way back in 2000. So why STILL have zero seats in Congress? Are we even seeing any 2024 Senate or House races featuring Green Party candidates or candidates loudly supported by Claudia/Karina and Cornell West?

Bernie Sanders and the Squad have gotten some flack for remaining in the Democratic Party despite the party’s reluctance to shift left and become more progressive even as the American voters collectively have been in favor of more progressive policies. But I’m sure they’ve seen the lack of momentum coming from the smaller progressive parties and choose to try to transform their movement from within the Democratic base. You can’t draw the big names if you aren’t serious or organized enough to make the concessions to at least make all 50 states’ ballots.

A reminder, a grand substantial amount of criticism should be levied towards the Democratic Party and especially the Republican Party which has allowed a cult to overtake the entire institution. But we also shouldn’t completely forgive all these smaller candidates for not actually supporting their own messaging about the dire conditions of the country and becoming a unifying force to actually challenge the powers that be. As of now, they are loud (accurate) voices with no powers and no chance.

In other words, a wasted vote.