I’d imagine fair number of Democratic voters are on the side of “progress for the average american”. Something that’s been sorely lacking for a very long time from both parties. In fact, I would imagine a fair number of voters have to vote “against” a candidate rather than “for” one.
But yea, anyone who abstained from voting is not “on my side” because it was extremely clear which “side” would do active harm to america and would in fact revert progress for the average american.
Trying to take the intellectual high ground of “holding politicians accountable” is silly, especially for the office of president where you only get 1 choice per party. If they really wanted to hold them accountable you should start voting in non-incumbents in offices that allow for multiple choices per party. Or at the very least offices where the power is spread among a group of people instead of in a single role.
I guess a few things:
I read “holding politicians accountable” to be: “I didn’t vote for the Democrats because they weren’t left/whatever enough for me.” Which means either they voted green/independant (possible) or they voted republican (extremely unlikely) or they didn’t vote at all (most likely IMO). So again, I don’t view those people as being “on the same side as me”.
Voting anything other than D/R for president is in fact throwing away your vote. Until we get something other than first past the post it’s a literal throwaway vote. I don’t like it anymore than (i assume) you do, but that is how it is, and those are the rules we have to play with.
I was with you on this up until this election. But there was only 1 major party for democracy in 2024, and it was extremely clear for anyone who held America in any respect/esteem/standing. Trump holds just about everything that makes America, America, in contempt. He’s a known misogynist, xenophobe, transphobe, racist, thin-skinned, power-hungry, lying, treasonous, child who wouldn’t be able to hold down a job as a walmart greeter if he actually had to work a day in his life.