President of Genocide vs. President of Insurrection: The Lesser of Two Evils Voting System is Fucking Impossible

Image by New York Magazine

By Kirk Baltimore

Not for any particular scandal that turned viral like Stormy Daniels's hush money, lawyers going rogue, and "Grab her by the pussy-gate." Still, for the sake of sensibilities, temperament, and humanism, this election that's likely to be a rematch between Biden & Trump will take a lot of work for voters to navigate. As voters complete their side-by-side comparisons of Biden & Trump, legislation won't be the primary concern; accountability will, which neither candidate has been able to do.

White Men Talking Won't Sway Voters

The intricacies of winning an election include converting undecided voters, which requires more intentionality than scheduled rallies. Biden & Trump love the campaign trail and have never shied away from the colloquial language of whoever their target voter is at any given rally. Despite their "relatability," both candidates must provide an account of their affairs over these past few years, and mediocre "white man talking" won't suffice unless it addresses fundamental political strains that have harmed their electability. However, neither candidate has a good track record that suggests that they embrace the necessary culpabilities that could sway voters who are on the fence. Undoubtedly, each candidate will have the majority of their base for support; however, to win this next election, they must be able to sway middle-of-the-aisle voters. Voters who aren't mindlessly following a particular base will want to examine policy plans and analyze how each has regarded their role as President and the example they've set worldwide.

The President of Genocide, Young Voters & Voters of Color

President Biden won't be able to rely on the customary "vote blue no matter who" premise, which historically has served as the "lesser of two evils." The social climate for decades has inclined many marginalized voters who joined the "vote blue no matter who" wave out of necessity, benefiting Democratic candidates with minimal sacrifice or overpromising. In the 2024 election, President Biden will have to give an account for his support of the genocide Palestine is experiencing at the hands of Israel.

Biden may be the answer to "Trump fatigue" and may, in a general sense, be a more sensible option than Trump. Biden has failed to deliver on promises, sidestepped the Supreme Court regarding student loan forgiveness, exacerbated the border crisis, worsened the child-care system, and deepened the country's reliance on Russian uranium. Additionally,  he will have an uphill battle defending his contribution to the persecution of innocent Palestinians to the same voters who have religiously followed the "vote blue no matter who" philosophy, voters of color.

Biden's support of Israel has not only been political but personal. Biden stated at a campaign reception in December 2023 that he is an unapologetic Zionist. Biden defended his position and said that he was in trouble for pledging his allegiance with Zionism but stood firmly to it. The result of that trouble has led to a 33% approval rating of his handling of Israel-Palestine among young voters. Biden won't be able to secure a second Presidential term without the support of young voters. Polls show that "Gen Z voters will make up over 40 million potential voters" in the 2024 Presidential election.

Trump Isn't a Better Option

Despite President Biden's approval ratings and poor handling of the Israel-Palestine situation, Trump by no means has a clear path to winning the Presidency in 2024. "Trump fatigue" remains intact even though he isn't in office. Over the past year, Trump has been in the spotlight for his legal troubles, which include felony charges for "falsifying business records to conceal hush money, hoarding classified documents," and attempts to overturn the 2020 election in the state of Georgia. Trump's primary legal battle is for the insurrection of January 6th and his attempts to block the official results hearing of the Presidential election for 2020. Trump's efforts led to an indictment on a few counts of obstruction and conspiracy. Unlike Biden, Trump has an acceptable favorability rating with his base at a percentage of 84%.

Trump's favorability isn't surprising as he has evaded every Republican Presidential Debate for the 2024 election without compromising his polling and committed voter numbers. And despite an increasing number of Republican Presidential candidates dropping out as we enter the new year, Trump remains the front-runner for the GOP. Whereas popularity is keeping Trump a front-runner, it might prove unsustainable as states like Main and Colorado are already enforcing legal restrictions to keep Trump off the presidential ballot for the upcoming election. And despite Trump's efforts to appeal Colorado and Maine's restrictions, Massachusetts and Illinois have also filed motions to keep Trump off their state ballot. Whereas Biden will have a challenging time with securing the Presidential election without the young voters and voters of color, Trump's inability to secure the Presidency will be inevitable if states restrict him from being on the ballot.

How to Navigate Poor Presidential Choices

Navigating a Presidential election with poor candidates is challenging, and there isn't a universal approach that will resonate with everyone. Nuance doesn't provide easy answers, but it helps us to consider depth even within slim margins. As the experience is relative to the individual, there are themes that we can glean from that may be at the forefront for young and BIPOC voters. Young voters should consider their impact and treat their vote as sacred, ensuring that whoever they vote for has earned it fairly. Young voters should vote with the intention of following up. Intention may include advocacy in their communities, having uncomfortable dialogue with peers around campuses, and being present with policies and legislation introduced and passed.

Image via Robert Reich

For BIPOC voters, the challenge is a bit more complicated. Most voters of color consider their ancestral history within America's voting institution and understand that voting in and of itself should be done despite who's on the ticket. Given this, it may be challenging to reconcile the idea of voting for a candidate who has "earned" their vote, as the inherent expectation to vote may override the ideal of feeling a sense of satisfaction in the candidate they vote for. Even though there are additional circumstances for BIPOC voters to consider when voting, it's apparent that there is no "right" or "wrong" way to navigate it. BIPOC voters deserve space to sit with how they feel about the candidates, scrutinize their policies, and identify ways to feel empowered despite who they vote for.

This election is an opportunity for many BIPOC voters to synchronously examine their fidelity with the "vote blue no matter who" philosophy over the years.  This can only be done by voters making their own cross-benefits analysis of the current and historical candidates who have received their votes. It's important to reflect on the historical implications of the American voting system, which often marginalized non-patriarchal and non-heteronormative perspectives. For decades, political candidates have reduced BIPOC voters to a simple "Black vote" and have exploited their vote by means of contrast with a candidate who isn't willing to dedicate a few minutes of false promises as a sense of resolve.  This is text-book "lesser of two evils' ' politics, and it's not enough for BIPOC voters simply to be acknowledged; they must demand to be prioritized.