“The ballot is stronger than the bullet.” - Abraham Lincoln
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I’m laughing at reading everybody’s responses and okay I get the irony. But I still think he would’ve said it because the larger point remains. Transformations created at the ballot box are more profound for a society in the long run than is the assassination of any one person.

Oct 13, 2020 · 6:41 AM UTC

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Replying to @marwilliamson
i admire the sentiment, but i fail to see how lincoln's or jfk's or, hell, franz ferdinand's assassination affected society less than electing gerald ford or james polk
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I was thinking more George W. Bush versus Al Gore. If Gore had won (which he actually did), there would’ve been no Iraq war and there would’ve been a massive national commitment to combating climate change.
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Replying to @marwilliamson
Transformation doesn't tend to happen at the ballot box at all, but rather already elected officials cede to the pressure created by direct action. That means strikes. That means riots. That means things that might be Improper and Uncomfortable.
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Actually no. Black Lives Matter is the biggest social movement in the history of the U.S. It’s extremely important but the truth is that it hasn’t created one legislative change yet. Those will happen according to how we vote. Politicians respond to being hired or fired.
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Replying to @marwilliamson
You seem to be assuming we have a functioning democracy, which would be required for meaningful change via the ballot box. We don't have a functioning democracy.
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I’d say we have a democracy on life support. But if we let Trump win we’re essentially pulling the plug.
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Replying to @marwilliamson
Wtf. Come back to reality where the US is an Oligarchy where one person does NOT equal one vote. Lmao at this ridiculously silly and extremely ignorant tweet. “Ballot box transformation!” 😂😂🤡🤡
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Replying to @marwilliamson
You spew things out trying to make your point and didn't notice insertion of one's foot in mouth.
Replying to @marwilliamson
Anyway, it’s not like Lincoln’s assassination undid the Union victory
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Replying to @marwilliamson
Marianne, I love that you've got a sense of humor. Rare to see in most these days, let alone a politician. Second, I'd say the vote, while important, is often the signifier of change rather than the cause. To use the Abe example, it's not as if slavery in the US was voted away.
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