Huge difference between:

“Trump’s doing everything to steal the election! Let’s scramble to protect our votes and make sure they count!”

vs

“Can’t you see Trump’s already got the election stolen! Only a dummy would think voting matters!”

2 is part of the election stealing.

A huge part of election stealing is convincing most of the opposition to give up in advance and stay home.

That’s why Trump isn’t bothering to hide his efforts. He wants you to think it’s already a done deal so you won’t bother voting.

Is he going to have USPS minions steal mail ballots? Probably.

Is he going to declare “terrorism” to send troops against voting lines? Possibly.

But beware of self-labeled “progressives” who push these risks as a reason to give up in advance.

That’s the point of all of it.

Giving up in advance isn’t just a collateral result of Trump’s strategy - it’s a recognized authoritarian tactic that Putin uses, and it’s where Trump’s trying to push us.

Let’s be wary and wise to the risks, and counter them, without inadvertently propping up their goal.

You’re seeing similarly-insidious tactics used re protests.

“Protests are great! They’re working!”

vs

“Protests are working! Now do you idiots see why there’s no point to voting!”

See the difference?

How many around my age (b 1961) grew up hearing ubiquitous “dOnt vOtE, iT OnLy eNcOuRaGeS tHeM?”

Yes. It dates back to the Nixon years. And no, it did not originate with a comedian. It was ubiquitous among the US left and obviously planted very effectively by dark propaganda.

When you see tweets taunting: “he’s stealing it right out in the open! When are you going to get it!” there’s always an undertone of “do you want to be one of the dorks who line up and vote anyway? or sit at the cool ppl’s table where we stay home bc we’re cooler?”

Don’t bite.