US Elections 2020

[filghy2]

Boomerberg is a republican.. and he's more of an oligarch..

He also doesn't seem to think much of transsexuals - one of many examples where past statements are coming back to haunt him. https://www.vox.com/2020/2/19/211437...trans-comments

[broncofan]

After watching this clip I'm thinking having Bloomberg up there is good batting practice to prepare for Trump. I'm not saying they're the same, but many points of comparison.

https://twitter.com/laurenthehough/status/1230315218082959365

[AlexisDVyne]

The debate was good..

Bernie needs to be more assertive and say something about the media bias..

Warren totally roasted Boomerberg! She flamed him trice and then slowly dragged him over the coals..

It was definitely the best part..

[Jericho]

I'm not saying who my candidate would be...given past form, I've got the fekkin anti-midas touch!

But, what's a super delegate, where do they come in to things?

[broncofan]

Bernie needs to be more assertive and say something about the media bias..

This is often a strategy for someone who thinks they cannot win. By the time the general election comes around we will be hearing from Trump about how the media is the enemy of the people and is rigged against him for reporting things he doesn't like. I don't think it's useful for candidates to focus on this instead of what they have to offer the country.

Even before the latest revelations about Bloomberg I never really understood the point of him as a candidate. I don't think businessmen are more qualified in any respect to hold office. Running Bloomberg as an alternative to Trump would be an extremely cynical move. He created something that made him billions and has spent his adult life mistreating people. His comments about transgender people are a window into who he is, as are his crude comments to his employees.

While listening to Bernie's angry man routine last night I was struck by how self-righteous he sounds. He seems to think he's the only one who cares about people. I have to say I liked Warren best and I think she does well when she really asserts herself like she did last night. Her policies really are pretty close to Bernie's and she has a more sound grasp of policy than he does.

Last thought is that I know there are probably some good reasons people are not high on Buttigieg but a lot of the comments I've heard about him are farcical, narrative driven attacks.

[filghy2]

Even before the latest revelations about Bloomberg I never really understood the point of him as a candidate. I don't think businessmen are more qualified in any respect to hold office. Running Bloomberg as an alternative to Trump would be an extremely cynical move. He created something that made him billions and has spent his adult life mistreating people. His comments about transgender people are a window into who he is, as are his crude comments to his employees.

I think his only argument is that he might have the best chance of beating Trump, and obviously Biden's poor performance has played right into that argument. I'm sure he genuinely believes that Trump is a danger, but in normal circumstances he would be running for the Republican nomination. I guess he figured there was no point the way the party is now, so his only option was to try to take over the Dems. The more I know about him, the more he starts to look like a saner and less extreme version of Trump.

[broncofan]

The more I know about him, the more he starts to look like a saner and less extreme version of Trump.

I agree though I think Bloomberg has probably spent his adult life observing at least some rules and social conventions that Trump ignores. The people Trump really wanted to impress in the New York business world know he is a buffoon and vulgarian. He got used to surrounding himself with flatterers and being petty and vindictive when it came to anyone critical of him. My guess is that Bloomberg would have respect for the rules and institutions even if he seems to have none for people he thinks are beneath him.

He does seem genuinely concerned about gun violence and has shown more willingness to accept a fairer system of taxes. I ask myself why Bloomberg wanted to run when he has money to use in furtherance of some socially useful objectives. He must love the flattery that he's the "real billionaire" in the race and he has the antidote to Trumpism. He also is pitching the idea that he will bring things back to normal which given how bad Trump is has its appeal, but I don't think electing him would be all that normal.

A lot of people I know, many of whom are very dedicated to left-wing causes, were way too excited for him to enter the race. It shows people are considering "electability", which I think is natural, but maybe the way to get there is to first understand what it is you want. You can't really get there in a top-down sort of way...

Regardless of appeal, I think Elizabeth Warren is a credible, serious, and dedicated public servant. I don't know how well she does, but I suppose you never do.

[blackchubby38]

I agree though I think Bloomberg has probably spent his adult life observing at least some rules and social conventions that Trump ignores. The people Trump really wanted to impress in the New York business world know he is a buffoon and vulgarian. He got used to surrounding himself with flatterers and being petty and vindictive when it came to anyone critical of him. My guess is that Bloomberg would have respect for the rules and institutions even if he seems to have none for people he thinks are beneath him.

He does seem genuinely concerned about gun violence and has shown more willingness to accept a fairer system of taxes. I ask myself why Bloomberg wanted to run when he has money to use in furtherance of some socially useful objectives. He must love the flattery that he's the "real billionaire" in the race and he has the antidote to Trumpism. He also is pitching the idea that he will bring things back to normal which given how bad Trump is has its appeal, but I don't think electing him would be all that normal.

A lot of people I know, many of whom are very dedicated to left-wing causes, were way too excited for him to enter the race. It shows people are considering "electability", which I think is natural, but maybe the way to get there is to first understand what it is you want. You can't really get there in a top-down sort of way...

Regardless of appeal, I think Elizabeth Warren is a credible, serious, and dedicated public servant. I don't know how well she does, but I suppose you never do.

I think before you can understand what it is you want, if you have to remember the history and identity of this country. The United States has always has been and most likely always will be a center/right country. Once you realize that, then you figure out as party what ideas will work at the national level and what your platform is going to be. Then find you find the candidate who you think can run on that platform and who has the best chance to get elected in a general election.

I think that's why many of your friends were excited when Bloomberg entered the race. He leans left on certain issues, but none of his ideas are that far out there as to turn off independent/moderate voters. Which gives him a solid chance to beat Trump in the general election. As I have stated before, that should be the number one goal of the Democratic Party. Because this is their last chance to get him out of office. Also if they lose in November, there could be a good chance its the end of the Democratic Party as we know it.

But having said all that, I think at this point I'm just ready for Bernie Sanders to be nominee and lets just see what happens in November. Maybe the 12 percent of his voters that voted for Trump in 2016 will come back into the fold and be the difference.

[filghy2]

I think before you can understand what it is you want, if you have to remember the history and identity of this country. The United States has always has been and most likely always will be a center/right country. Once you realize that, then you figure out as party what ideas will work at the national level and what your platform is going to be. Then find you find the candidate who you think can run on that platform and who has the best chance to get elected in a general election.

Isn't that what they did last time? Trump's election shows that a lot of people were unhappy enough with the existing state of affairs in the USA that they voted for someone who promised to disrupt it. I'm not entirely convinced that the right approach is to be cautious and essentially promise to do not much more than restore the pre-Trump status quo.

One thing we should have learnt is recent years is that conventional wisdoms are often wrong. I really have no idea how Bernie Sanders will go if he gets the nomination, but I'm pretty sure most of the people saying he is unelectable were also saying the same about Trump in 2016.

[tovosan]

Is a third party probable?