Democratic Party Presidential Candidates for 2020

[Shiloh Lyric]

I'm very much leaning toward Elizabeth Warren. She's just as progressive as Bernie, and MORE progressive than Bernie on gun control, which is a HUGE issue for me. The CFPB was quite an accomplishment and I'm a fan of her universal childcare policy. And if 2015/2016 taught me anything, it's to trust my 'gut'.

But I'm voting for whoever the Democratic nominee is. I just want Donald Trump gone more than anything. He's done enough damage, and even another 2 years is far too long.

 

[Cristalle]

Medicare For All originated in the House, by John Conyers. It is not Bernie's invention.
He blew hot air in the news about Amazon and Disney, but that's it. He had nothing to do with either of their decisions. To have put pressure on Disney would have been illegal from the start (either, actually). Disney had a union they were forced to negotiate with, and that union did it ALL.

Bernie has been in the Senate for 30 years. You mentioned a couple of bills that still have no ending. There's no comparing him to a senator who isn't even half way through her first term.

He already had a very large donor list. All of the others have only just begun and have growth potential that his does not.

He's banned. Any anyone supporting ratfucking round 2 gets nothing.

He has only been a Senator since 2007. Medicare for All the BILL H.R. 676 may be Conyers' bill in the House, introduced in 2017, but it's not a new concept. Bernie has been pushing for single payer health care for far longer than that. Even so, the point is, Harris and Booker don't have any record that qualifies them as "more effective."

As for the rest, that's your opinion. There is room for the others to grow, of course, as it is still early yet. But I don't think Bernie has hit his ceiling. There are plenty of people who couldn't donate on day 1 that were waiting for their paychecks.

 

[danielravennest]

There are people who aren't saying much on social media because of people like you and a lot of folks here, not wanting to fight. Instead, they give their money and go to more supportive channels to talk instead. .

I'm actually a paid member of the county Democratic party here in Atlanta. I'll be interested to see what the buzz is here internally to the party.

On a different topic, the DNC is requiring candidates to run and serve as Democrats. I'm not sure what Bernie will do in this case.

 

[Aribeth Zelin]

You know, as someone who supported Bernie in '16 [and who mostly know a bunch of people who did the same], I'd just like to point out that, just like the bot farms that attacked HRC in the general, and who are known to have done so. Let's say another country wanted to destroy us from within? How would you do it? Memes are a great and powerful tool, because people will see them, think they might be true, and share them, then their friends think they are true because first person is considered trustworthy, so well.. pass it along.

All these attacks supposedly coming from progressive sources against the different potential candidates and people don't think 'wait, maybe this isn't aboveboard'? I mean, I see the attacks on Harris, and while I'm not sure she's quite in line with my own political leanings, I still question the source. And I also question the 'Its coming from X source' because that just seems....

Anyway, my point is, while there might be a few Bernie Bros? I don't know a single one. I know people who were disappointed, but to the best of my knowledge, the only one who did not vote in the General was a friend who couldn't register because he didn't have a permanent address at the time. So, I really think all these things coming out? Are designed to make it harder to take back our country by getting us at each others throats.

 

[Cristalle]

Discussing money:

 

[Porsupah Ree]

As a general preference, not aimed at anyone, and absolutely as a favor: if you post a video, could you summarise the key point(s)? I really don't like going through video unless necessary - much as my professional life has revolved around video on several occasions, I still hugely prefer reading to watching/listening, when it comes to factual material.

 

[Brian]

He has only been a Senator since 2007. Medicare for All the BILL H.R. 676 may be Conyers' bill in the House, introduced in 2017, but it's not a new concept. Bernie has been pushing for single payer health care for far longer than that. Even so, the point is, Harris and Booker don't have any record that qualifies them as "more effective."

As for the rest, that's your opinion. There is room for the others to grow, of course, as it is still early yet. But I don't think Bernie has hit his ceiling. There are plenty of people who couldn't donate on day 1 that were waiting for their paychecks.

Correct on the Senator term length, but in the US House as a Representative since 1990 before that. That totally makes him not establishment.

Any updates of Medicare For All later is only that: updated.
Conyers authored it in 2003.
Republicans held way too much control in Washington for it to advance and everyone with half a brain knows that.
If you think you have any standing to challenge me on sourcing and what's happened through history in politics, at least spend a few more months studying first. You can't even bluff it yet.

Anyway, my point is, while there might be a few Bernie Bros? I don't know a single one.

As for not knowing about any Bernie bros? Some of you in here are. You still had the ignorant idea that Nina Turner is someone honorable.
Every single one of you ignored Tulsi Gabbard's hateful LGBTQ record. Not just stated positions. Outright persecution including her involvement with, and political pushing of activities including conversion therapy. Stated positions, words, are what she and you are all too happy to call amends.
Half of you still push Intercept crap when they are no better than Fox News.

Yeah, the moniker is mostly attributed to males throwing out misogynist vitriol to women and specifically about HRC through social media, but the MO for all of his rabid supporters has become identical. YOU might not be all that, but even his mildest supporters are awful close.
I've witnessed too much of it happening in real time. Bots? Some, yes. When the conversations begin getting detailed, you can tell there's a real person there. The irony is you can't consider anyone a bot either without the ridicule that "everyone that disagrees with you is a bot". Is Cristalle a bot? No? She's a fucking Bernie bro. Han? A fucking Bernie bro. Cristalle still want to brush off "identity politics" as if there is any such thing as politics that isn't. More irony as Bernie publicly sympathizes with the "white working class" and the misunderstood racist rural Republicans who don't like being called racists.

Check out @RoseAnnDeMoro Twitter timeline. Figure out who she is. She even suggests sending people to "Bernie School" to educate them. How do you read shit like that and deny it's a goddamn cult.

Don't like the Bernie bro name? TOO FUCKING BAD.

ETA: I really meant to include the entire TYT crowd in with the Intercept AND Bernie bro crowd. Calling it what it is.

 

[Han Held]

Han? A fucking Bernie bro.

And you're either a DNC shill or an asslicker.

Get fucked.

 

[Cristalle]

You're such a tool, Brian. Yes, I support Bernie but it's not about him as a person, it's about POLICY. I will give my support to people who I think advance the best policies for this country. I can call a spade a spade, and I won't defend the indefensible. Too bad you can't get past identity. Don't like it? I don't care, the same way you don't give a damn about what I feel. I'm not dumb enough to refuse a package that will help me just because it comes from an old white guy... the same old white guy that everyone else is trying to mimic. I'm not saying I won't vote for either of them if they win; I am voting for whoever that Democrat is, the same way I did in 2016.

Politics is and should be about what people can offer to improve lives. That's why Kamala Harris and Cory Booker's blackness are just a bonus to whatever else they may offer - and I'm not saying that they don't have some good ideas. But on the issues I care about most, I think they're faking it and thus they don't get my vote. But I'm not going to sit here and pick a fight with you as a person for what you think, like you have repeatedly done to me here, and now to Han. You can screw off with that. You're just as obnoxious as the people you claim to despise.

I am not repeating myself anymore. I don't care if you think I'm a "Bernie Bro." Your opinion means shit to me and my policy priorities.

 

[Han Held]

And I don't mean that because you're fanatically centrist, either, Brian; a lot of VV1 posters are but I wouldn't throw that accusation at them.

The difference? They don't go miles out of their way (I wasn't even IN this conversation, fucknut) to antagonize anyone who deviates from The Party Line.

Brian -you got some major issues; apart from, but most certainly expressed through, your vitrolic political posts.

tldr; get fucked. preferably with a rusty chainsaw.

 

[Han Held]

Also congrats, Brian -you're the first person on VV1 I've put on ignore.

 

[Brian]

You're such a tool, Brian. Yes, I support Bernie but it's not about him as a person, it's about POLICY. I will give my support to people who I think advance the best policies for this country. I can call a spade a spade, and I won't defend the indefensible. Too bad you can't get past identity. Don't like it? I don't care, the same way you don't give a damn about what I feel. I'm not dumb enough to refuse a package that will help me just because it comes from an old white guy... the same old white guy that everyone else is trying to mimic. I'm not saying I won't vote for either of them if they win; I am voting for whoever that Democrat is, the same way I did in 2016.

Politics is and should be about what people can offer to improve lives. That's why Kamala Harris and Cory Booker's blackness are just a bonus to whatever else they may offer - and I'm not saying that they don't have some good ideas. But on the issues I care about most, I think they're faking it and thus they don't get my vote. But I'm not going to sit here and pick a fight with you as a person for what you think, like you have repeatedly done to me here, and now to Han. You can screw off with that. You're just as obnoxious as the people you claim to despise.

I am not repeating myself anymore. I don't care if you think I'm a "Bernie Bro." Your opinion means shit to me and my policy priorities.

Policy doesn't mean shit if you can't get it through Congress. You heard the story of the unicorn you get to live happily ever after with when Sanders ran for President the first time and suddenly you were awake and know how US Politics works. If he had won presidency with the Congress we had in from 2016 he would have had it worse than Obama did in his last 2 years. Not a single policy he campaigned for would have even come close. With the Congress we have now, he would have a favorable House only. I wouldn't put it past McConnell to have kept us with 2 open SCOTUS seats.

Sadly, if we had more people like AOC in the House, we wouldn't have even had the government open. When a bill encompasses a multiple shitload of issues altogether, it's not possible to pass without some things you don't like. She voted with Republicans to not pass the bill to stop the shutdown.

To improve lives, you have to have more than all policy that's in your dreams. You have to deal with those who want none of it. You get closer to what you want by taking more seats. JD endorsed candidates did none of that. They took 4 seats that were already in solid blue districts. Hardcore Democratic base took 40 red seats with GOTV efforts.

Don't worry, you'll still have the weasels in media playing up Bernie while criticizing others for not closing prisons while being a prosecutor, and being a bossy boss. Meantime, you get to endure Democrats who refuse to play nice with Bernie or his supporters another go-round.
The hardcore HRC supporters are happy to make it clear that they don't mind a crusty, old, white guy; just not THAT crusty, old, white guy.

I couldn't care less if Han ignores; the history before the forum change was already bad.
Enjoy the campaigns. Since nothing's changed, don't expect a fun ride.

 

[detrius]

Brian perfectly illustrates the difference between "centrists" and "moderates".

 

[Brian]

Brian perfectly illustrates the difference between "centrists" and "moderates".

I displayed neither.
I showed a preference for a moderate and told why.

I'm not in the center and often, like here, not willing to be moderate.

 

[Brenda Archer]

Correct on the Senator term length, but in the US House as a Representative since 1990 before that. That totally makes him not establishment.

Any updates of Medicare For All later is only that: updated.
Conyers authored it in 2003.
Republicans held way too much control in Washington for it to advance and everyone with half a brain knows that.
If you think you have any standing to challenge me on sourcing and what's happened through history in politics, at least spend a few more months studying first. You can't even bluff it yet.



As for not knowing about any Bernie bros? Some of you in here are. You still had the ignorant idea that Nina Turner is someone honorable.
Every single one of you ignored Tulsi Gabbard's hateful LGBTQ record. Not just stated positions. Outright persecution including her involvement with, and political pushing of activities including conversion therapy. Stated positions, words, are what she and you are all too happy to call amends.
Half of you still push Intercept crap when they are no better than Fox News.

Yeah, the moniker is mostly attributed to males throwing out misogynist vitriol to women and specifically about HRC through social media, but the MO for all of his rabid supporters has become identical. YOU might not be all that, but even his mildest supporters are awful close.
I've witnessed too much of it happening in real time. Bots? Some, yes. When the conversations begin getting detailed, you can tell there's a real person there. The irony is you can't consider anyone a bot either without the ridicule that "everyone that disagrees with you is a bot". Is Cristalle a bot? No? She's a fucking Bernie bro. Han? A fucking Bernie bro. Cristalle still want to brush off "identity politics" as if there is any such thing as politics that isn't. More irony as Bernie publicly sympathizes with the "white working class" and the misunderstood racist rural Republicans who don't like being called racists.

Check out @RoseAnnDeMoro Twitter timeline. Figure out who she is. She even suggests sending people to "Bernie School" to educate them. How do you read shit like that and deny it's a goddamn cult.

Don't like the Bernie bro name? TOO FUCKING BAD.

ETA: I really meant to include the entire TYT crowd in with the Intercept AND Bernie bro crowd. Calling it what it is.

This is really uncalled for.

You have managed to miss all the posts I've made, or replied to, about conversion therapy. This is a core issue for me as once again I'm entangled with LGBTQ* Mormons (and ex-Mormons) in the Intermountain West.

I'm from northern New England and Bernie is one of us. That's why we kept electing him. He's done a lot of good. I believe he is too old to be a two term President, and we need someone younger. I'm also leaning toward Warren. She's also one of us!

All politics is local.

 

[Kara Spengler]

Wull, yeah, he is an old white guy. But he won’t split the vote any more than the other couple of dozen candidates. Want his platform, but not him, not sorry.

Yes, when it comes down to it his only real major negatives are being an old white guy. Should we hold demographics against someone now compared to what they will do? I would much rather have a progressive white guy than a conservative black woman. The only one there that is really relevant is his age, however I am much younger than him and he has more energy a lot of the time.

I do admit I do not know much about the other candidates, there could be some diamonds in the rough. I do know what he has done in the past though and I liked it. What is more I would feel obligated to support him since my niece (unfortunately just barely too young to vote for anyone but will have to live with what her peers decide) does and is politically active.

 

[Aribeth Zelin]

Again, Bernie isn't an 'Old White Guy' in that he's Jewish and not a WASP or even a WASCatholic. Antisemitism is a thing for a reason...

 

[Kara Spengler]

Shocking that in America today, people feel most comfortable donating to another old white dude. People supporting Bernie in this area were mostly white dudes. The libertarians among them was a real wtf moment. I voted for Bernie in the Primary because I felt his progressive platform best represented the kind of America I wanted to live in, but backed Hillary 100 percent when she won the nomination. It was the supporters that completely turned me off to Bernie. I'm proud of my vote for Hillary, she would have made a great President, instead we got The Dotard-in-Chief. Screw all those Bernie Bros who voted for Trump because their guy didn't win, and they were never going to vote for a woman anyway. They won't be voting for a woman in 2020 either.

Remember that those people were not all of his supporters. I also supported him fully in the primaries but then supported Hillary 100% after the convention. I would say a lot of people were in that category but the news always focuses on the bernie-then-donnie people and makes them sound like the rule.

 

[Kara Spengler]

So looking at policies, is it helpful to consider effectiveness? How successful has Sanders been at enacting or shaping legislation? Has his conscious decision to remain outside of the Democratic Party helped or hurt his ability to enact policy? Especially given our current political climate and the likelihood of divided government (even if one party nominally holds both chambers), can he build a coalition to get a significant piece of legislation passed? Consider the effort to get us even the ACA, which cost the Democratic Party heavily. I would vote for Sanders if he got the nomination, but in the current field he will not get my vote in the primary. There are more effective people running that have not just high ideals, but the experience and connections to move towards them.

Actually, his ability to work across the aisle is considered one of his strengths. What is even more remarkable is he is able to do it while being so far on the left.

 

[Kara Spengler]

There is a bigger progressive playing field this time around, and Bernie has always been way too soft on guns for my liking. Still, If he wins the nomination, he has my vote.

No candidate will be perfect on EVERY issue but I feel I have to address this one. He is approaching guns from a rural POV rather than an urban one. In states like VT they are just seen as another tool, mass shootings are not as much of an issue. When I was a kid in NH my dad had several rifles (no pistols, however he was a revolutionary war reenactor, in the military, and had them for misc reasons on a farm/part of forest where police were not always able to get there ASAP), us kids just took them for granted and knew not to touch them.