Democratic Party Presidential Candidates for 2020

[Aribeth Zelin]

I'm just going to throw in a few things. 1> I blocked Brian a while ago because of his divisive attitude; we all have the right to vote our conscious, even if others might disagree. Forcing everyone to vote the party line [especially those of us who are NOT IN A PARTY], is facism. 2> Jewish people are a minority. Period, end of sentence. 3> I'm still leaning more towards Warren, barring additional research, but I also believe in being factual [re: 2], 4> Gun regulations are fine, however, if you not careful, you run into constitutional issues. Short of an amendment, or a redefinition that restores the Militias, and links the 2nd back to militia may own guns as part of the whole well-regulated militia mentioned in the 2nd? That's one of those touchy topics. Also, people rural areas often need guns as tools.

 

[Cristalle]

Bernie Sanders Is Running—and America Just Might Be Ready to Elect a Democratic Socialist

After two years of Trump, the nation is ready for a change and it may well be so.

 

[Cristiano]

Jewish people are a minority. Period, end of sentence.

Bernie being Jewish doesn't override not wanting another old white male candidate in a long line of old white male candidates.

 

[EmpressOfCommunism]

I don't blame Jewish folks wanting there to be the first Jewish president though, and have him not be a total disaster, especially considering how horrifying the Jewish side of the trumps are.That hasn't happened yet, and it's really important to remember.

 

[Zaida Gearbox]

I just noticed that we now have a screw driver emjoi!!! Cool!

Han is a Bernie Bro? Really? Since when?

 

[Beebo Brink]

I have a sense that personally, Sanders just isn't a nice guy; I don't know if that's just a gut thing or if there's something I've read but forgotten. Not in the trump way, but in the "That isn't a priority with me" sort of way.

I'm running to catch up with this thread, but even though I haven't finished reading all the posts, I'm jumping in here because it's such good intro to my views on Bernie.

First off, I suspect he's not quite neuro-typical. So it's not so much that he's not a nice guy as he's just not that interested in (or possibly even capable of) conventional social interactions. He has a life-long passionate and narrow focus on income inequality (also a tell for someone on the Aspie continuum), and that was his motivation for running. He's not motivated by greed or desire for power, he's got his eye on the prize of righting a wrong.

That focus is exactly why I'm glad he ran in 2016 -- he brought my top priority issue to the fore, and I think his influence was invaluable. In my view he strengthened HRC more than he undermined her. The Bernie Bros who didn't vote for her would NEVER have voted for her.

So to my mind it's unwarranted to blame Bernie for Clinton's loss. HRC made some poor judgment calls, which in the context of a fair election might never have cost her the presidency. But in a year rife with voter suppression and Russian influence, her misstep in key states -- taking her support there for granted -- was just one papercut too many. The GOP's corruption had FAR more effect on the outcome of the election than bitter Sanders supporters.

All that being said, Sanders would probably not have been a stellar president. Not as bad as Trump, but that's hardly a measuring stick. Presidents have to have a wide focus and just don't think Sanders could have made that transition away from his primary concerns. Fast-forward four years and he's just too damn old. We have much better choices this time around, with more candidates focused on income-inequality issues. I wish he wasn't running again because I think he will dilute his own cause.

On the other hand, this is what primaries are for -- to throw all the options out there and see what sticks. I applaud a wide field. The more the merrier. I don't buy the argument that the wounds inflicted in the primaries are fatal for the general election.

 

[GoblinCampFollower]

First off, I suspect he's not quite neuro-typical. So it's not so much that he's not a nice guy as he's just not that interested in (or possibly even capable of) conventional social interactions. He has a life-long passionate and narrow focus on income inequality (also a tell for someone on the Aspie continuum), and that was his motivation for running. He's not motivated by greed or desire for power, he's got his eye on the prize of righting a wrong.

I agree that Bernie seems a bit "off" and I don't intend to support him in the primary. But I am very grateful to him for redirecting the discussion to policy as much as he could.

I think it was really upsetting that such a MASSIVE percentage of what was said about HRC was about Hilary the person. I feel like I almost never heard anything in major media outlets about her policies. Many of her supporters thought she was such an awesome person and so "qualified." People who weren't going to vote for her claimed she was a criminal because of silly reasons.

The only person I know in RL who actually wanted to talk about her policies was my crazy Republican father who just talked about totally made up taxes he thought she'd impose. I was never able to find sources behind them.

Of course I wanted her to beat Trump, but I couldn't bring myself to "like" her. I noticed that most of her supporters would always assume that people who didn't like her bought into the email scandal or something. Nobody ever asked me if it was about policy.

 

[Aribeth Zelin]

I admire HRC, still do. I think she lacked the natural charisma of Obama, or the charisma of conviction that I think both Sanders and Warren have, but she's smart, knows her stuff and was imminently qualified for the job. I supported Bernie because his politics more align with mine, but I had 0 issue with voting for her in the primary. And my issues with her before then were more the fact she just didn't go far enough for me. Her policies were [and presumably are] too moderate for me. And it has nothing to do with her as a person.

And all the HRC supporters who attacked me for not being enthusiastic enough? I'm not going to blame her for that. Any more than I think people should blame Bernie for stupid shit some of his supporters might have pulled.

 

[Free]

Heh.

 

[Brenda Archer]

I get that Bernie grew up with a rural POV, but I did not. None of the candidates get a pass on the all important gun issue from me. This doesn't mean I wouldn't vote for a candidate because I view them as lenient on gun regulations. The Democratic field is full of candidates who don't even have the courage to touch gun regulation. A huge percentage of my fellow Americans think that every household should have an AR15. Unfortunately, they would be his constituents too. It just means it is an important issue to me, and I factor that into my vote. Maybe he would like to know that, or maybe he doesn't GAF.

He probably does care about it. Vermont is a hunting state, but not a neo-Confederate gun toting state. It is much too heavily settled to reintroduce apex predators and that means humans have to thin the herd in order to avoid winter starvation of the deer.

The way policing is structured in northern New England also factors in. Small towns with tiny police forces still do a lot of the work and there’s no way it can all be pushed onto the state troopers. Consider how the whole state of Vermont is smaller than many urban counties with a sheriff.

Sensible gun regulation can go over well in rural New England, but not outright bans. The gun totin’ hard Right types would be seen as outsiders by most.

 

[Kara Spengler]

I get that Bernie grew up with a rural POV, but I did not. None of the candidates get a pass on the all important gun issue from me. This doesn't mean I wouldn't vote for a candidate because I view them as lenient on gun regulations. The Democratic field is full of candidates who don't even have the courage to touch gun regulation. A huge percentage of my fellow Americans think that every household should have an AR15. Unfortunately, they would be his constituents too. It just means it is an important issue to me, and I factor that into my vote. Maybe he would like to know that, or maybe he doesn't GAF.

Use whatever criteria you want, just know that the more you put in there without considering why they hold that position the least likely you are to find a candidate you will like. As to guns Bernie is hardly an NRA darling. He is just using a rural outlook on them where it is not as much an issue as they are in cities. A gun in places like northern new england is simply another tool. A dangerous one if used improperly, yes, but so is, oh, a powersaw.

 

[Kara Spengler]

I'm running to catch up with this thread, but even though I haven't finished reading all the posts, I'm jumping in here because it's such good intro to my views on Bernie.

First off, I suspect he's not quite neuro-typical. So it's not so much that he's not a nice guy as he's just not that interested in (or possibly even capable of) conventional social interactions. He has a life-long passionate and narrow focus on income inequality (also a tell for someone on the Aspie continuum), and that was his motivation for running. He's not motivated by greed or desire for power, he's got his eye on the prize of righting a wrong.

That focus is exactly why I'm glad he ran in 2016 -- he brought my top priority issue to the fore, and I think his influence was invaluable. In my view he strengthened HRC more than he undermined her. The Bernie Bros who didn't vote for her would NEVER have voted for her.

So to my mind it's unwarranted to blame Bernie for Clinton's loss. HRC made some poor judgment calls, which in the context of a fair election might never have cost her the presidency. But in a year rife with voter suppression and Russian influence, her misstep in key states -- taking her support there for granted -- was just one papercut too many. The GOP's corruption had FAR more effect on the outcome of the election than bitter Sanders supporters.

All that being said, Sanders would probably not have been a stellar president. Not as bad as Trump, but that's hardly a measuring stick. Presidents have to have a wide focus and just don't think Sanders could have made that transition away from his primary concerns. Fast-forward four years and he's just too damn old. We have much better choices this time around, with more candidates focused on income-inequality issues. I wish he wasn't running again because I think he will dilute his own cause.

On the other hand, this is what primaries are for -- to throw all the options out there and see what sticks. I applaud a wide field. The more the merrier. I don't buy the argument that the wounds inflicted in the primaries are fatal for the general election.

Hmm, I had not heard of the question of him being on the spectrum before but it would explain a few things. Like being single-minded on one thing for decades no matter what opposition he had. I am not sure that would disqualify him though: he has his passion project so would be more open to taking advice from others for other fields..

 

[Kara Spengler]

He probably does care about it. Vermont is a hunting state, but not a neo-Confederate gun toting state. It is much too heavily settled to reintroduce apex predators and that means humans have to thin the herd in order to avoid winter starvation of the deer.

The way policing is structured in northern New England also factors in. Small towns with tiny police forces still do a lot of the work and there’s no way it can all be pushed onto the state troopers. Consider how the whole state of Vermont is smaller than many urban counties with a sheriff.

Sensible gun regulation can go over well in rural New England, but not outright bans. The gun totin’ hard Right types would be seen as outsiders by most.

Back in the 70s my town in NH had a problem with a gang that came up from Massachusets. The local police were massively outmanned, especially when you consider all the forests around town. It was not unusual for landowners to be de facto deputies ... not running around shooting everything but being the eyes and ears. The line between that gang and their families.

The current politics up there are the freestaters (google them). They decided NH was a small state so tried to take it over by force of numbers. They are pretty much loathed up there. They maybe get a better reception in the more conservative parts of the state but in Bernie territory they are universally loathed: even if someone is on the right freestaters are immediately seen as outsiders trying to invade.

 

[GoblinCampFollower]

And all the HRC supporters who attacked me for not being enthusiastic enough? I'm not going to blame her for that. Any more than I think people should blame Bernie for stupid shit some of his supporters might have pulled.

I don't want to get into a big policy debate. This isn't the thread for it. But the central reason I just couldn't LOVE her is war. I can totally understand and forgive her being so damn measured and moderate on domestic policy, but her foreign policy was so damn aggressive. I think very few liberals like her foreign policy, but just decided it was a minor detail. I think it's a really important detail.

 

[danielravennest]

The only person I know in RL who actually wanted to talk about her policies was my crazy Republican father who just talked about totally made up taxes he thought she'd impose. I was never able to find sources behind them.

Does he listen to talk radio?

 

[Cristalle]

I don't want to get into a big policy debate. This isn't the thread for it. But the central reason I just couldn't LOVE her is war. I can totally understand and forgive her being so damn measured and moderate on domestic policy, but her foreign policy was so damn aggressive. I think very few liberals like her foreign policy, but just decided it was a minor detail. I think it's a really important detail.

Honestly, if she was president right now, the environmental and the immigration situation would be better but she'd be even more aggressive than Trump in Syria and Venezuela.

 

[Cristiano]

 

[Cristiano]

The Myth of Bernie Sanders’s White Working-Class Support

 

[Cristiano]

 

[Cristiano]

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