2020 U.S. Presidential Race

[Sally]

Buttigeig (possible misspelling) is the  most intelligent, rational, and far-seeing of all of them.  There's not a chance in hell he could win because he's gay and America's still in the Middle Ages about women and gays in politics.  

[InDefenseOfPOMO]

Williamson sounds like a brilliant woman.

 

When a woman finally gets elected President of the United States of America, I hope it is someone like her.

 

Maybe then boys and girls everywhere will have a role model who shows them that one can succeed in life and be a positive force in society through things like humility, compassion, cooperation, mutual respect, etc. rather than through destroying others.

 

Martin Luther King, Jr. is the only person I can think of in recent memory in the U.S. who effectively showed a different, better way to lead--to lead by acknowledging the honest truth and advancing the good, not by seeing everything through ideology and obsessing with destroying the bad.

[Tyger Songbird]

Quote of the Day: "I wrote the Damn Bill!"

 

First things first, CNN has to differentiate a little better in its workings in terms of debating. There was so much debating on healthcare that it took the whole hour. There was little to no coverage of climate change or anything related to race relations. They took too long, and personally Jake Tapper gets on my nerves as a psuedo-Republican. I don't know.

 

Second: Message to everyone who is running a public debate: Please don't cut people in the middle of a point. Do you really think policy points can be made in 2 minute time spans. At times, it takes more. Let someone bring it home. Be gracious when it comes to debate rules. No attorney gets told when making a closing statement, keep the time. This is why I hate Commercials during these shows.

 

Anyway,

 

I will give my analysis on a few things. I'll give my candidate analysis a bit later. Here's my debate analysis.

 

Democrats need to heed the words of Pete Buttigieg "Democrats must stop worrying about what Conservatives think. They will call people Crazy Socialists no matter what way they go." It's already happening. Trump called Elijah Cummings a racist, called "The Squad" anti-semitic. It won't matter. It will not matter a thing. So, why run away from that? The only way to take power from a bully, homophobe, racist, etc, is to live it out. If someone hates you for being gay, continue being gay. Why? Because they win when you stop playing.  I believe that is the case for me personally in ideology.

 

People are using the socialist tag to run away from engaging in policy is annoying to me. If you don't agree with being a left person like me in ideology purposes, fine. However, that's not the reason why most of these people are on stage. They are playing doomsday prophet, scaring everyone into thinking the boogeyman is going to run things (Sanders, Warren). 

 

"No, Don't rock the boat too much, because the boat will topple".

 

The ship has already sunk! For many people, the ship is going  🎵"down, down, down. Baby Baby Baby, OH!"🎵

 

My personal thing is why simply go back in time and try to play it safe, prevent defense style. Why not go forward with it? All I'm saying. All the many candidates (Tim Ryan, John Delaney, Steve Bullock) seemed to ever care about was "Let's win back the White Voter in Ohio! Let's win back the Auto worker in Michigan! Let's win back the game hunter in Montana!!" Let's not lose them and lose the election! Who knows? They may indeed be right, right? However, playing it safe guarantees absolutely nothing against an unscrupulous player, is what I've found playing sports. If you want to beat a ruthless player, you have to be willing to play dirty with them? It seems to be the ultimate weapon. 

 

So, for all these moderates candidates like Klobuchar, Delaney, and Hickenlooper, when are you going to be willing to go after him full throttle? When are you going to be willing to jump off the fence, because he won't care if you're moderate or not. He'll just send shots at you anyway. He'll call out your lack of position, anyway. It's better to fight and stand up than to live in fear of the opposition, is it not?

 

My 2💰

[Zagadka]

Buttigieg is very smart, but I don't like his policies. I wish I could support someone like him.

 

I would really love for a woman to win, but that isn't the important bit. Bernie has been consistent in his activism for decades. I trust him far more than anyone else, and that is more important than his (aged and wrinkled) penis. It would be an uphill battle, but I'm willing. The way the other Dems are butchering his Medicare For All bill is just.. insulting and sad.

 

The lasting quote is definitely "I wrote the damn bill", which is a quote that could actually carry over to a presidential campaign because Trump hasn't written shit.

[Tyger Songbird]

4 minutes ago, Zagadka said:

Buttigieg is very smart, but I don't like his policies. I wish I could support someone like him.

 

I would really love for a woman to win, but that isn't the important bit. Bernie has been consistent in his activism for decades. I trust him far more than anyone else, and that is more important than his (aged and wrinkled) penis. It would be an uphill battle, but I'm willing. The way the other Dems are butchering his Medicare For All bill is just.. insulting and sad.

 

The lasting quote is definitely "I wrote the damn bill", which is a quote that could actually carry over to a presidential campaign because Trump hasn't written shit.

Personally, if Bernie does win, he should pick Warren, go all in! I say that in my opinion, those two would be a combo. Could you imagine Warren taking on Mike Pence in a debate? First of all, Mike Pence can't be in a room by himself with a woman. Mother would not approve!

 

Two people in my opinion would be kick-butt against Pence for sure: Buttigieg and Warren. Pete could speak circles around him. I'd say he would be perfect on that end. Mike Pence wouldn't have an idea what hit him against Pete. My thing is it would be hard to stop that train.

 

I think Pete showed well tonight.  His plan to abort the electoral college is amazing in my opinion. I hope it can work. That's a part of it, along with making DC a state. We have to change the election system that keeps allowing the likes of Rutherford B. Hayes, Trump, and George W elected because of one state like Florida fluking it up. The electoral college is madness now, not even a full representative of the people. It's time for a new system. I just am tired of the whole "Let's hope to get to M4A...Eventually!"

 

Bernie Sanders campaign slogan: I wrote the Damn Bill!

[Zagadka]

Ending the electoral college is the ultimate dream. So nice... but we'd have to have another constitutional convention to have it happen.

 

I'd be happy with Warren as a VP. She is polling pretty high (behind Sanders and Biden), so it makes a lot of sense. Pence stands no chance.

[Tyger Songbird]

53 minutes ago, Zagadka said:

Ending the electoral college is the ultimate dream. So nice... but we'd have to have another constitutional convention to have it happen.

 

I'd be happy with Warren as a VP. She is polling pretty high (behind Sanders and Biden), so it makes a lot of sense. Pence stands no chance.

So would I.

[Sally]

2 hours ago, tygersongbird said:

First things first, CNN has to differentiate a little better in its workings in terms of debating. There was so much debating on healthcare that it took the whole hour. There was little to no coverage of climate change or anything related to race relations.

Perhaps you didn't watch the entire 3 hours.  

[InDefenseOfPOMO]

The three things that matter the most right now: Iowa, Iowa and Iowa.

 

What will matter the most that certain night in November, 2020: Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, etc.

 

Don't tell me who has the boldest policies, who is the least afraid to embrace the "socialist" label, etc. Tell me who will have the inside track after Iowa. It matters: just ask Howard Dean (2004) and Hillary Clinton (2008). Tell me who will be able to flip states like Wisconsin.

 

Shame on the moderates on stage for thinking about what will actually lead to victory! So what if Medicare For All could be the party's Titanic! Be a true captain and sink with the ship!

 

Democrats are starting to remind me of Republicans. If you are not a true progressive, you are, literally, hated. Just like in the Republican Party it has, for a long time now it seems, been about who is the "true" conservative.

 

I guess I am too much of a pragmatist.

 

I do not have a PhD in History, but it seems safe to say that in recent memory when Democrats have been successful in winning and retaining the White House it has been with pragmatists like FDR, Bill Clinton and, to a lesser extent, Barack Obama.

 

Maybe everybody, left and right, liberal/progressive and conservative, has given up on liberal democracy in the U.S. and extremism will now dominate?

 

I have resisted declinism until now. However, if sensible candidates from both parties are going to, literally, be hated for their centrism / moderate stance--if it is either ideological purity or do not even bother to speak, let alone seek public office--it might be time to seriously brace oneself for the collapse and disintegration of the U.S.

 

Iowa might have a lot to do with not just this election, but the entire fate of the republic. My guess is that there are no surprises: Joe Biden wins the Iowa Caucuses.

 

I would be interested in hearing how, oh, Bernie could pull off an upset from way behind the frontrunner in Iowa. He did not lose there by much in 2016.

[Tyger Songbird]

22 minutes ago, Sally said:

Perhaps you didn't watch the entire 3 hours.  

I did. There were still much more to discuss. Healthcare is a #1, by in terms of supermajority, climate change is up there along with it. Most polls have a high concentration towards that as well. They could have spent more time with that. I think that got 15 minutes at best. Also, with Russian election interference, shouldn't election security get a good segment as well? There needs to be a highlighting of that & the possibility of impeachment too. I'm wondering why that's not highly pursued. Just saying. 

 

Even on discussing healthcare, they went off the rails way too often. They were going on plenty of arcane talking points as well, from Jake Tapper (hmm...) and others. It wasn't even in full clarity. It went so far off rails. I'm just saying.

[Tyger Songbird]

9 hours ago, InDefenseOfPOMO said:

I guess I am too much of a pragmatist.

 

I do not have a PhD in History, but it seems safe to say that in recent memory when Democrats have been successful in winning and retaining the White House it has been with pragmatists like FDR, Bill Clinton and, to a lesser extent, Barack Obama.

 

Maybe everybody, left and right, liberal/progressive and conservative, has given up on liberal democracy in the U.S. and extremism will now dominate?

 

I have resisted declinism until now. However, if sensible candidates from both parties are going to, literally, be hated for their centrism / moderate stance--if it is either ideological purity or do not even bother to speak, let alone seek public office--it might be time to seriously brace oneself for the collapse and disintegration of the U.S.

 

Iowa might have a lot to do with not just this election, but the entire fate of the republic. My guess is that there are no surprises: Joe Biden wins the Iowa Caucuses.

 

I would be interested in hearing how, oh, Bernie could pull off an upset from way behind the frontrunner in Iowa. He did not lose there by much in 2016.

I'm not saying anything against you. However, the references you have used to justify your position are fully false. When FDR started the original New Deal, he was deemed a socialist by half the country. Many people villainized him for starting the social security plan that many people use today. It wasn't sensible that pulled us out of the Great Depression, those "socialist" programs -- The Federal Reserve, Social Security, Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae), National Labor, Relations Board,  and Securities and Exchange Commission-- were all deemed radical and against capitalism. Yet...

 

Obamacare was deemed a "socialist" program by a Muslim president. Yet, everyone wants Obamacare back in some way on the Democratic side, and most of the country wants a healthcare plan like Obamacare back. It actually paid itself after the bailout Obama, which left the government a surplus of money, and the unemployment rate went down in the process. All of those were started in a quasi-socialist way. Those were protested to high heaven. However, now people are signaling the Trump tax cut are not going to fix anything, and now they are calling for another one! Many people are saying that's Trump's economy might reverse everything done in a few years. Seems radical to me what Obama did.

 

On the subject of Clinton, remember that Hilary also fought for Medicare in the beginning. That was violently protested by everyone on the right. Also, don't forget when we study Clinton, there were policies that weren't great, and underneath a Republican majority he had to cave on the many things he did want to do. He wanted to extend social welfare programs and job training to low-income families, but the Reps had it stalled until he had to compromise on it which only failed for sure. It's also fair to say that in many ways Clinton couldn't go further than he wanted. Also, his bipartisan 1994 Crime Bill was a massive failure for African-Americans, making "tough on crime" only mean "tough on black people".

 

So, if being a radical person means hoping to take on mass incarceration rates, the opioid crisis, giving healthcare to all Americans to where insulin is not $300, and believing that we need to fix infrastructure to where environmental protections against lead paint are there for all, regardless of color, then I'm radical. If fighting for an educational system that goes for more than just the meager & minute we give to title 1 schools, but giving teachers the wages increases and balancing the student teacher ratio to improve school life quality, then I'm radical. If getting a plan for children to have universal pre-K and paid maternity/sick leave is radical, then I'm radical. I'm radical like Obama, or FDR.

[Tyger Songbird]

3 hours ago, InDefenseOfPOMO said:

Williamson sounds like a brilliant woman.

 

When a woman finally gets elected President of the United States of America, I hope it is someone like her.

 

Maybe then boys and girls everywhere will have a role model who shows them that one can succeed in life and be a positive force in society through things like humility, compassion, cooperation, mutual respect, etc. rather than through destroying others.

 

Martin Luther King, Jr. is the only person I can think of in recent memory in the U.S. who effectively showed a different, better way to lead--to lead by acknowledging the honest truth and advancing the good, not by seeing everything through ideology and obsessing with destroying the bad.

I like Marianne as well. I think she did a wonderful job tonight for sure. She really did a great job. I wish she got into her department of children and youth. That is a big platform of hers. She really shined out, and to hear someone explain the racial factors behind many of these social issues is a major deal. She is speaking deeper than what's on paper. Military industrial complexes, the roots that pharma companies have in owning us. I wish people would give her a chance to say it, though. She was excellent, and she's one of the few who speaks to the soul fabric of our country as to what kind of love it takes to heal it back.

[Tabula Rasa]

I'm not so sure the American zeitgeist is ripe for a woman or black president because for the past two years or more, we've been taken back 1,000 years.

 

Pete Buttigieg is by far the most viable candidate, but in these current times, he is overqualified. I can't speak for most Americans, but I get the impression that most people want someone who speaks in simpler terms and doesn't think so much (which will land them with trump). My, how far this country has gone from excellence.

[Tyger Songbird]

9 hours ago, Tabula Rasa said:

I'm not so sure the American zeitgeist is ripe for a woman or black president because for the past two years or more, we've been taken back 1,000 years.

 

Pete Buttigieg is by far the most viable candidate, but in these current times, he is overqualified. I can't speak for most Americans, but I get the impression that most people want someone who speaks in simpler terms and doesn't think so much (which will land them with trump). My, how far this country has gone from excellence.

I like Pete, but in terms of being the most qualified, it depends on issue. I would say that he could be a great candidate. His racial polices fall below in a sense, with a record that's not as great as well. It stinks to hold him to such a high standard that we do, but this is way too important to get wrong for people of color. Criminal justice, environmental justice, education reform, the list goes on and on. This is big. He seems contrite in wanting to learn, but I am a bit reticent on him with that issue. Maybe a future for him, yes!

[Tabula Rasa]

2 minutes ago, tygersongbird said:

I like Pete, but in terms of being the most qualified, it depends on issue. I would say that he could be a great candidate. His racial polices fall below in a sense, with a record that's not as great as well. It stinks to hold him to such a high standard that we do, but this is way too important to get wrong for people of color. Criminal justice, environmental justice, education reform, the list goes on and on. This is big. He seems contrite in wanting to learn, but I am a bit reticent on him with that issue. Maybe a future for him, yes!

I'm a black American, and what I see happening is the same thing that happens with the word "socialism." As he said, no matter what policies progressives propose, they will be branded socialists. In the same vein, no matter how far Pete goes with ensuring reparations, I'm not sure it will ever be enough for most black people. It's a case of allowing perfection to disqualify the good.

[Tyger Songbird]

11 minutes ago, Tabula Rasa said:

I'm a black American, and what I see happening is the same thing that happens with the word "socialism." As he said, no matter what policies progressives propose, they will be branded socialists. In the same vein, no matter how far Pete goes with ensuring reparations, I'm not sure it will ever be enough for most black people. It's a case of allowing perfection to disqualify the good.

I could see your point. I brought that up in my point about Obamacare and about FDR. No matter what Democrats do, they will be deemed socialist. It's no buts about it. Even Jake Tapper used a popular socialist refrain and was callled out on it by Bernie Sanders. It's just how it is. A lot of the media is against them, in my opinion. They may say they hate Trump, but they like ratings. So, on that end, why not go all in with M4A. It doesn't make sense when so many private insurers make billions with providing minimal. Quit being cowardly against the other side. I don't why Dems keep playing that game. 

 

"We must win back our white voter in Iowa!". Hello! let's mobilize the whole country, young and old, black and white. Don't cowtow. Stand for principle. Stupid electoral college.

[Tyger Songbird]

Democratic 2020 Debate Night 2 begins at 8:00 p.m. et/ 7:00 p.m. ct

 

Here is the slate tonight by slated position: 

 

Michael Bennet (Sen-CO)

Kirsten Gillibrand (Sen-NY)

Julian Castro (former secretary HUD)

Cory Booker (Sen-NJ)

Joe Biden (Former VP)

Kamala Harris (Sen-CA)

Andrew Yang

Tulsi Gabbard (Rep-HI)

Jay Inslee (Gov-WA)

Bill De Blasio (Mayor-NYC)

 

Spoiler

 

[Semiterrestrial Scientist]

19 hours ago, Zagadka said:

Buttigieg is very smart, but I don't like his policies. I wish I could support someone like him.

Which of his policies do you not like? And why? 

 

(Not an attack, just curious)

[InDefenseOfPOMO]

Radical means "At the roots".

 

I would love for a radical candidate and/or radical policies to be available. However, I have not seen or heard any such thing in this 2020 election process.

 

Replacing private insurance with public insurance is not radical. It is more of the same in a different flavor.

 

Radical would be to stop making ourselves sick with preventable illnesses. Alcohol, street drugs, tobacco, heavily processed foods, air pollution, water pollution, noise pollution, refined carbohydrates, transfats, sedentary lifestyles and the resulting obesity, overprescription of antibiotics, medications manufactured and prescribed for things that are normal, like when Ritalin is prescribed to treat what is normal behavior for boys--attack those things, not "insurers"!

 

The two most powerful weapons at our disposal are transparency and education. Require the country of origin to be revealed for all retail goods. Create a database with every known substance/chemical and their effects on the health of humans and other life forms, require that every substance that a retail good contains or may have come into contact with be revealed before a purchase is made, and require that every transaction involving retail goods include something directing the consumer to the database. That is not "socialism"--it is common sense.

 

Radical would be people who are the authorities on ethics and morality rewriting the rules and making it clear that it is sick, wreckless, irresponsible, negligent, depraved and morally repugnant to knowlingly produce and distribute products that severely comprise individual and public health and destroy the environment, to produce and distribute products without first knowing their effects on health and the environment, and to leave future generations with severe health and environmental threats that they did not create (such as the waste from nuclear power plants).

 

I would love radical candidates and ideas to be available in this election. However, they do not exist.

[Sally]

19 hours ago, tygersongbird said:

Obamacare was deemed a "socialist" program by a Muslim president.

...what?  

[Tyger Songbird]

My two night debate analysis.

 

Night One: Like I said, I really didn't like the debate forum, the rules, or particularly the hosts. Jake Tapper didn't seem to give any of the opposing opinions a fair shake, and kept bringing up the biased Republican agenda. It's sad, it's ridiculous, but okay. So, I didn't really like the debate, and I particularly don't pick by debate but on policy stances. Thesed debates didn't often get into policy style. They were more dog-and-pony fights. That being said, here's my analysis.

 

Top 10 Night One:

 

1. Elizabeth Warren-- She held her own with the Wealth Tax against Delaney, attacks against her as socialist and her policies. She was amazing. She was wonderful in handling policies and handling the attack strategies. 

 

2. Bernie Sanders-- "I wrote the damn bill!". Bernie Sanders was incredible. He lists everything out with a passion for it. For some reason, mainstream media loves the conservative. They don't want to rock the boat. They don't want to go fully against the corporation. It's weird. Anyway, because of his passion, Bernie is worth every look. He is incredible. That's the guy I honestly love. I saw him today. He was for the people. He doesn't back down. On a debate stage with Trump, he would hold his own, no doubt. The plans are there, and he speaks with amazing conviction. Keep going, Bernie. We need someone to take on the billionaires!

 

3. Marianne Williamson-- I know, right? She killed it. She was awesome!  In many ways, I thought she won. She's someone I like deeply, so I wanted her to do well. She outdid my expectations in every way. I heard a post-interview that she came back to realization on an issue for medicare. However, the statement of the night might have been made by her. "Why are you even Democrats if you are not willing to use the tools of government to help!" That's something. She may be eccentric, but I like her more than the others. Of course, I'm biased on that. However, her Flint comments were incredible. Her speaking on the stronghold of racism and white nationalism is really strong. The Democrats must speak to the soul of our country. She actually influenced night 2 because of that. She did great on that stage. I love her reparations plan. I love the closing statement. She can really be a good help for the Democrats, because she speaks to deeper things. A department of children and youth is a deep concept, talking about PTSD and child abuse. I work with that often. Those are important issues. Those are big topics. A department of peace should be in conjunction with a war department. That's huge! No one else has that plan! I think she has a role to play in helping framework the policy. Do I think she wins? I'm not sure there's a way for that. This being said, can we please stop telling people they don't belong in politics? Politics is of us and for us as people! Not politicians! Outsiders have a place in our politics as much as anyone does. She belongs because she's an American. We all belong in politics if we want to join, full stop. We shape policy with our voice just as much as they do. If not, then we should.

 

Personally, I would love it if she ran for Congress. I would love her against a Steve King of Iowa, a Devin Nunes of California. Someone like that who's awful. I would like her against them. We could use that. Have her feet in the game.

 

Underrated moment of the night: Only one candidate said we need a constitutional amendment to make all campaigns publically funded. Guess who? It's Marianne.

 

4. Pete Buttigieg-- I think highly of him as a skilled orator, a skilled debater for sure. He was incredible on many things. I think his faith calls to the people of America who taunt the poor curse their maker are calls to action. I think his statement on not caring what Republicans think of us as socialists is huge. He was incredible. He did great. The thing that makes me upset with Pete besides his record on race that I won't fault him forever on. He seems contrite too. My thing is he wants to compromise with both ends on medicare for all. Let's bridge the gap and hopefully get there when people buy more into medicare. Private corporations are not helpful, in my opinion. It's just not enough. So, I like Mayor, but he's afraid to move over too far, and I really think he would be amazing to take with. However, I'm just not sold on everything him. I like his destroy the electoral college plan, though.

 

5. Beto O'Rourke-- The separation between 4 and 5 is drastic. Beto is good on things race, and I'm glad he stuck his neck out there. However, I wish he ran for Senator. He'd be a good threat against John Cornyn of Texas, the way he was against Ted. He was good then, but he is not for the debate stage. He can mobilize and enthuse the many. I just want him as a senator or Congressman again.

 

6. Steve Bullock--He was there. He shared his story about his son. I do like his dark money out of politics stance that he helped lead Montana through. However, I don't think of him other than one of the fearful ones.

 

7. Amy Klobuchar--I don't think of her much. She just boasts her records of being a winner in a red state. That's it.

 

8. John Hickenlooper-- Was he even there? I don't know.

 

9. John Delaney-- New name: property of Elizabeth Warren. He owned your butt! Save fairytale economics for someone else.

 

10. Tim Ryan-- Um... Nice to meet you. Just remember who wrote the damn bill!

[Tyger Songbird]

Debate Night Two My Top Ten:

 

1. Jay Inslee-- I thought that he might do well, but he was awesome. Started the night with the White Nationalist President comment, and it was awesome. He is by far the Climate Change Candidate. His plans are wonderful on it-- well versed and clearly detailed. He didn't step out of the way of it. Everyone had to take it on full stop. He wasn't letting anyone off the hook. Jay Inslee did great. He even challenged Biden on the Iraq War, and Inslee voted against it. I found his nature on speaking about race relations refreshing and good, especially with police reform. He did great. I'll give it to him.

 

2. Julian Castro-- Julian is amazing for sure. Julian was on it with immigration. I don't care what a conservative thinks. We need to make it a civil offense. Most immigrants add to the economy. Why are they penalized for it? I don't know. He also framed the job economy with the tariffs. He was incredible on that. Also, his plan for impeachment was good as well. Dems need to impeach for sure. If it loses, Moscow Mitch makes it lose. Then McConnell owns up to it. Castro was good.

 

3. Andrew Yang-- Honestly, I think he presented a great case to everyone. I think his platform is a good idea in theory. While I believe he is a single-issue candidate, and I question his versatility on issues that aren't economics, I do appreciate he stands tall for sure on his issue, and it's one that's as relevant as can be. So, good job Yang. Good job, Asian man who likes math.

 

4. Tulsi Gabbard-- Tulsi came with it. She hit Kamala big time on her record. I thought she held her own and knocked her down. There's an old saying: "If you come for the queen, you best not miss!"

 

Tulsi didn't. Also, she keeps getting cut off talking about Al Queda money that we give to the Saudis. We must talk about that. She is the best on foreign policy and war policy. Regime change wars are no bueno. Good job, Tulsi. Maybe they'll give her time.

 

5. Cory Booker-- He tried to be smooth, Cory. He succeeded. He acted as unifier today on that goal. I think he did go well with the whole criminal justice plan that stood up to the test against Biden. However, he did okay in my estimation. It's like he's selling the dream many times without policy, though. Perhaps I'm too tough a grader on him, but I guess I hope high for him. He did great with voter supression laws and Russia, though.

 

6. Joe Biden-- I let him not fall too far, because he did defend and bring it into perspective. This is a huge "Beat Trump" campaign. The people need that in perspective. However, his record was brought to the carpet on a list of things, and he didn't defend them well. The deportations, the crime bill, you name it. It was tough. However, if it comes down to it, should Biden be told go home if he does win? I'm not his fan, but let's be real with that.

 

7. Kamala Harris-- She slipped big time. Her record is not as great as it sounds. I wasn't high on Kamala as everyone else was as flavor of the month really. I saw flaws, and I still see them. I would rather her for sure than many others here. However, good lord, pick a side. She was not M4A, then was. Now, her record was on the carpet. Tulsi took her to task. It was a great moment for Tulsi, bad for Kamala.

 

8. Kirsten Gillibrand--I simply am not a fan. She lied about Biden saying that "deteoriation of society". Fact check: she made up a lot of it about working women. Biden said that in 1981 about a bill to subsidize women who today would be in homes with $88,000 incomes. It was silly. Come on, Ms. Gillibrand! I know she's passionate for women's issues, but that seems so crazy to go on, I think. One thing I give is that she was incredible on talking about how her whiteness was able to speak as to why she can relate to those women who voted the other way and detail how she can help white women see the perspective of black people and why black parents fear for their sons. I'll salute that, Gillibrand.

 

9. Bill De Blasio-- I'm glad he has progressive vision. He's agressive but he has to help the city of New York better in my opinion. Forget running for president. Help NYC with its problems of lead and the issue with Eric Garner. Why did you not fire that chief? I don't know.

 

10. Michael Bennet-- He wasn't remarkable in any way. I just love his education rant when it comes to justice issues. That was incredible and fired up. I'm glad of that. The rest is just not there. I give Bennet this. He did make a good opening statement to do it too: the church sign was a great opener. That was awesome.

 

Those are my ten rankings. It's my perspective on that end. You can have a different opinion, that's fine. I'm cool with that. I just think that's my perspective. Either way, CNN stunk on this debate really. They looked to try to stir strife instead of asking issue questions. Not a single question on education? Really? How sad is that? Ridiculous?

 

Yet, "Hey, Klobuchar, Elizabeth Warren called your husband fat? What are you going to say about that?"

 

Seriously, CNN, you dropped the ball. It was annoying.

[Tyger Songbird]

12 hours ago, Sally said:

...what?  

Many people who saw Obama (especially where I'm at in Bible Belt country) only saw him as a Muslim socialist who was about destroying America. Weird. Xenophobes. Obamacare was deemed radical by too many. It wasn't popular in the beginning. Martin Luther King only had a 30% approval rating at his death. Now, in history, everyone loves him and they love Obama. However, I keep saying take big steps out in righteousness and you will be better loved long term. People try to say let's be moderate, not go too far. It's ridiculous. We need to be more out there and bold with ideas and policies, as liberal as they may seem. It's not enough to play it safe.

[Zagadka]

Bernie with another sweeping legislation plan

 

https://berniesanders.com/justice-and-safety-for-all/

 

For prison and crime reform. While he is criticized a lot for not speaking on certain topics, he doesn't just speak. He writes out the detailed plans that outline actual policies that will actually help actual people. He's spent his entire life creating these kinds of bills. That is so much more valuable than a fresh face.

 

Biden has absolutely nothing on him and it is insulting that they are in the same league.

[Tyger Songbird]

New Monmouth Poll has Warren and Sanders in the lead tied, above Joe Biden.

 

Here is how the poll shakes out. I'll bold the ones who rose, and italicize the ones who fell.

 

Bernie Sanders-- 20% (+6)

Elizabeth Warren--20% (+5)

Joe Biden--19% (-13)

Kamala Harris--8% (+-)

Cory Booker--4% (+2)

Pete Buttigieg--4% (-1)

Andrew Yang--3% (+1)

Julian Castro-- 2% (+1)

Beto O'Rourke--2% (-1)

Marianne Williamson--2% (+1)

Bill De Blasio--1% (+-)

Tulsi Gabbard--1% (+-)

Amy Klobuchar--1% (+-)

Michael Bennet--<1% (+-)

Steve Bullock--<1% (+-)

Kirsten Gillibrand-- <1% (+-)

Joe Sestak-- <1% (+-)

Tom Steyer--<1% (+-)

John Delaney--0% (+-)

Tim Ryan-- 0% (+-)

[Tyger Songbird]

Jay Inslee was polling at 1% before dropping out of the race, and Seth Moulton wasn't anywhere to be found really. He was as low as Delaney and Ryan.

[FindingTheta]

Marianne❣️

 

Sanders👍

 

That's it for me.

[Tyger Songbird]

9 minutes ago, FindingTheta said:

Marianne❣️

 

Sanders👍

 

That's it for me.

I'm with you, Theta.

 

Marianne gets 💖💟

 

Of course, I'm with Bernie. I'm biased, I admit it. I've been blown away by Marianne personally. She's really risen up past the smear job people have tried to paint her in on, along with Yang. Wacky outsiders who have no place in politics, without the experience required. They're much better than most of these candidates for sure. It's ridiculous how the DNC has been so biased in terms of who it supports. Most talking heads are centrists on TV, going for corporatized money. That's why they love Biden or Kamala. It's weird how much they go for them. I remember Donny Deutsch saying that he would vote for Trump over a socialist. Most media is anti-Bernie and anti-Marianne. They hardly give a bone to Yang, as well. However, they can't stop the grassroots. They're growing. It's hard to see how bought in MSNBC and CNN are. Thankfully, we now have better places to go for media than them.

[FindingTheta]

17 minutes ago, tygersongbird said:

I'm with you, Theta.

 

Marianne gets 💖💟

 

Of course, I'm with Bernie. I'm biased, I admit it. I've been blown away by Marianne personally. She's really risen up past the smear job people have tried to paint her in on, along with Yang. Wacky outsiders who have no place in politics, without the experience required. They're much better than most of these candidates for sure. It's ridiculous how the DNC has been so biased in terms of who it supports. Most talking heads are centrists on TV, going for corporatized money. That's why they love Biden or Kamala. It's weird how much they go for them. I remember Donny Deutsch saying that he would vote for Trump over a socialist. Most media is anti-Bernie and anti-Marianne. They hardly give a bone to Yang, as well. However, they can't stop the grassroots. They're growing. It's hard to see how bought in MSNBC and CNN are. Thankfully, we now have better places to go for media than them.

I like Bernie because he is consistent with his politics. What he plans to do (i.e. removing student debt and providing medicare for all) will go a long way in strengthening the individual's bargaining power (a person will be more likely to take risks or engage in activities that are emotionally and intellectually fulfilling instead of working 2+ jobs to make end's meet) and improve the quality of life for every American. Marianne hit the nail on the head when she addresses the psychological health of America, especially when for every 1 year of peace there has been ~10 years of war in our history.. If both of these candidates team up to be the next President/Vice President duo I will canvass so fucking hard for them lol.

 

The rest are neoliberal garbage that need to go away.

[Tyger Songbird]

2 minutes ago, FindingTheta said:

I like Bernie because he is consistent with his politics. What he plans to do (i.e. removing student debt and providing medicare for all) will go a long way in strengthening the individual's bargaining power (a person will be more likely to take risks or engage in activities that are emotionally and intellectually fulfilling instead of working 2+ jobs to make end's meet) and improve the quality of life for every American. Marianne hit the nail on the head when addresses the psychological health of America, especially when for every 1 year of peace there has been ~10 years of war in our history.. If both of these candidates team up to be the next President/Vice President duo I will canvass so fucking hard for them lol.

 

The rest are neoliberal garbage that need to go away.

Bernie is a rebel against the status quo for sure. Marianne is as well. Both call for the pattern disruption that we need. People who thought racism was dead have been sorely awakened. People who don't see how much war we look to endorse need to be awakened now. The contras were funded by us in Nicaragua, and now the issues have come to roost. The war on drugs have wreaked havoc on African-Americans for sure. We have been ravaged by imperialist government and dominated by greedy oligarchs and aristocrats who looked to stomp on the poor to riches. We need to change this at once.

 

I love Marianne. Her plan for reparations-- the fact she is the only candidate who actually speaks about reparations in such a grand scale is incredible to me. She really understands the history of America, and she understands the need to heal the broken souls within it speaks to great volumes. Her plans could really work to do that. Bernie is the rebel with the cause. I love that combo as well. 

 

For the life of me, this poll, I don't understand Kamala's appeal in any way, shape, or form. I don't see why people want to see her on the front stages. She has backpedaled in every step of the way. She says she is going for M4A, and then she walks back. She says she's going for climate change, but her plans are so short of the mark. There's not a thing she has ever done for legalization of marijuana, and she put people in jail for truancy. This is not good. I don't see the appeal. I'd rather Jay Inslee have stayed in the race, but he's going for governor again. I appreciate that. We need senators, governors, judges. This next election is so much more than just president. If Ruth Bader Ginsburg can't complete this cycle, Trump gets another judge thanks to Moscow Mitch. We would be so screwed. They're already making being transgender (what they call masculine women) fireable. Human rights, reproductive rights, and educational justice are being trampled on due to this regime. This is not good. Trump has a gotten so many judges, and they have wreaked havoc on any possiblity of equal justice under the law. I hope we can get Bernie so we can hype this up. I'd love Marianne as an option as well. Marianne also understands the times we're in as well. The fight is on, the time is now.