Democrats 2020

[Ford]

We need someone with a good ideology and good policy ideas who is aware of what it takes to enact them.

So...Mayor Pete.

He seems to grasp the fact that his ideas might not be immediately embraced, and that he'll have to convince people that they're good ideas.

Take healthcare. He understands that it's unrealistic to wipe out the entire structure in a few short years, and that transitioning to a more universal system is going to take some time. Or when it comes to foreign policy, he grasps the fact that while we need to extract ourselves from these endless wars (one of which he served in), we can't just pull out like a guy who realizes at the last minute he doesn't want to knock up the girl he's been dating for a few weeks.

I'd like to think he's studied Obama's experience as President and has learned a few things. Both are intelligent and eloquent. Both very unlikely to win over heartland voters (black and gay, respectively) and Pete seems to get the fact that he can't just sit down at the resolute desk and start reordering things to his liking.

If this is the "vacuity of liberalism" I'll be more than happy to stick with it.

 

[Politesse]

We need someone with a good ideology and good policy ideas who is aware of what it takes to enact them.

So...Mayor Pete.

He seems to grasp the fact that his ideas might not be immediately embraced, and that he'll have to convince people that they're good ideas.

Take healthcare. He understands that it's unrealistic to wipe out the entire structure in a few short years, and that transitioning to a more universal system is going to take some time. Or when it comes to foreign policy, he grasps the fact that while we need to extract ourselves from these endless wars (one of which he served in), we can't just pull out like a guy who realizes at the last minute he doesn't want to knock up the girl he's been dating for a few weeks.

I'd like to think he's studied Obama's experience as President and has learned a few things. Both are intelligent and eloquent. Both very unlikely to win over heartland voters (black and gay, respectively) and Pete seems to get the fact that he can't just sit down at the resolute desk and start reordering things to his liking.

If this is the "vacuity of liberalism" I'll be more than happy to stick with it.

That he seems to understand the proper limitations of his office is a big thing for me. I'd be okay with a Buttigieg presidency despite having many political differences with him, because I don't have a lot of fear about him following in the footsteps of all recent presidents in trying to accumulate ever increasing power in the executive.

 

[Derec]

1. Kamala Harris and Tulsi Gabbard go head-to-head over Gabbard’s record

I was going to criticize Kamala for punching downwards, but looking at recent polls she was punching sideways. How the mighty have fallen!

2. Joe Biden’s poor word choice about violence against women - “punching at it.”

A much bigger concern than the word choice, which is a common figure of speech after all, is his refusal to admit that female violence against men is hardly rare. Insisting to call the law "Violence Against Women Act" is overtly sexist.

3. Biden, forgetting about Harris, says he is endorsed by the “only” African American woman elected to the senate - Carol Mosley Braun

Well, Kamala is half Jamaican, half Indian. Her Jamaican father is mixed himself, and she doesn't even look all that black (more like cafe latte, heavy on the latte). She is not ADOS, she is JDOSO.

 

[lpetrich]

3. Biden, forgetting about Harris, says he is endorsed by the “only” African American woman elected to the senate - Carol Mosley Braun

Well, Kamala is half Jamaican, half Indian. Her Jamaican father is mixed himself, and she doesn't even look all that black (more like cafe latte, heavy on the latte). She is not ADOS, she is JDOSO.

ADOS = American Descendants of Slavery - Conservatives seize on challenges to Kamala Harris's authenticity - The Washington Post

JDOSO = Jamaican Descendant of Slave Owners? But then again, many American blacks have slaveowner ancestors.

 

[lpetrich]

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "In an usual departure from the rest of the primary field, Bloomberg’s running on putting money *into* politics https://t.co/2XBTWbTOxu" / Twitter
noting
Alex Thompson on Twitter: "Bloomberg ad buy is at $19.4 MILLION for next week alone and data is still coming in.
Updating story below. State by state breakdown so far.
Also, follow @ZachMontellaro [url]https://t.co/j1stlUBWwL https://t.co/Y1Q3d6p17g" / Twitter[/url]

The only pre-Super-Tuesday state that will be getting any campaign money is South Carolina at $21K. The three biggest recipients are California, at $2.8M, Florida at $2.7M, and Texas, at $2.5M. CA and TX are Super-Tuesday states (Mar 3), and FL's primary is on Mar 17.

2020 Presidential Election Calendar

 

[TV and credit cards]

Nice Write Up in the Associated Press

He may not make it in 2020 but he'll be President Pete one of these days.

 

[Elixir]

We need someone with a good ideology and good policy ideas who is aware of what it takes to enact them.

So...Mayor Pete.

He seems to grasp the fact that his ideas might not be immediately embraced, and that he'll have to convince people that they're good ideas.

Take healthcare. He understands that it's unrealistic to wipe out the entire structure in a few short years, and that transitioning to a more universal system is going to take some time. Or when it comes to foreign policy, he grasps the fact that while we need to extract ourselves from these endless wars (one of which he served in), we can't just pull out like a guy who realizes at the last minute he doesn't want to knock up the girl he's been dating for a few weeks.

I'd like to think he's studied Obama's experience as President and has learned a few things. Both are intelligent and eloquent. Both very unlikely to win over heartland voters (black and gay, respectively) and Pete seems to get the fact that he can't just sit down at the resolute desk and start reordering things to his liking.

If this is the "vacuity of liberalism" I'll be more than happy to stick with it.

That he seems to understand the proper limitations of his office is a big thing for me. I'd be okay with a Buttigieg presidency despite having many political differences with him, because I don't have a lot of fear about him following in the footsteps of all recent presidents in trying to accumulate ever increasing power in the executive.

I would be actively politicking for a political candidate who, if elected, would undertake to codify accountability and restrictions to the power of the presidency, make congress truly co-equal, and provide for severe repercussions for abuses of power. AFAIK only lip service has been paid to that question, and not even much of that.

 

[Politesse]

That he seems to understand the proper limitations of his office is a big thing for me. I'd be okay with a Buttigieg presidency despite having many political differences with him, because I don't have a lot of fear about him following in the footsteps of all recent presidents in trying to accumulate ever increasing power in the executive.

I would be actively politicking for a political candidate who, if elected, would undertake to codify accountability and restrictions to the power of the presidency, make congress truly co-equal, and provide for severe repercussions for abuses of power. AFAIK only lip service has been paid to that question, and not even much of that.

Ultimately it is the job of the Legislative Branch to reign in presidential powers. But they benefit from having the distraction of a dictatorial Executive, so there has been an unpleasant entropic effect over the decades.

 

[Elixir]

I would be actively politicking for a political candidate who, if elected, would undertake to codify accountability and restrictions to the power of the presidency, make congress truly co-equal, and provide for severe repercussions for abuses of power. AFAIK only lip service has been paid to that question, and not even much of that.

Ultimately it is the job of the Legislative Branch to reign in presidential powers.

The legislature can't do shinola about it without either a veto-proof majority in the Senate*, or a willing President. Neither is likely, but a willing president would be worth backing. Not that there is any such thing in the candidate pool - at least that I can discern.

* Possible, if a Dem is elected president - all the Republican hypocrites and some Dems might come together on it...

 

[Treedbear]

Very impressed with Warren's performance at a Manchester, NH rally over the weekend that was televised on C-Span. She's got lots of confidence and a bit of panache, and she interacts extremely well with the audience. I'd be very surprized if she doesn't come out on top in NH. I haven't seen a candidate with her self-assurance in a long time.

ETA - Added link. I mean she just comes across as so natural in a mid-western kind of way.

 

[angelo]

Nice Write Up in the Associated Press

He may not make it in 2020 but he'll be President Pete one of these days.

He would need to change his surname. Who would vote for some guy that they can't even spell his name correctly.

 

[ZiprHead]

Nice Write Up in the Associated Press

He may not make it in 2020 but he'll be President Pete one of these days.

He would need to change his surname. Who would vote for some guy that they can't even spell his name correctly.

It's really poor form to put your own shortcomings upon others.

 

[TV and credit cards]

Nice Write Up in the Associated Press

He may not make it in 2020 but he'll be President Pete one of these days.

He would need to change his surname. Who would vote for some guy that they can't even spell his name correctly.

You think he should have taken his husband’s name?

 

[Patooka]

Nice Write Up in the Associated Press

He may not make it in 2020 but he'll be President Pete one of these days.

He would need to change his surname. Who would vote for some guy that they can't even spell his name correctly.

America's current head of state can't even spell his wife's name properly. It's not that big of a deal anymore.

 

[Politesse]

You think he should have taken his husband’s name?

Glezman? I think there's a reason they went with Buttigieg...

 

[Politesse]

Nice Write Up in the Associated Press

He may not make it in 2020 but he'll be President Pete one of these days.

He would need to change his surname. Who would vote for some guy that they can't even spell his name correctly.

I hate to agree with such an inane point, given what it suggests about the stupidity of the populace, but it is true that presidents generally have unremarkable and easy-to-pronounce names.

 

[Derec]

I hate to agree with such an inane point, given what it suggests about the stupidity of the populace, but it is true that presidents generally have unremarkable and easy-to-pronounce names.

Roosevelt and Eisenhower being less so.

 

[Derec]

Very impressed with Warren's performance at a Manchester, NH rally over the weekend that was televised on C-Span. She's got lots of confidence and a bit of panache, and she interacts extremely well with the audience. I'd be very surprized if she doesn't come out on top in NH. I haven't seen a candidate with her self-assurance in a long time.

ETA - Added link. I mean she just comes across as so natural in a mid-western kind of way.

Funny then that she's been dropping in a recent poll.
Warren nosedives in new nationwide poll

 

[Politesse]

I hate to agree with such an inane point, given what it suggests about the stupidity of the populace, but it is true that presidents generally have unremarkable and easy-to-pronounce names.

Roosevelt and Eisenhower being less so.

You think Eisenhower is hard to say? How exactly have you heard it mispronounced?

 

[Derec]

You think Eisenhower is hard to say?

No.

How exactly have you heard it mispronounced?

I have not. But it is certainly more remarkable than Bush or Clinton.