2020 Democratic Candidates Tracker

[varwoche]

Sorry, I'm having more difficulty taking you seriously the more you talk.

Two sentences do not a a "strategy" make. Trying to blow them up into a strawman "strategy" is looking pretty pathetic. I know the pastures are barren in these parts, but damn. But mind you, I do think a strategy should definitely include using superior language skills, heavy doses of giving Trump unmitigated hell and exposing his counterproductive buffoonery to the maximum extent.

It is almost as if you don't want that.

As for your question, the answer to which is implicit, try the process of elimination. Who are not part of Trump's immovable 30%?

The ones between that group of immovable deplorables and the ones who would rather drink buzzard puke than vote for Trump are the ones who are in play.

Moreover, it's not as if the discussions here are DNC strategy sessions. I wish to assure theprestige and other Trump apologists that if and when I become a Democratic strategist, I will moderate my presentation; tailor it for the dimwitted, fact-challenged, precious snowflake demographic.

 

[varwoche]

...I loathe Trump but I'm no longer willing to hold my nose and vote for the anointed Democrat insider just to counter Trump...

If/when space aliens invade the earth intent on destruction, and in order to defeat them the people of the world must unite, there will still be those who fail to recognize the threat, opting instead to grind an agenda.

 

[acbytesla]

The problem with Biden isn't just Biden himself, it's the Democrat leadership. Yet another machinery insider 'centrist' with a history of working for the status quo, problematic behavior, and an attitude of "it's my turn, I'm the lesser evil, you have to vote for me". Hillary Clinton could pull that off (barely) because there really were no alternatives beyond Sanders, who appeared to be a fluke. But now, four years on, we've got examples of actual liberals in office, making waves, doing what voters actually want rather than working for the banks and industries. AOC can't run for president yet but she serves as an example of what's possible: a politician who isn't moribund after decades of selling out. And how does the Democratic Party leadership treat their next generation? It dismisses and belittles them.

Biden doesn't need to lose the race himself, Pelosi already lost it for him. Any candidate the party leadership pushes is tainted with all the mistakes the party has made and all the dissatisfactions the voters have. How else did Trump end up beating the actual Republican candidates? But that's what the Democrats are trying to avoid, they want to keep tight control of their precious party. And I think that's their real struggle this time: the old-school Democrats can have the party or they can have the presidency, but not both. I predict they'll choose the party, continue trying to quell the new blood, and again lament their defeat by lecturing the voters on why they should have voted for them.

I loathe Trump but I'm no longer willing to hold my nose and vote for the anointed Democrat insider just to counter Trump. More has to be offered. Biden isn't sufficient, even as a lesser evil to Trump. We're into year three of Trump and we're still alive and unnuked. If it takes another Trump term to force the Democrats to move truly left it might be worth it. My prediction: voter turnout will be much lower than in 2016. The Clinton voters exasperated with the Democratic party will stay home, as will those Trump voters unhappy with Trump. Neither group will vote for the other, they'll just abstain.

What the hell does that mean? You'll vote for Trump or cast some kind of moronic protest vote? Vote for Nader and get Bush or Bernie and get Trump?

 

[applecorped]

 

[TragicMonkey]

If/when space aliens invade the earth intent on destruction, and in order to defeat them the people of the world must unite, there will still be those who fail to recognize the threat, opting instead to grind an agenda.

Let me know when the aliens nominate a candidate. I hope it will be less hyperbolic.

 

[TragicMonkey]

What the hell does that mean? You'll vote for Trump or cast some kind of moronic protest vote? Vote for Nader and get Bush or Bernie and get Trump?

Or not vote at all. The Democrats do not distinguish between voters who reluctantly vote for the lesser evil and those who enthusiastically support that same candidate. So all the reluctant votes for Clinton were interpreted as support for the Democratic status quo. The party will never move left if its rightist candidates collect the votes of those who don't actually support those candidates.

The only way to fix these parties is to vote honestly for what you really want, instead of pragmatically strategizing to game the system. If everybody did so we'd have better politics. This party first crap has to stop and the only ones who can stop it are the voters. The parties have no interest in changing unless they are forced to it.

 

[Delphic Oracle]

Not every PAC needs to declare for a candidate. You can have PACs that just run negative against an opponent and never declare for a candidate. They used to be called 527 organizations before the campaign finance law got gutted. They keep the candidate on the high road and let others do the dirty work.

The candidates aren't the toast butterers I was referring to.

 

[acbytesla]

Or not vote at all. The Democrats do not distinguish between voters who reluctantly vote for the lesser evil and those who enthusiastically support that same candidate. So all the reluctant votes for Clinton were interpreted as support for the Democratic status quo. The party will never move left if its rightist candidates collect the votes of those who don't actually support those candidates.

The only way to fix these parties is to vote honestly for what you really want, instead of pragmatically strategizing to game the system. If everybody did so we'd have better politics. This party first crap has to stop and the only ones who can stop it are the voters. The parties have no interest in changing unless they are forced to it.

It doesn't fix the system. It's wishful thinking. It's stupidity personified. Did those votes for Nader or Jill Stein or Bernie Sanders in the general or abstaining from voting lead to a change? Nope. What it leads to is Donald Trump and George W. Bush etc, What is it that they say "insanity" is? Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.

Life isn't about perfect choices. This is like being faced with Hobson's choice and choosing nothing.

 

[Horatius]

To lighten the mood a little, here's a story about noted idiot Jacob Whol trying, and of course, failing, to create a hoax claim of sexual assault by Pete Buttigieg. It's like a greatest hits album of all his regular stupidity. He's even got a new Fake Intelligence Company.

 

[TragicMonkey]

It doesn't fix the system. It's wishful thinking. It's stupidity personified. Did those votes for Nader or Jill Stein or Bernie Sanders in the general or abstaining from voting lead to a change? Nope. What it leads to is Donald Trump and George W. Bush etc, What is it that they say "insanity" is? Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.

Life isn't about perfect choices. This is like being faced with Hobson's choice and choosing nothing.

And the lesser evil is still evil. Choosing nothing is better than choosing what you don't want, especially when your choice will then be used to justify even worse options next time. Everything will just get worse and worse.

 

[Belz...]

To lighten the mood a little, here's a story about noted idiot Jacob Whol trying, and of course, failing, to create a hoax claim of sexual assault by Pete Buttigieg. It's like a greatest hits album of all his regular stupidity. He's even got a new Fake Intelligence Company.

Is that the same guy who made similar attempts recently? The man's a walking failure.

 

[Trebuchet]

To lighten the mood a little, here's a story about noted idiot Jacob Whol trying, and of course, failing, to create a hoax claim of sexual assault by Pete Buttigieg. It's like a greatest hits album of all his regular stupidity. He's even got a new Fake Intelligence Company.

Unfortunately couldn't read the story because "Please let us disable your adblocker...."

 

[alfaniner]

He told Hannity that he is rooting for Pete.

That has completely different connotations down in the south Pacific.

Maybe I read too much into it, but I noticed that news coverage of Mayor Pete uses some terminology I don't seem to be hearing about the other candidates:

straight shooter
whip smart
fastest rising
packing some punch

I'm almost surprised I haven't heard him described as an "up and coming" candidate yet.

 

[acbytesla]

And the lesser evil is still evil. Choosing nothing is better than choosing what you don't want, especially when your choice will then be used to justify even worse options next time. Everything will just get worse and worse.

Nope. not true. Not even close to being true. You can pretend that reality isn't what it is by sitting on the sidelines. But change NEVER EVER EVER results from those sitting out the game.

Also, If you don't think there are degrees and nuances in life, I want to say this, "MacFly! "

 

[Horatius]

Is that the same guy who made similar attempts recently? The man's a walking failure.

Yep, that's the guy. Apparently he learned absolutely nothing from his attempts to frame Mueller blowing up in his face in less than a day.

 

[TragicMonkey]

Nope. not true. Not even close to being true. You can pretend that reality isn't what it is by sitting on the sidelines. But change NEVER EVER EVER results from those sitting out the game.

What a barrage of certainty! Change will not result if the current behavior is encouraged and supported. Change may result if enough people vote for other candidates or don't vote at all, and the parties are therefore motivated to pick up those votes by adapting to those voters' preferences. Or risk losing them to another party that does. If the Democrats keep shifting right and shedding votes as they do so they will either have to move left or they risk independent candidates or even a new party getting those votes.

Also, If you don't think there are degrees and nuances in life, I want to say this, "MacFly! "

I do not get the reference.

 

[The Great Zaganza]

Let me know when the aliens nominate a candidate. I hope it will be less hyperbolic.

In other words, you don't care.

In a two party system, you vote for the lesser evil.
It is pretentious to "want to send a message to give you better choices" - that you can work for during primaries.

But if you don't do your part to deny power to a known evil, you aren't doing your part to protect democracy.

 

[theprestige]

The problem with Biden isn't just Biden himself, it's the Democrat leadership. Yet another machinery insider 'centrist' with a history of working for the status quo, problematic behavior, and an attitude of "it's my turn, I'm the lesser evil, you have to vote for me". Hillary Clinton could pull that off (barely) because there really were no alternatives beyond Sanders, who appeared to be a fluke.

I thought there were several other potential candidates, who sat out 2016 in favor of letting Hillary have her turn. First female president, continuation of the Obama Era, etc. Bernie was a fluke, in the sense that he didn't get the memo (or just crumpled it up and threw it in the trash).

 

[applecorped]

What a barrage of certainty! Change will not result if the current behavior is encouraged and supported. Change may result if enough people vote for other candidates or don't vote at all, and the parties are therefore motivated to pick up those votes by adapting to those voters' preferences. Or risk losing them to another party that does. If the Democrats keep shifting right and shedding votes as they do so they will either have to move left or they risk independent candidates or even a new party getting those votes.




I do not get the reference.

It's actually McFly from Back to the Future. And in the end McFly wins.

 

[TragicMonkey]

In other words, you don't care.

In a two party system, you vote for the lesser evil.
It is pretentious to "want to send a message to give you better choices" - that you can work for during primaries.

But if you don't do your part to deny power to a known evil, you aren't doing your part to protect democracy.

Don't blame you, you voted for Kodos?