2020 Democratic Candidates Tracker Part III

[SezMe]

Why the dismissive tone? Don't you agree that there's a high level of division even within the Democratic "side"?

I'm not who you are asking but I don't agree. Given the competitive nature of this nomination process, I think the candidates and campaign have been well behaved. Their differences are, in the the larger picture, pretty minor. I don't remember any duel at 30 paces so all is good.

 

[Skeptic Ginger]

Just saw Warren on Colbert and I was very impressed. She's really smart.

 

[angrysoba]

And considering one side of that line has Joe Biden as a hero...

It’s a fine line between hero and nonentity.

 

[dann]

Your dislike for centrist is amusing, since Sanders will need their votes to have chance in hell of winning in November.

He already has the votes of centrists. It's only the support of right-wing Democrats pretending to be centrists that he doesn't have yet, and they are probably going to vote for Trump anyway.

 

[Sideroxylon]

Just saw Warren on Colbert and I was very impressed. She's really smart.

She is.

 

[Aridas]

I meant her calling him out a while ago about her claim that he said "a woman can't win the presidency". That was dumb. It made her look sloppy.

That almost certainly wasn't her or her campaign bringing that up... at least since well before anyone even announced that they were running. CNN was very likely behind that as a way to 1) stir up controversy and thus increase ratings for the next debate (the ratings numbers had been dropping immensely) and very possibly 2) hurt Warren. The people like the people who own CNN really don't tend to like Warren, to put it nicely.

I could walk through the story more in depth or link to an article that deals with that, yet again, but frankly, what I just said are probably the most important takeaways.

 

[Belz...]

Sanders derangement syndrome. Chris Mathews on MSNBC, that knob on Morning Joe. There is a lot of it going around.

I really don't think it's either clever or useful to dismiss those who don't like the same public personalities you do by calling them insane i.e. X Derangement Syndrome.

 

[Sideroxylon]

I really don't think it's either clever or useful to dismiss those who don't like the same public personalities you do by calling them insane i.e. X Derangement Syndrome.

Thanks for the feedback. It’s the only way I’ll learn.

 

[Belz...]

My day is just beginning and I love to start with a good laugh.

Again: dismissal does not actually counter arguments.

I'm not who you are asking but I don't agree. Given the competitive nature of this nomination process, I think the candidates and campaign have been well behaved. Their differences are, in the the larger picture, pretty minor. I don't remember any duel at 30 paces so all is good.

I see what you mean, but I meant in the voting population, not the candidates.

 

[TurkeysGhost]

More reporting about people getting ready for a brokered convention. NY Times reports superdelegates are hostile to Bernie. Warren promises to run until the convention, even if it becomes clear she won't secure many delegates.

It should be made abundantly clear that the party is playing a dangerous game here. Back-room dealing is one thing if it's a close race with no clear victor, but if Bernie comes in with a clear lead, but just shy of a majority, screwing him out of the nomination is political suicide.

If they think Bernie's supporters will take this laying down, **** around and find out.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/27/us/politics/democratic-superdelegates.html

 

[Cabbage]

Again: dismissal does not actually counter arguments.

Looks to me like he was countering a dismissal, not an argument.

What's your prescription for that?

 

[Sideroxylon]

Again: dismissal does not actually counter arguments.

I should be taking notes.

 

[Belz...]

I should be taking notes.

You really should.



...unless you're too old to learn from your mistakes, or you think doing so is a sign of weakness.

 

[Tero]

So that all the centrist and moderates have vanished from the US is now a dogma for the Berniebros.

Politics has been captured if not by the social media, then the Internet as a whole. People are now used to simple messages. We all understand that Biden and Buttigieg will end up doing business as usual. Less racism, better foreign policy. Actually talking to world leaders rather than tweeting to them. And a slightly harder line against Putin.

Bernie, Warren are seen as change. In practice it will just be a nudge to the left. Tax the rich for income. You can't tax property at federal level. Voters probably do not know that. Courts will block that.

 

[Sideroxylon]

You really should.



...unless you're too old to learn from your mistakes, or you think doing so is a sign of weakness.

I can think of a few more conditional situations that you have missed.

 

[Fast Eddie B]

I see you dodged the question about if M4A is the best alternative avaialbe when it comes to UHC.

Just jumping in here...

I’ve been on Medicare for a while now. For me, it’s been great.

That said, I pay for part of that with deductions from my Social Security payments. I also pay monthly for optional supplemental insurance and prescription coverage. All in, I think about $400/month or so, maybe a tad more.

I see no reason why M4A could not build on that model, just making the current system available to all age groups, not just the “elderly”. The infrastructure is already in place, and would just need to be expanded. Yes, it will be “expensive” but so is the current system. I agree with Bernie that by eliminating or vastly reducing administrative costs and insurance company profits, there would be a net reduction in total costs, and premiums would reflect that.

Leave private insurers with the option of providing supplemental insurance to those who want it. I’ve not heard a good argument why that’s a bad idea.

 

[Belz...]

I can think of a few more conditional situations that you have missed.

Sure but I didn't want to insult you.

 

[Donal]

Just jumping in here...

I’ve been on Medicare for a while now. For me, it’s been great.

That said, I pay for part of that with deductions from my Social Security payments. I also pay monthly for optional supplemental insurance and prescription coverage. All in, I think about $400/month or so, maybe a tad more.

I see no reason why M4A could not build on that model, just making the current system available to all age groups, not just the “elderly”. The infrastructure is already in place, and would just need to be expanded. Yes, it will be “expensive” but so is the current system. I agree with Bernie that by eliminating or vastly reducing administrative costs and insurance company profits, there would be a net reduction in total costs, and premiums would reflect that.

That is what he is proposing, only with eliminating the copays and such. HE is proposing no out of pocket expenses. HE wants to start by lowering eligibility to 55 for 2021, then 45 for 2022, and then open it to everyone.

Leave private insurers with the option of providing supplemental insurance to those who want it. I’ve not heard a good argument why that’s a bad idea.

We would need to define "supplemental". If I am diagnosed with cancer, are certain drugs and procedures, no matter how effective they may be compared to others, considered "supplemental"?

 

[Dr. Keith]

That's an even sillier fantasy than the Lost Tribe. Repeat after me: There are no passionate moderates. The two parties depend on their wings to do the grunt work (and generally try to ignore them the rest of the time). How do you get people to volunteer their time and money? By convincing them that Trump/Obama/Bush/Clinton is the new Hitler, and so therefore they must do everything to stop the impending Holocaust.

I believe there is one posting on this forum, and that sort of proves your point. He is the only one I have ever seen.

 

[Elagabalus]

That's an even sillier fantasy than the Lost Tribe. Repeat after me: There are no passionate moderates. The two parties depend on their wings to do the grunt work (and generally try to ignore them the rest of the time). How do you get people to volunteer their time and money? By convincing them that Trump/Obama/Bush/Clinton is the new Hitler, and so therefore they must do everything to stop the impending Holocaust.

No, no, no. Bernie IS like Trump in many ways (or maybe, more like the antithesis of Trump, YMMV). The goal here is to put the mushy middle to sleep like in 2016. And there's a slight chance it could happen! If Bernie gets the nod the debates between Trump and Bernie are going to be a snoozefest. Trump is going to talk about Trump and Bernie's going to talk about the great city on the hill yadda, yadda, yadda - both of them will ignore the question being asked and just go off. This will "encourage" the mushy middle to not want to get involved in politics like the last election only this time the progressives come out in force and Bernie wins.