Let's take a look at the candidate list now.
Wow, not many left. And most of my high ranked choices are gone, along with a whole rank of C-grade candidates. Let's talk about the remaining people specifically.
Warren remains my top choice, someone who has left-wing credentials while being an Ivy League economist. I don't know why more centrists and conservatives aren't happy about a real economist having a shot at being President. Down side: she may have peaked too early. Probably sounds too much like mom to some people.
Sanders is the self-described democratic socialist, the leftiest, and has good outsider cred. Down side: May lack appeal to centrists (but probably okay with independents), party loyalists still angry about how he didn't support Hillary enough last time (whether this is fair is a whole other discussion).
Buttigieg is young, smart, did military service, and has a quasi-moderate lane. I rated him higher because I'm just so damn tired of baby boomers. Down sides: has near zero appeal to ethnic minorities. Is America ready for its first gay President who, if elected, will be memorized by generations of middle schoolers by the fact his name begins with "butt" and he's gay?
Biden is experienced, plainspoken, and is the neoliberal torch bearer in this contest. After being VP to Obama, he has the highest support among ethnic minorities now that all of the candidates of color have dropped out. Down side: His record is a little too well known, not sating the electorate's eternal desire for something different. Ten years of conservative attacks on Obama automatically apply to him.
Klobuchar is homespun and disciplined. She has the ability to pander to people constantly without them realizing it, which is what people really want. Democratic establishment, but centrist, she peaked at the right time. Down side: Doesn't seem to have opinions without consulting a focus group first, doesn't really offer any excitement for the left wing to get to the polls.
Bloomberg is rich, self-financing, centrist, and did I mention rich? There's a segment of Never Trumper Republicans that are pinning their hopes on a Bloomberg candidacy, offering a Democrat who they think would be tolerable to their goals and possibly even an improvement on Trump for business. Down sides: I really can't see Bernie fans being enthused about him, and many will just stay home in November. Seriously, two billionaires is a choice?
Steyer has an outside chance if his wealth (only one rich) buys him a good result in Nevada. He's a billionaire, but has much more appeal to the left of the party. Down side: has never held public office, got in the race too late. Doesn't really offer anything that another candidate doesn't do better.
Gabbard is... still here. Is her financing from Russia? Endorsed by Ron Paul and Gary Johnson, who are Libertarians. Down side: Can't for the life of her get good press -- at least in outlets Dems would see. Fox and Breitbart seem to like her.
None of them are perfect choices. Perfect candidates, like perfect phone calls, don't actually exist. If you feel like your candidate is perfect, you are projecting your own feelings onto them, and allowing yourself to be played for a fool. Save your love for someone who will love you back, and just settle for your elected officials.
The number one question to Democrats this year is electability, but I feel like each of them excites one group while leaving another one out in the cold. This is, incidentally, what Vice Presidents are for. So I'm going to state it again: vote for the person who you want to be President. They are all electable enough, they just have different strategies to getting there. Trump is scary good at what he does, but despite how it feels he cannot negate realpolitik by executive order.
(06-29-2019, 01:18 PM)Labster Wrote: 1) Elizabeth Warren
2) Kamala Harris
3) Julián Castro
4) Jay Inslee
5) Cory Booker
6) Michael Bennet
7) Bernie Sanders
8) Pete Buttigieg
9) Joe Biden
10) Eric Swalwell
11) Bill de Blasio
12) Steve Bullock
13) Beto O'Rourke
14) Kirsten Gillibrand
15) Deval Patrick
16) Andrew Yang
17) Marianne Williamson
18) John Delaney
19) Amy Klobuchar
20) John Hickenlooper
21) Tim Ryan
22) Michael Bloomberg
23) Tom Steyer
24) Tulsi Gabbard
Wow, not many left. And most of my high ranked choices are gone, along with a whole rank of C-grade candidates. Let's talk about the remaining people specifically.
Warren remains my top choice, someone who has left-wing credentials while being an Ivy League economist. I don't know why more centrists and conservatives aren't happy about a real economist having a shot at being President. Down side: she may have peaked too early. Probably sounds too much like mom to some people.
Sanders is the self-described democratic socialist, the leftiest, and has good outsider cred. Down side: May lack appeal to centrists (but probably okay with independents), party loyalists still angry about how he didn't support Hillary enough last time (whether this is fair is a whole other discussion).
Buttigieg is young, smart, did military service, and has a quasi-moderate lane. I rated him higher because I'm just so damn tired of baby boomers. Down sides: has near zero appeal to ethnic minorities. Is America ready for its first gay President who, if elected, will be memorized by generations of middle schoolers by the fact his name begins with "butt" and he's gay?
Biden is experienced, plainspoken, and is the neoliberal torch bearer in this contest. After being VP to Obama, he has the highest support among ethnic minorities now that all of the candidates of color have dropped out. Down side: His record is a little too well known, not sating the electorate's eternal desire for something different. Ten years of conservative attacks on Obama automatically apply to him.
Klobuchar is homespun and disciplined. She has the ability to pander to people constantly without them realizing it, which is what people really want. Democratic establishment, but centrist, she peaked at the right time. Down side: Doesn't seem to have opinions without consulting a focus group first, doesn't really offer any excitement for the left wing to get to the polls.
Bloomberg is rich, self-financing, centrist, and did I mention rich? There's a segment of Never Trumper Republicans that are pinning their hopes on a Bloomberg candidacy, offering a Democrat who they think would be tolerable to their goals and possibly even an improvement on Trump for business. Down sides: I really can't see Bernie fans being enthused about him, and many will just stay home in November. Seriously, two billionaires is a choice?
Steyer has an outside chance if his wealth (only one rich) buys him a good result in Nevada. He's a billionaire, but has much more appeal to the left of the party. Down side: has never held public office, got in the race too late. Doesn't really offer anything that another candidate doesn't do better.
Gabbard is... still here. Is her financing from Russia? Endorsed by Ron Paul and Gary Johnson, who are Libertarians. Down side: Can't for the life of her get good press -- at least in outlets Dems would see. Fox and Breitbart seem to like her.
None of them are perfect choices. Perfect candidates, like perfect phone calls, don't actually exist. If you feel like your candidate is perfect, you are projecting your own feelings onto them, and allowing yourself to be played for a fool. Save your love for someone who will love you back, and just settle for your elected officials.
The number one question to Democrats this year is electability, but I feel like each of them excites one group while leaving another one out in the cold. This is, incidentally, what Vice Presidents are for. So I'm going to state it again: vote for the person who you want to be President. They are all electable enough, they just have different strategies to getting there. Trump is scary good at what he does, but despite how it feels he cannot negate realpolitik by executive order.
"Kitto daijoubu da yo." - Sakura Kinomoto