DL Open Thread: Friday, Nov. 8, 2019
Bloomberg Enters Race. Let’s cut to the chase. Biden is leaking oil and whatever his Depends can’t contain, and the corporate D’s are petrified. Bloomberg, of course, has no chance. Just ask yourselves who is going to vote for him. I can’t think of anybody. But if Biden’s corporate supporters call a time out, he’s SOC (shit outta cash). If the D electorate really wanted a moderate who is just a moderate by temperament, they’d be flocking to someone like Amy Klobuchar. But this is all about the donors trying to protect their ill-gotten billions, and Biden isn’t cutting it. Rest easy: The D’s aren’t nominating a mega-billionaire who wasn’t even a D until it became convenient for him. The only people who consider him viable are/were the panelists on Morning Joe. I clicked on for 10 seconds, then clicked off.
Here’s One More Reason Why Billionaires Are So Unpopular. They steal money earmarked to help the poor.
House Rethugs To Throw Giuliani, Sondland And Mulvaney Under The Bus? In order to insulate Trump? How is that gonna work, exactly? These guys were rogues who were operating against Trump’s wishes? Back to the drawing board…
Anonymous: ‘He’s Even Worse Than We Thought’. At least second graders have curiosity.
D’s Virginia Wins Could Threaten Huge Soulless Utility. Dominion Energy. Why the fuck can’t Delaware Democrats behave like Democrats when D’s in a relatively conservative state like Virginia have no compunction in doing so? Shake off your Chamber shackles before we do it for you. Actually, we’ve started.
City Council Still Dysfunctional: At Least When It Comes To A Police Class. Shabazz vs. Guy-Battle of the Lilliputians. Not too impressed with that Trippi Congo, either.
What do you want to talk about?
on a scale from “Running mate Tim Kaine” to “Comey announcing the email investigation was still open” how bad of an omen is Bloomberg.
The corporatists will go trump before they allow a Warren or Sanders presidency. The sick part of it is, Clinton is right. The health care plan, ( or anything else) is DOA unless the dems have 63 senators (you know there are always a few Coonses out there)
That’s why the filibuster is doomed.
It’s really too bad none of the “second tier” Dem candidates did not emulate either Sanders or Warren. They might have a pathway being the first of the nexgen progressive candidates. Run on common sense proposals, “quality healthcare for all”, “necessary education or training for all”. How is this common sense, you ask? Well, if these are not for all, then it’s both fair and necessary to ask, who are we going to leave out? Because it’s not a moral question, it’s a political one. Dems are and always should be about “the big boat”. It’s in our DNA. When we are sensed to betray that, we lose, like in absurd 2016, 2014, and 2010. So a younger Sanders or Warren just might have a chance after all by standing for a platform that is based on common sense. I conclude with a question: when was common sense perceived as radical or difficult to explain?
On a lighter note it’s fun to watch the Republicans floundering all over the place trying to defend Trump. My favorite remains Mark Meadows of “the Freedom Caucus claiming Trump wanted to “clean up the corruption in the Ukraine”, knee slapper or what? More like Trump wanted a piece of the action, same for the hapless Giuliani who always seems to be neck deep in this ongoing mess.
Another week in paradise. I feel bad for socialists.
Socialism smells? You talking trash about the US military? See ya later Putin troll. Socialism is the backbone of the US military. Along with our educational system, roadways, water and sewage, police, and many other beloved components of the American way. What country are you from?
Conservatives can only operate on a third-grade level, just like their president.
Remember when this blog began and liberal was a radical word? Think about that
I agree with everything you’re saying with the post except that Bloomberg can’t win. He said earlier he wouldn’t get in the race unless Biden dropped out. I take this as a sign that Biden is done, where are all those centrist voters going to go? Bloomberg wouldn’t be in this if someone hadn’t already done the calculus and seen a very clear path to victory for him.
Rufus, you’re one of the best and most incisive commenters we have. As far as I’m concerned, I’d love to have you writing for us.
Having said that, you’re WRONGWRONGWRONG about Bloomberg.
Even assuming that Biden is done, and I don’t think we can quite stick a fork in him, Bloomberg will not inherit Biden’s remaining good will for having been Obama’s Veep, and he’s certainly not gonna inherit Biden’s remaining support in the African-American community. He’s not gonna inherit Biden’s alleged appeal to white blue collar workers.
The only support he will have is support he doesn’t need–that of corporate fat cats with the ability to write checks. Which includes Comcast’s own Fast Eddie Rendell. In other words, the corporatists who are terrified that Biden’s blowing it, and that their ill-gotten gains are in peril.
He hasn’t been a Democrat for more than a year. He has no constituency. The media’s infatuation with him has everything to do with his billions and his years as NYC mayor. Don’t think ‘stop-and-frisk’ will win him the nomination.
Cut and save.
The media’s fascination with him also has something to do with the fact that he’s one of the few people still hiring journalists. Even before the collapse of print journalism, Bloomberg stood out as a place you wanted to get hired.
The key to this is that Biden is being buoyed by the conservative black vote — think church-goers. Bloomberg will inherit exactly none of that bloc if Biden doesn’t win. Besides, Biden won’t drop out at this point unless his health betrays him.
I blame Jill for this whole mess. She could have talked some sense into him. As it is his campaign is embarrassing, and a Biden administration would be even worse.
This just in from a fresh poll: Bloomberg has the highest rate of dislike among all the Democratic contenders.
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/11/morning-consult-poll-likely-democratic-voters-dislike-bloomberg.html
This moment in the run up to 2020 is predictable. After all the “new car smell” has been scrubbed clean off all the current declarers, we experience a moment of existential horror that none can get the job done. Take a step back, take deep calming breaths, and reflect. For me, the really important question is, “who can get the most voters to the polls, recognizing the broad range and disparities of 2020 voters”? Arguments abound for each candidate, and passions have their effect too, but this is reasonably the question that drives the choice. The issues do play a secondary role, and I recommend a “common sense” platform. Can we reach a consensus about what those issues are and how to frame them? We’ll see.