***Official Joe Biden Campaign Thread

[Slapdash 16,240]

12 hours ago, timschochet said:

He doesn’t have to tell young voters anything. 

Two years ago, after Parkland, young people got organized for the first time in my memory, (probably since the Vietnam War.) They demonstrated political power through mass gatherings. But they were unable to effect real change on guns because Republicans were too entrenched in the White House and the Senate and, increasingly, the courts. If gun control is to happen, Biden needs to win, the Senate needs to turn blue, and young people need to play a decisive role in making these things happen. If they stay at home, if they whine about Biden, they will lose what is a last golden opportunity to make a difference on this issue. They don’t need to be told this. I think they’re going to show up. 

Maybe Sirota needs to take a long look in the mirror about why he couldn't get young voters to turnout in the primaries.  Divisive rhetoric and constant smearing of Bernie's rivals just was not a winning formula. 

[Leroy Hoard 13,381]

25 minutes ago, sho nuff said:

ByeDon 2020

Shirts are now available.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/784413301/byedon-2020-cartoon-t-shirt-in-16-color?ref=pla_similar_listings_top_ad-1&plkey=74d0a6bba5b85dc5da56356f4e503b87e3640997%3A784413301&pro=1&frs=1

Edited April 14, 2020 by Leroy Hoard

[ShamrockPride 5,292]

23 hours ago, timschochet said:

He doesn’t have to tell young voters anything. 

Two years ago, after Parkland, young people got organized for the first time in my memory, (probably since the Vietnam War.) They demonstrated political power through mass gatherings. But they were unable to effect real change on guns because Republicans were too entrenched in the White House and the Senate and, increasingly, the courts. If gun control is to happen, Biden needs to win, the Senate needs to turn blue, and young people need to play a decisive role in making these things happen. If they stay at home, if they whine about Biden, they will lose what is a last golden opportunity to make a difference on this issue. They don’t need to be told this. I think they’re going to show up. 

You'll be wrong. Also, you don't need us. You've told this to all of us on multiple occasions. Go win the election with your boomer friends, champ.

[Ghost Rider 6,201]

On 4/13/2020 at 10:47 AM, The General said:

That two of those people (have no idea on Tulsi)  are on board with Joe and say the alternative is the worst thing that could happen to the country isn’t good for you?

With all due respect, I hate this idea that "gee, my candidate lost, so I guess I have to support the candidate whom they are now endorsing." 

If you want to vote for Biden, do it because you like him or you think he is the best option on the ticket, not just because the candidate you supported endorsed him.

[The General 24,223]

39 minutes ago, Ghost Rider said:

With all due respect, I hate this idea that "gee, my candidate lost, so I guess I have to support the candidate whom they are now endorsing." 

If you want to vote for Biden, do it because you like him or you think he is the best option on the ticket, not just because the candidate you supported endorsed him.

Bernie says opposing Biden is irresponsible

If Bernie were my guy this would be important to me.

[JPPT1974 3]

Well if Biden can overcome his gaffes and blasting of people, he could be a challenge to the Presidnet!

[BigSteelThrill 5,359]

41 minutes ago, JPPT1974 said:

 blasting of people

You must be thinking of Trump.  Biden gets heated, little more. Whereas all Trump does is attack and blast people.

[ren hoek 4,995]

16 minutes ago, The General said:

Bernie says opposing Biden is irresponsible

If Bernie were my guy this would be important to me.

I think that's an incredibly arrogant statement from Sanders.  To shame people who reject Joe Biden, an accused sexual predator, into voting for him as a negative response to Trump.  

What many don't seem to understand is that Biden isn't seen as an ally, but viewed categorically as an enemy just like Trump.  I don't think people understand how revolting Joe Biden is to these people. Why is this stale politician with a horrible record in cognitive decline the nominee?  Because the obscenely wealthy owners of the party want him to be, that's why.  

What's irresponsible is Bernie sheepdogging the working families that believed in him into supporting a ghoul that shilled the Iraq War.  It'd be a much better use of energy to abandon the Democratic Party, which is a graveyard for leftists and progressive policy, to consolidate behind a 3rd party/independent movement.  Bernie is a disingenuous coward who refuses to ever challenge the party like that, but his supporters aren't. 

The party has told his base to take a hike in every imaginable way.  They're just following through.  

[BigSteelThrill 5,359]

1 hour ago, ren hoek said:

 just like Trump.

Kim Jong- Un?

[Sinn Fein 33,971]

9 hours ago, Ghost Rider said:

With all due respect, I hate this idea that "gee, my candidate lost, so I guess I have to support the candidate whom they are now endorsing." 

If you want to vote for Biden, do it because you like him or you think he is the best option on the ticket, not just because the candidate you supported endorsed him.

I started supporting Biden when Pete endorsed.  Pete was a guy for whom I had a lot of respect.  If he says the right path forward is with Biden - I respect that.

 

But, its really less about "support" at this stage.  If your guy was Bernie, the closest candidate to Bernie's positions that is still in the race is Biden.  You may not campaign for Biden, but you are cutting off your nose to spite your face if you don't vote for Biden in the general election.

[The General 24,223]

6 hours ago, ren hoek said:

I think that's an incredibly arrogant statement from Sanders.  To shame people who reject Joe Biden, an accused sexual predator, into voting for him as a negative response to Trump.  

What many don't seem to understand is that Biden isn't seen as an ally, but viewed categorically as an enemy just like Trump.  I don't think people understand how revolting Joe Biden is to these people. Why is this stale politician with a horrible record in cognitive decline the nominee?  Because the obscenely wealthy owners of the party want him to be, that's why.  

What's irresponsible is Bernie sheepdogging the working families that believed in him into supporting a ghoul that shilled the Iraq War.  It'd be a much better use of energy to abandon the Democratic Party, which is a graveyard for leftists and progressive policy, to consolidate behind a 3rd party/independent movement.  Bernie is a disingenuous coward who refuses to ever challenge the party like that, but his supporters aren't. 

The party has told his base to take a hike in every imaginable way.  They're just following through.  

The votes seem to indicate Biden’s is more in line with the base of the party.

[tommyGunZ 4,626]

10 hours ago, ShamrockPride said:

You'll be wrong. Also, you don't need us. You've told this to all of us on multiple occasions. Go win the election with your boomer friends, champ.

Not me, us.  Remember? 

[tommyGunZ 4,626]

22 minutes ago, The General said:

The votes seem to indicate Biden’s is more in line with the base of the party.

It’s funny how minor details like actual votes get lost in the details during these DNC conspiracy theories.  

[CletiusMaximus 8,863]

22 hours ago, roadkill1292 said:

"We're all in for Bernie but we don't trust his endorsement to be of sound judgment" is a curious piece of logic. Fortunately, according to Quinnipiac, disillusioned Bernie supporters voting for Trump appears to a declining percentage this time around and they're probably scattered enough that they won't be the deciders in battleground states that are shaping up as big Dem gets in November.

Sure, vote for Donald and get a Supreme Court that won't allow a piece of legislation good for the voters for the next two decades. Or maybe vote for your state Democratic candidates who pledge to support Don Beyer's Fair Representation Act and see an electoral process in a couple of years that makes third party representation realistic.

I think the difficulty for the left wing or "progressive" part of the democratic party is that that the party really can continue to ignore them, because everyone knows they will (mostly) still show up and vote for the party based on the "lesser of two evils" paradigm.  The funny thing is they will still be blamed if the crap candidate the party submits loses, even thought that's exactly what the the progressives said all along.  If they are ever to have any power in the democratic party, or even be recognized in terms of the party platform, their move is quite obvious - don't show up and vote for the party when they nominate someone you hate.  Bernie's endorsement illustrates this quite well - he threw away all his leverage and power and, as far as I can tell, got nothing in return. Now, all his supporters and those who worked so hard for him are being asked to do the same.  Personally, I'd rather suffer the "blame" from all the morons in the party who think it is someone else's fault that they selected Joe Biden as their candidate.  

[Slapdash 16,240]

1 minute ago, CletiusMaximus said:

I think the difficulty for the left wing or "progressive" part of the democratic party is that that the party really can continue to ignore them, because everyone knows they will (mostly) still show up and vote for the party based on the "lesser of two evils" paradigm.  The funny thing is they will still be blamed if the crap candidate the party submits loses, even thought that's exactly what the the progressives said all along.  If they are ever to have any power in the democratic party, or even be recognized in terms of the party platform, their move is quite obvious - don't show up and vote for the party when they nominate someone you hate.  Bernie's endorsement illustrates this quite well - he threw away all his leverage and power and, as far as I can tell, got nothing in return. Now, all his supporters and those who worked so hard for him are being asked to do the same.  Personally, I'd rather suffer the "blame" from all the morons in the party who think it is someone else's fault that they selected Joe Biden as their candidate.  

Or turnout in the primaries...

[Ghost Rider 6,201]

10 hours ago, The General said:

Bernie says opposing Biden is irresponsible

If Bernie were my guy this would be important to me.

Okay, but if you are a Bernie fan already, you probably already thought everything he said there was true, so did you need him to say it to move your support to Biden?  If he had not said it, but you thought it anyway, would you still move your support to Biden?

Note: I am using "you" in general terms.

1 hour ago, Sinn Fein said:

I started supporting Biden when Pete endorsed.  Pete was a guy for whom I had a lot of respect.  If he says the right path forward is with Biden - I respect that.

 

But, its really less about "support" at this stage.  If your guy was Bernie, the closest candidate to Bernie's positions that is still in the race is Biden.  You may not campaign for Biden, but you are cutting off your nose to spite your face if you don't vote for Biden in the general election.

I agree.  I am simply pushing back on the idea of supporting a candidate simply because the person you originally supported threw their support behind him or her, in general terms and looking at in the grand scope (in other words, not just exclusive to this particular election). 

[roadkill1292 10,465]

58 minutes ago, CletiusMaximus said:

I think the difficulty for the left wing or "progressive" part of the democratic party is that that the party really can continue to ignore them, because everyone knows they will (mostly) still show up and vote for the party based on the "lesser of two evils" paradigm.  The funny thing is they will still be blamed if the crap candidate the party submits loses, even thought that's exactly what the the progressives said all along.  If they are ever to have any power in the democratic party, or even be recognized in terms of the party platform, their move is quite obvious - don't show up and vote for the party when they nominate someone you hate.  Bernie's endorsement illustrates this quite well - he threw away all his leverage and power and, as far as I can tell, got nothing in return. Now, all his supporters and those who worked so hard for him are being asked to do the same.  Personally, I'd rather suffer the "blame" from all the morons in the party who think it is someone else's fault that they selected Joe Biden as their candidate.  

I'm a lefty myself and I don't think we're getting ignored by mainstream Dems, maybe I'm just more realistic about the time it takes to affect the kinds of changes we want to see. Joe has reportedly come out with a plan to lower Medicare requirements by five years and introduce a plan to eliminate, or at least drastically reduce, student debt, changes that are obviously a nod to the growing leftward momentum in the nation. Am I still frustrated with the old line Dems? You betcha. Their reluctance to endorse election reforms* that would hugely benefit the country's voters makes me want to scream. But our agenda is delayed for way more than just four years if that awful president is re-elected. Let's get Job One done and then we'll keep pulling the ever-younger electorate left along with us.

* Increasing the size of Congress and supporting the Fair Representation Act (which would be a monster boost to third party candidacies and end gerrymandering)

[tommyGunZ 4,626]

45 minutes ago, CletiusMaximus said:

I think the difficulty for the left wing or "progressive" part of the democratic party is that that the party really can continue to ignore them, because everyone knows they will (mostly) still show up and vote for the party based on the "lesser of two evils" paradigm.  The funny thing is they will still be blamed if the crap candidate the party submits loses, even thought that's exactly what the the progressives said all along.  If they are ever to have any power in the democratic party, or even be recognized in terms of the party platform, their move is quite obvious - don't show up and vote for the party when they nominate someone you hate.  Bernie's endorsement illustrates this quite well - he threw away all his leverage and power and, as far as I can tell, got nothing in return. Now, all his supporters and those who worked so hard for him are being asked to do the same.  Personally, I'd rather suffer the "blame" from all the morons in the party who think it is someone else's fault that they selected Joe Biden as their candidate.  

As a proud DNC'er, I'm struggling with the motivation to continue fighting for votes among fellow "progressives".  If you've looked at Biden's platform (heavily influenced by Liz & Bernie), looked at Trump's platform & his 4 year record, and conclude that you don't see the benefit of voting for Biden, I'm about ready to just give up.  This isn't even close - this is as black and white as it gets.  When Bill Kristol and Charlie Sykes and Joe Walsh etc. are ripping the fire alarm off the wall, yet left wingers suggest the difference isn't worth their time to vote, I give up.

[tommyGunZ 4,626]

8 minutes ago, roadkill1292 said:

I'm a lefty myself and I don't think we're getting ignored by mainstream Dems, maybe I'm just more realistic about the time it takes to affect the kinds of changes we want to see. Joe has reportedly come out with a plan to lower Medicare requirements by five years and introduce a plan to eliminate, or at least drastically reduce, student debt, changes that are obviously a nod to the growing leftward momentum in the nation. Am I still frustrated with the old line Dems? You betcha. Their reluctance to endorse election reforms* that would hugely benefit the country's voters makes me want to scream. But our agenda is delayed for way more than just four years if that awful president is re-elected. Let's get Job One done and then we'll keep pulling the ever-younger electorate left along with us.

* Increasing the size of Congress and supporting the Fair Representation Act (which would be a monster boost to third party candidacies and end gerrymandering)

THIS!  

Let's be honest - folks aren't extremely well educated on how gov't works. Change takes time, and the best way to accelerate the pace of change is to gain power.  Gaining power means working with your fellow ideologues/worldviewers to elect political leaders who are open, if not in full agreement with your policy goals.  Get enough liberals in office to achieve less sexy, but foundational goals like election reform, and the social/economic changes will follow.  

 

[ShamrockPride 5,292]

12 minutes ago, roadkill1292 said:

I'm a lefty myself and I don't think we're getting ignored by mainstream Dems, maybe I'm just more realistic about the time it takes to affect the kinds of changes we want to see. Joe has reportedly come out with a plan to lower Medicare requirements by five years and introduce a plan to eliminate, or at least drastically reduce, student debt, changes that are obviously a nod to the growing leftward momentum in the nation. Am I still frustrated with the old line Dems? You betcha. Their reluctance to endorse election reforms* that would hugely benefit the country's voters makes me want to scream. But our agenda is delayed for way more than just four years if that awful president is re-elected. Let's get Job One done and then we'll keep pulling the ever-younger electorate left along with us.

* Increasing the size of Congress and supporting the Fair Representation Act (which would be a monster boost to third party candidacies and end gerrymandering)

So just as a single point out of your entire post here: I was watching Jimmy Dore from the other day. He got me thinking. Biden says he hears progressives (largely millennials) on healthcare, so his concession is to lower the medicare age to 60, benefitting.....millennial's parents? How does that help us at all?

[Trey 644]

8 minutes ago, ShamrockPride said:

So just as a single point out of your entire post here: I was watching Jimmy Dore from the other day. He got me thinking. Biden says he hears progressives (largely millennials) on healthcare, so his concession is to lower the medicare age to 60, benefitting.....millennial's parents? How does that help us at all?

It's a step in the right direction and a policy proposal that could actually be implemented during Biden's term as President.

Next one up moves Medicare eligibility to 50, so on and so forth.

[roadkill1292 10,465]

17 minutes ago, ShamrockPride said:

So just as a single point out of your entire post here: I was watching Jimmy Dore from the other day. He got me thinking. Biden says he hears progressives (largely millennials) on healthcare, so his concession is to lower the medicare age to 60, benefitting.....millennial's parents? How does that help us at all?

If we can pull it off logistically and financially, then we've shown the benefits of at least a type of single payer to another 12-15 million voters. And then we can keep dropping the age requirement until the electorate has reached a tipping point and we elect representatives who can implement a modern and efficient system like all the more modernized nations have long had.

We can't get there in a day. But even the start will be delayed by a minimum of four years if we re-elect Donald J. Trump.

[Mile High 5,115]

50 minutes ago, tommyGunZ said:

As a proud DNC'er, I'm struggling with the motivation to continue fighting for votes among fellow "progressives".  If you've looked at Biden's platform (heavily influenced by Liz & Bernie), looked at Trump's platform & his 4 year record, and conclude that you don't see the benefit of voting for Biden, I'm about ready to just give up.  This isn't even close - this is as black and white as it gets.  When Bill Kristol and Charlie Sykes and Joe Walsh etc. are ripping the fire alarm off the wall, yet left wingers suggest the difference isn't worth their time to vote, I give up.

As a 60 year old white male in a blue state I have given up on progressives who refuse to vote. No skin off my nose if the Brenie bros shot themselves in the foot and cut off their own nose. I'll been fine. I voted for Bernie on super Tuesday and he won my state.

Edited April 15, 2020 by Mile High

[ShamrockPride 5,292]

12 minutes ago, roadkill1292 said:

If we can pull it off logistically and financially, then we've shown the benefits of at least a type of single payer to another 12-15 million voters. And then we can keep dropping the age requirement until the electorate has reached a tipping point and we elect representatives who can implement a modern and efficient system like all the more modernized nations have long had.

We can't get there in a day. But even the start will be delayed by a minimum of four years if we re-elect Donald J. Trump.

I really appreciate this kind of post.

If anti-trump people could more often discuss like this in a conversational tone rather than with their emotions, I'd be much more open to listening and hearing.

[tommyGunZ 4,626]

32 minutes ago, ShamrockPride said:

I really appreciate this kind of post.

If anti-trump people could more often discuss like this in a conversational tone rather than with their emotions, I'd be much more open to listening and hearing.

Is that how Jimmy Dore communicates? 

[tommyGunZ 4,626]

2 hours ago, roadkill1292 said:

If we can pull it off logistically and financially, then we've shown the benefits of at least a type of single payer to another 12-15 million voters. And then we can keep dropping the age requirement until the electorate has reached a tipping point and we elect representatives who can implement a modern and efficient system like all the more modernized nations have long had.

We can't get there in a day. But even the start will be delayed by a minimum of four years if we re-elect Donald J. Trump.

I'd argue that it's more than delayed.  Take climate policy.  By not coming out to vote for HRC, we didn't just delay Obama/Biden's progress on climate goals, we're actually going backwards.  Instead of building on fuel standards and renewable energy policy, Trump has ripped much of that up and it will likely take the next 4-8 years just to get back to 2017.  

There really isn't any choice if you are a real progressive. Not supporting Biden is actually supporting regressive policy.  

Edited April 15, 2020 by tommyGunZ

[ShamrockPride 5,292]

27 minutes ago, tommyGunZ said:

Is that how Jimmy Dore communicates? 

Who cares how he communicates. He largely has a world viewpoint I agree with. I'll naturally be more open to listening to him because of that regardless of his tone. It's human nature.

[KiddLattimer 1,101]

1 hour ago, ShamrockPride said:

So just as a single point out of your entire post here: I was watching Jimmy Dore from the other day. He got me thinking. Biden says he hears progressives (largely millennials) on healthcare, so his concession is to lower the medicare age to 60, benefitting.....millennial's parents? How does that help us at all?

I'm clearly not a Biden fan but I'll give him this... he's already done more to reach out to progressives than HRC ever did. 

I still think he needs to go farther with his proposals, especially now when there's a projected 30M+ people losing healthcare and possible depression era unemployment levels, but at least they're acknowledging they need progressives to win.

[tommyGunZ 4,626]

24 minutes ago, ShamrockPride said:

Who cares how he communicates. He largely has a world viewpoint I agree with. I'll naturally be more open to listening to him because of that regardless of his tone. It's human nature.

You suggested that the tone from anti-Trump folks mattered. 

You don't consider yourself anti-Trump?  

 

[Golf Guy 69 498]

5 hours ago, Sinn Fein said:

I started supporting Biden when Pete endorsed.  Pete was a guy for whom I had a lot of respect.  If he says the right path forward is with Biden - I respect that.

 

But, its really less about "support" at this stage.  If your guy was Bernie, the closest candidate to Bernie's positions that is still in the race is Biden.  You may not campaign for Biden, but you are cutting off your nose to spite your face if you don't vote for Biden in the general election.

The difference between Biden and Trump might seem big to you but neither impact my issues positively.   All things being equal, I will go with the one that isn't mentally deteriorating right before our eyes.

Edited April 15, 2020 by Golf Guy 69

[roadkill1292 10,465]

1 minute ago, Golf Guy 69 said:

The difference between Biden and Trump might seem big to you but neither impact my issues positively.   All think being equal, I will go with the one that isn't mentally deteriorating right be for our eyes.

I'm assuming you'll vote for Joe because Donald hasn't been able to string two coherent sentences together for his entire term.

[Golf Guy 69 498]

2 minutes ago, roadkill1292 said:

I'm assuming you'll vote for Joe because Donald hasn't been able to string two coherent sentences together for his entire term.

You might be biased here and your assumption is horrible too.  If you were going for whitty, strike 3.

Edited April 15, 2020 by Golf Guy 69

[roadkill1292 10,465]

3 minutes ago, Golf Guy 69 said:

You might be biased here and your assumption is horrible too.  If you were going for whitty, strike 3.

I am biased and believe that you are making a terrible error in judgment if you vote for Donald Trump. If you don't think my opinion is worth listening to, then I suggest you listen to the advice of other posters here who are not only smarter but also much more whitty.

[ShamrockPride 5,292]

47 minutes ago, tommyGunZ said:

You suggested that the tone from anti-Trump folks mattered. 

You don't consider yourself anti-Trump?  

Yes. I also consider myself anti-establishment. That plays against both Left and Right. Anti-Trump does not automatically mean pro-other "side". I also just stated if it's a viewpoint I agree with from the start, it's much more likely I'll consider it regardless of tone. I would bet you most people think/react this way. Tribalism, etc, etc.

[ren hoek 4,995]

1 hour ago, tommyGunZ said:

As a proud DNC'er, I'm struggling with the motivation to continue fighting for votes among fellow "progressives".  If you've looked at Biden's platform (heavily influenced by Liz & Bernie), looked at Trump's platform & his 4 year record, and conclude that you don't see the benefit of voting for Biden, I'm about ready to just give up.  This isn't even close - this is as black and white as it gets.  When Bill Kristol and Charlie Sykes and Joe Walsh etc. are ripping the fire alarm off the wall, yet left wingers suggest the difference isn't worth their time to vote, I give up.

The platform doesn't matter at all.  Anyone can brag about stuff that's written on a piece of paper.  It can be discarded the second Joe Biden acquires power. 

What does matter is his 50-year record of rightwing, authoritarian policy decisions.  He tried to CUT Medicare & SS multiple times- it's on tape.  He sold us the Iraq War, the bankruptcy bill, mass incarceration, the Patriot Act.  He pushed every war, sides with apartheid Israel, backed neonazis in Ukraine.  He wanted to punish employers for "hiring illegals" and deported millions, which created the same immigration activists he now tells to go vote for Trump.  He is credibly accused of sexually violating one of his own staffers.  

Biden, and others like him, are behind every loathesome institution in Washington.  He's been on the frontlines for many of the things that make young people angry about the way this country operates.  This is who the DNC chose for the left to rally behind, and young people & progressives are telling them, "no thanks."  

[Mile High 5,115]

36 minutes ago, ren hoek said:

The platform doesn't matter at all.  Anyone can brag about stuff that's written on a piece of paper.  It can be discarded the second Joe Biden acquires power. 

What does matter is his 50-year record of rightwing, authoritarian policy decisions.  He tried to CUT Medicare & SS multiple times- it's on tape.  He sold us the Iraq War, the bankruptcy bill, mass incarceration, the Patriot Act.  He pushed every war, sides with apartheid Israel, backed neonazis in Ukraine.  He wanted to punish employers for "hiring illegals" and deported millions, which created the same immigration activists he now tells to go vote for Trump.  He is credibly accused of sexually violating one of his own staffers.  

Biden, and others like him, are behind every loathesome institution in Washington.  He's been on the frontlines for many of the things that make young people angry about the way this country operates.  This is who the DNC chose for the left to rally behind, and young people & progressives are telling them, "no thanks."  

Since young folks don't usually vote anyway. Don't give a #### anymore what they want.

[Widbil83 4,009]

Getting some serious deja vu reading this thread.

[Rich Conway 3,575]

3 hours ago, Golf Guy 69 said:

The difference between Biden and Trump might seem big to you but neither impact my issues positively.   All things being equal, I will go with the one that isn't mentally deteriorating right before our eyes.

Edit.  Never mind, not worth it.

Edited April 15, 2020 by Rich Conway

[roadkill1292 10,465]

Time for the campaign to hit social media with his support for rescheduling weed. For every old voter it costs him, he'll pick up five new younger voters who might not otherwise have bothered.

[Mile High 5,115]

16 minutes ago, roadkill1292 said:

Time for the campaign to hit social media with his support for rescheduling weed. For every old voter it costs him, he'll pick up five new younger voters who might not otherwise have bothered.

They won't bother anyway.  You are what your record says you are. I bought into the hype. Bernie was going to start the movement. Young people and people who never vote were going to show up this time. If they had, the numbers are there to actually make a difference,  but what happened? They left me on the front line pretty much all alone with no backup. Can't count on them. 

[Leroy Hoard 13,381]

30 minutes ago, roadkill1292 said:

Time for the campaign to hit social media with his support for rescheduling weed. For every old voter it costs him, he'll pick up five new younger voters who might not otherwise have bothered.

The governor of Michigan was helped by legalization being on the ballot when elected. Can't hurt here, not many Trump people on the weed bandwagon.

[Bottomfeeder Sports 2,055]

6 hours ago, ShamrockPride said:

So just as a single point out of your entire post here: I was watching Jimmy Dore from the other day. He got me thinking. Biden says he hears progressives (largely millennials) on healthcare, so his concession is to lower the medicare age to 60, benefitting.....millennial's parents? How does that help us at all?

If you remove the oldest members of the health insurance pool you remove, in general those driving up the prices the most.  So while you are still under whatever age that Medicare starts at your insurance prices will be more affordable.  How much more?   A great question I can't answer.  The other benefit is one that the FairTax people use - that over your lifetime most everyone will benefit even if not at first.  So anyone who gets to 60 or 55 or 50 or wherever the age drops to by the time they get there will eventually benefit.

[Thunderlips 5,216]

8 hours ago, tommyGunZ said:

As a proud DNC'er, I'm struggling with the motivation to continue fighting for votes among fellow "progressives".  If you've looked at Biden's platform (heavily influenced by Liz & Bernie), looked at Trump's platform & his 4 year record, and conclude that you don't see the benefit of voting for Biden, I'm about ready to just give up.  This isn't even close - this is as black and white as it gets.  When Bill Kristol and Charlie Sykes and Joe Walsh etc. are ripping the fire alarm off the wall, yet left wingers suggest the difference isn't worth their time to vote, I give up.

This.

 

Biden gives progressives a chance.  Trump gives them nothing but the idea that Centrist Democrats will be so upset at Trump winning that they'll flock to the wing of the Party that openly didn't bother to vote against Trump.  

[roadkill1292 10,465]

3 hours ago, Mile High said:

They won't bother anyway.  You are what your record says you are. I bought into the hype. Bernie was going to start the movement. Young people and people who never vote were going to show up this time. If they had, the numbers are there to actually make a difference,  but what happened? They left me on the front line pretty much all alone with no backup. Can't count on them. 

The yoot vote was up bigly in '18. And Bernie pretty much equalled his vote counts of '16, many of which I think we can presume came from young voters. It was just a surge in suburban voters last month for Biden that swamped Sanders.

Point being that I think they'll be there in November because the Don sure isn't talking favorably about climate change or college debt forgiveness.

Edited April 16, 2020 by roadkill1292

[roadkill1292 10,465]

2 hours ago, Leroy Hoard said:

The governor of Michigan was helped by legalization being on the ballot when elected. Can't hurt here, not many Trump people on the weed bandwagon.

Maybe more to the point is that a Republican majority Senate isn't going to consider rescheduling for even a minute. There's going to be six or seven really tight Senate races this year.

[ren hoek 4,995]

It's delusional to think Joe Biden would be good for progressives.  That was the whole point of consolidating behind him, to fend off the left wing of the party.  It doesn't matter what kind of concessions Biden tries to make.  There is no point.  Progressives don't trust him, and Biden voters are fixated on removing Trump, not actual policy.  

At this point it's best he just focuses on well-off suburban households, appealing to black voters, and praying that the GOP doesn't expose his mental decline & ####ty record that has ruined millions of people's lives.  

[Rich Conway 3,575]

I guess I'm having trouble following the progressive plan for moving forward.  I get the idea that "Biden sucks".  For sake of argument, let's say I agree, Biden sucks.  Now what?  What's the next step?  What's the progressives' plan for getting where progressives want to be?

Edit to add: And let's not have the answer be "nominate someone who isn't Biden in 2020".  That ship has sailed.  Biden is the Democrat nominee for 2020.

Edited April 16, 2020 by Rich Conway

[ren hoek 4,995]

5 minutes ago, Rich Conway said:

I guess I'm having trouble following the progressive plan for moving forward.  I get the idea that "Biden sucks".  For sake of argument, let's say I agree, Biden sucks.  Now what?  What's the next step?  What's the progressives' plan for getting where progressives want to be?

Edit to add: And let's not have the answer be "nominate someone who isn't Biden in 2020".  That ship has sailed.  Biden is the Democrat nominee for 2020.

3rd party/Independent candidates.  Put on a yellow vest.  But above all, don't vote for Joe Biden.  

[KiddLattimer 1,101]

1 minute ago, Rich Conway said:

I guess I'm having trouble following the progressive plan for moving forward.  I get the idea that "Biden sucks".  For sake of argument, let's say I agree, Biden sucks.  Now what?  What's the next step?  What's the progressives' plan for getting where progressives want to be?

For this year only I think our best play is to leverage the "Never Biden" movement into some substantial concessions. Bernie didn't help here since he pledged allegiance before he even lost, but we as voters can hold their feet to the fire. They need our votes and they know it, so we need to turn that into something that advances the cause. They need to know that enough of us need to be willing to walk though and many don't have the stomach for that.

As I mentioned in another thread Biden at least seems to acknowledge that he needs progressives, which is more than HRC ever did but like @ren hoek said saying it is one thing but day 1 he can just brush it off and his career indicates he will do just that (sincerely hope I'm wrong here). 

Going forward it doesn't seem like there's much of a bullpen for progressives at least for presidential politics. I still hold out hope for Tulsi Gabbard (yea i know, putin, assad, russia russia russia... save it everyone) but I doubt she ever gets anywhere as a democrat. Maybe endorsing Biden put her back in some good graces, if not I've been reading a bit about the populist right so maybe there's a lane for her there. AOC is too young for 2 cycles I believe and by then I'm assuming she'll be swallowed up by the establishment. Feels like that's started a bit with her already. Beyond that I'm not seeing anyone but I didn't see Bernie so maybe I'll be surprised.

What I am hopeful for is that Bernie keeps his mailing list and some of his machine in tact and uses it to drive change on a local/state level and build from the bottom, but that's going to be a long hard road. The power brokers in the DNC are not going to give up what they have and they've already threatened to blackball anyone who helps progressives primary sitting democrats. In the long run it will be much better off though, especially coinciding with the wave of Gen X, Millenial, Gen Z replacing the Boomers as the primary voting block. 

 

[roadkill1292 10,465]

15 minutes ago, Rich Conway said:

I guess I'm having trouble following the progressive plan for moving forward.  I get the idea that "Biden sucks".  For sake of argument, let's say I agree, Biden sucks.  Now what?  What's the next step?  What's the progressives' plan for getting where progressives want to be?

Edit to add: And let's not have the answer be "nominate someone who isn't Biden in 2020".  That ship has sailed.  Biden is the Democrat nominee for 2020.

Support progressive Democratic candidates in House and Senate primaries. Keep moving Congress in the right direction.

This is gonna take a while. But the needle has already moved; there's no reason why we can't keep moving it. Even Joe is moving in the right direction.