Primary Season

[lady_*nix]

Perhaps a "split the liberal vote" game? It would surprise me not at all if she ran in the general election as yet another independent spoiler candidate.

[Rommie]

So, did anyone else see the skit with Warren on SNL on Saturday? I won't lie, I looked at it and thought "how fun!" and moved on with my life. Then I logged onto social media, and learned a lot of people are roasting Warren on the spit for daring to do one fun thing after months of campaigning. Because, to quote someone on my FB feed, she isn't using her privilege to endorse Bernie whose policies are better for the working class than a Trump or Biden presidency. When criticized, the FB person told us we were all privileged too (it's my grad school crowd), and can't see that because Warren only spoke to that class, and only that class cares about SNL political skits, or something.

I was like, wait what? I'm pretty sure a few million Biden voters at least are working class, if not the majority. The FB complainer has a graduate degree. Isn't that a bit presumptuous to assume she knows better about what would be good for those people. And if by this person's admission Warren didn't get a larger swath of people interested in what she had to say, why would they care about her endorsement or that she dared to dance a little on SNL?

Really highlights problems the Bernie camp has had to me for some time now.

[SciFiFisher]

Funny how they just can't see they are acting like assholes.

[Sigma_Orionis]

It's an insufferable habit I've noticed both in Communists and Libertarians: They think that everyone but them is corrupt and unworthy.

[Rommie]

I wandered over to FiveThirtyEight today, and was astounded to see Biden is now at 99/100 odds to win the primary. Pretty amazing jump- https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/20 ... id=rrpromo

[SciFiFisher]

I just saw a news article that a Republican mayor in Michigan is openly declaring that he will vote for Biden. He says he knew Trump was crazy in 2016 but fell for the "he will get better once he is elected" self justification. Apparently, he can't keep telling himself that lie.

[Rommie]

I just saw a news article that a Republican mayor in Michigan is openly declaring that he will vote for Biden. He says he knew Trump was crazy in 2016 but fell for the "he will get better once he is elected" self justification. Apparently, he can't keep telling himself that lie.

My brother also claims if it's Biden he will vote for him. I keep thinking it's to appease my SIL, and he's just going to wait for one misspoken line in the next six months that proves he can't vote for Biden, but maybe I'm cynical. It'd be nice if he followed through because he does vote in PA...

[SciFiFisher]

I just saw a news article that a Republican mayor in Michigan is openly declaring that he will vote for Biden. He says he knew Trump was crazy in 2016 but fell for the "he will get better once he is elected" self justification. Apparently, he can't keep telling himself that lie.

My brother also claims if it's Biden he will vote for him. I keep thinking it's to appease my SIL, and he's just going to wait for one misspoken line in the next six months that proves he can't vote for Biden, but maybe I'm cynical. It'd be nice if he followed through because he does vote in PA...

That must be awkward at family get-togethers.

[SciFiFisher]

Biden increased his lead yesterday by a considerable margin. Sander's chances of clinching the nomination are very slim at this point. Biden received 176 more delegates from the March 10 primaries. He now has 846 delegates. Sanders picked up 110 bringing total delegate count to 684. According to the reports, the demographic that Sanders needs is just not showing up to vote. Apparently attacking the people you are trying to convince to vote for you is not working for Sanders. I realize that he doesn't see it that way but I think a lot of moderate or centrist democrats feel he is attacking them when he pillories "the establishment". I thought it was interesting that North Dakota went for Sanders. Of course, that was only 14 delegates.

[Rommie]

I really hope the young people not voting now will be coming out to vote in November anyway.

I read a nice statistic that 8,000 of the people who voted in Michigan yesterday also registered that day, under a new regulation allowing people to do so. Seeing as Trump won Michigan by ~16k I think it was, that is really encouraging that at least it will be easier in some states for people to vote.

I also think it's really nice that some people are running for Senate now in seats the Dems might win- like who knew Montana has a Democratic governor they really liked who they could convince to run? But I guess that will get into our general election thread once we get to that point. I don't know if this one is going to last super long unless Bernie stays stubborn like four years ago.

[SciFiFisher]

I don't know if this one is going to last super long unless Bernie stays stubborn like four years ago.

He sounds like he is planning to be stubborn. But, we shall see what happens after next week.

[Rommie]

So I confess I was kind of surprised that there's still a primary season and technically even two candidates so they had a debate! Does anyone actually still care and not just think Biden is going to win it?

Also, wow, primaries postponed. I don't think anyone questions that it was the right thing to do. BUT I do sure hope states are already planning on what to do if there is still a restriction on number of people who can congregate in one area- mail in ballots for example would be perfect. Well, one can dream.

[geonuc]

I don't care anymore. Barring something really surprising, Biden will get the nomination. At this point, I beginning to worry that this COVID-19 will end up affecting the general election.

[SciFiFisher]

So I confess I was kind of surprised that there's still a primary season and technically even two candidates so they had a debate! Does anyone actually still care and not just think Biden is going to win it?

Also, wow, primaries postponed. I don't think anyone questions that it was the right thing to do. BUT I do sure hope states are already planning on what to do if there is still a restriction on number of people who can congregate in one area- mail in ballots for example would be perfect. Well, one can dream.

There was a LOT of talk about going to all mail-in ballots and pointing out the states who were already pretty much there. I think one thing COVID 19 is going to do is accelerate the shift to all mail-in ballots or some type of online voting.

[SciFiFisher]

I don't care anymore. Barring something really surprising, Biden will get the nomination. At this point, I beginning to worry that this COVID-19 will end up affecting the general election.

Brite has mentioned that she is terrified that this administration will use this crisis to declare martial law and suspend the elections. I admit I have my concerns about an attempt along those lines myself.

[SciFiFisher]

Biden widened his lead considerably this week. Of course, Sanders won't given in. I was listening to a bit on Bloomberg News. The commentator stated that Bernie isn't really running for President anymore. He is staying in the race so he can drag the Democrats further to the left. And that he has an advantage that most candidates don't have by now. He is still getting a lot of small donations which add up to a lot of money. As long as he has the money he can spend it to try to influence things the way he wants them to go. Of course, he has to stay in the race or he can't legally spend that money.

And Tulsi Gabbard is still out there pretending she is running.

[lady_*nix]

TBH I applaud Sanders for doing that. If the mainstream Dems are chickenshit to nationalize industries or commandeer corporate resources during a pandemic, then yes, they need to be dragged further to the left.

Re Trump declaring martial law to stop the election, I'm actually weirdly (prematurely?) optimistic that he wouldn't be able to pull that off, simply because he's displayed such a level of gross incompetence during this crisis. Even the most jingoistic military grunts hopefully know enough about biological agents to realize that supporting this clown in a coup would be national suicide.

... Hopefully.

[SciFiFisher]

TBH I applaud Sanders for doing that. If the mainstream Dems are chickenshit to nationalize industries or commandeer corporate resources during a pandemic, then yes, they need to be dragged further to the left.

Re Trump declaring martial law to stop the election, I'm actually weirdly (prematurely?) optimistic that he wouldn't be able to pull that off, simply because he's displayed such a level of gross incompetence during this crisis. Even the most jingoistic military grunts hopefully know enough about biological agents to realize that supporting this clown in a coup would be national suicide.

... Hopefully.

I suppose if you want a silver lining for this dark cloud there is an interesting thought. If Coronavirus Covid 19 is half as bad as the predictions we will probably see a sweeping mandate for universal healthcare. And the Republicans are way behind the curve on that one.

[Rommie]

TULSI DROPPED OUT, STOP THE PRESSES

[lady_*nix]

@Fisher

I mean right now I'm worried they may still hold out to the bitter end. And that the Democrats may do the same, TBH. The Overton window in the US has moved very, very far to the right, and there's a general unwillingness to accept that the old status quo a) is no longer possible, and b) was not good for most people to begin with.

@Rommie

[SciFiFisher]

TULSI DROPPED OUT, STOP THE PRESSES

AND SHE ENDORSED BIDEN!

[geonuc]

With Sanders dropping out, I see an article on the WP examining Biden's potential VP choices. Eleven people, all women. But the one fact that stood out for me was the argument against Elizabeth Warren. Mind you, I wouldn't choose her because she's a force in the Senate and we need that. But what was pointed out was that Massachusetts has a Republican governor who would appoint her replacement. WTF is up with that so-called liberal bastion? They elect a Republican to fill Ted Kennedy's seat and they keep electing Republicans as governor. Since Mike Dukakis, six of the past eight gubernatorial elections have gone to the Republican in Massachusetts.

[SciFiFisher]

With Sanders dropping out, I see an article on the WP examining Biden's potential VP choices. Eleven people, all women. But the one fact that stood out for me was the argument against Elizabeth Warren. Mind you, I wouldn't choose her because she's a force in the Senate and we need that. But what was pointed out was that Massachusetts has a Republican governor who would appoint her replacement. WTF is up with that so-called liberal bastion? They elect a Republican to fill Ted Kennedy's seat and they keep electing Republicans as governor. Since Mike Dukakis, six of the past eight gubernatorial elections have gone to the Republican in Massachusetts.

My best guess is that their gubernatorial candidates for the Democrats are less attractive in some way. Or that MA like many states is suffering from gerrymandering so you get weird election outcomes. I did look it up and they had a Republican Governor and Lt. Gov. all the other 4 top offices are Democrats. Makes me scratch my head.

[Rommie]

I'm still pretty new so not sure, but will let you know. My suspicion is they're people who like to still pretend there is a breed called the "New England Republican."

I also vaguely remember the Senate election with replacing Ted Kennedy and remember the woman they chose for the Dems was really not the best.

[lady_*nix]

Sanders endorses Biden.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/13/politics ... index.html

Probably necessary, but oof.