The Race for the 2020 POTUS elections

[DORISPULASKI]

Biden just gave a barn burner of a speech in Iowa.

And incidentally, he reminded everyone that the 1994 ban of assault weapons and high capacity magazine was one of his initiatives, as part of the crime bill.

Federal Assault Weapons Ban - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[skatesindreams]

Biden just gave a barn burner of a speech in Iowa.

I hope he can sustain this!

 

[caseyedwards]

There was an assault weapons ban but the law was so specific in describing the guns that the gun manufacturers did some design changes and the guns that were banned were revised and renamed and went on sale! The thing is that semi automatic technology needs to be banned for civilian purchases. All assault weapons are semi automatics. Automatic weapons are all banned.

 

[DORISPULASKI]

Actually, the high capacity magazine ban was the more useful part of that bill.

 

[Susan1]

There was an assault weapons ban but the law was so specific in describing the guns that the gun manufacturers did some design changes and the guns that were banned were revised and renamed and went on sale! The thing is that semi automatic technology needs to be banned for civilian purchases. All assault weapons are semi automatics. Automatic weapons are all banned.

A comment on twitter said something about upholding the second amendment by arming everyone with muskets and loaders. Sounds good to me.

 

[caseyedwards]

Actually, the high capacity magazine ban was the more useful part of that bill.

That’s true

A comment on twitter said something about upholding the second amendment by arming everyone with muskets and loaders. Sounds good to me.

Heller should be tested! It says if a gun is “common” it can’t be banned!

 

[ballettmaus]

The WaPo has an article on Warren's electibility. I didn't know there were polls asking that question. Has it ever occured to the news media that if they stopped asking that question and put the idea of electibility into voters' heads it might be less of an issue?

 

[Wyliefan]

At this point I would bet money on Biden. Probably Biden/Warren. I don't think his debate performances will matter much; I think name recognition and good connections and all the rest of it will propel him to the nomination.

 

[ballettmaus]

Andrew Yang has now also qualified for the September debate. https://edition.cnn.com/2019/08/02/politics/september-debate-qualifiers/index.html

 

[mrinalini]

Biden's latest: "Poor kids are just as bright and just as talented as white kids" and "We choose truth over facts" - scary. From one President who's on the cognitive decline to another, potentially - this can't be the best that America can do!

 

[Zemgirl]

Biden's latest: "Poor kids are just as bright and just as talented as white kids" and "We choose truth over facts" - scary. From one President who's on the cognitive decline to another, potentially - this can't be the best that America can do!

He also corrected himself immediately. Sometimes people misspeak.

Trump doesn't misspeak; he means the bigoted, hateful things he says.

 

[mrinalini]

He also corrected himself immediately. Sometimes people misspeak.

Trump doesn't misspeak; he means the bigoted, hateful things he says.

I don't mean he's like Trump in that sense. What I mean is that Biden is obviously (to me, anyway) in cognitive decline and doesn't possess complete mental sharpness which is fairly common at his age. Frankly, I thought he was slow, calcified and doddering in his debate performances. Now, that does not necessarily mean he will progress to full-blown dementia, but someone who is incapable of always being mentally on the ball should not be elected President of the United States and leader of the free world; what passes muster as acceptable criteria for being, say, a manager of a small business doesn't hold true for the office of the Presidency.

So, in that sense he's like Trump although the latter is worse and that turd is four years younger (which counts for a lot at this age) than Biden! Mark my words - Trump will go on to develop full-blown dementia; I thought there was something wrong with him even before I knew he had a family history of Alzheimer's, so couple his lifestyle and genetic history and that pig is a goner. I hope Biden doesn't go down that route, but there is no excuse in electing someone who is cognitively compromised especially when those who are younger and sharper are available.

 

[DORISPULASKI]

Biden had surgery for 2 brain aneurysms in 1988. Brain Surgery was not the laser knife, more limited thing it is today. Biden has always had a tendency to misspeak, sometimes called committing gaffes. I have always thought the two things were connected.

Joe Biden's mind 'totally in the clear' despite 1988 aneurysm, his brain surgeon says

Joe Biden’s brain surgeon said his former patient is “totally in clear” as speculations over the candidate’s health, with Biden possibly becoming the oldest president in U.S. history, are likely to become a point of contention.

www.foxnews.com

Brain injuries don't totally heal; people learn how to cope with the results of their injuries. My husband had a stroke in 1995, and my neighbor had a severe brain aneurysm. Both recovered, but if you knew them before the events, there were permanent changes.

 

[rfisher]

Perhaps, but there are certain levels of decorum that should be met if you are running for the office of POTUS and one of those is to not look like a slob which I think he always does.

I'm pretty certain decorum is no longer a criteria associated with the office of POTUS. The current holder of the office has eliminated that element.

 

[Louis]

I'm not enthused about Biden, but I'm starting to agree with Bill Maher that he has the best chance of getting the job done -- i.e., winning the election.

Maher said, "All the Democrats have to do to win is to come off less crazy than Trump — and, of course, they’re blowing it! Coming across as unserious people who are going to take away all your money so migrants from Honduras can go to college for free and get a major in 'America sucks.'"

Sounds about right to me. I'm in shock at the number of candidates raising their hands to things like free healthcare for illegal immigrants, cancelling college debts and making it free, slavery reparations (without a clear plan / formula as to how to go about it)..... I just don't see these things playing in swing states or being enough to redraw the electoral map completely.

I'm glad to see some of the left labelling these extreme positions as such. Anyone in the Sanders / Warren / "free everything for everyone" wing of the party has no room to call Trump or anyone else an extremist.

 

[DORISPULASKI]

The RS Politics 2020 Democratic Primary Policy Guide

Where nearly two dozen candidates stand on health care, the climate crisis, closing the wealth gap, and more

www.rollingstone.com

You can't tell the players without a score card; there are too many of them. And yes, they change their opinions even over the campaign. Here is a list of their policy positions at the end of July.

 

[Spikefan]

Biden's latest: "Poor kids are just as bright and just as talented as white kids" and "We choose truth over facts" - scary. From one President who's on the cognitive decline to another, potentially - this can't be the best that America can do!

Biden is not my first, second, third, fourth choice; however, his speech was supposedly over 2 hours long and he has always been prone to flubs. Given the choice I will take his cognitive decline over 45’s. We do have better options but in the end it is up to the voters.

 

[rfisher]

If Biden wins the nomination, I'll happily vote for him. Amy McGrath is running against Mitch McConnell in KY. (He will win the GOP primary). Her campaign contacted me to help do door-to-door canvassing this Saturday. I really want to even though I don't live in KY and can't vote for her. I can't get away to help, but I will send her a campaign donation. She's got an uphill battle, but I'll help her in any way I can.

 

[VGThuy]

I don’t think Trump is an extremist. I think his whole racist, nativist, and anti-gay based policies with kissing ass to corporations is very mainstream of the right-wing ideology of the U.S.

 

[mrinalini]

Apparently, Biden also confused Theresa May for Margaret Thatcher yesterday:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/08/09/joe-bidens-mounting-slip-ups-why-they-matter/

Oh, dear.

 

[olympic]

I'm not enthused about Biden, but I'm starting to agree with Bill Maher that he has the best chance of getting the job done -- i.e., winning the election.

Maher said, "All the Democrats have to do to win is to come off less crazy than Trump — and, of course, they’re blowing it! Coming across as unserious people who are going to take away all your money so migrants from Honduras can go to college for free and get a major in 'America sucks.'"

Sounds about right to me. I'm in shock at the number of candidates raising their hands to things like free healthcare for illegal immigrants, cancelling college debts and making it free, slavery reparations (without a clear plan / formula as to how to go about it)..... I just don't see these things playing in swing states or being enough to redraw the electoral map completely.

I'm glad to see some of the left labelling these extreme positions as such. Anyone in the Sanders / Warren / "free everything for everyone" wing of the party has no room to call Trump or anyone else an extremist.

While a part of me gets what you are saying with a terrible sense of foreboding, I have no idea what will win votes. The 2016 election threw all CW out the window. Apparently being a polite incrementalist like HRC didn’t get the job done, but Biden polls the best this cycle while being an incrementalist!

My hope is once the field gets winnowed way down we can start to hear more from each of the remaining candidates and their formulations get more airtime, and generally voters can react appropriately

 

[Andora]

I have this ridiculous wish that Biden doesn't ACTUALLY want to be president. Maybe stays in long enough to boost other candidates, maybe he proves the notion of the best people suited for power are those who don't REALLY want it. Whatever - pipe dream stuff.

But I will give him that being so gaffe-prone might make him willing to go gloves-off against Trump, and come out with less fundamental damage than MANY others. There's a big benefit to the devil you know - people know Joe and would give him the benefit of the doubt if he sinks to Trump's level in some debate. So... there's that.

It also means Harris or Warren has to be VP, and I am HERE FOR IT.

 

[topaz]

Black women deserve better from Kamala Harris. Don't take our vote for granted | Malaika Jabali

Instead of championing real structural change, Harris prefers shallow virtue-signalling. We’re waiting for more

www.theguardian.com

But a review of both the education and entrepreneurship packages on her campaign website suggests a bigger problem. A Kamala Harris presidency would be ineffectual for the demographic that will probably comprise much of her base: black women.

Black women have more student loan debt than any other graduates in the country. Of college graduates repaying student debt, black women experience more financial difficulty than anyone else in the country. Black women are paid the least of any group of people of both high school graduates and college graduates with a bachelor’s degree.

 

[ballettmaus]

As candidates present their tour buses, I'd really like some information on fuel efficency.

 

[skateboy]

If Biden wins the nomination, I'll happily vote for him.

If Biden wins the nomination, I will resign myself to voting for him because it's my only option.

 

[canbelto]

I think Biden wants to win. I think he's just not made of strong enough stuff to win. It's a marathon, not a sprint, and Biden I think gets tired, his head gets muddy, and he makes another gaffe.

 

[Frau Muller]

Biden's latest: "Poor kids are just as bright and just as talented as white kids" and "We choose truth over facts" - scary. From one President who's on the cognitive decline to another, potentially - this can't be the best that America can do!

As POTUS said in this morning’s presser, beneath the whirling helicopter blades: “Joe isn’t playing with a full deck.”

 

[VGThuy]

As POTUS said in this morning’s presser, beneath the whirling helicopter blades: “Joe isn’t playing with a full deck.”

Sorry, but he’s one to talk.

 

[Prancer]

While a part of me gets what you are saying with a terrible sense of foreboding, I have no idea what will win votes. The 2016 election threw all CW out the window. Apparently being a polite incrementalist like HRC didn’t get the job done, but Biden polls the best this cycle while being an incrementalist!

A lot of people were very angry in 2016 and wanted to throw a bomb at the government.

They succeeded. Now they've seen what happens when you throw a bomb at the government.

 

[el henry]

Joe Biden leading among Pennsylvania Dems (it's not just my backyard)

Honesty, health care, beating Donald Trump on the minds of Pennsylvania Democratic voters, according to new 2020 poll

As they weigh their primary options in the 2020 presidential race, Pennsylvania Democrats say they’re looking for a truthful candidate with a plan for fixing the nation’s healthcare system and who can beat Donald Trump. That’s according to a new poll from Lancaster’s Franklin & Marshall College...

www.mcall.com

"The voters’ preference showed a gender divide, with Sanders as the top pick for men, followed by Biden and Warren. Among women, Biden was the top pick at 34%, followed by Warren and Harris.
There also are ideological divisions: 3 in 10 liberal Democrats pick Warren, followed by Sanders and Biden. Moderate Democrats overwhelmingly prefer Biden, at 47%.
Biden is the top choice for both white and nonwhite Democratic voters, though he has a wider margin among nonwhite Democrats."

And every time someone posts a furphy (loving that word I learned from skating boards) that Biden is somehow in any way akin to Trump, I laugh like #GreenShirtGuy.

My mind isn't made up, but false equivalencies sure ain't doin it for me either