Tuesday, February 11, 2020
Monday, February 10, 2020
Never Say Never: Bernie Can Win
History tells us Never say Never.
It was conventional wisdom Ronald Reagan, because of his far-right views, could never become President.
Before him, Jimmy Carter was considered an aberration in the 1976 Democratic Presidential contest before shocking the political world by capturing the Iowa Caucuses that catapulted him to overnight credibility.
People were writing what Thomas Dewey or Hillary Clinton would do as President before they suffered shocking defeats to Harry Truman in 1948 and Donald Trump in 2016.
Bernie Sanders has some assets in his second quest for the Presidency that should not be underestimated in this polarized environment.
- He has consistent viewpoints that appeal to the masses (including people that voted for Trump) that have not changed over his decades of public service.
- He has a base of devoted supporters that will fight until their last breath for him.
- He fights and does not take fecal matter from anyone.
Does that mean Sanders is the best Democratic candidate in the Presidential field this year?
No.
Like in the Reagan and Carter primaries, there were better candidates (Howard Baker in 1980, Scoop Jackson in 1976 for example) that would have made better Presidents.
A case can be made that many Democrats currently and no longer in the 2020 field (like Klobachur, Bennet, Bullock, and Inslee) may be better Chief Executives with a greater chance of electability having longer coattails and more attainable legislative agendas.
James Carville, a backer of Bennet (and possibly Klobachur) and the architect of Bill Clinton’s 1992 victory has sounded the alarm of Democrats steering too much towards the left. He worries that a Sanders candidacy could lead to an electoral debacle whereas a more left of center candidate could win more easily and bring Democratic control of the Senate with him or her.
That said, no one should underestimate the power of Sander’s message and the strength of the base he has created.
Remember Reagan was as fringe right-wing as Sanders is fringe left and he won a landslide victory in 1980 over an unpopular President and helped end Democratic 25 year control of the Senate.
Bernie Sanders, if he gets the nomination, would face an impeached President who lost the 2016 Popular Vote, has (to date) never had a 50 percent approval rating, is an unindicted co-conspirator (Individual One), has been caught lying over 16,000 times, has broken promise after promise (where is the check from Mexico or the big infrastructure plan or the better and cheaper health care) and was the poster child for the Ku Klux Klan.
Never say Never.
Sunday, February 9, 2020
The Case for Amy Klobuchar as the “Goldilocks” Democratic Presidential Candidate
On the ABC news show This Week with George Stephanopoulos and Good Morning America, analyst Matthew Dowd, after the recent debate performances of Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar, called her “the Goldilocks” Presidential Candidate.
Is Senator Klobuchar the Presidential Candidate that is just right for the Voters?
Maybe.
Senator Klobuchar represents the left of the center wing of the Democratic Party and moderate center of the political spectrum that can appeal to the voters Democrats need to win in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Virginia, Iowa, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Colorado, and Arizona.
She has won the blue and red areas of Minnesota.
She has reached out to urban, rural, and suburban communities.
In other words, she can win a national Presidential Election.
During the debates and on the campaign trail, she presents herself as a person of strong policy awareness, sound positive character, and optimistic temperament. She will have to deal with the reports that she has been hard with past members of her staff but voters have not seen any indication of that this campaign season. But considering how Donald Trump treats his people, this should not be a difficult task.
The above two qualities could be helpful to Democratic Senate candidates like Mark Kelly in Arizona, John Hickenlooper in Colorado, and the other Democrats in states like Arkansas, Maine, Iowa, North Carolina, Georgia, and South Carolina. Her ability to win and convey a positive-optimistic image on the campaign trail could provide large coattails for Democratic candidates down the ballot for the United States Senate, House, and state and local offices.
Finally, Klobuchar has a pragmatic progressive agenda (please click here to see the program) that includes programs on infrastructure, rural area revitalization, a pubic health care option, tackling climate change, and promoting equality. This legislation could be passed, especially if the Senate reverts back to Democratic control through the reconciliation process. Senators like Kyrsten Sinema, Joe Manchin, and (if reelected Doug Jones) should not have any problems with it.
Senator Amy Klobuchar maybe Hillary Clinton without the baggage. She has a progressive program that could win the approval of the base and the vital center. She has consistently performed well in the debates and has received praise for her presentation.
The key, however, is for her to start winning and competing well in primaries and caucuses so the people will firmly conclude she is “just right” for the country.
https://blogforarizona.net/the-case-for-amy-klobuchar-as-the-goldilocks-democratic-presidential-candidate/
Friday, February 7, 2020
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Like Stalin, Trump and Hegseth Possibly Opening the Door for America's Enemies
One of the reasons Hitler's Generals were initially successful in launching Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Unio...
