And Another One Bites The Dust....

[ChirpingGirl]

When I look at Bloomberg, my thoughts first go to:

Oh yes, a wealthy man who doesn't need to be bought. A businessman...this country is a business.  What could go wrong?

Uh, rich, business man Trump, that's what.

We never had Bloomberg casinos, Bloomberg steaks, Bloomberg University, Bloomberg Vodka, or Bloomberg Airlines.  And Bloomberg actually *is* a billionaire.  I would gladly trade Trump for Bloomberg.

I'd gladly trade them all for cheap steaks and cheap wine if that was the best deal I could get. 

[ChirpingGirl]

 

[watcher1]

A Biden - Klobuchar ticket would be the strongest to beat Trump, in my opinion. Both moderates who could pull those non-Democrats who are disenchanted with the current president.

[MissBarbara]

but

Jeds take on Bernie is the same as mine. He portrays an "angry old man" and shows little patience when things go sideways.

I think that's a very valid point. A lot of people, including me, were turned off by Hillary Clinton because she often came off as an angry grandma. I know that that's an unfair judgement, but, to Toe's point, the key to the Democrats winning the 2020 election is to loop in both the party faithful, from both wings, and a sufficient number of "undecideds" and disaffected Trump supporters.

To answer Toe's question, Michael Bloomberg, to my mind, isn't a good choice. If elected, he would be almost 79 on Inauguration Day -- almost nine years older than the next oldest president at his inauguration (Trump was 70 in 2017). Despite possible accusations of ageism, that fact will, or at least should, resonate highly with voters -- both those who are close to his age, and people like me whose parents are close to that age. He has a deserved reputation as a "man who gets things done," but he also has a reputation as a man who gets things done for wealthier people. While NYC mayor, he was firmly in bed with corporations and developers, to the perceived detriment of middle class and poorer New Yorkers. And his unswerving anti-gun stance, while it highly resonates with me, will not prove as popular with the nation as a whole. Perhaps most important of all, he's a DINO.

Worst in his favor is the fact that he seems to be making the exact same mistake that many of his fellow Democrats are making, and also the vital mistake that Hillary Clinton made: He offers many, many reasons to not vote for Trump, while offering precious few reasons to vote for him. Positioning himself almost exclusively as Not-Trump -- as Clinton did -- resonates highly with the party faithful, but less so with the general electorate.

[watcher1]

Amy Klobuchar had a good showing in New Hampshire, coming in 3rd. Biden needs to do good in South Carolina to be viable. Warren is losing traction. Pretty sure Trump would love to face Sanders in the election.

[_priapism]

Pretty sure Trump would love to face Sanders in the election.

My impression also.

It's interesting how Sanders is viewed as an extremist even by some ostensibly on the left. His politics would be unremarkable in most European countries and are especially normal in the most prosperous countries in the modern world.

America is bordering on third world banana republic status at the moment.  We have a big economy, and a big army.  Otherwise, nothing to admire or emulate here.  It’s not as bad as you’ve heard, it’s worse.

[MissBarbara]

It's interesting how Sanders is viewed as an extremist even by some ostensibly on the left. His politics would be unremarkable in most European countries and are especially normal in the most prosperous countries in the modern world.

In my opinion, despite the issue of his age, he has the best chance of anyone to beat Trump in the election precisely because he is different from the American usual. Trump represented a change from the status quo in 2016 and it's unlikely that those who voted for him for that reason will be tempted by anyone representing a return to the previous status quo. Sanders should have run in 2016. He may not have won but it sure as shit would have been a more interesting race. The Democrats need someone younger and with some, any kind of momentum behind them beyond "Trump is shit and I'm not Trump," but they don't have that and Sanders is as close as they can get at the moment.

While I recognize that the terms "the left" and "the right" have a decidedly different meanings in Europe than in the U.S., Sanders is viewed as an "extremist" chiefly on the right, and not the left. I'd go as far as asserting that the "liberal wing" and "moderate wing" of the Democratic Party are only a few inches away from each other.

I don't disagree with your general statements, but I'm not sure that Americans really want "change" right now, other than, of course, a change from the current administration. It worked for Obama, of course, and it certainly worked for Trump. In fact, I'd go as far to assert -- as I did back in late September or early October of 2016 -- that Trump perceived something that Clinton failed to grasp: It wasn't a general feeling of change, like the one that helped Obama win the White House, it was a specific feeling of change. Trump and his campaign put their finger precisely on the issues that highly resonated with many Americans, and his personal ability to actually affect those changes was, in voters' minds, beside the point.

I agree with you that a Sanders-Trump race, hypothetically in 2016 or actually in 2020, would be very interesting, and a lot of fun. But I disagree with you that Sanders represents the best hope (or would have represented the best hope in 2016) of actually beating Trump. And I also think his relatively advanced age, and the perception of poor health, looms much more largely, than you and others give it credit. It's something that many people don't like to talk about, chiefly, as I mentioned, to avoid charges of being ageist, but it's a reality, and one that would resonate very highly is Sanders is, in fact, the Democratic candidate in November.

I agree that Democrats need someone younger, but unfortunately that candidate isn't on the scene. Pete Buttigieg is certainly interesting, and he did very well in yesterday's New Hampshire primary, but he's too young and too inexperienced (among other things). And I couldn't agree more that a candidate focuses on "Trump is shit and I'm not Trump," will help keep Trump in the White House for another four years.

The 2020 election is fascinating for one other aspect: If Trump loses, it would be only the second time since 1980 that a sitting president running for election was defeated.

[staci]

Envision a woman that has experience, temperment, education, spotless reputation, would require little or no campaign time, would appeal to the young, old, poor, affluent, minorities, women, LBGT and is in fact a Democrat.

The problem is she is a wife, mother and involved with helping others in lieu of her political interests. More money is the least of her worries and her priorities run counter to the jackass current running our nation.

No doubt in my mind, she would win.

[watcher1]

WOO! I agree. You summed it up very nicely.

[joan1984]

  "..America is bordering on third world banana republic status at the moment.  We have a big economy, and a big army.  Otherwise, nothing to admire or emulate here.  It’s not as bad as you’ve heard, it’s worse..."

  Please be more specific.  Americans do not want "change", other than to make
a change at the White House level, and are supposedly willing to choose "whatever" as the alternative?

  Other than being secure (big army), being safe (big economy), which fits with why Americans would not wish to see "change", especially undefined "change" as the Obama years promised, and the misery for many those years delivered,
seems "tweets" is the issue voters will supposedly trade their secure, safe, lives  to "whatever" the various unhappy wannabe's may or may not promise.

  Imagine if politicians would find ways to get along, stop all the foot dragging, and work toward the same goals as our President... imagine if Democrats did anything over the past three, working on four years, other than feather their own nests, attempting to reverse the 2016 election that Democrats lost.

  Imagine a mainstream media that simply report the facts, and let all of us decide, rather than OMIT positive news, so that when we find the Economy is good, so many are surprised by that... rather than being better informed along the way, as the President and this Administration worked well to foster the day to day efforts which result in a good economy.

  Want more of the same, as to how Dems act when they should be working?
Vote for "whatever" in November 2020. And be unhappy for the future.

  Get on board the moving train, support common sense efforts to better this Nation, and your own situations, in November 2020, and smile again.

[Lois]

Obama got the economy going again, Trump is claiming credit for it.

As for President, Bernie has the best poll numbers against Trump.  My fear is that he would be devisive and further polarize the country.  I also fear he would be a one term President because of his age and health.

I still prefer Warren, but will back whomever the Dems pick.  All they really need to do is undo what Trump has done.

Yes, I'd like universal healthcare, but it's probably best to ease into it with a public option added to the ACA.

[staci]

Envision a woman that has experience, temperment, education, spotless reputation, would require little or no campaign time, would appeal to the young, old, poor, affluent, minorities, women, LBGT and is in fact a Democrat.

The problem is she is a wife, mother and involved with helping others in lieu of her political interests. More money is the least of her worries and her priorities run counter to the jackass current running our nation.

No doubt in my mind, she would win.

Imagine her with Val Deming or Susan Rice as Vice President. Oprah as Chief of Staff and Kamala Harris as Atty Gen. Glass ceiling is shattered.

[msslave]

The local newspaper came out with this political cartoon supporting our local gal,
Sen. Amy Klobuchar.


Wish she had more of a chance, but it's doubtful.  After Hillary will the Dems. go for another woman? Plus, she's still not that well known. Who knows, the election process keeps getting crazier.

BTW - Minnesota church suppers are well known for the mysterious food described as "hot dish".  You could find most anything once you stick your fork in.

[Jed_]

On Friday I’m making a casserole.  I live too far away from the north Midwest to call it hot dish.

[MissBarbara]

On Friday I’m making a casserole.  I live too far away from the north Midwest to call it hot dish.

While I've never heard the expression "hot dish," I grew up in the Midwest, and casseroles were an absolute staple. They come in a very wide variety of forms, but they were almost omnipresent. It's an especially handy dinner for families working under a tight budget: A few simply ingredients, many of which are already on hand, and you have a nutritious, inexpensive, and delicious family dinner.

[msslave]

So...can our Amy put together a fine casserole of special interest groups to get the nomination?

Sadly, it's the far right and far left that make the most noise and get catered to.  The middle are too busy trying to live their lives to have time to get involved.

[Jed_]

On Friday I’m making a casserole.  I live too far away from the north Midwest to call it hot dish.

While I've never heard the expression "hot dish," I grew up in the Midwest, and casseroles were an absolute staple. They come in a very wide variety of forms, but they were almost omnipresent. It's an especially handy dinner for families working under a tight budget: A few simply ingredients, many of which are already on hand, and you have a nutritious, inexpensive, and delicious family dinner.

The other day I was making mac & cheese and inadvertently got the bottom of the box wet.  Not wanting to chance some wet macaroni put back in the pantry or waste it, I cooked the whole box and ended up freezing a couple bags of cooked macaroni.  The last bag gets thawed Thursday.  I bought a can of cream of mushroom soup and some mushrooms.  I’ll raid the fridge and freezer for some meat and vegetables and we’ll have a one dish meal.  Most likely a Cote du Rhône or Bordeaux will be uncooked.

[_priapism]

My mother was an awful cook, and casserole was her idea of “fancy.”  So she made a tuna fish casserole with crumbled potato chips on top.  Usually to take to the church pot luck.  I just get triggered still, over 40 years later, when confronted by pot luck.  I should be grateful we had food to eat, but those were some pretty bleak years.

[msslave]

Here in Minnesota the "hot dish" went to a whole new level when "Tater Tots" were introduced.  Right into the casserole dish along with whatever else was handy. Yes, they called it a casserole dish, but the end product was and still is "Hot Dish".

[MissBarbara]

Here in Minnesota the "hot dish" went to a whole new level when "Tater Tots" were introduced.  Right into the casserole dish along with whatever else was handy. Yes, they called it a casserole dish, but the end product was and still is "Hot Dish".

Tater Tots are one of the greatest inventions known to humankind.

And you can quote me on that.