Progressives (Liberals)

Did they do any oppo on Beto before that clunky announcement?

He wrote about killing children when he was younger. Not going over well.

He seems confused as he’s being confronted about all this stuff—plus his renew on M4A... No policy. No real reason to run, other than his insane comment, “I was born for this...”. Sounds like a variation on Clinton’s, “It’s my turn.”

Proved not to be a great slogan...

Meanwhile, what have Tulsi and Buttigeig been up to?

I have to say, this has been such a fun morning.
Misfirings directly to feet by so many candidates who don’t have a clue how they come off to regular people.

This cycle definitely has a hard edge, but we will be getting a sideline of entertainment.

It was horrible the way Canada abolished their freedom. I hope that one day you guys regain your freedom.

You might enjoy this piece by Maureen Dowd:

Is the Force with Beto?

Interestingly, I think the last time I saw her treat a newly announced candidate with so much snark was in '08 — the candidate was, of course, Obama.

Could be auspicious...

No Beto
No Biden
No Harris

Thanks! I’ll check it out now. Meanwhile, for those who are interested in the current exacerbation of the Democrat split - the Clinton establishment wing vs progressives featuring Chelsea Clinton and crew attacking Ilhan Omar with claims of antisemitism for criticizing Israel—-cause brown Muslims may not speak to this.

Cause ‘tropes’.

This is the best I’ve seen so far.

Read it at Counterpunch while it’s still legal.

https://www.counterpunch.org/2019/03/15/is-ilhan-omar-wrong-about-anything/

In the primaries or in the general?

You know it’s Bernie or bust for Edgar.

Golly. I'm not at all sure that's true other than in the most general sense. I think that a Biden presidency and a Sanders presidency, for example, could be very different in policy priorities, finance, foreign affairs, etc. I imagine the teams they bring with them will people they are familiar with and the two sets of folks could be quite different. (confession: neither of these two fine gentlemen would be my first choice)

Again, if you'd like to have a careful discussion on whether advocacy and propaganda or identical or not, and why not, let me know.

Negative stories about Dem candidates produce, for you, a fun day?

They may have slightly different goals, but the end result after 4 years I think would look pretty much the same.

I used to love this woman. She is, regardless of all else, a very fine and imaginative writer. But she totally lost me following 9/11. All she had in her bag of tricks was the snark schtick and she had nothing of value to say. I haven't read her since.

More cheering for discord?

Criticism of AIPAC is not now and never has been a feature unique to or mainly seen in the progressive community. Walt and Mearsheimer are not progressives in the sense you mean that word. When their paper was published, those who promoted it and the ideas in it were all over the place in media and political persuasion.

AIPAC has set out successfully to influence both right and left but particularly in the last two decades, the key relationship has been between Likud/Kadima and the GOP. Netanyahu worked to discredit and impede the Obama administration. And three years ago, he put his shoulder to the wheel in aid of Trump because he didn't want Clinton in the office. He is still doing what he can to support Trump.

I guess this is a bit too general for me to say anything worthwhile. But you could be right.

Only because Obama was trying to do the same to Israel. It was self defense.

Luckily the good guys won, and Obama was unable to harm Israel.

Neither would be my first choice either. I'd vote for either one in the general election, however.

I can certainly understand people who identify with the left wing of the party choosing to support the most "progressive" candidates at this stage of the game. But I don't see why this has to be done by mocking, jeering at, and generally trashing the others. Why not something more along these lines:



Now, let's say that after a bruising primary campaign a more moderate candidate emerges as the winner. Then the most important job is electing as many Democrats to Congress as we possibly can. Moderate Dems in more conservative districts of the country, progressives where they reflect the sentiments of those districts. Big tent. And I would think of the presidential candidate, who may not have been my first, second, or third choice as a placeholder. Someone who shows the USAmerican people that Democrats can govern, someone who will choose liberal judges, someone who will work to overturn the worst of Trump's destructive legacy.

And in after a term or two, with progressives and moderates cooperating to achieve legislative accomplishments and return comity, ethics, and a unifying message to the government, the whole goddamned country will be a lot more receptive to progressive solutions.

The trouble with having so many candidates vying for the office is that the real sentiments of the voters gets diluted. The green votes gets split between say, Inslee and Hickenlooper. Champions of ethnic diversity split between Harris, Castro, and Booker. Centrists have Biden or O'Rourke. Feminists might choose between Gillibrand, Gabbard, Warren, and Klobuchar. The left will have a slew of progressives to choose between. We've got to be ready to accept that the eventual winner may not be our chosen candidate, even if the numbers suggest that our candidate's values are well represented among the electorate.

I really hate the way we select our candidates — or, more accurately, the way the primaries can skew the results. But ultimately the party and the Congress are more important than the fate of individual candidates.

He wasn't trying to "harm Israel" — Netanyahu already has.

Netanyahu is protecting his citizens and his country. There is 0 harm in that. Just good leadership.

I could not agree more. As I've pointed out previously, to hold a position that Sanders is the only legitimate Dem candidate is to demand a coronation.

Obviously, I am deeply suspicious of anyone who behaves in a manner identical to behaviors that Republicans wish to promote re Dem candidates, particcularly where that behavior is consistent and of long duration.