It was Obama's political genius to choose and honor Biden at VP.
It was Harris' huge mistake in trashing former VP Biden, and effectively shot herself in the foot.
Millions thought she was just rude and disrespectful and would now vote for her.
11
Harris had her, "You go girl!" moment .. It's going to take more than that...
3
Harris' attacks on Biden were indeed very demagogic, rude, disrespectful to a stalwart of the Democratic Party, and unlikely to help her chances of being electoral president in the electoral college.
She would need millions of voters who look like Biden and are of a certain age.
10
'And then of course we’ll all gather in the living room to hear Donald Trump mess up the hitherto-nonpartisan Independence Day celebration in Washington'. Now that is a dreary and dismal thought to leave us with, Ms. Collins.
Can you bail out of this, and get somebody to take notes for you? Actually I got a similar message from my brother Seymour along the lines of instead of watching our dear leader on T.V., it might be more festive to have a picnic with some friends. Thoughtful of him, I replied that plans were to spend the holiday in Mass with a couple of Trumpskis.
Here are some questions you might both wish to bin, or ponder: Could a peaceful march to Washington from representatives of all States, who feel that this presidency is a fraud, take place to explain to The White House that the gilt is tarnishing like a gaudy casino. At least it will be recorded for the record that we didn't sit at home, twiddling our thumbs, expecting the worse and hoping for the best.
Surprised that neither of you noted the strategy of Senator Joe Biden to stand back in order to better see the tactics of the contenders in the running field. Kamala Harris, whose name I mix up with Pamela Harriman, might need to temper her tone a bit as politics have been fiery these last few years. Suave. All is fair in Love and War, but Biden is not the enemy.
Wishing you and yours a Happy Independence Day, and let us hope that it is not our last one to celebrate as we please.
2
I'm surprised that people seeing Kamal Harris' little girl pictures and story of being hurt by Biden (a false charge if you've looked into it) hasn't raised questions about why she doesn't speak of herself as a grown and powerful Attorney General of California, or her DA work there. The horrors she visited on minorities and the poor, perhaps? The efforts to reinstate the death penalty? Her televised arrests of parents of truant children? Her "law and order" backers loved it. But so many things of the kind. Why don't people even google her? She appears to think progressives will see a picture and march off without a thought of her adult power and nature. It's so false--Biden, knowing her real past, must have been amazed--and with a minute or two to answer. Wow, she's good. Or maybe not. You, friends, need to check it out for yourselves. And let people know.
9
Biden is the past. Period. The democrats need a younger candidate. Much younger.
5
It is an insult to compare Biden to Jeb Bush. Biden has his shortcomings as does every politician. However, Biden did not help steal the Florida vote in order to help place his brother in the White House. The entire world is still paying a heavy price for that single act of corruption despite Jeb's repeated denials of wrongdoing.
10
Go Kamala "Michelle Clinton" Harris! The deadliest marksperson in the circular firing squad.
5
@Paul, she really is amazing! She was beloved by the "tough on crime" folks (you know who) for scourging minorities and here she is, being one! Who knew? I can't imagine the gullibility she inscribes to progressives, as if they'd run to elect her for her gender, age, and race--when she's the least progressive on that stage. She makes Biden look like MLK. But I was amazed again how many people hurried to scorn the old white man and lionize the young black woman--without a clue. There's a lesson there for us all.
8
Interesting conversation. I think Warren is a stronger candidate than Bret assumes. She has liberal credentials but isn't as far left as Bernie and knows enough about how the economy works not to screw it up. I share both of your hesitation on Harris, for reasons unmentioned here. A Warren-Buttigieg ticket would make sense to me. Of course, we have plenty of time to speculate before it all comes to a head.
1
@David Elizabeth Warren has confused a widespread dislike for President Trump with a mandate for sweeping change. Those two things are not the same and her nomination as candidate would be a dream come true for Mr Trump who is the master of the fear campaign.
2
Biden is more aptly described as a cross between Hillary Clinton and Jeb Bush - elitist, entitled, boring, frozen in an earlier era. The sooner he gets out of the race, the better. He literally has nothing to offer besides empty rhetoric. At least half the Democratic candidates have better platforms and more reason to run than Biden does.
I have three words for Biden - just go away.
9
We are running concentration camps but you don’t want to soil yourself voting for someone who believes in a living wage? Sure thing Bret.
9
Bret you claim "why does half of America think things are just fine?" Simple answer because they are either too stupid or haven't been paying attention. And while on the subject of stupidity, how stupid is it to vote a third party or write in.
6
I think that comparing Joe Biden to Jeb Bush is an easy way out, Just put a label on it; done. I don't understand why we have to do that. Can we ever just state the situation without having to back it up with a comparison to someone else. I know you are good writers. You don't need to back it up. The Biden story stands on its own without being attached to another person who was thrown out of the ring.
If we are to compare things, how about a 4th of July celebration where two thirds of Americans are not welcome and a military parade right out of the Dictators Handbook at the tax payers expense? Now there is a comparison! Think Hitler where the other party is not welcome and our so called leader refers to Americans who don't stand with him (the press included) as enemies of the people. The 4th is supposed to be a celebration of independence for ALL Americans and definitely not a "Hail the King" event. I thought that freedom from the King was part of what we were celebrating on the 4th?
We have gone from "I cannot tell a lie" to I cannot tell the truth. How did We the People stray so far?
5
The issue is TRUMP!!
3
Biden is the Dems safety school, where you end up if your dreams don’t come true.
@L Stevens, well they haven't been for quite a while now, just to be honest.
2
DNC has been pushing Harris. Biden was nothing but her foil and he knew it. He never even went out of his way to do anything more than appear to campaign. His only job was to provide Harris with an opening to play the race card. He proved it in the debate. Mission accomplished. Now pack up your hair plugs and retire.
2
Joe was Jeb even before the debates. Let's move on.
Important to remember that when you refuse to vote, or cast a protest vote, it puts a smile on the face of the candidate you dislike the most.
2
“Those decisions were awful”. Would Gail prefer census question was included?
If Joe is knocked out, which candidate will inherit his supporters? Would it be Elizabeth Warren, or someone from the second tier like Booker or Klobuchar or someone else?
2
Sadly, the answer is: Yes.
Doubly sad for me, personally, to write, as I thought he might have been able to take DJT in 2016 (as opposed to Hillary).
Felt that way at least through the first outrageous, infuriating, ignorant first year of DJT.
But, time and life and being away from the 'room where it happens' all take their toll. I no longer feel Joe is the one to successfully 'counter-punch' DJT.
And maybe there is no one, no external person or force, in this moment who can do that.
Let's hope DJT is his own cause of destruction.
2
Joe is definitely not Jeb. One is Bush and one is a former highly respected VP!
3
Gail, you are seldom wrong, but on this you are: the most unforgivable sin is not in voting for a third party as you state, but rather in not bothering to vote at all. Nothing says more that not only does the outcome of the election not matter, but elections by themselves do not matter than not voting at all.
3
I'm beginning to dislike Bret.
5
Keep up the 24-person clown car drift to the unfocused, unaffordable fringe left, with divisive identity politics and an unending focus on open border illegal immigrants, Democrats, instead of fixing bona fide issues facing the U.S. and 330 million American citizens. That's how Trump will win not just 2020 but will stack SCOTUS with another fanatic right wing Catholic when Ginsburg is gone; she can't hold on forever.
Pronto wean down that 24 to 5 or 6 who actually aren't a solipsistic joke and insult to the process.
7
For Biden to be the new Jeb, we'd need an anti-christ Trump figure which I don't see. I also don't seen Harris' able to sustain her highly premeditated performance and suspect in trying to bring Biden, down she'll fall herself leaving things open for Biden, though, in my hearts I hope it could be the other B, my fav, Buttigieg.
5
Bret: All true, but I’m not sure it’s enough to justify a wholesale reinvention of the system.
There is a difference between weather and climate, of course. And there is the same difference between how some economic indicators look good just now, and how the structure of the economy prevents an equal opportunity for success. If the stock markets are up, that means little to people living paycheck to paycheck, burdened with huge education debts, or trying to live in retirement with nothing but Social Security.
If one's chance for personal success depend largely on how well you picked your parents, that is a structural failure. Economic inequality results from such failures, and they are obvious.
Bret, fixing structural failures in capitalism, while retaining the power it offers for anyone smart and hardworking, is exactly what Sen. Warren's proposals are all about. I support them.
6
I am very grateful for this column. It demonstrates that smart, civil, good intentioned people can have very different policy ideas and yet be united around core democratic institutions and values. Thanks for your great work Gail and Brett.
2
Yes. I've been saying this for a couple months: Biden's candidacy is like Jeb Bush's EXCEPT this time, post-2016, we KNOW Americans are voting out the status quo. Biden will be gone from the campaign very soon, no matter how much $ he raises (recall Jeb burnt some $80 million without anything to show for it), once people see him on stage up against the alternative candidates.
2
The media should pay more attention to Amy Klobuchar. She has proven she can win, repeatedly, in a purple state. That's what matters for the Electoral College - which is what counts in winning the presidency.
She's plenty progressive on most issues, just not too far left to scare away the voters who preferred Hillary over Bernie (note to folks in Brooklyn: there were millions of them).
I'm also impressed by Warren, and also by Booker, Harris, and Mayor Pete (still haven't mastered spelling his last name!).
5
Bret, which candidate is calling for a "wholesale reinvention of the system"? Surely you can't mean Warren's 3% tax on billionaires, which would barely make a dent in the rate at which their wealth grows automatically without them even having to work. Nothing radical about it, in fact it's too timid.
8
Historically, sitting senators have not fared well when running for president. Former senators have been a bit more successful. Most of them were in the 1800s.
1
the GOP is moaning ceaselessly about the "end" of private insurance. What people like about their own insurance is that it gives them security. Most Americans with private insurance did not get to choose it -- the HR people chose the plan. It is the security that matters. The doctors will be the same no matter who actually pays them -- a single payer or a private company. There will not be more or fewer doctors in the beginning, so wait times will be no different... except for the fact that there may be more people able to get the procedures they need.
5
The only thing that may save us in this bleak time is smart and funny people like these two. Thank god they keep fighting the headwinds on behalf of the rest of us. And thank you for helping us find a laugh in this sorry mess.
2
At least the Democratic candidates have actual plans to debate; unlike the Republicans did when there were multiple candidates. None of the Democratic candidates are from the White Supremacist wing of the Republican party like Trump is, either.
What came through to me watching the two nights of debates is that every Democratic candidate would be more competent than Trump is as president.
8
The economy was saved in 2008, because of TARP, an extremely unpopular piece of legislation that President George W. Bush got through Congress in a matter of days. Bush deserves the credit for preventing a depression--not Obama. As president, Obama did nothing to make the recession or the recovery any better. His "stimulus" utterly failed, because he tried to pick winners and losers with both his spending and his tax cuts, and we had the weakness recovery in living memory. Once Obama was out of office and the Republicans passed broad-based tax cuts the economy finally started to realize its potential, and for the first time in about a decade, we are finally experience about 3 percent growth and working-class Americans are beginning to see real increases in income.
4
Bush admitted liberal policies saved the economy. The reality is Bush’s mismanagement of the Iraq War was the underlying cause of the Housing Bubble/Financial Meltdown which really the product of a dysfunctional global oil market. We owe our strong economy to the entrepreneurs that developed fracking for natural gas and oil and Obama does deserve credit for allowing Bernanke, Geithner, and Paulson save the economy.
1
If Biden self-destructs there is not a visible D candidate who can win the moderate to conservative former D votes in the purple states needed to bury Trump. Alarming.
2
@NRoad. Klobuchar
1
Partisan gerrymandering is also racial gerrymandering, especially in the South. It's undemocratic and it's regressive. Would we have received that decision if Mr. Garland had had a fair chance to be vetted by the Senate? Most definitely not.
2
"Well, I still like Pete Buttigieg. And that John Delaney guy was very convincing on health care."
In fact Mayor Pete is my first choice for president. He has everything you need in a president. He's mature and wise, unflappable & self assured but also humble enough. If he is going to be inaugurated on January 20th 2021, I would be extremely gratified. That may well be the greatest blessing to humanity so far in the 21st century. The worst was ISIS, thanks to Bush2 & Obama; I don't which one is more responsible for ISIS.
For some reason, John Delaney is not exciting many voters. I thought he's a level-headed candidate.
2
Bret, I really wish you’d explain why you consider Elizabeth Warren to be so far to the left. It seems to me that the heart of her ideas involves regulating monopoly power the way we used to, ensuring fair competition and opposing restraint of trade the way we used to, regulating dangerous or sharp financial practices the way we used to, and having a tax system that’s closer to what we used to have than what we have today. America wasn’t exactly a hellhole for most people when Ike was president and FDR’s and TR’s policies were in place.
So what was the problem with the ideas for which she advocates back when we used to do things that way?
10
@Jack
Anyone to the left of Benito Mussolini is radical leftie for Bret. He stuck to the right courses at U Chicago. (No pun intended)
4
Kamala is the white Hillary and is certainly no progressive. Highly doubtful she can defeat Trump.
7
I was surprised Gail did not bring up Bret's column from Friday which establishes him as a white supremacist in conservative clothing.
What huge swaths of private business do the democratic contenders want to eliminate other than the health insurance industry? Typical obfuscation by Bret again.
4
Remember Chris Christie's take down of Marco Rubio? In the next debate, there are going to be 15 Democrats who will never win the nomination looking for chance to be this year's Chris Christie with Kamala Harris. She should never have played the racism card with Joe Biden, one of our longest-standing public servants devoted to equity and equality. Just you watch as they ask in which California cities did Ms. Harris advocate forced busing since she became a public servant? The list is zero.
4
"I only wish the liberals on the court would occasionally surprise me more with their decisions."
Bret Stephens
If that isn't proof positive that "conservatives" -- those who insist on 'conservation' of power in (as all-too and ever 'reserved' for) the minority of those who vote Republican, as manipulated by their 1%-deceivers? -- are blind, and blindly (or not so?) undemocratic … nuttin' is!
7
After last week's debates, I am pretty sure the Dems need Bloomberg Schultz or a Colbert. The current crew of candidates can't the job done
Let's hear a few words for authenticity, truth telling and consistency. All this palaver and here's what was said about those qualities: "Sanders was... Sanders."
That's enough for me.
4
@Karen DeVito
Agreed.
4
why not tie the number of supreme court judges to the population? that way we'd increase the number of judges but it wouldn't be an arbitrary and politically driven increase.
I wouldn't worry about the Supreme Court gerrymandering decision. If Democrats find themselves in a position to gerrymander more states than the Republicans, I'm sure we can count on the Republican apparatchiks on the Court to reconsider their hasty decision and do something to protect democracy.
4
"Next, he’s [King Trump] planning to expropriate the traditional Independence Day celebration in Washington and turn it into some kind of Donald Does Democracy personal extravaganza."
Small correction: Donald won't be doing Democracy, that's for sure. He has absolutely no idea what democracy is, and further more, he really doesn't care.
It could be "Donald Does Demagoguery" or "Donald Does Dictatorship" or Donald Does Disaster.
Anyway, I am sure Donald will be enjoying all the unhealthy food like hot dogs and soft drinks, and he probably enjoys how all those fireworks frighten lots of dogs and small children.
2
Way to go Gail. See only what you want to see, yet ignore the larger ailment.
Stein, with her 1 million votes, total; is less than a percentage to the 10 million Democratic's that flipped to Trump. Which is less than a percentage when compared to the almost 100 million eligible voters who abstained.
If you're so hot to get rid of 3rd party voters, then you'll also get rid of Johnson who garnered 4 million conservative votes. Give that 4 million back to Trump, and he wins not only the EC, but the populace vote that HRC voters need to scream every time that she is mentioned.
3rd party candidates are canaries in the mine shaft. They are gaining voters each election. Telling you that the duopoly is weakening and no longer representing our country at large. People are disgusted with the machinations, the jerrymandering, the rigging of the primaries.
No Gail, 3rd parties are just an excuse to blame an other for your candidates failure and their campaigns ineptness.
4
@Dobbys sock
One can only speculate as to why this excellent comment is not a NYT pick, while many comments excoriating those who failed to fall in line behind Herself (and Himself) are enjoying that elevated status . . .
2
This is what happens when you run a 80 YO man .. These people are no longer spring chickens! And to see Kamala Harris stock rise because she, "took down a white man," is a little concerning. There is a huge rift between the Black and White Democrats.. Both are looking for their saviors. All we are doing is wasting time and splitting votes.
Trump will be re-elected in 2020 easy -- Again then Democrats ran with bad candidates, a fragmented message and promised free healthcare for "undocumented immigrant workers."
4
The GOP obstinately refuse to get serious about healthcare.
Silly talking points about healthcare for undocumented workers aside, the cost of health care for the indigent is paid by the rest of us, whether you factor it into universal coverage or pay for it with insurance and hospital bankruptcies.
1
Biden: the sacrificial Lamb if the Democratic party.
On his best day Biden is mincemeat for today's political environment. Geez, put him out to pasture. Embarrass one if the other wannabes that need a humbling experience.
2
Biden will endure the primary process and secure the Democratic nomination because he is rock solid on the hot button issue of America’s health care system, i.e., he wants to fix Obamacare, not scrap private insurance and replace it with “Medicare for All.” In national poll after poll, a significant majority of Americans do NOT want to give up their private insurance. Warren and Biden are ckearling on the wrong side of this issue (at least in terms of the 2020 general election) if Democrats hope to win in November 2020. Sen. Harris, by comparison, keeps vacillating on the subject to her detriment.
3
Collins and Stephens assume most Democrats and Americans are moderate, but like Bigfoot sightings, provide no evidence. Campaigning outside the Midtown Manhattan and Beltway money and influence bubbles, Sanders and Warren have their fingers on the pulse of ordinary Democrats living paycheck to paycheck, mired in debt, whose kids will be worse off than they are, fearful of the wave of racism and patriarchy. Real voters have moved to the left in an historical moment comparable to the 1930s, forcing Harris, Buttigieg, and Booker to abandon positions they’ve held their whole careers and run to keep up. The debates captured national attention and clarified political differences. The winner will be the candidate whose policies best match those of Democratic voters.
4
Everything that Trump thinks about relates to his re-election, everything. He relies upon the people who knows his constituency best, Fox News and the right wing media. So far, he is performing extremely well.
The Democrats are all the ones who have the greatest challenges to overcome, and the greatest challenge is holding together a coalition that is made of of people who are extremely self absorbed.
1
I think the Bret does not have to stay up at night worrying about Democrats taking over "vast swathes of the private economy". The top 20% of Americans own 85% of the country's wealth and the bottom 80% of the population own 15%.
There is a long way to go before the people who work hard at low wages to assure the profits of those who benefit financially, are provided with the benefits of that hard work. This should include education for their children, universal healthcare and a comfortable standard of living and retirement.
And Gail should worry that her moderate candidates have the motivation to take dramatic steps necessary on the all encompassing issue of climate. The cost of creating wealth should include the cost of creating a sustainable economy so that everyone can depend on a stable life giving Planet.
4
Biden remains the strongest general election candidate but his strength with the dominant groups in primary elections is weakening.
He has a couple of personal flaws that dog him. He is careless in how he composes this thoughts sometimes which makes him say things that confuse what he intended to convey. Secondly, he fails to understand the perspectives of some of the interest groups upon who he has relied in the past. Bernie and Warren have visions which are closer to the most active participants in Democratic Party politics. Harris and Booker have a much better grasp of the views of African American voters than does Biden, and they are taking votes from that group who have supported him previously. But Harris is headed for a big clash with groups who consider the criminal justice system to be deliberately oppressing people in racial minorities. Booker is going to pivot from his current positions and when he does, his supporters could drop away.
But right now, Biden can still enjoy the support of moderates and independents who can make a big difference in the general election.
We shall see what happens.
1
Perhaps the Democrats need to call a suicide helpline; their behavior is very concerning. They do know that people who do not live in Brooklyn or San Francisco will also be voting, don’t they?
Joe is in a very difficult position. He was blindsided by Harris and he should have not been. That may be a staff problem. His position on busing is highly defensible. It was very controversial at the time and failed to help many of those it was supposed to. Why couldn’t he have just said that. I think he is too worried about appearing unkind to Blacks, women, etc. so he is taking a lot of insults from the opportunistic left (cough, Cory Booker) but not able to give as good as he gets. That will not be a problem for Trump. I still think Biden,of all of them, would make the best president and still stands the best chance of taking votes from Trump in crucial Midwest states, but he needs to get out of his own way, stop trying to be everyone’s Uncle Joe , and come out fighting. It’s risky but better to go out with a bang than a whimper.
1
The voters will decide who the candidate is in 2020, not the media. If the voters choose someone who is "too far to the left", that's their prerogative and it demonstrates that the alleged "leftist" is the most popular candidate. If "swing" voters dislike Trump but fear the possibility of a left-wing candidate, they're welcome to vote in the primaries. Anyone who doesn't is just a Trump fan who's embarrassed to admit it.
Bret Stephens poses the idea about Biden being Bush. Who cares what flaming Republicans think?
3
The Supreme Court is already packed, courtesy of Mitch McConnell and the rest of the GOP, so the accusations of "court packing" being leveled against Democrats who propose badly needed SCOTUS reform seem absurd to me.
5
I live in Ohio and I know one thing for sure. If Kamala Harris is the Dem candidate, get ready for four more years of Trump. The Electoral College is still a real thing. Kamala Harris should be doing every thing in her power to build up Joe Biden, and go for a shot at VP. Her tongue lashing in the first debate was unforgiveable.
82
I totally Agree! I am from Ohio, some of my relatives voted for trump. I am a liberal and I voted for Senator Harris, but she will not win there or in most major Mid-West districts. And it is not because she is African-American! We need trump out of office, that is the only thing that matters, that is the only right thing to do for our democracy, the future of my son and all of our children and the earth.
17
@Logan
Harris needs the support of African American voters to have any shot at all, she had to find a way to take those votes from Biden, and she did. Biden could not do much to stop her.
5
@Logan While I wouldn’t call it “unforgivable” - Biden deserved to be called out on his tone deafness - it was rich coming from Harris, who has her own troubling record to answer for of denying justice to people of color and victims of abuse. This story was buried by WaPo just last week: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/religion/victims-question-kamala-harris-record-on-clergy-abuse/2019/06/26/628ae6ea-9836-11e9-9a16-dc551ea5a43b_story.html?utm_term=.ef083674c84b
She’s a hypocrite. Of course she has to be, because she has to pretend to be progressive in order to placate her California base even though her record as prosecutor and AG is something any Republican would be proud of. But since she can’t run on her record lest she lose the left she ends up being someone no one from either the left or right can fully trust. She’s trying her best to dazzle us with her prosecutorial skills and her race and gender bona fides from keeping anyone from asking her the tough questions about what she would actually do as President. That might work to win her the nomination but will backfire in the general election.
While I’m rooting for Warren I do think we have to ease up on Biden. There are lot of centrist voters we need to beat Trump who find him the only palatable alternative. He was a fine VP and would more ready for day one of the presidency than anyone in a generation. And while I don’t like her I admit it would be a smart move for him to tap Harris as his running mate.
14
So Bret Stephens wishes the liberal members of the court voted on occasion with the right-wingers, but would rather see Donald Trump president for another 4 years, than endure a President Warren because she says mean things about "job creators" -- and trust fund brats -- and wants to raise his taxes....
Now *that's* a vote for thoughtfulness, flexibility and a willingness to put aside personal interests and right-wing dogma for the good of the country....
5
The white male Bret Stephenses of America, with and without a college degree, won't hold their noses and vote for the Dem nominee. They will hold their noses and vote for Trump again. They will ask themselves, "I am any worse off after four years of Trump?" and if the answer is "No," they will keep him. In other words, if all his corruption, lying, assaults on democratic institutions, flirting with dictators, obstruction of justice, misogyny, racism and embarrassing immorality, ignorance and incompetence hasn't affected them personally, it's just cable news entertainment. Democrats, on the other hand, are not entertaining. They harp about racial injustice, wealth equality, low wages, kids in cages, climate doom, gun massacres, student debt, predatory drug pricing, and unaffordable health care. They're downers. They lecture, they don't entertain.
6
OK, @Ed, average folks in the states that matter think that things are better now than 4 years ago? What things? Got a few more bucks in your paycheck? Noted. What else? Do these "average" voters believe that kidnapping children at the southern border and throwing them in concentration camps is an improvement over 4 years ago? How about Iran working hot-diggity on a nuclear weapon? Better? How about a judicial system packed with incompetents and neo-fascists? Progress? Then I'm guessing that disavowing, denouncing and dismantling taxpayer-paid government-led research into global warming is a step in a better direction. Oh, almost forgot, and the most corrupt administration in American history? That's still better, right? Maybe these average voters need to look a bit farther than their front porches. Might realize it ain't quite as rosy out there as Trump and his MAGA-minions want them them to believe.
3
Joe Biden was the Barney Fife to Obama's Sheriff Andy.
Shoot, now I feel like I need to apologize to Dan Knotts.
Joe Biden for president, or as I like to call it, the final nail in the coffin of Democrat Party respectability. If in fact chuck and nanny hadn't already hammered it in.
If the Democrat strategy is to defeat Trump, Bret Stephens is correct by stating this: "Which brings me to my bottom line: The big winner of last week’s debate was Donald Trump. The Democrats may be firing their base, but their turn to the left is scaring a lot of the core voters — especially in places like Ohio and North Carolina — that they will need to win next year."
Thomas Edsall wrote an excellent column worth reading, to gain a better sense of important voters' views, who will be needed to defeat Trump. This information can help guide a successful campaign strategy against Trump if heeded.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/26/opinion/pelosi-white-working-class.html?searchResultPosition=1
3
Amy Klobuchar is the forgotten candidate who has everything going for her!
35
@Amy Glynn
100% agree. She's the real deal that all the media and political chattering class keeps trying to ignore, as if they want Trump to win.
The one issue that will keep me from voting for her and all the other Democrat candidates is their support for forcing taxpayer to fund healthcare for 22 million+ illegal immigrants.
2
@Amy Glynn
Amy Klobuchar would be a competent president able to handle a crisis and would manage to attract skilled, intelligent people to government service again. She does not bring the drama many of the candidates bring; she would be another no-drama Obama-type president able to fix much of what Trump has destroyed.
3
@Amy Glynn
agreed
1
If Bden goes down I think that will most benefit Amy Klobuchar, who had a very good debate performance but got little press, probably because she did not get in a dramatic battle with Biden. My candidate, Jay Inslee, is at 0.3%. Not lookin' good for the governor. Since surveys show that the Democrats number one issue is climate change I would have thought that Inslee would at least be at 1%, up there with candidates like Kirsten Gillibrand. But Democrats remain obsessed with issues like health care insurance and when the planet heats to unlivable temperatures they will probably still be agonizing on how to provide better health care coverage should there still be any functioning medical facilities around.
2
Were I Biden I’d set personal ambition aside. I’d defer to Sen. Harris, throw in with Kamala, offer to serve as her running mate, be Vice President again for one more term.
She’d be a fool not to take him. He’s been a U.S. senator, so he understands how to work deals in that chamber much better than she does. And he understands the vice president’s job very well and how the Executive Branch works, or is supposed to, or would if its top leadership wasn’t trying to destroy it; as Trump’ is. Biden has the expertise that all the others lack.
It will be sorely needed after January 21, 2021 given the breadth and scope of the Trump debacle at home and abroad. It will take a near super-human effort to undo the damage that Trump has done, to right the ship of state that Trump, McConnell and Ryan triumvirate set on its current course towards destruction; and us with it.
Nothing less than the fate of mankind and the natural world itself are at stake. Yet I do not see any acknowledgement of this or of our collective peril reflected in the candidates thus far; any urgency especially. Only unslaked ambition occasionally leavened by hubris, and fiscal irresponsibility.
Bret Stephens says here:
"The Democrats may be firing their base, but their turn to the left is scaring a lot of the core voters — especially in places like Ohio and North Carolina — that they will need to win next year."
Whose core? It isn't worth pandering to Trump's base, since, after all he has done and neglected, anyone who claims to be undecided will almost certainly vote for the sociopath anyway, by not voting, or casting a vote for a third-party candidate. Consider Mr. Stephens, for example.
2
Since the subject of third party votes has come up, why has Jill Stein refused to appear before any House Committees? Why hasn't she been subpoenaed? She has admitted to accepting help from Russia but won't be specific. She was at the same table in Moscow as Mike Flynn & Putin before the 2016 election. Her involvement was strictly to divert votes from Clinton. Since 53% of Republican voters have expressed interest in having someone primary Trump I am rooting for Bill Weld to pull a 'Jill Stein'.
1
I won’t be prevaricating with a third party if the Democrats nominate Sanders/Warren/Harris or any other “government is the savior” candidate.
I will simply vote for Trump, which is something I’d have slit my wrists before doing in 2016.
But that’s where we are.
@David G. "But that’s where we are."
No sir, that's where *you* are.
7
I think Joe Biden is 2020’s Joe Biden.
3
Let’s try one more time – I assume Mark’s now watching and censoring, personally...
“Joe Biden” and “Jeb, I done” are anagrams...
At least put it on the puzzle page, if you don’t post in the comments...
#JB2
23
@W in the Middle
Excellent. Thanks.
2
YES he is.
1
Joe Biden did not look good at the debate, but I thought he handled the attack from Senator Harris well - and well enough that it will have minimal effect on him going forward. If Biden comes across as sharp in his public appearances and in the next debate, he seems likely to stay the favorite.
Biden has a huge advantage as the only centrist polling especially well, with four progressive candidates splitting much of the rest of the support so far. He might have a lot more trouble if it were a three way race, but it is hard to see any of the top five dropping out before California votes, at which point it may be too late to matter.
1
The U. S. Department of the Treasury is running out of money in September. No one running for office on the Democratic side seems at all bothered by that fact. The debt limit will need to be raised. Medicaid, the program that now serves 75 million, which is free to them as they pay no premium, is set to run out of money in less than 3 years to pay all the bills. Also, almost 9 million undocumented children are on it, and adding more, without figuring out how to tax for the program, should be front, and center in any future debates going forward. Our country is $22 trillion in debt, over $1 trillion more will be added to the debt by the end of this year, and another $1 trillion by the end of next year, and $400 billion in interest will need to be paid on the debt by next year, and as the deficits mount, added to the long term debt, the cost of interest will rise as well. A country that doesn't pay attention to borrowing, rather than taxing for all the legislation that Congress passes that needs funding, will be one where it will be more likely to engage in dangerous foreign policy decision, and poor domestic policy decisions as well that are not thought out. Hasn't the last almost 20 years shown that to be true?!
1
Bret,
Please come home. I expect the WSJ would gladly have you back and you most certainly would not be asked to participate in such inanity as this “conversations” with Ms. Collins. Journal readers certainly miss you and your voice was far more relevant there than at the NYT. It is never too late to acknowledge one’s mistake and reform.
@Philip
I will by you your favorite beer (or whatever you drink down there) the day that happens.
The worst writer ever to write in the OpEd Page. It makes me yearn for Safire. At least he was intelligent and even good with the English language!
1
More like 2020’s Hillary Clinton. Only more baggage. Anita Hill. His lies about his academic record. His son’s scandals in Ukraine. And he represents the past.
5
I'm glad Republican pundits are so concerned that the Democratic turn to the left may alienate supposed centrist voters!
Of course they want Democrats to win, that's what all GOP strategists want. Right?
No. It's time to burn down the house. Get ready Brett, because the GOP is in for a bumpy ride.
Trump will be reelected in 2020, and then AOC will become President in 2024. Perhaps McConnell can sit enough GOP judges before then to stonewall the Democratic/Socialist/Green wave just as the GOP base is dying off.
2
No comparison - Biden has years of Washington experience, and Jeb Bush had none. Completely different people.
The polls spell it out - he is the guy who has the best chance of knocking out Trump. Curb your extreme liberalism and win.
1
It is long past time to put to rest the Republican Party fantasy the Democrat are for, “open borders.” In fact, it is Republicans who are for an open border.
Republican farmers (especially in the Central Valley of California) have relied on open borders for the supply of workers they need to harvest their crops for generations. Large numbers of these workers went back and forth over the border as needed, adding value to the state and national economies by providing a form of cheap labor for harvesting crops.
Presumably Republican corporate executives have relied on open borders to supply workers willing to perform grueling and low paid labor in chicken processing plants, and likely in other industries, notably in the Midwest, but likely other places as well.
The current “crisis” at the border chiefly involves Central Americans applying for legal admittance to the US using the asylum process. The only open border they snuck over was the one at the southern end of Mexico, not here.
This is a cynical and partisan ploy to discredit Democrats, and it is time for Democrats to call out this hypocrisy.
2
Gail, it would be nice if you didn't just allow Stephens to define the Democratic candidates for the reading audience, such as his Jeb Bush line about Biden. It's always what the right wing wants to do (e.g., calling Democrats socialists - see Krugman's recent column on this), and Democrats rarely seem to turn the tables in this manner. Are these columns supposed to be two-way dialogues or your interviews of Stephens?
3
Agreed.
Harris / Butlieg for 2020.
Dream Liberal progresive fringe left ticket.
Run with it, go for it.
4
@AutumnLeaf
Buttigieg is not progressive nor left. He is a center right, establishment candidate who is already in the pocket of Wall Street.
Butlieg in the other hand may be a different story. But I don’t know who he is.
2
Why on earth didn't any of the candidates mention that Bernie Sanders had voted against the Brady Bill? Why are they protecting him from his pro-gun history?
3
Yes, Biden didn't have a good night. And that was before Harris shot her racially guided missile at "Joe in headlights".
It is true that Biden can't afford another performance. But I suggest it is way too early to compare him to Jeb, a younger Joe, or anybody else that didn't make the primary cut. For whatever reason, he was off his game last Thursday. Perhaps as some suggest, this is the new & old Joe. But something tells me that given a good performance in the next round of debates, America will forgive Joe.
So let's wait and see how things turn out before we begin to compare today's current front runner to the guy Trump turned inside out. Joe is no Jeb, and Kamala isn't going to get the same slack from Democrats that Trump got from Republicans when he attacked Jeb.
2
It is positively high-larious to me, seeing how much the neo-lib pundits are now fretting about the leftward pull of the party and unsure if they can vote for a Warren or Sanders, even in a race against Trump.
These same people were adamant that the progressive wing would and must suck it up and play ball in 2016, that the the "D" next to Clinton's name was reason enough to vote for her, even if you found her and her policies repellant. When their candidate, the "safe" candidate, failed, I'd thought that loss would have been a wake up call to establishment Dems that they need to wake up and get behind candidates with the capacity to inspire young voters. Op-eds and articles like this show me that I was being naive.
So go ahead vote third party or sit it out if Warren or Harris get the nom and ultimately refuse to sell out to the right. The hypocrisy of you not being "With Her" would be delicious.
I "held my nose" and voted Clinton in 2016, and helped her carry Colorado. Biden would receive no such courtesy from me in 2020. If you're so hellbent on living in the past and losing to Trump again, you can do it without my help.
2
President Obama deserves thanks for this economy. Trump just extracted more profit for the 1% and added a couple more trillion dollars to the national debt. Two thirds of Americans have one foot in the door of the poor house and the other foot on a banana peel. This economy is on the edge of a cliff and when we fall the 1% will still be fine! It's the 99% who are going to get a sober reminder of how the republican party really works.
9
No. Both political parties are different than they were 2016, especially Republicans. Biden knows this just as Nancy pelosi knows it. Biden will show accommodations to the far left but all dems need to unite around a more centrist mindset unless they are blind to the best shot at trump and the senate. Push your ideologies but rank Trump’s defeat as number one.
2
I voted for McGovern, Carter (big mistake), Mr. Clinton, and Obama. Having said that, if you listen to the Democratic debate, the country is going to hell. Racism, income inequality, a climate disaster, etc., etc. It sounds like the USA is the worst place on earth. Maybe I am missing something, but I believe the average voter in the states that matter (FL, PA, MI, WI, OH) think that things are better than they were 4 years ago. Look at the numbers. Telling people it is worse when they know its better is not a winning formula.
37
@Ed - Wow. We must live on different planets because I am heartbroken at what this country has become.
45
@JoAnne I live on the same planet as Ed. Things are MUCH better than they were under Obama and they are getting better. The president is delivering on his promise to "Make America Great Again" and down here we love him for it!
18
@EdThat depends on how you define "better". Are we more selfish?; is racism and sexual assault now normalized? is America now more vulnerable to fascism?
38
I voted third party in 2016 because that was the candidate I supported. The 2020 election will be the first time I vote for a Democrat in the primaries. However, my candidates - Tulsi Gabbard and Andrew Yang - have already been written off by the media, so it looks like I'll probably be voting third party again in the general. Gun to my head, I'd have voted for Trump in 2016 (sorry that doesn't fit the narrative you're going for, Ms. Collins). I'd probably do it again in 2020 if it's him vs. Biden, Harris, Sanders or Warren. HOWEVER, I would NEVER vote for Trump. Just like I'd never vote for Clinton. Gail Collins seems to be the "delicate" one if she can't stomach people with principles. "Too virtuous to skip the election," you say? You're damn right. Not everybody in the world is so lucky to have the option. Voter suppression, by law or rhetoric, is dangerous. Ms. Collins should be ashamed of herself.
@Matthew Yes, and Gail also ignores those of us in solidly red or blue states. My state definitely will go to the Democrat which gives me the consequence-free option of voting for an Independent, as a small way of voicing disapproval with the nominee. This was my approach in 2016 and may be again, particularly if the far left prevails during the nominating process.
1
Dear Bret, If you're feeling that 3rd-party itch, I say do it. Here in NY, we're not spoiling anything. If the Dem's lead falls below 20% we can revisit this assumption. For now, let's you and me vote Green Party, whose Green New Deal is much more fiscally responsible than the Democrats. Or Rent Is Too Damn High (I liked that McMillan fella).
Dear Readers in Ohio, Pennsylvania and 4-5 other states, I'm sorry you don't have the luxury Bret and I do. On the good side, you get to choose our nation's leader. Be responsible, and don't let the pressure make you stay home that day.
3
Collins: "Democrats are starting to get nervous about the left tilt of the candidates...I bet you'll see things moderate...". That is not a bet I'd take, and yes I'm among the nervous and about to get depressed.
The Left wing of the party has much to commend it in terms of passion and organizing and calling out Republicans on a whole list of issues. They often prick the conscience of all reasonable Americans about some horrible Trump administration misdeeds.
But there is that closed minded zealotry thing. That "my way or the highway" ideology which says we'd rather lose to Trump than moderate our views (or acknowledge that 60 votes are needed in the Senate to do most everything, and then there is the Electoral college math).
I do not yet agree on Biden with the writers though his performance has me concerned. I do totally agree on Ms.Harris. She has no core just a wet finger in the wind and is malleable as clay. What will she walk back next?
Bret Stephens, you really are incapable of seeing the forest for the trees. You too have succumbed to the GOP mantra of weaponized politics. Yes, we have a very troubled political system right now. The founding fathers had a "feeling" something like this might happen so they established some guidelines... but with no tangible precedent in the newly formed Republic, they weren't going to be comprehensive. Unfortunately, the wealthy elites were opportunistic, sinking their teeth into the soul of US government while few realized what was happening. Thankfully some were able to help mitigate it, on the Democratic side. But the GOP has handily dashed all of those efforts, rolling back to an era of extreme vulnerability. And now, we're really screwed. One day someone will do a very comprehensive treatise on the game of "evil empire" that the GOP has played upon the US citizenry. But alas, it will come too late. We are already so terribly damaged, thanks to Mitch McConnell and his cohorts like Newt Gingrich, Orin Hatch, and Chuck Grassley, who after reviling Trump, welcomed him in as the standard bearer for the kind of GOP they always wanted but feared the American people would loathe.
5
I love articles like this in the "liberal New York Times". It reminds me just how conservative our country is when decent policy proposals are considered too far to the left.
5
"But court packing is a truly horrible idea that threatens the institutional fabric of the country...." says the straight faced Bret Stephens in another example of the myopic Robertsesque style that says, nothing to see here, folks, Corporations are people, the courts should be run only by conservatives and the Voting Rights Act is no longer needed. We'll even throw some Hobby Lobby old time religion at you so you know which god America must worship.
Meanwhile, McConnell and company pack the courts with partisans like Kavanaugh at the Supreme level and hacks at the lower court levels.
I wonder which part of America trump promised McConnell he could be lord over. District 12?
3
“The worrisome thing about her (Kanaka) isn’t that she wants to eliminate private health insurance; it’s that she can’t seem to decide what the heck she wants to do. She’s changed positions I don’t know how many times.”
She wants to win. Period.
But she lost the Midwest when she attacked Biden for a busing vote 40 years ago, which 9- percent of African Americans and 95 percent of whites agreed with.
So, that means over 90 percent of both racial groups were “hurtful.”
After all the opportunities she’s had, and even going to high school in Montreal, that she wants to make that 40 year old busing piece of history her signature issue is — lame. Talk Bout being stuck in the past.
3
The only serious question about Joe Biden is whether he is gracious when he exits the race and unconditionally and quickly persuades his significantly male blue collar base to support whomever ends up getting the nomination. Bernie’s slow and lukewarm concession in 2016 meant that few of his votes went to HRC - as much to blame for Trump as any Russian troll. So, Joe, hang in there until about this time next year then campaign like never before for TBD but surely not you.
1
Yes Biden had trouble dealing with Harris he is not quick on his feet no doubt an age factor. We have had 80 yr old presidents and Reagan had dementia at one point of his term .I think it shows we need a more vibrant younger candidate to contrast vs Trump as he has trouble being coherent at times and Trump will get worse as time goes by. We don't want Ivanka as acting president at a time of crisis.
1
My standing analogies for 2016 are still valid for this round. On the USS Republican, the successful Trump insurgency was essentially a below-decks mutiny - the crew was on board and was going to remain on board doing its job whichever the Captain. And that was a "natural" Republican turn for the Presidency, no need to play it too safe. By significant contrast, the Sanders assault on USS Democrat was a boarding by pirates. Once repulsed by Captain Hook or Crook in the Primary, the Children's Army and its Naderite boomer hangers on all sailed back their bases in the Blessed Isles of Ideological Purity. Democrats shouldn't be mistaking pirates for crew members.
1
@J111111
HRC was responsible her own dreadful, losing campaign.
She ran on Identity politics. She ignored the rust belt. She went out of her way to insult working people. She and her pals rigged the nomination process so no one else had a fair chance, understandably creating resentment. Limousine Liberal all the way. Completely tone deaf. Had she done any one of those things differently, it likely would have made up those 70,000 votes that she lost the electoral college by.
5
@Franco51
Well yes. It was the Grand Theft Auto primary: points for taking out pedestrians on the left side of the road, then swerve hard right for election. She mainly lost Obama's minority vote, picking a southern bubba instead of a Booker or similar, but who knew the "competence candidate" couldn't manage emails and that her BFF was Mrs. Hot Dog.
Lost in the discussion of single payer, Medicare are for all, is that if enacted the current version will be changed to the chagrin of seniors that enjoy and like it. Democrats are hopeless when it comes pitching Healthcare. Look how far Hillary care got. Obamacare only passed only because the then senator from Nebraska received some pork barrel funding only benefiting his constituents. Otherwise a looser as far as public policy goes, the Dems don’t get it.
Here in Florida, the Democratic Party executive committee in Oct. 2018 voted down the idea of an open primary election, even though nationally 42% of voters identify as INDEPENDENT of any party-loyalty. Nationally, 75% of Democratic-voters under age 50 voted for Bernie. Meanwhile, the "establishment" Democrats bashed all Bernie supporters, yelled at the top of their lungs that he's "NOT A DEMOCRAT" and tried to shame the same voters into voting for Hillary AFTER the DNC admittedly rigged the primaries in favor of Hillary the warhawk-investment's crowd candidate! The "establishment" will age out! THANKFULLY! What have the "New Democrats" of the corporate-wing done for the working and middle class? They are the enemy of reform and change. In 1981 to 2007, low wage workers saw a mere 15% increase in income. Meanwhile the investment crowd, represented by the Clinton Democrats saw their income go up 260%. Of course they don't want to change the trickle-down policies put in place by Reagan, with more tax cuts by Bush and now Trump. The Democratic Party of today is dominated by the corporate-wing that is an inadequate opposition party = How we got Trump, who is just a result of #NeverHillary and #StopTPP and the fact that the DNC rigged the primary elections for their Wall Street pay-to-play corrupt queen.
Biden is the Clinton 2.0 candidate, who will never unite the rainbow coalition that elected Obama. Thos voters are far more likely to vote for Senators Sanders and Warren.
3
So Bret -- who do you think the Republicans should pick for their 2020 nominee? Any worries about some less committed voters having a lack of enthusiasm for the frontrunner?
3
I am generally disappointed that the columnists -- and Bret in particular -- are so inside the bubble of political commentators. The demographics of the U.S. are changing. Millennials now outnumber Baby Boomers. The percentage of Persons of Color is increasing, especially among Latinos. The LGBTQ+ communities are flexing their political muscle and wealth. Suburban women are realizing that their issues differ from those of suburban men. These people make up the new progressive base of the new Democratic Party. The tragedy of the 2016 election wasn't Donald Trump. He's simply a symptom of cancer infecting the GOP for years. The tragedy was the Democrats nominating a savage opportunist with no moral compass and no progressive idea that she ever endorsed without checking public opinion polls first. And why have a southern white male as a running mate? Young people, Persons of Color, women, and the LGBTQ+ communities want progressive change. Like Sec. Clinton, Biden is from the GOP wing of the Democratic Party. Insanity is repeating the same mistake, expecting a different outcome.
5
At least he is not the Hillary Clinton of 2020; that remains to be seen.
2
Joe Biden has about a year here to step back and assume the role of revered elder statesman. His support could probably vault anyone now in the teens to the nomination. The rubber chicken tour is tiring and he may already have those who love him trying to slow his road to “three and out”. Thanks for the memories Joe, and enjoy your golden years.
3
Epically clueless Quote of the Day:
"Why does half of America think things are just fine?"
Because, my dear Stephens, they belong to the half that has become fabulously rich by stealing from the other half.
6
I’d like to understand how so many commenters here equate keeping more of what one earns with stealing. Guess what? Rich peoples’ money was never yours to begin with.
2
@randomxyz "I’d like to understand how so many commenters here equate keeping more of what one earns with stealing."
It's not theft (though to be sure, neither is taxation), it's just hideous selfishness and callousness towards fellow citizens who have committed the mortal sin of not being rich like them. People -- even rich people -- should simply be *better* than this.
And incidentally, rich people's money, like everybody else's, belongs to whomever the state says it does, no more and no less. Why? Because "belongs to" is a product of the laws of property, and the property laws are *by definition* what the state says they are.
2
Brett misses the point on gerrymandering. My state legislature is not going to “heal thy self.” My congressional district is not going to be “healed” by the gerrymandered state legislature. The situation leads people to wonder why even vote, as their vote doesn’t really count.
4
And then of course we’ll all gather in the living room to hear Donald Trump mess up the hitherto-nonpartisan Independence Day celebration in Washington.
Gail I know its your job and I know maybe as horrible as it is you might all enjoy laughing at the creepiness of it all, but still maybe it might be good not to feed the fire and-- I don't know what--do something else.
1
Bret, Elizabeth Warren is nor proposing a "wholesale reinvention of the economic system." Where do you come up with this junk? She wants to get back to fair taxation, a level playing field, and proper management of the government. She wants to take the country back from being run for the .001%. Keep up. It's not that hard.
10
"This time there are too many potential Democratic nominees that I can’t vote for in good conscience...."
David Brooks has expressed the same idea that Stephens does here, viz., "I could never vote for Trump, but to get my vote you'd better nominate a Democrat I can stomach." How can two such smart guys be so blind, so ignorant of what an election is? One of the two candidates, the Republican or the Democrat will be the next president. One is worse. What any morality worth the name will say is that in such a scenario you have to vote for the other one. Period. Whether you like that person or that person's policies is irrelevant.
3
I find it ironic that while Kamala Harris goes after Biden on race, Anita Hill has been quoted as saying (1) she has forgiven Biden for his misguided role in the Thomas-Hill controversy and (2) that she would, "absolutely, " vote for Biden for president.
2
Bret,
You might want to consider a different dynamic Republican for whom to cast your ballot, Harold Stassen. There is no law that says the person you vote for has to be alive.
1
Biden’s verbal gaffes, occasional bumbling, family troubles. It’s all written into his DNA, and we forgive him for it. He’s a safe choice, and the only Democrat that can beat Trump. If the Left think otherwise, they’re only deluding themselves. After four years of Trump America yearns for “normalcy,” which I think would be a good campaign slogan.
1
How do we know Joe is the only Democrat who can beat Trump?
2
Anti-Trump, Dem voters who vote third party in 2020 are missing something big.
It's not the symbolic act of CASTING your vote that is meaningful, it's the real RESULT of your vote that's meaningful.
These voters have it backward; in 2020 the end will not justify the symbolic means if Trump is re-elected.
5
Ah, yes. Let's nominate another centrist Democratic candidate. It worked so well with Hillary Clinton.
And John Kerry.
And Al Gore.
And Mike Dukakis.
If there's anything that gets the voters of the rust belt swing states excited, it's a corporate Democrat that passes Republican economic legislation and sometimes throws a bone to gay people.
4
@T. Warren To be fair, Mike Dukakis didn't so much lose as forget to run a campaign.
2
"Can you imagine what Republicans would have been saying if Barack Obama had made an impromptu visit to the Korean DMZ to shake hands with Kim Jong-un and flatter him after two failed summits?" Bret Stephens
I seem to remember republican apoplexy when Obama wore a tan suit.
Stephens arguments are so incredibly lame, and unfortunately Gails's response is almost as lame.
When arguments are given for a public buy in, or even Medicare for all; or for college debt relief; or for infrastructure; or for any other help for the average Joe republicans go nuts with their "we just can't afford those things". But when arguments are given for huge tax cuts for those who don't need them no fiscal facts are even presented. Just that tired trope: tax cuts stimulate the economy; even when that trope has been tried and failed these last 40 years.
The courts are being packed now, Stephens, in the most undemocratic way possible. I think Pete's solution of enlarging the bench and putting term limits on the justices is pretty sound. After all there have been more and there have been less justices on the court.
"Physician heal thyself"? I thought the job of the court was to insure that when the political gets too far astray of the Constitution their job is to "heal" it.
And finally, if half the country is OK why did they vote for such an outlier?
3
I wonder -- Is Bret Stephens going around the country and all over the media, trying to smarten up the Republicans? Somebody has to do this, and wouldn't he be one of the best?
Right! We Democrats expect perfection, Joe. Sorry.
1
Bashing Biden? New poll from Iowa, Biden +10.
1
I'm going to keep my comment straight to the point: Joe Biden is a decent man who would be an OK president, light years better than the charlatan currently in the White House, and I could pull the lever for him with no problem. BUT, he's not the ideal candidate for the times we live in. After the vile Trump administration we need someone with more vigor and vision to jerk us WAY BACK in the opposite direction, not someone who will merely reassure those of us who have had our faith in this country shaken to the core. Harris and Buttigieg would be a perfect team and represent my choice for an ideal ticket. But of course I will vote for Biden or any of the Democrats whomever they nominate. Lastly, does Biden look tired and vulnerable in a match with Trump? Unfortunately that IS a rhetorical question.
2
Biden the gaff machine, did exactly what I am afraid he would do running against Trump, totally goofed up. His debate performance was a poster of reasons not to vote for him.
Joe Biden represents the Dem party voters who are desperate for a moderate/old line liberal to represent the party rather than the orthodox driven socialist/Dem who have overtaken the party. They are afraid the party hasn't learned from the '16 election - win the pop vote lose the election. The Dems won 20 states. How do you win more states not more votes in NY/CA is the question. None of the socialist/Dems have the answer. The states Trump won lean right... not left. How blind can the party be? Please... Please... don't answer. It's obvious.
1
Gail, please DON'T watch or listen to Trump's speech on the 4th! His hijacking of our national holiday to make it a virtual campaign rally for himself is just wrong, and no genuine American patriot should support or condone it in any way. I urge everyone to find other ways to celebrate what July 4th should mean...appreciation of our country and the things that unite us as Americans.
2
Democrats will need swing voters to read between the lines. Even if Sanders was elected, our vast, wealthy private healthcare system wouldn't dissapear. Many years from now we might have something resembling public and private schools, but not in Bernie's lifetime or mine.
And forget backward-looking issues. McConnell got away with rigging the supreme court. He did it, he won't be punished, the end. Same for inheriting a good economy. To the general voting public that's a trivia question.
I never thought I'd wish for another recession but unless the Democrats get it together, it may be the only way to save the world from Trump. He knows it too--that's why he pushes so hard for lower interest rates, to make himself look good at the expense of good fiscal policy.
2
I really wish Joe Biden had run in 2016.
When you look at him now versus the Obama years from 2008-2016, the difference is palpable. Today, Joe looks to be tired and aged. Historically, he has had a propensity for putting his foot in his mouth on things that should've been a breeze to get right. And how he handled a few recent issues, like the "too close" to women thing, support for segregationists, and the infamous 1994 crime bill.
I like Joe. He's a fine statesman, albeit flawed like so many others. But he is too tightly tethered to the failed government of years past. Sadly, I think he "missed the boat" on this one. He should step back and wait for the field to bubble up the next likely nominee, then do his best to support them.
1
Neither of you mentioned the climate crisis as a top issue for the final four democratic candidates moving forward. I will be voting for a candidate who prioritizes this impending crisis.
3
Great column. Sadly, I think Joe Biden looks like he is carrying a ticket that says "Jeb Bush Redeux 2020." Although, to be fair Biden has more Irish in him than old Jeb who would have been a fine Republican president before the party was taken over by the Trump body snatchers.
I sense some desperation in Bret Stephens tone. He really is crying for a savior and will do almost anything to find one. Well, he's right. Gail seems more confident, probably because she is a Democrat and is comfortable with all the candidates even the far left Sanders. But it does look like Warren and Harris are the likely candidates. Gail I think is optimistic either can win. Bret is very nervouse.
As for me, I'm with Gail. The American people won't let us down. If they do, I'm leaving. But they won't reelect Trump.
3
If Mr. Stephens can vote only for "...Bill Weld or Joe Libertarian or Mary-Write-In...", he should stay home if he does not want to help Trump steal a second term.
Warren's ideas sound radical, but try to have some perspective here. Depending upon which party holds the Senate (probably the G.O.P.), if she were President, she would be unlikely to get many, or any, of her more radical proposals enacted into law; like not having infectious immigrants (those who are here already) clogging up our emergency rooms, or promoting a more generous (yes, generous!) ideal of higher education that will prepare this country for the future; because the idea that many Americans have that this country is the greatest and the richest and the most advanced, is quickly becoming obsolete if things do not change radically...and soon.
2
I totally disagree with you and the other pundits who denigrated Joe Biden’s performance at the debates. He responded to criticism calmly and coherently. He may have stumbled a bit, but so what. He respected the time limits and did not interrupt others. Biden is a long time progressive Democrat with an excellent track record and has grown over time as society’s views have changed. Remember that he supported gay marriage before Obama and, more or less, pushed Obama to support it as well. He was a public defender as compared to Kamala Harris who was an arrogant, aggressive prosecutor who put many black people in jail for drug offenses and fought like crazy to keep people who had been proven innocent from being released from jail. Biden can accomplish much by executive action and even more if the Democrats take the Senate. Maybe he’ll want to make Kamala Harris his attorney general.
3
@LAM Exactly, Joe respected the time limits as opposed to Jump the Shark Support Smollet candidate Harris
2
If half of America really believes that things are great, economically, it's probably due to that half being invested in the stock market. So, despite their wages not growing appreciably, etc., they are seeing their paper net worth go up, which eases the pain of low wages. It also creates the wealth effect that keeps consumers spending.
If that half of America had defined benefit retirement plans, like in halcyon days past, things would be quite different. Wall St. and the financial markets would not be so all-powerful, and Americans wouldn't care so much if the market went up or down, as they wouldn't riding it.
I think it would be best for America, if people understood that they themselves are a bit complicit in low wages, and other wealth transfers to the upper classes. If we don't, we're going to continue to allow Trump to decimate environmental regulations, work against science in trying to rein in climate change, etc., all in the interest of our retirement accounts.
Trump's campaign theme song to promote his killing smart regulations should be "Decimate mucho." Deci-mate. Deci-mate mucho...
2
DO NOT turn on the tv to see what’s happening in Washington. Forget there is a federal government and a President. Forget the already-partisan spectacle.
Find a local parade with high school marching bands and fire trucks; then find a local fireworks display. BBQ with neighbors, find someplace to swim or run through the sprinklers.
Celebrate our nation with the people who live, work, and play in it everyday.
4
Did you note this wacky, nonchalant exchange?
"Gail: Not sure that’s true about half of Americans thinking things are great. If they’re in school they’re probably worried about college debt. If they’re in their working prime, they’re probably juggling like mad to take care of both their jobs and their children — and maybe sick parents. If they’re older, they almost certainly don’t have enough savings to support a comfortable retirement. And if the economy starts to dip, you can multiply all that uncertainty by 10.
Bret: All true, but I’m not sure it’s enough to justify a wholesale reinvention of the system."
Er, what! Excuse me, Bret, did you hear Gail's litany of serious political problems? Hard to believe it registered because you belittled it: "Yeah, things are very bad, but change is too scary to even think about acting on like Sanders and Warren suggest" is a good summary of your stance.
Apparently, Bret does not believe in or recommend using the tool of government to help people, despite the fact that bad government is what got a lot of people in the bad situation they're in.
Intellect, education, and experience does not necessarily lead to wisdom or compassion.
You can't make this stuff up. That is a man committed to Conservatism at all costs.
6
Mr. Stephens, I'm pretty sure that surprising you is not high on the priorities list of the Supreme Court Justices who are fighting to save American democracy.
Thankfully, the same seems to be true for Elizabeth Warren and the non-Biden wing of the Democratic Presidential contenders. It's so refreshing to see this many candidates recognizing that, when the other side is swinging a wrecking ball, we can't fix the damage with sandpaper. By not "surprising" you by artificially moderating and pre-compromising their deeply held beliefs to chase the approval of the same conventional wisdom and imaginary middle that lost in 2016, they're making a strong, passionate winning argument for real structural change.
2
I am tired of listening to "never Trumper" folks actually being pro-Trump, in effect by refusing to vote for an actual Democrat. We're not going to nominate a Republican from the 50's. Don't bother telling us we can't run on Democratic principles.
9
re "we can rejoice that it’s still a free country, where all conversations are created equal":
But when we listen to wannabe dictator Donald Trump harangue us amid militaristic trappings from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on the Fourth of July, it's worth asking ourselves how much longer that condition will last.
This president's constant condemning of a free press and its First Amendment protections as "the enemy of the people" that commits "treason" is not a good sign at all. Neither is how comfortable he is in the company of the despots whose approval he so consistently and obsequiously seeks.
Happy holiday.
3
I did not take Harris’s characterization on Biden as portraying him as a racist after saying she doesn’t think he is a racist. Her story is unique among the candidates and is powerful indeed. Whether she can show consistency and rein in the pandering to the left for free lunch during the campaign is to be seen.
Biden’s great sin is that he has staked his claim on being avuncular and working across the aisle to ‘get things done’. And that Senate is GONE as long as McConnell is the Majority Leader.
From ‘de Jure’ bussing to holding his nose on Talmadge, to Anita Hill, to support for mandatory sentencing, to permanently extending the Bush tax cuts - these are not acts of a racist.
They are acts of someone, who, in each moment, wanted credit for being the guy who ‘made the deal’ and was there smiling in the front row in the Rose Garden at the bill signing.
Problem is that in nearly ALL of these moments that add up to a career of well-intentioned middle-path service, his positions then are now out of touch with today’s mainstream Dem and public non-Trump consensus.
He is not Jeb or Hillary. He is modern day Rabbit, a man out of time in his own life, blinking and smiling at things he used to master but now doesn’t understand and trying to defend every move in his glorious past.
Time’s Up Senator. Pass the Torch. You too Bernie.
4
Senator Kamala will solidify her positions and Mayor Pete
will continue to increase his appeal. This a ticket that
can win for a lot of reasons. Joe may offer a return to
"old time" normalcy, but these two offer a professional
"modern day" normalcy.
A minority woman and a gay man in the White House
will show how far this country has come, despite Trump's
efforts to set us back to the Civil War.
1
Stephens says "half of America think things are just fine".
Is that the half who voted for Clinton or the half that voted for Trump? Or have they changed positions?
2
Why, oh why, do both these pundits insist that partisan gerrymandering is so terribly "undemocratic"? Why shouldn't a state's majority party engineer boundaries that favor their party? There is little criticism of drawing districts around "communities of interest," but isn't partisan affiliation really just another such community? If Ms. Collins & Mr. Stephens think drawing district along partisan lines is so terribly undemocratic, then perhaps the solution is to stop electing congressmen from districts - there are other ways to select members of a legislature. I would also add that maybe a binary polarized political system that forces the 15% of American voters whose votes actually matter in a presidential election to sacrifice their values and integrity by making a Sophie's Choice between Hillary Clinton (awful) and Donald Trump (awfuler) itself is inherently undemocratic.
2
The more I read Bret Stephens’ opinions , the less impressed I am. First, and in other articles, the war-mongering towards Iran (where I am originally from, although I am European and live in Ireland); and now here, the fact he thinks the American system is working well-enough for its people, not to need a significant change. I don’t live in the states, but I feel the global capitalistic economy is not working well, at least in the west. I work at a good job in IT (supposedly the field of work for tomorrow), still, I never seem to be able to save a penny, and feel I am living pay cheque to cheque. So much of what he represents, sounds foreign to my ears as though he lives on another planet. Well, I suppose he never aimed to impress little people like me in the first place. I am sure the important people on-board with “the agenda” are impressed.
3
i continue to feel it was a mistake for Mr. Biden to run for President. His time was past, and he has already made too many gaffes to be credible. He has served our nation well. Personally I would like to see someone who has recent "hand on" experience in actually governing, like HIckenlooper. I like Mayor Pete, but he needs a bit more experience. At any rate, given the way they are going with all the focus on immigrant rights and whether Harris can speak for Black Americans is a distraction. Trump will prevail is this is the conversation that Democrats want to have.
5
Brett, keep in mind the phrase "checks and balances." I voted for Bernie last time. I did not agree with some things and I thought he went too far on some issues. But I did not expect that he would be able to keep all his campaign promises. I expected that he would try to and that we would end up somewhere in the middle with things just a little better than they were before. The system we have is inherently conservative. That is why it is frightening to see politicians trying to make the Supreme Court more political (everything is political to some extent).
I don't trust politicians but I have mostly trusted the system and that it leaned toward justice (if imperfect justice) if we'd just vote what we thought was right and stopped worrying about the power of one person or about the extremes.
In one of your articles you talked about the cost of Medicare for all, but remember: it's not like health care is free now. It will be all right.
3
He's Bob Dole.
3
JOE!
1
Luv your lead-in pic...
Obvious that Kamala and Joe not the only ones who practice posing for Selfiegrams...
Bernie's channeling the Statuegram pose that got Dick Cheney elected President...
Twice...
2
Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
"Biden always screws up when he runs for president. But there was a little flicker of hope that maybe this time…"
Flicker of hope?
Nah, just wishful thinking.
To quote the fine contemporary philosopher Elvis Costello:
"History repeats / the old conceits
The glib replies / the same defeats"
3
Celebrating Harris’ so-called success is a sign that it will be another ugly election season. What Trump did to Bush in the debates was ugly, and what Harris did to Biden was more of the same. (And for the record, Bush would have been Fine. Better. Imagine.) They knowingly aimed for the sound bites that reached the public’s lowest-common denominator, which seems to be some kind of spectator sport mentality. Accepting Trump’s outrageous behavior in the debates paved the path for the even more disturbing, power-hungry rants and tweets we get from him now. It was a wrong turn, period. And yet we keep skipping down the same (kind of violent) path while lamenting our difficulties. The debates, especially night two, were a fiasco. It’s depressing to feel like you are getting sucked into collective failure.
4
Actually, Joe Biden is just 2020’s Joe Biden.
2
People like Ralph Nader, Susan Sarandon and Dr Jill Stein and all those precious independents bear responsibility for Bush 43 and Trump.
Elections in the US are binary choice - get over it!
2
Oh Bret. Surely you know that Mitch McConnell's obstruction was not limited to just Merrick Garland. I can't take you seriously when you display such ignorance.
But I digress. What I really wanted to comment on is the photo accompanying this article. A picture really is worth a thousand words. Whatever you think of Kamala nd Joe, get Bernie out of this race. That miserable mug representing the US in the world is something I just can't countenance, At least he combed his hair.
2
You two need to hop off Twitter and into the real world. People like Joe Biden. They associate him with Obama. People didn’t like JEB, they associated him with W.
2
Just dump him and move on to the serious candidates, who understand modern issues and needs. We don't need to go back in history. That's for Republicans.
3
Gail definitely had the upper hand in this one. There's so much to talk about, but one thing about Biden: the next day after the debate when he tried to explain himself out of the hole he put himself in, he was yakking so fast it seemed totally unnatural and he just further piled in more dirt on top of him apart from the "hoodie" gaffe. Somebody has to tell him nicely to go back home. David Axelrod? Barak himself? Somebody! Please!
4
Joe Biden is far worse than Jeb Bush. The only thing I might consult him about is dentures when I'm ready for them.
3
"people voting for third-party presidential candidates was what put Trump in the White House. "
really, Gail?
I thought you were a lot smarter than that.
You think HRC lost, say, Michigan or Wisconsin b/c of Jill Stein?
Please.
HRC lost those two states b/c she NEVER stepped foot in them during the general.
Jill Stein did not cost HRC her victory.
The problem was the electoral college.
The problem was places like the NYT were saying she was a shoe in and it brought down turnout for her.
The problem was she was a terrible, rotten, lousy candidate foisted on us by the DNC.
I really am amazed you actually think third parties cost her the election.
I thought you were better informed.
3
Brett Stephens is the best thing to happen to NYT in years. Miss his work at WSJ, but this may be a better audience still. More columns, Brett, and more banter like this, come to think of it. Why not? I think we’ve discovered how you get your next writing prompts. Happy Fourth.
1
"Can you imagine what Republicans would have been saying if Barack Obama ...
Gail: Or giggling with the Russian dictator about how they should “get rid of” the press."
But, Obama did tell Medvedev, on a hot mic, he would have more flexibility after the 2012 election. Remember?
Is Biden the 2020 Jeb(?) Maybe. Maybe he's the 2016 Hillary. Hillary was the smartest woman in the world, with remarkably no accomplishments. That is not exactly true for Biden, but, his accomplishments read like a list of charges from the progressives.
If Biden is driven from the race, there are 2 questions that have to be asked? Will he support the nominee? Who will be the next one to be thrown out of the life boat?
And, how will Obama answer the question about why he did not come to Biden's aid? After all, Joe was Obama's biggest defender.
1
Dems- pack the Supreme Court first chance you get because For SURE!! McConnell will!
1
Biden is an half-willing candidate. DNC should pick a more energetic horse to enter the race.
1
The greatest threat to America is Mitch McConnell.
Many people believe Trump is causing the decline of America...undermining our institutions, values, democracy, truth itself, but Trump is just an emotionally damaged child-bully whose parent, Mitch McConnell, refuses to discipline or take to a mental healthcare professional.
Disregarding McConnell's full-court attack on our democratic republic, Bret merely confides, "You’ll get no argument from me that McConnell’s behavior when it came to Judge Merrick Garland was a disgrace." More than a disgrace, it was a fascist act. It was the forcible suppression of the president's constitutional right and Senate's duty.
Bret goes on to say, "But court packing is a truly horrible idea that threatens the institutional fabric of the country and should remain one of those closed chapters from the 1930s." "Threatens the institutional fabric of the country"?? What do you think McConnell did?!! McConnell did not threaten - with a fascist disregard for the Constitution, he ripped to shreds the institutional fabric of the country.
It is true that if Democrats were to pack the court, Republicans would do the same in spades if/when they ever come back to power. For that reason packing the court is not a good idea. Instead, Democrats need to impeach a number of the "justices," beginning with Clarence Thomas. Reopen the case of his perverted sexual harassment of Anita Hill. Introduce witnesses and the facts of his sordid sexual video viewing.
4
A constant daily barrage of articles casting shade on Joe Biden is an excellent way to throw the election. How about stopping it?
4
Now lets wait for a democrat Donald Trump to highjack the Democratic convention. Who could it be?
@Tristan Roy
Harvey Weinstein?
1
Biden will have the same problem as Dan Quayle when he compared himself to President Kennedy and Senator Benson told Mr. Quayle "I knew President Kennedy, he was a friend of mine. Senator, you are no John Kennedy" ... https://lstrn.us/325Hj3e
Mr. Biden, we all know President Obama and you are no Barack Obama. He is not going to make it.
2
Brett Stephens, after two years of reading your columns excoriating Trump and his appalling administration, now you write that if the Democrats actually nominate a candidate that doesn’t conform to your “moderate” positions, you will vote for a third party or write in some loser? Well, you will have just helped to re-elect the monster you claim to abhor. And you no longer have the slightest credibility to criticize this awful administration. Read Eugene Robinson’s column in the Washington Post today.
2
Kamala (" Hey I'm the only black person on the stage") Harris threw a bomb in a crowded theater and got some cheap attention. The woman is Cal identity politics writ large and there's nothing she won't do to extend her 15 minutes.
9
Is, or was, the Pope a Catholic?
The Democrats need Michael Bloomberg change his mind and lead them out of the muck
That Bret Stephans fellow seems not terribly bright, but he is terribly, terribly concerned. And he REALLY wants a white guy candidate in just the worst way.
1
I've been calling him JEB Biden for weeks.
And I hate to tell you, I don't think for a minute that any Democrat will will the presidential election. The best, and only chance is if they select a old white man. That's sad, but it is true. It's what the Elelctoral Collelge wanted and it's what they got.
No woman, no African American, Hispanic, Asian, or someone under 45 can be elected. The racists and other isms and ists and the fine Christian people on the right, who really don't know how to read the Bible will see to that. Remember another "Supreme" Court justice will be vacant by 2024 and they definitely what it to be an ultraconservative judge.
1
THE QUESTION THE WRITERS RAISE Is preposterous. While Joe Biden is like an Energizer Bunny whose batteries take a lickin' and keep on tickin'. Jeb Bush was the tortoise whose battery died.
43
@John Jones Biden is not the Energizer Bunny, neither during the last debate nor on the stump. I think befuddled is a more apt description. He gets tongue tied, loses his train of thought and apparently dozes off. For an old man, Sanders has far more "pep". Biden's lifestyle lift, foundation and tooth veneers is only a distraction from the blast-from-the-past that is the candidate.
10
@John Jones Just a mean spirited comment that gets us where, exactly? And clearly influenced by Trump. This is the kind of thinking we don’t need in 2020. To me, Bush’s refusal to play dirty made him the better candidate.
1
@PS
As distasteful as a third Bush presidency might seem, Jeb bush was the most earnest candidate on the republican side, and I believe he would have been a good choice.
3
The only real question is whether or not the candidate would be a good president. Many of the dems pass that test, fortunately. I like Mayor Pete a lot. I love the way Elizabeth Warren is waging a campaign of ideas. Harris displayed a mean streak and a willingness to fight dirty. But I still think she could do the job. Biden passes that test as well as any of them. He was wrong about the crime bill, true. But he’s been right about everything from voting rights to gay marriage.
@Philip - Iraq?
Another Bret Stephens gem: The party many Americans saw this week is one that seems to want to decriminalize border crossings, provide taxpayer-funded benefits to illegal immigrants.
On this vary day of this very week reports of atrocities in detention centers are reported in vivid nightmarish details, on this very day of this very week the attitudes of thousands of border patrol agents have surfaced in all its ugliness. But not one word about the indignity for the taxpayer forced to pay for the torture chambers that migrants are being kept in. And are forced to pay the salaries of border patrol agents whose cynicism, viciousness, misogynist, racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic and all the other hatreds are revealed to the world. On this very day Bret can only express indignation about the grave injustice of having taxpayers pay for the well being of others who are in serious jeopardy and pain.
7
I love how independents are vilified by the democrats if they aren't willing to vote for the most left-leaning of the party's potential nominees. If Donald Trump is as bad for this country as I think most people will agree that he is, then maybe it should be on the dems to consider general election electability as one of their criteria in this race. Who would make a worse president: a mainstream democrat who is closer to the center than the progressives would like? Or Donald Trump? Seems like everyone will need to give a little here, or we will end up with four more years of Trump. Maybe this just shouldn't be the election of free college and medicare for all, etc.............
4
@Greg - Every election is about what donors want, never the people. I'm almost dead. When are they going to deliver on promises?
Tulsi Gabbard is the only Democrat I can listen to, and as an Independent, I find her refreshing. She has the gravitas, the intelligence and an impressive background, speaking intelligently on wars for profit issues.
As for Bernie and the establishment, he realizes the Democratic Party provides the only realistic path to change in the USA since the Republican party is entirely a lost-cause, and no "third party" can ever break through as things are today. So, where else is he to turn? So, it's a strategic thing with him.
For Warren, I think she's just blind to a lot of the DNC's games because she was a Republican until relatively late in life. ... That's a part of why she's the last choice on my list.
Bernie Sanders, unlike Harris and Biden, is not going to be the servant of fraudulent billionaires, I think that’s pretty clear.
2
Kamala Harris didn’t reverse herself in health care. She heard the question the same way I did — would YOU give up YOUR private health insurance. She further explained that she sees the solution as something close to medicare, which is a government plan providing a basic plan with the ability to buy supplemental, private insurance. It’s a concept that makes a lot of sense.
1
@S..Burn Lester Holt asked the exact same question the night before and everyone understood what he meant. For that matter everyone who shared the stage with her that very night understood what he meant. I actually have too much respect for her lawyering abilities to believe she’s that sloppy a listener. To me it seemed obvious that she decided to take the progressive position as a bold stance, figured out overnight that her answer didn’t track well with the political winds, and changed her position. That would be consistent with how she has conducted her entire career: to stick her finger in the wind, do what’s politically advantageous, and spin it afterwards in a way that “humanizes” her. Her only consistent principle is self-preservation.
2
@James Jacobs - I agree with S. Burn. The prosecutor heard the question accurately and everyone else made an assumption.
1
"The big winner of last week’s debate was Donald Trump. "
So true! My wife, a life long liberal threw away her Woodstock photos and turned on Fox News. Reason: We made many sacrifices to pay for my daughter's two degrees and my son's BS + medical school. They are debt free. We know folks who have good incomes who told their children to take loans to pay for their education.
I feel overtaken by a strange paranoia when I think about gerrymandering, and the Trump court. However, I do feel more upbeat when I picture Donald, Vlad and Kim meeting at the DMZ and arguing about renaming it, "DVK!" "No VKD!" "No KVD!"
Happy Holiday!
5
Perhaps more aptly:
Is Biden Mondale 1984? Genial senior pol and ex VP who recruits female VP nominee, and both go down to scorching defeat to a highly conservative but politically masterful Republican President.
62
@Thomas Givnish Except that Trump (the real Trump, not the posing President) isn’t conservative. He’s a party boy from the 90s who lived a lavish, devilish life that should have been hot coals to his religious, conservative supporters. This is about staging, phoniness, playing to the tv-watching brains of America. That part is masterful but it isn’t situated in any belief, except winning for the sake of winning.
6
@Thomas Givnish I remember William F. Buckley, a real conservative. Trump is nothing more than an impostor and pathological liar, and those are his good characteristics. His only real concern is how much money can I get to end up in my pocket and the pocket of my family. Anyone with half a brain knows who Trump really is, but as long as their back is being scratched, nothing else matters, and the people suffer.
5
@Thomas Givnish
So grossed out by this idea of Trump being “politically masterful.” The fact is that the American voting public turned out to be much stupider and more celebrity-worshipful than anyone thought, which is what got him elected. What keeps him powerful is that the Republicans turned out to be more craven, greedy and cowardly than we thought. Trump is a master if nothing except dumb luck.
4
You two live in a bubble. A big one though.
Try to see this from Trump's point of view. Ghastly I know. He wins the election. Believes with good reason that Russian interference had nothing to do with it. Its effect was like a drop in the ocean. He's heard for 3+ years how he collaborated with Russia and was found not to have by a legal team that was about as thorough in going after him as possible.
But you want him to nod at the altar of Russian interference. Wrong guy.
Meeting with Kim? Why not? None of his predecessors accomplished diddly with standard fare. Let's see where it goes.
But the true laugher is that this is Obama's economy. Or that it is heading off the rails. Gail. You suggest issues that families have had since the beginning of time. Families can solve them. If given a chance.
Read the article in yesterdays NYT about minority women being the biggest benefactors of the economic boom. Especially latino women. It's generation altering. Nothing is more dignifying than opportunity to work, set goals for yourself and your familiy, and achieve them.
It's the ultimate civil right.
Extended 3.6% unemployment will do that for a country at a grass roots level.
I doubt either of you ever worried a day in your lives about being able to find work.
3
Biden authored the 1994 crime bill.
A boondoggle of racist punishment unfairly meted out to poor people and African American men who were locked up in record numbers for nonviolent crimes.
Biden can't possibly put a good spin on that mess. There isn't one.
Joe Biden doesn't deserve to be president.
5
“nominees that I can’t vote for in good conscience, especially Sanders and Warren” — either say “I truly think Warren would be no better than Trump”, or drop the pretense that not voting for either (if Warren is the nominee) is acting in good conscience. You owe the country your best judgement in predicaments it faces, even ones you warned against. Voting third-party does not provide that.
2
Regarding the field, Harris is the Wicked Witch of the West and scares the daylights out of me. The only one who hasn't taken the crazy pill seems to be Tulsi Gabbard.
Also Fivethirtyeight shows (using a polling company which uses a much larger sample size) that Bernie's average polling before debate was 16.3%. After, 16.8%. There is no "collapse"
the center wants Bernie out of this race.
Sometimes I think that, although the Dem establishment preferred to win, they were happier losing with Hillary than they would have been winning with Bernie.
Yeah, at some point it always seems to get down to who's judgement you can trust. .. and for me, right now, that's Bernie hands down.
6
My main gripe about Biden is that he appears to have had a face lift or Botox treatments, probably in order to appear younger and, with his new cropped hairstyle, hipper.
Personally, I am sick of politicians cowing to the cult of youth (that is especially strong in Nancy Pelossi's Bay Area and, with L.A., CA in general. They set a poor example of aging and respecting elders for the rest of us. They encourage, or at least enable, ageism by trying to appear younger, less tested by time and experience (valued traits!) than they are.
With increasing numbers of Baby Boomers becoming a vast voting block of seniors, and the fact that all American voters (one hopes!) will become older and face similar challenges, how wise or useful is it to try to erase or, as the case may be, to abrade, cinch-up, or paralyze the truth of and value of having witnessed and participated in the world and its many changes over the years? Or do they still not trust anyone over 30?
2
Bret, What you fail to accept is the fact that the short lever you propose is too short to right this wagon, Gail's long lever might be necessary. Just think how many songs you, George Will, and Brooks can sing if the progressives take over. And you will be right in most of your arguments. Our system was designed to accommodate extremes. I voted my entire life Republican until 2004. Since then I have been pulling hard to restore balance by voting Democratic. If I live long enough I will probably vote Republican again. Unbalanced is our normal state. I'm supporting Elizabeth Warren. We need the "long lever" to right this wagon! No pun intended.
1
Gail did not hold back on third party voters. Love it.
2
Elizabeth Warren is my first choice, and I think Julián Castro would make a great VP. If they were running forty years ago all anyone would be talking about is that they weren’t white men, because nothing in their actual positions would be considered that radical. But after the rightward turn of the past generation, they’re now branded as extremists. I’m convinced that if you gave these two a chance to spread their message to the heartland in the general election they would succeed. But thanks to people like Stephens who sound oh-so-reasonable while condemning them they are perceived as unelectable leftists.
Meanwhile Kamala Harris is being celebrated for her takedown of Biden. Not saying he didn’t deserve it, but it is a bit rich coming from Harris, who has her own disturbing record to answer for, which includes denying justice to people of color and victims of abuse by Catholic priests. This story managed to get buried last week: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/religion/victims-question-kamala-harris-record-on-clergy-abuse/2019/06/26/628ae6ea-9836-11e9-9a16-dc551ea5a43b_story.html?utm_term=.fd6ba0f21d67
As for Biden, I’m already starting to miss him. He may be a terrible candidate with a troubling record but he was a fine VP and he’d probably be a good president. (Remember he did accidentally give us gay marriage!) Whereas Harris can somehow sound passionate and articulate while telling us nothing about how she’d actually do the job. Sloppy Joe vs the lawyer.
1
What seems to be missing form the conversation is who came out of debate 1/2 with their dignity and ethics in tact.
I appreciated Cory, Liz and Mayor Pete the most. Each staked out their moral turf and stuck to their guns.
I agree that Kamala was waiting in the weeds for Joe.
Mr Castro also impressed me as a very smart, forthright person with an agenda that was intended to lift up Americans.
Only twenty or thirty more debates to go!
BTW - Liz has a Golden Retriever that has never ridden on the roof of the family Truckster!
2
And this is how Democracy dies. Thinking rabid Republicans may acknowledge that Trump, McConell and the Republicans are destroying our Institutions and thus our Country but they will never vote for someone that can change course
2
Gail: "...people voting for third-party presidential candidates was what put Trump in the White House...Voting for a third party is the most unforgivable election sin."
More self-delusion. In 2016, the largest 3rd party vote was for the Libertarian REPUBLICAN Governors Gary Johnson and Bill Weld. They received over 3 times more votes than Jill Stein. Not only the that, the # of Democrats and Obama-voters who turned and voted for Trump was MUCH higher than any share of 3rd party votes. 13% of Trump voters are estimated to have been 2012 Obama-voters, while 4% of Hillary’s voters were former Romney voters. However you want to look at it, both candidates lost votes to 3rd party and turncoats in their own party—but the numbers show Trump actually lost more. This myth of 3rd party votes among Democrats goes back to 2000 when Al Gore supposedly lost because of Ralph Nader. This is another lie. Again, the # of Democrats that switched and voted for Bush in 2000 was HIGHER than the # of people who voted for Nader—both nationwide and in Florida. In fact, while 24,000 Democrats voted for Nader in Florida, 308,000 Dems also voted for Bush.
The 3rd party votes in 2016 were relatively low—when you look at major elections of the past. Ross Perot got an astounding 19% of the vote in 1992—but this was mostly to the detriment of H.W. Bush, so liberals hypocritically never cite that election as an example of a “third party vote” problem. I’m sick of hearing this 3rd party nonsense.
4
The NY Times seems to be burying the Biden campaign too early for my liking. Every caption and article headline has a obituary tone to it. Comparison to Jeb Bush? really?
Kamala Harris spent months planning her move on Biden; that may be okay in the Trumpian world but doesn't sit well with Democrats like me who had no intention of voting for Joe UNLESS he became the candidate. Sticking a knife in his back during the debate leaves me cold. I talked up Harris after I heard her speak months ago and I think she should save the assaults for the despicable Republicans.
Democrats need to winnow the field down to the top six fast and get them up on the stage together. Disqualify the ones from the next debate who keep interrupting each other like a bad CNN discussion panel. Moderators do your job so we don't have to hear Harris trying to sound spontaneous with her food fight line. Thinking about it I am liking her less now...
8
@Bill Cullen, Author agree, I just wish she would address issues of the day rather than sticking her neck out to criticize an issue from the 60's-70's
2
Now we should call it the Trump of July. Awful.
The Democratic platform summarized in one phrase: "Taxpayer-funded abortions for illegal aliens (even the transgendered men)".
Trump will get even more than the 304 electoral votes he won in 2016.
Wow if there ever was a time that we needed Teddy Roosevelt’s “The man in the arena" it’s now.
Cynicism, sarcasm, and flat out idiocy and hatred define our country and especially the media. Even Gail Collins finds sarcasm to be appropriate? And Bret Stephens sounds like a little boy blindly endorsing Trump’s world view. Hey I’m doing great!
No mention of the caged human beings living in squalor and dying under the "10-15 Border Patrol” who are living Trump’s dream of making every POC an animal a sub-human!
Roosevelt’s speech goes to all commenters too. Trying to write witty humor is equal to OJ declaring that his Twitter account will reveal reality.
"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
This speech actually portrays the poor and our vanishing middle class anymore.
2
Commercial media and corporate lobbyists who monopolize the US political system are clearly going all out to kill the provision of universal health care as a basic human right. Their current tactic is to deliberately misframe the issue as "abolition of private insurance", and to threaten that hospitals will go out of business if they can't make their customary superprofits. Both are nonsense, but our Democrat "Presidential timber" fell for the first as the commercial media panel barked out the order to "just raise your hands" as if they were children in school. No one questioned the false premise. None dared object, all meekly complied. What profiles in courage!
Here's a message for all them : No country that denies basic human rights gets to call itself "advanced" or "civilized" in this day and age.
Gail, remember how Kamala Harris started her attack on Biden? Kamala stated that she did not think that Biden was a racist. She then proceeded to try and prove that Biden was the incarnation of George Wallace. To the delight of most women, most blacks, and most TV commentators, Kamala's pre-planned. scripted ambush was a success.
Kamala may have gained her 15 minutes of fame by defaming Biden, a great civil rights advocate, but probably lost her chance to become the next President.
7
Hey, Bret!
Ask her if Joe has a dog and a station wagon? If he does, it's all over.
1
Bret, if you want to vote third party, that is the reason why we need ranked choice voting!
79
Some people think that Joe Biden isn't very exciting.
Some people had problems voting for Hillary Clinton.
And look at what we got now.
166
@A. Stanton
You are 100% right. I would never vote for those two, and I will vote for Trump in 2020 AGAIN.
AND I have been a registered Dem ALL my life. Never a Rep.
3
@A. Stanton -- Here in Florida, the Democratic Party executive committee in Oct. 2018 voted down the idea of an open primary election, even though nationally 42% of voters identify as INDEPENDENT of any party-loyalty. Nationally, 75% of Democratic-voters under age 50 voted for Bernie. Meanwhile, the "establishment" Democrats bashed all Bernie supporters, yelled at the top of their lungs that he's "NOT A DEMOCRAT" and tried to shame the same voters into voting for Hillary AFTER the DNC admittedly rigged the primaries in favor of Hillary the warhawk-investment's crowd candidate! The "establishment" will age out! THANKFULLY! What have the "New Democrats" of the corporate-wing done for the working and middle class? They are the enemy of reform and change. In 1981 to 2007, low wage workers saw a mere 15% increase in income. Meanwhile the investment crowd, represented by the Clinton Democrats saw their income go up 260%. Of course they don't want to change the trickle-down policies put in place by Reagan, with more tax cuts by Bush and now Trump. The Democratic Party of today is dominated by the corporate-wing that is an inadequate opposition party = How we got Trump, who is just a result of #NeverHillary and #StopTPP and the fact that the DNC rigged the primary elections for their Wall Street pay-to-play corrupt queen. She didn't even bother to campaign in key electoral rustbelt states because they hated her there!
4
@Thor - Never ceases to amaze -- how eager and willing people are to cut off their nose to spite their face, and with joyful abandon at that.
11
I forgot to mention. Gail makes the other common liberal contradiction too: Blaming third party voters.
1) People wouldn't feel inclined to vote third party if they felt adequately represented within either party. Democrats did everything within their power to alienate even people who wanted to be sympathetic to traditional liberal positions. Queen Hillary personifies this failure. The Democrats have no one to blame but themselves.
2) Liberals act as though third party voters live on the moon. Gail constantly rails against New York's irrelevance in any national election and yet third party voters in New York are somehow mysteriously responsible for every Democratic defeat? It makes no sense. Responsible third party voters are perfectly aware of their relative significance when casting ballots. Fact is most states aren't competitive and it isn't your ballot anyway.
3) Liberals only hate third party voters when it's convenient to hate third party voters. You won't find Gail or any other Reagan era liberal throwing stones at Ross Perot. Their gripe now is purely hypocritical. Aging Democrats are still fawning over the 90's as though Bill Clinton was something pre-ordained. Contrary: Clinton's election was the result of H.W.'s tax mistake and a third party candidate. How quickly they forget.
3
@Andy: What about Ralph Nader? ...And, who did we wind up with ?
(extenuating circumstances are brside the point)
@Ponsobny Britt
What about Ralph Nader? A vote for Ralph Nader didn't make any difference in New York in 2000 just like a vote for Jill Stein wouldn't have made any difference in 2016.
When Democrats have an electable candidate, Obama for instance, 3rd party candidates are irrelevant. Choose better candidates through better processes and the third party argument resolves itself.
@Andy: Evidently, you weren't paying attention to the "extenuating circumstances" par ("hanging chads;" SCOTUS intervention, giving the win to Dubya). That said; Nader knew what he was doing, despite being advised not to run.
As for Jill Stein, she was a failed candidate before anything else; she couldn't get elected dog catcher.
In the meantime, there is yet to be a Third Party candidate yet to be taken seriously ; Howard Schultz is the opposite of Sanders; a Democrat running as an Independent.
So, until that day comes, reconcile yourself to this two-party system.
No wonder conservatives are using scare tactics about electing a progressive president. Now that they’ve seen how much power their choice for president is wielding, they are scared. They should be. Even I, who thought I knew something of the three branches of government, am amazed by how much power a president has—or is brazen enough to take—with the acquiescence of his party. Example: tanks in the streets of Washington to “celebrate” the stroke of a pen declaring freedom from tyranny.
3
Always a good read. I love the back and fourth between two very smart people. But why is Bret Stephens under the delusion that democrats care who he, or other republicans vote for? It's not like he's a swing voter. Vote for Trump, don't vote for Trump, who cares? If democrats get out in vote it won't matter what republican, who are enthralled with Trump to the tune of about 92 percent, do. And Bret should read Krugman. It's the republican party that is out of step with the majority of Americans. The last time I checked their standard bearer is a white nationalist with fascist leanings. And Bernie Sanders is an outlier when it comes to American values?
3
What is this "moderate" position of which you speak? Universal health care has been accepted and instituted by RIGHT- WING even FAR RIGHT WING parties in all the western democracies for half a century now. Our system is a scam — it kills people off because they are too poor or simply have bad luck. It's an american outlier, like so many elements in our society it is a way that private business is allowed to act as a predator toward the little guy. This is illegal in civilized countries. As well private insurance continues in countries with universal health care, It isn't true that you have to get rid of it. In Britain if you want a private doctor, a private hospital even, you're allowed to buy private health insurance that gives you just that.
2
I’m heartsick. In began in 2016 when I realized Hilary had been crowned before the contest began, and overflowed when Trump was elected.
It continued as I watched the majesty and moral authority of the office of President actively trampled in some kind of weird combination of undoing every single thing Obama accomplished and contriving the world’s most grotesquely overt ego trip.
I wonder exactly what one explores when one explores a presidential run. It’s inconceivable to me that 24 people honestly believe they have what it takes to go all the way.
I’m heartsick Joe Biden’s personal tragedy caused him to sit out 2016, when he was in his political prime. He looks tired now.
I’m heartsick that untenable progressive dreams become mainstream Democratic policy, sometimes before our very eyes. (Do away with private insurance, immigration policies that match the worst conservative fever dream etc. uh guys, should we talk about this first??) I live in the heartland, I know how easily my friends and neighbors are duped and spooked.
I’m heartsick that perfect has become the enemy of possible.
Finally, I’m heartsick over feeling the real possibility that the Democrats’ identity obsession and a “what the heck let’s go for everything!” attitude is going to let Trump cruise to a second term.
2
"Obviously I hope you’re right. I don’t want to vote third-party and I could never vote for Trump..."
Sorry Bret, you know it doesn't work that way. You know darn well that a third party vote is a vote for Trump. You are with him or you are against him.
2
No Capitol Fourth for me. If Trump's going to muck up a good fireworks show with Air Force flyovers and Army tanks and one of his patented incomprehensible speeches, I'm going to bed early. The whizz and bang of home-made fireworks demos will do quite well, tanks you very much.
2
Bret's "thought" that Harris' "attack on Biden" was demagogic, reflects Bret's racism, not reality. Harris did not use prejudice nor falsehood, although a racist would certainly claim she did.
Bret's claim, relating to Warren, that half the country thinks our economy is just fine, demonstrates that he is wearing those fabricating conservative blinders yet again.
Courting packing is a terrible idea, Bret? The Court is already packed with radical right-wingers out of step with the American mainstream and handing down decisions that will set us back decades. What's happened is simple: the majority of Americans now have little faith that the Supreme Court is anything more than another Republican shill. Everything Republicans touch rots. It used to be that applied primarily to Trump. Now it's, well, all of them and everywhere.
No, Biden is 2020's Hillary, the Dem party machine favorite selected for obedience to status quo over the needs of the people. Bernie was the obvious popular favorite, but Hillary became the candidate using voter suppression and "super delegate" swing votes. (Even so, Hillary won the popular general vote by 3 million.) If Bernie had run against Trump, he would have won by 6 million votes and we would have been spared the obscene mess we are in now. We would not be stuck with a "White Supremacist Court" either. Shame on the Dem machine. Don't repeat that mistake.
1
Go, Gail!
Absolutely right about third party voters. But for Nader and all the sanctimonious nitwits who decided Bush and Gore were same-same, we would not have fallen into the abyss of Iraq. Jill Stein and those who voted for her are as responsible as Putin and Bannon for foisting upon the world one Donald.
If Mr. Stephens (and Mr. Brooks) are really so bone-headed as to help Trump to a second inauguration with an abstention or third party vote (even if it were to be Sanders), the truly thoughtful and reality based citizenry should have only disdain for them and their opinions going forward.
1
For once I agree with Bret Stephens: I, too, like Buttigieg.
Kamala Harris' planned attack on Biden didn't go over well with me. I like Biden,but not for President.
2
I love Bret’s dismissive comment about “West Coast liberals”. I live in California the sixth (or maybe 5th now) largest economy in the world that not only has a balanced budget but a 20 billion dollar surplus this year and a whole lot of the reason the the US economy is doing so well. Yes we have our issues, homelessness being a major one but if Bret doesn’t like West Coast liberals he should explain why. And our Attorney General has been responsible for stopping some of Trump’s most egregious executive orders. You’re welcome!
5
I have no idea why Brett Stephens fearfully compares Joe Biden to Jeb Bush.
Joe Biden in 2019 is not Jeb Bush in 2015.
Joe Biden in 2019 is Hillary Clinton in 2015.
This is what Democrats should be worried about.
I don't care who Brett Stephens votes for, it won't be what the Democratic Party or America needs.
It would be interesting to know who Brett Stephens voted for in 2016.
1
Nice conversation...even if it ended too soon to pick on the details of Gail's phrase that "we still live in a free country"...under Trump's bullish imposition of 'security' under republican misrule. Do you believe we are free without justice?
You guys think this election will be about policy and issues? Ideology, Bret? Wake up!
This will be a knock down drag out fight about whether or not this nation can stomach 4 more years of Trump and the Royal Family.
2
The only thing Kam wants to do is WIN. She’d be a little more believable if she tried to do that on the issues instead of playing gotcha. Health insurance, private or public.
“Oh, wait. I want to see which way the win is blowing. What was that? Did you ask about health insurance? I, uh er, didn’t understand the question.”
2
Biden's actually weaker than Jeb. Biden's geezerly, almost non-existent energy makes the much younger Jeb look like a live wire, and makes Bernie look a decade younger and more vibrant than Biden. The only reasons Biden started by riding so high in the polls were the need for Dem fat cats to find a "moderate" to restore the "normality" of Clintonian neoliberal economics; the anxiety of educated voters that made Biden seem the most likely to defeat the hated Trump; and the usual purchase of the Black Political Establishment (not least preachers, of course) lock, stock, and barrel by Wall St., exactly parallel to the ownership of the white Evangelicals by the Kochs and the rest on the other side. Too bad for Uncle Joe that he's going to be badly dented in the SEC primaries by Harris, just as Hillary was in '08 by Obama. Too bad for Biden that, like Jeb, it's Biden's own unfixable flaws that will cause him to weaken and weaken into irrelevance. Of course, Biden is 2020's Jeb, and 2008's Hillary. As Obama and Trump, and Sanders to a large extent, have demonstrated, it doesn't matter how much money the rich throw at the puppet candidate of the Establishment, if an "outsider" is the one the masses want to vote for. Finally, the black vote is constantly overrated by the Black Establishment and the Wall St. donors who own and operate it. Blacks are only 1/8 of Americans; outnumbered five to one by whites. And blacks are a mere 20% of Democratic voters, not unbeatable king-makers.
William Buckley would turn over in his grave, given what Mr. Stephens promotes as conservatism today: What's mine is mine. Throw in what the radical right has added: What's yours is mine, what a tragic turn for an honorable sociopolitical point of view.
2
Cory Booker seems like the best candidate to bring about racial healing. He describes the hardships many blacks in America faces that whites aren't even aware of in a way that is non accusatory. How important is racial healing? We may never be able to come together as a nation without it. I especially like that Booker is a visionary leader...he knows where he is trying to get to.
1
Can we provide a more balanced discussion? Let’s square Krugman against Stephens.
Harris kneecapped Biden by attacking him on a racial basis. That tactic will be 100% useless against Trump. So, I fail to see how her performance demonstrates that she's the better general election candidate.
1
The fact that you would even CONSIDER voting for a third party in 2020, Bret Stephens, and thereby handing the election to Trump by default, is a sad commentary on our current political culture. Even the most radical Dem. running is better than Trump, and will begin to heal the wounds of this new McCarthyism we are living through right now.
1
Going back to failed presidential candidates—Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden—because they are "due" is perhaps not a good idea. They lost because they have weaknesses; being next in line does not fix what was wrong in the first place.
1
By default Gail and Bret are endorsing John Hickenlooper and his debate lecture on the evils of socialism?
1
Biden’s only appeal comes from Obama nostalgia. Once he starts talking and his past actions and statements are brought to light, he doesn’t exactly impress.
2
“I don’t want to vote third-party“ — then don’t. Or, do in NYC, but make clear you wouldn’t in a swing state. It’s like writing in Al Gore today to protest the 2000 election. If it’s 100% clear on election day that someone can’t win, the election as to them is in the past. Vote in an election still going on.
4
Got whiplash trying to follow Stephen's portable logic. He sounds like a tortured political soul. Oddly pleasing takeaway of the article.
2
I really feel sorry for Joe Biden, because he has not followed the “Mary Tyler Moore rule” - you exit your profession when you’re at the top of your game. The top of his game was being a great VP.
2
Bret's so arm-chaired to Monday quarterbacking, he's half flippant about clandestinely water-bedding Tuesday's wave instead.
That only "half of America thinks things are just fine" about "the way the economy of the United States functions" is, unto itself, the perfect spread whence hedging capitalism's requisite "liar's poker" cant can unduly fake zero sums as somehow being non-zero sums. Bret's lack of conviction that Elizabeth Warren needs to fiscally reinvent everything is all the "ain't broke" MY particular "don't fix" can't continue risking it's all-for-broke fixation.
MAKE SAFETY NETS NET PEOPLE IN NEED AGAIN
People who vote third-party are Trump supporters.
2
"Voting for a third party is the most unforgivable election sin. It’s pretending the choice doesn’t matter when really, even if you think both candidates are terrible, the choice matters."
Excellent point. Never underestimate the stupidity of the average voter who stays home or throws away his vote on a sure loss. National politics can be so parochial: "my personal protest' is more important than the national result. It's tantamount to political selfhishness.
Gail may be watching the "Trump of July," as Chris Hayes put it, but I won't allow that man to invade my celebration of what used to be a good country and can be again with new leaders.
It's fireworks on the Charles, and Queen Latifa at the Esplanade with the Boston Pops for me.
All politics are local, and should remain so, without an autocrat-leaning president trying to hijack a day that celebrates freedom from tyranny,
4
The demise of civics instruction in our educational system is reflected in the belief that voting for anyone other than the candidates from the 2 major parties is meaningful as a statement of preference, and meaningless in its effect on the outcome of the election, when, in fact, it is the exact opposite.
The entirety of our electoral system is constructed to serve a two party, and ONLY a two party system. That's why we don't have run-off elections, why we don't have ordered preferences, and why we elect our president under the plurality system, while most people think we do it under a majority system. Which is also why they think it's meaningful when they vote for Jill Stein. In a plurality system votes for a 3rd party candidate dilutes the electorate because the victor need only garner more votes than any other candidate, not more votes than all the others combined.
It works like this (in simple numbers): Say there are 3 candidates and 10 voters. 4 people vote for C1, 3 vote for C2, 2 vote for C3, and 1 doesn't vote. Who gets elected? C1, with less than 50% of the vote, and fewer votes than C2 & C3 combined. 50% of the voters opposed C1, but because of how 20% of people voted, C1 wins anyway. This is how Donald Trump got elected.
Don't like this system? Until it's changed voting for a 3rd party candidate results in little more than tacit support for it, which is how we got where we are today. The only meaningful vote AGAINST Trump is a vote FOR the Democratic nominee.
For crying out loud it was the first debate. a good comparison would be that this is pre-season and the team has to round into form. Throw in the fact that there were 10 people up on stage and you never knew when a question was coming your way. Also throw in that many people on that stage had no chance, and confused things, most were rank amateurs. in many ways it was like professional golfers forced into a foursome with an amateur, so bad, that it throws their game and timing off. This isn't even the beginning, its the beginning of the beginning. Things will not get serious to the field gets whittled down by the voters, sometimes about next March. With all that considered, and with Harris making a fool of herself and doing her best to send voters running Trumps way, I think Biden is off to a good start.
A small point: Watching Trump befoul the Independence Day Celebration. Since Trump slimed his way to the front of that event, I hope that no one, either live or on TV, will watch the celebration.
3
It’s all about the swing states, and no one but Biden has a chance of winning them in the generals, so let’s get real. We can spare ourselves all the spin and stories about the amount of money pouring in and the latest polls. All except Biden are running for VP.
2
People can get mad at Brett all they want but I think he does reflect a sizeable chunk of the electorate. Its elusive, and while it hates Trump it will often find themselves agreeing with him. They naturally want to find their way home.
While I don't want my candidate to spend their time chasing these votes, probably wouldn't be the worst thing to maybe make it plausible to win their votes either.
Its why I like Pete. He has plenty of progressiveness to him, but he's far more pragmatic that most of the field.
I believe Kamala needs to moderate. Take the best ideas of the other candidates but pose herself as the jack-hammer in the debates that will obliterate Trump. Clinton 'won' the debates, Kamala might have the ability to make Trump look like the petulant know nothing decaying man child he is. She no longer needs to join the race to the left, just keep gathering scalps in the debates and that will be her winning brand.
2
The entire premise of Biden's campaign (that Trump is an aberration and not reflective of the Republican party that Biden knows and wants to work with across the aisle) is proven to be an utter delusion by Trump's fundraising numbers. The super rich and the Republican party are being who they are and getting what they want, and the only way they'll work with Biden is if he just routinely capitulates to them for four years. If you recall playing on a see-saw as a child, the Republicans keep moving back in their seat and the dems keep moving forward to meet them in the middle; and that only leaves you hanging, helpless in mid-air. Democrats need to elect a counterbalance; stop trying to meet in the middle. Be a little bold and push back; it's really the safest thing to do at this point.
1
"Bret: Elizabeth Warren has great rhetorical skills and no shortage of moral passion. But she evaded the question that she needs to answer in order to be a credible candidate in the general election: If, as she thinks, so much is wrong with the way the economy of the United States functions (and requires a radical fix) why does half of America think things are just fine?"
Simple. If he'd stop defending the vile GOP and turn on the TV at all, he could see the sudden rush of anti-Medicare-for-All ads and remember prior smears about "death panels", and answer "vile-GOP marketing" without further thought.
That is why NOT ONE vile-GOPer must remain. VOTE.
One thing that is driving me crazy right now is conservatives clutching their pearls in worry over democrats moving one step to the left as they move two steps to the right. Compromise seems to only work in one direction. I’d like to see the Democrats draw a line in the sand and fight to hold it.
1
"The party many Americans saw this week is one that seems to want to decriminalize border crossings, provide taxpayer-funded benefits to illegal immigrants, take over vast swathes of the private economy, and spend trillions on progressive priorities that can only be funded with large tax increases and even more government borrowing." NONONO we DON'T and please stop putting that message out there! That's not true at all. Showing humanity to people seeking asylum is NOT advocating open borders.
Joe Biden has done whatever has been asked of him for his entire career. In this case, his mission is to save the country from the evils of socialism. The Democrats have fielded more candidates than will fit on any one stage of an evening and have scoured the nation looking for anyone who can save the party from another Bernie Sanders threat. Jeb Bush had the burden of the Bush name to deal with after eight years of his brother's nightmare regime to the point where even Momma Bush appeared to have had enough. Biden is burdened by much more--namely the weight of the party itself having lost any claim at all to being the advocate for working class, ordinary Americans for the last fifty years. Bernie Sanders proved to be a redeemer, but--amazingly--not for the Democratic Party, but for socialism. The people proved to have been largely immune to the ceaseless demonization of the ideology and even of the word itself. The liberal establishment shuddered and is still shuddering. It launched a disinformation campaign that has been ongoing since 2016--and still with the power to amaze--has proven incapable of suffocating a growing movement to create a party of men and women who will work for the majority of Americans against a one percent that still tightens its grip on absolute power over our lives. Thus we are now presented with a spectacle of long lines of Democrats on stage to create the illusion that Bernie represents a tiny minority. It won't work this time either.
Then don’t ask it. Biden’s performance wasn’t his best, but if Harris had not made her demagogic attack upon him, you would have a different story to tell re the debate. She took as much time as she needed to misrepresent his views on busing in the 1970s; Biden had 60 secs to respond. Some debate. Even so, Biden still leads in the polls. He can not afford, however, to ever let such an assault upon his character and record to go unanswered, in full and with some passion. I doubt that he will. Now, Harris has just endorsed busing as a way to deal with segregated schools. Does she mean forced busing? Voluntary busing by school districts? If the former, she will be in deep trouble. If the latter, her position is the same as Biden’s. Wouldn’t you think competent journalists, not out to jump on Biden at every chance, might ask her to clarify her views about busing?
Maybe the premise is correct, but timing is everything.
We'd have ben better off with Jeb than GWB, but by 2016 Jeb's time had passed.
We'd have been better off with HRC than DJT, but Biden was never a great candidate in 1992, 2008 or now.
2
If the Democrats nominate a candidate who seems too progressive, I think a lot of moderates and independents will still vote for the Democrat to defeat Trump, but then vote for Republicans in Congress to stop the Democratic president from implementing his or her plans. I'm predicting a Democratic president, a solidly Republican Senate, and a 50/50 House. Remember that the Republicans did well in the House in 2016 because most voters thought Hilary was going to be president, and voted for Republicans to balance her.
.
If Democrats want a progressive agenda and a Senate majority, they should nominate a centrist presidential candidate who makes independents feel safe in punishing the GOP Congress. If they fear losing their health insurance or high taxes with some firebrand president, they'll stick with the Republicans in Congress.
2
Biden's time was four years ago. While he may have been a "good politician" who got along with otherwise despicable people because they were the ones in office, he cannot now shed the fact that he DID in fact go along to get along. His popularity tide ebbs and flows, as do his opinions. So let's give him his round of applause and send him on to be a mentor to those who would have him.
Similarly, Bernie Sanders needs to focus on being a mentor. Without his independent leadership and honesty for his entire life, the Democratic party would not now be pulling toward justice for the American people instead of focusing on benefits for corporations and big donors. But Bernie - are you listening? - your latest push to eliminate student debt smacks too much of grandstanding for votes. When you take out a loan and sign for it, you agree to pay it back. If the interest rates are usurious, then reduce the interest rates; but don't eliminate the debt on the shoulders of others. Many thanks to your service and honesty.
I really only see a few serious candidates among the remainder. Elizabeth Warren, certainly, along with Castro, Booker, Klobuchar, Buttigieg.
Harris may have blown her chances by throwing hand grenades at Biden (sorry, Kamala, but attacking your friendly opponents on neutral ground won't score many points for YOU - prosecutorial experience notwithstanding). Gillibrand needs to stay in New York in her "gifted" position and think about Al Franken.
2
Someone please remind Bret Stephens about a basic dynamic of elections: candidate always move toward the edge of their party during the primary campaign and toward the center in the general. Personally I am more worried about Democrats that start in the center and have no way to go but right. This is how Democrats keep veering right, going in circles instead of forward.
5
@CallahanStudio
Said no one in fifty years.
@CallahanStudio
You’ve got it. That’s precisely why we keep moving right.
It tells me that Bret believes unconsciously that Democrats are more honest and say what they mean. Because when Republicans do it, it’s just “Etch a Sketch” a la Romney...
@The Observer It needs to be said again and again.
Seems like those Democratic candidates are playing right into Republican hands. What happens when you have a party that is devoid of any unity or leadership. Everybody behaving as a single entity. Contrast that to the monolithic Republicans.
Has the media taken any polls of how these Demcorats do outside the Democratic party, and against Trump? The great center still controls elections, and the candidate who gets the center will win the election. That's why trashing Joe Biden makes no sense for Democrats--and benefits Trump.
1
A suggestion for how to evaluate a voter considering 3rd party: Suppose that voter cares about 8 issues. Does that voter consider that
a) 5 issues are better with the challenger and 3 are good with neither or
b) 4 issues are better with the challenger, 2 with Trump, and 2 with neither?
Voters of type a who consider 3rd party because the challenger is not up to snuff on the 3 issues deserve all invective that can be directed at them. However, voters of type b should be allowed to claim that the 2 issues where they side with Trump outweigh the 4 issues where they side with the challenger.
The other side is hoping it will happen, so if his side is knocking itself out to trump his aces, we can all start hearing "Four more years!"
One can only hope that a year down that road a helicopter will land on the White House lawn, and history will repeat itself. We should be so lucky.
However, there always is that phenomenon known as the miracle.
1
Bret has a point in alluding to the candidates’ lefty positions on immigration. However, it would NOT behoove the party to duck the immigration issue, since Trump won’t allow it to disappear.
It’s imperative for Democrats to stay aggressive. Start by explaining that Trump doesn’t REALLY want to deport 11 million undocumented immigrants. If he did, he’d simply push hard for mandatory national E-Verify. But he doesn’t, because that would mess up too many businesses including agriculture, and also because he wants to keep the immigration issue alive.
Democrats need to propose comprehensive immigration reform. This should include border enforcement rather than open borders, but without a 2,000-mile wall; issuing work permits to law-abiding workers already here, with a path to citizenship; deporting all criminal undocumented immigrants; more legal immigrants, including a mix of both merit-based and less educated; and yes, mandatory national E-Verify.
E-Verify should be enforced with hefty fines and sting operations. This would force employers to pay previously undocumented works market wages and collect all state and federal taxes, necessary to fund baby boomers’ retirements. These steps would also help level the playing field for low-educated native-born workers. Employers should also provide all workers access to health insurance. The latter will offload (rather than cost) premium payers and taxpayers from subsidizing undocumenteds currently walking into emergency rooms.
3
@Mike
It is 22 million illegals that never ought have been in the U.S. And, yes, e-verify ought be enforced, along with existing immigration laws in every state, no exceptions. America needs to lower its annual legal immigration numbers, while ending chain migration, anchor babies - be they Asian, Hispanic, African or whathaveyou.
We need to care for the half of the U.S. that is struggling and even starving and homeless - our own children and our own fellow citizens. We must care for our elderly, our sick, our stressed and mentally ill. We must return some semblance of opportunity for that half both parties and most of the nation has steadily ignored since the 1970s. Hopelessness reigns in America. We can fix that. The U.S. is not the trash can or orphanage of the 7.6 billion around the planet that refuses to care for its own. We will founder if we also fall victim to continuing to fail our own - most of whom are hard working and decent folk but have been dragged under the economic undertow without catching a lifeline from state or federal governments so busy with corporations and immigrants. Shame on us for turning our back on our own families. RFK highlighted the poverty and hunger in America in 1967 = 52 years ago. Flinging open the immigration doors to 3rd worlders worsened life for those Americans and in most cases added to the national burden of more poor.
The best thoughts I have heard on immigration. The key element is mandatory, strictly-enforced verification of legal status of employees. Raiding workplaces is the right idea, but the target needs to be the employers as well as the workers. You are unfortunately correct that there is a general unwillingness, on both sides, to rationally reform immigration. And by "both sides," I am referring to those wielding political and economic power, not to the mass of ordinary citizens, a majority of whom would really like to see serious, rational, humane reform.
@Maggie
While I agree with your points that a lot of native-born Americans are struggling and deserve a better break, I don’t believe you're correct in laying the blame on undocumented immigrants. If we were to immediately deport all 11 million (or 22 million) undocumented immigrants in the country, this would play havoc with many businesses, including agriculture, construction, landscaping and hotels.
Moreover, I don’t agree that we need to lower the number of legal immigrants. Just the opposite! Reason: we need a mechanism to fund baby boomers’ Social Security and Medicare retirement benefits (disclosure: I’m a baby boomer). We could do that by raising taxes, reducing benefits, increasing eligibility ages and/or borrowing more money. Since none of those options are attractive, unless we experience some "magical" huge increase in productivity, the next best solution is more legal immigrants, working on the books and paying income, Social Security and Medicare taxes. The reason we need to include E-Verify in immigration reform is to enforce these necessary requirements. Continuing to pay large numbers of undocumented workers off-the-books will continue to be a fiscal loser.
Similarly, if we issue work permits to formerly undocumented workers, we also need to require them to have health insurance. This would be another fiscal plus, as it would reduce the numbers of undocumenteds walking into public hospital emergency rooms and receiving treatment on the taxpayers’ nickel.
It’s just hilarious that we have feted the Never Trump Republicans so much that they feel entitled to choose the Democrats’ candidate.
I wrote this months back: if you want a Republican, vote for one. They’ve only gotten worse as we get closer to the primaries.
It’s also hilarious that these Never Trump Republicans are still at the development stage of a child. They look at themselves and think that their experience is what the reality is. It’s so cute that Stephens looks at his views and thinks they are representative of those in Iowa or Ohio...
These people are part of the economy that’s been doing well for them. They can sit in their living rooms and engage with politics in the same way they debated politics in college - at an intellectual level.
Enough with the sophistry.
Here is the stat that exposes their fraud and why progressives are ascendant: in the last 40 years, starting from Reagan, the wealth of the top 1% has increased by $21 trillion but the wealth of the bottom 50% has decreased by $900 billion.
That’s preposterous! It’s also the lived experience of America. The rich and the thin slice at the top are doing great. However, the millennials are living with their parents because they can’t afford to live independently (not because of the lattes they drink). People in the heartland make less than their parents, their jobs have been automated or shipped overseas and they are taking opioids in unprecedented numbers for their pain.
Wake up, ‘moderates’!
12
@Patrician
Thank you, this needed to be said. I too am fed up with Republican "moderates" who failed to restrain their party of choice and now endeavor to course-correct Democrats. You're quite right; they purport to represent the maturity and good sense of America when, in fact, they represent the corporate-dominated status quo that is unsustainable.
3
I think Kamala Harris's attack on Biden was lawyerly theater: an attempt to manipulate the audience by touching emotional chords. I also think it's of a piece with her ducking and weaving on health insurance. She's playing a survival game, not stating considered opinions.
You wouldn't think it, but I'm nevertheless more inclined to support Harris than Biden, given a choice between those two; and I'll be there with bells on for Biden if he's the eventual nominee. But if his candidacy is going to crumble, as I suspect it is, the sooner the better.
Sanders? I supported him in 2016, though his age was already beginning to worry me. Now it's not just his age. There's also my increased awareness of his inflexibility and political selfishness. For all his ideas, I'd expect him to get approximately nothing done as president.
And yet -- for me to do anything other than vote for the Democratic nominee is out of the question. Give me your tired, your sly, your inflexible; your centrist or your radical. I'll vote for any of them against Donald Trump.
3
Joe Biden is not Jeb Bush. Joe Biden will succeed or fail as the politician we know well. There will be no surprises. Jeb Bush, on the other hand, was long thought to be the smarter, more poised, commanding Bush family scion finally taking his due turn after patiently standing aside in favor of his inferior but entitled older brother. Contrary to most expectations, he finally withered on the national stage.
1
Voting for Trump in 2016 WAS a vote for a third party. Trump bifurcated the Republican party. He ran off with all the crazies and formed his own branch. Many Republicans, including those in Congress, held their nose and voted for him but realized they might be making a mistake.
Republicans have an important choice in 2020: rebuild a reasonable, conservative party, or let the Trumpians run it completely into the ground.
3
Joe Biden needs to go away, or rather, we all need him to go away.
We are still at the point where political polls are dominated by name recognition, and I challenge any presently non-aligned newspaper reader/voter to come up with a list of six Democratic candidates that doesn't include Biden, Sanders, AND Warren.
And since polling numbers guide news coverage and are an explicit criterion in who gets to debate and where they stand on the debate stage, we are in a positive feedback loop that grants privilege without regard to merit.
I wish public political polling would go away. (I understand that campaigns need polling to understand how their messages are being heard, just like I'd ask my boss and co-workers if I'm meeting their expectations. The audiences for the two types of inquiry are both private.)
Too often it just lets the fence sitter claim "I can't make up my mind - I guess I'll just have what she's having."
2
I simply cannot stand listening to these Republicans that bemoan the amount of money that would have to be spent on programs that actually help people but never say one word about the money we spend on the military and the many current and future wars. Not. One. Word.
6
@jo
And not one word about the money they gave to corporations and the rich with their last tax cut.
3
Kamala Harris' position on healthcare is this: she is for Medicare for all and for allowing private insurance to provide supplemental plans for Medicare as they do today. It is my understanding that she does not want to allow private plans to offer primary insurance.
1
@Marian
I (and apparently some others) was unclear whether Harris favors Medicare for All or a public option. I looked at her website today and it says she supports Medicare for All.
https://kamalaharris.org/issue/health-care/
1
In the end, Biden will pick up more "voted" primary delegates than any of the other Democratic candidates. But, unfortunately, it won't enough. He will not win a majority - even if the DNC hands him additional delegates through whatever "special" system they now have in place. The Democratic Convention will be brokered. There will likely be six to ten candidates still "running." After the second vote, Biden will fall out and the "Progressives" will prevail and nominate Warren. She will have to pick a minority as a running mate: Harris or Booker. If Trump does not run (for whatever reason), Pence will run and will likely pick Haley has his running mate. A Trump-Pence-Haley ticket will win the national election. The Democrats won't lose as bad as they did in 1972, but they will lose. Between now and the Democratic Convention . . . and then on to the General Election, everything the Democrats do will amount to nothing but hot air.
2
I'm a bit weary hearing about how tough economic times are compared with the past. The grandparents of baby boomers owned only one car if any, lived in much smaller homes on average with no expensive cable or cell phone plans, and most didn't go to college, hence no college debt. They died younger due in part to less advanced health care. They paid higher adjusted prices for American made goods and didn't frequent restaurants. Can we please stop complaining that life is harder today?
8
@Keith and let's not forget the women had very few rights.
Joking about who you would vote for if you don’t like the Democratic nominee-not funny. And I say that as someone who is not crazy myself about Senator Sanders.
2
Brett, what McConnell has been doing with judicial appointments IS court packing. What’s the difference between refusing to consider Obama's appointees so that a Republican can appoint more conservatives, and enlarging the court so a Democratic president can appoint more progressive judges?? No difference.
7
Bret. The only side of the Democratic Party Bernie Sanders has ever been on is the outside. This column suggests you are reverting to conservative form, with no one to turn to among the terrific twenty to vote for "in good conscience." We never get everything we want in a candidate, but we do look for "the greatest good for the greatest number." That now seems to be Kamala Harris.
The rest of us voters will rejoice with our choices and do the winnowing.
1
It doesn’t matter which democratic candidate becomes president, we know the direction they want to push the country. But, as long as Mitch controls the senate, they won’t be able to do anything except say nasty things about him. It is the senate that democrats needs to capture. Joe Biden is indeed Jen Bush.
5
There is no doubt about the fact that Kamala Harris is a highly effective speaker and that she comes across as a person who can take on Trump but her attacking Biden to build up her vote by playing to a portion of the Democratic base will turn off other voters. I feel her anguish when she speaks but I don’t want this to be my reason to vote for her. Also, I find her attack offensive to Predident Obama who chose JB as his running mate. Her stand on Medicare For All eliminating doesn’t sit well with me either
9
@Peggysmomi
Harris may make a great prosecutor, but would she make a good president? This we don't know.
2
Probably true. But he is the only one among all Democratic contenders can beat Donald Trump, if any in 2020 Presidential Election.
1
Let us remember most voters did not see the debates and do not follow the day-to-day events of political campaigns, even if they vote regularly. Two months is eternity in politics, and November 2020 is more than a year away. Remember how everyone was joking about Trump at this time in the previous cycle?
Democrats would do well to drop the circular firing squad and do as Saint Ronnie did with his own party.
Speak no ill of a fellow Democrat.
7
I’ll go a step further than Bret. As a former Republican, I did not even need to hold my nose for Clinton. Though her positions were left of my own, I had confidence in her competence as a statesperson and reason. I supported her enthusiastically.
Though I don’t agree with nationalized health care or student loan forgiveness, those are areas that I could give ground and support the Democratic candidate. The current rhetoric on immigration is beyond the pale, however. If Democrats can’t put forward a plan that is humane, but still recognizes borders and the rule of law, I will not be casting my vote for them - as painful and as troubling as that would be.
13
This is so frustrating. It seems most of the ink on the debates focuses on few of the candidates and ignores the ones who are offering a more balanced view on policy, reality based liberal ideas. I keep remembering how the media gave so much free time to Trump's campaign in 2016 and think it's happening again. I know that journalism has to pay the bills for the corporations that own the outlets, but could it be possible that coverage of debates and campaigns stop over focusing on the "flavor of the month" and try to be more comprehensive?
12
@Nelson
Ironically, the only paper I've seen that consistently mentions all of the other candidates and their positions in articles about politics is The Daily Mail, the right wing tabloid.
Whenever they write about Biden saying X, at the bottom of the article there is the addendum to say here's all the other candidates running, and what their basic campaign talking points are.
1
When political pundits criticize Medicare for All, what they really don't like is the 'for All' part, not the 'Medicare' part.
As must of them approach retirement age, what they really want is "Medicare for Me, ...not You"
Basic Income (Social Security) for Me, ... not you.
15
@ExPDXeras a Medicare recipient the plan works and I believe in Health Insursnce for all. Medicare plans are currently provided by insurance companies with government providing the terms. I can see any Dr I want who accepts Medicare and have no difficulty finding one. No wait for surgery. There are also millions who receive payments from their unions and local governments to help pay as well as people who receive a retirement benefit from their employer. Medicare For All
as described by most of the candidates will do away with this and that is why people I know inject to a fully run govt plan
1
@PeggysmomiDon't you mean "object"?
@sylviamI stand corrected
Even these two intelligent, insightful writers sound like judges on an American Idol episode when assessing the presidential race - not unlike many American voters. The fault lies with our system that has the country endure the pandering platitudes of politicians incessantly running for office. Trump began his campaign of lies and boasts on day one of his administration. Democrats entered this fray the day after the mid-term elections. Trump won for a number of reasons, one of which was recognizing that this is all a game...all entertainment from which the networks are making profits and donors, dark and otherwise, keep stashing money into the pockets of contenders. The first debate was a farce. I thought I was watching American Idol where 20 contestants had to be paired down to the top 10. Kamala Harris sang best, but hung her hat on busing....really? Moderators asked stock questions. And there were interrupters galore. Is this really the way we want to select our leader?
3
Bret often answers his own questions in the most amazing ways.
In talking about Warren he says that she doesn't think that the economy runs well and that it requires a radical fix.
Then he goes on to say that half of Americans don't agree with her.
Half of Americans don't think that the economy runs well. That means that the economy gets a grade of 50% in my book. Also, since I been to college and stuff, whenever I got 50% on a test (see Calculus II at RPI) then I got F.
The questions about the economy aren't like questions about the popularity of a president since those numbers are confined to electoral performance.
I mean, I am in that 50% of people that think that the economy stinks. In fact, I know that it stinks and that it will get worse for average people when it fails again.
Or, given that the auto industry has laid off 50,000 workers, mostly because people like me are milking their 2004 minivan and their 2006 Mercedes, maybe the economy has never stopped failing.
18
I'm with Gail until the end, where she says its a free country. Probably not an opinion shared by families in concentration camps at the border.
And Bret somehow thinks that Sanders and Warren are so unreasonable that he'd rather throw away his vote and help re-elect Trump. He has to open his mind a little and get off his high conservative horse. He's more afraid of a little progress than of losing our democracy all together. Someone should tell him that we can never go back to the Reagan days again, its too late. The curtain has been lifted and the man that has been stealing from the middle class has been revealed. The jig is up.
7
US politics is little more than groveling for money. No wonder it repels sane people.
9
"The big winner of last week’s debate was Donald Trump. The Democrats may be firing their base, but their turn to the left is scaring a lot of the core voters . . ."
Mr Stephens is certainly right about the victor of last weeks debates. The circular firing squad of Democrats succeeded only in seriously wounding all its participants. The July debates will finish the job and make Trump's 2020 journey back to the White House a cake walk.
The second comment by Mr Stephens is more interesting though, and if true, raises a very interesting question: How is it that a turn to the left all but ensures a Democratic defeat?
The the rightward turn by the GOP is much sharper and has resulted in very considerable success for that party. Bringing things back to the center should normally require leftward movement of the American political pendulum.
Perhaps the billions of dark money dollars poured into US politics has succeeded in its goal of circumscribing the swing of country's political pendulum to a starboard-only arc.
8
@Gp Capt Mandrake, that sharp turn to the right is enabled structurally, in the Senate and electoral college.
@Gp Capt Mandrake
If they debate, it is a firing squad.
If they do not debate, it is bland and uninspired.
Condemned whatever they do - as one expect.
Both Trump and Biden are a reflection of a obsolete America a nation that no longer invents, creates, inspires us to land in the moon.
The reality that these two dated personalities reflect vast segments of America circa 2019 is extremely troubling.
There is no way forward for America with personalities like these two.
7
@Thrasher
As a senior citizen, I find it sad that the two top contenders are in their 70's. Obama inspired because he was young, articulate, and charming with a lovely wife and family. He did not embarrass us; his trips abroad did not bring out crowds of protesters; he did not insult our oldest allies; we could be proud of him, as we were of JFK. To date, Trump has ignored the outstretched hand of Angela Merkel, hung up on the Australian leader, walked in front of a Queen who served her country in a time of great peril for England and the West, fawned over a Russian who threatens Western democracies, used the U.S. military as a prop for photo ops, and finally chose to use a revered national holiday to stage a campaign rally in the nation's capitol. I lived in D.C.; tanks are too heavy for old roadways and bridges. A draft dodger with a questionable medical deferment is not the man to honor those who stood on a bridge in defiance of a colonial power. A President who cannot staff a permanent Cabinet, or government Agencies, e.g. State, Interior et al. A man who uses AF One as a car service to travel to his private golf course every weekend. A man who responded to an invitation from Queen Elizabeth to a President by dragging his whole family to London at taxpayers' expense. I have no words; however, historians will.
1
"Voting for a third party is the most unforgivable sin," she said.
I sinned in 2016, do not repent, and am ready to sin again next year. It's up to the two parties to offer reasonably honest and competent candidates; as far as I am concerned, weather vanes need not apply.
(We can talk about this again next year.)
54
@Fran 100% this.
We have the right to a free vote. Entitled mainstream Democrats demanding our support no matter what & then shaming voters for using their freedom of choice is PROFOUNDLY anti-democratic. Full. Stop.
Go ahead and convince us to vote strategically ("lesser of 2 evils") or to vote our conscience. Those actions are fine & fully embrace the both the spirit and the letter of free and fair elections.
Also, I really object to the elevation of myth & rhetoric over cold hard numbers. In 2016, Democratic voters stayed home in key states. I believe the number that made the difference was 70,000 voters total- which should be chicken feed for a party with millions of members.
In 2000, 300,000 Democrats voted for George W. Bush in Florida, yet the non-Democrats (especially us Green Party members) get blamed by Democrats. Clean your own house first, friends.
20
What state are you in? It’s an unforgivable sin in mine.
33
@Fran and @Jesse Well, of course you have the right to vote for whoever you want or to not vote at all. As does everyone else. But don’t delude yourself. You aren’t “making a statement”. You aren’t morally superior. You aren’t smarter. You are just doing the adult equivalent of holding your breath to get your way. How is that working for you? Will you enjoy the next 30 years of extreme right wing SCOTUS decisions that, according to you, would be exactly the same if Clinton were elected? Do you mourn the hundreds of thousands who would not have died in the Middle East had Gore been elected in 2000? Feel free to vote for whoever you want, or no one at all. But don’t claim that not voting for a candidate that has a chance to win absolves you of all future elected officials’ actions. Nope. We are all responsible for our actions...and inactions.
603
Theres a name for a Republican who won’t support Trump—that’s a “Democrat.”
Trump hasn’t “hijacked” the party; he’s unified it, bringing moderate and evangelical wings together around positions on immigration and the economy that enjoy broad support.
Remember that. Hillary didn’t lose because of the 1,200 people who saw strange Facebook ads, or because of “third party candidates.”
She lost because she’s an out-of-touch elitist with no agenda other than being President. Even so, showing up once or twice in Wisconsin likely would have changed the outcome.
Trump’s personality/character issues are well-known (insulting people, always making himself the focus of any situation, lack of respect for others, etc.). Putting up with that is part of the “holding one’s nose” of voting in a two-party system.
As for the economy, its true that unemployment trended down under Obama, and also true that he inherited a devastated economy when he took office, but the idea that current prosperity is the “Obama economy” is one that only leftist ideologies believe.
Voters see higher GDP growth rates, the stock market rally that began moments after it was obvious Trump won, reduced regulation, a corporate tax cut, and generally more support for business as the engine of prosperity, and they credit Trump for that.
5
Trump, the most unfit candidate for the American presidency since our independence from England in 1775, won in 2016. Does it matter how fit for the presidency any of the 2020 Democratic candidates are today? Gail, isn't impeachment (in the hands of this Democratic Congress) a constitutional process whose time has come for Donald Trump? And Bret, whether or not Biden is the Jeb Bush of this election cycle doesn't mean a hill of beans.
Kamala Harris's attack on Obama's Vice President Joe Biden pointed out one of too many weaknesses in Biden's past. Only Donald Trump made it to the presidency with so many weaknesses. Trump's personal, psychological, physical and educational failures, magnified by his power of reality TV and social media elected him.
How many of the 2020 Democratic candidates will leave the debate stage in the coming months after the debates winnow them out? As all but Trump was winnowed out in the 2016 G.O.P. Debates? Which Democratic candidate, man or woman, can turn voters Blue among the red states that voted for Trump (and will again next year)?
In 2 days, we'll witness Donald Trump turning America's Independence Day celebrations on the Mall into a massive military rally for himself and his loyalists seated before Abraham Lincoln (looking like Munch's "The Scream") in the hallowed white marble Memorial behind him. Aren't we afraid of Trump branding America's July 4th Celebration in his name?
5
@Nan Socolow You might want to check the Senate before you decide it's a Democratic Congress. They're the ones who would have to vote to convict an impeached Trump, and it's never going to happen. Cue to Donald babbling everywhere about the "witch hunt", and he wins another term.
No, thanks!
If Biden is the head of the Democratic ticket then I'll vote for the Green Party presidential candidate...but then I vote in California where the vast majority of voters will vote for the Democratic party regardless of whom that person is.
On the other hand, if I voted in...say...in North Carolina, I'd hold my nose and vote for Biden...or even for a Democratic badger.
Did I mention that Trump will probably be the Republican nominee? Mueller may decide the 2020 election for us.
1
To paraphrase Bret: "Yes, doctor, I know that I have advanced cancer, but if this nasty chemotherapy is the only cure, then forget it - I'll keep the disease." As an unaffiliated "moderate" myself, I do sometimes feel that I will have to choose the lesser evil. But there is no doubt in my mind that the current resident of the White House is the greater evil by far.
7
People want change. That is the reason Trump won last time. Trump double crossed them because not many people could believe any would be President would lie as he did.
2
If this election is about kitchen table issues: jobs & education there's no way the Democrats lose. If the election is about immigration & reparations there's no way we win. Warren & Harris are for reparations. In poll after poll, the majority of Americans voters are against this. Reparations are the only issue that would compel independent swing voters to hold their nose & vote for Trump. Reparations guarantees the Democrats will lose the working class vote again. We can't afford this. Voters are also strongly against any legislation that would increase the flow of illegal immigration. But Warren & Harris are for policies that not only decriminalize illegal immigration but encourage it. They & their progressives allies are on the wrong side of this issue. Last January NY lawmakers voted to allow illegal immigrants the ability to receive scholarships & financial aid. How are Democrats supposed to tell voters that state aid to help afford college isn't available for them but is available for those who are in this country illegally? Many state Democrats are now offering illegals free healthcare, welfare, food stamps, drivers licenses, schooling, in-state-tuition, & sanctuary. This is unsustainable & indefensible. Why is the only answer, that they have an unrestricted right to come to the U.S.? The more benefits we give, the more will try to get here. It's an insane & impossible equation. If a far left candidate is the nominee in 2020 then we will lose decisively.
9
@Bill Brown
It's almost carbon copy of the Canadian policy of importing people to ensure that they will vote for you because the locals are onto you.
How many people received DACA? Around 700,000. If they vote at the same rate as everyone else (40%-60%) that's a minimum of 280,000 votes. Hillary lost by 70,000 votes. Most Democratic races were not the landslides they were supposed to be.
I often wish I were in the room with Gail and Bret to play a Senator Gillibrand, exclaiming, “Let me talk, too!” Anyway, Bret, this is directed to you and to those many other middle-of-the-roaders out there. To vote third party in probably the most crucial election in recent times will be to assure the final nail to the coffin in which lies a once thriving democracy. We simply can no longer sustain as a nation of freedom and equality with Trump at the helm. From this creature in the Oval Office to his Cabinet - to wit, Barr - to Mitch’s Senate, Bolton, Ivanka and Jared, we are witnessing, actually living, the rise of a ruthless autocracy. Is there any question why Trump admires Putin, Kim, and MBS? Are we surprised that Trump wants a self-glorifying parade in a few days with tanks of destruction being his vehicles of choice? And people are worried about the Democrats becoming too liberal? We are not Lefties. Far from it. We just want our rights and those of millions of others of different races, ethnicities, and genders returned to us. And, yes, I include those desperate refugees from Central America, too.
3
Bret, Warren is not talking about a wholesale change to the system. I agree she needs to change her rhetoric. She is not pushing socialism even though at times it sounds like it.
Warren is talking about reverting to an economic syystem we had in the '60's and 70's. One that I call Controlled Capitalism. ... https://lstrn.us/2CORkXF
Those advocating complete capitalism are on no better footing than those pushing socialism. If you take uncontrolled capitalism to the extreme you end up with an economy run and controlled by oligarchs and that is where we are heading in high tech.
Where is Teddy Roosevelt when you need him? This time she is wearing a dress and she "has a plan for that". Harris is probably a very good prosecutor. Warren knows what needs to be done and her background is similiar to most that are reading this. She grew up in a middle/working class family with working class values. I like that.
7
"And then of course we'll all gather in the living room to hear Donald Trump mess up the hitherto-nonpartisan Independence day celebration."
Gail, you do not have to "gather in the living room to hear Donald Trump." And "please" don't add "all."
I for one will NOT be gathering ANYWHERE to hear Donald Trump.
3
Bret: "But hey, we can rejoice that it’s still a free country, where all conversations are created equal."
For now, Mr. Stephens. And all that you have to say about Gail's comments about Mitch McConnell's sabotage of our democracy "when it came to Merrick Garland is that it was a disgrace?" Courts matter, Mr. Stephens. And, if this gerrymandering continues, there will be nothing for the goose because the Republicans will have all of the sauce. The Roberts Court bailed on the question. Like Gail, I think that the Chief Justice is re-loading on the citizenship question and DACA, waiting until the decision will have the most impact on the future of our country: next year's presidential election.
Finally, Mr. Stephens, I think that you, like a lot of white, male Republicans, were offended because a black woman called out a white man for his past sins. You all don't like to be reminded about the sources of your power and what you ultimately do with it. Do you? "Demagogic?" For reminding a pro-segregationist presidential candidate that wasn't any better than the company that he kept (James Eastland and Herman Talmadge)? Or, like most men, is it a woman's place to remain supine and compliant and just happy to be here?
Back to your/my opening: "it's still a free country." If Donald Trump is re-elected, do you think "get rid of the press" will be a joke? "Physician, heal thyself" indeed.
7
The liberal press giveth and the liberal press taketh away. Trump has one thing in a way right about the press. It is not so much fake news as it is creating its own pro liberal story lines.
The incident with Harris on the debate stage could have been defined in a completely different way. How about Kamala Harris is for forced bussing, one of the most divisive acts by the Democrats in turning off the white population in decades.
Look how they have built up OAS who has come out of nowhere and has some of the most extreme left positions, but her face in plastered on the front page almost everyday in papers like the Huffington Post.
We have Warren talking about Medicare for all and Bernie a free education for everybody. The middle class will reject these ideas and candidates and we will have another McGovern election.
3
"...provide taxpayer-funded benefits to illegal immigrants"
This Democrat minimally wants to accord legal status to illegal immigrants, and ideally a path to citizenship. With legal status, they can work openly and pay taxes, and be entitled to taxpayer-funded benefits, because they are taxpayers!
3
@akp3
There's no such thing as minimal legal status. Either a person has legal status with all the rights that confers or they don't.
@Viv
er, Viv ... "minimally" is an adverb modifying the verb "wants", not an adjective modifying "legal status".
That is, my minimum desire is for legal status; ideally, there should be a path to citizenship.
Just curious....does the 50% of the electorate who feel the economy for them is just wonderful include those who feel the tax cut is helping them? Or the ones who feel that trickle down works like a charm? Take the ones out of the discussion who believe the Tooth Fairy really does exist and would add the Easter Bunny and Santa to the list if Trump told threm to and I think you would get a much lower percentage. When the final score on the economy is added up, there will be far more losers than winners no matter what the numbers say. As to the Dems....isn't it always true on both the Republican and Democratic sides that the candidates in the primaries always primary to the extreme and tack back to the center for the election? I see no reason not to expect the same here. What the Republicans want to do is shore up democracy by eliminating the need for the general election. Democrats are extreme? Really? What will it take to see that democrats are no more extreme than embracing autocrats over democratically elected leaders or that penning infants up in squalor sends the right message to asylum seekers? Those are more centrist ideas? Democratic ideas are socialist; Republicans, however, are not facist.
On the one hand, I think the Supreme Court decision to allow gerrymandering was a complete disgrace, made in order to give the political advantage to Republicans, who currently control more state legislatures than do Democrats. The Supreme Court at its worst.
On the other hand, however, I live in California, where Republicans have been voted into absolute irrelevance. I'd like to keep it that way for the rest of my life. Let the California gerrymandering begin!
2
Both Trump and the Democrat hopefuls are pandering to their respective bases at this stage. But democrats are criticized for it because it “drives away core (read non-thinking) voters.” Wouldn’t a similar criticism apply to Trump? It drives away urban (thinking) voters.
1
Instead of gerrymandering, have similar-sized districts for all Congress members with their votes weighted to the population of their district, adjusted after every census.
Joe Biden cannot be the nominee. The “states rights” argument he cited during the debate to defend his stance on Delaware bussing was legitimately disturbing. It revealed either a basic ignorance of the civil rights movement and the necessity of federal intervention (doubtful) or Joe simply isn’t processing things like he used to (more likely). Either reason disqualifies him. Biden’s time has passed.
Joe is finished. He just doesn’t realize it yet. He looked unprepared, confused, unconfident, and feeble on that debate stage. He missed his best chance in 2016 when he and the rest of the Democrats genuflected to the Clintons one final time.
4
Vote third party if in the mood, people, as Gail would say.
actually, yes, yes he is...
Pete Buttigieg is the steady force that continues to gather momentum.
As I watched the debates I asked the question, Can I see this person as our President?
Biden and Sanders, Warren and many others, the answer was, No, this is not a good fit. This person is too past their expiration date ( Biden, Sanders), too shrill ( Warren, he body language is frightening and negates what comes from her mouth).
Pete was calm ( one of the few who never tried to get the moderator's attention, never waved his hand, never yelled or called out, Hey, notice me). He was the most intelligent person on the stage and able to communicate this in complete sentences.
The only one to answer the question put to him instead of rehearsed monologues ( Kamala as a prosecutor is great at this as she demonstrated with her Biden take down. She should get an award for this bit of theater.).
He took responsibility for what happened in South Bend and also showed that he is the most capable of leadership under fire ( he was in Afghanistan) by having the most informed understanding of how to remedy racism in America.
He is the one to watch.
11
Yes. But more to the point, Joe Biden is 1988's Joe Biden.
2
Mr. Stephens,
Harris did not reverse herself the next day on private insurance. She was the sole candidate who answered the actual question asked. Mr. Stephens did not listen carefully. He has had time to fact check himself a week after the debate. This is sloppy journalism that could readily be confirmed. A correction should be written by him.
Stephens’ unfounded claim of Harris reversing herself on health care is wrong. She was asked if she would give up HER health care to support Medicare insurance for all. In her case, a gold-plated health care program given to senators by themselves at a cost to other Americans. She offered to give up her VIP insurance and live with the same insurance available to all Americans.
Rather than denigrate her for “flipping” on policy, she should be given credit for her ability to listen- a desirable trait in a candidate and a journalist.
5
@JT
I’m confused by what you wrote. Since Harris is in favor of Medicare for all, that means that everyone WOULD be leaving their private insurance plans (although they could purchase a Medicare supplement), if I understand this correctly.
https://kamalaharris.org/issue/health-care/
Give the man a chance, Reagan's first debate was a disaster and he ended up cleaning up the field.
1
"And then of course we’ll all gather in the living room to hear Donald Trump mess up the hitherto-nonpartisan Independence Day celebration in Washington"
PLEASE do not give trump any attention on July 4th. PLEASE do not show it or discuss it on TV. This is America's birthday, not trump's coronation day.
1
Son: "Mom, when I grow up I'm gonna be a libertarian."
Mom: "Well son, which is it ? You can't do BOTH !"
-----
"This time there are too many potential Democratic nominees that I can’t vote for in good conscience, especially Sanders and Warren. So it just might be Bill Weld or Joe Libertarian or Mary-Write-In for me."
Bret Stephens demonstrates his complete immaturity and ideological paranoia.
America is far to the radical right on many issues, including healthcare, Christian Shariah Law, sham elections, guns-and-bullets anarchy, and complete fiscal recklessness by Reverse Robin Hood Republicans that blows up the deficit so the rich can throw another fresh coat of gold on their toenails.
One would think that the wholesale rejection of democracy and representative government by the Republican Party would be enough to wake Bret Stephens out of his ideological blinders and cast a vote for reason and Western Liberalism in 2020, but instead he clings to paranoia about a fix to our unconscionable Great American Healthcare and University Rip-Offs.
Maybe Brett will come around in 16 months when the election is held, by which time the bloom on little Donald's wannabe military dictatorship, exploding national debt, more gun massacres, more forced pregnancies, and more manufactured crises will have worn out their welcome on junior high school Bret.
America deserves a serious adult leader within its two-party system.
Only the Democratic Party offers that.
Grow up, Bret.
213
@Socrates Maybe what we need is more than two parties. The "two-party system" is tradition not law.
1
@Socrates
Honestly, Socrates, I think we have to resign ourselves to the intractability of people like Brett, bearing in mind John Kenneth Galbraith's comment: "The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness."
They will twist themselves into pretzels trying to rationalize their distaste for legislation that serves the common good. David Brooks does the same thing, as did William F. Buckley in my day. It is truly disheartening.
50
@Socrates
Wish I could recommend this 100 times.
17
Kamala Harris' attack on Biden was, although very effective, a mis-characterization of what Biden was talking about and his position 40 years ago on busing. What bothered me though was Biden's inability to deflect and defend himself. Could he have said something like: "Perhaps you misunderstood what I was saying. I said that in politics sometimes you have to work with people you hate, whose positions are abhorrent to you. That's how it works. You can't just expect them to give in to your obviously better position. Something you young folks may not get yet."
2
Is there still time for George Clooney to enter the Presidential race?
@PaulB67 He's as big of a fraud as all the rest, so why not?
Guys, just a free advice from a Republican. I give it away just because I am sure you will never follow it.
In order to beat Trump you need to understand why he took on 2016. Currently, Dems seem to march on exactly opposite direction. Liberal agenda , that something made Hillary lost. And now Dems show that they are even more extreme liberals then in 2016.
If you want out win an elections, you need to recall who actually elects. You need to recall who move and feed this country. Who set up business, pave roads, go for office by 9:00 AM, work on powerplants, fill your tanks, deliver your packages and clean your sewage.
They are core America. They don't need anything that you may offer. They need jobs, they need wages, they need opportunities, they need security.
Keep visiting refugee camps on the border. And we will take once again in 2020, and then in 2024 and so on. Personally I don't like Trump, and would never invite him to my daughter wedding. I would prefer someone like Reagan. But I like what he is doing.
2
@Jonathan "Guys, just a free advice from a Republican. I give it away just because I am sure you will never follow it. "
In the marketplace of ideas, this advice from a Republican obeys the laws of supply, and demand.
An over-abundance of supply, and no demand for Republican ideas, means you can't even give it away.
1
Ms. Collins,
Thank you for sounding out again on the cost of a vanity vote for a 3rd party candidate. I hope the Greens will commit to support the Dem candidate and not field a candidate in 2020. Perhaps in exchange for a Green EPA Administrator or Sec. of Interior?
Can't imagine Mr. Stephens could "in good conscience" vote for a third party and enable the degradation of children, democracy and our country. Protecting gun ownership, etc. does not extenuate bigotry, villainy and the undermining of all America stands for.
Half the people may think Trump's handling of the economy is fine. The $2 trillion in debt to give Don Jr. a tax cut equates to $30,000 in new debt for all joint filers. Repubs running a trillion dollar deficit in an economic and employment boom with an aging population is stupid. Like going out to an expensive restaurant on a credit card when next month's rent is not paid. "Half the people" must be enjoying the meal. The other half will have to pay for it.
3
When “ Debbie Does Dallas “ is a more accurate, charming and American success story than “ Donald Does Democracy “, WE are all in deep trouble.
Seriously.
1
Is Joe Biden 2020’s Jeb Bush?
Three thoughts leap to mind:
(A) This is a rhetorical question, right?
(B) The question answers itself.
(C) We can only hope so.
2
Here you go again, Bret:
Some clarifications:
“eliminating private health insurance”
actually private health care managed without for-profit insurance companies.
“wholesale reinvention of the system”
actually some traditional fixes: fair tax rates and trust-busting.
“taxpayer-funded benefits to illegal immigrants”
these immigrants are tax-payers.
“spend trillions on progressive priorities”
i.e. priorities for the 90%
Shouldn't you try to be less snarky and more accurate?
6
Synopsis:
Bret Stephens thinks Medicare for all is worse than Donald Trump so he'd vote for Bill Weld, which is a vote for Trump hidden in a brown paper bag.
4
Losers looking for continued employment by the voters. I was hoping for better Democratic candidates but it doesn’t look like it’s going to happen. Just more of the same.
The hypocrisy of those, like Bret Stephens, who decry the corruption, incompetence, cozying up to murderous autocrats, and chaos of Trump, who openly name him a danger to our democracy, but who say they can’t ever vote for a Democratic candidate like Elizabeth Warren, is breathtaking. Many of the programs she proposes, like some form of universal healthcare, are standard in other Western democracies. Other proposals, like agressive enforcement of anti-trust, can be done without any new laws. Still others address the rampant corruption in our politics, like the revolving door between industry and government and anonymous dark money political contributions. And then there are those to address the tilting of the economy in favor of the phenomenally wealthy and skyrocketing wealth disparity in the US by raising taxes a bit on the rich and preventing their fortunes from passing tax-free to their children.
What about these proposals is so offensive to these hypocrites that they would rather ensure a Trump victory by voting third party or abstaining than elect such a candidate? This is not something anyone who truly cares about America’s democracy and future would or could do. To do so would be a craven act of self-righteousness that would reveal the pathetic faux patriotism motivating their political beliefs.
2
Tearing into the former VP with senseless claims is no virtue and will not help the democratic party. Purely a cheap shot to attract attention to herself. Times have changed and what is prudent today might not have been prudent yesterday. Say someone will hit Kamala with a cheap shot how she got into politics with the former Mayor is this the person you want as President ????
3
Biden's support for the 2005 Bankruptcy Reform Bill (vetoed by Clinton) was passed by Bush after Biden carried the torch for it and convinced enough Democrat senators to put the bill again on a president's desk (Bush). This bill was likely the greatest gift to the banking industry in modern times and one of the most consumer unfriendly bills ever passed.
This "reform" bill made it much more difficult to discharge student and consumer debt in bankruptcy, effectively creating economic slavery for millions of young Americans and older Americans who co-signed for their children.
___________________________
Author and credit expert Gerri Detweiler, writing at CreditBloggers.com, called the law a disaster. After quoting three bankruptcy judges, including Keith M. Lundin of Tennessee ("Unquestionably, this is the most poorly written piece of legislation that I or anyone else has ever seen."), she concluded that the act is crushing "consumers suffering from the perfect storm of bad mortgages, credit card debt, stagnant wages or unemployment and rising food and fuel prices. _____________________________
Bill Maher called the bill "An orgasm (actual word deleted for decency) for the banks."
Biden, as with most senators from Delaware, usually
put banks and big money before workers and students.. Let's hope Elizabeth Warren does to Biden on consumer protection what Harris did to him on segregation.
Biden, in Congress, was the banksters best friend and an enemy of the consumer.
8
Not as much of a dullard as JEB! but long past his expiration date.
1
I think The press does not understand what has happen in our country. Did things Moderate when the Tea party took over the Republican Party? At what point do you start thinking that Things in America have gone wrong?
1. The Supreme Court thinks Corporations are people and have a right to buy the Government.
2. Gerrymandering is OK rolling back Civil rights and civil liberties is ok?
3. A Pregnant woman is shot and the fetus dies. She is guilty of Murder?????
4. Donald Trump
Which of these is Moderate? So if the Democrats address Climate change, Health care, the Middle East, Poverty, Immigration. They are Commie wacko's? These are difficult issues and they will not be easy to solve. Ignoring them and pretending they do not exist will only get you another Hillary. Then you can put the blame on the extreme ideas of the Left. What is happening now in the Democratic Party is result of the 2016 nominating process.
Chuck From Ohio
1
Barak Obama gave us this economic expansion.... really? How did he do that? Obama interfered with the economic system by illegally preventing legitimate bankruptcies in the automobile industry. He ran up the national debt to new heights. Obama gave $150 billion to the Iranians for their economy. Maybe Obama's failure to only talk about but never address the growing income disparity between the super rich and the rest of us helped bring about the recovery. Maybe its just you columnists for the NYT trying to take the wind out of Mr. Trump's sails. But you're correct about Mr. Biden and his ability to be anything more than a VP to a do nothing president.
2
Sounds like an Al Gore, Jeb Bush and naturally that aging Nutmeg Joe Lieberman huddle to “Geritol Up” Uncle Joe’s candidacy.
The phalanx of staffers insulating Uncle Joe from his own worst enemy, himself do not help. Is there a graceful way for him to exit the stage with dignity before humiliation and catastrophe?
Bill de Blasio agrees to Bill Maher’s suggestion and tap dances off to Park Slope. America thanks you, New Yorkers, less so.
When will you media people realize that you are the main voices clamoring for Biden, NOT the majority of Democratic voters? Wake up and smell the coffee, and stop trying to push him on the public.
3
@BW where have you been? For the most part he's under attack. Harris is the media darling now.
"This time there are too many potential Democratic nominees that I can’t vote for in good conscience, especially Sanders and Warren."
What a fascinating place your "good conscience" must be, Mr. Stephens. When Trump finishes destroying the environment, or unveils his borderland concentration camps, or stumbles into WWIII, will that conscience of yours still be clean? I find your parsing of this issue unforgivable. The absurd notion that Warren or Sanders are the political or moral equivalents of Donald Trump is either unexamined, naive or willfully ignorant. You owe the readership better. You owe yourself better.
5
Enough NYTimes! OK, we get it! He is not the best debater! But stop with the constant attack on our best hope to defeat the corrupt, incompetent Trump! Every single day, you attack him after this debate! Most Americans are not as far left as you would have us believe. I am a Biden supporter! Surprise! And I consider myself a progressive, but I am a realist! And only a centrist like Biden has a chance of defeating Trump. But with the constant barrage of negativity toward Biden, we can look forward to another four years.
3
Maybe you check the polls. (
Not that there’s anything right with them ;—)
Gail,
Bret is part of the problem and I really don’t have the time or interest in reading his rationale for anything.
Why did you select him? Please, you can do better.
It is so interesting to read Bret Stephens blather on about what Americans want when he clearly has no idea. he is a never Trump Republican Neo Con. that is the closest we have to the modern day equivalent of a jester.
4
Brett: But Gail, we’re so serious.
Actually no: Gail is serious (and also seriously funny).
Brett runs the gamut from flip to fatuous.
1
I agree with the title of this article. A couple of days ago, I wrote the following at the url below:
I'm not certain what I think of Kamala Harris - and she's one of my Senators. However I do know what I think of Biden. He reminds me of Jeb Bush. Considered the front runner early on, raised a lot more money than his rivals, close association with former Presidents, liked (but not loved) by many and disliked by few. But once he actually started to speak and was challenged in the debates, he was inarticulate, too comfortable with his station in life, lacked discernable passion, and ultimately was shown to be a lightweight and was inconsequential as a Presidential candidate.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/28/us/politics/biden-harris-debate-democratic.html#commentsContainer&permid=101198606:101198606
Biden- the first polls out are split on his debate. two showed him ho;ding his large lead but CC had him with a catastrophic 10 point fall. He is not going to smile and nod his way to the nomination. If he does not get that then he does not deserve it.
He has to do much better in July’s debate.
Mind you, I think Trump can beat anybody else we have running.
Impassioned and well-reasoned defenses of positions that many people consider too far left may sound great but they will not chat win in 2020.
1
Another horse race story. Real horse races are more important than this.
The Supremes just pulled a full on 'Pontius Pilate' with regard to gerrymandering and paved the way for democracy's crucifixion. It will not be read historically as a very judicious ruling.
2
Anyone paying any attention would have easily predicted that abysmal debate performance by Biden. I am at a loss as to why so many Democrats believe he can defeat Trump (let alone should be president). When Trump attacked him about having left Delaware, Biden responded with a banal and defensive response, as he has with every criticism, by trying to explain. That will never work against Trump. Rule #1 going up against Trump: never, ever be defensive. Ever. And forget using reason. Reason is clearly not at play with Trump. The 41%, Trump's base, will never leave him, even if she shoots someone on Fifth Ave. or rapes women. That has been made clear (that he was right about shooting someone). Forget them. They're lost causes. Those who want Trump out want someone who can slay Trump verbally, overwhelm him either with fierce fire or with the Teflon calm and seriousness of a Buttigieg. But half-raise hands, monotone defensives explanations in answer to Trump criticism is weak. Forget Biden.
Looking at this headline, my quick response is, "Yes, he may be."
I've always loved Joe Biden, but I really did not want him to run. I was hoping he would instead give a strong endorsement to one of the other candidates and use his popularity to campaign for the nominee.
Not sure yet who I'll vote for in our primary, but I know it won't be Biden. I want someone who will excite the electorate, and I really want a woman or a minority candidate in one of the two spots. Our ticket canNOT be 2 bland white guys.
1
If you're even asking the question, you already know the answer.
32
@Robert Henry
Here’s the correct question:
Is Joe Biden this election’s Donald Trump?
@Cass
Donald Trump is this election's Donald Trump. Your mission, should you decide to accept it, and you actually love democracy, the Constitution, the planet, is to vote for whoever isn't Donald Trump.
No, Joe Biden is not this election's Donald Trump. If Biden ends up being our alternative, then he's our only choice. Period. Full stop.
4
@Robert Henry Eller
Right. Trump made gaffe after gaffe and still won the election. Joe may wind up winning because of his defects, not in spite of his defects.
3
Bret's language to depict Warren's and the left's positions seems shrill and uncharacteristic of someone otherwise given to more nuanced thinking. "Wholesale reinvention of the system"? "Take over vast swathes of the private economy"? Perhaps we have a different understanding of the terms "wholesale" and "take over vast swathes," -- terms to me that point towards systems to the left of anything currently in Western Europe and which the candidates are not proposing.
5
One recurring theory of the Trump win in 2016 was that some of his supporters were hungry for change in, even destruction of, the existing political establishment.
Why then are the Democrats constantly being cautioned against proposing radical change? Why is it an electoral disadvantage that they would deliver the transformation that Trump had promised?
If Trump won because people wanted change, then why should Democrats eschew it?
10
Gail and the Democrats need to make up their minds. Did Trump inherit a “good economy” from Obama that he’s maintained, is the economy fundamentally broken the way Elizabeth Warren describes? Her comments in here reveal a striking lack of ideological consistency on this point.
30
@Frederic Warren’s argument is that the two aren’t mutually exclusive in America. A booming economy is fundamentally broken if the majority of the benefit goes to the top 1%, which it currently does.
80
@Frederic Obama's job was to avert a second Great Depression and put us on the path to prosperity. On that front, his presidency was a resounding success. He even passed meaningful health care reform to boot.
That doesn't mean that our economy doesn't need structural change. We are still plagued by inequality, high drug prices, exorbinant student debt, and a generally bifurcated economic system where large swaths of Americans live paycheck to paycheck.
31
@Frederic
Economies are cyclical. Once they go down, they come back up - regardless of whose butt is parked at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
Reagan inherited the 15-year long inflationary recession of 1970-1985, which crossed party lines of Nixon/Ford and Carter, as it also carved out the middle class and slammed against a wall the baby boomers who were exiting high school or college and entering the workforce. And then the GOP had a decent 1985-1992 run, with Bill Clinton reaping most of those rewards from 1992-2000. Rinse, repeat.
3
I get tired of hearing that Democrats are so left-leaning that people are afraid to vote for them. Even if we nominate a real Progressive, there will still be a moderate Congress to balance that. At least the Progressives are trying to help a broader range of the populace than the current Republican Party is.
387
@Marjorie Anderson
The big problem with the extreme progressives is that they look like a bunch of kids who got ahold of their parents' credit cards and are on a spending spree. While most of the ideas sound good in theory, they need to be paid for somehow, and the reality is that it will be mostly the mid- to upper-middle class that pays the bill. A lot of them, such as Harris' LIFT proposal, put a $50,000 individual cap for benefits, meaning that anyone making over $50,000 is going to lose. If you live in an area with a high cost of living, a $75,000 salary does not not make you rich. Warren has a plan to tax only the top 2 percent, but there's pushback that it wouldn't bring in the big dollars she's expecting and it might not be constitutional.
Personally, I also think choices should be a bigger factor. Choices have consequences, and having children is a choice. Most of these politicians would have people who don't have children paying for free daycare, increases in education spending, reimbursing college tuition, etc. The beneficiaries are really skewed because of personal bias toward people who have made a choice to become parents. Another example, if you chose your favorite college over one you can afford, why should someone who makes more realistic choices pay your bill? I'm educated and probably fall in the top 20%, but that's because my father, who was an immigrant with a 6th grade education, made a choice to work three jobs to put his kids through college.
15
@Chris I'm sorry, but all of this "where does the money come from?" talk baffles me when the DOD budget looks like $719 billion for 2019. In 2015 it was $586 billion, did $150 billion just materialize out of thin air?
63
@Max
I'm not a fan of Trump, so nothing to say here about his spending choices. I don't think that,"well, Trump did it," is a good rationale for continuing bad behaviors. I'm aiming higher.
8
There’s no doubt that the third party protest vote was a boon to Trump, but I think a caveat is warranted before dismissing third party votes outright.
Three major western democracies come to mind that have an established ´two party’ system, Australia, the UK and the US. The first has had seven Prime Ministers in ten years, the second is completely dysfunctional and the US is, well, frankly scary.
When politics is reduced to us and them arguments, two party systems magnify the differences and dumb down the arguments. Surely a factor in the recent political developments in those countries.
4
Stephens says that he "was reluctantly convinced by the conservatives on the court that the judiciary has no business drawing districts instead of politicians. I think this was a case of the court saying, 'physician, heal thyself.'”
That’s asking a murderer to turn himself in. Ain’t gonna happen, and all that’s lost is democracy replaced by legislators immune from the voters’ will.
Have a nice holiday in the Hamptons Bret while a great country rots at its core.
19
@David, to carry this a bit further, this is like having Ted Bundy in court, and telling him to go heal himself. The outcome is 100% predictable, 100% avoidable, and those letting him go are 100% complicit in his subsequent murders. As Justice Kagan pointed out in her dissent, the technology exists, or will shortly, to fine tune gerrymandering to the point where it will be impossible to defeat, rendering our system a democracy in name only. The court could have gone with protecting American democracy, or protecting the party that appointed the majority. They went with the latter. They are now unambiguously the court of, by, and for the Republican party, which is morphing into the extreme, authoritarian right, and they are 100% complicit in the destruction that will follow. So much worse than just sad.
2
Kamala Harris’s explanation her reversing her apparent debate support for eliminating private health insurance was ... how shall we say?... unpersuasive. She expects us to buy her post-debate claim that she thought the question was referring to a personal choice, not a policy position? If she really misperceived it in that way, she doesn’t have the intellectual chops to be president.
But of course she knew very well what she and the other candidates were being asked. She just thought better of her answer after gauging the political winds.
9
Neither Biden or Sanders will be the nominee for the Democrats. Like it or not, age is relevant. I am also a senior citizen barely younger than either Biden or Sanders. The feeling of getting older is now more frequent with changed sleeping patterns, memory lapses, etc. But I am not running for President, so for me, it doesn't matter.
The field will be culled prior to the next round of debates, if they are to be called debates. Hopefully, the candidates can then have the time to expand on their answers and we can get a feel on where they are headed.
5
@allen roberts
Can't help but agree. I'm a bit younger than both men, and I know I'm beyond my intellectual peak, not to mention my physical prime.
(Besides, Bernie is now sounding like the angry old guy in the neighborhood yelling at the kids to stay off his lawn.)
1
Any further mention of Kamala Harris's answer to Lester Holt on health care should include the question the panel was asked.
IT WAS UNCLEAR.
It asked if they would personally give up their health care coverage in favor of a government-run plan. Anyone who has been gouged by Aetna, United Healthcare or Cigna might favor a public option to buy Medicare and would raise his or her hand.
It says nothing about whether others should still be able to buy Aetna or whatever.
2
@Don Evans
Except it’s not the first time Senator Harris has had to clarify her position on private health insurance. Earlier this year, in a town hall, she said she’d be willing to eliminate it. Later, she tried to walk back her statement.
2
Reading these comments, it sounds like people still are not in agreement on whether Harris favors Medicare for All or a public option. I looked at her website today and it says she supports Medicare for All.
https://kamalaharris.org/issue/health-care/
The idea that healthcare scares some people more than one more day of DJT surprises me. As a Senior on Medicare I struggle with decisions, I have Medicare but of course like many others have to have private insurance coverage which costs me about $140 extra per month and still when I visit the Dr. I must pay from $20 to $40 per visit. Those seniors who cannot afford the private options soon come to realize that the entire name of the game of "healthcare" in the US is to bleed every single last dime before you die, I see it every day. To read these articles when they drift into the health care topic and treat it as though it is an outrageous want and that candidates are somehow pandering to suggest it do not recognize the need of millions of American's. Being of the same age group as Biden and Bernie I saw passion in Bernie's eyes and sadly saw a very tired and out of step Biden. My vote however would go to Harris if the Primary means anything by the time we caucus out here.
3
@Dr Cherie, Me too. Older than The Donald, but younger than Biden.
Please don't overlook those working people and their families who know and fear they are only one severe disease from bankruptcy.
3
@Ruff These days a fall can be classified as a "severe disease."
Harris is sometimes impressive. And she deftly performed a prepared zinger. But that does not the Leader of the Free World make. She will , as the current savior of western civilization, get the same kind of attacks about her questionable record as a DA and AG.
Gail, HRC lost mostly because she ran such a dreadful campaign, ignoring the rust belt and going out of her way to insult working people, I voted for her, but plenty of Bernie supporters rightly felt the process was rigged against him, and stayed home. She lost the elect. It was not taken from her.
The Dems must win the center, of the country and of the political spectrum. If they promise to take away private insurance, give insurance to illegal immigrants, and forgive all student debt, they will win neither the centrists nor the election.
7
@Franco I'm so tired of people saying the democrats have to lurch right in order to win the middle as if the alternative to that (the GOP) hasn't already proven itself to be a cancer on the union. For once, couldn't those moderates just hold their nose and vote for the more progressive option like progressives have had to do for practically forever? Try something new for a change. You might like it.
1
@Franco51 bernie had never been a Democrat, until he decided he would be elected president simply by borrowing the party label. Why he and his supporters would think the Democrats would support him over a real Democrat is crazy.
Didn't work before. Won't work now, even though this time he has registered as a Democrat. The nano-second he is again rejected, he will go back to being an Independent, since we don't have a socialist party.
Joe has never been challenged. After owning a safe senate seat from Delaware, and then a V.P. job requiring few skills, Joe has been exposed as an amiable empty suit, who could say without irony or historical awareness, "he never called me boy."
Astonishing.
10
Commentators are paid to comment. That's what they do for a living. The rest of us would do best to hold on and not make a final decision until more debates and primaries can show us which way the wind is blowing.
5
In our last election, many Democrats said they just didn't like Hillary and stayed home on voting day. They gave us Trump. Now, with all this nitpicking about the Democratic contenders faults, they might just give us four more years of Trump. Only in America.
1
Please stop blaming the electorate for candidates relying on the blackmail strategy of lesser-of-two-evils.
Policies would have inspired voters to vote.
Not ‘putting her thumb on the scale’ and stealing the Primaries, is what would have won a Progressive White House in 2016.
Please do try to put responsibility for Trump where it belongs.
On the powerful politician who thought it was ‘Her turn’ to continue the status quo that’s destroying the soul of our country.
8
@Indigo
It’s just as true that HRC gave us Trump.
Her Limousine Liberal campaign ignored the rust belt and insulted working people. Her Identity platform shunned much of the electorate. Her rigged nomination process angered even more.
If she had refrained from any one of these foolish moves,let alone all of them, she’d have won.
She lost the election. It was not taken from her.
2
@Lilly
I wish s omeone could give me a convincing rational why someone who is not a Democrat feels entitled to the nomination. If you want to run as a Democrat, join the party.
1
No, he's not. But, the real question, currently not being addressed, is after her nonsense about if Congress didn't do what she wants Kamala would govern by Executive Decrees, why should we consider her any different that Trump, Nixon or Johnson.
2
Gail makes the common liberal mistake when presenting the new left's position on everything economic. How did Obama save the economy while simultaneously creating an economy requiring massive and fundamental restructuring? These are two conflicting ideas that anyone born before Reagan has an extremely hard time squaring. Yes, it can be both. However, Gail doesn't even attempt to explain how both are true.
Bret falls into similar category although he seems to fail even worse. Elizabeth Warren was speaking directly to this logical complexity in her debate performance. In essence, capitalism does a wonderful job creating prosperity. However, capitalism does a terrible job distributing it. That's how we can have both a great economy and an economy requiring revolutionary government intervention at the same time. Sanders resonates because he's right. It's not the wealth; it's wealth inequality.
16
The title of this article should be "Let's make fun of Donald Trump and Republicans." There is very little here about Joe Biden and why he will likely not be nominated or elected.
The real issue with the democrats running relates to what Bret pointed out when he wrote "If, as she (Kamala Harris) thinks, so much is wrong with the way the economy of the United States functions (and requires a radical fix) why does half of America think things are just fine?"
The key words here are "half of America." Unless one of these candidates starts to address the concerns of this other half, they will lose to Trump. Radical, socialist agendas will not accomplish this.
2
Watching the debates was hopeful because of the diversity of America was on that stage both nights.
At the same time, I’m not sure that the adage, “run to the left in the primaries and go to the center for the general election” can work for Democrats this time.
Trump is an evil genius when it comes to branding and his incumbent status with a $1B war chest at his disposal can be decisive.He will paint the Democratic candidate a socialist, open borders advocate and taking away private insurance from citizens who prefer it to Medicare for all.
Will this strategy work for Trump in PA, OH, MI, WI, NC, FL and MN? He can if the Dems can’t get their message straight.
4
I was very happy with my employer based healthcare coverage 25 years ago when we went to a HMO plan and still at no cost to me. I was younger and hardly needed any treatments.
Fast forward to today my employer changed insurer this year, another PPO plan with the same $500 monthly family premiums however with much higher copays, deductibles, and coinsurance.
I can't wait to get on Medicare in 2022.
2
@JT FLORIDA - Whomever the Democratic candidate is, and whatever platform / positions she or he adopts, the Trump line will be simple --- "The Democrats believe in abortion on demand in the ninth month, open borders, taking away your guns, cars, hamburgers, and employer provided health insurance, and bringing us Venezuelan socialism and a Transgendered individual in every bathroom and locker room."
1
The biggest issue on the table for people is Healthcare! It's such a patchwork system. Doctors each have full time employees dealing with the dozens of different "coverage plans" as well as Medicare, Medicaid and VA. The ACA called out the sometimes 20% "administrative costs" of private insurance, and required that "pre-existing conditions" could not be used to deny claims. It's ridiculous that we are the only citizens of a nation that puts us at the mercy of corporations when we are sick or injured or trying to get help for a child or elderly parent. People are mostly so relieved when they FINALLY qualify for Medicare! A friend was paying $1,600 per month after he retired, and three years later he's paying $135 per month for Medicare! Ultimately, the insurance corporations push people onto the state and federal government for final-stage healthcare, which is the most costly.... after they have sucked up every dollar of a person's life savings. Imagine: 5/6 people in nursing homes are paid for by taxpayers/ Medicaid. Both Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren agree it's time to have a national administration: Improved and expanded Medicare For All program that pays all of the healthcare bills. People can still invest in additional private insurance coverage. But everyone would be covered for the basics from a pool of contributors: Everyone in the USA paying into a national system.
9
@mjpezzi And in a universal healthcare system virtually all healthcare providers: primary care, specialists, therapists, labs, hospitals, ER's, etc. would be "in network."
I thought at first this election was the Democrats to lose; but no more. It is Trump's too lose. All he has to do to win is act Presidential and do nothing---quietly deep six the tariff policies, cut the lines to Putin, and start some back talks---with a qualified diplomat with Iran and N. Korea. But no, that is not Trump's style---in the next year, it will be all Trump at his best, which guaranteed will result in one or more really bad things happening to the economy---which is already weakening---or abroad---with recurring scandals as background music. Yes, the democrats are bit messy ideologically now, but, Donald will rescue them.
3
Trump didn't scare the voter, but the left-leaning candidate will?
69
I’m hoping for Kamala Harris/Pete Buttigieg as the ticket followed by 8 years with Harris and 8 with Buttigieg.
(Yes, I just donated money monthly to help move this idea forward.)
Uncle Joe will get stomped by Trump in a debate. He’s looking back more than forward. It’s not only his age but his old thinking that turns me off.
A friend of mine who’s pro Bernie Sanders or Elizabeth Warren was recently asked if he’d vote for Biden if he becomes the Democratic leader. His reply says a lot, “Well, I don’t have any record of voting for Republicans.”
While a Bidden Administration will be much better than more Trump, it’s still old government. We need intelligent leaders with the guts, savvy and ability to make serious change.
I’m very hopeful and have known that the majority of Americans, my friends, family and neighbors are all disgusted by Trump and his cronies.
4
Remember growing up and being told, as the 4th of July approached, how we were supposed to celebrate the unique and wonderful democracy of America. All enshrined in this incredible document called the constitution. Free and fair elections. One man, one vote. Citizens chose their “representatives” to be their voice in government. Now, we find out from SCOTUS (and Stephens) that this never was in our constitution. The constitution only ALLOWS for free and fair elections, it does not require them. That is up to current elected officials to legislate. Silly me, I thought we lived in a constitutional democratic republic. Now I come to find out it is actually an OPTIONAL democratic republic. Thanks for clearing that up, Bret.
20
To Bret, I would say don't worry about the cost of infrastructure projects, healthcare, education, transition to clean energy--simply rescind the trump/mcconnell tax give-away and you've not only paid for these programs, but the programs will go much farther toward paying for themselves than the tax cuts which were supposed to pay for themselves.
20
In 2020 each voter will have three ways to support Trump and trash small-d democracy:
1) Vote Republican
2) Vote Third-Party
3) Not Vote.
And each voter will have one, and only one, way to protect our country:
Vote Democratic, for every single office, whomever is the candidate.
Joe and Bernie have passed their "sell by" dates (although Bernie's policies have prevailed). What we need is a candidate from what Howard Dean called "The Democratic wing of the Democratic Party," not "Republican-Lite." And we need a candidate who will fight back against Trump and his so-called "principles."
31
@John Graybeard
We need a candidate who can win Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan, Minnesota at a minimum. Ohio and Florida would be a good cushion. Voters in those states are moderate. I watched both debates and fear that the democrats delivered a second term to Trump on a silver platter. Too much focus on illegal immigrants, race, and free stuff.
4
@John Graybeard - If someone named Barack Hussain Obama could win these states twice, why can't a progressive ticket with a woman and/or a person of color win?
4
@John Graybeard
And if Joe or Bernie is the nominee, who gets your vote?
The mystery to me is how so many well informed and intelligent people could have somehow believed that a guy who ran for president so calamitously poorly in 1987 and then 20 years later in 2007 would be not only a viable candidate but the "most electable" candidate in 2020. As Einstein is at least claimed to have said "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."
12
Just about any candidate from the democratic debates would be far better for this country than Trump. I really think it's between Biden, Harris and Warren, but it's still too early for any concrete decisions. It was very sad watching Biden in the last debate. He was like a deer caught in the headlights, which were provided by Harris, Biden is a good man and, yes, he has a lot of experience, but I'm afraid his time has come and gone. He waited too long to run for president. He looked very old, especially his eyes, and his responses were unsteady and slow. I can't imagine him successfully debating Donald Trump, and I don't mean lacking in factual responses. He just doesn't have the fighting spirit required to get Trump as far away from Washington as possible. We need a successful fighter who is fast on his or her feet and someone who can turn the country around and clean up Trump's mess.
9
Progressives must heed the warning that Bret Stephens conveys. If moderates and never-Trumpers find the left-wing candidates unpalatable, then it's less likely that Trumpy can be evicted. Secretary Clinton's last minute disavowal of the TPP which she had helped create along with the mandatory, and oft repeated lip service to far-left talking points made the most critical voting base, the working class whites, stay home, or vote differently. What VP Biden supported in the 1970s was from genuine belief that the strategy would help with desegregation. There is video evidence where he argues that. In retrospect, it wasn't a good idea. But it doesn't detract from his high morality. Unlike Harris, he became a public defender. She built a career as prosecutor locking up impoverished and people of color so she could further her political ambitions in California. By sandbagging Biden, she's invited her day of reckoning in the primaries.
3
@Cynical
I'm sure that Bret Stephens has only our best interests at heart when he offers his "warning."
@RAC Who knows. But it's one thing to offer competitive campaign opinions and it's another to knife each other, particularly when the target should be getting rid of the orange pathogen.
1
Democrats want to "take over vast swathes of the private economy". Oh, not like private companies taking over what should be a public utility like healthcare or the internet. Blackwater did such a fine job in Iraq too. Let's see how many national correctional awards our private prison industry wins as well. The wealthy are hiring Pinkerton's as private police forces to defend their hoarded resources in anticipation of a climate induced apocalypse. The US government employed 6,639,000 persons in 1968. In 2014 4,133,000 worked in the federal government despite a growing population. The idea that government is taking over is another one of many mendacious Republican assertions taken as indisputable truth.
86
@Anam Cara Bravo!
2
Biden is going for independents, not dems. He has already leaped past the primary. Harris is the best at debating, but where are her policies? I've heard some pundits excited by Julian Castro, which I don't get. His comment about reproductive rights for transgender women made me say, huh? So that is a thing? Mayor Pete already has a loyal following, but mostly with whites. Policy wise, I am most excited by Elizabeth Warren. She's the only candidate who can get wonky AND keep my interest. Great communicator!
18
@Mary M if Harris is such a good debater how do we not know what her policies are? A good scold maybe.
I wish the "moderates" who lost the Republican Party to extremism would quit telling progressives how we must move to their positions. They, Mr Brooks and Mr Stephens of the Times, have seen their authority hollowed out. Since there are probably 10 or 12 such people in the country, their pleas and advice carry little real meaning.
44
@Scott
Yes, Brooks and Stephens did such a fine job with their own party that they seek to remake the Democrats in their own image. Democrats really don't need their help. Thanks, but no thanks.
7
@Scott Thanks
2
Democrats are feeling their oats, just as Republicans did in the realignment election of 1980. The party will by the time it settles on a nominee have come to its senses. It will be for M4A, but aspirationally, recognizing there is no straight-line path there because the large number of people like their existing health plan are not on board and so they do not have the numbers, so public option it is. The last time I looked, when you arrive at the ER, they ask for an insurance card to know to whom to send the bill, but they do not refuse care if you are uninsured. They do not ask to see proof of citizenship so the idea that something needs to be done to avoid the undocumented dying for lack of urgent healthcare is a fallacy, and Democrats will recognize providing healthcare for the undocumented BEFORE providing universal health care for American citizens is neither liberal, progressive, nor tolerable, and an impediment to being taken seriously. As for Biden, he will be gone by Thanksgiving 2019 if not Labor Day.
7
Biden came into this race with name recognition and the love of pundits like Collins, Stephens and the oafs on Sunday morning chat shows. Like all his past Presidential runs, this one has slowly imploded on Biden's gaffes and the campaign's mismanagement. If people like Collins and Stephens were paying attention to other people rather than their precious Joe, we could get on with the race and let the serious candidates more quickly rise to the top.
22
@Rich
You certainly ascribe a lot of power to opEd writers in newspapers and on TV.
@Rich He's Bob Dole.
During the debate, Harris said something like this: "we don't need food fight", minutes later, she was the one that start the food fight. Harris used identity politics not her accomplishments or lack thereof as a senator, California AG or as a prosecutors. She already flipped-flopped her stand or lack thereof on healthcare. It seems that she speaks from both side of her mouth. At the heat of a moment, she will say anything that will serve her. It is time to thoroughly examine her records as the California AG and prosecutor and let the voters judge for themselves.
35
In 2016, it was pre-ordained that Clinton would be the nominee. She was given a large head start with super delegates. There was a problem, in crowing the queen; Sanders. So, what happened? The machine, and newspapers, like this one, went very negative on Sanders. Clinton was crowned; she won the nomination and lost the election.
Now, it is both Biden's and Sanders turn to be bashed again. Since Biden announced his candidacy there has been more negative, than positive. And it has also doubled down on Sanders. At this point, there is no clear candidate that has been pre-ordained, but we will find out when the dust clears.
What will happen, hopefully not, is a choice between bad and worse, just like 2016.
Yes, Biden has some issues, as do the 23 others running for president. But, to tear Biden down before the first primary vote sis even cast, does everyone a disservice. By the way, out of the 24 candidates he has the most experience: House, Senate and Vice President. Instead of building this up; the media, the far left, #MeToo, et. al. are tearing it down. To what end? Four more years of Trump.
Considering what is going on with the Democratic Party; I would be surprised if Trump does note get another term. This is what happens when you self inflict wounds.
11
@Nick Metrowsky Clinton wasn't crowned. She was incredibly popular. Sanders wasn't even a democrat. He used republican propaganda and he LOST by over three million with an M votes because of it.
3
@Nick Metrowsky bernie wasn't--and still isn't--a Democrat. Borrowing the party label again won't work.
2
Mr. Stephens, I appreciate your take on the current administration, even if I disagree with some of your other positions. However, I wonder if you think you are getting through to the people who seem to matter most, those Republicans who seem to be just fine with the behavior of the current occupant of the White House?
6
Whoever eventually wins the Democratic nomination will almost certainly "tack" to the center on universal health care (probably even if it's Liz or Bernie).
The sweet spot position is likely "Medicare for All who want it/public option" that allows a buy-in from individuals and/or employers. This would allow those who like their private insurance to keep it, and it would still have a place for private supplemental insurance, as Medicare does now. But it would most certainly allow for lower premiums and deductibles, as the pool available to it is huge (and younger). Over time, a lot of people, employed, "gigged", or otherwise, would opt in, and this would break the link between employment and coverage status. And, if private insurance companies want to compete on cost and coverage, they could certainly try--but I bet most would fail, and that would get the gougers out of the game.
In this scenario, the transition is gradual, cost saving, and humane.
All it would take is someone to explain it well, and it's hard to believe there ain't no one who could be hired from "spin class" to do it. And this position wins a lot of votes, guaranteed (although winning the election is still going to be about turnout, particularly African American male--particularly suppressed in urban areas of MI,PA, NC, FL, and WI in 2016 compared to 2008/12--and other non-white turnout, which is why I think someone of color has to be on the ticket for tribal turnout appeal--but I digress).
13
@Glenn Ribotsky
Hear, hear. The so-called ‘glide path’ of ‘for all who want it’ seems like a no-brainer IF it can be done in a way that is demonstrably both fair and fiscally viable.
2
Stephens says that he "was reluctantly convinced by the conservatives on the court that the judiciary has no business drawing districts instead of politicians. I think this was a case of the court saying, 'physician, heal thyself.'”
SCOTUS didn't need to establish itself as a the body responsible for drawing districts. Rather, it could have ruled that partisan gerrymandering is unconstitutional, and that offending states must redraw their districts in a nonpartisan way.
70
@Michael, But first SCOTUS must behave in a nonpartisan way. I don't see that happening.
10
Folks, the hard left musings of many of the candidates won’t be converted to law by a Congress that has views all over the place.
If the Republicans hold the senate nothing will be converted to law.
So relax about the candidates ‘ most extreme proposals. What could happen, without Mitch and the Obstructers, are important steps toward immigration reform, universal health care, infrastructure,etc.
and the crazy notions that, for example, Medicare for all, will cost trillions are ridiculous. That makes assumptions that nothing else will change. Insurance companies and their 30% off the top will go away. Private plans can still exist, like they do in Great Britain, where the spoiled wealthy can pay extra for their care, while still making Medicare payments.
22 of 23 industrialized nations have some form of universal health care, and it works.....better than our “market based” healthcare which produces outcomes far below most of the 22, who spend less. If the Democrats would start explaining the basics, maybe people would better understand.
So the bottom line.....pick the best candidate, Democrats, and develop an easy to understand platform that is progressive and not far left, and then let’s all agree to vote Democratic.
The alternative is too scary to comprehend.
16
On that stage, Joe looked like he didn't know
up from down
left from right
whether to raise his hand or not.
The worse thing about that is that he showed himself not to be a leader.
He was trying to follow in the steps of the cool kids.
Not a leader.
And that was painful to see.
60
@EC Many have given him a pass on the "whether to raise his hand or not" or they just were not paying attention but he had his hand somewhere between "I have a question" and "I am in on this" I can't even recall the question now but he looked hesitant to take any stand.
4
@EC the hand raising expectation itself is cringeworthy. That debate platform was a hot mess. He made lucid points and I understood what he was saying. Not sure where you buy your blinders and earplugs.
2
@EC, I think he was astonished, though, to see the hard-core minority-crushing former AG Harris put herself forward as a crushed minority child instead. Much less somehow blaming him for her parents' voluntary decision to bus her to a more upscale school. That kind of chutzpah really is dumbfounding. Especially from someone who has known you and been friendly until that second.
1
Biden exposed but still holding the torch and beaming a smile showing his white teeth. Biden is a fighter and he has not lost his fight of his life yet. He is still front runner way ahead of the pack. There is no comparison to Jeb in 2016. Jeb was in single digits and he was defending his brother on the Iraq war. In my opinion that was a big blunder. What Biden did or say 30 years ago while important for those playing the race card, in the end the Trump card for the democrats is to come up with solutions that will better the lives of Americans. As an independent I am waiting to hear what a possible democratic president will do about our homeless, our innocent victims of gun violence, our wars left behind from the Bush and Obama years, pressure from war mongers who want to start new regime change wars etc
2
@Reddway from West MI. Thanks for your intelligent analysis. looks in 2020 also the Democrats will not be winning Michigan. Paradise lost. One would have wished they will learn from history.
1
"If, as she thinks, so much is wrong with the way the economy of the United States functions (and requires a radical fix) why does half of America think things are just fine?"
Warren should be careful here as far as voters are concerned, but let's not confuse the interest of voters with the expertise of voters. Voters are not experts on the economy. The economy is not fine, as Ms. Collins explained.
11
@Anthony
That depends on who you ask and whether they are really concerned about the economy or racism and radical Christianity.
3
Here is a twist on the question.
If JEB had run as a Democrat in 2016, would he have won?
1
@Patrick Moynihan: Answer: Yes!
We got the Middle East the way it is today because of Ralph Nader in 2000. I voted for Hilary but won’t vote for the Identity party which now has added open the border and provide free health care for migrants to its party platform. And Gail, until you come to Florida and see how us old people really live, stop referring to us as poor.
2
@Rich Murphy
Have you have looked into how many Dems in Florida voted for Bush? Why bother, when you can blame Ralph Nader. Florida truly is a confused and confusing state.
2
@Rich Murphy, I don't see anyone who is really in favor of open borders (except for the migrants themselves). And free health care for migrants is really a complex issue. If they are here and they get sick, they will go to an Emergency Room, which is required by law to treat them. And that is more expensive than a health care plan for them.
4
@Rich Murphy - "I voted for Hilary (sic) but won’t vote for the Identity party..."
Rick, the ReTrumplican Party is all about identity politics. Playing to the fears of the base against minorities, immigrants and trans people; questioning the citizenship and background of first the sitting President and now a leading candidate. How is that not identity politics? It's time for the dems to call them out for this.
4
I am mystified why people are so frightened of changing fundamentals in the US for the better of the 99%. If Sanders or Warren are elected, sure taxes will be raised...on the 1% and Wall Street! "Free" tuition and healthcare will be paid for with these taxes. Even taxing every Wall Street transaction a penny would bring in hundreds of billions a year. That's just getting started. We as a country need a hard change of course to ensure survival of the planet, no less. Climate change will never get a moment's thought if we don't have a true progressive in the White House.
99
JK,
I’m firmly on the left side of the political spectrum and have voted blue every POTUS election since 2004. It might be hard for you to believe, but not all of us think college should be totally free or that the end goal of universal healthcare coverage should be the elimination of a private insurance market, as many candidates and a very vocal faction of the base (well represented in this paper’s comments sections) are calling for. We also know that “just tax the rich!” is an absurdly simplistic solution and hardly the panacea its proponents seem to think it is. For example, eliminating tuition does nothing to address the runaway cost of higher education even though the runaway cost of higher education is the sole reason we’re having this debate!
1
@JK It's selective blindness. Their "mental map" of the United States and the world does not match the reality of the nation and the planet. They're personally invested in believing that the US has been on the right path, that they've been on the right side of history. The US should be leading the fight to combat human-caused global warming, imagine if it was and holding laggard nations to account with sanctions and what-not. Imagine if was consistently in the top ten of all the important social and political indicators of the top thirty best rich democracies (instead of in the bottom few or way, way last as it is) - as it should be as the oldest and most powerful democracy on Earth. Instead it is bringing into question the merit of our species and the point of its continued existence. But hey - check out the S&P 500!
4
@Mssr. Pleure I do not understand why you oppose "free" education. The US is woefully behind the rest of the world in our education...free tuition would lead to a more educated populace. So you think we should do nothing since free tuition wouldn't totally solve our education problems? Free tuition would be a huge step in the right direction…as well as wiping out student debt. And you really want to hang on to private insurance, with all of the deductibles and copays, that will fight covering treatment and drugs while they contribute to the ever increasing cost of for-profit healthcare? Sure change is scary but we as a country are profoundly on the wrong track with our healthcare. AOC proposed a 70% tax rate for individuals where every dollar after $10 million would be taxed at 70%. If you are about to pop a blood vessel, get this: rates in the mid 20th century under Republicans was as high as 90 percent! The Washington Post estimates 70% tax over $10 million would raise over $700 billion in a decade. Bernie’s tax plan for Wall Street would raise $2.4 trillion over a decade. A lot of good would come from this revenue. I think an absurdly simplistic solution is often the most beautiful and effective solution. People are getting brainwashed that actually taxing the rich and Wall Street is a bad thing…this is Orwellian thinking that the Republicans and obscenely wealthy want us to believe.
1
Gail: " The idea that state legislatures have the right to design weirdly shaped voting districts to make sure their favorite party gets the advantage ..."
Bret: "I was reluctantly convinced by the conservatives on the court that the judiciary has no business drawing districts instead of politicians. I think this was a case of the court saying, “physician, heal thyself."
Either you two misunderstand this decision, or I do. While the latter is certainly more probable, let me put forward this argument.
The Supreme Court did NOT say that partisan gerrymandering is ok.
What the Supreme Court did say is that state election districts are not subject to FEDERAL judicial review. They are entirely the business of the states, including legislatures, of course, but also state judiciaries.
It is my understanding that state courts, including ultimately state supreme courts, can rule on the state constitutionality of election districts (legislative and congressional) passed by the legislature. If the state supreme court rules the districts in violation of rights enshrined in the state constitution, then that's it ... the districts must be discarded, and the legislature has no avenue for appeal to federal courts and the Supreme Court.
If my interpretation is correct, we have a very interesting situation here in North Carolina. Our GOP legislature has taken political gerrymandering to new heights, while our supreme court has a 6-1 progressive majority. Hang on ... :-)
27
@akp3 Yes, the current composition of the NC Supreme Court offers some hope that eventually things will be put right. However, it is hard to imagine that the current SCOTUS is correct that there is nothing in our US constitution that assures us of free and fair elections, at least at the federal level. It should not depend on which state you live in as to whether you enjoy this right.
4
@Lee N
Agree wholeheartedly ... and I'm all in for a non-partisan commission. We've even got Art Pope coming around on this, so there may actually be hope!
@akp3In PA the state Supreme Court redrew the gerrymandered districts citing the state constitution and SCOTUS denied review. Hopefully the same will occur in NC.
2
The sole reason Medicare for seniors exists today is that private insurers are more then happy collecting premiums from the young and healthy but as soon as you reach an age where you actually need the benefits, private insurers will drop you like a rock. That is also why coverage for people with pre-existing conditions has to be legislated in to law.
So if Medicare for seniors can provide cost effective treatment to the costliest segment of the populace, imagine what Medicare For All can do with everyone's premiums.
49
@mlb4ever: The principle justification for life-span national health plans is the life-cycle of variable health care costs. Private insurance is a profitable business because it cherry-picks clients at their peak of health.
38
@Steve Bolger
Yes, indeed - not to mention changing their "terms" periodically to reflect what they will and will not cover, including which medications are on their "formulary".
All of which add up to increased corporate profits and decreased quality of healthcare.
6
@mlb4ever -- The United States spends huge amounts of money on health care. But it is only in comparison to other countries that the magnitude of healthcare spending becomes clear. Because the U.S. healthcare system is designed for private profit rather than public health, the U.S. spends an extra $1.15 trillion per year beyond what it would otherwise. Families are dealing with high premium costs and a $5,000 annual deductible! That's not healthcare! Only in the USA do you find 600,000 families per year going bankrupt due to unpaid medical expenses (and the majority HAD INSURANCE at the time of their injury or illness -- most were shoved onto public programs like Medicaid, once they were sucked dry!) Unless we want to make substantial cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and VA Health, our lawmakers better start addressing the biggest issues of health care: The unchecked insurance corporations and the unchecked costs of prescription drugs! We should be paying the doctors, nurses, and hospitals instead of paying $100 million to CEO's and generating profits for the 1% investments crowd. (R) President George W. Bush added to the problem when he saw people (many elderly) crossing into Canada to get less expensive prescription drugs made by our US corporations. He came up with Plan D drug program that directly subsidizes the price of drugs here in the USA and in exchange agreed to have no ability to negotiate the prices.
5
The gerrymandering case shows, if Stephens is right, that the ostentatious non sequitur, "heal thyself," is activism at its giddiest and most flippant. The rationale in that celebration of absolute partisan hegemony was obscene.
7
Biden has made mistakes in the past and was too civil (and placid?) in the last debate. Still, the comparison to Jeb Bush is a stretch. Biden was a sitting vice president. And Bush hardly had anything resembling a Democratic voting record, even if he was too far to the left of many in the Republican Party.
Harris did retract her alleged Medicare for All stance on the grounds that she was answering the question that was asked. Yet whatever she did there was still the implication that it was OK to go ahead and get rid of private insurers--a truly backward posture given how embedded the insurers already are in Medicare provision. (No, I am not minimizing the problems with our over-priced healthcare system.)
Like others, I like what I see in Buttigieg, but if he cannot effectively expand his minority appeal the best he perhaps can do is a vice-presidential slot. Yes, he now has a lot of money from wealthy donors, but that will not be enough as the process proceeds.
I am one who will vote for anyone but Trump, and find it astounding that some Democrats say they will sit home if they do not get the exact person they want.
I am one who is thoroughly sick of so many polls--polls that substitute for thought, that rely on others questions and preformed answers. Some of these cable and print news personae are doing the nation a great disservice. I hear over and over that people understand it is too soon to call the horse-race, but they then turn around and do it again and again.
13
@JSK
Harris was the only one of 20 candidates who failed to understand the general nature of the question obvious to the other 19.. The only one who flipped the next day.
2
@JSK -- The United States spends huge amounts of money on health care. But it is only in comparison to other countries that the magnitude of healthcare spending becomes clear. Because the U.S. healthcare system is designed for private profit rather than public health, the U.S. spends an extra $1.15 trillion per year beyond what it would otherwise. Families are dealing with high premium costs and a $5,000 annual deductible! That's not healthcare! Only in the USA do you find 600,000 families per year going bankrupt due to unpaid medical expenses (and the majority HAD INSURANCE at the time of their injury or illness -- most were shoved onto public programs like Medicaid, once they were sucked dry!) Unless we want to make substantial cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and VA Health, our lawmakers better start addressing the biggest issues of health care: The unchecked insurance corporations and the unchecked costs of prescription drugs! We should be paying the doctors, nurses, and hospitals instead of paying $100 million to CEO's and generating profits for the 1% investments crowd. (R) President George W. Bush added to the problem when he saw people (many elderly) crossing into Canada to get less expensive prescription drugs made by our US corporations. He came up with Plan D drug program that directly subsidizes the price of drugs here in the USA and in exchange agreed to have no ability to negotiate the prices. You can still buy additional coverage via insurance corporations.
1
@mjpezzi
Thanks for the comment. I am aware of many of the details you cite. Insurance overhead is one of the bigger problems we face, among a couple of others. As I said, I am not denying this problem, but the idea of cutting off all private insurers with an axe is anathema to me. They private insurers are already embedded in Medicare parts C (advantage). D (prescription plans), and many of the supplemental plans (the most common being F and G, although F will not be provided for new applicants beginning in 2020).
I do understand that problems abound.
The idea of universal healthcare, with private supplements, is hardly radical. And isn't Congress where any changes would happen? Trump's super health care plan is still nothing that was voted on by Congress. And Congress did retain the bones of ACA. The best candidate presents what should be considered. The person who really has decided the choice of Supreme Court justices and what laws will be passed is one of the senators from Kentucky - that should be corrected.
23
All US economies rebound after a recession. That’s just a fact that goes back over two hundred years. So Obama shouldn’t get any credit there. Especially when it was the slowest rebound ever.
Another fact is that rebounds eventually die out. But Trump has somehow extended this one to a record length. That’s where the credit should go.
3
@Jay Lincoln The stock market is not a reliable indicator of the economy unless you are rich. Just because someone is employed doesn't mean they are thriving.
20
@John - Of course the stock market is a good indication of the economy.
You probably mean the stock market is not a good indication of a working class American's wealth or wages. I agree with that and one solution would be to deport the 20,000,000 illegals that working class Americans are competing with. It's simple supply and demand.
2
@Jay Lincoln: The Republican tax cuts in Obama's stimulus bill proved their worthlessness to me.
4
Why is everyone hyperventilating about the leftward tilt of the Democratic primaries? I recall no such panic when the GOP candidates tacked to the right during their primary process. Romney? He’ll move to the center for the general election. McCain same. Relax folks and stop planning the funeral.
132
@Greenfish
"Why is everyone hyperventilating about the leftward tilt of the Democratic primaries?"
How old are you? The punditocracy frets every election that Democrats are going too far to the Left, even when they're moving right, and even though, on most issues, voters are to the left of both parties.
29
Uhhhhhhhh Romney and McCain lost.
1
@Martin
Probably older than you, but what's age got to do with it? It's high time to call out the punditocracy for their ridiculous narratives.
3
Joe jebbing himself was my first thought. It is bad to sit on one's past laurels; worse, there are still people who have not gone over his Anita Hill performance, never mind if a centrist is still a best bet for this country to steer back to an extremist wide meandering. People thinking the cure for Trump hangover is a populist on the other end of the spectrum are greatly mistaken
3
Well, I, for one, am grateful that so many people are willing to put their lives on public display, to have their thoughts and history be picked over by thousands of news outlets and commentators.
It must be terribly stressful work, being a Presidential Candidate, and America is all the better for the courage of those who are running.
And if I were king, our election season would, by law, be only six months long, and no election activities could be held until the start of that time. After six months, the discussion devolves into reality tv-land. Honestly, I am bored already, and I am really interested in political science.
Hugh
17
Why do people put so much power in the presidency? Is it because Congress, specifically the Republicans in Congress, have neglected their duties to legislate for the people and check the president? We need to fix this.
Warren would make an outstanding executive. Nobody owns her but we the people. And if we get rid of McConnell and get a reasonable Senate we can actually pass reasonable legislation. Healthcare, and everything else, will be debated in Congress; not a result of an EO. Warren, acting as the nations executive manager, as POTUS should, would keep legislation on the best track for the middle class.
Am a Pennsylvania moderate. Do not see most of Warrens proposals as too far left. Many of them return us to a time when the middle class was strong and the American Dream was achievable for many.
As for never-Trumpers. Any vote for anyone but the Democratic nominee will help to re-elect Trump. Remember 2016? Which is why I believe Harris's attack on Biden was so bad. There are too many who will vote for Weld if Biden is not the nominee and voting for Weld is really a vote for Trump.
31
@A
Weld is running in the Republican party this time, so voting for him would be voting against Trump in the primary. It's actually a very smart idea if your goal is to get rid of Trump. If Trump wins the primary, no harm done from Weld running. There's the bonus that Weld could have weakened him. If Weld wins, then it's a win for all. Weld was a good Massachusetts governor and he'd be a good president. He's a Republican fiscally but was very progressive in areas like same-sex benefits (which was progressive in the 90s and abortion). It would take a lot of the pressure off the Dem nominee if the alternative is a reasonable choice, as opposed to Trump. And people might be more comfortable flirting with more progressive policies if the risk is mitigated.
2
What was bad was Biden’s being completely unprepared for an attack any reasonably good politician should have known was coming - almost as bad as making the original comments. If he wanted to stress his ability to work across the aisle, pick someone like McCain who most Democrats respect.
7
@A
No she wouldn't. She would be an extremely poor executive because she's too detail focused. She is terrific and has many wonderful qualities but she will make a dreadful president.
She will foment anger in everyone.
She will rise to petty bait from critics
She will not unite
She will focus on small details to the exclusion of the bigger picture--she's doing that right now
Being a President is not about doing the work, it's about managing the vision, rallying the troops, compromise, application of pressure at the right moment, having a vision...
Don't confuse liking her policies with her being a leader. Those are two different skill sets. I love Liz Warren but her Presidency will be a disaster.
1
Concerning court packing...
There's no way voters who are now in their 20s and 30s will put up with a court system engineered by a bunch of right-wingers in their 70s and 80s. Soon enough, McConnell and Grassley and even Trump will be gone from the scene forever, as will many of their supporters.
The people who are left are entitled to a government that represents them, not one ruled from beyond the grave by a bunch of rich white guys who despised the rest of us. The up-and-coming generations will figure out SOMETHING to get courts that match their preferences. Let's just hope it's something peaceful.
170
@Maria
McConnell is 77 and Grassley is 85. I would say they are good, McConnell for another 8-12 years, and Grassley for another 4-5. It would be quicker to vote them out (worth trying at any rate).
(This estimate based on my own age and enduring/remaining abilities.)
13
@Maria "There's no way voters who are now in their 20s and 30s will put up with a court system engineered by a bunch of right-wingers in their 70s and 80s."
Well then they should have voted for Hillary. Voters in their 20s and 30s are not entitled to anything. Anyone without a bilateral lobotomy knew the 2016 election would shape the Supreme Court for the next 40 years, and liberals decided they'd elect Trump out of spite for Hillary (who got 3,000,000 more votes than St. Bernard).
Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. Only this one matters. Oh well!
15
@Mike "liberals decided they'd elect Trump"? What in the world are you talking about. No true liberal voted for Trump. If you mean that many liberals voted third party, the number of people who did so was not large enough to sway the election outcome. Don't blame the voters for not voting for a candidate, blame the candidate. It was Hillary's job to convince people to vote for her, and she failed horribly. No candidate is owed the vote of anyone.
7
The lie of omission concerning raising taxes has been more detrimental to the populace at large than any of the many lies that have also been given a free pass by the mediator the last forty years, with the possible exception of the need to keep the country ‘safe’.
3
Admit it or not, Medicare beneficiaries are subsidized in the marketplace by the 180 million private insurance holders. Medicare reimbursement to overworked doctors and overwrought hospitals is frequently less than half of the payment from private insurers for the same service. Put everybody on Medicare and you’ll have fewer docs and broke hospitals.
7
@Third Clarinet: So how do all other Western countries do it? Offer better health care for hald of what it costs here? Their doctors and hospitals are doing just fine... Private insurance holders subsidize private insurance shareholders and private insurance CEOs and overhead, not Medicare.
19
@Third Clarinet
the thing you are criticised for is that in the US some people do not have access to treatment for serious conditions. They can't afford private, and don't qualify for the free.
In Australia EVERYBODY gets free medical, and free hospital in public hospitals. No matter whether they work or not. They don't need to do anything, pay anything. When they work, they pay taxes - that's all. For elective surgery, they have to wait, for emergency they go first.
On top of that, people who want to be treated in private hospitals, buy private hospital insurance. It is very expensive but gives you the advantage that "your" specialist books you into the private hospital under his name, and he is the one who supervises your treatment there. In the public hospitals you are treated by whoever is there at the time.
In emergency like accidents, heart attacks, people are usually taken to public hospitals which are better equipped for this.
The result is that you don't have to worry about expenses if you get ill. To service your car is by far more expensive than to have a coronary by-pass.
For visits to doctors - you can chose a doctor who only charges the "scheduled fee" - it does not cost you anything, or go to a doctor who charges more, and you pay the difference. Medicines are cheap.
7
@Anna
Anna, here are a few thoughts:
* W added the drug plan to Medicare but prevented the government from negotiating prices which turns out to be a multi-billion dollar gift to Big Pharma every year. Trump knew this and said he would lower prices. Mysteriously he hasn't (see campaign finance)
* Doctors outside of the US are not millionaires. They make a decent living and are focused on healing people.
* Hospitals in the US are profit centers
* Health Insurance in the US is a profit center for insurance companies.
* Lower taxes mean higher private expenses.
* All of the above like the system the way it is.
4
Brett is correct in sounding off the warning bell about the perception of a leftward tilt making a lot of much needed voters nervous. Beyond his base disquest with Donald Trump is palpable but if people fear an empowered Democratic party will overreach and wreck their pocket books for a shopping list of progressive causes they will hold their noses and vote Trump.
If a Harris , Booker or Mayor Pete were to put forth serious proposals to build on the ACA rather than start from scratch and were they to own up to the reality that border security and the rule of law have to be at the forefront of immigration reform we might not only have our nominee we could have a shot at the Senate.
11
“…people voting for third-party presidential candidates was what put Trump in the White House. I’m convinced of that. They were too virtuous to skip the election and too sane to consider Trump. But they couldn’t bear to hold their delicate noses and vote Clinton.”
The biggest “3rd party” by far, last election as every election, is actually the largest one. The party of silence—those who do not vote. And it isn’t purity or delicacy that keeps them from voting. It’s that neither the Republicans nor the Clinton / DNC Democrats include them in the conversation. Warren is the only one seriously trying to change that.
24
@Martin -- In Gallup's most recent analysis, 42 percent of Americans identify as independent, compared with 29 percent who say they are Democrats and 26 percent who say they are Republicans. There need to be Open Primaries in all 50 states to allow these independents to vote for their choice of presidential candidates, so there won't be surprises in the General Election. But, recently the un-Democratic Democratic Party in Florida voted against changing it's completely CLOSED primary to no-party-affiliated voters, even in the face of a mass migration of voters from Puerto Rico (who do not register as Democrats vs Republicans, so come to Florida unable to vote in the primary elections.)
8
The difference between Jeb and Joe is great. 2016 is about the only thing they have in common--Jeb made the decision to run and Joe made the decision not to run.
Jeb had no real fire to run. It takes some ambition and some hubris to run. Jeb was mostly happy working in real estate and had not interest in running. A guy such Jeb has no place in the modern Republican Party. Jeb is basically a RINO--or in better times an Eisenhower Republican in the mold of his father--a descent man who found himself part of the Reagan wave, but has no place in the modern party. Jeb is happy and sleeps well at night in Florida.
Joe sees 2016 as the one that got away. He wants to be President so badly and has for decades. Since November 8, he lies awake at night dreaming of what might have been. He wants it but his flaws are many and his record of 50 years in public life is tepid at best. Joe longs for the White House, while Jeb is enjoying Florida.
5
Bret, what are you talking about when you write drivel such as this, in referring to some of the Democratic candidates, "take over vast swathes of the private economy, and spend trillions on progressive priorities that can only be funded with large tax increases and even more government borrowing"?
Similarly, what are you talking about, when you say of Elizabeth Warren, "If, as she thinks, so much is wrong with the way the economy of the United States functions (and requires a radical fix)......"?
Warren, Sanders, and the progressives simply want to re-establish the status quo that existed for much of the 20th century when America was indeed great, a world leader, and a place where college and medical expenses did not leave families and individuals with crushing debt. Their goal of rescuing America from the evils of our new Gilded Age is as American as apple pie. You yourself have written columns (one, anyway) lamenting the unchecked growth of monopolistic big tech. Elizabeth Warren actually wants to address this issue -- so why not put your vote where your inner feelings lay?
Finally, if you're referring to universal health care you are smart enough to know two things: First, our health care system is the most inefficient in the world and second, when you complain about the costs of Medicare-for-all, you need to look at the other side of the equation, namely, the savings to be realized from a more-efficient system. You criticize Warren, et als, but what's your plan?
428
Bret’s comments are correct. The Dem candidates are close to seeking quasi-nationalization of the US economy. Free healthcare, free college, free this, free that.... of course nothing is free. Somebody pays - Democrat’s are too foolish to understand this.
6
@Keeping it real -- YES! It's such a patchwork system. Doctors each have full time employees dealing with the dozens of different "coverage plans" as well as Medicare, Medicaid and VA. The ACA called out the sometimes 20% "administrative costs" of private insurance, and required that "pre-existing conditions" could not be used to deny claims. It's ridiculous that we are the only citizens of a nation that puts us at the mercy of corporations when we are sick or injured or trying to get help for a child or elderly parent. People are mostly so relieved when they FINALLY qualify for Medicare! A friend was paying $1,600 per month after he retired, and three years later he's paying $135 per month for Medicare! Ultimately, the insurance corporations push people onto the state and federal government for final-stage healthcare, which is the most costly.... after they have sucked up every dollar of a person's life savings. Imagine: 5/6 people in nursing homes are paid for by taxpayers/ Medicaid.
25
@Keeping it real -- The United States spends huge amounts of money on health care. But it is only in comparison to other countries that the magnitude of health care spending becomes clear. Because the U.S. health care system is designed for private profit rather than public health, the U.S. spends an extra $1.15 trillion per year beyond what it would otherwise. The biggest issue facing most people in this country is the unchecked, rising cost of healthcare in a "managed-illness-for-profit" broken network of dozens of private, alongside government networks. As a nation, we are paying twice as much as other top 20 nations that have universal health care -- and our costs as taxpayers, funding the public portion of this mess is unsustainable. So unless we want to make substantial cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and VA Health, our lawmakers better start addressing the biggest issues of health care: The unchecked insurance corporations that rob the private sector of $$$$$$ Tens of Billions of Dollars that could be paying the doctors, nurses, and hospitals instead of paying $100 million to CEO's and generating profits for the 1% investments crowd. Republican President George W. Bush added to the problem when he saw people (many elderly) crossing into Canada to get less expensive prescription drugs made by our US corporations. He came up with Plan D drug program that directly subsidizes the price of drugs here in the USA and in exchange agreed to have no ability to negotiate the prices.
28
Why is it so alarming that Harris hesitates on the best way to reform our criminally terrible health care system? Surely hesitation is the most reasonable response to such a difficult and complicated problem with such serious consequences. It is crazy to require ironclad certainty on every issue from Democratic candidates, even as our president waffles constantly out of sheer ignorance and capriciousness. Isn't it possible that Harris's uncertainty on this issue is a good thing?
10
I truly hope Biden is knocked out sooner than later. His backwards looking tendencies are problematic on numerous levels: we need to move forward, too many of his past decisions and actions are out of step with our current problems, and most importantly he embodies the GOP-light, in bed with Corporate America that doomed HRC.
The only way out of this mess is for a DNC candidate to connect with Americans rather than our overlord CEOs.
38
"...they couldn’t bear to hold their delicate noses ..."
Priceless - and, sadly, so true. Let's hope we don't see a repeat in 2020.
16
Elizabeth Warren was the most focused and able to explain big policy issues very efficiently. She won the first night's debate hands down. Castro was excellent on immigration, and Booker was excellent on criminal justice reform. Kamala won the debate on the second night. But by attacking and taking out Biden, she is unlikely to pick up many of his voters (even though they are both "moderates" with the same baggage, when it comes to his "tough on crime" legislation and her prosecution policy that created mass incarceration of minority voters. She also supported calling ICE agents using information about school children in California in a direct break with the rest of the California Democrats.) She got a 9 point bump from her well planned takedown of Biden, but doubtful that she can sustain it. Biden lost 10 points, going from 35 to 25, and putting him within range of Sanders and Warren, who share the same progressive agenda. Their combined voters = 32. Anything can happen, especially since Sanders spent the entire last year visiting voters in purple and red states to explain what Medicare For All would mean to them, personally. A majority of voters (both Dems and GOP) now favor some form of universal healthcare such as Medicare For All (75% of Dems and 51% of Republicans. When you include "independents and third-party voters, you reach nearly 80% of American voters calling for Medicare For All. Why in the world would you want healthcare insurance tied to your job?
75
@mjpezzi The United States spends huge amounts of money on health care. But it is only in comparison to other countries that the magnitude of health care spending becomes clear. Because the U.S. health care system is designed for private profit rather than public health, the U.S. spends an extra $1.15 trillion per year beyond what it would otherwise. The biggest issue facing most people in this country is the unchecked, rising cost of healthcare in a "managed-illness-for-profit" broken network of dozens of private, alongside government networks. As a nation, we are paying twice as much as other top 20 nations that have universal health care -- and our costs as taxpayers, funding the public portion of this mess is unsustainable. So unless we want to make substantial cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and VA Health, our lawmakers better start addressing the biggest issues of health care: The unchecked insurance corporations that rob the private sector of $$$$$$ Tens of Billions of Dollars that could be paying the doctors, nurses, and hospitals instead of paying $100 million to CEO's and generating profits for the 1% investments crowd. Republican President George W. Bush added to the problem when he saw people (many elderly) crossing into Canada to get less expensive prescription drugs made by our US corporations. He came up with Plan D drug program that directly subsidizes the price of drugs here in the USA and in exchange agreed to have no ability to negotiate the prices.
10
@mjpezzi
I believe that a major component of health care reform should be portability. That is I can move to any part of the country and be confident of having access to good health care. I also believe that a public option will help keep the cost of health insurance down. It also seems to me that if corporations would make more money if they did not offer health insurance. We already have the state governments and the federal government in the heath insurance business. Both already take dollars and purchase health insurance for their employees.
6
@Rich Pein - It's such a patchwork system. Doctors each have full time employees dealing with the dozens of different "coverage plans" as well as Medicare, Medicaid and VA. The ACA called out the sometimes 20% "administrative costs" of private insurance, and required that "pre-existing conditions" could not be used to deny claims. It's ridiculous that we are the only citizens of a nation that puts us at the mercy of corporations when we are sick or injured or trying to get help for a child or elderly parent. People are mostly so relieved when they FINALLY qualify for Medicare! A friend was paying $1,600 per month after he retired, and three years later he's paying $135 per month for Medicare! Ultimately, the insurance corporations push people onto the state and federal government for final-stage healthcare, which is the most costly.... after they have sucked up every dollar of a person's life savings. Imagine: 5/6 people in nursing homes are paid for by taxpayers/ Medicaid.
5
This number of Democratic candidates seeking the presidency is Democracy at its best and long overdue.
America is a nation of unlimited ideas and opinions to observe it finally being displayed during the Dems pursuit of a candidate for POTUS is wonderful
8
Bret Stephens, despite his high intelligence, offers a prime example of why principled conservatives have lost influence, inside the GOP and out. He recognizes Trump's massive shortcomings and the damage he has done to the Republican party, but his tender conscience will not permit him to vote for a Democrat whose liberalism offends Stephens' conservative sensibilities.
Until the grip of Trump and McConnell on the Republican party has been broken, real conservatives will continue to wander in the political wilderness. The barbarians have seized control of the Republican citadel, and the conservatives desperately need the help of Democrats to expel them. If the price of that achievement requires the election of a left-of-center candidate to the presidency, Stephens and his allies should be willing to make the sacrifice.
No liberal, however distasteful her policies might be to the heirs of Edmund Burke, could begin to harm the country the way Trump and his minions have. As always, ideological purity blinds some intellectuals to the opportunity to win a partial victory, the only kind possible in a free society.
528
@James Lee
Those are some pretty dangerous words in your last paragraph. Let's try not to test that theory, okay? And let's look for the very best candidate available.
2
@James Lee
I will try again:
Bret Stephens is not intelligent by no stretch of imagination. I refer you to the excellent comment by Socrates that defines the word Libertarian brilliantly.
2
@James Lee
Our minds are so alike that I need not even post a comment as long as you do.
My just-now comment is a pale shadow of yours, but the thoughts are the same.
(We could save time and trouble if you commented only on MWF and Sundays, and I commented on the remaining days. Another oddity: I lived in the Metroplex for decades, but we passed like ships in the night. It's unusual for Texans to think like you and me.)
2
Medicare for All would take over the insurance function, not the provision of care, Bret. And it could be compatible with private insurance, if that is a political necessity. It could mean that all could buy in if they wanted. (The Dems need to open the discussion beyond Bernie's version). BTW since I became old enough for Medicare, my premiums have dropped enormously. Especially as I am a solo consultant having to use affinity insurance to avoid being wiped out by medical costs. I am grateful to Lyndon Johnson for this precious benefit.
178
@Nancy Brockway -- The United States spends huge amounts of money on health care. But it is only in comparison to other countries that the magnitude of healthcare spending becomes clear. Because the U.S. healthcare system is designed for private profit rather than public health, the U.S. spends an extra $1.15 trillion per year beyond what it would otherwise. Families are dealing with high premium costs and a $5,000 annual deductible! That's not healthcare! Only in the USA do you find 600,000 families per year going bankrupt due to unpaid medical expenses (and the majority HAD INSURANCE at the time of their injury or illness -- most were shoved onto public programs like Medicaid, once they were sucked dry!) Unless we want to make substantial cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and VA Health, our lawmakers better start addressing the biggest issues of health care: The unchecked insurance corporations and the unchecked costs of prescription drugs! We should be paying the doctors, nurses, and hospitals instead of paying $100 million to CEO's and generating profits for the 1% investments crowd. (R) President George W. Bush added to the problem when he saw people (many elderly) crossing into Canada to get less expensive prescription drugs made by our US corporations. He came up with Plan D drug program that directly subsidizes the price of drugs here in the USA and in exchange agreed to have no ability to negotiate the prices.
6
@Nancy Brockway
On Harris’s web site, it says she supports Medicare for All, NOT a public option such as Buttigieg’s “Medicare for all who want it.” I think Harris has said that with Medicare for All, people can buy SUPPLEMENTAL private insurance, but not as a primary source of coverage. Could have misheard her,I guess.
https://kamalaharris.org/issue/health-care/
2
“I was reluctantly convinced by the conservatives on the court that the judiciary has no business drawing districts instead of politicians. I think this was a case of the court saying, “physician, heal thyself.‘“
Once again Bret offers up a straw man. He appears to overlook the fact that if this is a country of laws, the politicians need to follow them. If politicians are not held accountable for violating laws, laws will be broken. And it is the responsibility of the courts to hold the politicians accountable. Ideally courts aren’t drawing any districts, they are simply acting as referees to insure the politicians who do draw the districts aren’t cheating.
113
@D. Smith
Exactly. The court's role is to establish the criteria necessary for constitutional districting. The state legislatures then have to do the actual mapping consistent with that criteria. This is hardly new or non-justiciable. The conservatives on the Court simply took the easy way out to get what they wanted for the Republican party.
4
The Republicans have figured out they are in the driver’s seat as long as they control the senate and the courts. Presidential buffoonery is of little or no concern to them. It’s critically important, therefore, that the Democrats make every effort to turn the Senate and ditch Mitch. It may not happen in 2020, but there needs to be a political investment in the long game.
Also, those who are not Trump supporters need to get past the idea that there are Democratic nominees who they cannot support “in good conscience.” My sense of Bret’s position is that he wants to remake the Democrats in his own conservative image. It’s understandable, but that kind of thinking is best left for sunnier times. The county’s soul is threatened. It’s not the moment to be demanding that candidates meet some abstract, ideologically pure profile to get your vote. And really, why worry excessively about what kind of universal healthcare or college debt subsidy each candidate prefers? None of them can transform the country by fiat. I fear if we don’t make a fairly sharp turn to the left, we’ll end up on the same well worn path to the same old apathetic place. That’s what brought us here.
213
@Richard Frank
Be careful where you are swinging that cat, Richard. I'm as liberal as they come and there are democratic candidates I would really struggle to vote for. Because I think they are a bad choice and not capable of managing the job, and after 4 years we will be right back to someone like Trump...
No one ever talks about that piece of the equation.
4
@Richard Frank Trump is an abomination that no one in their right mind could think would be president of the USA. However, the republicans have let him have full rein in order to push their partisan agendas through and stack the courts. The evangelicals say he is a saint!
We have got to ditch Mitch and get the senate back. They've already showed us that they have no integrity, no decency, no soul. We need to vote for a president who will serve the people of our country, but we need the senate as well. We can do both and we must.
3
"I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical"
-Thomas Jefferson
Jefferson was on to something with that quote from so many years ago. It's time to shake things up, and we have some excellent candidates who can do just that, and it's not Joe Biden. I have the greatest respect for Mr. Biden, but it's time to move on.
Elizabeth Warren, Pete Buttigieg, Kamala Harris, Cory Booker and others are the future. And we desperately need them now.
128
@cherrylog754
Ummm…Those "rebellious" candidates are LARP'ers.
Just look at who's paying them.
You need to look for the authenticity of rebelliousness. Those cats aren't it.
1
@cherrylog754 , yes to any you name but Harris. Look up her acts of cruelty to the poor and minorities as a DA and AG in California for one bucket of cold water on that.
2
The debates may not have electrified you,Bret, but every person made more sense than the self centered gibberish emanating from the White House.These candidates could speak in sentences and their remarks were tethered to reality.They have a while to go to hone their messages and their skill in delivering them.Incidentally, John Roberts is not the new Anthony Kennedy-John Roberts did not vote for marriage equality as Anthony Kennedy did-Kennedy was the deciding vote on a landmark decision.Gail, I agree that Trump’s appropriation of the 4th of July is unspeakably crude and disrespects our country.He has delusions of grandeur as he travels the world chatting up dictators and murderous authoritarians and then comes back home and insists that he should be the center of patriotism.Trump is not patriotic and does not represent our country’s democratic values.
293
@JANET MICHAEL
Well said. But the obscenity that trump is making of our national holiday has support from a lot of people who think that bullying is strength and admiration for murderers is just fine. I expect violence in DC this weekend as the opposing aggressive forces show up due to trump's divisive posturing.
Bret is bothered that Bernie's efforts have emboldened and awakened the Democratic wing of the Democratic Party? That somehow does not surprise me and encourages me.
Biden! 2020 is Jeb! 2016. I think in the past there was even a Lamar! from Tennessee. November 2020 is a long way off and the schedule for primaries could well produce a result that blows the minds of the political class. California has moved up to become relevant and nobody really cares about South Carolina- despite all the endless punditry concerning it. It is possible with a compressed schedule that there might actually be a brokered convention.
That could be a very good thing.
3
Weird that Obama who chose Biden as his VP didn't say a word after Kamala Harris attacked him. If a Black president chose him as his VP what does that say about Obama? If the Democrats don't take the Senate it won't matter who's president. The Media has a lot to blame. Why haven't we heard more about the other candidates? Delaney? The Media loves the circus and Trump is the biggest clown.
40
@getGar
Notable that the corporate media giant that brought us Trump (Apprentice) also got to entertain us with the first 'debates' of the 2020 advertising season.
2
@getGar It is standard procedure for former presidents to stay out of primary races, especially this early on in the process. (Obviously Bill Clinton supporting Hillary’s candidacy was an exception to that rule, but that’s self-explanatory).
5
Only weird if you think a president should insert himself into someone else’s campaign.
The notion that legislators will vote to end gerrymandering is a fantasy enjoyed by some mandarins in black robes and process queens who fancy themselves to be intellectuals. In the real world those holding more power than they are entitled to do not relinquish it willingly.
As for third-party voting, the next president will be Trump or one of the Democrats. If you are too pure to vote for the Democrat then you are endorsing all the horrible things that have happened over the last two and a half years. It's really that simple.
197
@kjb Some states have put the creation of districts into more independent commission hands. It just takes a party in control to give up power in legislation to go forward - and right now gerrymandering is a worry because Republicans have a lot of state legislators but that hasn't always been the case, and the Democrats in power haven't move away from it either. It is a perk of being in power.
It has been happening since 1812 - with the first salamander shaped district - it is nothing new - just the tools used now are more sophisticated.
3
@kjb We need to make a campaign (or a bumper sticker?) out of your last point.
3
luv,
“Process queens”? What does that even mean? In any case, you’re wrong; individual states have been making big strides, including purple and red states:
https://www.brennancenter.org/analysis/citizen-and-legislative-efforts-reform-redistricting-in-2019
https://www.brennancenter.org/analysis/current-citizen-efforts-reform-redistricting
1
The solution for an out of control SCOTUS is impeachment and removal from office for the lead author of an opinion that is anti-constitutional. There have been a small handful of times when anti-constitutional decisions have been handed down that have caused significant harm to the country like Dred Scott, Citizens United, and McDonald v. Chicago. These and some others were not simple outliers, they were draconian inversions of the constitution. In such situations, their authors should be removed to set a needed precedent.
7
Maybe none of the Democratic candidates will prove electable. And Democrats can't seem to get rid of Trump.
Putin jokes about interfering in our elections and torturing journalists. Kim Jong-un will never give up his nuclear weapons and imprisons, tortures and starves his people. These are Trump's buddies. We might as well include the dictators in Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the Philippines, Syria and Brazil as well.
Maybe our goose is finally cooked?
Happy Fourth! Will Putin treat us to his usual Bear nuclear bomber flyby near the Alaska coast? It would be truly heartwarming if Trump can manage to coordinate it with US tanks roaming the streets in Washington.
There's nothing like a show of international cooperation to celebrate the nation's birthday.
40
Trump was arguably the worst major party presidential candidate in American history, and the Democrats lost to him. And he is without question by far the worst president in American history, and it looks all too likely that the Democrats are going to lose to Trump - again.
30
Unfortunately, those are winning arguments.
In this new technology age, can't we just clone Lincoln and FDR and let them run against each other every four years?
25
I believe that Sen. Harris did to Joe Biden what Chris Christie did to Sen. Rubio in the last cycle: she made Biden's deficit apparent to many. Christie knocked Rubio out of contention but did nothing for his own campaign. In the case of Sen. Harris, who in on a roll, she may have received a boost but there is a year to go before the convention.
32
@Arthur
And I can tell you out here in the middle of the country what she did was not very well received. I've heard more than one person say they wouldn't vote for her. And these people are not necessarily Biden supporters.
1