I am an independent voter. I do not vote for a party, or a platform, or an ideology. I vote for the person. When I look at the three front-runners in the Democratic Party, I have serious concerns. Then I saw this Huffington Post article, and it looks like Obama has the same concerns:
Though Obama did not mention anyone by name, the message delivered before a room of Democratic donors in Washington was a clear word of caution about the candidacies of Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders. The two have called for massive structural changes — and in Sanders’ case “revolution” — that would dramatically alter the role of government in people’s lives.
The bottom line of the message by Obama is that we need candidates who are in the “middle of the road” ideologically to be electable, otherwise the incumbent wins. Here are my concerns about the three front-runners:
Biden: He is too bumbling. He makes too many gaffes. He is not a very good speaker. (Of course, Trump can’t put a sentence together if his life depends on it, so that may not be a big problem). He would be, by far, the oldest president ever, which raises all kinds of health and senility concerns, so his vice presidential pick will be more important than ever.
Sanders: I love the man’s enthusiasm, energy and spunk. I wanted him to win in 2016 and voted for him in the primaries. But he has to stop talking about revolutions. Nobody wants revolutions. People want stability. He has to get better economic advisers, because a $15/hour minimum wage across the country is a ludicrous idea. It will not work, and it will destroy many of the service sectors which are so vital to our economy that is depending on an ever larger service sector. You have probably figured it out by now, but I am not in favor of the minimum wage craze the Democrats promote. But that’s fodder for another blog post entirely – to come soon.
Warren: She is somewhat younger than the other Democrats, but not by much. I like her stature, her energy, and her candor. But her healthcare platform is ridiculous. I have had employer-sponsored healthcare plans all my life, and I like the one I have right now, along with another some 160 million people around the country. So creating a universal health plan for all the people that are not covered for whatever reason is good, but making me abandon my plan so I can sign up for some government-cooked-up-plan is a non-starter. I will not vote for that. Period. And then I have a serious problem with Warren’s (and Sanders’) vilification of rich people and billionaires. It makes no sense to me at all, and yes, that too is fodder for another blog post – to come soon.
Those were the front runners. In a nation of 330 million people, those are the three we come up with to stand against Trump? Those are my choices? There are a few other worthy candidates in the field, but none of them are getting any traction.
Re-elect Trump, this will.
But Norbert — you need to cast your vote for a Dem, if only to help defeat T.
Maybe Buttigieg will surge further forward, looks good. Like him?
Yes. He is smart, articulate, balanced, a veteran, all good. But too green. A small-town mayor. He has a future in this country, but it’s a decade early for him. This has given him national stature to build on, which he will.
I think Warren will back off on the “eliminate private insurance” stand…and there are other ways to state the wealth tax. I will vote for any dem
I think we all will. After experiencing 2016, where 75,000 people in 4 states decided not to vote…..
But it is dangerous to count on Anti-Trump voting for unattractive candidates. It leads to lower voter turnout, as I think you said above. But I wouldn’t vote to put a jackass in the White House in 2016, and I won’t in 2020.
Oh, and very nice post, Norbert. I agree with you across the board–one of those rare times a Midwesterner is in complete agreement with a Californian!
Well, my favorite political philosophy professor: Do you remember the high school talk we had? In the days when Kissinger was Sec State? I remember telling you in my best Kissinger accent that you’d have to become President of the United States, and I’d be your Secretary of State. I told you that you’d be in good hands with a multi-lingual Sec State. I guess we forgot to execute on that. You’re a professor, and I am a tech CEO. What the heck, and the country is going down the tubes of the 21st century dark ages, the flopping 20ies.