Heshouldnotrun.org

I liked his Bobby Kennedy tribute.

 

We're still early... he hasn't officially announced a run, so he doesn't have a webpage where he declares his positions. Some people seem to like politicians with political positions like a rock. But I honestly think they should listen to their constituents and evolve their stance on the issues, that don't conflict with their core stated principles.

Anyway, he has a pretty long history of voting record and statement of positions from his time as Senator and VP. He did pull Obama towards gay marriage.

Joe Biden on the Issues

I think when people say they prefer him on policy, they're saying they're looking for a centrist.

 

It's not about his policy so much as it is his appeal to middle of the road voters.
Like I said, I like Bernie, but the most important thing to me is to get trump out of office.
Mention the word socialist to people in the south or midwest, and they say "no thanks"(because they have never educated themselves about socialism).
If Biden doesn't run, Bernie, or Beto would be my next choices.

 

So I guess my thinking is -

Yes, Joe Biden is polling better than anyone else right now. But if he hasnt revealed any in depth policy yet, isnt it a little too early to take polling seriously?

I cant really get on board in the first place with voting for someone just because you think they have the best chance of winning. The presidential race isnt a bet. People's livelihoods are at stake. People should be voting for the person who is most likely to effect positive change in their lives. If everyone voted because of policy, candidates who arent polling as well as Joe Biden might actually poll better.

But thats neither here nor there, people will do what they want to do and the simple fact of the matter is a lot of americans arent well informed enough to pick candidates based on policy anyways.
But even if I was to disregard policy and enter the bet, my bet is still on Bernie.
Here's the thing. We can safely assume the votes that went to Hillary in the last primary will go to Joe Biden this time. And Hillary wiped the floor in southern and midwestern states, sure. But these states simply dont matter in a general because they're going to go to Trump. Swing states are what matters. Bernie scored some victories in swing states last primary season and he has the potential to flip states that went to Trump in the last election. They're unlikely to flip to a centrist because a centrist lost those states in the last election. Remember, it isnt about who polls best. Hillary polled best, against Bernie and against Trump, and Hillary also won the popular vote. Yet she lost the general. I dont think we can really expect wildly different results from another centrist.

But either way i'm a little weary of people already declaring Joe Biden as the Democrats only hope or worse, that Trump is a shoe in. Lets let the Democratic candidates hold a debate first before we start speaking in absolutes, at least

 

voting for the candidate with the most attractive policies is a futile act if that person is unlikely to get elected. Of course, just getting elected doesn't mean anything if the candidate's policies are unappealing. So there has to be balance and trade offs, which is usually the case in the real word. I personally don't ask much of politicians--mainly that they won't make things worse than they are already. I'm a "least of evils" voter. Hillary wasn't simply "a centrist". She was despised and reviled as a hated monster by lots of folks who saw Bernie and Trump as preferable because they weren't Hillary and didn't expect Bernie to win anyway. Not everybody sees the political world in terms of alternative policies. I don't, because the candidates often forget their policies after they're elected or are unable to get them through Congress. Character, honesty, and experience are things I value more. Bush '41 had them. McCain had them. I think Bernie has them too, but I'm skeptical that a Jewish atheist Socialist born in New York and representing a New England state can win enough of those battleground states against Trump. I love surprises, and was pleasantly surprised when Obama, an African-American neophyte running on the slogan "change" won and actually turned out to be, in my opinion, one of the better Presidents in memory. I believe in miracles. As for Biden, I like his experience, I think he's basically honest for a politician, and his Catholic, Pennsylvania. labor ties position him to make inroads in battleground states. He has a big heart and he's a decent man who had the class to call Pence that, even though purists in the party thought he should be disqualified for that. On the other hand. I've never cared much for him, and he impresses me as something of a buffoon--but in comparison to Trump, he's a genius. Certainly, the debates should give us lots more information, but of the candidates in the race so far, Biden is the one who may have the best chance; and if he picks a female running mate and promises to be a one-term President, as I think he must, she'll be in line to be our first female president after the 2024 election.

 

It's so mind-boggling when someone says they won't support a candidate based on policy because they don't think they have a chance at winning. Why don't they have a chance? Could it be because you won't support them? "I'm going to support whoever can win. I.e. Whoever has support." It's just such fucking circular logic.

 

I agree with that last sentence. But:

How so?

Wasn't it the Democrat party that rendered him out of the race?

 

double post

 

Bernie had to succumb to the Clinton machine in the end. Now some people are like, "What the fuck Bernie, you should have kept on fighting." And if he had, then all they'd say is that he's a sore loser who cost Hillary the election. I think he was smart about it, even though at the time I wanted him to keep going.

 

It's really not that complicated. Policies are relevant only if the candidate is in a position to implement them--i.e., wins. I've given my reasons for being skeptical about Bernie's chances of doing that, and optimistic about Joe's--subject to change on the basis of future evidence. The most important consideration in the 2020 election is to prevent another term for Trump, which I think could be devastating for all of us. We're fortunate to have (almost) survived one term; two would be pressing our luck. No policy I can think of is worth risking another round of Trump.

 

Look at it this way, vote for whoever you think will do a better job at governing your country.
I can see who clementine ford would be voting for...

FYI, Clementine ford is a feminist and is known to cop it sweet from many people on social media.

 

Yes, you won't support Bernie because you don't think he can win. That's what I've garnered from what you are saying. But the thing is...you need support to win. I don't get you. I don't get why you don't just support whoever's policy you're really excited about. Instead you just vote for whoever you think can win. But that's a self-fulfilling prophecy.

I honestly don't think Trump has been that catastrophic. The worst of Trump is what he inspires in others. And part of that is just backlash against the left, and all of this brainwashing people undergo to be "anti-socialist" (even though no one that I know of on the left actually is a socialist.) Trump is very immature, and that exacerbates politics which were already very immature. But people like to fight and argue and bitch, and I wish they wouldn't pretend as if they don't.

There's no denying that a big part of what people vote for is entertainment value anymore. That's just what the televised era and the internet have bestowed upon us. I even think the people who claim to be staunchly against Trump actually enjoy the immaturity of the fight. I think they get off on it. Some people voted for Trump in 2016 just because they thought it was a funny, clever thing to do. And depending on how the Democrats play their cards this time around, it will work out the same way in 2020. Too much centrism and Trump will just seem over-the-top again, which people LOVE.

That's why I think Trump's worst nightmare is Bernie Sanders, because he can compete with the entertainment/shock value by offering up something equally as gratifying, which is his policy. People would just as soon be making $15 an hour and having tuition free college, in other words, as watching the Trump shitshow for laughs. I think we're currently overestimating just how adept the media was at making a fool of Trump, and underestimating just how important the entertainment factor of the whole thing is.

 

Perhaps unfortunately, but I think a big factor in this race is going to be whether Biden is hip enough or not. Old timey squares aren't the majority anymore. And judging from Biden's way with women, he doesn't really "get it." But maybe I'm wrong and Americans just want a strong leader. I don't really think so, given that Trump is president.

 

It all remains rather hopeless and pathetic with these 2 parties in charge anyway.
I hate to say it but I fully understand why a lot of Americans lost faith in democracy, and national politics altogether (and not just because of Trump but because of your flawed system and the clearly everlasting status quo between those 2 biggest parties). You live in a beautiful country but democracy wise and where it comes to national politics I feel very very lucky to live in the Netherlands.

 

Do you think Trump is a "strong" leader? I think he's a weak, mercurial, mentally unstable blowhard, which is what makes him so scary. Biden is very different. Strong leader isn't a label I'd apply to him either, but he's not an evil, demented, corrupt man, which is what we nave now in the Oval Office. For documentation, see pp. 1-619 of the Trump Scorecard thread.

 

I'm honestly just concerned that someone with extremely liberal policies would increase my tax burden.

 

I think he fits the stereotype of a strong leader well enough: he's unreasonable and pig-headed. People just want these guys who will be jerks and bullies...like that's going to help them on the world stage or something. Most of the rest of the world has progressed, though. I just wish America could progress along with it. That's what really saddens me. I see all this potential for America to stop "leading the world" and just be one of the gang. When I think of what a great friend America could be instead of this authoritarian figure, it just makes me sad that we don't have someone like Bernie Sanders running the country.

I suppose Joe wouldn't be all that bad in that regard, either, but I still think he would be too much about flexing America's muscle. I don't really want that. I think we need to humble ourselves quite a bit. It's already got us in a fix, I think.

I don't know too much about taxes. I just don't feel all that burdened by them. I have a hard time imagining the guy who is really upset over his taxes, but I suppose it happens. I hardly make any money as it is, but I get by. Maybe I just don't ask for all that much.

 

I'd venture to guess that Biden's policy is similar to Obama's

I agree, but why did people vote for trump?
Which trump policy effected positive change in the lives of most americans?

 

I'm not sure I understand your point, are you suggesting democrats should strive to be more like Trump voters? Lol

But to answer the question, some voted for his cult of personality but some did indeed vote for his policies. His immigration policies, trade policies, economic policies.