Democratic Primaries
In reply to the discussion: We're not voting for Bernie [View all]Martin Eden
(12,906 posts)I voted for Bernie in the 2016 primary and I give him credit for making progressive policies more mainstream in the Democratic Party, but I have two enormous concerns with him in 2020:
I think he is among the least likely candidates to win the general election. Beating Trump is of paramount importance.
Even if elected, I sincerely doubt his sweeping policies would be enacted into law. Keeping the House and winning back the Senate are absolutely necessary to implement any major policy change, and I'm not convinced Bernie helps in down ticket races. Even with Democratic majorities in both houses, there are too many moderate D's in purple districts unwilling to take a chance on what will be widely perceived as a radical socialist agenda.
The election of Bernie Sanders and the enactment of a Green New Deal require a much deeper and wider political revolution than I think exists in America at this time. Bernie has operated outside of the Democratic Party during his political career because he hasn't been a good fit inside it.
Lacking deep and wide support inside the Democratic Party establishment and being unpopular among D's in Congress does not bode well for an effective presidency. At his age Bernie would be a one term president, and the same goes for Biden & Bloomberg.
Keeping the White House and Congress in the 2024 election very much depends on success and widespread acceptance of the the presidential administration taking office in January 2021.
I think success requires a Democratic president with strong support from within the party, which rules out Sanders and Bloomberg.
I want a progressive agenda for our country, but in the real world of Washington politics I think making Bernie Sanders the Democratic nominee for president would be counterproductive to actually accomplishing our policy goals.
All of our candidates are proposing solutions that would take us towards health coverage for all Americans, affordable education, environmental sustainability, and progress on a host of other issues -- but passing actual legislation requires winning the election and having broad support in Congress.
I like Bernie Sanders. I believe his heart is in the right place, and I understand why he and his policy agenda have captured the hearts of those who very much want him to be president.
Sadly, I think making him the nominee of the Democratic Party is more likely to result in disaster than enactment of progressive policies.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden