In my previous blog (https://robbase2110-ezel.blogspot.com/2019/06/preview-of-first-democratic-primary.html) I provided a brief analysis of the 10 candidates participating in night one of the first Democratic primary debate (June 26 and 27) in Miami.
Now, I will go over the 10 candidates who will appear in the second night. This second group has substantially more name recognition and relevant candidates than the first group.
As in the previous blog I will list in ascending order based upon personal preference, policy and realistic chances of winning. (Note: These three qualities will not have equal weight necessarily as you'll see.)
So, let's get this ish started shall we.
10. Gov. John Lickenhooper- The former governor of Colorado entered the race a few months ago. And, I am still wondering why. He is not a household name. I mean I am a political junkie and I tangentially know who he is. But, what I do know is not impressive. His politics are guised as liberal but he's really more a centrist. He has ties to the corporatist wing of the Democratic Party. A notable moment for Hickenlooper was a Morning Joe appearance awhile back when he had difficulty saying whether he's a capitalist or not. (He is.) The moment was funny, awkward and a bit cringy. It does seem apparent he knows he has no shot at the nomination. So, in recent weeks he has moved into the lane of protecting Joe Biden while attacking Bernie Sanders and more broadly progressive ideals.
9. Micheal Bennett- Like Hickenlooper Sen. Bennett is from Colorado. Look, I don't have much to say about this dude. He is a prototypical milquetoast neoliberal. He is even less known than Hickenlooper. The only reason he's ahead of Hickenlooper is because back during the government shutdown he hilariously clapbacked and dragged Ted Cruz. And, he did it on the Senate floor. I give him credit for calling out Cruz for the hypocrite and shitty human being he is instead of doing mealy mouth political speak. But, this dude has a razor thin better chance than me of winning the nomination.
8. Eric Swalwell- The Congressman from California is young (37 years old) but does have significant name recognition. He has made numerous appearances on MSNBC and Fox News. He is a member of the House Intelligence Committee, and is known for being one of the biggest proponents of the Mueller investigation. He is a vociferous critic of the President. His politics are mostly liberal. However, his substantial corporatist ties are troubling. Even more troubling he is a member of the "reach across the aisle" delusional sect who mind-bogglingly believe Republicans are really interested in bipartisanship. They just need the right person to extend the olive branch. Totally naive...or effin stupid.
7. Joe Biden-Whaaaaat? Biden is seventh? Yeah, and the only reason he is not lower is because he is the former vice president and is currently leading the polls. I set these rankings last week before Biden decided to repeatedly deepthroat himself with his own foot. I am trying to keep these analyses brief, but Joe Biden is a hot mess! Look, I don't think Biden is a racist or even a bigot. I almost wanna say it's ridiculous to suggest he is. However, Biden is out of touch. He's one of the white liberals MLK warned us all about and my mama personally warned me about. He believes racism is wrong but understands why some white folks don't like the coloreds. That is problematic. And, if it needs to be explained why this country really is in trouble. Biden working with virulent racists in Congress isn't as bothersome as the fact he seems quite tone deaf to racial issues. (Much like he is to boundary issues with women.) Also, let's keep it real here. His politics are corporatist and always has been. His delusion that once Trump is gone the Republicans' "fever will break" is, if I am being kind, naive and idiotic. But, this inane fantastical horseshit is emblematic of his broader issues. He is out of touch with the Democratic base and reality. Seriously, Biden deserves an entire lengthy blog. For now let's just break this shit down to the barebones. He cannot be the nominee, but if he is, of course I will vote for him over Mango Unchained!
6. Pete Buttigieg- Ah, Mayor Pete. I like Mayor Pete, but he has some serious flaws. He is way too centrist. The issues with the South Bend police force and the firing of its first African-American police chief is to say the least troubling. Also worrisome is while his policies unquestionably brought a thriving economy to South Bend it seemed to have left behind its more marginalized citizens. But, some people seem to be more enthralled with the fact he speaks multiple languages and is quite cultured. I get it. He is an impressive guy. Speaking multiple languages is intriguing. Especially when the current president can't even speak one. However, his politics aren't progressive despite his claims they are.
5. Kirsten Gillibrand- The Senator from New York is pretty milquetoast. Sure, she is better than the other senator from New York, Chuck Schumer, but that is not exactly a high bar. She has some good policy on immigration. She supports Medicare For All. But, her ties to Wall Street are disqualifying. And, frankly I find her boring. A substandard policy set and being boring is not a good combo. That said, she is head and shoulders better than the five candidates below her.
4. Kamala Harris-Let me state up front. I have a huge crush on the Senator from California. Just keeping it 100. And, I struggled with whether I should place her fourth or third. My crush aside I have some concerns regarding Sen. Harris. Her record as San Francisco district attorney and California attorney general is beyond bothersome. Her truancy policy of jailing parents is draconian. She had a shitty record regarding nonviolent drug offenders. Her attempts to keep inmates incarcerated longer because the state was using inmates as free labor is abhorrent. It's often said during her time in the Senate she has the most progressive record of any Democratic senator. That is objectively true. She has legislated considerably more progressive than she ran the San Francisco District Attorney's office or the California Attorney General's office. I believe she is the most intriguing candidate in the field. And, there is certainly a particular petty joy I would receive from her being able to unseat Trump. But, her ties to Wall Street along with her prosecutorial record gives me significant pause.
3. Andrew Yang- Yang is a candidate who deserves his own full length blog. He is a venture capitalist who has caused some waves in the primary field. His signature policy is UBI (universal basic income). Basically, Yang says every American will receive $1000 a month with the ability to opt out. UBI is something that has been kicked around for decades. In principal I like the idea because it would give those struggling the most extra income that theoretically could get them back on track and supplement low wage earners. The problem with Yang's UBI is that he would get rid of the social safety nets. That is unacceptable and untenable. Another troubling issue with Yang is he does seem to be an apologist for the billionaires who have a hand in the current wealth gap that exists in this country. Yang has also been a source of controversy because he's seems to be liked by some alt-righters. Now, I don't believe Yang is a racist or a Neo-Nazi sympathizer. However, whether intentional or unintentional, he does appear to dog whistle to the alt-right with tweets about declining white birth rates and lamenting the ignoring of the "working class" in favor of others. All that being said Yang does have progressive policies about criminal justice reform and immigration. He is ostensibly on the correct side of the culture war issues. He is for Medicare For All. He is a noninterventionist. As I eluded to earlier I struggled with whether Yang or Harris should be in the third slot. I settled on Yang because while I do have some reservations he is more aligned with my politics than Kamala. And, he has a strong loyal base and the debate could provide him a real possibility to expand his support.
2. Marianne Williamson- I absolutely love Marianne Williamson! She doesn't have a chance in hell of winning, but I love her nonetheless. If she can't win, why is she number two you are likely asking. Because she is clearly the second most progressive candidate in the entire field (not just this group of 10). If you don't know who Marianne is read up on her. She is a motivational speaker/help guru who has written multiple best selling books. Normally, I would have no interest in someone like her. But, I watched numerous full length interviews she had and I came away deeply impressed. She is a bit too cheerful and ra-ra. However, her political instincts are great and her policies are awesome. She is for Medicare For All, criminal justice reform, marijuana legalization and the Green New Deal. She understands what must be done about income inequality and racial inequality. She is someone who truly believes in inclusion. She is noninterventionist. She has a sincerity in helping the poor and the marginalized communities. To some she'll come across as a "flower child", but she is actually quite an intelligent articulate thoughtful substantive candidate. Again, she has zero chance of winning the nomination but in a setup like this debate she could easily win the night.
1. Bernie Sanders-Do I really have to explain why Bernard is number one? He is the clear frontrunner if you are a dye in the wool Progressive. He is now and has been for decades the leader on progressive issues. He's labeled a socialist but is a Democratic Socialist. There is a difference and if you care about nuance and fact you know it. I love Warren and Williamson but Bernie is the clear choice.
The debates are this Wednesday and Thursday nights (June 26 and 27) on MSNBC, NBC and Telemundo. I implore you to watch despite some of it likely being a shitshow.
Now, I will go over the 10 candidates who will appear in the second night. This second group has substantially more name recognition and relevant candidates than the first group.
As in the previous blog I will list in ascending order based upon personal preference, policy and realistic chances of winning. (Note: These three qualities will not have equal weight necessarily as you'll see.)
So, let's get this ish started shall we.
10. Gov. John Lickenhooper- The former governor of Colorado entered the race a few months ago. And, I am still wondering why. He is not a household name. I mean I am a political junkie and I tangentially know who he is. But, what I do know is not impressive. His politics are guised as liberal but he's really more a centrist. He has ties to the corporatist wing of the Democratic Party. A notable moment for Hickenlooper was a Morning Joe appearance awhile back when he had difficulty saying whether he's a capitalist or not. (He is.) The moment was funny, awkward and a bit cringy. It does seem apparent he knows he has no shot at the nomination. So, in recent weeks he has moved into the lane of protecting Joe Biden while attacking Bernie Sanders and more broadly progressive ideals.
9. Micheal Bennett- Like Hickenlooper Sen. Bennett is from Colorado. Look, I don't have much to say about this dude. He is a prototypical milquetoast neoliberal. He is even less known than Hickenlooper. The only reason he's ahead of Hickenlooper is because back during the government shutdown he hilariously clapbacked and dragged Ted Cruz. And, he did it on the Senate floor. I give him credit for calling out Cruz for the hypocrite and shitty human being he is instead of doing mealy mouth political speak. But, this dude has a razor thin better chance than me of winning the nomination.
8. Eric Swalwell- The Congressman from California is young (37 years old) but does have significant name recognition. He has made numerous appearances on MSNBC and Fox News. He is a member of the House Intelligence Committee, and is known for being one of the biggest proponents of the Mueller investigation. He is a vociferous critic of the President. His politics are mostly liberal. However, his substantial corporatist ties are troubling. Even more troubling he is a member of the "reach across the aisle" delusional sect who mind-bogglingly believe Republicans are really interested in bipartisanship. They just need the right person to extend the olive branch. Totally naive...or effin stupid.
7. Joe Biden-Whaaaaat? Biden is seventh? Yeah, and the only reason he is not lower is because he is the former vice president and is currently leading the polls. I set these rankings last week before Biden decided to repeatedly deepthroat himself with his own foot. I am trying to keep these analyses brief, but Joe Biden is a hot mess! Look, I don't think Biden is a racist or even a bigot. I almost wanna say it's ridiculous to suggest he is. However, Biden is out of touch. He's one of the white liberals MLK warned us all about and my mama personally warned me about. He believes racism is wrong but understands why some white folks don't like the coloreds. That is problematic. And, if it needs to be explained why this country really is in trouble. Biden working with virulent racists in Congress isn't as bothersome as the fact he seems quite tone deaf to racial issues. (Much like he is to boundary issues with women.) Also, let's keep it real here. His politics are corporatist and always has been. His delusion that once Trump is gone the Republicans' "fever will break" is, if I am being kind, naive and idiotic. But, this inane fantastical horseshit is emblematic of his broader issues. He is out of touch with the Democratic base and reality. Seriously, Biden deserves an entire lengthy blog. For now let's just break this shit down to the barebones. He cannot be the nominee, but if he is, of course I will vote for him over Mango Unchained!
6. Pete Buttigieg- Ah, Mayor Pete. I like Mayor Pete, but he has some serious flaws. He is way too centrist. The issues with the South Bend police force and the firing of its first African-American police chief is to say the least troubling. Also worrisome is while his policies unquestionably brought a thriving economy to South Bend it seemed to have left behind its more marginalized citizens. But, some people seem to be more enthralled with the fact he speaks multiple languages and is quite cultured. I get it. He is an impressive guy. Speaking multiple languages is intriguing. Especially when the current president can't even speak one. However, his politics aren't progressive despite his claims they are.
5. Kirsten Gillibrand- The Senator from New York is pretty milquetoast. Sure, she is better than the other senator from New York, Chuck Schumer, but that is not exactly a high bar. She has some good policy on immigration. She supports Medicare For All. But, her ties to Wall Street are disqualifying. And, frankly I find her boring. A substandard policy set and being boring is not a good combo. That said, she is head and shoulders better than the five candidates below her.
4. Kamala Harris-Let me state up front. I have a huge crush on the Senator from California. Just keeping it 100. And, I struggled with whether I should place her fourth or third. My crush aside I have some concerns regarding Sen. Harris. Her record as San Francisco district attorney and California attorney general is beyond bothersome. Her truancy policy of jailing parents is draconian. She had a shitty record regarding nonviolent drug offenders. Her attempts to keep inmates incarcerated longer because the state was using inmates as free labor is abhorrent. It's often said during her time in the Senate she has the most progressive record of any Democratic senator. That is objectively true. She has legislated considerably more progressive than she ran the San Francisco District Attorney's office or the California Attorney General's office. I believe she is the most intriguing candidate in the field. And, there is certainly a particular petty joy I would receive from her being able to unseat Trump. But, her ties to Wall Street along with her prosecutorial record gives me significant pause.
3. Andrew Yang- Yang is a candidate who deserves his own full length blog. He is a venture capitalist who has caused some waves in the primary field. His signature policy is UBI (universal basic income). Basically, Yang says every American will receive $1000 a month with the ability to opt out. UBI is something that has been kicked around for decades. In principal I like the idea because it would give those struggling the most extra income that theoretically could get them back on track and supplement low wage earners. The problem with Yang's UBI is that he would get rid of the social safety nets. That is unacceptable and untenable. Another troubling issue with Yang is he does seem to be an apologist for the billionaires who have a hand in the current wealth gap that exists in this country. Yang has also been a source of controversy because he's seems to be liked by some alt-righters. Now, I don't believe Yang is a racist or a Neo-Nazi sympathizer. However, whether intentional or unintentional, he does appear to dog whistle to the alt-right with tweets about declining white birth rates and lamenting the ignoring of the "working class" in favor of others. All that being said Yang does have progressive policies about criminal justice reform and immigration. He is ostensibly on the correct side of the culture war issues. He is for Medicare For All. He is a noninterventionist. As I eluded to earlier I struggled with whether Yang or Harris should be in the third slot. I settled on Yang because while I do have some reservations he is more aligned with my politics than Kamala. And, he has a strong loyal base and the debate could provide him a real possibility to expand his support.
2. Marianne Williamson- I absolutely love Marianne Williamson! She doesn't have a chance in hell of winning, but I love her nonetheless. If she can't win, why is she number two you are likely asking. Because she is clearly the second most progressive candidate in the entire field (not just this group of 10). If you don't know who Marianne is read up on her. She is a motivational speaker/help guru who has written multiple best selling books. Normally, I would have no interest in someone like her. But, I watched numerous full length interviews she had and I came away deeply impressed. She is a bit too cheerful and ra-ra. However, her political instincts are great and her policies are awesome. She is for Medicare For All, criminal justice reform, marijuana legalization and the Green New Deal. She understands what must be done about income inequality and racial inequality. She is someone who truly believes in inclusion. She is noninterventionist. She has a sincerity in helping the poor and the marginalized communities. To some she'll come across as a "flower child", but she is actually quite an intelligent articulate thoughtful substantive candidate. Again, she has zero chance of winning the nomination but in a setup like this debate she could easily win the night.
1. Bernie Sanders-Do I really have to explain why Bernard is number one? He is the clear frontrunner if you are a dye in the wool Progressive. He is now and has been for decades the leader on progressive issues. He's labeled a socialist but is a Democratic Socialist. There is a difference and if you care about nuance and fact you know it. I love Warren and Williamson but Bernie is the clear choice.
The debates are this Wednesday and Thursday nights (June 26 and 27) on MSNBC, NBC and Telemundo. I implore you to watch despite some of it likely being a shitshow.
