agree I just looked at the last 12 months polling which I hadn't before. Warren jumped up and touched Bidens numbers at one point very briefly before falling again. But Biden and Sanders (and now Warren) gap has tracked pretty consistently for a year.

Only thing I can see is Warren and Sanders backers combining if/when one drops out

So did I

Blomberg is in a funny spot. He has reasonably good polling and is spending a crap load of money. But he will never be considered a real candidate if he isn't in the debates. But he can't get into the debates because he refuses to take external funds. The rules for who is in the debates require you to take external funds.

and that was despite every R pointing out that middle name every opportunity they got

as I am fully committed to voting D for the first time in my life, I'm not thrilled about any of the current crop. For D's, legalizing weed at the minimum, psilocybin and lsd a plus, is my #1 with yang's commitment to online poker is a solid #2. All of their huge campaign bullet points are for the most part pipe dreams so I'm trying to look at what could actually get done.

MSM seem to be screwing Sanders and Yang almost as hard as Trump. Tough to watch them hitch their wagons to Biden and god forbid, Warren. Biden may be the only one to have a shot. I think it would be interesting for him to pick a Republican VP mate, but wouldn't that be career suicide for that R?

Not if he wins.

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-----------------------------Baron Von Speedypants
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http://forum.slowtwitch.com/...runtraining;#1612485

i think that would be actually worse. Contributing to them losing the presidency? Am I looking at this wrong?

I seem to recall when I first came here somebody lecturing me that "no way will the party elect a fringe leftist". Well, this is looking like Trump 2.0.

Whose house? Run's house. Whose house? Run's house.

Seriously, all you had to do was put up somebody normal, somebody boring. But the Dems are suffering the same malady as the Republicans. Where the lowest common denominator (inmates) are running the party (asylum). Four more years of Trump and it's all on you. I'll admit, I loved the suffering I saw after Trump won by the left. I was disappointed that a lot of people who threatened to move didn't after 8 years of half of America being attacked by Obama. But it got old quick, and Trump's BS got real old after November 2018. But man, he's going to become useful again after he wins the house and a few seats in the senate because a plurality of the democrats thought nominating Bernie was a good idea.

We used to have a saying that if you can't explain something in a pithy 30 second soundbite, avoid going there. Bernie didn't get that message trying to explain the good things brutal dictators have done. Truth doesn't matter, people hear Charlie Brown's teacher after "not everything Castro did was bad", or "China's policies managed to lift more people out of poverty than any other country". I think the term is naively unqualified for the role, or actually believes authoritarian dictators are good.

The rational democrats got so desperate they begged an authoritarian former Republican to come save the day, but when challenged in front of a live studio audience, he showed that he was a... well that he was an authoritarian dictator with plutocratic roots. Now you can add entitled after he said he's been training to be the president since 9/11.

Man, what a shit show. I supported trump after my preferences were out, I thought he would shake things up. He did, but went too far. While the idea of not voting for him crossed my mind, or even staying home, it was short lived after seeing who the dems are going with.

Help me into some house, Benvolio, Or I shall faint. A plague o' both your houses! They have made worms' meat of me: I have it, And soundly too: your houses!

Not looking too good now, but the fat lady has not sung yet either. The hate and divide of Trump versus the provoke and not persuade of Sanders is not appealing. Regardless of how ugly that campaign fight would be and more importantly regardless of who wins it, more of us will be upset than be happy. A long and bumpy road ahead. Too late for a Bull Moose Teddy Roosevelt candidate to muck it up and throw the election to congress.

Something like 1200+ delegates get awarded on super Tuesday. Bernie is favored in most of those states including CA and TX. You don't think momentum will follow him? When Trump was winning, I kept hearing people say that somebody will stop him, that the convention will be contested. And believe it or not, there was a legit attempt. I kept saying that if that happened, the party is done. Taxpayer funded primaries will be questioned if at the end of the day a bunch of party insiders can overrule the will of the people. I get it, it sucks. But if Bernie has a plurality, he is getting the nomination. You take that away, and the democrat party is done for at least a decade until the children that believe his garbage grow up, and the boomers who never got their 60's revolution die off.

Bernie may singlehandedly destroy the dem party, but the real question is how many states will Trump win if Bernie is the nominee? 48?

How did you miss her sing? She was in great form. America is a center-right-nation. The Donkeys can't pull enough votes from the right to win in 2020 and who is going to vote for a commie besides other commies? Listen, do you hear her now?


"Panning out to the overall American electorate, just 27% of Americans identify as Democrats, according to the most recent Gallup tracking poll, with 30% describing themselves as Republicans and 42% declaring as independents. Likewise, Gallup makes it clear that America remains a center-right nation, with 37% of Americans calling themselves conservative, 35% moderate and just 24% liberal."


https://www.cnn.com/...ump-avlon/index.html

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"The great pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do."

1200 is not 1961, but yes mighty mo is important. Keeping the faith. And I for one would have no problem whatsoever of allowing delegates and super delegates to wrangle over the decision on whom to support.

I would argue that the republican party as well has been killed and replaced with Trump cultism. Bernie the democrat socialist will kill the democratic party as well. If ever there were a winning recipe for a grass roots significant 3rd party to take hold and fill the void left with the death of the old stalwarts it will be a Bernie nomination and then a Trump win. Hopefully we can survive as a country to make it there. As a boomer of the 60's, it pains me to see the current socialist movement be led by an old hippie communist only to hear Trump wail on the evils of socialism all the while handing out checks and pardons to farmers and friends.

Yah, but...

A lot of those "moderates" are really liberals who just don't like the label. (cough, cough, slowman, cough...)

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"100% of the people who confuse correlation and causation end up dying."

I was idealistic at one point too.

Well, liberal or conservative with what exactly?

Conservatives spend crap loads of money too, just on different things. They also love government interference in lives when it suits them. I think the definitions need to be split and some new definitions used.

Just picking one or the other to describe the whole picture just ain't working.

Don't know about you, but hearing does fade with age. See above about it being over when 1961 or so delegates stand firmly committed. For a center right country we sure are lacking in center right leaders or parties for that matter.

How about those 2018 newly gained 41 dem representatives all opt out of the democratic party once Bernie gets his nomination and in a big televised ceremony in unison announce their shift to form the new center right party. They then use their incumbency and skills to win again. Presto, the new 21st century tea party now stands to thwart all measures from the fringes and forge compromises not seen since the Ronnie and Tip.

That would be the dumbest thing they could possibly do. Why would they possibly give up their power for less power? They would have no committee assignments and not have any help bringing legislation to the floor.

Also give up the DNC help fundraising and spending money on their election. So they would also have less money for their campaign.

Basically they gain nothing and lose a bunch. So not a real good idea.

Personally, I like a 2-axis landscape. Authoritarian/Libertarian y-axis and Liberal/Conservative x-axis.

For example, Hawaii would be strongly Libertarian and Liberal -- Live and let live. "hakuna matata".

Whereas, Calilfornia would be strongly Authoritarian and Liberal. They tend to create rules, penalties, and taxes to "enforce" their policies.

Idaho is strongly Libertarian/Conservative; Texas is more Neutral/Conservative.

I think a similar landscape created by replacing the x-axis above with a "Collectivist" vs "Individualist" axis is also useful, particularly when categorizing an individual's political views.

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"100% of the people who confuse correlation and causation end up dying."

More than he should, but no way that much. NY, Il, HI, CA, MA, NJ, MD, DE, OR would definitely have enough people willing to vote for this dude vs staying home and letting Trump win.

Compare to Goldwater and McGovern. Both of their runs did a reset. We can only hope that is the case. Unfortunately, I think we're beyond that. Social media and 24 hour cable news that prods the outrage or provides cover for the outrageous will ensure civility won't be a thing again. It gives the lowest common denominator the bull horn and gives a false sense of normalization to these people. I swear, even people I used to agree with have gotten so extreme on things I can't even talk with them because now I'm not for the cause anymore by their measures. Even discussing something as stupid as the anti-vaccine crowd has turned former friends against me. I'm telling you, the Russians have used social media as a massive multiplier playing on the individual impulses and extremes of people. Reinforcing the lowest common denominator or village idiots to the point they have a say.

Trump and Sanders are simply the manifestation of losery with a massive voice. Where as Trump represents the forgotten or discarded recesses of largely white blue collar America, he has also empowered white supremacy elements, says the sort of stuff successful people can't say and still be successful, normalized rude and bad behavior of the right, destroyed republican norms. Sanders is that same manifestation. Supported by losers who if they managed to get through college wasted years and borrowed money on meaningless degrees, left unable to find work outside the service industry and resentful for it. People who bought into the promise of college, even if they weren't cut out for it. Lazy people who want to be creative and do what they want, yet have the same benefits as somebody who works 60 hours a week. But he has also given a voice to malcontents from the 60's who never saw their revolution, class warriors who are really just wealth envy because they made poor decisions, etc.

I have a meme that I used to post when I gave a shit what people on social media thought. Its some really mad MAGA type wearing a MAGA hat pointing at the viewer.

It says, Rinos like you think the constitution is more important than Trump.

That pretty much sums up what's wrong with the republican party now. I'm sure we could make something similar for Bernie.

Premise is Bernie's nomination.

If you believe we are a center right plurality and you assign their districts squarely inside that center right, and at the same time you see the assault that will be both Trump and Bernie coming at you until your election. You know darn well Bernies coattails are actually dooming you to defeat.

The DNC is dead and defunct for bucks once Bernie gets the nom. Find the Sugar daddies and leaders that are out there in the center right, Trump is toxic and Bernie is toxic. Breakout and start fresh with the power of 40 in a voting bloc. The Tea party did it to great effect. It has to be structured and bought into by all and given a whole bunch of free media buzz and it will work. They would wield power over both parties. That's my story and I am sticking to it. I believe the apocalypse of Bernie and trump give them no other choice.

Do you not agree that all life is cyclic?

Diapers to diapers or is it dust to dust.

They already have the power of a 40 member voting block. So they gain nothing by what you propose. You yourself show the evidence, the tea party got power without leaving the Republican party. These members already have outside influence over the party. So they gain nothing by your proposal.

They are in worse position running independents against a Democrat nominee and a Republican nominee. There are going to be a chunk of people that are going to vote Republican or Democrat no matter what, so both those candidates have a big lead in voters right off the back. Not to mention losing the money and technical support of the DNC. If Bernie is so toxic, then they will just lose by splitting a bunch of votes with a Democrat and a Republican wins the seat. So much easier to just run against the Republican.

This horse is not dead yet.

Trump kills republicans. Sanders kills democrats. Build from the ashes. This is the only conceivable time. The perfect storm.

These 41 are the start. They actually gain power simply by aligning to make compromise, co sign, co sponsor initiatives that might be of republican origins as well as forging center right compromise into democrat legislation initiatives. They bring both sides in. They will be the first to tell you that they received earfuls from both sides in their last last town hall. Why not work for both sides? Block any BS over the top crap and get moved along shit that actually could work. Bring strength back to an anemic co equal branch.

These 41 are more than likely losers running as democrats in their suburban districts with Bernie. I recognize this as an assumption but, nothing ventured nothing gained. Power and safety in numbers. Regardless of new party, they still retain incumbent power.

At our core we are right center country yet all our current power and all trends for more power is to the extremes with nobody painting cheery landscapes. Think Tea party and green new dealers as ostriches with heads in sand. Just further and further partisan gridlock pissin and moanin. So many align independent but have no say except a vote for the right guy with the right look and feel. A 2020 house of representative election as the grassroot start for a third party can then trickle up to the senate in 2022 and for sure provide a foundation for the 2024 defeat of Pence or Trump Jr. or Bernie again.

Tell me you can't sit these 41 democrats down and make this pitch to them without blowing smoke up their ass but telling them they could become historic and not have them give pause and thought. Find the movers and shakers on K street, get some money backing, pick up the fallen from the ranks of the old parties, hell, start with Bloomberg he seems to have no problem in the middle spending his money for the cause.

A viable 3rd party is in our future if we are to have a future.