Question for supporters of the "moderates"

[jezebel321]

I'm very concerned that we are doing what the Republicans did to themselves in 2016 giving the nomination to Trump. Rubio, Kasich, Christie, Jeb etc split the moderate vote so Trump won the primary with a smaller minority of Republican votes.

Are we setting ourselves up for the same result, handing the nomination to Sanders with an even smaller vote margin?
Any idea what the answer to this is? Is there any?

I feel like as a Mayor Pete fan I should be happy and celebrating after his amazing performance in Iowa and NH, but I'm just feeling depressed.

[squirecam]

1. Republicans had winner take all states

We dont

[booley]

2. You guys are splitting the vote

Other Bernie people saw all the people jumping into the race and thought it would dilute Sander's support. And maybe it has to some degree.

But I saw it more as helping Sanders. Except for Warren (and Gabbard and Yang who never really had much support), all the other candidates were centrists. They all had to take from an ever-shrinking pie.

And support for those never seemed to based on what they stood for. Personally I am still unsure what many of these candidates stand for beyond "we can't do that"

So you guy flitted from one to the other, depending on who seemed able to take the lead from Sanders. Used to be Biden. Now it's Buttigieg but if he can't' get some actual minority support he won't last long. Too many seem willing to sell out and support Bloomberg.

I am certain you will say I am wrong. But it always seemed to be centrists here and in general, never were for anyone. They were just against Sanders.

Sorry, I don't think you can win an election around who you are against and what you cant' do.

[Horizens]

4. Say What?

You're not sure what Warren stands for beyond "we can't do that". ?

[judeling]

5. Well I wasn't against Bernie, just wasn't for him.

Amy was my first choice and Warren was always my second.

It is not what can't be done, it is what can be done.

Quite frankly I settled on Klobuchar pretty early, because it is a game of power. The problems are so big and so deeply embedded that it isn't just about gaining it. It is about retaining it long enough to be effective enough to really start on them short of a revolution. And there are not enough revolutionaries to sustain it. Trump's Power comes from greasing the skids of the destructive path we are on. That is pretty easy actually.

It is much harder to alter the course of a river. We just cannot afford another president with only a year to really get things done.

Amy is the only one I see who knows the game well enough to hold power long enough. That is because with out the House and the Senate. It is at best a holding action.

[Celerity]

7. pretty harsh to frame Bloomberg supporters as 'selling out'

If people think he is the best chance to boot Trump out, I would hardly call that selling out. He is a billion times better than Trump, and his programmes seem to fall completely in line with the Democrat platform now.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

3. Wish there was another name than centrists or moderates

Pragmatists, not perfect, but is better IMHO

We BARELY got ACA in, barely. It had zero effect on anyone who had employer based coverage. And we still only barely got it through

No way in hell will MFA go through in this political climate. Unless we have a very very very healthy House & Senate majority and the presidency. Enough of a majority to lose lots of our own aye votes.

[Laelth]

6. Certainly, as a Mayor Pete fan, you shouldn't feel depressed.

Mayor Pete has exceeded all expectations to date. That said, it won't hurt my feelings at all if a left-lane candidate (Sanders or Warren) wins the nomination. I won't even be upset if our oligarch (Bloomberg) wins the nomination and beats their oligarch (The Great Pumpkin). It's all good. Chill.



-Laelth

[judeling]

8. Wait at least until after Nevada

to panic.

The media is about to make the run up to the Nevada debate the Pete and Amy show. They are about to get the heavy vetting that any candidate will need. Warren and Biden will get a chance to catch their breath a bit.

I expect that once Bloomberg is on the stage, the two or three that can continue will be clear right after the caucus.