Capitol Hill Blue Forums Political Issues Politics In General Is it too soon to be talking 2020?

OMG, how can it be silly season already? Chris Christie is being attacked for complimenting Corey Booker (genuinely) and Elizabeth Warren for apologizing for taking a DNA test.

Schultz is a real disappointment. Makes me think that the Starbucks Board of Directors came-up with all of Starbuck's great social ideas and that Howard was dragged along kicking and screaming to support those social initiatives.

Advertising and PR firms came up with any great social ideas that may have been implemented by Starbucks. Shultz and the board of directors chose only those which would increase the bottom line the most for the minimum investment.

We don't know how Schultz voted or even if his vote was weighted. From what I've heard from Howard Schultz this week, doesn't square with the policies of Starbucks.

Shultz apparently has been a Democrat in the past. But the leftward surge within the Democratic Party, especially the threat to raise taxes on the very wealthy, has forced him to move right. More or less into the realms of lassaize faire or "neoliberal" economics. Not that these aren't already rampant in both parties but they are more often publicly advocated by Republicans.

Shultz imagines he could draw voters from both parties for the win.

I imagine he would be ignored by both parties for an embarrasing and expensive trouncing.

If Schultz even enters the race (he hasn't officially done so, yet), I think he'll fizzle quickly, as he finds his views are not widely held. The "center" is not occupied by billionaires.

We are all shaped by our roots, and he had humble roots. I think his social views are genuine. On the other hand, he has been infected by millionaire-itis. He has said that he's "self-made" - a phrase I abhor - which is patently untrue. He made some good decisions, had some valuable insights, and got lucky in life - but he didn't get there by himself. He had his parent's support. He's White. He lived in "the projects" - government subsidized housing; he got a scholarship (i.e., other people's money) to get into school; he got help getting his first job; he got SENT to Italy by his employer, where he got his insights; he gained experience through his employer in the business; he got to keep most of his profits because of tax codes that are generous to investors. He's been helped throughout his career, but he's blind to that.

I'm thinking Beto O'Rourke has let his window of opportuity slip by.

Unless he's waiting for the rest of the field to self destruct before jumping in...

Schultz is already appearing to be something of a horse's ass.
already quoted as blurting out "I don't want to talk in hypotheticals...etc."

Pfffttt, the whole idea of campaigning is to flesh out hypotheticals and create ideas.

I want folks to try a thought experiment involving Nelson Rockefeller.
Just for the hell of it, put aside his draconian crime and drug policies and look at the rest of his record.
I wager that if Nelson Rockefeller were alive today and registered as a Democrat, he could point to his past work and get a lot of respect, maybe even a win albeit he would have to make inroads with the more progressive camp. He would have to make a reckoning with his Bidenesque stop and frisk and his monstrous drug laws.
But look at the rest of his past record fer chrissakes.
Rockefeller is more liberal than Joe Biden, and certainly more liberal than Schultz and Bloomberg.

For all his proclivities and excesses, Rockefeller was actually a pretty compassionate fellow with a mind for social justice. A Republican...pretty incredible.

And when a guy like Nelson Rockefeller comes off as more liberal than Joe Biden, Michael Bloomberg and Mister Starbucks, that speaks VOLUMES.
By the way, most of Nelson's policies worked, too.

That speaks volumes as to how far off to the Right Democratic pols are today. The funny thing is, if you look at the rest of Rockefeller's policies, even AOC could get him to budge a little.

And Lincoln (R) even freed the slaves! Republicans have not always been this crazy.

Bernies in....