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

For me, 2 years is a bit long to decide who I will vote for. Everybody hasn't even declared yet! Then there are the 'debates'. I do like it when there are many running and they all get exposure, kinda helps in the decision. As far as Bernie goes - HE IS TOO OLD TO RUN! He is, right now, 77 years old! He will be 79 when he runs and soon to be 80! Life expectancy is approximately 78 years old. So, folks are going to vote for somebody who the odds are against even surviving the 4 years! (I know, this one is a moveable target). Anyway, I have previously expressed my thoughts on a government run by the elderly and I stand by it. I don't think voting for somebody who is 80 years old is a good thing. I am speaking of my own capacities and they are at the top of my age group and that means not a whole lot (I turn 84 next month). My memory is crap, my physical body is not what it was even 5 years ago, etc. Being president is not an easy thing and, I fear, it would wreck somebody who started at 80 years old. So, if you are voting for Bernie I would pay attention to who the vice president was.

Bernie threw his hat into the ring. Meh. I'm not excited about Bernie this time.

I'd like to see a Biden/Harris ticket - where Biden only stays for 4 years.

Even relatively young men who served aged a lot in 8 years. It's a demanding job, if you don't spend all day watching TV and tweeting.

I know! Look at Pence, He's aged a decade in two years! I HAVE noticed how bad Trump is looking just Playing at President. Of course, facing the rest of your life in prison or being "retired" by the Russian mob has to take a toll. Same with Manafort. I wonder how Stone will fare in lockup.

Well, Sanders has just blown away the rest of the declared democratic candidates in fundraising so I expect the FUD machine to start amping up. If there's one thing the corporate democrats understand is the power of money and Sanders has been raising the wrong kind.
His age will be used against him and is not ideal but I say let em at it. He's to old to be thinking of a soft lucrative lobby job and won't give a fart about how it plays in the 'Bill Gates Daily' or the 'Bezo's Times'.
The rest of em will have to defend their taking the money while serving the public interest which really means they just wind up taking the money and redefine what the public interest was meant to mean.
Neoliberals in a nutshell, basically.

There was a lot of talk in 2016 about how the right wing smear machine left Bernie alone because he never stood a chance of winning...

Right now I see him as the obvious frontrunner with an excellent chance of winning.

The anti socialist propaganda is already ramping up, in large part because AOC is making a big splash in Washington but AOC wouldn't be where she is today without Bernie.

Democrats who try to swim upstream against the populist current are going to find themselves swept away.

Harris is one of those candidates who will be swept away. She seems to be running as "not a democratic socialist". But she wants to accomplish the same things.
Biden really is too old. He hasn't kept up and there's no fire in his belly. The only reason he might run is because his dying son asked him to. We all remember Uncle Joe fondly but electing him because we liked Obama isn't the direction the country needs to go and isn't a path I think voters will choose.

So you and I have switched roles this time, Rick. You're going mainstream and I'm going socialist.(or Beto if he runs)

Bernie will be a one term president, of that I think we can be sure. If he succeeds he will pave the way for a new era in American politics and a New Deal of some sort for the working class. His VP will likely be elected in his stead in 2024, much as you imagine with Harris and Biden.

But with Harris and Biden very little will be accomplished as the corporate wing of the party will remain in control.

I will say this about the current Democratic field: all of them are better than Trump, and most of them are likely to be really good (and progressive) leaders. Yes, Gillibrand and Klobuchar are more centrist, but other than to the chunkstyle voters, would be considered progressive in most circles. Gabbard I am reserving judgment on - because of her anti-gay associations. Biden has skeletons, let us not forget (although I do love Joe).

My hope is that the field remains positive in their competition (and there are others yet to join). I happen to think Cory Booker has the strongest credentials (as a lawyer and having been both a Mayor and Senator).

Kamala's getting Clinton staff and donors. Ugh!

Biden is a litmus test for weather you've paid any attention at all over the last 30 years...

Warren was a Republican too recently and says a lot about how far to the right the Democratic party has drifted that there's so many former republican rats on board now... Go back and fix your old party and let the left course correct the ship willya!

Beto is an empty vessel that were supposed to project our hopes and dreams onto while he cashes big donor checks and stays aspirational while noncommittal.
Klobacher's politics grew in bad soil of centrisim.

Gillibrand will be whatever she thinks you want her to be for the win that she's risked not knowing what to stand for anymore.

Booker took to much corporate cash. People remember.

Bernies old but old school. He knows what side he's on.

Except we cannot AFFORD to watch the DNC do the same thing to him again.
Lucy wants to hold the football and she promised Charlie Brown she wouldn't yank it away at the last millisecond.
Have we learned ANYTHING yet?
I don't think Bernie learned from the last time.

Come on, don't ignore that, you can't.