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My problem is that I don't think the Dems are going to choose somebody that can beat Trump. I do know that the extreme lefties are turning off a lot of the independents (including myself). I think much of this has to do with purity (basically, I am right and the rest of the world is wrong and if I don't get my way I won't play crowd). I am probably being to mean spirited in this one but I have been watching it for a long time and its just getting worse.
Its very strange. The system was setup to have 2 sides. That's it. Third parties have come and gone with vigor and just can't get a grip. If I am right then there are 2 choices. No more no less. I kinda like it as it forces sides to work together. I am, yet again, just wrong. We are in a state where nobody wants to give an inch. My problem with that one is that is not the way its supposed to be. Nobody has to give up anything, all everybody has to do is agree on which side they want to win then vote for that side. This time I would think that was an easy one but I guess not. All the rest is personal minutia which the side itself should work out. Its kinda like having a house burn down with the kids inside and mom and dad are fighting over what TV show to watch.
Its truly bizarre. I would vote for either Steyer or Bloomberg with no problem at all. I would also vote for the Democratic choice with no problem. Besides those two I don't think any of the others can take out Trump. I do know that the lefty purists don't stand a chance against him.
Oh, I have been wrong a lot on this stuff and I certainly hope I am dead wrong about all of this. The whining I hear about the billionaires buying the election are not exactly help in all of this either. Given that most of the other candidates are not exactly in the poorhouse one can only wonder. I don't think, incidentally, that Steyer or Bloomberg can be called self servers out to enrich themselves as they have both, as far as I am concerned, proven that they are sincere and capable of beating Trump. (at least to me)
Hillary was a lousy candidate. I thought she would probably make a great president but it didn't happen. She was so maligned that large segments actually believed she is a monster. She never fought back once and was above it all I guess. The Republicans spent literally millions of dollars trying to nail her and failed. I always thought that might say something about the malignment - I was wrong about that too <sigh>
I went back looking over the polls of Trump vs. the top four candidates in various states. Steyer and Bloomberg aren't included. Regardless of the state, Biden, Sanders, Warren, Buttigieg are all within 5 point of each other vs. Trump. All 4 beat Trump in Wisconsin by 1-5 points with Biden having the 5 point advantage. All 4 lead Trump in Nevada between 1-8 points with Biden having the 8 point advantage, Warren and Buttigieg lead by 1. Michigan includes Bloomberg which leads Trump by 6 there, Biden is by 7, Sanders by 4, Warren by 2, Buttigieg by 1. Georgia is all Trump with his biggest advantage of 14 points over Warren, 12 over Sanders. Trump leads Biden by 7 who is the closest Dem candidate. Arizona, Trump leads all and they his lead ranges from 1 over Biden to 5 over Warren and Sanders. You can check others here.
The problem with Hillary outside of being lazy and having a very inept campaign strategy is that she came across to the independent voter as being elitist, aloof, one who put on a facade in place of who she really was. 70% of independents had an unfavorable view of her, in other words they just plain didn't like her. Trump wasn't much better, 57% of independents didn't like him either and viewed him unfavorably. Question 10 and 11.
Not liking or wanting either candidate to become president is the main reason why 12% of all independents voted third party against both candidates. I was on of those 12% which translate into 9 million voters. These 9 million voters can be easily had for the Democrats as we already know they don't like Trump. But it will take a candidate they like and accept. If you think about it, that is 9 million voters who thought it important enough to go to the polls and vote against both major party candidates even though they knew whoever they voted for had no chance of winning. Was just a third name on the ballot, but most important to them, that third name wasn't Clinton nor Trump. Which is amazing since none of the third party candidates had any name recognition, no media coverage, no money, no way to get their message out, just a third name on the ballot. This shows the total dislike of both major party candidates that these folks would actually go vote was very strong among them.
With independents, I like to compare very favorable vs. very unfavorable among the candidates. The very favorable's are pretty much sure voters for that candidate, the very unfavorable's sure voters against that candidate. But it's a bit early to put much stock in them outside of getting a rough idea. I'll not bore you with them being it's so early, but if you want to get a good idea of who the independents will be voting for, this is a time proven method. More accurate than just hard numbers.
It's high past time that we start electing Americans to congress and the presidency who put America first instead of their political party. For way too long we have been electing Republicans and Democrats who happen to be Americans instead of Americans who happen to be Republicans and Democrats.
