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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Senate Going Postal: The 2020 U.S. Presidential Election

Discussion in 'Community' started by Point Given , Nov 9, 2018.

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  1. KnightWriter

    KnightWriter Administrator Emeritus star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Nov 6, 2001
    Warren or Harris.

    I think it has to be a woman nominee.
     
  2. Vaderize03

    Vaderize03 Manager Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Oct 25, 1999
    Vaderize03's Presidential Platform: 3 First Principles

    1) Increase access to, and the affordability of, healthcare for all Americans
    2) Make the middle class tax cuts permanent
    3) End the trading of oil and gas futures on the Commodities Exchange

    The details:

    1) Increase access to, and the affordability of, healthcare for all Americans
    -strengthen protections for pre-existing conditions under current federal law
    -allow full deduction of all healthcare-related expenses for individuals making less than $100,000/yr or couples making less than $200,000/yr
    -grant Medicare full authority to negotiate drug prices with the imposition of a 2% excess-profits tax on any company who refused to end drug "tiering" (prevents the market from setting prices)
    -repeal the pharmacy benefit manager exemption to the Safe Harbor statute, which would stop the practice of PBM's controlling access to the market by collecting legal kickbacks (called 'rebates') for which pharmaceutical manufacturers currently pay for the 'privilege' of bringing their drugs to market
    -ask Congress for legislation to help local communities work to lower the cost of nutritious foods through the creation of neighborhood co-ops, as well as helping local farmers bring fresh produce to market
    -limit the authority of insurance companies to interfere in medical-decision making and grant physicians final say in whether or not a test or treatment is medically necessary (currently the insurer has the last word)
    -pass national tort reform limiting the contingency fee a plaintiff's attorney may collect for non-economic damages to no more than 1% of any verdict exceeding $500,000 (this will help prevent 'deep pockets mining' and frivolous lawsuits)

    2) Make the middle class tax cuts permanent
    -self-explanatory
    -impose a 10% tax on carried interest as well as a 10% excess-profits tax on all incomes over $5 million/yr to help defray the cost
    -eliminate the cap on the Social Security tax
    -tax capital gains as regular income for individuals making over $250,000/yr but only at the time said investments are sold (currently you can be taxed on fund distributions even if you continue to hold them)

    3) End the trading of oil and gas futures on the Commodities Exchange
    -this would recouple the price of energy to supply and demand, as opposed to the current system which allows traders to bid up prices for oil and gas delivery months in advance, even if the spot price falls below the futures price (it's the reason why gas prices spike quickly and fall slowly)
    -this would also lower the price of all goods (including food) that have to be imported from other states or countries


    A lot here, but it's a good start. Coming later--defense, energy and environmental policy, guns, and social issues, as well as education at all levels.
     
    Last edited: Nov 10, 2018
  3. Rylo Ken

    Rylo Ken Force Ghost star 7

    Registered:
    Dec 19, 2015
    count me in for part 1 of your platform as a bridge to a more comprehensive national healthcare strategy
     
    Last edited: Nov 10, 2018
  4. Vaderize03

    Vaderize03 Manager Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Oct 25, 1999
    Yeah you probably don't like #2 that much, and I don't blame you one bit ;).
     
  5. Jedi Ben

    Jedi Ben Chosen One star 9

    Registered:
    Jul 19, 1999
    Including at Presidential level?
     
  6. DarthTunick

    DarthTunick SFTC VII + Deadpool BOFF star 10 VIP - Game Host

    Registered:
    Nov 26, 2000


    Harris would have a much better chance; too much baggage with Warren.
     
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  7. Darth Guy

    Darth Guy Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Aug 16, 2002
  8. Adam of Nuchtern

    Adam of Nuchtern Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Sep 2, 2012
    I used to think Warren was the best bet for 2020, but she may have Dukakis'd herself with that DNA test maneuver.
     
  9. dp4m

    dp4m Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Nov 8, 2001
    Sure, if "balanced" is a socialist and anti-capitalist magazine. :p

    That said, basically every source has some sort of bias -- and I generally like Jacobin -- but you'll forgive me if I'm skeptical of a socialist and anti-capitalist message on more-mainstream liberal candidates. Especially ones who have to run for national office and therefore contend with a statewide record being magnified into areas where even mainstream Democratic values (let alone socialism, or even progressive values) are a non- or hard-sell.

    For the record, I also think much of the Gillibrand critiques about her gun-rights stances when she moved from a suburban/rural Congressional district held by a Republican for about 15 years to a statewide-role as Senator are also misguided. There's plenty to critique about folks (especially her) without resorting to complaining someone represented their constituents well... (Booker's financial mismanagement of Newark is totally fair game)
     
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  10. Darth Guy

    Darth Guy Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Aug 16, 2002
    Did you actually read it? There's no mention of socialism or capitalism. It's a solidly "progressive" liberal piece, maybe social democratic. It focuses on her record and when she contradicted her words with her actions. The most socialist message in the piece is pointing out that Harris takes the best stances when pressured by activism. Many writers on Jacobin are freelancers with their own points of view and write for more mainstream publications, and that writer in particular doesn't seem like much of a radical.
     
    Last edited: Nov 11, 2018
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  11. dp4m

    dp4m Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Nov 8, 2001
    I did read it (most of it anyways). I just take things from sources that have specific alignments (like Jacobin) with more of a grain of salt , no matter who is writing. Unless it's H.A. Goodman -- he's ignored no matter what. lol

    But it's like reading critiques of Ben Jealous (especially after he won the MD primary) -- one of the first and most vocal Bernie-stans of color, IIRC? -- once he actually deigned to run for political office, as if being President/CEO of the NAACP, his social justice and human rights bonafides, and his progressive leanings supporting Bernie weren't sufficient -- all of a sudden people came out of the woodwork telling us how "not left enough" he was...

    Again, all that being said -- I don't think I'll find someone as in-alignment with me as I thought Hillary was, so at this point it's about looking at the field and identifying who I think has the right qualities, intangibles, etc. I don't think anyone doesn't have a significant problem somewhere of the currently confirmed people running, or probably even the probably running folks. I'd say Cuomo, Bloomberg, Biden, Sanders, and Warren are probably the worst off at the moment, with Booker and Gillibrand running a close second-tier...
     
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  12. Ramza

    Ramza Administrator Emeritus star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jul 13, 2008
    Eh, you're probably getting her again. She's made some cryptic remarks, plus that's the most hilariously bad option so the Democratic top brass will be all over it.
     
    Last edited: Nov 11, 2018
  13. Lord Vivec

    Lord Vivec Chosen One star 9

    Registered:
    Apr 17, 2006
    No, no it doesn't. Stop with the stupidpol. Stop promoting people based on their race and gender. You've literally learned nothing from 2016.
     
    Last edited: Nov 11, 2018
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  14. dp4m

    dp4m Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Nov 8, 2001
    There's no chance. She made no cryptic remarks; the only people that think that according to people that were there was that she was clearly being sarcastic after she'd already explicitly said no.

    Also: she surrendered her security clearance two weeks ago (willingly; no scandal. But she'd have kept it otherwise). It's not happening.
     
    Last edited: Nov 11, 2018
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  15. Ramza

    Ramza Administrator Emeritus star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jul 13, 2008
    I refuse to believe that we're not living in the dumbest possible universe where we're trapped in an infinite loop until every single candidate from 2016 is dead, buried, and possibly staked to prevent the 2048 vampire run-offs.
     
    Last edited: Nov 11, 2018
  16. dp4m

    dp4m Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Nov 8, 2001
    That's.... fair?
     
  17. Darth Guy

    Darth Guy Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Aug 16, 2002
    We're in a timeline that's shown for about ten seconds in a Star Trek episode because it's too horrible to comprehend.

    "No, we won't go back!"
     
  18. dp4m

    dp4m Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Nov 8, 2001
    So this is the one where Troi marries Worf!

    (or, for book fans, where Jack Crusher lives)
     
  19. SuperWatto

    SuperWatto Chosen One star 7

    Registered:
    Sep 19, 2000
    Judging from the number of Star Trek references, you may be onto something.
     
  20. Darth Guy

    Darth Guy Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Aug 16, 2002
  21. Abadacus

    Abadacus Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    May 4, 2014
    Sanders/Duckworth '20.
    Duckworth/Someone '24?

    She could use the VP position to be a long-needed champion for our lost generation of veterans, and to prevent another from being lost, building serious bipartisan support for the next election cycle.
     
    Last edited: Nov 11, 2018
  22. Ramza

    Ramza Administrator Emeritus star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jul 13, 2008
    I just assume folks are trying to get out in front before everyone decides to compare the Libertarian candidate to Jar-Jar or whatever.
     
    Last edited: Nov 11, 2018
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  23. Darth Guy

    Darth Guy Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Aug 16, 2002
    Meesa a shill for billionaires!
     
  24. anakinfansince1983

    anakinfansince1983 Skywalker Saga/LFL/YJCC Manager star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Mar 4, 2011
    If the Democrats nominate another corporatist who not only refuses to acknowledge the economic concerns of residents of Rust Belt states, but actively refuses to campaign there...they deserve to lose to Trump again.

    ...notice I said economic concerns. The Democrats certainly should ignore, or better, laugh at, any “the population of the US doesn’t look like it used to, political correctness has taken over” concerns.
     
  25. Vaderize03

    Vaderize03 Manager Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Oct 25, 1999
    I hope you're right, but it's entirely possible that she did so to prevent the public spectacle of Trump doing it for her in an attempt to re-litigate 2016 right before the midterms. It sounds paranoid I know, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if that didn't fit into her calculus, or if Trump hadn't thought of it.

    Re: TNG episode, you know things are bad when Riker hasn't had the chance to shave in like a month. Probably wouldn't have stopped the Borg from assimilating him though, but still...
     
    Last edited: Nov 11, 2018
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