I'm speaking of Democrats testing the waters for 2020, of course. Let's see, we have Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders (maybe), Joe Biden (another maybe), Avenati (but he has legal troubles), Tulsi Gabbard (shot herself in the foot with LBGTQ), Kamala Harris, and the latest, Kirsten Gillebrand. Who have I missed? Probably a bunch who will declare later.
Of the bunch, I would prefer Elizabeth Warren. She has experience in government. As a former law school professor, she's no lightweight. Nobody can say she's not a progressive. Kirsten Gillebrand? Forgetaboutit, I hope. I think Joe and Bernie missed their windows. We'll see, I guess.
And there are some hints of Republicans who might primary Trump. For now they're laying awfully low. Would it be too much to hope for that we might have a choice between two actual human beings in 2020?
I prefer Warren, too. I don't care about the stupid Indian thing. She understands economics and how it affects ordinary people. She's on our side. She's no friend of the big banks. I just hope she doesn't listen to silly campaign consultants.
ReplyDeleteThe "Pocahontas" thing was Trump's attempt to fling poo at her. I'm sure he'll fling more before it's all over, but I don't beleive she'd be intimidated by him.
DeleteFor sure, too many consultants could spoil the broth.
Shameless name dropping and family bragging: E.W.'s husband, Dr. Bruce Mann is a professor where my niece attends law school. He and E.W. hosted a soiree at their home for the class. My niece has met their golden retriever.
DeleteGolden retriever is the kind of dog I figured she'd have. Notice that Trump doesn't have a dog?
DeleteI don't think Trump invented the "Pocahontas" label for Warren. But it's his kind of thing. Still, don't underestimate its power. The charge that she benefitted by embracing a minority identity to which she's not entitled (not endorsing that view, just explaining it) will gain traction with a portion of the electorate.
DeleteGolden retrievers. Why don't people just go get a Humane Society dog? Goldie purebreds have a host of genetic ailments, from hip dysplasia to aortic stenosis. They're dumb as rocks. If some guy breaks into your home, they will lick his hand and show him where your valuables are. And then there's this:
Deletehttps://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5iTTNRE-njM
But they can drive Subarus.
DeleteI admit to having a soft spot for goldies. They have a sweet disposition. Sister and brother in law always had them. But we're cat people, so I'm willing to leave them to the dog people.
DeleteThey're wonderful dogs, but they're overbred status symbols.
DeleteI agree that if I got a dog, I'd rather have a good mutt. If I bought a breed, it would be a Turkish Sheepdog. In the 60's, had neighbors with one. Dog was beautiful and so smart, it did things that were spooky. Unfortunately, the owners were assholes. Kept him outside all year long. That dog needed a lot more love and attention. Got loose one time and ran into my house. Rassled the hell out of him before I took him back to the Auschwitz family.
DeleteDogs can break your heart. I do shopping for the local humane society. Just about every dog down there is a pit bull mix. Some guy who looks like a recovering heroin addict comes in to socialize and train them. True miracle worker.
DeletePit bulls...talk about goldens being status symbols! Just a different type of status. There are a bunch of them around here, most of them owned by young guys who want to look tough. Then sometimes they find out that they're a lot of work and vet bills, like any breed, I suppose. Then they end up at the humane society.
DeleteAnd there's dog fighting, but that's a whole 'nother subject.
Never been a pet owner but if one takes on the welfare of an animal, there's a covenant. You just can't treat them as objects for one's amusement or convenience.
DeleteYeah, a pet is not just a cute (or scary, in the case of pit bulls) accessory. I sometimes enjoy fantasies in which dog owners are forced to wear the idiot sweaters they dress their dogs in and ride around in little purses. Or get chained to the clothes line all day with nothing to do.
DeleteRichard Ojeda. Democrat. Voted for Trump and regrets it. Career military. Can make the.best case against Trump to those who voted for him.
ReplyDeleteHow about we all just forget about who's gonna be the Democratic nominee until we get closer to the election, since we don't know whether Trump will run, retire or go to prison by then, and we don't know which country(ies) we will attack (Bolton opts for Iran) or will attack us (BFF Kim Jung Un is off the reservation), and Europe seems to be heading into recession?
ReplyDeleteHow about, instead, we and the media concentrate on basic government 101, like passing budgets, getting the government open and counting all the ways the EPA had to overlook violations to get its number of criminal referrals last year down to an all-time low?
Yeah, agree.
DeleteDitto
DeleteAt the risk of ignoring Tom's sage advice directly above: I think I've heard there is a boomlet for Beto O'Rourke? Is he someone with whom Democrats can fall in love?
ReplyDeleteI'd have to find out if he's progressive or a corporate neoliberal in Democrat clothing. In Texas, Vlad the Impaler would be considered a liberal.
DeleteMy #3 son invested in Beto, but for the Senate. He sees Beto as about two pages on the vita short of the presidency.
DeleteUgh, another Limousine Liberal entitled private school party boy. He's just Brett Kavanaugh with his sleeves rolled up.
DeleteI think it's the same portion of the electorate that wouldn't vote for her with a ten foot pole under any circumstances. Americans aren't purebreds anyway. We're always saying that a piece of us is this or that. Our family claims about the same portion of Native American that Warren did. And an ancestor's European title which is even farther removed than that.
ReplyDeleteOur pastor mentioned in a homily that someone asked him why the Holy Family was poor when they were descended from King David. He said it would be like one of us claiming descent from William the Conqueror. The money has long since run out.
Previous comment was reply to Jim's @ 11:03 AM.
DeleteYeah, the wealth of David's royal line presumably ended up in Babylon.
DeleteThey needed to do what worked for some impoverished British royalty. Marry a rich American.
DeleteDon't forget my favorite: Julian Castro. Of course, that surname will drive the Tightie Righties stark raving bonkers.
ReplyDeletePlus he has an identical twin so he has a backup.
DeleteMy Congressional Representative and waste of protoplasm Tom Marino (R) has announced his resignation three weeks into his newly elected term. In his new private sector job, he says he'll be using his legal and business experience to create jobs throughout the nation. Ya shore. Meanwhile, we have to have a special election. Oh, jolly. Thanks, Tom.
ReplyDeleteStanley - that is unbelievable. Well, I live in Illinois, so maybe believable. Still, not a class move.
DeleteAnyway, Jim, I checked and due to redistricting and reduced gerrymandering, I'm not in his district anymore so I don't have to endure another election. I used to be on the end of a tentacle but it was lobbed off.
DeleteHeard a chattering head on the radio yesterday suggesting Amy Klobuchar would make a good candidate. Apparently acquitted herself well in the Kavanaugh hearings. One would think that that would have been unusual enough to be instantly noticeable, but I admit it escaped my attention.
ReplyDeleteJim, She made him apologize to her during his tantrum. I'm for running her in as a substitute of Schumer.
DeleteShe didn't make him apologize.
DeleteShe asked polite questions, and he tried to imply she was motivated by some drinking problem of her own. She smiled, took a breath, and very patiently explained that her father was an alcoholic, that she was knowledgeable about alcoholism, and she had no drinking problem.
After the lunch break, Kavanaugh was apparently so ashamed of himself, he apologized on his own. Which she graciously accepted.
She seems like a fine person, very unflappable, courteous, and I bet she could cut you dead with a quiet zinger if she wanted to.
I am reluctant to say this out loud, but I think I might be friendly to a Mike Bloomberg candidacy.
ReplyDeleteAnd the South Bend mayor is interesting, though as a married gay man, I don't know if the Evangelicals would embrace him.
ReplyDelete