It's more helpful to define criteria we care about than picking candidates

[mahina]

Last edited Thu Feb 21, 2019, 05:36 PM - Edit history (2)

At this point.

I have no desire to be manipulated into othering our own.

Criteria on the other hand are extremely helpful in my view if we want to elevate the discussion and come together.

If they refuse to accept PAC money that’s the next best thing but I’m not about to insist on it as it could well make winning harder. For sure t would be used against them tactically.

I want excellent Universal single payer healthcare for all.

I want a President who will stand for fairness and justice and equality.

I want a President who will lift our hearts and raise our sights and who won’t suffer the indignities of this grotesque period (nothing whatsoever to do w weight).

I want someone who will commit to do, and then do, his or her best to repair our shredded alliances and our international status minus the bogus wars!

I want a President who can speak to our hearts because so many of us don’t listen to much else.

I want someone who will hold this dirtbag to account, and all the rest of them too. I love President Obama, volunteered and gave more than I could. but his decision to let the advocates for illegal war on Iraq go unpunished was very unwise.

I’d like the winning candidate to be young enough to serve two terms.

I’d like them to be able to reconnect the Democratic Party with parts of our country that have t considered us for a generation. I’d like very much to have a candidate who will commit to compete in every state, and who is focused on organizing and building a network that will develop our party’s strengths and will persevere beyond their own candidacy.

Definitely pro choice.

I think we need someone who can educate our people on the good work done by public employees around the country.



I want someone who is smart enough to assess the risks in their contexts and can haul us back out of this smoking crater.

Other than that, I’m not too picky.

What are your criteria?

[guillaumeb]

2. Exactly.

The Democrats are lucky to have so many intelligent, capable, and qualified candidates.

The GOP has Trump.


My ideal candidate will recognize And emphasize to the voters the enormous problem of racism and misogyny.

[mahina]

15. Agreed!

Some do this with ideas and actions, some with their very being.

[elleng]

3. Power to defeat trump. Strong public personna, ability to speak persuasively.

[mahina]

14. That's a must for sure.

[PeeJ52]

4. I want to hear some realistic details on medicare for all

It has to be something concrete so the Repugs can't scare people away with that dreaded "socialism".

[mahina]

5. I care about publicly financed elections but right now we can't have that I guess.

[wasupaloopa]

6. I believe in rebuilding the middle class. I believe in protecting and improving the

social safety net. I believe in affordable health care for all. I believe in affordable higher education for anyone who wants it. I believe in the green new deal. I believe in a fair tax code. I believe on organized labor. I believe in a comfortable retirement income.

I believe in subsidized housing. I believe in reparations in the form of spending to improve living standards and outcomes.

I believe in so much more that I can't list here. My candidate so far is Kamala Harris.

[mahina]

13. I believe in those criteria too.

[Initech]

19. Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren would be unbeatable.

I'd also accept a Biden / Harris ticket.

[PTWB]

7. Well I think for a lot of folks

The criteria of being (and remaining) a Democrat is pretty important.

[maxsolomon]

8. Significantly younger than Trump.

As little baggage as possible.

Quick witted.

Willing and able to confront his preening Vanity TO HIS FACE.

[mahina]

12. And keeps their cool while doing so!

[maxsolomon]

16. Precisely.

In essence, call him on his Bullshit to his face.

Don't back down. Smile. Laugh at him.

Point at his pathetic combover, point at his bleach job, point at his spray tan. Attack his masculinity.

That's what White Men identify with - his Alpha Male strutting about. It's an act. Expose it.

Don't take the High Road.

[Initech]

20. Taking the "moral high road" is exactly what they want us to do.

And you know the definition of insanity. It's time we start calling their bullshit to their faces. We're dealing with out of control extremists in power who collided with not one, but two hostile foreign powers and are carrying out treason. We need to make sure they don't get away with their crimes. No more Mr. / Ms. Nice Liberal. Time to fight dirty.

[brooklynite]

9. Ability to win.

[mahina]

11. Oh yes.

[Garrett78]

10. We have a common platform. Charisma and turning out the base in big numbers are hugely important.

[Squinch]

17. Criterion I care about? A D after the name. In any given elected position. The End.

[ooky]

18. I want priority placed on affordable health care for all chronically ill people who need it now.

While we are talking about revamping the health care system with some kind of universal health care, I want a shorter term plan that helps those now that need help now. People trying to pay for expensive life saving procedures or maintenance, such as cancer patients and diabetics.

I also want the tax scam repealed and our money returned from those who stole and pocketed it.

[peggysue2]

21. My single criterion . . .

is a Democrat winning in 2020, taking the Trumpster and his corrupt, mobster-linked cabal down completely.

Anything after that is icing on the cake!

[oasis]

22. I'm in 99% agreement, so nothing to add.

[mahina]

24. Good to see you Oasis.

I’m all ears for the 1%. Yours, not those guys.

Aloha Oasis.

[oasis]

25. Greetings of aloha, good friend.

I'm sure we'll both back the Democratic nominee 100%. The 1% is not that important.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

23. All of yours + SAVVY. IMHO, We always fall SO short in that category. This BORING

out of date thinking and presentation and weak strategy and balls - Yikes, we HAVE GOT to get into the 21st century at least.

[Aussie105]

26. Make a list

of all the things you would find admirable about a hypothetical perfect politician, on both a personal level, and on a policy level.
At least 10 items.

Put them in order from most important to least important.

Print out as a checklist, multiple copies.

For each politician, write their name at the top of the page.

Mark the checklist with a tick or cross, as you research that person. (Don't wait for news media to feed you information, a lot of it is somewhat slanted.)

Vote for the one that gets the most ticks.

And do your fellow Americans a favour, publish your checklists far and wide.

The political personality cult has to stop!
(Justin T? Yeah, nice hair, speaks well, smiles a lot. Must vote for him! Policies? Who cares? FFS!)

HINT: If the top 2 items on your checklist are - must have a combover and picks on minority groups, you have done it wrong!

[lunamagica]

27. I want a Democrat who is pro-immigration, and pro-gun control