Dan Drew for Gov in CT sounds like the real deal.

[Nanjeanne]

The Mayor of Middletown CT is running for Gov on a platform of Medicare For All, free tuition at public college, pro-labor, supporting paid family leave, recreational marijuana and more. Finally someone I can get involved with. Sounds really promising g and he has been reelected 3 times in Middletown so doing something right. Plus he is under 40! It's great to see Democrats like this running for state offices. Very excited.

https://www.dandrew.com/middletown-mayor-dan-drew-outline-vision-for-connecticuts-highest-office/

[Demsrule86]

1. No, Connecticut is the home of the insurance agency...they will never vote

for someone who is running for Medicare for all...I doubt they will vote for free tuition either. You run someone like that and the GOP takes the Governorship...lived their during high school and college...also another few years.

[Nanjeanne]

3. As a CT resident we will have to agree to disagree. The Dem Gov Malloy is exactly who is

handing victory over to the Republicans. And yes insurance in my state is going to pour money in to defeat Drew. But a centrist Dem won't win the governorship after Dem Malloy. The state will elect a real Republican. The only chance I see for a Dem winning my state is someone very different from Malloy and also from a Republican. We have a huge youth population with our colleges and universities. We have big urban centers. And we have rural areas that voted for Obama in 2008 but didn't vote for Clinton in 2016. Republicans gave us Lieberman after he lost the Dem primary and stayed in race as an Independent. And Lieberman killed the ACA's attempt to lower age of Medicare. No centrist Dem is going to win the Governorship of CT after Malloy. He is too disliked in the state. We are going to have a Republican governor -- unless someone does something to create enthusiasm and a real choice.

[Demsrule86]

6. Not all progressives believe in single payer...we can run someone else.

If you want to win...don't vote for the candidate for single payer...you might as well vote Republican if you do that in Connecticut.

[Nanjeanne]

8. Please don't tell me how to vote in my own state's elections. Dems aren't doing that

well winning elections - as we have lost seats all over the country in state and local elections. And Malloy has pretty much put the nail in the coffin of a centrist Dems chance of winning the Governorship. So you vote for your candidate and I'll vote for mine. You can support insurance companies and subsidizing united Healthcare's CEOs fourth or fifth house. I prefer not too. But that's why we have elections.

[Demsrule86]

9. I lived in that state for years I graduated from UCONN in fact.

my brother and sister still live there...neither will vote for anyone who believes in single payer...yet they vote Democratic ...and no one is telling you how to vote...so stop. I am merely saying if this guy wins the Dems lose. the centrist vs liberal thing smacks of 2016, but most times we are dealing with local issues and it does not apply...people who fear they would lose their jobs won't vote for the person calling for an end to the industries they work in.

[Nanjeanne]

11. Sorry to hear your brother and sister won't vote for allowing all ppl to buy into Medicare.

Plus insurance companies don't disappear. They exist in some form in every other country along with govt healthCARE. But hey, they can vote against the Dem if Drew is the nominee. That's their choice.

[Demsrule86]

12. They work for the insurance industry and don't believe in single payer.

They prefer a system like Switzerland. You know there are very few single payer countries.

[Nanjeanne]

13. We have a better chance of Medicare4All than

Swiss system. I think that's a great system but it's against the law to make a profit from basic healthcare and every ins company charges the same as it is highly regulated. They compete on service and extra offerings. I can't see that happening. But allowing ppl to buy into Medicare and then having ins co here offer nonessential stuff like coverage for elective surgery, private rooms, etc could work. I see that as a possibilities way before our government being allowed to regulate private insurers profits and pricing to the extent the Swiss do.

[Demsrule86]

15. The Swiss system does use insurance companies and if the candidate ran on it

and explained how it worked, he might have a chance. But Medicare for all won't cut it. I actually believe that this country won't have a single payer system like the UK...it will be closer to the Swiss system.

[Nanjeanne]

24. Oh yes. The insurance companies will all love the Swiss idea of making it illegal to make a

profit on basic healthcare.

[Demsrule86]

25. People need jobs.

There are few true single payer systems in this world if you examine healthcare elsewhere.

[Nanjeanne]

26. Why are you conflating advocating Medicare For All with insurance companies

Going out of business completely? Never mind - it doesn't fit your narrow narrative. You refuse to actually read anything I've written about various healthcare programs in other countries or what Medicare For All means and keep beating the same argument.

How about I simply agree with you. All insurance companies will go out of business. Healthcare will be administered by robots and everyone will suffer. You win!

[NewJeffCT]

14. As a CT resident, I tend to agree with you

Malloy tended to half-ass everything trying to balance moderate Democrats and the more liberal ones and never really made any boldly progressive moves (why didn't he join the push for legalizing marijuana? The state is starved for revenue and this was another potential source... why did the state wait so long to raise the minimum wage when it's arguably the most expensive state to live in in within the lower 48...)

Malloy barely won two elections because the cities, while voting heavily for Malloy, didn't turn out nearly as well as the suburbs and Tom Foley was a crappy Republican candiate - Greenwich and West Hartford both have about half the population of Hartford (60-65k vs 125K), but both wealthy suburbs turned out more voters than Hartford. WH skews Democratic

I like Drew a lot - he's very active in social media and has posted a lot of boldly anti-Trump material. But, he also seems to be a good solid family man with a wife and 4 young kids and just personable overall. Having parents who grew up in Middletown, the city was heavily working class Italian and Sicilian for a long time, but started moving right with Reagan's election in 1980 and an increase in the city's non white population hastened that rightward move of the remaining white populace. So, Drew being elected 3 times as a liberal Democrat in Middletown in this day and age speaks highly of him.

[burnbaby]

23. yep to all

you said. We are no longer the insurance capital of the world as most have moved out of state.

[kcr]

10. Wrong. Malloy is hated here.

We nominate another Malloy and we're toast. I live in Connecticut.

And the insurance companies are leaving Connecticut. They don't hold sway like they used to.

[DefenseLawyer]

17. Maybe you can get Ross Perot to run

That seems to be the key for DLC types to win an election. Seriously though, I don't know how anyone could ever argue with your centrist logic, given your stunning string of wins. You're probably getting tired of all the winning.

[Demsrule86]

18. Stop the name calling...in Connecticut the home of insurance companies...

Medicare for all is a non-starter...too many people depend on insurance for jobs which by the way has nothing to do with Ross Perot...And let's just say that a liberal running in 92 would have lost even with Ross Perot...such was the bent of the country at the time-right wing. We had 12 years of Republicans. No Democrat believed that they could win so many didn't even bother to run. And Bill Clinton managed to eke out a victory and save the courts in this environment. Let's talk about wins...whenever the so called alt-left flexes its limited muscles (can act as spoilers but can't win),we lose...we lost in the 70's and 80's...Then Bill Clinton came along and saved us from eight more years of the Right wing. We lost in 2000 thanks to the Alt-left (Nader and the Greens...third party riffraff)...then Obama came along ...he won but he never ran as a far left progressive and the economic meltdown sure helped...of course in 10 the alt-left vilified him over single payer and we lost the mid-term.

In 16 probably the most terrible example which will cause lasting damage to our country and kill people...the alt-left (greens and third party riffraff) gave us Trump. You want to win, vote for the candidate with the "D" next to his/her name. The Democratic Party is the only vehicle for progressive policy...and Bill Clinton whom you sneer at tried for single payer and gave us CHIP which saved millions of kid's lives over the years...where was the alt-left all in 92 ...they sure didn't have Bill Clinton's back just as they didn't have President Obama's in 2010. Every time we lose, there is a Green or some other third party riffraff attacking Democrats from the left...and you wonder why we can't have nice liberal things. Do you think the alt-left will ever get tired of spoiling elections? I would like to find another term for this sort as they are not and never were progressive.

[DefenseLawyer]

19. That damn riffraff!

They're the reason we can't have nice things.

[Demsrule86]

22. Quite true...third parties have a history acting as spoilers...and the Greens have spoiled elections

and helped Republicans win for money...so they are scum. Any person that enables the election of Republicans is worse than any word I can think off...riffraff is an understatement. Every time we have a presidential candidate attacked from the right and the left we lose...you can' refute it so...you attack the messenger.

[DefenseLawyer]

27. You realize you scolding me for "name calling"

and then proceeded to call people you don't like "riffraff". You knew you were doing that when you did it, right? Riffraff isn't bad, but next time you might consider "philistines" or perhaps "unwashed masses". "Rabble" can be good if you say it in a kind of pompous Foghorn Leghorn voice.

[Demsrule86]

28. Third party voters ...Greens and other riffraff...notice I said that anyone who enabled Trump

is riffraff...I would add scum sucking traitors....not name calling....merely the truth...when all is said and done, Trump will kill people (already has)...just as Bush did with 9-11 and his two losing wars...not to mention Katrina deaths...thus those who helped elect Trump...and that includes anyone who did not vote for Hillary Clinton are culpable and deserve nothing but scorn.

[DefenseLawyer]

29. The best way to win an election is to tell everyone you are better than them.

It's an AWESOME strategy. Everyone loves to vote for a pompous elitist d-bag. That's definitely going to get disaffected Greens to see the light. I particularly liked when Rahm Emanuel called liberals "fucking retarded". He's a real winner.

[Demsrule86]

30. The folks mentioned are too pure to ever help us win an election...and it is immaterial to them how

many people they hurt...in some respects the alt-left Green riffraff resembles the right.

[DefenseLawyer]

31. You've obviously got it all figured out.

I would not be surprised to learn you were a senior advisor to the Clinton campaign.

[Demsrule86]

32. No one has it all figured out...and I will ignore the rest.

[Demsrule86]

2. This is what I mean when I talk about getting candidates that will work for

the state...there are a number of other Democrats running...take my word if Drew wins, the GOP gets the seat.

[Nanjeanne]

4. Disagree. See above. Dems have lost the Governorship after Malloy unless

there is a real choice betweeen the Republican and the Democrat.

Other Dems - Bridgeport Joe Ganim: Democrat. Except for being convicted of felony charges and spending 7 years in prison - yeah he is a real winner

Bethy Guiles-Smith: Democrat I like the idea of a community organizer running, but don't think she is going to get much traction against a thrice elected mayor of a city here.


Jonathan Harris: Democrat - since he was in Malloy's administration he already has lots of marks against him but we will see.

KevinLembo - Dem. plus for standing against Malloy on tax breaks for hedge fund managers, but not a very exciting g candidate yet. Plus is he is gay and married with 3 adopted children and very good on social issues. Will see.

[Demsrule86]

5. People in Connecticut depend on Insurance industry for jobs...many jobs.

There is no way, this guy can win...it has to be one of the others or maybe someone else will throw their hat in...Trump is hated so that will help...but you can't be for Medicare for all. If such a candidate won the primary than the GOP wins the election.

[Nanjeanne]

7. Well Lembo is also saying Medicare For All would work in CT so we can have a Dem felon or

a Republican or like you said, maybe someone else will throw their hat in. Personally,I'm thrilled when a politician in my state supports something the insurance industry doesn't. I like a politician with courage and since I'm an optimist I think the idea of a govt option or allowing people to buy into Medicare is a great way to get us on the path to what every other industrialized country has. And every country that has a Medicare For All program also has insurance companies. They offer additional services, extras, etc. they do t go away they just become less the bohemath they are now. Polls show people in CT support that so I'm all for trying - and having a real choice and dialogue. Now is definitely the time. Maybe Dems shouldn't support higher taxes on wealthy because we may lose Dems in Greenwich and Darien. You know, Clinton would have lost this state if it were t for urban centers -- the same centers that support Medicare For All. Plus those rural poorer centers who went Trump this time but not in 2008 when they thought they were getting a public option. But no problem you see it differently. That's what democracy looks like

[Demsrule86]

16. Better hope for a new candidate as neither will win.

[Nanjeanne]

20. Well that's up to Dems like your brother and sister who won't vote for a Democrat if they

support Medicare for all. Fortunately here in my state there appear to be more ppl like me who support it than those like you.

[CK_John]

21. Your counting that the financial situation in Conn will be about the same.

IMO, we are going to go through 2007-2008 all over again and we will require UBI in addition to medicare for all.