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(130,895 posts)the answer is HAVING debates!
Spitfire of ATJ
(32,723 posts).....since he's "Not a Democrat".
Jack Rabbit
(45,984 posts)Bernie caucuses with the Democrats. He votes more often with the rest of the Democratic caucus than some other members of that caucus do, eithe at present (Joe Manchin) or in the recent past (Ben Nelson or Joe Lieberman).
Not only is Bernie a Democrat, he's a good Democrat.
Spitfire of ATJ
(32,723 posts)Jack Rabbit
(45,984 posts)And DWS with help that obvious sophistry to sail through such a loophole.
I just think it helps to call a bad or dishonest argument what it is.
Spitfire of ATJ
(32,723 posts)You can expect to see Rahm Emanuel playing "kick the hippie" again.
kenfrequed
(7,865 posts)Rahm has always been a problem that way. I about punched a wall when he became CoS.
PatrynXX
(5,668 posts)nobody in the debates? whoops..
zeemike
(18,998 posts)Or debates...it shows how out of touch she is.
You don't need to draw contrast with Republicans with Democrats...we all know too well what they are. And debates are what will draw that contrast with independents which we need to win.
It is an attempt to play the fear card so we will accept their choice for the nominee.
bonniebgood
(940 posts)appalachiablue
(41,131 posts)Plucketeer
(12,882 posts)qualified folks for that chair than this rube. I have to wonder what it's like for her to shuffle around with her nose in Hillary's ass crack.
Smarmie Doofus
(14,498 posts)As it is... they have the field to themselves.
So far the DEM establi$hment has managed to get EVERYTHING wrong in this campaign.
Quite an accomplishment. I really didn't think it was possible.
SwissTony
(2,560 posts)I'm a Scottish born Aussie living in The Netherlands. I follow politics in all three countries (Oz, UK, NL) as well as in the US (thank you, DU).
In those three countries, the election process is measured in weeks. In the US, it goes on for 18-24 months? Why the difference?
And there are calls for the Democrats to have debates now...why? The Repug debates are absolutely dreadful. Encourage THEM to have lots of debates. The election is over a year away. People could and should be thoroughly sick of these guys/Carly long before the election.
Start the Dem debates in January. Very short by US standards, but long UK/AU/NL standards.
As I said, I'm a non-US citizen. Never been there - but it's on my bucket list.
I look forward to any reactions.
Thank you.
Stevepol
(4,234 posts)I agree the Repubs are making fools of themselves, but it wouldn't hurt to have more debates, especially for the candidates that are not as well known. Bernie has had a tremendous surge of interest but he's still not known by a large percentage of voters in many of the states. He says about 30% still don't know who he is. O'Malley is hardly known at all by the voters, and he's a very good candidate. Hillary of course has been working for years solidifying her base and she doesn't need to introduce herself. Most already know her. I think the US needs a little more time since it involves the whole country and it's so large and diverse. The big voting blocs in addition to the white/Caucasian block are African-Americans and Latinos. In both those groups, there's a considerable lag between the time a candidate announces and the time they become aware of who the candidate is and what he/she stands for.
Anyway, I agree that a lot of the concern about debates is probably unnecessary but O'Malley in particular and Bernie as well have reason for concern. I wish we had a shorter election season like the UK and most other democratic countries but it is what it is.
Actually, I personally am a lot more concerned about the electronic voting machines that are made by far right-wing companies and that have shown a consistent "red shift" (more voters voting Repub than would be indicated by the exit polls if the polls were not "adjusted" to fit the final result so that the exit poll companies won't have egg on their faces after the election when they have predicted a Dem victory and the final, "machine," results show that the Repubs won). It's really, to my mind, an amazingly insane aspect of so-called American democracy. Because unless the vote is VERIFIED in some way, it's impossible to have a democracy. A large number of people know about the problem, but it's hard to do anything in a political system that is so easily manipulated by the super rich.
bobclark86
(1,415 posts)Gotta keep the masses entertained so they don't see that NOBODY is actually DOING anything.
Most of the people demanding more debates do so for two reasons: 1) They think the GOP having a gazillion debates takes too much attention from Democrats -- because clown cars are always winners, apparently, and 18 hours of debates for four people is apparently not enough to give them time to talk; and 2) They think it'll make Hillary Clinton look bad -- they're almost universally Bernie Sanders supporters.
freedom fighter jh
(1,782 posts)The primary elections are the state election whose results serve as the basis for each party's choice of a candidate. Different states hold them on different dates, starting February 1 (Iowa) and ending June 7 (a bunch of states). (Technically Iowa holds a caucus, not a primary; the difference has to do with how the votes are cast. A caucus a meeting with some back and forth, rather than simple voting.) So members of each party vote for their candidate over a period of more than 4 months. See http://www.uspresidentialelectionnews.com/2016-presidential-primary-schedule-calendar/
That doesn't account anywhere near fully for the length of the election season, but that is part of it.
After that, it's in August that the parties make their formal choice of candidates for president and vice president. If the primary votes are not close, the August conventions are just formality. Besides the results of the primaries, there are also "superdelegates," whose vote at the conventions and who have some discretion about whom to vote for. If the primary votes are close, the super delegates' votes may make a difference, and in that case it's at the August convention that the presidential candidate is chosen.
Campaigning by the nominated candidates begins formally just after Labor Day (the first Monday in September) and ends on Election Day (the Tuesday after the first Monday in November). So formal campaigning by nominated candidates takes just 2 months.
That's more than you asked for. I guess I felt I had to give you extra, because I could not answer your question fully.
floppyboo
(2,461 posts)I'm Canadian, and may have this all wrong, but the British Parliamentary system is way different than the USA with their electoral college. It seems like a total side show to us 'bow-to-the-party' people who vote in their leaders 'if' you are a party member and only when the leader resigns or is given a vote of non-confidence. Not that much different (resignation/impeachment) except for the 2 term deal, which necessitates this circus. There is no official leader of the opposition, except speakers in the house and senate. Our british parliamentarians with their ready made leaders of the opposition are constantly battling for top dog. There is no other top dog in the USA. Help me out here. I may be way off base.
virtualobserver
(8,760 posts)we need time for some of our candidates to crash and burn.
NYCButterfinger
(755 posts)It is crucial for the future of the Democratic Party.
lobodons
(1,290 posts)AT more Debates from FREE media coverage with non stop cable news coverage for weeks on end with a fricken debate countdown clock and all!!
Where is Governor Dean when you need him!!
Geronimoe
(1,539 posts)How better to show the voters distinctions than by having debates on TV?
MrMickeysMom
(20,453 posts)Maybe we ought to yell a LITTLE LOUDER!
We want debates!
We want debates!
PatrynXX
(5,668 posts)and thus Mitt lost. BIG time. and I am sure that is a BIG part of the reason..
valerief
(53,235 posts)swilton
(5,069 posts)Too tired to write about this tonight (having been on the road for two days)....and working tomorrow at a Sanders Campaign Open House in Keene (10:00 a.m. on) where large numbers of people (more than 300 invited) are expected.
Thanks for posting this - will cite it in tomorrow's post...which will be posted in the Bernie Sanders Group - late tomorrow (20 September).
zentrum
(9,865 posts)
the contrast with Republicans", if you don't have debates!
The middle of the country that's not politically riveted doesn't know the Democratic message.
Get our message out there.
Create buzz Deb!
The Repubs are framing and defining every issue and she's drawing "a contrast" by silencing the Democrats!
She's insufferably incompetent.
Left Coast2020
(2,397 posts)We need to keep the heat on her. I think she will break at some point. I called last week and left message.
(202) 863-8000.
markpkessinger
(8,395 posts). . . because, while she's busy trying to protect Hillary, Republicans are getting their message out to voters, and Democrats are not. What is "important," Debbie Dearest, is to allow this primary process to play itself out honestly!