Greatest threat to the United States

[angrychair]

Last edited Wed Oct 28, 2015, 12:22 PM - Edit history (1)

I attributed the comment of "Iran" to Clinton but I was wrong that was Chaffee. Clinton's answer was:
"I -- I think it has to be continued threat from the spread of nuclear weapons, nuclear material that can fall into the wrong hands. I know the terrorists are constantly seeking it, and that's why we have to stay vigilant, but also united around the world to prevent that."
Clinton, 1st Democratic Debate Oct 13th, 2015

"Climate change": is the short answer, the whole answer was:"The scientific community is telling us that if we do not address the global crisis of climate change, transform our energy system away from fossil fuel to sustainable energy, the planet that we're going to be leaving our kids and our grandchildren may well not be habitable. That is a major crisis."
Sanders, 1st Democratic Debate Oct 13th, 2015
I continue to stand by and ask the same question though:
Honestly, as a progressive, a liberal, as a Democrat, which answer would you rather your canidiate for president say as an answer to that question?

[pinebox]

1. Iran isn't a threat

Sorry but no, it isn't.
What's a threat isn't just climate change either, though it's a biggie.
What's a threat is the middle class going extinct as people become poorer and the rich become richer. People fail to be able to be educated because they can't afford college. Kids are saddled with massive debt and the banks get off free.

These things are the real threats we face as a country.

[angrychair]

7. No argument there

I myself have written repeatedly on this site on this subject. I have a website that focuses solely on this subject. I am a victim I this subject.
That being said, I think we have to start a JFK "go to the moon by the end of the decade" effort to remove fossil fuels from our energy production and transportation network.
We can work to resolve both.

[mmonk]

2. Without seeing the content of the post, I was going to respond climate change.

But I see I don't have to.

[kelliekat44]

3. Th GOP. nt

[CrispyQ]

4. This. ^^^

The republican party is the greatest threat to humanity with their head-in-the-sand denial about everything that differs from their world view.

[mmonk]

6. And don't forget the corporations that hold them in their grip.

[Cal33]

34. you're right. The greatest threat to America is not coming from without, but from within.

Many think that we are more than half-way to being an Oligarchy. If the Repubs. should
win the presidency next year, Good-bye democracy, and Hello to fascism. Here's an
article from Bill Moyers about what Bernie Sanders said regarding the topic:

http://billmoyers.com/2015/02/10/bernie-sanders-keeping-us-becoming-oligarchy-struggle-must-win/

[artislife]

17. I disagree

I believe it is people who have the whole pool to swim in and they stick to the 3 foot of water part.


Being timid in a time of need is the same as being cowardly. IMO.

[kelliekat44]

48. If there are sharks in the water, you may want to stick to the 3 foot marker to be able to stand up

and get out of the pool.

[artislife]

49. You may want to wear water wings, too

If you don't know how to swim.

It's a pool, not the ocean.

[yardwork]

38. That's it.

[JTFrog]

5. Republicans. n/t

[whatchamacallit]

36. Right...

until it's time to reach across the aisle and bipartisan the shit out the American people.

[JaneyVee]

8. Her answer was "the proliferation of nuclear arms falling into the wrong hands".

[Maineman]

35. That was a calculated answer, as usual. I notice she did not mention anything that might be

controversial or offend her sponsors... like big money control of government, radical wealth and income inequality, climate change, the military industrial complex having way too much power, etc.

[angrychair]

40. I updated my OP

I was wrong, Chaffee said "Iran". I updated my OP, posting their entire answers and still asking the same question. I feel the answer from HRC was fear-mongering by talking about nuclear weapons and terrorism when we already do this, it's not an area of contention. Both Chaffee and Webb's answer were in the same vein, only Sanders drew attention to an issue that was both real and critical focus for our next president.

[Autumn]

9. My candidate gave the right answer. "Climate change".

Hillary is so off base on that it's sad.

[L0oniX]

10. Billionaires.

[Armstead]

11. Personally I think the question in the debate was stupid

There is no single "greatest threat."

[SoapBox]

12. Even the Pentagon talked about how disastrous Climate Change will be.

Keep your eyes and ears peeled...the War Hawk Weathervane will most likely change her position.

Bernie will not change his position.

[UglyGreed]

13. Hmm I have heard that tune before

[NRaleighLiberal]

14. 1. the GOP owned, manipulating media, which leads to 2. a highly ignorant population

those two things alone will prevent meaningful action on....anything truly meaningful.

Got to break up the media conglomerates, and get rid of Citizens United.

[jtuck004]

15. Your choices are incomplete. The best answer would encompass the 318 million Americans driving

their cars everywhere, heating their too big and drafty homes, and their diet of red meat which has been responsible for deforesting more of the world than nearly any other country.

But the pols are all too gutless after seeing what happened to Jimmy Carter for trying to be a leader.

[artislife]

18. Why didn't Bill put back those Solar Panals? nt

[jtuck004]

19. Too busy greasing the skids for bank$ter/donors. n/t

[artislife]

24. I read yesterday a scientist thinks we have 100 years

on this planet left.

Others said no, no .

But I think they are fighting for 200.

They may not be thinking of the mayhem that happens when people are starving and fighting for food and goods. The climate may last a wee bit longer, but civilization...not so long.

[jtuck004]

27. I will have another 20 or 30, if I am lucky. But life here is going to deteriorate going forward, so

your thought about civilization is almost certainly the biggest problem.

And we know someone, somewhere, will shoot off a nuclear missile, and that ought to put the icing on the cake, as it were.

[artislife]

32. We may end up destroying ourselves first

Which may spare an animal species or two. We can always hope we do, they don't deserve it.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

55. Back then there were no solar companies that could afford him.

[mountain grammy]

16. Climate change..

without a doubt, without hesitation.

[think]

51. Agree. /nt

[frizzled]

20. What would be bad about the United States disappearing, though?

I don't see the United States has a particular moral claim or right to exist, like any country.

[George II]

21. But that's not the question asked, and you haven't given the complete answers, either!

Clinton answered the question, Sanders didn't.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/14/us/politics/democratic-debate-transcript.html

COOPER: Thirty seconds for each of you. Governor Chafee, what is the greatest national security threat to the United States?

CHAFEE: It’s certainly the chaos in the Middle East. There’s no doubt about it.

COOPER: OK.

CHAFEE: And it all started with the Iraq invasion.

COOPER: Governor O’Malley?

O’MALLEY: I believe that nuclear Iran remains the biggest threat, along with the threat of ISIL; climate change, of course, makes cascading threats even more (inaudible).

COOPER: Secretary Clinton, the greatest national security threat?

CLINTON: I — I think it has to be continued threat from the spread of nuclear weapons, nuclear material that can fall into the wrong hands. I know the terrorists are constantly seeking it, and that’s why we have to stay vigilant, but also united around the world to prevent that.

COOPER: Senator Sanders, greatest national security threat?

SANDERS: The scientific community is telling us that if we do not address the global crisis of climate change, transform our energy system away from fossil fuel to sustainable energy, the planet that we’re going to be leaving our kids and our grandchildren may well not be habitable. That is a major crisis.

COOPER: Senator Webb?

WEBB: Our greatest long-term strategic challenge is our relation with China. Our greatest day-to-day threat is cyber warfare against this country. Our greatest military-operational threat is resolving the situations in the Middle East.

[angrychair]

41. I updated my OP

I strongly disagree that Sanders didn't answer the question. While I was wrong, Chaffee said "Iran". I updated my OP, posting their entire answers and still asking the same question. I feel the answer from HRC was fear-mongering by talking using hot button terms like nuclear weapons and terrorism when we already do this, all of our allies do, all nuclear powers do. it's not an area of contention. Both Chaffee and Webb's answer were in the same vein, only Sanders drew attention to an issue that was both real and a critical focus for our next president.

[George II]

43. Thanks for clearing that up....

[angrychair]

50. Thank you

For being gracious. Somehow I conflated Chaffee, O'Malley and Clinton's answers.wasn't my intent to be disingenuous. I try very hard to keep the discussion civil and the debate honest. We are after all Democrats, I just disagree with many of HRC's policies and approach but we are all still debating from the same side of the fence.

[NurseJackie]

22. I'll bet that Hillary can handle more than one threat at a time.

Putting something at the top of a grocery list of items should not be interpreted as meaning that all other items have little or no concern and that items 2-10 will be ignored.

Questions and criticisms like this remind me of the things I've seen on Facebook, where someone posts about their concern about LGBT youth suicide and shares a link. Then, someone comes along to chide and criticize that their priorities are all wrong, and "corrects" them by pointing out that "ALL suicide" should be a concern, not just LGBT youth. Someone else will chime in by quoting statistics about how more children die from [insert-diseased-here] and wondering how anyone could be concerned about LGBT youth suicide when [disease] is clearly more tragic.

[Cassiopeia]

23. Poverty.

Iran, hell the entire ME is a threat so small as to be insignificant.

Climate change is pointless if we don't change our food source.

Poverty is a real issue that can be addressed easily.

[AzDar]

25. Hillary The Hawk.

No. Just, NO.

[randys1]

26. Teaparty

[Fuddnik]

28. I don't have a "canidiate".

But, I'll take Climate Change for $1,000, Alex.

[jalan48]

29. Iran? There must be money to be made on that venture.

[swilton]

30. Sanders answer was brilliant and set him apart from all contenders

[niyad]

31. fundamentalist, hate-filled, ignorant assholes in THIS COUNTRY, our very own sharia-

loving, woman-hating religious nutbars.

[tecelote]

33. Neocon Hawks

[onecaliberal]

37. Iran is NOT a threat to the US. If we would stop the madness in the middle east

it would go a very long way in their feelings about us. Climate change on the other hand is real, and happening NOW. It is costing billions is damage. If the planet cannot sustain human life NOTHING else is going to matter. Including the money collected by the greed in this stupid country.

[Maedhros]

39. Why are the people of the United States so obsessed with "threats?"

We have got to be one of the most secure nations on Earth, but we hear a constant drum beat of "Threats! Threats! Threats!"

It's almost like we're being manipulated.

[RiverLover]

44. Fear makes people easier to manipulate.

And the American public never fails to be pliable.

[stillwaiting]

56. It also keeps them divided. Scared of others who become the enemy. nt

[jwirr]

45. Almost like we are being manipulated. Fear, fear, fear.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

42. She's relying on the Erect Bogyman, Wave Flag, Sound Tough, politics of yesteryear.

USA! USA!

[MynameisBlarney]

46. Long term threat is climate change

And that threatens the entire planet.
We cant afford to wait to act any longer.

The short term threat is far right extremism in this country. We need to nip that shit in the bud, before it gets out of hand, because you just know they ain't gonna give a flyin fuck about the environment if they can seize power.

[Jimbo S]

47. Wall Street

Our current economy and life/retirement savings are in the hands of so few. I feel I'm at their mercy. Nothing else worries me as much.

[angrychair]

53. I do understand

But I have learned to let it go. I have come to terms that what little retirement I am going to have will have to do because I am not going to work until I am 65 much less 72. I retire at 55 no matter what. I don't have a mortgage. No investments. I have watched several people over the years that have had to liquidate their home and accounts to pay for their nursing home care and therefore everything they worked for all their lives: home, savings and investments are just gone. Yes, I know there are ways 'around' the system but screw that, shouldn't have to use loopholes to avoid having to flush what for many have worked their entire lives to pay off just to give to a nursing home.
Don't have that issue. I'm happy with that. It works for me.

[aidbo]

52. Apathy of the average voter to our political system. Which is nurtured by our joke of a 4th estate.

“The price good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men.”
― Plato

Of course, if Plato were around to make that quote today, he'd probably use more gender neutral language.

[Uncle Joe]

54. Global warming climate change.

Thanks for the thread, angrychair.