As of now, what is your primary action plan, other than Hillary?

[merrily]

Last edited Mon Apr 27, 2015, 02:54 AM - Edit history (3)

1. Sanders


He says he will run if he sees support. Some are posting that they will support him if declares. That is circular. If someone wants to support him, this seems to be the time.

Also, supporting him now may help him raise money with larger donors. Borrowing a truth from EMILY's List, Early Money Is Like Yeast. It makes the dough rise.

His website gives you a way to contribute and ways to take action.

https://berniesanders.com/

If you imagine any scenario under which you might support Sanders, this is the time to start.


2. O'Malley.


Pretty much the same thing as Bernie. He seems willing to run, if his "exploration" gives him the notion he can manage it.

Early Money Is Like Yeast. It makes the dough rise.

His website: http://martinomalley.com/

O'Malley has some strong supporters on this site. However, there are also some who see him as corporatist and/or a stalking horse or potential Vice Presidential candidate for Hillary. Or someone who is getting himself known nationally for a future run. On the bright side, he has seen the populist movement (the one that supposedly doesn't exist outside DU) and he will feel the pressure of it as he runs, just as Hillary obviously does. He is already a Democrat and does not have to fight the Democratic Socialist label. I have no clue what his chances are of defeating Hillary in a primary. I don't think they are either zero or 100%, though.


3. Warren.


Unlike Sanders and O'Malley, Warren has not announced even exploration. She has no website of her own at which to donate. Other websites are collecting money for her for the purpose of getting her to run. If they fail in that effort, they can keep the money. In fact, if they succeed in that effort, they can keep the money.

By this point, I feel confident in saying that she knows she has enough support among voters to run. I think she may have been convinced that, if she runs, she will help pave the way for a Republican President. Whether I am correct or not, I don't think donating to a draft Warren effort or volunteering for one at this juncture serves any productive purpose for me or for Warren.



I will go with Bernie, at least at this point. It may not be a practical choice, but I've made very practical primary choices in the past. I think his voice is important and, for me, right now, that is enough. If he drops out, that will be the time for me to re-calibrate.


How about you? Any response is fine, of course, but I will greatly appreciate at least a sentence or two beyond a name--and "I can't say yet" is a perfectly fine answer. It would have been mine this morning.



Chafee

Recently turned Democratic, then announced he might run. Backed by Obama (kinda sorta) when he ran for Governor. Voted against the Iraq War while a US Senator and makes an anti-Iraq war case, which appeals to me. I'm still going with Bernie, though.



Jim Webb

Another one I forgot in the first version of this OP. I cannot even pretend to be neutral about this one. Reagan. Sexism. On the plus side, he's good on the veterans issue. I hate war, but I also hate using up people in wars and then leaving them to cope with their physical and psychological wounds on their own. (I believe in a war tax, which tax should include every cost of war, including caring for veterans, as every society should. Then, maybe we'd have fewer wars.)

[Sherman A1]

1. My plan

Is to see who is on the primary ballot and pick one.

[merrily]

3. That's what I had always done in the past.

I think it's a new ballgame now, though.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12776064

For me, at least.

[newfie11]

2. Bernie!!! Nt

[merrily]

4. Let me buy you a beer.

Oops. I guess I need to change my sig line!

[newfie11]

12. Lol

back at you

[Phlem]

5. Looks exactly like my plan.

[merrily]

6. Ok!

[MissDeeds]

7. Sanders 100%

I'd love to see a Sanders-Warren ticket, but we'll see if that pans out. I cannot think of two more fierce advocates for the middle class than Bernie and Elizabeth.

I cannot envision casting a vote for HRC. It would be voting against our own best interests, and casting a vote for a corporatist who I don't trust and do not feel will represent the 99%.

[merrily]

9. Y'all gonna get me drunk fast (but I'll recover quickly).

[MissDeeds]

10. Cheers!!!

[merrily]

14. Thanks!

[merrily]

15. I feel so much better now that I've decided.

I donated and I signed up for volunteering. Whatever that buys me will be more than worth it to me.

[peacebird]

27. Me too!

[Lydia Leftcoast]

8. Other than Hillary

I will vote in the Minnesota caucus for whoever is to the left of Hillary. If there is no one, i will vote "uncommitted."

[merrily]

11. IOW, your plan is literally "other than Hillary." Got it.

[dflprincess]

13. I have the same plan

And if we have to go "uncommitted", hopefully there will be enough to form a sizeable group at the congressional district and state conventions where they will elect uncommitted delegates to the national convention.

[merrily]

16. I hope that works out well for you and Lydia.

Last edited Sat Apr 25, 2015, 01:20 AM - Edit history (1)

ETA: I hope you'll post about it. I'd really be interested.

[dflprincess]

30. We are fortunate that the caucus system does really does give us a "none of the above"

option.

Of course, if someone else like Sanders or Warren is running I would caucus for them.

Not sure if you're familiar with our caucus system but that is where the process for selecting national delegates starts - the whole process can take two or three months. We start at the precinct level where we elect delegates to our (state) senate district convention; at that convention delegates who will attend the congressional district and state conventions get elected; and, finally at those two conventions the national delegates get elected. It is time consuming and takes commitment but it is a real grassroots method.

[merrily]

31. Thanks! I hope you keep us posted (literally). I am really interested in the doings.

[MannyGoldstein]

17. Warren.

She has to run. We need her.

I'm changing my handle to "Don Quixote".

[merrily]

18. You? Warren? Who are you trying to fool?

If and when Warren announces, I may re-assess. Meanwhile, as my OP says, I can't donate to her or volunteer for her in any way that seems productive.. So, I'll do what I can right now and support someone who says he will run if he sees support.

Near the end, Don Quixote reluctantly sways towards sanity.

The lengthy untold "history" of Don Quixote's adventures in knight-errantry comes to a close after his battle with the Knight of the White Moon (a young man from Don Quixote's hometown who had previously posed as the Knight of Mirrors) on the beach in Barcelona, in which the reader finds him conquered. Bound by the rules of chivalry, Don Quixote submits to prearranged terms that the vanquished is to obey the will of the conqueror: here, is that Don Quixote is to lay down his arms and cease his acts of chivalry for the period of one year (in which he may be cured of his madness).

Upon returning to his village, Don Quixote announces his plan to retire to the countryside as a shepherd, but his housekeeper urges him to stay home. Soon after, he retires to his bed with a deathly illness, and later awakes from a dream, having fully recovered his sanity. Sancho tries to restore his faith, but Quixano (his proper name) only renounces his previous ambition and apologizes for the harm he has caused. He dictates his will, which includes a provision that his niece will be disinherited if she marries a man who reads books of chivalry. After Alonso Quixano dies, the author emphasizes that there are no more adventures to relate, and that any further books about Don Quixote would be spurious.

Part Two of Don Quixote explores the concept of a character understanding that he is written about: an idea much explored in the 20th century

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Quixote

(aka "meta"?)

[MannyGoldstein]

19. Sanity?

Never!

[merrily]

20. Meta? Never!

[merrily]

25. P.S. I always knew you were Elvis.

[Enthusiast]

21. There. Sent one to Bernie.

[merrily]

24. Nice. If you're on Facebook, don't forget to "like" Bernie.

[MelungeonWoman]

22. I just signed up to volunteer for Bernie.

Thanks for the kick in the pants.

[merrily]

23. It feels odd to say you're welcome for the kick in the pants, but you're welcome.

If you are on Facebook, don't forget to "like" him.

It's funny, but they all seem to think it's important--and I don't think Bernie will fake likes as some of the others do.

[TheKentuckian]

26. Sherrod Brown is a real deal liberal with proven ability to win in a swing state

to me he seems to be the best combination of tested and proven on a wide range of subjects of serious concern and the person with the most scalable to win a national election while staying true.

What other big electoral vote swing state liberals do we have? Who else is it that walks the walk louder than talking the talk and then sells it to true purple?

I'll gladly support Bernie, he is cut from a similar cloth and is good as we have, I'm just saying Ohio is more meaningful in my calculations than Vermont in being able to do it right successfully.

Warren, I really like so far and she is strong in a critical area of issues to me but I'm unclear where she stands on some others and hasn't built up a trail of evidence that makes me sure as I can be of where a politician stands on a full range of concerns over some time so those positions are tested and reaffirmed as where one really stands after Obama. Rising fast and deservedly so but I am very wary of new car smell, I'm wanting something broke in and tested in broad range of policy.

I'd support her over the Turd Way but "I'm not so sure about it" so to speak. Nothing to do with her at all, she seems very genuine it is the situation, circumstances, and a big piece of what I've taken away from the past several years is more record the more truth of beliefs and purposes are tested.
Small sample size can mislead in either direction.

I'm even more wary but optimistic with trepidation on O'Malley, my gut is screaming stalking horse slash Trojan Horse though I cannot support that vibe I'm getting with any evidence enough to say confirmed and I'd honestly prefer not believe.

Problem is after that the bench really thin in the Senate (there are more good ones but i speak generally) and among governors, most of the trustworthy are in the House and untested in ability to compete and win big races. My rep I'd love to vote for any office in the land but most Democrats much less the nation could give a fuck about him though I find him on the right side from my point of view about every time and I'm happy to help in his election efforts and worry about how many opportunities I will have to do it.

Maybe around 150 other lucky districts have folks that more or less feel the same way but few if any have any broad traction.

[merrily]

28. You're probably familiar with the poster whose screen name is brooklynite?

He or she once posted that Sherrod Brown had been approached--maybe even by brooklynite--and refused to run.

I'm not saying it's true. I am just saying I read it.

[merrily]

29. P.S. I don't know if you saw this, but it is another thing to factor into

consideration of choosing a primary candidate.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12776064

My feeling is, the sooner we hoi polloi make it known that we are not going to be Stepfords in this primary, the better.

[delrem]

32. That's a good link.

I don't know how to discuss things at DU, anymore.

The DU homepage is a shrine to Hillary Clinton.
The whole "Left Column" is Hillary Clinton, and Pres. Obama insofar as Obama promotes Hillary.
No substance whatsoever.

It's like someone's trying to sell a pink pony.

I wonder how much money is influencing this public social media discussion?

[merrily]

33. Thank you I encourage you to spend more time in the Populist Reform Group.

[sabrina 1]

34. I agree with you that Warren means it, she isn't going to run. And in a way

I think that's a good thing, she is great in the Senate and we could lose that seat if she ran.

I also think that winning back the Senate and Congress are as important, maybe more so, than the WH race.

But, of the candidates you listed so far, I agree with you, Bernie is my choice.

You are also right that we need to support him now rather than wait for him to announce.

Next if Bernie doesn't run, so far, O'Malley, who is going to announce in May, would be my next choice.

However I would like to know more about him.

Thanks for the OP, I will go to Bernie's site and support him.

[merrily]

35. Thanks, Sabrina 1.

I did not say that Warren is not going to run, though. But, unless and until she jumps in, the only candidate it makes sense to help right now is one of the others. So, for now, at least, I am supporting Bernie.

If she jumps in, each of us can re-assess. Meanwhile, I don't think donations to Bernie will be wasted. No matter what, his voice needs to be heard. People who hear him have been liking what they hear. So, we'll see.

[sabrina 1]

36. I agree that donations to Bernie won't be wasted. He speaks for all of us

in the Senate and if it helps to keep him there should he not run, that's fine with me.