Warren and Buttigieg Beg Democrats Not to Fear Republicans

[BeyondGeography]

(And Sanders)

Democrats need to win the presidency and the Senate to have a chance of enacting any of the ambitious health-care plans they’ve proposed in the presidential primary so far, including Medicare for All. But if tonight’s debate made anything clear, it’s that they first have to get Republicans out of their head—and out of their fight.

...”It is time to stop worrying about what the Republicans will say,” South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg declared toward the end of the exchange, after candidates including former Representative John Delaney of Maryland and the author Marianne Williamson voiced concerns that Democrats were risking electoral suicide by touching what has become yet another third rail of American politics.”

“It’s true that if we embrace a far-left agenda, they are gonna say we’re a bunch of crazy socialists,” Buttigieg said. “If we embrace a conservative agenda, you know what they’re gonna do? They’re going to say we’re a bunch of crazy socialists. So let’s just stand up for the right policy, go out there, and defend it.”

...Warren and Sanders want desperately for Democrats to change the conversation, to stop fearing the big bad Republican wolf. They each begged their fellow Democrats to keep the GOP and its spectral presence out of the party’s internal debate over health care. “Let’s be clear about this: We are the Democrats. We are not about trying to take away health care from anyone. That’s what the Republicans are trying to do,” Warren said early on, in one of the night’s first big applause lines. “And we should stop using Republican talking points in order to talk with each other about how to best provide that health care.”

The debate over health care is tied up in the party’s broader argument over electability in the 2020 primary. In her opening statement, Warren warned Democrats against going for “small ideas and spinelessness.” What she really wants, however, is for the party to not get bogged down in the same fight that’s long been dictated by its opponents.

More at https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2019/07/warren-democrats-fear-trump/595069/

[Saviolo]

1. Warren/Buttigieg 2020?

I'd be down. After Warren's complete shut down of Delaney (though maybe a little rude to murder him in front of all of those people):

Link to tweet

And this from Buttigieg:

[This is] the conversation that we have been having for the last 20 years. Of course we need to get money out of politics, but when I propose the actual structural democratic reforms that might make a difference — end the electoral college, amend the Constitution if necessary to clear up Citizens United, have D.C. actually be a state, and depoliticize the Supreme Court with structural reform — people look at me funny, as if this country was incapable of structural reform.

This is a country that once changed its Constitution so you couldn’t drink and changed it back because we changed our minds and you’re tell me we can’t reform our democracy in our time. We have to or we will be having the same argument 20 years from now.

From here.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. I like your ticket, though I think Buttigieg would be wasted as VP. n/t

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. I agree with Pete Buttigieg. And with Elizabeth Warren, on this topic.

I think the best way to approach this topic is to state, clearly and unequivocally, just what we want to do in the way that will be good for the country as a whole.

I wouldn't say we should ignore the republicans, but we need to stop acting as though they're always right and we're always wrong.

We must not let them dictate to us.

[crazytown]

4. Elizabeth didn't beg, she schooled them.

one of them didn't come out alive.

[pecosbob]

5. "Keep the GOP and its spectral presence out of the party's internal debate over health care"

Hear, hear x 1,000,000.

[ProfessorPlum]

6. Fear is the Mind Killer.