Quote:
Originally Posted by CodythePATRIOT
I'm almost going to inevitably be voting Trump, unless Yang is the nominee. At that point I am going to have to take a deeper look at his policies.
This is just baffling that anyone could potentially have Yang as their first preference and Trump as their second if you're voting on policy at all
I get that most people don't and it's a personality contest it's just surprising for someone who follows closely. They hold opposing views on pretty much everything, Yang is just great at framing very progressive ideas as common sense policy, he's not all that far from a Warren or a Sanders on the issues he's a better communicator
Bernie was solid on JRE but the Presidential election won't be fought on one hour policy discussions which is where he does best.
Also re: all those non moderates, stuff that happened in the 80s or earlier does not apply to the current electorate, the boomers were young then, and Gen X/Millenials/Gen Z weren't in the electorate. What counted as moderate or liberal then and now are completely different. Reagan would be considered a RINO in 2019 and a few decades before that the parties held vastly different positions/support bases. The sample size for Presidential elections for any particular generation is tiny. Clinton and Kerry and Gore all came close but lost as moderates, Obama won as a semi-moderate but not the most moderate candidate in the field that cycle, Clinton won as a moderate but in a 3 way race in 1992 with a weird dynamic. The biggest thing in common that Ds who have won the Presidency in the last few decades have is charisma, with the possible exception of Carter and that was mostly the fallout from Nixon still. Charisma and public speaking skill seem to be worth more than being a liberal or a moderate. The Democrats have never nominated a turn out the base liberal in the post 9/11 era so we have no idea what will happen if they do that up against an unpopular Republican incumbent who has a very passionate base but limited appeal to moderates himself. Every 4 years more boomers/silents are dying and more of Gen Z are coming of age to vote and every 4 years the percentage of the American electorate that consists of minorities is increasing.
For what it's worth I completely agree someone like Yang who speaks logically and without emotion or identity-politics type language is the best bet to beat Trump but obviously it's a ridiculous long shot for him to win the nomination. Gabbard has a ton of her own issues imo and can't win the nomination. I honestly haven't looked into Buttigieg in enough detail but I think being gay may still be too much baggage with the old boomers who his schtick might otherwise appeal to even in 2019; and those that it doesn't matter to are voting for any D nom anyway for the most part.
I still think all of the D contenders start as a small fav against Trump but it's way too far from election day to say with any certainty what's going to happen (other than certain Dems like say Delaney or Gillibrand or Williamson aren't going to be President)
I can't see any scenario in which Trump wins in a landslide either; his appeal is just too limited to win a non-close election; either side could win a close election but if it's a landslide Trump is gone.
Last edited by SwoopAE; 08-08-2019 at 01:36 AM.