Previously 'The big ol' 2020 debate', turned Baruch's personal waste bin.

[SvZurich]

I am so pleased Bernie won Nevada!  May he keep making the DNC shit bricks as voters support him!

[Baruch]

Typical voter … what would I feel if I met this politician in person?  In 2000/2004 many Americans liked George W,   because they could see themselves enjoying a beer with him.  Elizabeth Warren tried to catch that vibe, but failed.

Loud obnoxious NYC people are not the most popular.  Justifiably, Texans are ;-)

[Baruch]

South Carolina Primary 20% counted

Biden - 52% - expected
Sanders - 18% - expected
Steyer - 11% - stand-in for Bloomberg when not on ballot?
Buttigieg - 8% - expected
Warren - 7% - disappointing
Klobuchar - 3% - disappointing
Gabbard  - 1% - Go Tulsi!
Total - 100%

[SvZurich]

See where education cuts lead?  They lead to higher totals for the hand picked DNC candidates and Trump.  ;)

[Hydra009]

Joe Biden wins big in SC, Steyer drops out



Biden's victory was mainly due to the fairly high age of the SC primary voters, with Biden winning the Boomer crowd hands down.  Definitely a silver lining for his campaign, pun intended.

[Hydra009]

Another interesting tidbit:



A majority of democrats in all four states support medicare for all, though SC is noticeably weaker on this than the other states.  Sanders, a medicare for all candidate, got the popular vote in the first three states but lost SC, where support for medicare for all is weaker.

[SGOS]

Medicare for all sounds good.  I've got Medicare and I'm grateful, but it's still not as good as the program an average Canadian has access to in Canada's universal system.  Medicare is NOT full coverage, and even paying for part B out of pocket is still not full coverage.  You are still hundreds of dollars a month away from full coverage.  I also buy supplemental from AARP, and that still doesn't cover everything.  I stop buying extra coverage there. Medicare it costs me about $400 each month out of pocket.  It's cheaper than Obamacare by a long shot, but still a large monthly expense.

The problem with Medicare is that it still leaves a large gap, and fails to take the private insurers out of the picture, leaving them free to lobby for fewer Medicare advantages forcing voters back under corporate thumbs.  So while Medicare For All is far better than Obamacare, it is still open to greedy corporate meddling.  I think it's appealing to most Americans who think Medicare is something like universal coverage, which it clearly is not.  But going to the bargaining table asking for Medicare handicaps our bargaining position greatly.

Improving Obamacare has been the rallying cry of most of those seeking the presidential nomination in the Democratic party because it's what corporate contributors want, but most of those contenders are now out of contention for the nomination.  Voters appear to want something else.  And they appear to be forced to vote for Sanders, even though he yells and waves his arms around like some cranky old fart.  Imagine how well much more polished speakers like Buttigieg, Warren, or even Biden with nothing more than his name recognition might have done with the Sander's message.

Obamacare doesn't address the problem of costs.  It just shifts the process of paying for insurance around, and then pretends it's now affordable.  The "baby steps" argument supporting Obamacare is just a way of supporting the old system.  Early on, the central committee decided that the party would be better off defending "Fixing Obamacare" as a better strategy than actually doing something.  I think it was the wrong strategy, but it's not my business, so I'll stop there.

[SvZurich]

I am very spoiled by the socialism of the Veterans Administration system.  I don't have insurance, but for government tax purposes it counts.  I pay $15 for a doctor's visit, $15 typically for a 3 month supply of a medicine (usually, rarely I pay less), get some items for free, and can make use of any meetings/programs for free.  I did not retire, I was fired for being queer on my 2nd enlistment, and all of this is covered because I was honorably discharged.  I want EVERYONE to have a system similar to this.  More people having healthcare (and paid sick leave) means fewer disease vectors festering.

[Hydra009]

More people having healthcare (and paid sick leave) means fewer disease vectors festering.

Exactly.  I've got news for people who "don't want to pay for other people's healthcare".  When another big pandemic hits, that guy making your pizza came to work sick.  The guy delivering your packages came to work sick. The guy serving you drinks came to work sick.  Not because they're intentionally trying to make other people sick, but because they're living paycheck to paycheck and they can't afford to stay home, their employer doesn't give them any paid sick leave, and they can barely afford to keep the lights on, let alone outrageously expensive health insurance.

Don't want to pay for it?  You absolutely will pay for it, one way or the other.  I'm begging you, choose the one with less human misery all around.  There are less pitchforks down that road, as well.

[Baruch]

I am very spoiled by the socialism of the Veterans Administration system.  I don't have insurance, but for government tax purposes it counts.  I pay $15 for a doctor's visit, $15 typically for a 3 month supply of a medicine (usually, rarely I pay less), get some items for free, and can make use of any meetings/programs for free.  I did not retire, I was fired for being queer on my 2nd enlistment, and all of this is covered because I was honorably discharged.  I want EVERYONE to have a system similar to this.  More people having healthcare (and paid sick leave) means fewer disease vectors festering.

Enlist now!  Service equals citizenship!

[Baruch]

South Carolina Primary 100% counted

Biden - 48% - expected
Sanders - 20% - expected
Steyer - 11% - stand-in for Bloomberg when not on ballot?
Buttigieg - 8% - expected
Warren - 7% - disappointing
Klobuchar - 3% - disappointing
Gabbard  - 1% - Go Tulsi!
Total - 98%

[Jason Harvestdancer]

Biden just got the victory necessary to stay in the race, after losing three times to Sanders.  When is Warren finally going to drop out?

[Baruch]

Biden just got the victory necessary to stay in the race, after losing three times to Sanders.  When is Warren finally going to drop out?

Bwahaha … Warren is Sanders-lite.  Warren will be invited to be Biden's running mate.  And to remind him what state he is currently campaigning in ;-)  Wait for it …. Wednesday morning, after super-duper-Tuesday … will the California voters get past their weed smoke to the voting booth?  Bloomberg will be running as himself, not thru his stand-in, Steyer.  I predict Sanders will take California.

They say … dum dum dum … after super-duper-Tuesday, Biden will be out of money.  Bloomberg can still use money for toilet paper.

If Warren doesn't take Massachusetts (home state) she will need to drink something stronger than beer!

[GSOgymrat]

Buttigieg dropped out. I'm a bit surprised he did it before Super Tuesday. Political analysts say this is supposed to help Biden.

[Hydra009]

Biden just got the victory necessary to stay in the race, after losing three times to Sanders.  When is Warren finally going to drop out?

Her campaign claims that she isn't going to drop out because she still has a path to victory under the logic that the supporters of people dropping out are going to switch to Warren.

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/03/01/warren-hail-mary-strategy-nomination-118319