decision2020

decision2020 https://www.dailykos.com/news/decision2020 News Community Action Copyright 2005 - Steal what you want Mon, 27 Jan 2020 05:57:23 +0000 Mon, 27 Jan 2020 05:57:23 +0000 Daily Kos rss@dailykos.com (Daily Kos) Daily Kos rss@dailykos.com (Daily Kos) The 2020 Democratic Candidate Comparison Spreadsheet - 1/14/2020 https://www.dailykos.com/story/2020/1/14/1911347/-The-2020-Democratic-Candidate-Comparison-Spreadsheet-1-14-2020 Tonight, we have the seventh Democratic debate and I thought I’d provide a spreadsheet update before the candidates take the stage again. You can tune in at 9 pm Eastern/8 pm Central time on CNN. Like last time, I will be providing a recap the following morning, so feel free to check those out and share with your friends. The lineup is the following: Joe Biden, Former Vice President of the United States Pete Buttigieg, Mayor of South Bend, Indiana Amy Klobuchar, Senator of Minnesota Bernie Sanders, Senator of Vermont Tom Steyer, Activist Elizabeth Warren, Senator of Massachusetts If You’re New Welcome to this blog! If you haven’t read the original post, I encourage you to at least skim it to understand how this spreadsheet was developed. You can find it <a href="https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/4/7/1848411/-The-2020-Democratic-Candidate-Comparison-Sheet" target="_blank">here.</a> The purpose of these additional posts are threefold: 1. Updating you on the major changes in the race (new candidates, if anyone has dropped out, etc.) 2.Highlighting what policy issues candidates are not devoting time to 3. Providing transparency on the information collection process (updating donation information, explaining any difficulties collecting candidate info, etc) If you’re in a rush, you can find the spreadsheet <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nZuAUUcGCmi4xi6nsIapT2k_PPexxx5rGS0vQqkekPA/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">here.</a> But if you have a moment, here is a summary of the updates. Feel free to reach out at Comparison2020@Yahoo.com if you have any questions, comments, or concerns. Candidates Added (in order since last spreadsheet release): None (let’s keep it that way) Candidates Who Have Dropped Out: - Julián Castro, Former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) - Marianne Williamson, Activist & Spiritual Guru - Cory Booker, U.S. Senator of New Jersey Policy Observations: - We’re entering the “Silly Season,” where campaigns begin to fight each other instead of proposing ideas for the future. I am sorry to say most updates to the spreadsheet have been minor since the previous posted update. Info Collection Obstacles: - Some candidates state multiple positions that appear contradictory. For instance, some candidates will support Medicare-For-All, yet also call for a public option. I do my best to list every position in the spreadsheet, even if they may conflict at times. - Like I mentioned earlier, despite over 20 candidates, many do not offer policy ideas on foreign affairs. Therefore, those issues remain fairly light on information. (This is beginning to change though). Donation Disclosure (A star (*) means it is new since the last post): - Kirsten Gillibrand — $35 - Kamala Harris — $10 - Elizabeth Warren — $10 - Amy Klobuchar — $10* - Pete Buttigieg — $5 - John Hickenlooper — $5 - Jay Inslee — $5 Other Notes and Reminders: - Candidates tend to start a campaign with a handful of ideas, and then they expand to an entire platform later. You’ll notice some candidates have more detail than others in the spreadsheet. A part of that is simply some candidates announced later and haven’t spoken as much. Please be patient as the spreadsheet populates. - I always post the links to the candidate’s website so you can poke around on your own. This spreadsheet is meant to be a comparison resource for you to identify which candidates you want to do more research on. Thanks again for reading this brief update. As promised, <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nZuAUUcGCmi4xi6nsIapT2k_PPexxx5rGS0vQqkekPA/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">here </a>is the link again to the spreadsheet. Be sure to watch the debate this week, and be on the lookout for the recap! rss@dailykos.com (pb2266) 2020dems debate2020 decision2020 Democrats Dems Dems2020 DNC DNC2020 Election2020 _1911347 Tue, 14 Jan 2020 13:10:05 +0000 The 2020 Democratic Candidate Comparison Sheet - 8/16/2019 https://www.dailykos.com/story/2019/8/16/1879459/-The-2020-Democratic-Candidate-Comparison-Sheet-8-16-2019 Finally, multiple candidates are dropping out this month. While I am a fan of a robust primary without a coronation, having over 20 candidates is too much for anyone to know about. The mixture of heightened debate qualification requirements, filing deadlines to run for other offices, and too little cash to go around for each candidate will continue to put a squeeze on low-polling candidates to call it quits. We had 20 candidates for the June and July debates, and at the rate we are going with just under two weeks left to qualify for September, we might hit 12. Progress! (Even if the DNC should have made the threshold higher for October...). Just as a reminder, I archive the information captured about presidential candidates, even after they drop out. You can find their spreadsheet information on the second tab, labeled “Drop-Outs.” Anywho, here is an updated spreadsheet! If You’re New Welcome to this blog! If you haven’t read the original post, I encourage you to at least skim it to understand how this spreadsheet was developed. You can find it <a href="https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/4/7/1848411/-The-2020-Democratic-Candidate-Comparison-Sheet" target="_blank" title="">here.</a> The purpose of these additional posts are threefold: 1. Updating you on the major changes in the race (new candidates, if anyone has dropped out, etc.) 2.Highlighting what policy issues candidates are not devoting time to 3. Providing transparency on the information collection process (updating donation information, explaining any difficulties collecting candidate info, etc) If you’re in a rush, you can find the spreadsheet <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nZuAUUcGCmi4xi6nsIapT2k_PPexxx5rGS0vQqkekPA/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank" title="">here.</a> But if you have a moment, here is a summary of the updates. Feel free to reach out at Comparison2020@Yahoo.com if you have any questions, comments, or concerns. Candidates Added (in order since last spreadsheet release): Thankfully none Candidates Who Have Dropped Out: - Mike Gravel, Former Senator of Alaska (Endorsed both Tulsi Gabbard and Bernie Sanders) - John Hickenlooper, Former Governor of Colorado Policy Observations: - In light of the continued horrific reality of gun violence in America, several candidates have rolled out plans to tackling the epidemic. Almost all plans include common sense staples like universal background checks, closing loopholes, and banning high capacity magazines or assault weapons. The differences emerge in terms of whether or not guns should be subject to a licensure program, and some candidates have even suggested having a gun buy-back (some voluntary, others mandatory). More details soon will emerge, though many candidates running have been quiet about the newest idea of Red Flag Laws, which would permit a judge to temporarily take away guns from someone deemed a threat to themselves or others. - As I mentioned before, voting rights and foreign policy have taken an implicit back seat. Yes, some issues like gerrymandering, restoring the Voting Rights Act, and passing HR 1 have been mentioned in debates, but they are rare items on the campaign trail. The story is even worse for foreign policy — basically Democrats just point out the obvious, which is Trump is an embarrassing representative abroad. - You can tell the Iowa State Fair is happening, because several Democrats are rolling out plans to Rural America. This is a vague area, where some candidates just put up “rural broadband,” while others just talk about Agriculture. You’ll find a lot of the proposals in the “Social & Labor” policy section, or the “Infrastructure” section of this spreadsheet. Info Collection Obstacles: - Some candidates still don’t have a damn policy page on their campaign website - Some candidates state multiple positions that appear contradictory. For instance, some candidates will support Medicare-For-All, yet also call for a public option. I do my best to list every position in the spreadsheet, even if they may conflict at times. - Like I mentioned earlier, despite over 20 candidates, many do not offer policy ideas on foreign affairs. Therefore, those issues remain fairly light on information. Donation Disclosure (A star (*) means it is new since the last post): - Kirsten Gillibrand — $35 - Kamala Harris — $10 - Elizabeth Warren — $10 - Pete Buttigieg — $5 - John Hickenlooper — $5 - Jay Inslee — $5* Other Notes and Reminders: - As of now, there are a handful of minor candidates running who are not in this spreadsheet. Those candidates are: Mike Gravel, Wayne Messam, Seth Moulton, Joe Sestak, Tom Steyer, and Marianne Williamson. The primary reason these candidates are not in the spreadsheet is how serious they are about being the nominee, and their viability to continue a campaign into the primaries in February 2020. You are welcome to disagree with my assessment and find information about any of these individuals elsewhere. - Candidates tend to start a campaign with a handful of ideas, and then they expand to an entire platform later. You’ll notice some candidates have more detail than others in the spreadsheet. A part of that is simply some candidates announced later and haven’t spoken as much. Please be patient as the spreadsheet populates. - I always post the links to the candidate’s website so you can poke around on your own. This spreadsheet is meant to be a comparison resource for you to identify which candidates you want to do more research on. Thanks again for all your support. As promised, <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nZuAUUcGCmi4xi6nsIapT2k_PPexxx5rGS0vQqkekPA/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">here </a>is the link again to the spreadsheet. Hopefully we won’t have anymore Democrats entering the race, so we can all peacefully figure out who the next President should be. rss@dailykos.com (pb2266) 2020 2020decision 2020dnc decision2020 Democrats Democrats2020 Dems2020 DNC _1879459 Fri, 16 Aug 2019 16:50:04 +0000 The 2020 Democratic Candidate Comparison Sheet https://www.dailykos.com/story/2019/4/7/1848411/-The-2020-Democratic-Candidate-Comparison-Sheet Over a dozen candidates are running for the 2020 Democratic Nomination for President of the United States. Each candidate is offering their own perspective and ideas on how to take the country forward. But let’s be honest — 15+ candidates makes it extremely difficult to keep track of what they believe, and who fits your values best. That’s why I’m introducing a candidate comparison spreadsheet. The purpose of this spreadsheet is to centralize information about every major candidate running for President. I’ve captured the candidate’s name, link to their website, a quick list of priorities for them, and then general position stances in over 25 policy issues. My hope is this sheet can make it easier to compare candidates without feeling overwhelmed by the sheer volume of people running. I’m about to post a few notes explaining how this spreadsheet was created and I highly encourage you to read them before diving into the sheet to understand how it was built. But if you’re short on time or already know how I operate, here’s a link to the comparison sheet <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nZuAUUcGCmi4xi6nsIapT2k_PPexxx5rGS0vQqkekPA/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">here.</a> Notes Before You Read: How Did Candidates End Up on this Spreadsheet? - I have only included candidates who have officially announced they are running for President or at least have an Exploratory Committee. Whenever a new candidate enters the race, please be patient as it may take me up to a week to fill in their respective information. - The candidates in this spreadsheet are included because they are on pace to qualify for the first Democratic Debates in June. This means they either have polled 1% in at least three different polls, or have raised money from over 65,000 individual donors. Some candidates have already qualified for the debates, while others have not but are on pace. I have not included candidates who are not on pace, even if they are elected officials. How Did You Collect Information? - The information in this spreadsheet is based on public comments, social media posts, interviews, and votes cast by the candidates. - Due to the volume of candidates, this comparison sheet does not dive into candidate’s historical records extensively. If a candidate is asked about their previous positions, their response is included here. Once the field narrows a bit, I can provide thorough histories of the remaining candidates’ records. - My hope is that after you, the reader, identify candidates who you like, you’ll continue following them and conduct any research on their past that you consider relevant for your vote. How Often Will This Be Updated? - I’m updating it in real time every day. However, I will be making a new blog post with summaries of what changes have occurred every three weeks. Once the field winnows down and we have primaries every week, I can update the spreadsheet weekly to keep up. Why are Foreign Policy Issues so Bare? - Honestly, this field is heavily focused on domestic issues. While a handful of candidates have extensive thoughts on foreign affairs, many candidates have few specific ideas. I’ll continue to update the fields, but just know this is something where many Democrats struggle to articulate specific visions. Why Should I Trust this Information? - That’s up to you. I’ve been following politics for over a decade, writing up summaries of debates, following polling numbers, studying policy issues, and being involved in policy advocacy. I’ve led voter registration drives, knocked on thousands of doors, and have done my best to invite others to get involved. - I cannot stress enough this spreadsheet serves as a way to centralize information about the candidates, not only to provide insight on their policy stances, but to offer you the opportunity to prioritize who to follow. My hope is you can use this information to make informed decisions of your own. Who are You Supporting in 2020? - I don’t know yet. A part of what’s been wonderful about putting this spreadsheet together is I’ve learned so much about each of the candidates running. - For full disclosure, however, I will be posting any candidate for president I’ve donated to, along with the amount. These are candidates I’ve been impressed with and want to ensure they make the debate stage. I also have friends working for their campaigns and they asked me for a quick donation at the time of launch. This list will be updated if I make further donations: - Kirsten Gillibrand — $35 - Kamala Harris — $10 - Pete Buttigieg — $5 - John Hickenlooper — $5 How Can I Share This with Friends? - You can either share this blog post, or you can even share the Google Sheet link directly to anyone! I’ve made it so anyone can share and view. How Can I Contact You with Suggestions, Clarifications, Revisions, etc.? - Email me at Comparison2020@yahoo.com if you have any questions, concerns, or believe information is incorrect. This is just being pasted together in real-time, so any feedback is appreciated. Thanks again for reading all the notes. I hope they offered insight on how this comparison sheet can be a useful tool in making your decision in 2020. If you didn’t click the link above, you can find the comparison sheet <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nZuAUUcGCmi4xi6nsIapT2k_PPexxx5rGS0vQqkekPA/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">here</a> (I’m also embedding it into this blog post, but I’d advise moving it to an open tab so it is easier to navigate). One last note: I am doing this because I want people to have the best information possible at their disposal when making a decision on who to vote for. I’ll work on this as much as I can! However, it is time consuming, and so donations will always be appreciated (but NEVER required). If you’d like to donate, feel free to donate via Venmo to @Peter-Butler-11. Thanks again, and I hope this helps! <div class="dk-editor-embed center-block"> <div class="remove-embed-content">x</div> <div class="dk-editor-embed center-block"> <div class="remove-embed-content"><a class="new_iframe_placeholder" href="#">x</a></div> <a class="iframe_placeholder dk-x-embed" href="#" data-frameborder="0" data-src="//docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nZuAUUcGCmi4xi6nsIapT2k_PPexxx5rGS0vQqkekPA/edit?usp=sharing">Embedded Content</a></div> </div> rss@dailykos.com (pb2266) 2020 2020Democrats decision2020 PresidentalElection2020 _1848411 Sun, 07 Apr 2019 14:42:57 +0000 The Revolution Will Be Televised, But It May Not Be Funded By The DCCC https://www.dailykos.com/story/2019/3/24/1844688/-Further-Evidence-That-The-Only-Party-That-Can-Beat-The-Democrats-In-2020-Are-The-Democrats Friday, the DCCC announced that they will boycott vendors or consultants who support or do business with candidates in blue districts that primary the (Democratic) incumbent. I think this <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/03/23/dcccs-undemocratic-decision/" target="_blank">op-ed from WaPo</a>, short and sweet, says it all, you can read it in less than two minutes, so I’ll just quote the paragraph I agree with the most: <blockquote> The most generous read of the DCCC’s decision is that it represents ordinary, nonideological professional cowardice. Anyone given the opportunity to create barriers for people who would compete with them for their jobs would likely do so, especially if it were possible to tuck their efforts away in an innocuous-looking form. A more ideological read would hold that the DCCC <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2018/06/28/ocasio-cortez-upsets-crowley-but-establishment-dominates-democratic-p.html">continues to be frustrated</a> by the success of leftward congressional challengers such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), who successfully “primaried” then-Democratic caucus chair Joseph Crowley, and hopes to nip the campaigns of these progressive challengers in the bud. </blockquote> Let me offer a few talking points to the article: 1) Remember this <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Jc4U4ugi_4&t=149s" target="_blank">Bill Maher rant from 2009 or so</a>? If anything, it’s become more true today. Maher was totally on the money about the Corporate Wing of the Democratic Party, Obama’s political ideology (Traditional Centrist Republican, although I’ll say that for him, it’s one of my favorite jokes to say that the two best Republican Presidents in my lifetime were Bill Clinton and Barack Obama) and the fact that the ideology of the current GOP is completely looney tunes, but it works for now, because it targets the white serf class and their <s>masters</s> employers, the wealthy. 2) This announcement is designed to protect those Corporate Dems from progressive upstarts like AOC, and keep the PAC money flowing. Certainly this crowdfunding/not taking PAC money concept towards raising money by AOC and others has the Committee worried, because it’s money that’s not going directly to them. There are quite a few turkey Congressmen out there that need to go, on both sides of the aisle. The DNCC’s support for those on our side is telling and troubling at the same time. 3) What I find most troubling about all of this is how the media assesses one’s ideology. AOC calls herself a “Democratic Socialist”. I’m a huge (should I say “yuuuuge”?) fan of her, but what I’ve seen so far, she’s no socialist. I can show you what real socialism looks like. I actually wish she wouldn’t have said that. She’s in my view a Traditional Moderate Democrat, and while you can choose to disagree with that assessment I think we can all agree it’s more a sign how far a right turn this country has taken. Frankly, her platform makes all the sense in the world; if for anything else, the GOP is just wrong on every major social issue. Not right or left, but just wrong. 4) I mentor a couple of millennial-born young adults and they amaze me. I tell them (and their friends) that I think the world of their generation, and they’re going to do some wonderful things in the next 20-30 years. Why do I believe in them? Because their generation was raised completely on the Internet, as opposed to the one before, which was raised on cable TV. A monolithic difference in terms of receiving and processing information. As such, it’s my belief that there are at least 20 AOCs coming down the pipeline and that the DNCC doesn’t want that, because they will no longer have control of what traditional Dem platforms are (refer back to the Maher rant if you’re unaware-they haven’t changed). They want to own the election and legisilation game, and really don’t want to give constituents a choice. They just want to give the illusion there is one (which reminds me of a famous George Carlin rant which has been posted on this site many times in the past, but that’s for another day). More importantly, it’s the millenials’ time, they should be able to elect the politicians they prefer to support instead of the other way around. I trust their judgment, if anything, because they’re the most intellectually curious generation in my lifetime. 5) While I will continue to likely vote Dem in national elections, I’m probably going to change my registration to “independent”. My personal politics are probably 85% progressive and 15% libertarian (small “l”, I support decriminalization of most drug laws and prostitution). While I may miss out on backing a progressive in my CD, at the very least my phone won’t be blown up anymore with phone calls and text messages asking me to vote and donate to the incumbent, who really is nothing more than a professional politician who comes from the Harry Reid Machine (I love Harry and wish him nothing but success as he fights pancreatic cancer, but he foisted both Dario Herrera and Ruben Kilhuen on my district and I haven’t forgotten such lapses in judgment). rss@dailykos.com (Vinnie Vegas) CampaignFinance Congress decision2020 DNCC Election2020 Millennials Progressive _1844688 Sun, 24 Mar 2019 17:36:04 +0000 EVERY PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY EMAIL, SUMMARIZED https://www.dailykos.com/story/2019/2/21/1836605/-EVERY-PRESIDENTIAL-PRIMARY-EMAIL-SUMMARIZED It's only February 2019, but the 2020 U.S. presidential election has already begun! Here's a time-saving summary of your next six months of political emails: "I just returned from Early Primary State where I randomly dropped into Beloved Local Diner for a slice of their Famous Pie. I was delighted to bump into my personal friends Gruff-but-Kind Waitress, Single Mother, Elderly Couple, Gay Person of Color, and Laid-Off Middle-Aged Worker. We discussed Local Sports Team's big game and laughed about Fond Old Memory. They told me their deep concerns about Jobs, Taxes, and Healthcare. I admitted my fear that Divisive Political Issue would prevent us from finding solutions, but they just smiled and told me that – together – we are better than that. They shared their simple-but-wise observations about regular people and the things that make America strong. I vowed to make this country better for our children and grandchildren, and promised them I had a Plan! Give me money." rss@dailykos.com (Rogueplanet) 2020 booker decision2020 Democratic diner Election gabbard Gillibrand Harris Iowa NewHampshire Pie Presidential Primaries Primary sanders warren _1836605 Thu, 21 Feb 2019 16:13:48 +0000 Betting Lines On Trump Surviving One Term https://www.dailykos.com/story/2017/1/26/1625457/-Betting-Lines-On-Trump-Surviving-One-Term When Donald got elected, I thought he may make it through one term. I’m starting to think that’s not going to happen, but that’s for another blog. The GOP is The Crazy Party, but they’ve outdone themselves this time. For those who want to track (or, if you live outside the USA, even bet on!) Donald’s chances of being impeached/resigning, here are a couple of sites for you. <a href="https://sports.ladbrokes.com/en-gb/betting/politics/" target="_blank" title="">Ladbrokes</a> and <a href="http://www.paddypower.com/bet/politics" target="_blank" title="">Paddy Power </a>are two longstanding, well respected bookmakers. Paddy Power even put up a 2020 field bet, but that one is a little hard to take seriously. Most you can bet on these propositions is usually GBP 100 or so. Now, this is purely for entertainment purposes only, but it could be amusing watching the lines change on this over the next few weeks. rss@dailykos.com (Vinnie Vegas) decision2020 DonaldTrump Impeachment TheCrazyParty trump _1625457 Thu, 26 Jan 2017 16:33:24 +0000