Nice to know that you can literally buy support if you're rich enough.

[Gravitycollapse]

There will be a moral reckoning if Bloomberg is our nominee. And we will have to figure out why so many Democrats were duped by a billionaire because he had flashy ads and called Trump fat.

If this is the standard by which we measure the value of a candidate, we are in serious trouble.

[applegrove]

1. We are lucky to have Bloomberg in the fight with his money no matter

who wins the nomination. Bloomberg has promised he will fund the fight against Trump even if he loses the democratic nomination.

[Gravitycollapse]

3. We don't need billionaires to win this.

Anyone telling you otherwise is a stooge for the hyper wealthy and powerful.

[applegrove]

6. We need everyone running on all cylinders.

[Squinch]

13. We need everything we can lay our hands on to win this. Why does no one get this?

Filthy Donnie is dismantling our Democracy. You may feel like you can turn away money that can help us stop that from happening, but I don't.

This is a paradigm away from every other election you have ever experienced. We win this, or our country is ruined. Our Democracy is gone. And that isn't hyperbole.

Do you think ANY of our institutions will survive another 4 years of Filthy Donnie?

[Gravitycollapse]

18. I will not debase myself because of fear

Anyone who thinks this election is ONLY about Trump has abandoned their principles.

[Squinch]

19. THIS ELECTION IS ONLY ABOUT TRUMP! CONSIDER ME DEBASED!

I just can't believe how dense people are about this. This is how countries collapse.

You can eat your principles once the rule of law is gone. And don't look now but it's going fast.

[bluestarone]

23. AGREE!!

[Gravitycollapse]

26. An unprincipled life is a worthless life.

I will not support someone simply because they are a billionaire. Bloomberg has nothing else.

[Squinch]

28. The rule of law is my principle. I really, really like me a rule of law.

Want to really see a worthless life? You will if trump keeps trampling our rule of law.

[brush]

46. FYI: He's used his money for gun control, environmetal causes, against big tobacco, etc.

Google, pls. And they're all trying to buy ads, he just has his owh money to do it with. All power to him if he helps beat trump.

[lapucelle]

54. He also used his money to help Planned Parenthood when their funding was cut. N/T

[brush]

58. Right, good on him.

[Blue_true]

45. Yeah, I am de-based also. If Trump wins reelection, we have a mod society where

No social norm can't be destroyed.

[Kaleva]

25. But you'll vote for Bloomberg in the general if he is the nominee.

Because in the general, it will only be about Trump and the fact that he must lose.

[Blue_true]

44. It is truly amazing that people are so blinded by some mythical "ideal" state

that they can't see the hard real-world realities of the situation that we are in. If Donald Trump wins re-election, all the moral and social norms that underpin society will be dismantled, THAT is what is staring us in the eyes.

[calguy]

20. Are the Bernie Bros getting nervous?

Sounds like it. How do you beat a bad millionaire who pretends he's a billionaire? You beat him with a good guy who is also a real billionaire. How do you lose to a bad guy? Run a vulnerable self described socialist that 3/4 of the country will reject.
Bloomberg isn't a perfect petson. None of us are. He just might be the best chance we have to save our democracy.

[Gravitycollapse]

22. Bloomberg is morally bankrupt. Give me anyone else.

[calguy]

24. Knee-jerk reaction.

Try again.

[Gravitycollapse]

27. It's not knee-jerk. Bloomberg truly is worthless outside of his billions.

[Squinch]

30. And yet you support someone who has gotten nothing done in 30 years in Congress.

[ChubbyStar]

35. That is a long Congressional career

All the people that voted him into office for 30 years are stupid?

[Squinch]

36. I can't answer that. I don't know them. But I do know that he has been

in Congress for decades and gotten nothing done.

[calguy]

33. Is that the best you can do?

[ChubbyStar]

57. What a thoughtful compelling reply

How profound.

[Blue_true]

48. Bloomberg has done more REAL action on climate than Bernie.

Bloomberg has done REAL things to control the scourge of guns in our society. Bernie has voted five times against the Brady Bill and has during the past worked to prevent gun legistlation that would stop the flood of guns into big cities like the one Bloomberg once led.

Your definition of morally bankrupt seems to be a bit skewed. If Bloomberg perfect? NO his is not, but neither is Bernie.

[Blue_true]

47. Bloomberg would get us to a point where we have restored socals

and legal norms.

[boston bean]

2. Well. They guys is eons better than the Trumpass.

He seems like he could go toe to toe with Trumpass.

People are not judging candidates on promises or policy this year.

They see a man who could beat trump and that is really all that matters.

I wouldn’t say those people would have to reckon anything. They want to save the country.

[LongtimeAZDem]

4. He has literally put his money where his mouth is when it come to defeating Trump

Would that his detractors would do likewise.

[Gravitycollapse]

5. I choose not to believe in fantasy.

[LongtimeAZDem]

7. And yet you support a candidate with no accomplishments, no allies, and no actual plan for

accomplishing his numerous pie-in-the-sky promises.

[Gravitycollapse]

9. People believe this kind of nonsense because they are afraid.

Sanders has systematically detailed his plans and policies and has even drafted legislation.

[Docreed2003]

10. So how's he propose to pay for Medicare for All??

He hasn't and has refused to say....

[Gravitycollapse]

14. That's an outright falsehood. Read this...

https://www.sanders.senate.gov/download/options-to-finance-medicare-for-all?id=8E063228-2387-4805-BFD2-82EA218861DA&download=1&inline=file

[Docreed2003]

49. Bernie has been ask repeatedly how he proposes to pay for it

And how much it will cost...he's never given an answer. Liz Warren has given an answer, Bernie gets to skate.

[Gravitycollapse]

50. You literally didn't read what I posted--which is his plan.

Ignorance is bliss.

[Docreed2003]

59. You LITERALLY have no idea whether I read it or not

FYI, you're barking up the wrong tree with the "ignorance is bliss" crap. I'd suggest you reread your own post and come back when you have a true detailed funding plan. All you posted are hypotheticals for funding. That's not a plan

[Gravitycollapse]

63. News flash: The entire thing is hypothetical at this point.

You’re looking at THE plan. And you’re saying it’s not a plan. So either you didn’t read it or you’re not being honest.

[LongtimeAZDem]

12. He has never accomplished anything save renaming a few post offices and securing weapons

contracts; he has no allies in Congress as a result of attacking everyone for decades, and he cannot pass his vaunted agenda.

To believe otherwise is fantasy.

[Squinch]

16. Yes. He has drafted things, and he has called for things, and he has "slammed" things and he has

proposed things.

But that isn't going to do us any good whatsoever.

[calguy]

29. Do you know any other good jokes?

His detailed plans and policies somehow disappear when he is asked about. Especially when asked about the costs and how to meet those costs.
His amateur front woman Nina Turner was asked point blank after the debate how much it would cost.
Her answer? "I'm not going to go there!"
So tell us another joke. That last one was pretty good.

[sheshe2]

31. Sure

Gravitycollapse
9. People believe this kind of nonsense because they are afraid.

Sanders has systematically detailed his plans and policies and has even drafted legislation.

He has systematically detailed his plan , yet not how to pay for any of it or get it through a GOP Senate that has a mile high stack of bills that Mitch REFUSES to bring to the floor for a vote.

[Gravitycollapse]

34. Again, a total falsehood. I've already posted his detailed plan.

https://www.sanders.senate.gov/download/options-to-finance-medicare-for-all?id=8E063228-2387-4805-BFD2-82EA218861DA&download=1&inline=file

[sheshe2]

40. Not gonna read it.

So he gave a detailed plan how he will pay for it and get it past the GOP Senate?

[Gravitycollapse]

43. "Not gonna read it"--Pretty much sums up your position.

Don’t claim he doesn’t have a detailed plan when he does. If you want to remain ignorant, that’s on you.

[TDale313]

8. Yeah, the whole thing leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

I hate the idea that our elections are for sale. Doesn’t really matter to me if it’s a benevolent oligarch. It still feels inherently wrong.

[boston bean]

11. Well. I sort of agree. But I can see where people would support him because 8 years of him

Won’t destroy us.

4 years of trump will.

That is really where we are at.

I am still undecided and not against Bloomberg.

[4139]

15. Republican, the Independent, then Democrat.... how long before he switches again? Next year?

[sheshe2]

38. Independent....

Switches to Democrat every time he runs. Then back to Independent.

He is registered as we speak for two different runs, President as a Dem and his rerun for Senate as an Independent.

Bernie Sanders Files To Run As A Democrat — And An Independent

Bernie Sanders filed Monday to be a candidate for the Senate in 2024 — as an independent.
But last month, Sanders filed as a Democrat for president.

https://www.npr.org/2019/03/04/700121429/bernie-sanders-files-to-run-as-a-democrat-and-an-independent

[JGug1]

17. Bloomberg

Seek progress, not perfection. If Bloomberg has the best chance to beat Trump, I'm ALL aboard. My sense is that everyone here should be too.

[Gravitycollapse]

21. Not seeking perfection. I'm seeking someone who is morally upright.

Bloomberg is not that. I’ll take any other candidate.

[emmaverybo]

62. Agree. You don't sic police on frightened young black and Latino males and call that crime control,

when it is nothing but racism gone riot if you are morally upright.

[HerbChestnut]

32. Yep, nailed it.

[Politicub]

37. I guess it's better to berate and shame people using obnoxious campaign staff.

Bloomberg is not attacking other democrats; Turner, Sirota et al are trashing democrats every day.

So I would rather a billionaire attack our real enemy than see petty, cheap attacks directed at fellow democrats.

The standard by which I measure a candidate is a combination of word, deed and who they hire as staff to represent them.

[msongs]

39. lol keep bragging about how much cash bernie rakes in every quarter nt

[Blue_true]

41. Bloomberg.

Is taking actual, concrete action to fight climate change, he isn't just talking about it like Sanders and the others are.

Did something, abeit hamfisted to get the guns on his city's streets that Biden and in very much particular Sanders (the historically anti-gun control Legistlator) allowed to flood into his city.

Sanders has documented sexual harrassment issues with his 2016 campaign and Biden has had issues getting too close to women.

All the candidates have their weak spots, of them all, Bloomberg appears to have the fewest. Yes, Bloomberg has NDAs against his company, but as a business owner, I can promise you that sexual harrassment in some form is impossible to prevent due to how it progresses, so the only thing left is to try to clean up the mess and put in place updated conduct requirements that cover the latest issue. People often have personal relationships and they fall out, then there can be problems, you can't just totally ban romances up front because then you can be ring up for violating people's rights. Sexual harrassment is a problem for companies, a problem that has many trap doors that can be fallen into.

[Jose Garcia]

42. Tell it to Tom Steyer

[TheSocialDem]

51. Anybody worth 60 billion

It’s hard to understand how a normal person, left alone someone who says they care enough about people to run for president, Is still worth 60 billion and hasn’t spent that making a difference already.. he’s only willing to spend 2 billion on the campaign? So he will still have his 58 billion for himself Regardless if his 2 billion was enough or not?

Someone worth 60 billion has to be pretty damn selfish

[TwilightZone]

61. He's donated $6.5 billion to charity and pledged the rest of his fortune in the coming years.

That doesn't sound all that selfish to me.

[33taw]

53. I think all of the candidates have things we each don't care for, but I will vote for the

Democratic nominee regardless of their imperfections or occasional policy differences. The biggest concern I have over any candidate, is with the one who employed Tad Davine. Yet, I will vote for him too.

[Nanjeanne]

55. Amen.

[jcmaine72]

56. There was a time when billionaire oligarchs attempting to buy our elections weren't so popular

here at DU. In fact, if you perform site search prior to 2018 using the keywords "Michael Bloomberg" you'd be hard pressed find even one complimentary post about this man's politics, his civil rights record as mayor of NYC, or his business practices, which includes significant business ties to China.

It's almost inconceivable to me that this man, who once symbolized everything we allegedly to stand against as Democrats, especially us progressive Democrats, would now be the apple in anyone's eye here.

We can't do better than this? We can't BE better than this? Really? Sorry, but swapping out cyanide for strychnine is not a solution, especially for the millions of Americans who are in desperate need. We NEED to be better than this.

[Laelth]

60. We live in an oligarchic republic.

Why should it shock us to discover than an election can be bought (partially, at least)? Honestly, people will still have the choice to vote for or against Bloomberg. He can't really "buy" votes, but I can't pretend that his money doesn't matter, either. Some guy who's got $50+ billion and who is willing to spend it fighting the good fight is both impossible to ignore and hard to resist.

-Laelth

[honest.abe]

64. We are already in serious trouble.

Which is precisely why we may need someone like Bloomberg to save us from a King Trump.

[BootinUp]

66. I am having similar thoughts. nt

[highplainsdem]

67. Right. All you really need to do is promise $1.6 trillion in student debt forgiveness you'll never

be able to deliver, and you'll get more young voters than anyone else!

If you can dangle a gigantic tax-free financial windfall in front of young voters, one they'll supposedly get even if they can afford to pay off those debts themselves, you won't have to worry so much about using your own money to pay for ads, or taking on Trump in ways that really get to him.