Brutal vetting of Bloomberg -- "The Dangers of a Plutocrat-on-Plutocrat Election"

[diva77]

This interview with David Dayen is a must listen!!

https://soundcloud.com/user-830442635/the-dangers-of-a-plutocrat-on-plutocrat-election

We begin with the rising political profile of Michael Bloomberg who has already spent some $400 million promoting his presidential candidacy as a Democrat although the former Republican Mayor of New York has promised to support with his billions whichever Democrat eventually wins the nomination. David Dayen, the Executive Editor of The American Prospect whose latest book is Fat Cat: The Steve Mnuchin Story, joins us to discuss his latest article at The American Prospect “Michael Bloomberg and the Dangers of ‘Any Blue Will Do Politics’: The presidential candidate is a mirror image of Donald Trump”. We examine whether Bloomberg’s rise as an alternative for centrist Democrats to Biden’s fading campaign is driven by too many Democrats having spent the Trump era looking for a Republican “daddy” to rein in the toddler-in-chief in order to restore both Republican and American decency. Something David Dayen warns “would be disaster to extend this delusion by actually nominating a Republican to lead the Democratic Party” and in doing so “make a tragic mistake of having a plutocrat-on-plutocrat election that will show that nothing matters in a democracy if you have enough money”. In effect this would be an “act of pure desperation that will alienate giant swathes of the country and put a For Sale sign on our democracy, perhaps permanently”.

[kurtcagle]

1. This is just the natural culmination of Citizens United

Seriously - at this point the only candidates who can gain traction are the ones either with deep pockets or who are bankrolled by deep pockets. Issues no longer matter, accounting no longer matters. This is ultimately the result of the Supreme Court. I think that at the end of the day, it will be Trump vs. Bloomberg, and Bloomberg will win. Maybe after he does, one of the first things that he proposes is that a Democratic congress overturn CU so that this kind of situation never arises again.

[safeinOhio]

3. Pretty much my thinking.

Backfire on the Publicans. Even right-wing judges will overturn CU if a rich Dem beats a rich Repub because they out spend em. Even Federalist org.

It may take fire to fight fire.

[usaf-vet]

6. Exactly! Getting bitten on the a$$ by the republican's plan to fund their candidacy with DARK MONEY

.... via Citizen United.

I find it delightful that one person can personally outspend any deep pockets, dark money RW sugar daddies.

The clear goal in my mind is FIRST getting rid of TRUMP and his cabal of traitorous conmen and women.

I would vote for a caesar salad with BLUE cheese if I thought the salad could match Trump toe to toe, dollar to dollar.

FIRST FIRE TRUMP

[jcmaine72]

2. K&R

[Kurt V.]

4. Bloomberg has already shown the way. he may not win, but from now on there will

be one or two billionaires in presidential elections. unless there are systemic changes only billionaires will run in the future.

[mnhtnbb]

5. I am in the fire to fight fire camp.

There is nothing inherently wrong with money itself: it's how it is used which reflects values of those who hold the money.

I do not doubt that Bloomberg will eviscerate the orange one. He's known him for years. Knows how to get under his thin skin. Knows how to appeal to voters.

My #1 priority for this election is turning 45 out to face justice as a private citizen. #2 priority is taking the Senate. Bloomberg--with his money-- and the appeal he has demonstrated with ads so far--has become my candidate. I only hope he chooses a terrific VP to be groomed for the election in 2024.

[Iliyah]

7. The quote "Lesser of two evils" . ..

People spouted that during the 2016 elections. We got the most evil although by pure cheating and stealing it. This must be avoided, and if a billionaire and or billionaires backing our nominee comes to fruition, at this point in time, so be it.

I have two favorites . . .VP Biden and Mayor Pete.

[Happy Hoosier]

8. Bloomberg is not my candidate, for now, but...

I think this kind of narrative is nonsense, and dangerous.

Simply put, if it's down to him and Sanders, I'll take Bloomberg. Sander's will get slaughtered in the GE, IMO. And I'll take Bloomberg over Trump any day of the week. Once the Republic is secure, we can work our way left.

[2naSalit]

9. I have spent some time pondering

this very topic and keep coming to the same sense about a couple points. Bloomberg should NOT get the nomination. I am thankful he has the $$ and is willing to share even if he isn't in the race. Let's go for that. There are more experienced and well reasoned candidates who all have a concept of a way to get us out of this horrible place we find ourselves without buying out whomever might be in the way... you know, the way things are done in a democracy.

The only way to get money out of politics is to start with not putting it in the White House. The only way to end the conditions created by the idea that "money talks" is for us to make it so. As long as we let the monied few do all the talking, we lose.

Besides, it doesn't look like he's really wanting the nomination, all kinds of evidence that he really isn't suited for the job coming out, he shouldn't be an option. What I see when I look at this guy is a MF45 with table manners. He ain't the one we need and I don't think he can make it past the convention.