I took four days off from reading in the Democratic Primaries forum.

[MineralMan]

My wife and I were in California for those four days, visiting my 95-year-old parents, whose health keeps getting worse. I only had my cell phone with me, so i barely visited DU at all during those four days, and posted just one reply to threads here.

Did I miss it? Not really. With only three states having weighed in, and with two of those being lily-white states, I came back to my desktop PC to find that the Democratic Primaries forum is all Bernie, all the time. That seems premature to me, somehow. with another primary taking place on Saturday and Super Tuesday is just a few days away, I'm biding my time, still. I'll be voting in the Minnesota primary on March 4, along with voters in 14 states, including two states will hundreds of delegates to allocate. You can see for whom I will be voting at the bottom of this post.

So far, Mike Bloomberg has not been on any ballot, and won't be until March 3. His presence is likely to change how the results look.

Bernie Sanders is not, by any means, the obvious winner of the Democratic nomination. So far, he's getting a lot of nice statements from Republicans, who dearly hope he will be the nominee, though. I can't agree that his nomination will be a good thing, even though I'd vote for him if he were to become the nominee.

However, I'm beginning to have a feeling of impending doom that will, no doubt, grow, if it looks like he will be nominated. I cannot imagine what this country will look like if Trump wins a second term, and I believe he would do just that if Senator Sanders were the nominee. There are many reasons I think Bernie would lose in November, and they're being expressed well here by other DUers.

For Bernie fans: It's great that you prefer him as your favorite. That's what primaries are all about. Tell us as many times as you like why you prefer him, but please don't attempt to beat down other candidates. That is a self-destructive thing to do this early in the primary season.

For supporters of other candidates: If you believe, as I do, that Bernie would lose to Trump in November, please take a very close look at the candidate you now support. If that candidate is not likely to reach the 15% threshold in your upcoming primary, please consider voting for a different candidate who is reliably winning more than 15% in primaries. If your favored candidate does not receive 15% or more of the vote, he or she will get no delegates in your primary. Just look at the polls and make a reasoned choice.

For those who think this post is "Bernie-bashing": It's not. It is not bashing to believe that Senator Sanders cannot beat Donald Trump. Instead, that is an opinion based on a wide range of information. I'm not bashing Sanders. I will vote for him in November if his name appears as a Democrat on my ballot. I simply do not think he will win in November, and I believe that a Democrat MUST win in November, to avoid the disaster that would be a second term for Trump.

The above represents my opinions on this. Please feel free to ignore my opinion. My sole goal in this election year is to defeat Donald J. Trump. Nothing else matters to me, and I want a nominee who has the best chance of doing that, despite GOP and Russian attempts to interfere with our November election. Losing is not an option, but it is certainly a possibility.

[JustAnotherGen]

1. I don't see bashing

I see a pragmatic approach to defeating MF45.

[MineralMan]

4. Pragmatism is a dirty word to some people.

For me, it is the only sensible way to look at presidential elections. We need to return to a place where Presidents are leaders, rather than dictators. The President of the United States is our only elected official who is chosen by the voters in all 50 states. That means that populist candidates often win that election. Purity of politics is not a factor. Only general principles are, when it comes to winning enough electoral votes to become the POTUS.

[JustAnotherGen]

21. I'm very concerned

About Congressman Malinowski's chances in our district. I will vote my line regardless of who the nominee is. Seriously.

However, if I had to choose? I would rather keep the House and grab the Senate Majority. If we had 68 seats in the Senate - we can stop Trump. And it's is absolutely doable this year. It is not an ungettable get.



Republicans up for re-election:
Lamar Alexander (R-Tennessee)
Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia)
Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana)
Susan Collins (R-Maine)
John Cornyn (R-Texas)
Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas)
Steve Daines (R-Montana)
Mike Enzi (R-Wyoming)
Joni Ernst (R-Iowa)
Cory Gardner (R-Colorado)
Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina)
Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Mississippi) -- Hyde-Smith was appointed by Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant to fill the seat vacated by Sen. Thad Cochran who resigned due to health issues. She competed in the 2018 special election to fill the term. CNN projects the race will go to a runoff. Hyde-Smith will compete against Democratic challenger Mike Espy since no candidate received 50% of the vote total. The contest will take place on Tuesday, November 27. A full six-year term election will be held in 2020.
James Inhofe (R-Oklahoma)
Jon Kyl (R-Arizona) -- It is expected that there will be an open special election in 2020 for the seat because Kyl has said he will not run in 2020. A full six-year term election will take place in 2022.
Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky)
David Perdue (R-GA)
Jim Risch (R-Idaho)
Pat Roberts (R-Kansas)
Mike Rounds (R-South Dakota)
Ben Sasse (R-Nebraska)
Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska)
Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina)


We have 12 seats up - let's assume that Doug Jones doesn't win (although I hope he does). . . That's eleven.

116th Congress (2019-2021)
Majority Party: Republican (53 seats)
Minority Party: Democrat (45 seats)
Other Parties: 2 Independents (both caucus with the Democrats)
Total Seats: 100


It won't take a lot to flip it.

[MineralMan]

22. Very good points!

[highplainsdem]

2. K&R

[cherryinpa]

3. Great thread

I think we all need to step back and look at the bigger picture.

[MineralMan]

5. Thank you. I agree.

[Nanjeanne]

6. I don't see it as bashing at all. Just confused why Sanders fans are only allowed

to tell you why they prefer him but not express concerns about other candidates. But supporters of other candidates don’t get the same directive.

[cherryinpa]

8. Yes, same rule should apply to both

Consistency is the foundation of fairness.

[MineralMan]

27. All rules should apply to everyone, I think.

[KPN]

36. So why not edit your OP to reflect this and avoid

further misconceptions? Just a suggestion that might also help all to focus on the goal— beat tRump, not each other.

[MineralMan]

42. My OP says exactly what I intended it to say.

I edit before posting. You can write OPs, too.

[KPN]

46. So you intended it to say that Sanders' supporters should refrain from beating up on other

candidates, while being silent on whether supporters of other candidates should do the same, i.e., it's okay if they do that (there's no denying they do). Got it.

[MineralMan]

47. Just read it again. I'm not going to explain it to you.

Most people on this thread understood what I wrote.

[brutus smith]

35. I agree with you. It seems anti Sanders can go on, but don't say anything about some other candidate

[beerandjesus]

37. Especially since this place is crawling with Zell Miller and Richard Shelby Democrats.

[katmondoo]

7. Your post is greatly appreciated. Thank you so much.

[MineralMan]

20. Thank you for replying. I truly appreciate it.

[Demsrule86]

9. MM you speak for me. I do not believe Sanders has a chance to beat Trump and I fear for the house as

Last edited Tue Feb 25, 2020, 12:09 PM - Edit history (1)

well. I will vote for Bloomberg in Ohio if Biden fails to take off but I hope that Biden can prevail despite operation chaos...we can't even trust Sander's numbers at this point. We know some in Nevada New Hampshire and Iowa were part of operation chaos ...and it will be true of Carolina as well... Moderates who have no chance- get out...particularly Pete and Amy. As God as my witness, if you act as spoilers...you are dead to me for all future presidential runs. This election is too important- get out. Put you country first.

[brush]

26. I'm with you on this. Also IMO it's time for some "moderates" with no path to victory...

to take one for the team and drop out so their supporters can coalesce around Biden.

[Sloumeau]

10. I think a lot of us would vote for a ham sandwich if we thought that this sandwich...

had the best chance of beating Donald Trump. I believe that most of us who do not support Bernie Sanders as our first choice for President simply believe that Bernie Sanders is not the ham sandwich that is most likely to beat Donald Trump. It is not about hating ham sandwiches in general, or the Bernie Sanders ham sandwich in particular.

[MineralMan]

17. Yes, but we are not typical of voters nationwide.

DU is very non-representative of average voters in our 50 states.

[awesomerwb1]

11. Nice thread

My favorite part:

"For supporters of other candidates: If you believe, as I do, that Bernie would lose to Trump in November, please take a very close look at the candidate you now support. If that candidate is not likely to reach the 15% threshold in your upcoming primary, please consider voting for a different candidate who is reliably winning more than 15% in primaries. If your favored candidate does not receive 15% or more of the vote, he or she will get no delegates in your primary. Just look at the polls and make a reasoned choice."

[cherryinpa]

14. Yes

MM is stating what is staring us in the face, but no one willing to accept it. Biden is the only viable alternative to Bernie and yet people are so invested in their sub-15% candidate that they can't see it. Do note, that I'd support Biden, Pete or Warren - all of them seem moderate to me, I simply cant distinguish easily between them. Its time for a couple of them to move on so that we can consolidate support under one moderate, before its too late, and then he becomes the trust test against Bernie. But it isnt gonna happen. Fans of the sub-15%'ers are too pumped for their candidates.

[dalton99a]

12. Do you want this country - and our planet - to suffer another four years under Donald Trump

and Mitch McConnell?

That should be the overriding concern for anyone seeking justice and human rights and for anyone who values democracy

The importance of this election cannot be overstated.

[MineralMan]

18. I agree 100%.

[Arkansas Granny]

13. I have not participated very much in the Primaries forum. I still remember how nasty things were

in 2016. I don't want to get caught up in anything like that.

[MineralMan]

19. Well, I fully expect a similar situation this primary season.

It will probably get worse before it gets better, as the primaries continue to be held. We're being very premature in judging the mood of the nation with only three primary events having taken place.

Patience is difficult. We need to hear from more states.

[brush]

34. Agreed. Positive info on Biden seems to sink like a rock here as every other post seems to pump...

up Sanders and his "aspirational" only proposals. Yesterday a poll came out that said Biden had dramatically increased his lead in SC to 15 points. It appeared and was then gone. If you blinked you missed it but IMO it was the expected outcome for Biden once the two nearly all-white states were out of the way, and tnen Joe's 2nd place finish in NV of course.

I'll post it again in the primary discussion thread.

https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/484402-poll-biden-holds-15-point-lead-in-south-carolina

[bluestarone]

16. Agree with everything above!

I want tRUMP out of office! As all can see i support Biden, because i feel HE has the best chance of defeating this turkey in the white House. BUT blue no matter who is what we need to do!

[MineralMan]

23. Thanks. Many here also agree.

Most do not post thread-starters here, though. Some, however, do.

[Tipperary]

24. K and r.

[MineralMan]

25. Thanks!

[Nitram]

28. I call this very reasonable and pragmatic advice.

[MineralMan]

29. Thank you.

I try to stay reasonable, but it can be difficult at times.

[Wounded Bear]

30. My ballot is right over there...

waiting to be filled in. Will probably wait until after super tuesday for the reasons you stated above.

I know my primary will not go to Bloomer or Bernie, and probably not Biden, but we'll see.

Our primary is the week after super tuesday, so no hurry. Would hate to vote for a candidate that has dropped out.

[KPN]

31. Noticed you had advisory words for Sanders supporters who beat down other candidates, but none for

Biden and other supporters who do the same in greater number and frequency to Bernie. What's good for one is good for the other, no?

[ramen]

32. Elsewhere in the thread OP agreed with that,

saying all rules should apply to everyone.

[KPN]

38. The OP should be edited to reflect this then. It gives the wrong impression as is.

[MineralMan]

43. Please feel free to write your own OP.

I'll stick to writing my own.

[MineralMan]

44. You know what? I don't make the rules here.

You've written three times that I need to edit my OP. You can write one of your own, I suppose.

Here's the thing: I say exactly what I want to say and mean to say. You're welcome to comment in threads I start, of course, whether you agree with what I wrote or not, but please do not suggest how I should write my own OPs. I would not do that if you wrote one.

Good day to you!

[KPN]

48. Lol. You just did with your OP.

[MineralMan]

49. Reread the last paragraph.

My posts are my opinions. You have your own opinion. You can write OPs, too. I heartily encourage you to do so.

[David__77]

33. Don't beat down other candidates, including Sanders?

...

[musicman65]

39. As always

you speak the truth,many do not understand this is really a big deal for all of us.
We should not bash any body,but put the truth out there for all to make up their minds.
Some is self inflicted,that should correct itself,,,so go ahead and keep giving us the truth,,,,

[keepthemhonestO]

40. that

is also my sole goal is to defeat tRump, great post!

[marlakay]

41. I think what you said is fine

The paragraph about Bernie we could replace his name with any of the other candidates and hold that to be what we do, don’t beat down other candidates including Bernie.

I will vote for any of them and as much as some might personally freak me out like Bernie does some you won’t know I am freaking because it doesn’t help us to flip out against each others candidates.

[MoonlitKnight]

45. No thanks.

I’m going to vote for the best person for the job.

[MineralMan]

50. Here I am with my 95-year-old mother.

Visiting her far outweighs the importance of writing about the primaries to me:

[Progressive dog]

51. I agree almost 100% with your opinion

and in that spirit I will avoid adding any of the obvious reasons why Bernie is not electable to this post.

[jimlup]

52. Biden is not the front-runner anymore

you write this as if he is or somehow should be but he just isn't. Sorry.