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Joe BidenCongratulations to our presumptive Democratic nominee, Joe Biden!
 

Tom Rinaldo

(22,911 posts)
Sun Mar 1, 2020, 01:47 PM Mar 2020

I support Bernie but I'm fine with Biden's SC win last night

First off, congratulations to all of the Biden supporters on this board. Joe is a good man and he earned that victory. We have already lost a number of really good candidates from this race and we are bound to lose more soon. This happens every time there is a contested Democratic presidential primary fight. I know, I've been on the losing end often enough.

First and foremost I am relieved that Biden rallied strongly last night because I am hopeful that just drove a silver stake through a vampire that has been stalking American electoral politics increasingly in recent years. And NO, I am not talking about any of the mortal flesh and blood candidates in our field this year, not them as persons anyway. I have increasingly become alarmed at the role vast wealth has started to play in presidential politics. This year that manifests acutely with the candidacies of Tom Steyer and Michael Bloomberg. I admit that I actually kind of like Tom Steyer, and I recognize that Michael Bloomberg has excellent administrative skills. But each used their mind boggling personal wealth to leap ahead to the front of the line of people voters choose among for our next potential leader. Kamala Harris and Corey Booker and Julio Castro couldn't afford to blanket the air waves wit their message or field armies of professional staffers across numerous states simultaneously.

If Biden faltered last night, Steyer and Bloomberg would have been strongly encouraged. Big Money would have stormed the top of our field . It the gambit of billionaires entering presidential races by self financing their campaigns from bottomless personal reserves this year had succeeded. the lid would be off Pandora's box. People owning massive wealth tend to have large egos. Why not insert themselves directly into the final ring of politics when they are enamored with what they think they have to offer? It only costs a half billion to do, which means essentially nothing if you still have multi-billions left over to play with when the race is over. The only real deterrent to that is failure, because people like that aren't used to failing. They have money to burn but it pains them to flush cash down the toilet with little to show for it. Let this year be the end of all that. Let billionaires at least retreat back to their former role of behind the scenes donors.

I am hopeful that 2020 will be seen as the year that proved limitless funds alone can not buy the presidency. Beyond that maybe now we can focus on the two different paths forward that Bernie and Joe are offering to America, They are both good people but the contrast between them is sharp. I'm ready for this debate in general, and for the literal presidential debates ahead that will afford both men the time they need to thoroughly present their cases.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
3 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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I support Bernie but I'm fine with Biden's SC win last night (Original Post) Tom Rinaldo Mar 2020 OP
Thanks, Tom. elleng Mar 2020 #1
Good point. JudyM Mar 2020 #2
Thank you Tom. MuseRider Mar 2020 #3
 

MuseRider

(34,060 posts)
3. Thank you Tom.
Sun Mar 1, 2020, 03:44 PM
Mar 2020

I do not really care for Biden but will vote for him as easy as I would my preferred.

I do not think Biden is a bad guy but he is not going where I want us to go so.......he gets my vote but not as enthusiastically as Bernie would.

I agree about the billionaires too. I have long wished that Steyer had used his money to do what he had been doing before and just blanket the air waves with more of the same. Maybe he will now. I do not know how much he used up on his campaign but it could not have even been noticed by his accounts. Bloomberg, just no. He not only bought his way in he is proud to have done so. Isn't that what is supposed to happen when you are better than others with all your bank accounts? NO.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Undecided
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