The First Democratc Candidate has entered the Race. Who will be the next & who should s/he/they be?

[MisterP]

32. the party's designed to 1. take money and 2. keep taking money: allowing in candidates who

don't need money because all they have is the voters behind them won't do: they have the "veal pen" to keep the base's requests from becoming policy, and the neoliberal policies they push are great for crippling unions (who have over a century of experience in holding conventions, making alliances, fighting for what they want, and voting with their feet): unions won't be satisfied with rhetoric like "this 'sweatshop' is the best that you have: would you rather be out on the streets?"

therefore there are definitely mechanisms to make sure any Presidential primary challenger can be locked out: Veeps and Secretaries are inevitable unless there's a charismatic Gov or Senator riding a populist groundswell (which rarely gets what it wants or needs once it's served its purpose--1992 or 2008: even mobilization from the left is coopted by now and can't shatter the status quo)

likewise, if state-level candidates that aren't good revenue-stream prospects pull ahead in the polls there's ways to torpedo it--remember that they'd rather *lose* with a conservative than win with a lefty, no matter how obviously and hamhandedly (party money going straight to retiring Senators, anyone?): so during 2010 and '14 they were both frothingly sure that "Dems will WIN" and that they're gonna lose and it's ALL the gays/youths' fault!

another political prestidigitation they have to keep up is that the election perfectly represents what the people want: therefore exactly 56% of Chicagoans are yuppies who want the city burned down for the insurance money, while only 44% want the poor to be permitted to live; Emanuel is NOT running a machine and Cuomo is NOT running on his father's name while betraying it

and she IS TOO to the left of Eugene Debs, so there!