General Discussion

MineralMan

(151,338 posts)

24. Populism isn't a position. It's only a campaign strategy.

Thu Apr 16, 2015, 11:06 AM

Apr 2015

You want to know what she'll do? Study her policy statements. If she can manage to get those things done, that'll be great. President Obama was able to get some of those things done. Presidents are not kings. They have to get Congress to send them bills. That's not always possible.

The real question is, which candidate will get more things done that you want. No candidate will get everything done that you want. Ever. That's reality. It often sucks. But your choice in the general election is a binary one. If you avoid the binary nature of presidential elections, your vote won't matter. If you vote for a third party candidate, you vote for whoever wins, because the third party candidate wont' win. Other people decide in that case.

Presidential elections are a binary choice. Vote for the candidate who will do better for your goals than the other one. It's simple.

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Looks to me like Hillary Clinton's campaign is shaping up to [View all] MineralMan Apr 2015 OP

It seems that way, and I think it is a good stratagy still_one Apr 2015 #1

Well she does have.....the greatest political strategist on her team... VanillaRhapsody Apr 2015 #2

That's true. I'm sure he'll be contributing ideas MineralMan Apr 2015 #4

You accidentally spoke the truth Proud Public Servant Apr 2015 #3

I used that term deliberately. MineralMan Apr 2015 #5

So you're talking about Proud Public Servant Apr 2015 #11

Populism is a tactic. Republicans use it, too. MineralMan Apr 2015 #16

No... Defining populism this way is a "tactic". Real populism is not just a "tactic".... cascadiance Apr 2015 #66

Oh good god like she hasn't been a populist all along.....she is a freaking Liberal...to the Left of VanillaRhapsody Apr 2015 #8

She has not been 'to the Left of Obama' on Defense/War issues. n/t PoliticAverse Apr 2015 #33

Yes she has...and THAT is only one issue out of MANY that Liberals care about.... VanillaRhapsody Apr 2015 #72

Except for the 3 trillion dollar Iraq war I guess. n/t PoliticAverse Apr 2015 #74

no exceptions... VanillaRhapsody Apr 2015 #75

Message auto-removed Name removed Apr 2015 #37

LOL Dawgs Apr 2015 #71

really now... VanillaRhapsody Apr 2015 #73

^^^THIS^^^ L0oniX Apr 2015 #51

The best strategy is one that doesn't look forced or phony, but ratha is based on one's core beliefs. Hillary's needs to work on that & look comfortable doin it, but ... InAbLuEsTaTe Apr 2015 #77

well, you dont really think she feels that way, do you? 7962 Apr 2015 #82

I don't see how one can come to that conclusion so early cali Apr 2015 #6

Well, you seem to feel free to come to conclusions early. MineralMan Apr 2015 #12

No. I've been asking questions- particularly since her announcement cali Apr 2015 #14

You know, that's not actually factual. MineralMan Apr 2015 #15

Avoiding the fray as long as possible is strategically and tactically sound... DemocratSinceBirth Apr 2015 #21

Well, until there are other primary candidates, MineralMan Apr 2015 #27

. AuntPatsy Apr 2015 #53

very good commentary, too. BlancheSplanchnik Apr 2015 #68

Bernie outlined his policy objectives pretty clearly. Hopefully HRC will do this as well & soon think Apr 2015 #7

Thanks for the links. JEB Apr 2015 #23

Things are pretty crowded over on the right, I don't think she has much choice. bemildred Apr 2015 #9

that van is rockin' Baclava Apr 2015 #10

Cool van workinclasszero Apr 2015 #61

Bet the secret Service is pleased. Not big enough for comfort for a long trip, though, IMO. freshwest Apr 2015 #79

I think all democrats do the populist thing while campaigning mucifer Apr 2015 #13

omg. and just yesterday i was learning about our very own PC (that opposes pc), lol seabeyond Apr 2015 #17

Every presidential election is very interesting on many levels. MineralMan Apr 2015 #19

i just put out that i think we all learned a lot in 2008 about a woman running. over the last 8 yrs seabeyond Apr 2015 #26

That's definitely true. People who still see Hillary Clinton MineralMan Apr 2015 #28

+1. nt seabeyond Apr 2015 #39

Yeah, who cares what she really believes whatchamacallit Apr 2015 #18

That's not my point at all. To win the presidency, MineralMan Apr 2015 #22

Wow, let's recap whatchamacallit Apr 2015 #40

Just as another poster noted above, an accidental revelation of truth Trajan Apr 2015 #42

^^^^THIS Locrian Apr 2015 #47

The Question is , Will she be a Populist after elected. She wasn't one before now. bahrbearian Apr 2015 #20

Populism isn't a position. It's only a campaign strategy. MineralMan Apr 2015 #24

It's a good start, but she'll have to explain why she's changed positions on some issues. jeff47 Apr 2015 #25

Yes, I imagine she will have to do that. MineralMan Apr 2015 #30

It doesn't take many "for it before I was against it" statements to cause a problem. jeff47 Apr 2015 #32

Her campaign team knows that. MineralMan Apr 2015 #34

What is at the top of that list will depend on the other candidates jeff47 Apr 2015 #36

I don't buy it. I think the main reason why she is coming off as a populist totodeinhere Apr 2015 #29

Warren's already not running. MineralMan Apr 2015 #31

There really is never such a thing as "no" in politics. Even if Warren should give totodeinhere Apr 2015 #38

At some point, you'll have to accept that she's not going to run. MineralMan Apr 2015 #46

Plus, Cruz and Paul have already adopted some populist rhetoric. n/t arcane1 Apr 2015 #50

Message auto-removed Name removed Apr 2015 #35

There is something about her campaign this time around that I didn't see in 2007-2008 LynneSin Apr 2015 #41

She's a politician and has learned in the past 8 years. MineralMan Apr 2015 #43

Being Secretary of State could have actually changed her justiceischeap Apr 2015 #63

I'm tired of looking backwards. I need to look forward LynneSin Apr 2015 #67

I agree Gothmog Apr 2015 #44

Hillary is a good, solid, true Democrat. I don't have to agree with a candidate on every OregonBlue Apr 2015 #45

She's using populist rhetoric, that's for sure. polichick Apr 2015 #48

Whoever wins in November 2016 will be MineralMan Apr 2015 #49

Of course, which is why it'll all be bullshit... polichick Apr 2015 #52

There are populists on the right and the left. MineralMan Apr 2015 #54

Sure, but most - on both sides - are con men and women... polichick Apr 2015 #58

So you say. You want to know who was a real populist MineralMan Apr 2015 #70

Populism "as a campaign method" is basically saying working FOR the masses... cascadiance Apr 2015 #65

Noise...Noise...Noise... BrainDrain Apr 2015 #55

Clinton is NOT a natural ally to the populist ideology, however... johnnyrocket Apr 2015 #56

I think it's a great move. calimary Apr 2015 #57

a positive Hillary thread. thank you Liberal_in_LA Apr 2015 #59

I think she is off to a fantastic start workinclasszero Apr 2015 #60

I'm still waiting for populist SUBSTANCE, rather than a populist LABEL for her campaign... cascadiance Apr 2015 #62

I hope she's not shipping supporters in to pose as everyday Americans dodger501 Apr 2015 #64

Some academic definitions of "populism" from Wikipedia YoungDemCA Apr 2015 #69

Agreed. Off to a good start. Tarheel_Dem Apr 2015 #76

Warren is likely educating her on how to make the changes. And Bernie will, too. n/t freshwest Apr 2015 #78

Saying "I want to empower families and communities" isn't populism, it's pablum. Warren DeMontague Apr 2015 #80

Yet another sensible thread from you. Jamaal510 Apr 2015 #81

It's nice to play pretend with one's candidacy. R. Daneel Olivaw Apr 2015 #83

Hillary is as much populist... 99Forever Apr 2015 #84