ENDORSEMENT ENVELOPE — The Weekly Opine

The envelope, please. Time for The Weekly Opine’s Democratic and Republican presidential nominee endorsements! (Photo credit The Weekly Opine)

First, a word on functionality

Last week, Trump’s assassination of top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani created a tense and more dangerous situation in the Middle East. The events that transpired remind us of the importance of having a president with sound judgment, buoyed by a fully functioning administration and State Department.

I was also reminded on Twitter how important it is to have a fully functioning electorate, with unscrambled brains. A tweet from a Republican said, “I loathe the Clintons, hate Trump, will not vote Republican but cannot vote Democrat and would rather know what evil I’m getting, so I’ll vote Republican.” Goodness!

Republican and Democratic candidates need a persuasive campaign to attract voters across socio-economic and ethnic segments. And voters should properly evaluate candidates, which will enable them to function well enough to make objective, smart choices at the polls.

Most of the 6 million voters who switched from Obama in 2012 to Trump in 2016 should defect from Trump in 2020. Most of the 4.4 million who voted Obama in 2012, then sat out 2016, will likely be at the polls in 2020. The 7% drop in black voters in 2016 should rebound in 2020. Some of the 53% of white women who went along with Trump in 2016 will reverse course in 2020.

Job #1 is, get out the vote. When I asked a black Democrat friend, which candidate she liked among Democrats her quick response was, “none of them!” However, she more emphatically says Trump must go.

A critical challenge for Democrats will be to stick together and vote for the nominee. For Republicans, their mistake is ignoring a functioning candidate who would give any of the Democratic candidates fits in the presidential contest.

With the stakes higher than ever, will we see record-setting voter turnout November 3, 2020? (Photo credit The Weekly Opine)

November 3rd cannot get here fast enough

One risk of the Democratic National Committee allowing so many candidates to linger this deep into the primary is some supporters become entrenched zealots.

In 2016, some Sanders supporters pouted and sat out the general election, or worse, voted for Trump. Will Yang’s enthusiastic Gang back whoever the nominee is? How about Biden supporters, particularly his black supporters? Will gays who are fired up about Buttigieg segue to the party’s nominee? What about women who support Klobuchar or Warren?

It is paramount that Dem primary candidates rally their supporters to vote for the nominee. No staying home. No crossing over.

As currently structured, Washington government works for about 10-20% of Americans. It does not work for the shrinking middle-class. Government does not work for poor rural and poor inner-city citizens. Most Americans are playing a stacked game they will never win.

Today, the American Dream is a myth. Wage gains over the past two generations benefitted the top 10% while 90% saw little gain. According to Pew research, a third of U.S. counties saw increased poverty since Trump took office. Nearly two-thirds of American households cannot contend with a $1,000 emergency. (As it is, Trump just kicked 700,000 people off food stamps.)

Consequently, incremental changes are not acceptable. Asking lower-and-middle class Americans to keep waiting is a non-starter. Wait for another generation to pass? Nope. The path to success must be opened to all Americans.

Healthcare policy-wise, if the options are, A) some folks get private insurance/others get the Affordable Care Act - with tens of millions still uninsured, or B) everybody has health insurance via Medicare for All, then the choice is obvious. Medicare for All. Presently, tens of thousands of Americans die annually because they have no health insurance. Medicare for All is morally right and, contrary to a popular talking-point, is not a path to victory for Trump.

Are Democrats up to the task? (Photo credit Investors dot com)

Democratic contenders

Joe Biden – A ton of experience, no doubt. But if true, rumors the former VP seeks only one-term should be disqualifying. Also, the notion that only Biden can beat Trump is bogus. Polls consistently show the leading Democratic candidates beating Trump. Trump will win if Dems and Independents stay home. As likeable as he is, there is no denying Biden is not at the top of his game mentally. It is troubling he falsely claims he was against the war in Iraq (he voted “yes”). His seeming ambivalence toward fully protecting Social Security is also troubling. While legally OK, this thing with Hunter and Ukraine showed bad judgment on Joe’s part, like the private server did for Hillary.

Pete Buttigieg - Pete has pedigree intelligence. His temperament is exceptional. He has superstar potential. Conversely, in a society that becomes more diverse daily, Buttigieg’s near 0% polling with blacks is a huge problem. In Illinois’ most diverse districts, Buttigieg recently earned few black and Hispanic delegates. Statewide, he barely got half the available delegates. (Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren secured 100% of their delegates.) And as Nancy Pelosi is showing us, experience counts more than analytics (imagine one of the smart, but inexperienced, “The Squad” congresswomen at the helm of the House during Trump’s impeachment). Your time will come Mayor Pete, very soon. We need you.

Amy Klobuchar - The beneficiary of an accommodating media, glowing reviews by ex-Republicans (e.g. The Washington Post’s Jennifer Rubin) and a primary schedule that starts in the homogenous states of Iowa and New Hampshire, Klobuchar is an example of moderatism. An effective but uninspiring senator, she’s for the status quo, e.g. expand healthcare insurance but no Medicare for All. She opposes tuition-free college for everyone. Frankly, down the middle is no way to affect the demonstrative change necessary to prevent law abiding folks, living on society’s fringe, from becoming so hopeless and desperate they resort to lawlessness.

Bernie Sanders - Bernie does not toss grass in the air to determine from which direction the wind blows. Health-wise, one presumes after his heart procedure he is in better condition than before. Sanders’ style – his way or the highway – can be off-putting, no doubt. (He seems to have toned down yelling into an amplified mic.) Yet, Bernie is on point re: Medicare for All. It is no longer acceptable that millions of Americans cannot get health insurance. His judgment is solid; when confronted with the bogus weapons of mass destruction lie, Sanders voted against the war in Iraq. His Achilles heel is a perceived embrace of socialism. Bernie’s base is every bit as passionate as Trump’s base. Of concern, some of The Bern base are over-the-top fanatical.

Will a Democrat move here in January 2021? (Photo credit The Weekly Opine)

Elizabeth Warren – She had us until she avoided explaining how she would fund her healthcare proposal. Warren’s hypocritical attack on Buttigieg over his harmless wine cave soiree made her look desperate. Her exultation “I’ve got a plan for that” rings hollow when she won’t back up her healthcare plan with substantive budget details. However, the spirit of her convictions is correct. Incremental change is intolerable, e.g. retired Baby Boomers still waiting for affordable prescription drugs. Or young people still saddled with student loan debt. No doubt Warren would take Trump apart on a debate stage or anyplace else. However, of late Warren appears wiggly. And wiggling undoes the force of her convictions. (Just ask Kamala Harris.)

Andrew Yang - CNN’s Van Jones effusively praises Yang. Yes, Yang brings fresh ideas to the campaign. But he should not be president of the United States any more than Marianne Williamson. (Despite her quirkiness, Williamson has some good ideas, grounded with real-world insights but…she is a bit quirky.) Yang runs ads touting Medicare for All. But his healthcare plan has no public option. Yang instead calls for continuation of what we have now, with (yikes!) incremental steps forward. Some of the alt-right embracing Yang raises eyebrows.

Billionaire Boys - Hardly worth mentioning, Tom Steyer and Michael Bloomberg literally buying their way into the contest reflects a jacked-up process, thanks to Tom Perez and the DNC. Bloomberg’s disingenuous apology for his support of New York’s failed, racist stop-and-frisk policy is lame. His flimsy excuse about his at-the-time-it-happened support of “evidence” against the Central Park Five is preposterous. If Bloomberg and Steyer need a release for their desire to compete, they should spend millions sponsoring America’s Cup sailing.

Democratic Endorsement

The Weekly Opine endorses Bernie Sanders for the Democratic nomination for president. Sanders can handily beat Trump. If Trump survives the Senate trial - not a sure bet despite Mitch McConnell’s musings - Bernie would take Impeached Trump apart in a debate and on the campaign trail. Sanders represents demonstrative, progressive change. He has a consistent vision for today and the future. His support is multi-generational, with endorsements from young, diverse voters as well as Boomers.

What is Bernie’s differentiator? He knows America’s political structure is insufficient. They all say it. Sanders believes it. Others speak from the perspective of elitism, i.e., they will only go so far (incrementality). Bernie is all in.

Realistically, the American government does not work for everyone. Bernie recognizes slow progress, that takes generations to reach fruition, is untenable. For example, black Americans now see gains from the 1965 Voting Rights Act being undone in 2020. Slow-motion progress puts our future at risk, and pits Americans against each other while the elite, in both parties, gather the spoils.

Sanders understands that, if properly managed, this country can afford free healthcare and free college tuition. For example, the U.S. spends an obscene amount on military defense.

The Pentagon’s fiscal 2020 budget is $738 billion. If the Pentagon halved the budget, the U.S. would still outspend China, Russia, Iran and North Korea combined. And we’d have $369 billion to spend on healthcare, education, and infrastructure. Common sense. Judgment. Do the right thing.

(This does not mean socialism. It does mean protecting and fortifying social programs like Social Security and creating Medicare for All. It means re-distribution of resources so excellent educational opportunities exist in all neighborhoods. It means rich folks and gazillion dollar corporations pay their fair share of taxes.)

To expand the Democrat’s diverse tent, Sanders should offer the VP slot to Stacey Abrams. Abrams is a substantive rising star with broad appeal, backed-up by savvy political chops. At 46 years old, Abrams has the seasoning Mayor Pete and The Squad will eventually acquire.

There is opportunity for the Republican Party. Will they seize it and resurrect the GOP? (Photo credit 1000logos)

On the Republican side…

As much as I like impossible long-shot Bill Weld’s potential, as a unifier for our divided country, Republicans do not deserve the presidency, or for that matter, the House or Senate. Having said that, on the GOP side there is only one qualified candidate.

Bill Weld’s resume is stout and hard to assail. He is battle-tested. As Massachusetts’ attorney general he took on corruption and white-collar crime. In a state with just 14% registered Republicans, Weld won 71% of the vote when he became governor. He balanced the budget – annually – while cutting taxes. Weld supports free trade, believes in climate change and is pro-choice. And, he passed legislation by confidently leading in a bi-partisan manner.

The others? Anyone with a lick of sense knows Trump is unfit. He is the most dangerous human on the planet. Joe Walsh? Like Trump, a racist. Mark Sanford? A loser keeping company with fellow South Carolina losers Sen. Lindsey Graham and Sen. Tim Scott. Roque De La Fuente? Never heard of him until doing research for this article.

Unsurprisingly, The Weekly Opine endorses Bill Weld as the Republican nominee for president. My Democrat friend, the one not moved by any Democratic candidates, appreciates Weld, too.

One quibble with Weld is he has not generated awareness-driving publicity. Probably due to not having enough money for TV and digital ads. Yes, there is something functionally wrong with our political system when the best Republican candidate sits outside, while billionaire interlopers glide inside the Democratic campaign on a carpet full of money.

Weld’s inability to maximize visibility makes it highly unlikely GOP voters will lift him from fledgling campaign status. That’s too bad because Weld is the smooth tonic the gutless, wandering Republican Party desperately needs.