# "Democratic candidates are wasting their time-bickering over policies..." **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [February 16, 2020, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-candidates-are-wasting-their-time-bickering-over-policies/848020 "2020-02-16T13:33:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![carol235](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@carol235](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carol235)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2020, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-candidates-are-wasting-their-time-bickering-over-policies/848020/21 "2020-02-17T00:45:55Z")
It’s just so hard for me to believe that we are talking about the good possibility of Trump winning another term after everything he has done (and not done). ---
**Author:** ![Socsback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Socsback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Socsback)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2020, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-candidates-are-wasting-their-time-bickering-over-policies/848020/22 "2020-02-17T01:08:44Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > And, alarmingly, I have read\* that these people, or at least some of them, say that if Bernie is not nominated they will not vote in the general election at all! :smack: > > - I don’t have a cite for this. Maybe someone else can provide one. 12% of them voted for Donald Trump in the last election, and 9% of them stayed home. > **[Bernie Sanders Voters Helped Trump Become President](https://www.newsweek.com/bernie-sanders-trump-2016-election-654320)** > > Bernie Sanders supporters didn't just stay at home, they voted for Donald Trump in significant numbers last November. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2020, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-candidates-are-wasting-their-time-bickering-over-policies/848020/23 "2020-02-17T01:12:48Z")
> [@carol235](#): > > It’s just so hard for me to believe that we are talking about the good possibility of Trump winning another term after everything he has done (and not done). “I am not a member of any organized political party. I am a Democrat.” Will Rogers ~ 1879-1935 The only thing that has changed is the perfection of their/our circular firing squads. CMC fnord! ---
**Author:** ![Fugazi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f08c70/32.png) [@Fugazi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fugazi)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2020, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-candidates-are-wasting-their-time-bickering-over-policies/848020/24 "2020-02-17T03:03:30Z")
> [@Socsback](#): > > This. > > Our country is somewhat unique (and not in a good way), in that we focus our elections on policy, rather than simply trying to elect someone who will be a good leader, good mediator, good representative of our country, etc. “Policy” is way down the list of what I want in a leader. I’m kind of the opposite. A great leader who’s working to enact policies that I disagree with will probably be more successful at enacting those policies. In that case I’d want him/her to be a less effective leader. I’d rather the person running the show be at least trying to implement stuff I want to see happen. ---
**Author:** ![Fugazi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f08c70/32.png) [@Fugazi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fugazi)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2020, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-candidates-are-wasting-their-time-bickering-over-policies/848020/25 "2020-02-17T03:24:12Z")
> [@Socsback](#): > > 12% of them voted for Donald Trump in the last election, and 9% of them stayed home. > [Bernie Sanders Voters Helped Trump Win and Here's Proof](https://www.newsweek.com/bernie-sanders-trump-2016-election-654320) Why do people keep saying this as if it is some kind of “gotcha” to Bernie supporters. [This](https://www.politico.com/story/2017/09/17/bernie-sanders-hillary-clinton-242819) article states the somewhere between 16 and 24 percent of Clinton followers voted for McCain instead of Obama in 2008. If anything, Bernie was better than average at getting his supports to vote for Clinton. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2020, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-candidates-are-wasting-their-time-bickering-over-policies/848020/26 "2020-02-17T04:05:06Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > And, alarmingly, I have read\* that these people, or at least some of them, say that if Bernie is not nominated they will not vote in the general election at all! :smack: > > - I don’t have a cite for this. Maybe someone else can provide one. Here’s one: (posted before) [https://www.reddit.com/r/bernie/comments/ez67dj/this\_girl\_has\_the\_right\_idea/](https://www.reddit.com/r/bernie/comments/ez67dj/this_girl_has_the_right_idea/) ---
**Author:** ![HelenGawn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@HelenGawn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HelenGawn)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2020, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-candidates-are-wasting-their-time-bickering-over-policies/848020/27 "2020-02-17T04:41:58Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > [ **There’s no point in fighting** > _Democratic candidates are wasting their time — and hurting their chances — bickering over policies they’ll never get to implement._](https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2020/02/14/democrats-are-wasting-time-fighting-over-policies-senate-will-never-pass/?arc404=true)My bold. > > As far as the presidency goes, yeah, the only real issue is electability (discussed in another thread), but **if the Democrats don’t keep the House and take the Senate, it doesn’t matter who the president is** or what their proposed policies are. In such a climate of “vicious and total partisan obstruction,” the next Democratic president will NOT be allowed to seat a Supreme Court nominee or get anything else done. Bolding added Even if Dems sweep all contests, every candidate’s proposals would come out the same: an incremental step towards the goals everyone wants (healthcare for all, meaningful climate action, etc.). Too many new and currently-freshmen congressfolks will represent swing constituencies to get very far ahead of the curve. I agree with **steronz** that effective leadership is more important than policy goals, but I certainly wouldn’t limit that to executive, i.e. mayor or governor, experience. The best presidents _have_ gotten involved in the legislative process, at least in “friendly persuasion” mode. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2020, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-candidates-are-wasting-their-time-bickering-over-policies/848020/28 "2020-02-17T15:25:52Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Here’s one: (posted before) > > [Reddit - Dive into anything](https://www.reddit.com/r/bernie/comments/ez67dj/this_girl_has_the_right_idea/) Yikes. The upshot of that is the poster says if the DNC “cheats” Bernie of the nomination, she and like-minded people will “end the Democratic Party!” :smack: Thanks for locating that bit of lunacy. ---
**Author:** ![What\_the](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f4b2a3/32.png) [@What\_the](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_the)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2020, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-candidates-are-wasting-their-time-bickering-over-policies/848020/29 "2020-02-17T15:54:25Z")
How do you think the Bernie Bros would define “cheat”? I’m reminded of 2016 when the DNC chairperson favored HRC during the primary (although I’m not sure it was very clear until afterward). I’m also reminded of Donna Brazile favoring her but don’t recall what her position was… maybe just a CNN talking head. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2020, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-candidates-are-wasting-their-time-bickering-over-policies/848020/30 "2020-02-17T19:52:13Z")
> [@What\_the](#): > > How do you think the Bernie Bros would define “cheat”? > > I’m reminded of 2016 when the DNC chairperson favored HRC during the primary (although I’m not sure it was very clear until afterward). > > I’m also reminded of Donna Brazile favoring her but don’t recall what her position was… maybe just a CNN talking head. Does the Republican party have super delegates? Perhaps that would have made sure Trump did not get the nomination. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-candidates-are-wasting-their-time-bickering-over-policies/848020.md?page=1)