# Democratic Debate? What Democratic Debate? Jan-17-16 **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [January 18, 2016, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-debate-what-democratic-debate-jan-17-16/743473 "2016-01-18T02:26:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2016, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-debate-what-democratic-debate-jan-17-16/743473/1 "2016-01-18T02:26:58Z")
It’s going on right now, though you’d hardly know it. I expect Clinton to win. She’s a formidable debater. But I’m looking forward ton see at least a few zingers from Bernie. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2016, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-debate-what-democratic-debate-jan-17-16/743473/2 "2016-01-18T02:29:56Z")
This is the first one I’m watching live. So far some minor sniping and that’s about it. And poor O’Malley – he’s spoken about twice so far, to six or eight times for the other two. Not that I blame the moderators… to some degree they should earn their speaking time. ---
**Author:** ![Human\_Action](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@Human\_Action](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Human_Action)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2016, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-debate-what-democratic-debate-jan-17-16/743473/3 "2016-01-18T02:40:57Z")
Clinton’s coming off as very obtuse on the ACA issue, IMHO…Sanders isn’t proposing repealing the ACA and going from there, but rather passing a UHC law that replaces and subsumes the ACA. Pretending otherwise is pretty patronizing. ---
**Author:** ![Human\_Action](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@Human\_Action](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Human_Action)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2016, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-debate-what-democratic-debate-jan-17-16/743473/4 "2016-01-18T02:44:21Z")
Or, she’s openly opposed UHC. Hard to tell. ---
**Author:** ![GloryDays](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e9c0ed/32.png) [@GloryDays](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GloryDays)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2016, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-debate-what-democratic-debate-jan-17-16/743473/5 "2016-01-18T02:46:58Z")
It’s very entertaining. Bernie Sanders will have to address foreign policy. Soon. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2016, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-debate-what-democratic-debate-jan-17-16/743473/6 "2016-01-18T02:47:32Z")
I’m not part of the “angry electorate”, so I might not be the best judge, but Bernie just comes off as more than a bit unhinged. If he could just channel that into more of an optimistic vision for the future. O’Malley is lucky in one sense-- he’s so far behind in the polls that neither Hillary nor Bernie has any problem agreeing with him. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2016, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-debate-what-democratic-debate-jan-17-16/743473/7 "2016-01-18T02:48:22Z")
Her point however was most cogent: they couldn’t even get a public option passed as part of the ACA with a Democratic Congress. Building on what is already here is possible; Sanders OTOH is tilting at windmills and it would waste time and opportunity. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2016, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-debate-what-democratic-debate-jan-17-16/743473/8 "2016-01-18T02:48:35Z")
The health-care thing is another instance of “really trying to find contrast where little exists”. Obama’s team admitted that they had the same problem in '08. Their positions just aren’t that different on health care – ultimately, they both want universal single-payer, but they might disagree a bit on the best way to get there. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2016, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-debate-what-democratic-debate-jan-17-16/743473/9 "2016-01-18T02:53:45Z")
Boy these answers are substantive compared to the Republican debate. They’re actually discussing details and facts, for pete’s sake! The arguments and disputes are about facts, not attitude. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2016, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-debate-what-democratic-debate-jan-17-16/743473/10 "2016-01-18T03:00:55Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Boy these answers are substantive compared to the Republican debate. They’re actually discussing details and facts, for pete’s sake! The arguments and disputes are about facts, not attitude. Indeed. I didn’t last even 10 minutes watching the Republicans. This is at least somewhat informative. ---
**Author:** ![Human\_Action](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@Human\_Action](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Human_Action)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2016, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-debate-what-democratic-debate-jan-17-16/743473/11 "2016-01-18T03:05:44Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > Her point however was most cogent: they couldn’t even get a public option passed as part of the ACA with a Democratic Congress. Building on what is already here is possible; Sanders OTOH is tilting at windmills and it would waste time and opportunity. Fair point, but I take issue with her characterization of Sanders as wanting to get rid of the ACA. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2016, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-debate-what-democratic-debate-jan-17-16/743473/12 "2016-01-18T03:07:36Z")
> [@Human\_Action](#): > > Fair point, but I take issue with her characterization of Sanders as wanting to get rid of the ACA. Yeah, it’s a bit BS. Just trying to create contrast, I think. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2016, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-debate-what-democratic-debate-jan-17-16/743473/13 "2016-01-18T03:10:42Z")
Bernie has a 2-1 advantage among the younger voters! Too bad they generally don’t vote… ---
**Author:** ![Human\_Action](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@Human\_Action](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Human_Action)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2016, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-debate-what-democratic-debate-jan-17-16/743473/14 "2016-01-18T03:12:32Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Bernie has a 2-1 advantage among the younger voters! Too bad they generally don’t vote… [They did in 2008.](http://www.usnews.com/news/campaign-2008/articles/2008/11/06/young-voters-powered-obamas-victory-while-shrugging-off-slacker-image) Could Sanders get the same turnout? I’d bet yes. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2016, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-debate-what-democratic-debate-jan-17-16/743473/15 "2016-01-18T03:13:06Z")
I’m glad Hillary is there to defend Obama from Bernie and his flip-floppy guns! ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2016, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-debate-what-democratic-debate-jan-17-16/743473/16 "2016-01-18T03:20:22Z")
We get it O’Malley–you’re a governor. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2016, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-debate-what-democratic-debate-jan-17-16/743473/17 "2016-01-18T03:24:04Z")
All this talk about the Iraq War and Bernie hasn’t called out Hillary for her vote in 2002? Dude, you need to go for the jugular!!! ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2016, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-debate-what-democratic-debate-jan-17-16/743473/18 "2016-01-18T03:38:04Z")
Well, the Democratic debates are the adults in the country. At the present time the Pubs are like the kids. Analog of Democratic debate: Father: “We need to start saving more in this family, Mary, and spend less on discretionary luxuries.” Mother: “I disagree, Frank. Some of those expenditures contribute to quality of life.” Analog of Republican debate: Child #1: “We want more candy. Lots and lots of candy. Our parents should let us do whatever we want and just go away.” Child #2: “You suck, boogerface!” ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2016, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-debate-what-democratic-debate-jan-17-16/743473/19 "2016-01-18T03:44:46Z")
My 11 year-old is watching and asked “Why did they invite that guy on the left and then not let him talk?” It seems to me that Bernie is doing really, really well tonight. Hillary’s not doing badly either, but he’s effectively blocking all her attacks and she hasn’t really been able to counter the point that she’s received millions of dollars from financial institutions and health care companies (that must be what she means when she says the health care industry keeps attacking her – by throwing stacks of money at her head). ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2016, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-debate-what-democratic-debate-jan-17-16/743473/20 "2016-01-18T03:48:52Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > My 11 year-old is watching and asked “Why did they invite that guy on the left and then not let him talk?” Well, sweetheart, you know how I insisted that you invite Haley to your birthday party last year even though no one likes her? It’s sort of like that. BTW, did Bernie mention anything about the corrupt campaign finance system? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-debate-what-democratic-debate-jan-17-16/743473.md?page=2)