Bernie needs to stay in it past the debate. His policies are driving the dem agenda. He is the actual mover. And half the voters have not yet voted. Biden is very soft with young voters, and the dem debate needs to happen to set the example of answerable public speech.
Sanders and his supporters need to decide if they’re trying to defeat Trump or trying to defeat Biden.
Right now trying to defeat Biden because it’s the primaries 
Every election the side(s) holding primaries get admonished for being too brutal, and the claim is made that the winner has been too damaged by the fight.
Throughout this primary we’ve heard repeatedly on the analysis shows “The Dems are all over the place, there’s no cohesion!” like it’s a problem. What do they want, Kang vs Kodos?
On the other hand, if what you’re saying is Sanders’ supporters need to get behind Biden if he gets the nomination, let’s get there first, before we already try to demonize Sanders’ supporters.
This Bernie supporter recognizes that Bernie has virtually no chance left and wants to beat Trump. Based on talking to many other Bernie supporters, the best chance of this will be if the Biden team takes significant action to appeal to Bernie supporters. My main recommendation is a VP pick that Bernie supporters like – and I believe there are a few possibilities that are well-liked by Bernie supporters and also well-liked by Democrats in general.
Not sure your recomendation is useful.
I would love to see someone like Elizabeth Warren, though I’m concerned about her having to give up an important Senate seat. I know that Stacey Abrams is high on the list, but I wonder if she may lack experience for the VP role. Though I’m open to having my mind changed about that by hearing more from her.
Who else?..
You know what would help and finally, maybe for the first time in his political career, make Bernie a statesman? If on that debate stage with Biden, Bernie turned to his supporters and asked them to cast their vote for the emerging Dem nominee, Joe Biden.
He can talk about progress and change and helping the Democratic party become a more progressive entity. He can talk about the fact that this is just the first of many elections in which the progressive ideas win over the traditional conservative values of the past. He can talk about moving towards a more just society. There is a lot he can do and say that will help, not just Biden in the immediate term, but all progressives in the medium and long term. That’s what he can do. And Biden has already extended his hand to all Bernie supporters. Is Bernie going to embrace that offer, or do Bernie and all his followers need another angry ideological lecture about democratic socialism?
The argument “it doesn’t matter if Biden gets anything done or not, as long as he wins” is pretty much the same as “it doesn’t matter if any meaningful legislation gets passed as long as the Democrats win Congress”. If nothing is going to happen, good or bad, what’s the point?
If Biden were going to cut entitlements, I would vote for him. That’s not how politicians get elected, unfortunately.
Regards,
Shodan
Appointments to the Supreme Court and the Federal judiciary, reversing executive orders, tariffs, and policy decisions, appointing competent individuals to run agencies and departments, restoring friendly relations with many nations. All these things will happen in a Biden administration even if no legislation is passed. Lots of good will happen.
Help me understand why this is something you want.
Because we are running a deficit of a trillion dollars a year.
Regards,
Shodan
Tax cut! Especially useful in the middle of a public health emergency!
Then why are we cutting taxes?
The deficit is money we already spent. We can’t unspend it. The only way to reduce the deficit is to pay it off. And to do that, the government needs to have money coming in.
Republicans need to stop thinking about what’s best for billionaires and start think about what’s best for the country.
I maybe the OP is referring to the thought that the zeitgeist of post-Boomer society is “fed up with the status quo”. I just typed, and erased, whole paragraphs stating how the GOP and Democratic Leadership are both missing the growing discontent in the country because they are mostly isolated from everyday reality of most people. But it is pointless to try to point it out… you either recognize history or you won’t. Folks will try to effect change within the current 2 party system, until enough people feel it is pointless; Then MAJOR change will happen. You think a millionaire ideologue is a step too far? You think a democratic “socialist” candidate is bad? Well, you had better hope it is enough of a seismic shift to release societal pressure…otherwise worse will happen as the status quo continues. MAYBE things will get better after 2028, when the number of X’ers (a much smaller generation) will surpass the Boomers as they die out, and change may accelerate. (The number of Google searches for that information should REALLY be a wake up call.) Then again, who can say? A pandemic might change things before then. Or automated cars may suddenly be a thing and push the economy over the edge. Or global warming will cause a disruption. And if all of THAT sounds a little nuts…then congratulations; Your life is peaches and cream compared to those of us who see a bleak future.
It will never happen. Those with money and power corrupt the system so that the system requires money and power. If politicians actually wanted to have the best country possible they would ensure that there were very few rich people, few (or no) poor people, and mostly middle class citizens. We have close to half the population with income too low for the federal government to tax. The other half of the population pays 97% of federal taxes, but are taught that the federal government is EVIL for taxing them and it is their right to pay as little as possible. The richer and more powerful you are, the less patriotic you become. Sad but true.
I’m all for means testing when it comes to who gets social security benefits. How about you?
That said, why the preference in reduction of social security benefits to those with little or no income, vs the increase in taxes on those who are younger, have an income and are going to be paying into a system from which they will eventually benefit, like you are now? Is it because you’ve made your calculation that your benefits will be grandfathered in? Or have you put away enough in saving that it won’t matter to you even if benefits are reduced? Is it an interest in reducing the tax burden on your children? If so, how are you so sure they will not need social security benefits when they are your age?
Unwind this for me.
We shouldn’t be. Which is why I said I would vote for Biden, or any politician, who cut entitlements.
I don’t want a tax cut. I do want spending cuts. I am perfectly willing to accept a tax increase, providing it is coupled with spending cuts, until the deficit is addressed.
But, as I said, that’s not how politicians - Democrat or Republican - get elected.
Not quite a nitpick - the debt is money we have already spent, and which needs to be paid off (or paid down). The deficit is money that we are spending, and are gonna spend. We don’t need to pay that back, until after we spend it. If we were to cut entitlements, we wouldn’t need to pay anything back.
If you give a politician - Republican or Democrat - $100, he will spend $120. If then you give him $120, he will spend $140.
If he’s a Republican, he will spend $140 and tell you he will get the extra $40 from increased economic activity. If he’s a Democrat, he will take $120 from you, another $140 from somebody else, and spend $300 on healthcare.
If either of them says he’s gonna spend $100, the other side says he is evil and irresponsible and he loses the next election.
Regards,
Shodan
Your proposed solutions might have enthusiastic support once you actually state them.
I agree with your assessment of a possible Biden presidency, but the only person who could get into office will be bland and a bit right of center. Radical left wing is never a good idea - ask Labour’s Jeremy Corbyn, if he will ever admit it. In US terms, only a candidate who is not controversial and divisive has a chance to unseat Trump. Biden seems to be more of that than Sanders. I don’t think he will be a good POTUS, mainly because he would have the baleful legacy of Trumo to deal with, but he probably won’t be a bad prez either.
Within hours of me saying I was worried about Biden’s interactions with the public, he tells a factory worker he’s full of shit (video) following a fairly softball accusation / question that he was against gun rights.
Once again I was watching through my fingers, especially as Biden’s aide(s), clearly used to this, make a valiant effort to wrap things up and get scolded for their efforts.
Apparently Biden’s comments have gone down relatively well as “plain-speaking”, because that’s where American politics is now.
But still, I can’t bear to look any more. How many more of these are there going to be in the next 8 months 