# Observations of the 3rd Democratic Debate **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [September 13, 2019, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/observations-of-the-3rd-democratic-debate/840136 "2019-09-13T00:14:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**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:** [September 13, 2019, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/observations-of-the-3rd-democratic-debate/840136/41 "2019-09-13T05:01:23Z")
Biden seemed just fine until the last two answers. This really does fit the endurance narrative. Three hours up there was too much for him? ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2019, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/observations-of-the-3rd-democratic-debate/840136/42 "2019-09-13T05:23:21Z")
> [@VOW](#): > > My first impression: Yang is buying votes? Raffling off votes? > ~VOW BTW, I agree with you about that. I hope he’ll soon be out of the race for this very reason. ---
**Author:** ![Unreconstructed\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/76d3ee/32.png) [@Unreconstructed\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unreconstructed_Man)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2019, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/observations-of-the-3rd-democratic-debate/840136/43 "2019-09-13T07:52:35Z")
Yang only has one policy, and it’s got about as much chance of becoming law as I’ve got of becoming Glamour’s Woman of the Year. He should drop out. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2019, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/observations-of-the-3rd-democratic-debate/840136/44 "2019-09-13T08:31:27Z")
I’m beginning to tire of the endless dissection of differences between health insurance proposals. The first half hour or more was wasted on the same questions and answers as the last two rounds, and frankly the presidential primary is not very relevant to the outcome of any legislative fight to expand health insurance. Unless one of the candidates wants to issue a veto threat against another’s plan (which I doubt any of them would do), find other topics to talk about for a while. The same thing happened in 2008, with a long-running and acrimonious dispute between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama over whether there should be an individual mandate. It ended up being totally irrelevant to what Barack Obama (who was the anti-mandate candidate) signed into law. ---
**Author:** ![Unreconstructed\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/76d3ee/32.png) [@Unreconstructed\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unreconstructed_Man)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2019, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/observations-of-the-3rd-democratic-debate/840136/45 "2019-09-13T11:31:40Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > We were spoiled by Obama. Now if our candidates aren’t all quick on their feet, well-spoken, non-flubbing demigods, we are so disappointed. > > All the candidates seemed decent and human to me. I’m so ready for one of those. Mayor Pete’s very quick, and he hasn’t flubbed once, as far as I can remember. ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2019, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/observations-of-the-3rd-democratic-debate/840136/46 "2019-09-13T11:45:22Z")
I came away most impressed by Warren. I’ve posted previously that I thought Trump would beat her easily by running a Bush Sr. vs. Dukakis style campaign against her if she gets the nomination. After seeing her performance I think she would do a lot better than Dukakis did. Castro went too far in his attacks against Biden. On the other hand I think Biden is showing signs of his age becoming a factor, which I don’t see in Warren or Sanders. Regarding Sanders, he seemed like he was constantly angry. Maybe it’s just how his voice sounds now, but I think in a one on one against Trump he would turn off too many voters by coming across like that teacher who was always getting after you, even when you didn’t do anything wrong. In other words, for this voter who considers electability the main factor in my decision making, right now I’m on team Warren. ---
**Author:** ![Boycott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boycott/32/6741_2.png) [@Boycott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boycott)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2019, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/observations-of-the-3rd-democratic-debate/840136/47 "2019-09-13T12:04:26Z")
_heyyyyyyy joe instead of saying no we can’t how about yes we can_ Wtf? Harris didn’t respond to the point in hand. The courts will strike down Executive Orders on banning guns. The courts strike Trump down when he is unconstitutional too with EOs and he throws the toys out of the pram. It has to be done through Congress. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2019, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/observations-of-the-3rd-democratic-debate/840136/48 "2019-09-13T13:18:33Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > I’m not saying it was a smooth answer, but I took it to mean something along the lines of “This is America, we’ve got a lot more people to insure than the UK or Canada or Denmark.” Maybe that’s we he meant but it’s such a bizarre argument. Yes, there are more people to insure. There are also more people to pay for it and do the work on it. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2019, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/observations-of-the-3rd-democratic-debate/840136/49 "2019-09-13T14:17:19Z")
Biden’s focus on the cost of MFA without noting the \*savings \*from the obsoletion of the bulk of the vastly-less-efficient private system continued this time. It’s just not an honest representation. It also doesn’t help him that he thinks Obamacare is the best we can do, just because it’s the best he \*did \*do. ---
**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:** [September 13, 2019, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/observations-of-the-3rd-democratic-debate/840136/50 "2019-09-13T15:06:33Z")
> [@Lord\_Feldon](#): > > The same thing happened in 2008, with a long-running and acrimonious dispute between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama over whether there should be an individual mandate. It ended up being totally irrelevant to what Barack Obama (who was the anti-mandate candidate) signed into law. I recall that she wanted people to pay for insurance and he did not. ---
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2019, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/observations-of-the-3rd-democratic-debate/840136/51 "2019-09-13T15:36:43Z")
I merged two threads that had 12 and 36 posts, so there may be some odd threading. I kept the thread title that was started first. [/moderating] ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2019, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/observations-of-the-3rd-democratic-debate/840136/52 "2019-09-13T15:51:56Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > Yeah, really. I think the public is capable of understanding that under such a scheme, taxes may go up while overall costs (such as premiums, co-pays yada yada) in aggregate go down. You have been proven wrong already. **70% of Coloradans** voted against a single-payer system because they didn’t want to pay higher taxes although their overall cost would go down counting co-pays, deductibles, insurance premiums, etc. even accounting for the higher taxes. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2019, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/observations-of-the-3rd-democratic-debate/840136/53 "2019-09-13T16:41:40Z")
And Bernie’s home state of Vermont passed single payer and then repealed it for the same reason. He was asked about this at one debate, I think, and had no coherent answer that I can recall. I believe his real answer, if you gave him truth serum, is that “I hate the big corporations and I just want to do this no matter how much it costs or how disruptive it is.” > [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Biden’s focus on the cost of MFA without noting the \*savings \*from the obsoletion of the bulk of the vastly-less-efficient private system continued this time. It’s just not an honest representation. Is it an “honest representation” to call a single payer healthcare bill with no resemblance to Medicare “Medicare for All”? Or to double down on that by saying you are going to phase it in over four years by lowering the eligibility age to 55, then 45, and so on – even though they are totally different programs and therefore this makes no sense? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2019, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/observations-of-the-3rd-democratic-debate/840136/54 "2019-09-13T16:45:42Z")
Maybe. There are multiple proposals that have been filled in under an attractive-sounding name. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2019, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/observations-of-the-3rd-democratic-debate/840136/55 "2019-09-13T16:48:25Z")
Isn’t that what you call bait and switch? Or just plain false advertising? ---
**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:** [September 13, 2019, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/observations-of-the-3rd-democratic-debate/840136/56 "2019-09-13T16:50:02Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > Is it an “honest representation” to call a single payer healthcare bill with no resemblance to Medicare “Medicare for All”? Or to double down on that by saying you are going to phase it in over four years by lowering the eligibility age to 55, then 45, and so on – even though they are totally different programs and therefore this makes no sense? :dubious: I believe the name gets the idea across. I do think annually lowering the age of eligibility is a great idea. It gives medical and insurance employees time to find another job, and government time to lower costs. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2019, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/observations-of-the-3rd-democratic-debate/840136/57 "2019-09-13T16:55:00Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > Isn’t that what you call bait and switch? Or just plain false advertising? Product development and test marketing. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2019, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/observations-of-the-3rd-democratic-debate/840136/58 "2019-09-13T17:00:21Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Warren is a formidable opponent. I can see her shredding Trump in a debate forum, if he isn’t too big a coward to show up for one. Bernie would also rip him apart. I don’t see Biden doing well in that situation, however; hell, he didn’t even do all that well against that nitwit Palin. I doubt very highly that Donald Trump will ever agree to debate anyone ever again. There are not going to be any general election debates. ---
**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:** [September 13, 2019, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/observations-of-the-3rd-democratic-debate/840136/59 "2019-09-13T17:02:32Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > I doubt very highly that Donald Trump will ever agree to debate anyone ever again. There are not going to be any general election debates. He didn’t debate, he yelled at his opponent and interrupted her. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2019, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/observations-of-the-3rd-democratic-debate/840136/60 "2019-09-13T17:06:04Z")
Anyone who is worried about who would do best in a debate with him is using the wrong analysis approach - remember how easily Hillary handled him? And how little it helped her on Election Day? The Deplorables simply saw her being put back in her place by a Manly Winning Man. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/observations-of-the-3rd-democratic-debate/840136.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/observations-of-the-3rd-democratic-debate/840136.md?page=4)