The Dems dozen, tonight! Instant spectacle!

[William Thornton]

Buttigieg: I still can't spell the guy's name and that's a disqualifier. Actually, he sounds sensible at times which puts him on the top tier.

Biden: The Real Ukranian Connection. An inveterate bumbler. Sunk by his son...and other things. Bye bye, Joe.

Bern: After giving capitalists heart attacks, has one of his own. Hope he makes it through the night. No chance for the nomination.

Booker: Has decided his always angry demeanor isn't electable. Come on dude, smile a little tonight abd see what happens.

Beto: Why is this clown still around, other than that he looks a little like JFK. Zero Beto. Coming after all the churches now, brilliant!

Tulsi: Has support Down East. Saw a Tulsi sign in Eastport, Maine a couple of weeks ago. So far, so good for her. Just a run at recognition, not the nomination.

Castro: Maybe it's just me but the guy has an oily feel. Unlikable.

Steyer: Billionaire hedge fund guy. Yeah. That's the recipe the Dems need in 2020.

Kamala: Uh, well, nah. Doesn't have the right stuff and has proven that repeatedly.

Klobuchar: Likable. It has to be a surprise that she's still on the stage.

Warren: Will eventually tell middle class Americans if her medicare for all plan will tap them, which it will, but will not do so tonight. She may send some smoke signals about it though.

Yang: Would not be anywhere near the stage if not for his free $1k/mo plan. There's always a market for folks who will give cash.

I'll promise to watch at least the first half and offer a scintillating report tomorrow.

[Sandy]

Watch closely because one of the twelve will be the winner of the 2020 election by a relatively large landslide of popular votes and a smaller but much more significant electoral college win. 400+.

I am not expecting a spectacle, unlike the GOP has offered previously (and given the circumstances may be shaping up for a contested race again). These are people with brains and intelligence, much more inclined to traditional debates rather than the name calling clown circus that characterized anything with the orange headed buffoon in the lineup.

These folks are all still around because they generated roughly $300 million in campaign contributions collectively and still score in the polling data. Living in a primary state that is relatively far down the calendar in terms of when the actual decision will be made by the voters, I haven't really landed with a particular candidate, though I did contribute to Mayor Pete's effort and gave a contribution to Biden after the revelations came out about the buffoon's attempt to get Ukrainian help to win. It's actually kind of nice to be able to give to the Democrat's senate election fund and not have to split it all up at the present time.

[Tim Bonney]

[David Flick]

[William Thornton]

Could only manage the firs 40 min. I don't understand why Warren can't come up with an answer on the Medicare for all costs to the middle class. She looks silly.

[Sandy]

[Tim Bonney]

[KeithE]

[Lou]

FWIW, on a light note: Last Friday evening my wife and I I attended the performance of a fairly well-known Christian comedian who was doing his thing in our central Texas city. The line which drew some of the biggest laughs of the evening: "Texas has produced some of the funniest comedians in the country: Ron White... Bill Engvall... Steve Martin... Beto O'Rourke..."

OK, back to the serious discussion.

[Sandy]

[Sandy]

[KeithE]

Buttigieg and Klobachar looked best.

Buttigieg gives the best crafted responses and Klobachar is angling naturally for the moderate vote - Biden is too old, non-subperb speech and his past is catching up with him (eg his swampy acquisience to his son’s 50K/mo Board assignment)

Warren and Sanders missed opportunities to detail how a Medicare for All and other positive social programs could be paid for - eg
A. financial transactions tax,
B. repatriation taxes,
C. corporate wealth tax on excess profits ( on what they report in annual reports not tax documents)
D. repeal of Trump / Bush Tax Cuts ( I’d keep the 0.4% tax cut for middle/low class < $100K/year)
E. individual wealth tax they did mention but did not quantified.
F. Cuts in spending especially military waste which I have witnessed first hand.

I know some of you fear “socialism “. I’m against economic socialism as well where the government controls the means of production. But that is not what Bernie and Warren are talking about!

I have ordered Rand Paul’s new book “The Case Against Socialism” just out yesterday just to gain another perspective
- I always read both sides a lot.

[Tim Bonney]

[Joseph Patrick]

From Gerry Milligan...I refused to watch as there were too many who mostly think alike (some exceptions, I know). But, angry Cory Booker summed up my feelings (as I watch, the continuing explanations on cable network) QUIT FIGHTING OVER EVERY LITTLE NUANCED POINT on a broad general idea which all are in agreement. Just giving more ammo for our draft-dodging, lying CIC. But, a great ball game!

[Tim Bonney]

Elizabeth Warren will be speaking at Simpson College here in Indianola this Sunday afternoon. Mayor Pete was in Des Moines last week and in the next week or so there will be a big Democratic forum where I believe most of the candidates will be present. I've been offered tickets to the event by Mayor Pete's campaign but, as I don't think I'm caucusing for him, I don't want to take the tickets under false pretenses. I like the Mayor, but he isn't my first choice right now.

[Sandy]

[Tim Bonney]

There is a danger in tearing each other down too much. Basically Mayor Pete contented in an add that "Medicare for all" that Warren is proposing some how violated free will/choice. Which is basically saying that so does Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. It was displeased enough by the attack that, as someone who was sitting on the fence between Warren and the Mayor, I'm leaning towards Warren now.

[Haruo]

Does Warren's proposal mean an end to choosing one's own doctor, and to the right to elective surgery? If not, then in what sense does it violate free choice? If it does do so, then I'd say Pete's got a point. I don't know the answer.

[Sandy]