Reassuring for our democracy that money can't buy an election.

Sanders spent about $16 million in Super Tuesday states through Feb. 27. Bloomberg spent a quarter of a billion dollars, while Biden had spent only about $625,000.

as in 2016, bernie will be all unity once the time comes. but that time has not come yet. you just expect him to throw in the towel at this point??

I think the concession speeches are premature and I'm sure Sanders and his camp feel the same way.

Brantt wrote:

jamiethekiller wrote:

Brantt wrote:Good night for the country last night. Far-left progressive politics look to be out of the equation for at least the next 4 years. Although Bernie is going to eviscerate Biden in the next debate.

ah yes, the far left politics. the government ensuring that people earn money, have health care, can afford to get an education and getting kids into the education system sooner. such wild radical ideas that the government would actually try to put its citizens in the best position to succeed locally and globally.

As if the government has any earthly idea how to accomplish any of that.

The governments track record on providing quality care is bad, flat out bad. Look at the VA. It is fair to say that the government is ill prepared to make that move, but then again JTK points out there is no credit at all for NOT TRYING. Where we are supposed to take Bernie pitch as aspirational, that is hard to vote for as everyone knows it is never happening in his vision, in fact his vision seems fraudulent. The appear of Warren in general was that she had a plan, but wonks never win big elections. Making a turn to really addressing these concerns in an approachable manner is essential.

Uncle Milty wrote:Reassuring for our democracy that money can't buy an election.

Sanders spent about $16 million in Super Tuesday states through Feb. 27. Bloomberg spent a quarter of a billion dollars, while Biden had spent only about $625,000.

Seems free media and momentum (whether real or not) and a giant machine of a party backing you matter most.

Thinking a little about the generational conflict and the youth vote. Sure, there are many committed young voters who were enthusiastic Bernie supporters. But Bernie of course himself is old. And overall, young people apparently did not show up in huge numbers. So, I don't think the whole "baby boomers won't move aside" line has any traction. Perhaps an actual young progressive can more effectively reach the young voters who aren't already Bernie supporters.

I would like to see a lot fewer twitter leftists and a lot more AOCs. (And yes, I know AOC supports Sanders.)

I don't know if it's perception or if I digest totally different media than many of you. I didn't experience this free media push for Biden being claimed.

Of course I don't see many of the same things as you guys. What I saw last night was undecided voters identifying a single candidate and higher than expected linear support among moderates.

CalvinBall wrote:and now biden has endless cash.

what an insane 4 days. history altering stuff.

Did it start when you changed your avatar?

CalvinBall wrote:

Uncle Milty wrote:Reassuring for our democracy that money can't buy an election.

Sanders spent about $16 million in Super Tuesday states through Feb. 27. Bloomberg spent a quarter of a billion dollars, while Biden had spent only about $625,000.

Seems free media and momentum (whether real or not) and a giant machine of a party backing you matter most.

My guess as to what really matters is:

1. Earned media
2. Online presence
3. Paid traditional media
4. Field presence

Somewhere in there is timing also. If super tuesday was 2 weeks after SC then I don't think it plays out like this. If the Comey letter was June and not October 28th then we have President Clinton. Some people are fickle, man.

From my perspective, it seemed Arkansas was largely ignored. The only ads I think I saw were some national Bloomberg ads. And I received a flood of mail from Bloomberg. Typically, you get "free" media by visiting a state. I'm not sure anyone visited Arkansas at all.

I do think Biden was helped by the establishment, but this wasn't some "party decides" moment. Biden was basically out of money. I don't think the Democratic establishment supported Biden in the "invisible primary" to the extent the Republican establishment had supported Jeb in 2016. Honestly, I think many in the Dem establishment had the same reservations about Biden that many of us share. But in the end, name recognition and residual good feelings about Obama were enough to elevate him above other centrists, each of whom had significant weaknesses of their own.

Can we get paper ballots for the general, plz.

How many years away are we from voting on an app or website? 12?

heyeaglefn wrote:How many years away are we from voting on an app or website? 12?

Can we ever get past the security concerns for this?

Uncle Milty wrote:

heyeaglefn wrote:How many years away are we from voting on an app or website? 12?

Can we ever get past the security concerns for this?

Voter confidence wise, is it all that different than filling out a mail-in ballot, throwing it in the mailbox, and hoping it somehow gets to the local county office?

I understand hacking and online interference is a different story.

Where I think we can, when talking to a peer about this yesterday I have concerns about voter access so an app would need to be augmented with somewhere some percentage of people can physically get to vote easily.

TomatoPie wrote:

Wolfgang622 wrote:I agree but why wait? It's done.

Bernie Bros are delicate; no need to honk them off even more until Bernie officially concedes and endorses Joe

Which will be at the convention, if then.

Uncle Milty wrote:

heyeaglefn wrote:How many years away are we from voting on an app or website? 12?

Can we ever get past the security concerns for this?

I'd hope so in the next 12 years or so. The problem is one of the parties would have to make it a priority.

CFP wrote:

Uncle Milty wrote:

heyeaglefn wrote:How many years away are we from voting on an app or website? 12?

Can we ever get past the security concerns for this?

Voter confidence wise, is it all that different than filling out a mail-in ballot, throwing it in the mailbox, and hoping it somehow gets to the local county office?

Or securing a mortgage or paying taxes online

It seems like Estonia may have started online voting, but since they have a national ID card for all their citizens they can use that and your vote may not be 100% anonymous like it is today.

I think maybe in 8 years or so they will have a program where if you want to vote online you have to register for a federal voting ID or something similar to that and know that your vote may not be 100% anonymous.

Uncle Milty wrote:Reassuring for our democracy that money can't buy an election.

Sanders spent about $16 million in Super Tuesday states through Feb. 27. Bloomberg spent a quarter of a billion dollars, while Biden had spent only about $625,000.

I felt the same way at first reading the headline, and the Bloomberg part remains true no matter what, but a couple thoughts dampen the effect for me.

This a little bit like saying it's nice to know there's a difference between the mega rich and the ultra mega rich, or the 1% and the 0.1%.
For Biden, we should probably add in the spending of Buttigieg and Klobuchar to see the real spending efforts of the votes he ultimately received.