Biden's Wikipedia page has detailed discussion of Biden's career, including his accomplishments and mistakes.

A lot of the plans overlap. Restore voting rights act, end gerrymandering, close gun show loophole, expand background checks on purchases, rejoin Paris Agreement, modernize the VA, etc etc.

So yes, people who say Trump is just the same as those things idk.

TenuredVulture wrote:

Gimpy wrote:Disregarding Sanders and Trump, what in Biden’s platform or legislative history makes him an appealing candidate? This is not snark, I would legitimately like to be sold on him and I’m having difficulty buying Biden stock.

Unlike Sanders, Biden knows how to build a coalition.

What coalition was made from 2008 to 2016. He couldn't even get the Democrats in line to vote for a better healthcare bill.

Gimpy wrote:You guys are really having trouble with the “disregarding Sanders” part of that post

We're kind of past being able to do that, no?

PSUsarge wrote:

Gimpy wrote:You guys are really having trouble with the “disregarding Sanders” part of that post

We're kind of past being able to do that, no?

Yes, that train has left the station.

At this point it’s going to be Trump vs. Biden. Period. Progressives can regroup during the Biden Administration and hope for a more favorable outcome in 2028. By then, perhaps the Supreme Court will have a 5-4 liberal split. Thomas is no spring chicken.

jamiethekiller wrote:

TenuredVulture wrote:

Gimpy wrote:Disregarding Sanders and Trump, what in Biden’s platform or legislative history makes him an appealing candidate? This is not snark, I would legitimately like to be sold on him and I’m having difficulty buying Biden stock.

Unlike Sanders, Biden knows how to build a coalition.

What coalition was made from 2008 to 2016. He couldn't even get the Democrats in line to vote for a better healthcare bill.

I think Obama and Biden put together a coalition that in fact passed healthcare reform, a flawed bill to be sure but far superior than the status quo. That's the point--a flawed health care plan that passed is infinitely better than an ideal plan that will not pass. And the ACA should have functioned better, but the Supreme Court made Medicaid expansion optional and once the Republicans took majorities in Congress even minor fixes became impossible.

Bernie's track record in the Senate is a litany of failure. It might not have been nice, but HRC was absolutely correct when she noted that no one will work with him.

If it hadn’t been for Joe Friggin’ Lieberman and his sell out to the insurance industry we’d have had a public option which would have made the ACA magnitudes better.

Joe Biden, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways:

1) Fundamentally decent and moral human

2) Can win in November

3) Likely to assemble a cabinet of rational humans

4) Likely to rebuild a functioning, Obama-esque federal government

TenuredVulture wrote:

Gimpy wrote:Disregarding Sanders and Trump, what in Biden’s platform or legislative history makes him an appealing candidate? This is not snark, I would legitimately like to be sold on him and I’m having difficulty buying Biden stock.

Unlike Sanders, Biden knows how to build a coalition.

This. It’s a zero sum game. Ride the guy that gives you the best chance to win. Sorry. Maybe not the idealist view but this presidency is putting all of us at risk. I do not want 4 more years of this. Nope.

Gimpy wrote:

thephan wrote:

Gimpy wrote:Disregarding Sanders and Trump, what in Biden’s platform or legislative history makes him an appealing candidate? This is not snark, I would legitimately like to be sold on him and I’m having difficulty buying Biden stock.

I will see you and raise you with the question of 'what are your concerns?'

I don’t know much about his platform outside of that his healthcare plan (from what I read) is trash.

He wrote the Clinton crime bill, embarrassed and discredited Anita Hill in order to get Clarence Thomas confirmed to the SCOTUS, voted to repeal Glass Steagall, voted for the Patriot Act, voted for DOMA, voted for the Iraq War.

During his campaign, he’s said things like we’re going to solve domestic violence by punching away at the problem, told people to vote for other candidates including the other Biden, said nothing would substantially change if he were president, called a girl a lying dog faced pony soldier, tried to spur a “no malarkey” tour or something.

I guess I just don’t consider him someone that has a vision for America that makes me optimistic for the future.

Have you glanced over everything at https://joebiden.com/joes-vision/? If you've been on the Bernie bus there's little chance you'll find much appealing in his platform. I won't lobby here since it's likely fruitless. For example just our difference in view on his healthcare plan. Personally I find his overall voting record acceptable and it's pretty well rated by groups.

I'm not sure legislative history necessarily relates to one's vision for the future. Times change, people change. For the specific items you mention you could raise the same concern about the majority who were in congress at the time.

As for why Joe appeals to me as a candidate first, and maybe most importantly, it signals to our friends and foes around the world that America is back. They shouldn't fear or celebrate that we'll swing wildly from election to election every 4 years.

I think it will take years to repair and rebuild everything Trump's damaged and dismantled. There's also unfinished work to complete before we start complete upheavals.

Joe as president won't energize Trumpism the way more progressive candidates would. With enough success and support it might just begin to fade.

There's greater chance of Joe accomplishing parts of his platform. They may not be perfect solutions but the smallest progress in the right direction is better than grand ideas that go nowhere.

Past performance is no guarantee of future results but after the last truly progressive, liberal president Republicans held the white house for 20 of the next 24 years.

Primarily, I believe our political climate is a pendulum. Increasing the amplitude just provides the energy for an increased amplitude on the backswing. There's no progress in that - just wild oscillations negating the progress of the previous ones. Real, lasting change happens by moving the point of equilibrium. Joe is my choice to accomplish that. Just like the ACA did for healthcare.

Uncle Milty wrote:

Gimpy wrote:

thephan wrote:

Gimpy wrote:Disregarding Sanders and Trump, what in Biden’s platform or legislative history makes him an appealing candidate? This is not snark, I would legitimately like to be sold on him and I’m having difficulty buying Biden stock.

I will see you and raise you with the question of 'what are your concerns?'

I don’t know much about his platform outside of that his healthcare plan (from what I read) is trash.

He wrote the Clinton crime bill, embarrassed and discredited Anita Hill in order to get Clarence Thomas confirmed to the SCOTUS, voted to repeal Glass Steagall, voted for the Patriot Act, voted for DOMA, voted for the Iraq War.

During his campaign, he’s said things like we’re going to solve domestic violence by punching away at the problem, told people to vote for other candidates including the other Biden, said nothing would substantially change if he were president, called a girl a lying dog faced pony soldier, tried to spur a “no malarkey” tour or something.

I guess I just don’t consider him someone that has a vision for America that makes me optimistic for the future.

Have you glanced over everything at https://joebiden.com/joes-vision/? If you've been on the Bernie bus there's little chance you'll find much appealing in his platform. I won't lobby here since it's likely fruitless. For example just our difference in view on his healthcare plan. Personally I find his overall voting record acceptable and it's pretty well rated by groups.

I'm not sure legislative history necessarily relates to one's vision for the future. Times change, people change. For the specific items you mention you could raise the same concern about the majority who were in congress at the time.

As for why Joe appeals to me as a candidate first, and maybe most importantly, it signals to our friends and foes around the world that America is back. They shouldn't fear or celebrate that we'll swing wildly from election to election every 4 years.

I think it will take years to repair and rebuild everything Trump's damaged and dismantled. There's also unfinished work to complete before we start complete upheavals.

Joe as president won't energize Trumpism the way more progressive candidates would. With enough success and support it might just begin to fade.

There's greater chance of Joe accomplishing parts of his platform. They may not be perfect solutions but the smallest progress in the right direction is better than grand ideas that go nowhere.

Past performance is no guarantee of future results but after the last truly progressive, liberal president Republicans held the white house for 20 of the next 24 years.

Primarily, I believe our political climate is a pendulum. Increasing the amplitude just provides the energy for an increased amplitude on the backswing. There's no progress in that - just wild oscillations negating the progress of the previous ones. Real, lasting change happens by moving the point of equilibrium. Joe is my choice to accomplish that. Just like the ACA did for healthcare.

This is a great answer to my question. Thank you.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles ... rkets-wrap

Can’t wait for trump to pressure Powell to resign and then tell us to buy the dip

Saw a good Facebook post from a black woman regarding the Biden appeal.

She basically said that no time in American political history did a white man takes his cues from a black man like Biden did from Obama. He didn't do it for a day or two but for 8 years. White men don't do that. He didn't go against Obama and had his back for all those years. Especially a white man with as long a history as Biden contrasted to a black man that had much less history in the political arena. No other candidate can say that.

Thought that was a little more insightful perspective than "He was Obama's VP."

Stock futures for the moring already show Dow Jones down 1,100 points

It will go down for a few months and be back on the upswing just we race to the election

Booker endorses Biden. Two polls out in Michigan with Biden up 20+.

CalvinBall wrote:Saw a good Facebook post from a black woman regarding the Biden appeal.

She basically said that no time in American political history did a white man takes his cues from a black man like Biden did from Obama. He didn't do it for a day or two but for 8 years. White men don't do that. He didn't go against Obama and had his back for all those years. Especially a white man with as long a history as Biden contrasted to a black man that had much less history in the political arena. No other candidate can say that.

Thought that was a little more insightful perspective than "He was Obama's VP."

I am glad she said it, but I always thought that this was why he was so popular. It was no small thing to some people (even though it should be natural - if you are the lieutenant, you follow the general, race should not be an issue... but that's not the world we live in).

jerseyhoya wrote:Booker endorses Biden. Two polls out in Michigan with Biden up 20+.

The encouraging thing about Biden being up by these numbers is that I feel his position in the general, relative to Hillary, is considerably stronger. Of course, so is Trump's 2020, relative to his 2016.

Will be interesting to see how it plays out.

threecount wrote:Stock futures for the moring already show Dow Jones down 1,100 points

Since it was down 1000 last night that is good news, but the real traders will get to dismantling thing straight away this morning.