2020 Democratic presidential primary

The argument is pretty simple: Nobody knows who is 'electable' so go for the one you like, and then when she wins, she will have turned the electability conversation on the head.

this is the beginning of the Carly Fiorina movement

What are people's thoughts on the Sanders/AOC proposal to cap credit card interest rates at 15%? I've leaned towards favouring a socialized banking/credit option for a while; not sure what to make of this, though. I could see how it makes some sense, although it seems like the larger question to address should be why people are racking so much credit card debt in the fkrst place.

*first

Curious what people with more of an econ background think.

My problems right now, before i start racking up the cc debt, are a shitty hourly "gig" wage and paying thru the nose for an ACA plan

What are people's thoughts on the Sanders/AOC proposal to cap credit card interest rates at 15%? I've leaned towards favouring a socialized banking/credit option for a while; not sure what to make of this, though. I could see how it makes some sense, although it seems like the larger question to address should be why people are racking so much credit card debt in the fkrst place.

― All along there is the sound of feedback (Sund4r), Thursday, May 9, 2019 1:37 PM (seven hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

without knowing any other details of this plan, its bad. basically, unless they also cap interest rates on other kinds of credit, banks will not offer CC's to people with riskier credit scores and those folks will turn to payday lenders/title loans, etc. which will charge even worse interest rates.

i think if you want to make a meaningful dent in indebtedness, you need to redistribute wealth which allows folks to absorb sudden costs. also universal health care and a robust public transportation system would be good.

don't really understand your post m bison, payday lenders and title loans?

ah, theyre just other lines of credit. payday loans are usually short term loans that give the borrower a sum which they pay off (with exorbitant interest) weeks later when they get their next paycheck. title loans are similar but you use your car title as collateral.

anyway, read a lil bit more and it looks like all forms of credit would be capped at 15% which means those who would not qualify for those rates would probably turn to the black market for emergency cash.

i should *would be more likely to* than "would probably"

credit card rates have become usurious. I'm fine with capping them at 15%. I have decent credit and most of my cards are at like 24%. Honestly I think mandatory reduction would probably spur spending and help the economy.

yes

i'd be much less reluctant to redo my entire kitchen right now if I could put it on card and pay if off next year but right now? no fucking way and I putting $15k on a credit card and eating thousands of dollars in interest for the next six months. sorry I'll wait for my tax return. sorry if this sounds like the fucking height of first world problems. I know.

Just want to point out that Payday Lender and Title Loan offices are the among the top repurposers of old Burger Kings, Wendy's, Long John Silvers etc. fast food sites/buildings.

my man, we know texas too good

this is a whole world I hadn't imagined

I know, it's sidetrack

*a*

the larger question to address should be why people are racking so much credit card debt in the first place

bingo! Poor people run up cc debt almost invariably to purchase necessities they cannot afford to buy from their earnings.

There was an op-ed in my local newspaper this week about how a carbon cap-and-trade bill in the state legislature, which would provide a rebate on income taxes to offset gas price increases for poor people, would be horrible for poor people who are living paycheck to paycheck. The op-ed writer drew the conclusion that 'the legislators should find a better way to fight climate change', but did not even touch on the idea that working people must be provided with sufficient earnings from their work that they can afford to buy food, shelter, transportation, basic utilities, medicine and clothing from their earnings. If they can't, then society must provide these things from its pooled resources.

the very definition of cynicism: treating your vote like it's Family Feud

More than 60% of Democrats in the poll say they prize electability over whether they agree with the candidates. There are not many fresh ways to write this, but either Biden rivals convince voters that he's not electable, or Biden wins. https://t.co/KgppUap1EG

— Dave Weigel (@daveweigel) May 9, 2019

mainstream media trains people to think that hewing to the middle of the road makes them smart and sensible adult citizens. it's honestly no less insane than Fox News training its audience to demonstrate fealty to Trump no matter what.

noooooooo

Presidential hopeful Biden looking for ‘middle ground’ climate policy

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden is crafting a climate change policy he hopes will appeal to both environmentalists and the blue-collar voters who elected Donald Trump, according to two sources, carving out a middle ground approach that will likely face heavy resistance from green activists.

The backbone of the policy will likely include the United States re-joining the Paris Climate Agreement and preserving U.S. regulations on emissions and vehicle fuel efficiency that Trump has sought to undo, according to one of the sources, Heather Zichal, who is part of a team advising Biden on climate change. She previously advised President Barack Obama.

The second source, a former energy department official advising Biden's campaign who asked not to be named, said the policy could also be supportive of nuclear energy and fossil fuel options like natural gas and carbon capture technology, which limit emissions from coal plants and other industrial facilities.

(note: everything in the above paragraphs would mark a return to the Obama administration's "all of the above" energy "strategy")

The approach, which has not been previously reported, will set Biden apart from many of his Democratic rivals for the White House who have embraced much tougher climate agendas, like the Green New Deal calling for an end to U.S. fossil fuels use within 10 years. That could make Biden, vice president under Obama, a target of environmental groups and youth activists ahead of next year’s primary elections.

"I respect where they (activist groups) are coming from," Zichal said. "What we learned from the Obama administration is unless we find middle ground on these issues, we risk not having any policies."

Zichal is his climate advisor

We learned that, eh? The whipped cur flinches at the show of a hand.

t/s: no policies vs repurposed republican policies

I'm no Biden fan but this is still pretty far from the Trump/GOP position on climate change, isn't it?

Well, Trump's whole policy has been to undo every Obama policy. It appears that Biden's plan is to redo every Obama policy and then sit on his hands. So, yes, that would be different than Trump, but entirely unimaginative. Meanwhile the years slip by.

Yeah, it wasn't that inspiring, just distinct from (and better than) Republican policy.

this is it basically

What worries the left about Biden is not that he might lose to Trump, though they do worry that. The first order worry is that, as president, he'd just grumble "folks, we're better than this" as the GOP stole his lunch money, setting up a GOP comeback in 2024.

— Dave Weigel (@daveweigel) April 27, 2019

and it applies to climate change as much as anything

Joe Biden: “If you go out and bundle $250K for me, all legal, and then you call me after I’m elected and say ‘Joe, I’d like to talk to you about something.’ I’m gonna say ‘Come on in.’ It’s human nature.” pic.twitter.com/Nd4DA8xwiF

— Justice Democrats (@justicedems) May 11, 2019

why
why

"all legal" is straight up Trumpian

At least he’s being honest. That’ll probably fade away soon

Oh wow

the problem is he's entirely right

and w/o the context here I imagine he's using "you" and "me" for purposes of the example

but if he's not making an argument for broad campaign finance reform or repealing citizens united, fuck him

ha, all the stuff from 08 is just ripe for the picking. gotta love how he went from being the guy who couldnt keep his foot out of his mouth to dem frontrunner status in 11 years.

OK, watching the clip, I see that i) it was from 08 and ii) he was making a critical comment about the corrosive power of lobbyists.

He's not exactly shunning their company on this run AFAICT.

Justice Democrats checkmark should mention the date of footage like that, because I feel like a gullible dumbass when I think it’s current

A fair request, but '08 wasn't exactly a lifetime ago. It just feels like it

Eh, it’s a clear breach of social media protocol

OK, watching the clip, I see that i) it was from 08 and ii) he was making a critical comment about the corrosive power of lobbyists.

― All along there is the sound of feedback (Sund4r), Saturday, May 11, 2019 5:09 PM (fifteen minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

re: ii, he's criticizing while taking himself off the hook for taking money from them and talking to them. "love the sinner, hate the sin" type beat.

Lol so easy to sink this guy

He’lll just get in the race and metooed about out of there don’t worry

On the Media w/ Pareene on "electability"

https://www.wnycstudios.org/story/on-the-media-electability-myth

So... this Gabbard fan should make a policy statement at the debates... Why, exactly?

https://thehill.com/hilltv/rising/443099-mike-gravel-says-sanders-gabbard-would-be-ideal-2020-dem-ticket?amp#click=https://t.co/BzJeTUqmNS

*snores*