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Who's Going to Win South Carolina?

  • Joe Biden

    Votes: 585 39.2%
  • Bernie Sanders

    Votes: 853 57.2%
  • Elizabeth Warren

    Votes: 24 1.6%
  • Pete Buttigieg

    Votes: 7 0.5%
  • THE KLOBBERER

    Votes: 16 1.1%
  • Tom Steyer

    Votes: 6 0.4%

  • Total voters
    1,491
  • Poll closed .
Status
Not open for further replies.

Addie

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
8,788
DFW
Sure. Let me tell you about myself. Im 25, married, 3 kids. I'm a union hvac worker in California. Make 90k a year taxable income. Wife has to stay home with the kiddos. So I guess I could be considered middle class. But living in California 90k with house of 5 probably puts be on the bottom of middle class. In aiddition to my killer union retirement I personally stock trade through my IRA's. I plan on retiring by 50 hopefully sooner.

1) I don't believe in illegal immigrantion. Im all for LEGAL immigrantion. Heck they could very well double their legal immigrants and I'd be happy with that. But I don't think someone should just be able to come over without repercussions. I have plenty of friends of immigranted from the Ukraine in the early 90's, as well as friends from Asia who immigrated. Do it the right way or not at all.
2) I don't believe in a 20$/hr minimum wage. I think minimum wage isn't designed to be a living wage. It's designed to be a starting wage. It's for young people/people drawing social security. And it's there to start trainees. I think there are plenty of jobs that are hard out there that pay more. But people don't want them. Lots of work in construction but no one wants to do it. I also don't think tipped workers should make 20/hr. It's crazy that a waitress can make 15/hr in tips that arnt taxed and then complain that they want 20/hr. Why on earth should I or millions of other people who work so damn hard doing nasty dirty work continue to do it when we could make just as much doing easy, gravy work. I'm not heartless either I want everyone to be able to feed their family's but I don't buy into this thinking that there isn't better paying jobs out there. There are but they either are hard physically/mentally/ or require a lot of training. Heck my job had a 5 year apprenticeship where pay was really bad in the beginning.
3) I believe in free markets. I don't think billionaires are necessarily bad people. They mostly became rich by selling something. Which means citizens had to willingly give them money. Which means normal everyday citizens paid them to make their lives better.
4) I don't believe in socialism. I thinks it's crippled every country that adopted it. Denmark imo isn't one. I mean hello don't they have a free market.
5) I believe in less government not more. Government is bloated. They do everything for more. Wasteful.
6) abortion. I believe in "my body my rights". But when the baby can feel pain I think they now have rights. So I'm fine with aborting till around around 14-16 weeks. My baby was born at 22 weeks and I think that's way too pay to abort. If you get rapped the government should give free pregnancy tests/ultrasounds so to detect the baby before the cut off date for abortions. Then they should pay for it ONLY if rapped.
7) I don't believe in free handouts. I believe in hard work. This one is big.
8) I don't think college should be free. I'm 25 so I know tons of young people who went to/going to college. I a huge amount just do it to party/not work. They spin aimlessly with no major or major in a fantasy area that won't get hem employeed. I don't want to pay for that.
9) free speech. I shouldn't be forced to use pronouns though I absolutely would if someone asked.
10) guns. I believe in the second amendment. I don't believe in gun confiscation. I think that would result in law abiding citizens turning in their guns and criminals not. A CRIMINAL by definition is someone who doesn't follow the law.
11) climate change. I think our efforts should be to focus on carbon capture not zero emissions. Our country is small Co2 producer when considering the whole world. Develop the tech for the whole world to use

I'm not a racist. I think poor people should be able to get healthcare, especially poor children. I'm not sexist. I'm a working class American who loves loves his country. 8 years ago I considered myself a moderate. With beliefs like those I was but now I'm probably considered a far righter.

At my core I believe in capitalism.
I'm gonna try to engage here, but with 11 points, it's a little bit difficult, so I'll just briefly summarize your position in parentheses and then offer something after it. If I misrepresent you, my fault. Just trying to go for readability rather than quote you 11+ different times. First off, my background: I'm in my 30s, divorced but in another long-term relationship, no kids, and I'm an Air Force officer.

  1. Immigration (immigrants should "do it the right way"): That's actually the position of most folks, including people running for the Democratic nomination. No one's arguing for open borders or saying that undocumented folks released prior to a hearing before an immigration judge shouldn't have a hearing and possibly face removal. Two caveats: (a) Dreamers, whom most people, including some Republicans, think should have a path to citizenship; and (b) asylum-seekers. For the latter, the U.S. is bound by international treaties which it's signed to follow certain procedures in handling them.
  2. Minimum Wage (no $20 minimum wage): I think most are advocating for $15. I think minimum wages have distortionary market effects, and I personally question their value and think they're a bandaid solution. However, I think, just like you do, that everyone should be able to feed their family... period.
  3. Markets (support free markets): Everyone, even Bernie, supports a market-based economy. I also think it's possible that some billionaires are good people (see: Tom Steyer). But the system that produced them is afflicted with rampant inequality.
  4. Capitalism/Socialism (support capitalism): So does everyone else. No candidate is advocating for socialism -- i.e., collective allocation of all resources among people as apportioned by the government. At best, they're advocating for regulations that keep the wheels from falling off. Like in Denmark.
  5. Size of Government (less is better): The size doesn't matter, but rather the efficiency does. Government's needed because it can impose those regulations to avert phenomena like the tragedy of the commons, where people, acting in their own self-interest, spoil a common good for everyone else. Think: one fisherman getting all the fish in a pond. Besides, some utilities -- such as health care -- lend themselves to nationalized systems where the risk pool can be spread across the largest set of people.
  6. Abortion (some cutoff is needed): Gonna skip this one. We won't agree. I think it's not my choice to make, ever.
  7. "Free handouts" (opposed): I am not sure what you mean here.
  8. Free college (opposed): I'm for this, because it would help train Americans to be more competitive in the global economy. Yes, some kids would party. But they wouldn't be locked out of jobs by nature of not having a degree.
  9. Free speech: This means First Amendment rights. The Government is not going to fine anyone if they misgender someone; it just means that person's a jerk. And, you already said you would use the correct pronoun if asked, so I don't know what the issue is?
  10. Guns (in favor of the Second Amendment): Requires more space than little responses here, but none of the candidates are talking about gun confiscations: they're talking about stuff like background checks, which are overwhelmingly supported by the vast majority of Americans.
  11. Climate change (carbon capture, not carbon neutral): I think climate change is an existential threat and the U.S. should lead on it, and that does mean investing heavily in technology -- including carton capture.
Just a response here. I would encourage you to look at a website like ontheissues.org and actually see where candidates stand. You probably agree with some of Bernie's positions, but more importantly, you agree with a lot of positions held by all of the candidates.
 

Deleted member 31817

Nov 7, 2017
30,876
Pink-collar jobs are essential for modern society and they pay like dogshit on top of getting sneered at by jag-offs like that.
Yep

Every job should require a living wage and in CA in certain places $15 is barely even that. And without a law enforcing the terrible tip culture they'll continue to be paid under minimum wage anyway!

And no, tips don't cover it everytime. I worked as a delivery driver and most days I made under minimum wage.
 

Deleted member 11413

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 27, 2017
22,961
The union having a monopoly can be a very bad thing for me at times. They take 5$/hr from my taxable income.
Dear god you are a fucking moron. It's not a monopoly, they are your collective representation. They are there to represent YOUR interests. The money you pay them is called 'dues', they need that in order to effectively negotiate on your behalf. That's why you have "killer union retirement".
 

Hudsoniscool

Banned
Jun 5, 2018
1,495
1. most of the "i hate illegals but love legals" people generally support ICE and other fascistic methods of removal. that's why you'll be called a far right nutjob

2. anyone that opposes any sort of minimun wage increase is a moron at best or a sociopathic asshole at worst. costs of living are constantly rising while wages remain stagnant. people at the bottom are increasingly becoming restless and that energy is being expended in populist movements, both left and right. and sooner or later that energy is going to explode and all the "moderates" like you will be at the crosshairs.

3. fuck outta here with that hard work bullshit. so many people work themselves to the bone yet never escape poverty while rich assholes glide upwards with nothing but their name. the fact that you live in the age of trump but still believe that bootstraps works is insane. also fuck outta here with that lazy college student meme. when even the "good" degrees are struggling, maybe there's something wrong with the system.

edit: i completely missed you admitting that you are fucking stockbroker. literally living off other people's work. think of the balls necessary to tell other people to go fuck themselves and bootstrap their way to success yet participate in the stock market.
Grade A reponse here. I bootstraped my way up by work ethic btw. I trade stocks through my Roth IRAthat I fund with my taxed income. This makes me a peice of shit?

You know I used to think I was a republican by business policy but a dem on social issues. Idk anymore. What happened to the left being the tolerant ones?
 

eKongDiddy

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 31, 2017
2,521
Beach City
Then you'll have 3 decades of a conservative supreme court that will make it impossible for progressive legislation to ever happen. But at least you'll be able to enjoy feeling superior for 10 minutes!

I'm of the same mindset of the other voter. I'm Bernie or bust at the moment with his movement he is pushing. I'm Independent and don't vote solely Democrat. If he doesn't get the nomination, I'm saying fuck the system and just let it crash and burn. I'm all about revolutionizing our system, and he is the only candidate that is speaking to me.
 

Blah

Member
Oct 26, 2017
3,603
Grade A reponse here. I bootstraped my way up by work ethic btw. I trade stocks through my Roth IR that I fund with my taxed income. This makes me a peice of shit?

You know I used to think I was a republican by business policy but a dem on social issues. Idk anymore. What happened to the left being the tolerant ones?

This has to be a troll job. C'mon.
 

Deleted member 31817

Nov 7, 2017
30,876
The union having a monopoly can be a very bad thing for me at times. They take 5$/hr from my taxable income.
Fun fact, 5$/hr was what I was paid when I worked in the service industry. And it was a more demanding job physically and mentally than any cushy desk jobs I've had since.
 

ZSaberLink

Member
Oct 26, 2017
1,678
1) I don't believe in illegal immigrantion. Im all for LEGAL immigrantion. Heck they could very well double their legal immigrants and I'd be happy with that. But I don't think someone should just be able to come over without repercussions. I have plenty of friends of immigranted from the Ukraine in the early 90's, as well as friends from Asia who immigrated. Do it the right way or not at all.
2) I don't believe in a 20$/hr minimum wage. I think minimum wage isn't designed to be a living wage. It's designed to be a starting wage. It's for young people/people drawing social security. And it's there to start trainees. I think there are plenty of jobs that are hard out there that pay more. But people don't want them. Lots of work in construction but no one wants to do it. I also don't think tipped workers should make 20/hr. It's crazy that a waitress can make 15/hr in tips that arnt taxed and then complain that they want 20/hr. Why on earth should I or millions of other people who work so damn hard doing nasty dirty work continue to do it when we could make just as much doing easy, gravy work. I'm not heartless either I want everyone to be able to feed their family's but I don't buy into this thinking that there isn't better paying jobs out there. There are but they either are hard physically/mentally/ or require a lot of training. Heck my job had a 5 year apprenticeship where pay was really bad in the beginning.

So what do you think of Trump's crackdown on legal immigration? Honestly more than anything, he's reduced the number of legal immigrants to this country in a largely arbitrary manner. In the tech industry as an example, it's becoming really hard for them to even get Visas for bright and talented international students. Those who obviously immigrated legally, have no criminal record, and are supremely qualified.

Secondly, are you aware that as a waiter / waitress you can be paid as low as ~$2 / hour? Plenty of bars and restaurants do that. Like honestly how is that even a minimal wage for anyone? At the very least it's an incredibly horrid practice that the restaurant industry uses to pay people < $20 a day, which is insane. I think you seem to have a misconception that they'll be earning tons of money after that. Like $15 / hr is about $31K / year. I'm sure in states like California you wouldn't be able to afford basic necessities with even that wage. Given the federal min wage is like $7 / hr... what exactly is that supposed to pay for exactly?
 
OP
OP
Poodlestrike

Poodlestrike

Smooth vs. Crunchy
Administrator
Oct 25, 2017
13,513
For the moderates, why do you believe your candidate is going to pass legislation?
So, he's not my candidate (and tbh I'm not much of a moderate, nor are most other people here), but there was actually a really interesting discussion The Weeds a couple weeks back about the differing legislative approaches between Bernie and Biden. Biden will essentially take a bill loaded with pretty bad stuff if it means he also gets what he's going for. Bernie will absolutely take a bill that's less than what he wanted initially, but he's much more hesitant to trade.

Tbh, I don't think Joe's approach is going to bear much fruit these days. What happened with the ACA is they tried to do things his way and it still ended up having to be passed with 0 Republican votes.
 

Hudsoniscool

Banned
Jun 5, 2018
1,495
Dear god you are a fucking moron. It's not a monopoly, they are your collective representation. They are there to represent YOUR interests. The money you pay them is called 'dues', they need that in order to effectively negotiate on your behalf. That's why you have "killer union retirement".
They take more money than any other construction union in the state. Too much.
 

Velg

Member
Jan 6, 2018
498
I don't really have one.

I like Sanders's policies best by far (giant side eye on his history with gun control legislation aside) but I think he's generally terrible, frequently tone deaf and his cabinet would be a shit show of very problematic sycophants. I think he could easily tank a general and I cringe thinking about right wing attack lines on him and how easily he would play into those. If he somehow wins, I imagine a gigantic wipeout and an R trifecta in 24.

As a former New Yorker during his tenure, I fucking despise Bloomberg. He's the only candidate where I think I just couldn't do it if he got the nom (although I'm in CA, so that is something of a luxury. If I were in a swing state that would be a tough negotiation).

I don't really like Biden or his problematic past or naive takes on Republicans but I am wondering again if the people who really show up to vote would just make it overwhelming and get us the senate.

I just can't with Pete.

I don't like Amy.

I would have said Steyer I guess before tonight.

If/ when Warren goes, I'll probably not support anyone until the general. And I guess a VP could really change my mind with Sanders or Biden.

I didn't really know a lot about Warren but I've really grown to like her since her amazing debate. She deserves to be doing better. I would be happy with either her or Bernie taking it.

Biden also impressed me tonight but I agree with you on your assessments on everyone, Bernie included.
 

GoldenEye 007

Roll Tide, Y'all!
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
13,833
Texas
I mean, in that case, the boring moderate did win, but it was stolen by the courts, and there is zero evidence a more left-wing candidate would've won. In fact, the "boring" moderate has gotten more votes in every election except one in 2000, especially since Obama is now a neoliberal war criminal.
I vaguely remember his campaign running away from a very popular president and also picking what turned out to later be a Dem moderate assed backstabber as running mate. That's on him for running a campaign that ended up having to rely on FL.

As for Obama - he ran as a progressive change candidate - in practice yes, he was much more centrist. Probably spoke to the massive Senate/House losses in 2010-2016 downballot. And the relative ease in erasing many things in Trump's short time in office thus far.
 

Eeyore

User requested ban
Banned
Dec 13, 2019
9,029
I'm of the same mindset of the other voter. I'm Bernie or bust at the moment with his movement he is pushing. I'm Independent and don't vote solely Democrat. If he doesn't get the nomination, I'm saying fuck the system and just let it crash and burn. I'm all about revolutionizing our system, and he is the only candidate that is speaking to me.

I would love to pick your brain to understand you being so passionate about Bernie Sanders but would vote or have voted for a Republican at one point in time. What changed for you?
 

BossAttack

Member
Oct 27, 2017
43,186

Nola

Banned
Oct 29, 2017
8,184
Now let's list all of the liberals that have won in the last 50 years.
Like I told the other poster slick, the contention here is not liberal vs moderate, it's boring moderate.

They have an abysmal track record and all that is left on the docket besides Bernie fits that bill. Warren is still my favorite politician, but she shit the bed.

And what I don't see any of you all offering is an argument for why it will be different now? And in a way that wouldn't also apply to Bernie? Dem moderates continue to demonstrate they are susceptible to sustained Republican propaganda and their enthusiasm deflated accordingly, to which a boring moderate has no avenue to overcome. Lefter wing voters will not get excited over candidates that don't inspire them. Election after election has demonstrated this. The youth will not even care at all. And moderate Republicans are increasingly indistinguishable from hard right ones at the ballot because they are more and more tribally loyal and more susceptible to the notion that the worst Republican is better than the best Democrat. So how does the boring moderate compile a stronger coalition than any candidate that at least has a strong base of support to work with? The strongest argument I have been presented is that Trump is so unpopular people will just vote against him(we've heard that before), and so the key is to go with the guy that offends the least(also heard that before). But that still fails to demonstrate why that is the more optimal path than the guy that is going to have a base of support less moved by those attacks and baked in forces?
 

Xaszatm

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
10,903
I swear, some people here Sanders and think he's going to march into DC with an army of bears and this blazing in the background

 

JesseEwiak

Banned
Oct 31, 2017
3,781
I vaguely remember his campaign running away from a very popular president and also picking what turned out to later be a Dem moderate assed backstabber as running mate. That's on him for running a campaign that ended up having to rely on FL.

As for Obama - he ran as a progressive change candidate - in practice yes, he was much more centrist. Probably spoke to the massive Senate/House losses in 2010-2016 downballot. And the relative ease in erasing many things in Trump's short time in office thus far.

I'm not defending Gore's campaign in total - I would've prefered Bob Graham over Lieberman, but I'm just saying Paul Wellstone would've done a lot worse.

Obama ran on a surge in the Afghan War, running to the right of Hillary on health care, and a generic generational change candidacy, as opposed to any ideology, beyond Democratic center-leftism that both Hillary & Obama stood for.


For the moderates, why do you believe your candidate is going to pass legislation?

The same way Bernie would - convincing Joe Manchin, Kristen Sinema, and other moderates that his plans are good. Both Bernie & Biden are DOA if there's still a Republican Senate.
 

Hudsoniscool

Banned
Jun 5, 2018
1,495
So what do you think of Trump's crackdown on legal immigration? Honestly more than anything, he's reduced the number of legal immigrants to this country in a largely arbitrary manner. In the tech industry as an example, it's becoming really hard for them to even get Visas for bright and talented international students. Those who obviously immigrated legally, have no criminal record, and are supremely qualified.

Secondly, are you aware that as a waiter / waitress you can be paid as low as ~$2 / hour? Plenty of bars and restaurants do that. Like honestly how is that even a minimal wage for anyone? At the very least it's an incredibly horrid practice that the restaurant industry uses to pay people < $20 a day, which is insane. I think you seem to have a misconception that they'll be earning tons of money after that. Like $15 / hr is about $31K / year. I'm sure in states like California you wouldn't be able to afford basic necessities with even that wage. Given the federal min wage is like $7 / hr... what exactly is that supposed to pay for exactly?
I'm pretty sure I'm California that tipped workers still have to be paid whatever normal minimum wage is. But If I'm wrong that ya that's terrible and they deserve better.
 

ChippyTurtle

Banned
Oct 13, 2018
4,773
If Biden wanted to broker with a Progressive but not Bernie, Warren would probably be hoping for the VP nomination. Problem is, I think Biden and Bernie are friends too yes? Could totally see a Biden - Bernie ticket.
 

thoughthaver

Banned
Feb 6, 2020
434
Grade A reponse here. I bootstraped my way up by work ethic btw. I trade stocks through my Roth IR that I fund with my taxed income. This makes me a peice of shit?

You know I used to think I was a republican by business policy but a dem on social issues. Idk anymore. What happened to the left being the tolerant ones?
peace was never an option
 

Sobriquet

The Fallen
Oct 27, 2017
10,001
Wilmington, NC
Sure. Let me tell you about myself. Im 25, married, 3 kids. I'm a union hvac worker in California. Make 90k a year taxable income. Wife has to stay home with the kiddos. So I guess I could be considered middle class. But living in California 90k with house of 5 probably puts be on the bottom of middle class. In aiddition to my killer union retirement I personally stock trade through my IRA's. I plan on retiring by 50 hopefully sooner.

1) I don't believe in illegal immigrantion. Im all for LEGAL immigrantion. Heck they could very well double their legal immigrants and I'd be happy with that. But I don't think someone should just be able to come over without repercussions. I have plenty of friends of immigranted from the Ukraine in the early 90's, as well as friends from Asia who immigrated. Do it the right way or not at all.
2) I don't believe in a 20$/hr minimum wage. I think minimum wage isn't designed to be a living wage. It's designed to be a starting wage. It's for young people/people drawing social security. And it's there to start trainees. I think there are plenty of jobs that are hard out there that pay more. But people don't want them. Lots of work in construction but no one wants to do it. I also don't think tipped workers should make 20/hr. It's crazy that a waitress can make 15/hr in tips that arnt taxed and then complain that they want 20/hr. Why on earth should I or millions of other people who work so damn hard doing nasty dirty work continue to do it when we could make just as much doing easy, gravy work. I'm not heartless either I want everyone to be able to feed their family's but I don't buy into this thinking that there isn't better paying jobs out there. There are but they either are hard physically/mentally/ or require a lot of training. Heck my job had a 5 year apprenticeship where pay was really bad in the beginning.
3) I believe in free markets. I don't think billionaires are necessarily bad people. They mostly became rich by selling something. Which means citizens had to willingly give them money. Which means normal everyday citizens paid them to make their lives better.
4) I don't believe in socialism. I thinks it's crippled every country that adopted it. Denmark imo isn't one. I mean hello don't they have a free market.
5) I believe in less government not more. Government is bloated. They do everything for more. Wasteful.
6) abortion. I believe in "my body my rights". But when the baby can feel pain I think they now have rights. So I'm fine with aborting till around around 14-16 weeks. My baby was born at 22 weeks and I think that's way too pay to abort. If you get rapped the government should give free pregnancy tests/ultrasounds so to detect the baby before the cut off date for abortions. Then they should pay for it ONLY if rapped.
7) I don't believe in free handouts. I believe in hard work. This one is big.
8) I don't think college should be free. I'm 25 so I know tons of young people who went to/going to college. I a huge amount just do it to party/not work. They spin aimlessly with no major or major in a fantasy area that won't get hem employeed. I don't want to pay for that.
9) free speech. I shouldn't be forced to use pronouns though I absolutely would if someone asked.
10) guns. I believe in the second amendment. I don't believe in gun confiscation. I think that would result in law abiding citizens turning in their guns and criminals not. A CRIMINAL by definition is someone who doesn't follow the law.
11) climate change. I think our efforts should be to focus on carbon capture not zero emissions. Our country is small Co2 producer when considering the whole world. Develop the tech for the whole world to use

I'm not a racist. I think poor people should be able to get healthcare, especially poor children. I'm not sexist. I'm a working class American who loves loves his country. 8 years ago I considered myself a moderate. With beliefs like those I was but now I'm probably considered a far righter.

At my core I believe in capitalism.
1) Nobody supports illegal immigration. It has been at a net zero since 2012.
2) If the minimum wage had kept pace with inflation, it would be $22/hour.
3) We live in a free market economy. That's not going to change.
4) I don't believe there is a single elected socialist in our government. There are, however, social democrats like Bernie Sanders. Denmark is a social democracy.
5) Then you must hate Republicans
7) Nobody in the US gets free handouts
8) Why shouldn't state colleges be "free" like any other public school? Or cheaper at least?
9) What does free speech have to do with pronouns?
11) We have the second highest Co2 emissions, and it is growing

So, from your list, I'm not really seeing anything that would cause you to vote Republican? You seem moderate but with some misguided and/or ill-informed opinions with some GOP talking points thrown in. These days only one political party has any moderates in it, and it's not the GOP.
 

Addie

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
8,788
DFW
I swear, some people here Sanders and think he's going to march into DC with an army of bears and this blazing in the background


qK0ZxNb.jpeg


Actual picture of Comrade Sanders storming Washington, D.C., January, 2021.
 
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