Moscow Mitch appears to be malfunctioning

[manly]

This recent episode (and Feinstein) will only serve to make voters even more squeamish about re-electing Biden.

IMO he needs to replace Kamala with a better VP candidate because there's probably a decent chance he won't finish a second term, if he even wins at all. The voters need a better backup plan than VP Harris who may be the only person in the country more unpopular than both Biden AND Trump.

Biden is 80 years old, and Feinstein is 90. The numbers aside, I see no resemblance in their health statuses. I'm not discounting that voters are indeed "squeamish" about Biden's age, but we hear that he takes good care of his health. Also, a senator's term is 6 long years so Feinstein, at age 85, should have not run in 2018.

Kamala is a disaster as a national "candidate" or "heir apparent," but she's non-replaceable at this point. If you replaced her with a non Black person, you'd lose some of your most reliable voters. Unless she does something incredibly dumb like taking a Tulsi Gabbard turn, they're not swapping her out. She won't be the Democratic nominee in 2028 either.

There's being squeamish and then there's being irrationally panicked. There is no indication that Joe Biden is on death's door so I don't know why you'd say there's a "decent" chance Harris will be POTUS during a Biden second term.

 

[trenchfoot]

Mitch's main weapon is his mouth. Let's hope his episodes of virtual lockjaw happens more and more often as the days go by because you know, he's a really nice guy southern gentleman uniter of the people. I mean look at how he helped Trump unite all of the racists, supremacists, whacko religious fanatics and opportunist militias like no other, along with how he engineered the blatant corporate takeover of the SCOTUS and is currently trying to unite the nation under the corporate sponsored Autocratic Religious Fanatic Flag of America.

 

[soulcougher73]

The DNC has already anointed Biden. No reason for primaries, debates etc. Sad what the DNC is doing.

 

[IronWing]

The DNC has already anointed Biden. No reason for primaries, debates etc. Sad what the DNC is doing.

Why is it sad? The party selected a candidate who 1) represents the party and 2) has a record of winning elections.

 

[eelw]

The DNC has already anointed Biden. No reason for primaries, debates etc. Sad what the DNC is doing.

No sad is a party not supporting the incumbent president

 

[kage69]

If his record sucked I could see doing the primary, but dems should let Dark Brandon ride and enjoy getting things done. He's here to prevent Trump from setting this country aflame. Give him a Congress not controlled or obstructed by traitors and let him finish the job.

 

[Muse]

Aw, give him credit. He was able to stand.

I think maybe one of his aids forgot to tension the wind-up coil in his back. He's been a Mitch McConnell doll for a few years now.

 

[soulcougher73]

Why is it sad? The party selected a candidate who 1) represents the party and 2) has a record of winning elections.

I just don't find it very democratic of the Democratic party to tell the people who they will want. To each their own though.

 

[IronWing]

I just don't find it very democratic of the Democratic party to tell the people who they will want. To each their own though.

People who don’t like a party’s candidates are free to get involved in the party and campaign for different candidates or organize their own party. It’s completely democratic. Primaries are one of the really bad ideas tried in American politics.

 

[Dave_5k]

There are many many people in this country far less popular than Biden/Trump.

I'm not sure if all the rodents and space aliens residing in congress count as "people"

 

[Ajay]

People who don’t like a party’s candidates are free to get involved in the party and campaign for different candidates or organize their own party. It’s completely democratic. Primaries are one of the really bad ideas tried in American politics.

I'm not entirely sure. It gives 'nobodies' a chance to generate some recognition. Of course, most are FPTP, and thus have too much fail.

 

[woolfe9998]

Obama was despite the democratic party. I'm not sure why you're including the average voters here because they are not part of the Democratic party machine.

But if you want to include the voters let's. The fact is among registered Democrats Biden running again is very unpopular.

No Democrat is going to run against Biden after he's declared because it would weaken his candidacy even more against the Republicans. I think ultimately Democrats want to defeat the Republicans, and primarying Biden is the best way to weaken the entire party. You repeating that so matter of factly is just silly.

If people can't see that letting an incumbent like Biden at his age and with his numbers, even among his own party, be the automatic selection is not being dynamic then I don't know what to tell you.

You should get a job fundraising for the Democratic machine. You'd fit right in.

No one is trying to be "dynamic." They are trying to win. The facts are, incumbents historically have an advantage over challengers, Biden already beat Trump in 2020, and the lack of dem enthusiasm for Biden would be a problem but for the tremendous enthusiasm that Trump engenders among dem voters. Which is why Biden had a record dem turnout in 2020 in spite of him not being an exciting candidate.

Biden is the best chance right now. Other considerations like dynamism are irrelevant. In other years against other GOP opponents, a different (i.e. younger) democrat would be a superior choice. But not this time. Biden has to be the guy.

 

[Moonbeam]

No one is trying to be "dynamic." They are trying to win. The facts are, incumbents historically have an advantage over challengers, Biden already beat Trump in 2020, and the lack of dem enthusiasm for Biden would be a problem but for the tremendous enthusiasm that Trump engenders among dem voters. Which is why Biden had a record dem turnout in 2020 in spite of him not being an exciting candidate.

Biden is the best chance right now. Other considerations like dynamism are irrelevant. In other years against other GOP .,opponents, a different (i.e. younger) democrat would be a superior choice. But not this time. Biden has to be the guy.

The problem as I see it is that Biden chose to run and he also chose Harris, one bad idea necessitating another because I can’t believe she wouldn’t have been his replacement. She is not presidential in my opinion but has plenty of ego.

 

[VRAMdemon]

Didn’t he have blue lips and fingers awhile back? What was that all about?

There should be more of a culture of retiring from politics. Shit, when I’m in my 70s or 80s I sure as hell hope I’m not still doing the same work I’ve been doing for the last 50 years. But given the current Senate rules, old as fuck Feinstein really can’t step down because old as fuck Mitch won’t allow Shumer to fill her seat on the Judiciary Committee. I’m not certain that’s her motive, but it’s the only valid one I’ve heard.

 

[kage69]

We need maximum age restrictions the same way we do minimum age restrictions, it's that simple.

The problem with relying on culture to do it is culture warriors don't care, same for those who only care about winning (in a system that rewards seniority). I'm afraid we need something stiffer, something codified into law. I'd keep it short and sweet. 'No one can run for office if they are older than 64,' something like that. Would get everyone out of the pool by 70, across the board. While I'm wishing I'd like enhanced background checks and IQ tests. No more foreign assets in the White House please. No more Boeberts in Congress either.

I always liked Jimmy Carter's idea of making the PoTUS' term a single 6 year stint. Removing all that comes with the needs and desires of re-election strikes me as a great way to ensure better clarity and focus all the way at the top.

 

[brycejones]

The DNC has already anointed Biden. No reason for primaries, debates etc. Sad what the DNC is doing.

Day drinking?

 

[Lanyap]

Fuckin been there and did that. 45 minutes later I told my wife I need to be in bed right now.
All I saw for the next 15 minutes was serious spinning. Edibles are unpredictable .

Same here. I visited my daughter a few months ago and she offered me an edible. I never had one before so she said I could start out with a quarter of a piece. Then she said I could probably handle a half piece. I took a half. A while later I had to go lay down. She kept checking on me and asking if I was ok and apologizing for giving me the edible. LOL. Next time I’ll start with a quarter.

 

[BoomerD]

Same here. I visited my daughter a few months ago and she offered me an edible. I never had one before so she said I could start out with a quarter of a piece. Then she said I could probably handle a half piece. I took a half. A while later I had to go lay down. She kept checking on me and asking if I was ok and apologizing for giving me the edible. LOL. Next time I’ll start with a quarter.

Dude...

 

[cytg111]

Dude...

This speaks to conservatives seeing how an egg is a single cell…

 

[Lanyap]

Dude...

Bourbon has already taken care of that.

 

[BoomerD]

Bourbon has already taken care of that.

Don't be ridiculous...if alcohol was hazardous...the evil gubmint would eliminate it...or at the least, put heavy restrictions on it.

 

[hal2kilo]

Same here. I visited my daughter a few months ago and she offered me an edible. I never had one before so she said I could start out with a quarter of a piece. Then she said I could probably handle a half piece. I took a half. A while later I had to go lay down. She kept checking on me and asking if I was ok and apologizing for giving me the edible. LOL. Next time I’ll start with a quarter.

Too little, or too much, or too delayed. Oh and not even a delta 9 THC high. No wonder I've never liked it.
With a link:

The Scientific Explanation for Why Edibles Get You So High

And how to avoid a bad edibles experience.

www.vice.com

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Don't be ridiculous...if alcohol was hazardous...the evil gubmint would eliminate it...or at the least, put heavy restrictions on it.

Prohibition ring a bell old man? They fought the war on alcohol, alcohol won.

 

[BoomerD]

Prohibition ring a bell old man? They fought the war on alcohol, alcohol won.

Hush you...

 

[Ajay]

We need maximum age restrictions the same way we do minimum age restrictions, it's that simple.

The problem with relying on culture to do it is culture warriors don't care, same for those who only care about winning (in a system that rewards seniority). I'm afraid we need something stiffer, something codified into law. I'd keep it short and sweet. 'No one can run for office if they are older than 64,' something like that. Would get everyone out of the pool by 70, across the board. While I'm wishing I'd like enhanced background checks and IQ tests. No more foreign assets in the White House please. No more Boeberts in Congress either.

I always liked Jimmy Carter's idea of making the PoTUS' term a single 6 year stint. Removing all that comes with the needs and desires of re-election strikes me as a great way to ensure better clarity and focus all the way at the top.

I like the idea of one single six year term. Other presidents have mentioned that by year 8 they are toast anyway. I think we can allow a slightly higher age limit. The language would need to be more complicated than this but - elected congress and senate members must be no older than 68 on the date they are sworn in. People are living longer, and the better off tend to bit healthier (better health care).