Monday, July 1, 2019

Democratic Debates June 26 and 27, 2019

My continuing complaint:  no mention of unions whatsoever.  A number of candidates made references to the current state of inequality and stagnant wages but no one mentioned one of the biggest reasons:  the decline of unions.  I think a minimum wage of $15 is fine but I don't think that takes the place of active unions that fight for their members and I would like suggestions about how to reinvigorate unions.

As for the candidates themselves there was little disagreement on the major issues:  single-payer healthcare (though there were various suggestions on the best way to get there), immigration (Sanders made the intelligent suggestion that we make a much greater effort to improve life in Central and South America) and a path to citizenship, major efforts to combat climate change, support our allies and avoid wars.

As for the individual candidates;  I think Biden stumbled considerably in attempts to defend his record on busing and his vote for the Iraq war (his touchy-feely campaigning and Anita Hill were not discussed).  For me the most articulate and intelligent candidates were Warren, Sanders, Harris and Buttigieg, who was even willing to admit "I couldn't get it done."  Sanders inveighed against Wall Street and the insurance companies but did not have many specific proposals while Warren had quite a few.  Gillibrand and Harris were the most articulate about family leave and subsidized daycare. Booker, de Blasio, and Castro were passionate about what they had done and what they could do and de Blasio was particularly articulate about speaking to the working class, as was Buttigieg about not forgetting those who do not go to college in the rush to eliminate college debt.

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