Let me be blunt. I’m not Ready for Hillary and I have decided that I do not want Elizabeth Warren out of the senate. Is it possible for us to look at other possibilities? Any viable suggestions? Anyone? Bueller?
When George H. Bush took office, unemployment was 5.4%%. When he left it was 7.3%.
When George W. Bush took office, unemployment was 4.2%%. When he left it was 7.8%.
Now Jeb Bush wants to run for president?
Please share widely!
Is that when Bill Clinton took office, unemployment was 7.3%
And when Bill Clinton finished office, unemployment was 4.2%
Pretty good!
Also see: GDP growth (since Truman)
Except for Obama (who of course kept Bush II’s financial wizards and policies), all the worst performers are Republicans, and except for Reagan, all the best are Democrats.
It seems likely that Bernie Sanders will run. I don’t think he will win, but he will help get out the Progressive message. I would look to the congressional progressive caucus for potential candidates. I don’t think any will run though.
I also like Xavier Becerra who is very progressive and charismatic. He is also in Democratic Leadership. I doubt he will run though.
Both won in purple states, both ran ahead of President Obama in those same states*, and both have been strong an forceful advocates for the democratic wing of the Democratic Party. To use another Wellstone aphorism, both feel we all do better when we all do better. They have strong and simple soundbite ready articulations of liberal progressive economic principles and values. Great ads too.
Franken won’t run because he has been a friend of the Clintons for over 25 years. Sherrod Brown might not run since he would have to rapidly raise re-election funds for 2018 and might have earned the enmity of the establishment. Either candidate is more than capable of bringing white working class males back to the party while maintaining a strong focus on economic and social policies that benefit all Americans. The case for Brown is particularly strong.
*(in 2012 and Franken’s 2014 margin was better than Obama’s 2012 margin)
If he is uninterested in a re-match with Republican Ron Johnson who unseated him, and rumors are he most definitely is, he really has nothing to lose. His large and early advocacy against the Patriot Act and surveillance state, votes against the Iraq War, and votes against Timothy Geithner were maverick moves that clearly show he is with the fighting wing of the party and are more than enough to appeal to independents and not just liberals.
His strong advocacy of getting money out of politics, strong personal frugality and fiscally conservative voting record, bipartisanship, and libertarian stances on civil liberties (including a moderate approach to gun control) would appeal to many Perot and McCain voters.
Sure seems to me that the country will be very, very interested in, and very, very excited about a Clinton vs. Bush Presidential election, will turn out to vote in droves, and will not be turned off by a nothing-ever-changes battle between psuedo-aristocratic clans, thus swinging the election in favor of the Republicans, whom are benefited by low voter turnout, and putting a third Bush in the White House.
Right?
I think not. I do, however, think that the corporate media and corporate cultures are drooling at the piles of money that will be spent and the fact that both would be beholding to the Hedge Fund club…..