[US Election 2016] Democratic Primary Megathread

[Geilinor]

I'm not sure that anyone's disputing that she's... friendly to big businesses.

That's an understatement. To be extremely politically incorrect, Big Business is her Monica Lewinsky.

That's not true. Clinton supports regulations and closing tax loopholes.

[Genivaria]

The question though is has Hilary's views actually evolved or is this actually just opportunism?
How can we tell?

[Yumyumsuppertime]

Now that public opinion among Democrats is clearly against the Keystone Pipeline, Hillary Clinton has bravely taken a stand against it.

[Geilinor]

The question though is has Hilary's views actually evolved or is this actually just opportunism?
How can we tell?

Ask her how her views have changed and watch her explain.

[Nationes Pii Redivivi]

Now that public opinion among Democrats is clearly against the Keystone Pipeline, Hillary Clinton has bravely taken a stand against it.

I love how Mr Sanders wisely chose to congratulate her for taking a position opposing it, if subtly attacking for being a bit behind, while Mr O'Malley decides to use this as an opportunity to score some political points.

Sen. Bernie Sanders responded to Clinton's new support in a statement, saying "As a senator who has vigorously opposed the Keystone pipeline from the beginning, I am glad that Secretary Clinton finally has made a decision and I welcome her opposition to the pipeline. Clearly it would be absurd to encourage the extraction and transportation of some of the dirtiest fossil fuel on the planet."

O'Malley also accused Clinton of being too slow to take a stance.

"On issue after issue--marriage equality, drivers licenses for undocumented immigrants, children fleeing violence in Central America, the Syrian refugee crisis, and now the Keystone Pipeline, Secretary Clinton has followed--not forged--public opinion," he said. "Leadership is about stating where you stand on critical issues, regardless of how they poll or focus group."

[Alouite]

Okay, but shouldn't she apologize for her old bigoted stances? Additionally, please address my statement on her corporatist agenda.

It doesn't matter what she used to believe, what matter is what she is running on right now!

As to her 'corporatist agenda', most candidates are, by that definition, 'corporatists'.

Yeah, most, but not Bernie Sanders, not Martin O'Malley, and not to an extreme Joe Biden.

[Yumyumsuppertime]

Now that public opinion among Democrats is clearly against the Keystone Pipeline, Hillary Clinton has bravely taken a stand against it.

I love how Mr Sanders wisely chose to congratulate her for taking a position opposing it, if subtly attacking for being a bit behind, while Mr O'Malley decides to use this as an opportunity to score some political points.

Sen. Bernie Sanders responded to Clinton's new support in a statement, saying "As a senator who has vigorously opposed the Keystone pipeline from the beginning, I am glad that Secretary Clinton finally has made a decision and I welcome her opposition to the pipeline. Clearly it would be absurd to encourage the extraction and transportation of some of the dirtiest fossil fuel on the planet."

O'Malley also accused Clinton of being too slow to take a stance.

"On issue after issue--marriage equality, drivers licenses for undocumented immigrants, children fleeing violence in Central America, the Syrian refugee crisis, and now the Keystone Pipeline, Secretary Clinton has followed--not forged--public opinion," he said. "Leadership is about stating where you stand on critical issues, regardless of how they poll or focus group."

O'Malley's really trying to position himself as the anti-establishment candidate despite being very much an establishment politician, while Sanders is trying to ease the establishment's concerns about him.

[Alouite]

Now that public opinion among Democrats is clearly against the Keystone Pipeline, Hillary Clinton has bravely taken a stand against it.

I love how Mr Sanders wisely chose to congratulate her for taking a position opposing it, if subtly attacking for being a bit behind, while Mr O'Malley decides to use this as an opportunity to score some political points.

Sen. Bernie Sanders responded to Clinton's new support in a statement, saying "As a senator who has vigorously opposed the Keystone pipeline from the beginning, I am glad that Secretary Clinton finally has made a decision and I welcome her opposition to the pipeline. Clearly it would be absurd to encourage the extraction and transportation of some of the dirtiest fossil fuel on the planet."

O'Malley also accused Clinton of being too slow to take a stance.

"On issue after issue--marriage equality, drivers licenses for undocumented immigrants, children fleeing violence in Central America, the Syrian refugee crisis, and now the Keystone Pipeline, Secretary Clinton has followed--not forged--public opinion," he said. "Leadership is about stating where you stand on critical issues, regardless of how they poll or focus group."

Sure, you can view it that way, or you can see it from a reasonable standing point. O'Malley is making a good point, she supported this bill until the polls prompted her to oppose it. What does that tell us about her? That she is only conforming to popular views for votes.

[Nationes Pii Redivivi]

I love how Mr Sanders wisely chose to congratulate her for taking a position opposing it, if subtly attacking for being a bit behind, while Mr O'Malley decides to use this as an opportunity to score some political points.

O'Malley's really trying to position himself as the anti-establishment candidate despite being very much an establishment politician, while Sanders is trying to ease the establishment's concerns about him.

Even so, Mr Sanders seemed to have, so far, conducted a rather civil campaign, which I, personally, found refreshing.

[Yumyumsuppertime]

O'Malley's really trying to position himself as the anti-establishment candidate despite being very much an establishment politician, while Sanders is trying to ease the establishment's concerns about him.

Even so, Mr Sanders seemed to have, so far, conducted a rather civil campaign, which I, personally, found refreshing.

Oh, I'm a huge fan of Bernie's approach, and have to constantly remind some of the more...strident supporters of his call for a civil campaign.

[Alouite]

O'Malley's really trying to position himself as the anti-establishment candidate despite being very much an establishment politician, while Sanders is trying to ease the establishment's concerns about him.

Even so, Mr Sanders seemed to have, so far, conducted a rather civil campaign, which I, personally, found refreshing.

That's true. I do like him, would definitely vote for him over any republican.

[Alouite]

I love how Mr Sanders wisely chose to congratulate her for taking a position opposing it, if subtly attacking for being a bit behind, while Mr O'Malley decides to use this as an opportunity to score some political points.

O'Malley's really trying to position himself as the anti-establishment candidate despite being very much an establishment politician, while Sanders is trying to ease the establishment's concerns about him.

O'Malley is hardly establishment, to be establishment in either parties you have to be a corporatist.

[Nationes Pii Redivivi]

I love how Mr Sanders wisely chose to congratulate her for taking a position opposing it, if subtly attacking for being a bit behind, while Mr O'Malley decides to use this as an opportunity to score some political points.

Sure, you can view it that way, or you can see it from a reasonable standing point. O'Malley is making a good point, she supported this bill until the polls prompted her to oppose it. What does that tell us about her? That she is only conforming to popular views for votes.

She had no position prior to opposing it. It may be political sail-trimming, or it could be that she needed time to wait for the administration to state its view, as well as make up her own mind.

[Geilinor]

O'Malley's really trying to position himself as the anti-establishment candidate despite being very much an establishment politician, while Sanders is trying to ease the establishment's concerns about him.

O'Malley is hardly establishment, to be establishment in either parties you have to be a corporatist.

He's been in Democratic Party politics for years.

[Alouite]

Sure, you can view it that way, or you can see it from a reasonable standing point. O'Malley is making a good point, she supported this bill until the polls prompted her to oppose it. What does that tell us about her? That she is only conforming to popular views for votes.

She had no position prior to opposing it. It may be political sail-trimming, or it could be that she needed time to wait for the administration to state its view, as well as make up her own mind.

Uh, no. Until recently she was leaning towards it. Now she veered away from it seeing it as detrimental to her campaign.

Sources:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kX99Y1Sg6yA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEIG2pjwQeM
http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/28/politics/hillary-clinton-keystone-xl-pipeline/
http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2015/07/28/hillary-clinton-is-stumped-on-question-of-keystone-pipeline/?_r=0

[Alouite]

O'Malley is hardly establishment, to be establishment in either parties you have to be a corporatist.

He's been in Democratic Party politics for years.

And? He's still hardly establishment, I say that as a Maryland citizen who saw the actions he took during his presidency. And he wasn't as compliant as most democrats to the party stances. Of course, it's hard to see that since he took the state from a highly conservative Ehrlich, but beyond his initial liberal reforms, he is a bit further left than most democrats, and honestly is similar to Bernie, though not as far left on most issues. He just didn't have to go independent to garner both democratic and republican support.

[Geilinor]

She had no position prior to opposing it. It may be political sail-trimming, or it could be that she needed time to wait for the administration to state its view, as well as make up her own mind.

Uh, no. Until recently she was leaning towards it. Now she veered away from it seeing it as detrimental to her campaign.

Sources:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kX99Y1Sg6yA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEIG2pjwQeM

That doesn't prove she was leaning towards it.

[Prussia-Steinbach]

Now that public opinion among Democrats is clearly against the Keystone Pipeline, Hillary Clinton has bravely taken a stand against it.

I love how Mr Sanders wisely chose to congratulate her for taking a position opposing it, if subtly attacking for being a bit behind, while Mr O'Malley decides to use this as an opportunity to score some political points.

Sen. Bernie Sanders responded to Clinton's new support in a statement, saying "As a senator who has vigorously opposed the Keystone pipeline from the beginning, I am glad that Secretary Clinton finally has made a decision and I welcome her opposition to the pipeline. Clearly it would be absurd to encourage the extraction and transportation of some of the dirtiest fossil fuel on the planet."

O'Malley also accused Clinton of being too slow to take a stance.

"On issue after issue--marriage equality, drivers licenses for undocumented immigrants, children fleeing violence in Central America, the Syrian refugee crisis, and now the Keystone Pipeline, Secretary Clinton has followed--not forged--public opinion," he said. "Leadership is about stating where you stand on critical issues, regardless of how they poll or focus group."

Well, he isn't wrong.

[Alouite]

I love how Mr Sanders wisely chose to congratulate her for taking a position opposing it, if subtly attacking for being a bit behind, while Mr O'Malley decides to use this as an opportunity to score some political points.

Well, he isn't wrong.

Exactly! Was he doing this to gain political points? Probably. But that's likely not the only reason he did, he's been skeptical about Hillary and her corporatist agenda since he announced his bid for presidency, and frankly, he has a good point. Why trust her when she is one of the biggest corporatist around. To be honest, at this point, I want a Sanders - O'Malley ticket.

[Geilinor]

As seen by the statements on Keystone XL, Sanders doesn't have the style of a conventional politician - he welcomes and praises people rather than digging in while O'Malley went off into general talk on leadership. I like that Sanders stays on topic and on the issues themselves.

[Alouite]

As seen by the statements on Keystone XL, Sanders doesn't have the style of a conventional politician - he welcomes and praises people rather than digging in while O'Malley went off into general talk on leadership. I like that Sanders stays on topic and on the issues themselves.

Again, I want a Sanders - O'Malley ticket. However, there is something to be said about Hillary's character if she only changes her views on a corporatist deal when it becomes a threat to her in the polls.

[Marylandonia]

Well, he isn't wrong.

Exactly! Was he doing this to gain political points? Probably. But that's likely not the only reason he did, he's been skeptical about Hillary and her corporatist agenda since he announced his bid for presidency, and frankly, he has a good point. Why trust her when she is one of the biggest corporatist around. To be honest, at this point, I want a Sanders - O'Malley ticket.

Don't be greedy. If Sanders can get the nomination, I'd vote for his ticket no matter the Veep candidate. Sanders would make a wise choice no matter.

[Nova Anglicana]

As seen by the statements on Keystone XL, Sanders doesn't have the style of a conventional politician - he welcomes and praises people rather than digging in while O'Malley went off into general talk on leadership. I like that Sanders stays on topic and on the issues themselves.

Again, I want a Sanders - O'Malley ticket. However, there is something to be said about Hillary's character if she only changes her views on a corporatist deal when it becomes a threat to her in the polls.

Even as an O'Malley supporter, unless he becomes more widely known and popular, he's got no place on the ticket. VP is where you shore up your weaknesses and balance your presidential nominee. They should be a more unifying figure. O'Malley's got shit polls in Maryland, which is the only place they recognize him, and he is not someone that will inspire African-American turnout. His only conceivable VP role would be to bridge the gap between the establishment and the left if either Sanders or Clinton won the nomination.

Don't get me wrong, I like him more than Sanders or Clinton, but he's not a good political choice.

[Alouite]

Exactly! Was he doing this to gain political points? Probably. But that's likely not the only reason he did, he's been skeptical about Hillary and her corporatist agenda since he announced his bid for presidency, and frankly, he has a good point. Why trust her when she is one of the biggest corporatist around. To be honest, at this point, I want a Sanders - O'Malley ticket.

Don't be greedy. If Sanders can get the nomination, I'd vote for his ticket no matter the Veep candidate. Sanders would make a wise choice no matter.

Dont take things out of context. That was a desire, not a demand. I'd vote Sanders no matter who he picks as VP.

[Conserative Morality]

Dont take things out of context. That was a desire, not a demand. I'd vote Sanders no matter who he picks as VP.

Sanders/Trump 2016