The State of the Democratic Party Post-2016

[Valrifell]

I thought the majority were Democrats and Republicans.

Nope. Majority are independents.

Nah, a plurality are independents, and really in name only. Only 42% of the country identify as independents, compared to the remainder siding with one party or the other.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/news/the-fix/wp/2016/01/11/independents-outnumber-democrats-and-republicans-but-theyre-not-very-independent/

You do technically outnumber Dems and Reps, but again, most are independent in name only and are no less the sheeple that they often criticize.

[Gim]

Nope. Majority are independents.

Nah, a plurality are independents, and really in name only. Only 42% of the country identify as independents, compared to the remainder siding with one party or the other.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/news/the-fix/wp/2016/01/11/independents-outnumber-democrats-and-republicans-but-theyre-not-very-independent/

You do technically outnumber Dems and Reps, but again, most are independent in name only and are no less the sheeple that they often criticize.

Still, that's quite a number.

[Corrian]

Nope. Majority are independents.

Nah, a plurality are independents, and really in name only. Only 42% of the country identify as independents, compared to the remainder siding with one party or the other.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/news/the-fix/wp/2016/01/11/independents-outnumber-democrats-and-republicans-but-theyre-not-very-independent/

You do technically outnumber Dems and Reps, but again, most are independent in name only and are no less the sheeple that they often criticize.

Ah, when I meant "more than Democrats and Republicans", I was thinking of them individually, not combined.

[Gim]

Nah, a plurality are independents, and really in name only. Only 42% of the country identify as independents, compared to the remainder siding with one party or the other.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/news/the-fix/wp/2016/01/11/independents-outnumber-democrats-and-republicans-but-theyre-not-very-independent/

You do technically outnumber Dems and Reps, but again, most are independent in name only and are no less the sheeple that they often criticize.

Ah, when I meant "more than Democrats and Republicans", I was thinking of them individually, not combined.

I see.

[Bakery Hill]

Who is Kamala Harris and what is wrong with her?

[Eol Sha]

Who is Kamala Harris and what is wrong with her?

She was the Attorney General for California until she ran for the Senate last year. There's a lot of speculation that she'll run for president as a representative of the Democrat's political establishment in 2020. The only real notable things she's done so far as a Senator is harshly question some Trump nominees and being the star of some viral videos. I've not looked deeply into her career, but I hear she's did some good things as California's AG.

[Bakery Hill]

Who is Kamala Harris and what is wrong with her?

She was the Attorney General for California until she ran for the Senate last year. There's a lot of speculation that she'll run for president as a representative of the Democrat's political establishment in 2020. The only real notable things she's done so far as a Senator is harshly question some Trump nominees and being the star of some viral videos. I've not looked deeply into her career, but I hear she's did some good things as California's AG.

Did she do bad stuff that people don't like?

[The Holy Empire of Dietmaria]

She was the Attorney General for California until she ran for the Senate last year. There's a lot of speculation that she'll run for president as a representative of the Democrat's political establishment in 2020. The only real notable things she's done so far as a Senator is harshly question some Trump nominees and being the star of some viral videos. I've not looked deeply into her career, but I hear she's did some good things as California's AG.

Did she do bad stuff that people don't like?

she's a democrat so a lot of the electorate won't like her

[Washington Resistance Army]

She was the Attorney General for California until she ran for the Senate last year. There's a lot of speculation that she'll run for president as a representative of the Democrat's political establishment in 2020. The only real notable things she's done so far as a Senator is harshly question some Trump nominees and being the star of some viral videos. I've not looked deeply into her career, but I hear she's did some good things as California's AG.

Did she do bad stuff that people don't like?

Well, she was an AG so probably.

I know she's in favor of quite strict gun control and has been demonized amongst the gun rights crowd for about a decade it seems.

[Valrifell]

Did she do bad stuff that people don't like?

Well, she was an AG so probably.

I know she's in favor of quite strict gun control and has been demonized amongst the gun rights crowd for about a decade it seems.

Any Democrat that is gonna be fielded in 2020 would've been demonized amongst the gun rights crowd for a decade or more.

[Eol Sha]

She was the Attorney General for California until she ran for the Senate last year. There's a lot of speculation that she'll run for president as a representative of the Democrat's political establishment in 2020. The only real notable things she's done so far as a Senator is harshly question some Trump nominees and being the star of some viral videos. I've not looked deeply into her career, but I hear she's did some good things as California's AG.

Did she do bad stuff that people don't like?

I dunno. Like I said, I don't know much about her time as AG. After some quick reading on her Wikipedia page, though, I imagine the following paragraph concerns some people.

In 2013, Harris did not prosecute Steve Mnuchin's bank OneWest despite evidence of "widespread misconduct" in a leaked memo from the Department of Justice.[163] In 2015, OneWest investor and democratic donor George Soros maximized his campaign donations to Harris.[163] In 2016, Mnuchin himself donated $4,000 to Harris' campaign,[164] making her the only 2016 Senate Democratic candidate to get cash from Mnuchin.[165] In 2017, Harris declined to provide details on why her office did not prosecute Mnuchin.[166] As senator, Harris voted against the confirmation of Mnuchin as treasury secretary.[167]

[Washington Resistance Army]

Well, she was an AG so probably.

I know she's in favor of quite strict gun control and has been demonized amongst the gun rights crowd for about a decade it seems.

Any Democrat that is gonna be fielded in 2020 would've been demonized amongst the gun rights crowd for a decade or more.

You say that now, but just wait until Jim Webb gets the nomination

[Corrian]

Joe Manchin doesn't give a shit about being reelected

[Washington Resistance Army]

Joe Manchin doesn't give a shit about being reelected

I'm not his biggest fan but I can respect what he said.

[Corrian]

Joe Manchin doesn't give a shit about being reelected

I'm not his biggest fan but I can respect what he said.

Of course it seems to be because he is leaning in support for a bill to give more tax cuts to the rich...

Edit: I think.

[Corrian]

By the way, for those of you who might be interested, here is the Democratic candidate opposing Manchin

I am a native of Mullens, West Virginia, and my coal mining roots run deep. I’m a coal miner’s daughter, granddaughter, niece and stepdaughter. As a child, I felt a deep sense of pride in our state’s coal industry. I felt pride that West Virginia’s coal powered our nation through the Industrial Revolution, that it ran our factories through World War II, and that it keeps us running today. America was built on our coal - it was built, in part, on the backs of Appalachians.

"I couldn’t sit by and watch the American dream become a fantasy."

Like so many other families in Appalachia, my family paid a steep price for coal. I lost my grandfather to black lung, and I’ve recently seen my uncles diagnosed with the disease. Our health and lives aren’t the only prices we’ve paid as a region. We’ve also seen our beautiful streams and rivers polluted with toxins and watched the tops be blown off our mountains. The price we’ve paid is a high one - perhaps too high.

When my stepfather lost his job at the mine, he moved our family to North Carolina as he tried to find a new line of work. A few years later I came back home to take care of my grandfather with black lung. What I saw when I came back disturbed me. I saw entire communities left in the dust when a mine shut down, small businesses drying up, miners and their children struggling with diseases brought on by the industry that we turned to for security. I saw a whole generation struggling to find reliable, safe jobs that would put enough food on the table.

I couldn’t sit by and watch the American dream become a fantasy. I had to act. I went to town halls and confronted legislators for protecting coal companies, instead of coal miners, and our families. But I’m not just an activist. I’m also a mother, and an Appalachian, and a fighter. I know we can provide a better life for West Virginian families. And we must.

We shouldn’t have to sacrifice our land, water, and people. These are our most valuable resources. We all want high-wage jobs and healthy families, and we don’t have to give up everything we own to get them. We can have a future with clean water, whole mountains, and good work. If we can get our government to invest in the people who live here.

In West Virginia, we are seeing the world move past us. We are watching an energy revolution from the sidelines. What is the response from our leadership? They work to protect corporate profits and leave miners in the lurch fighting for basics like health care. It’s time we replace them. The natural hospitality and strength of our community bonds are being strained. We are watching pill mills take the place of steel mills. We are watching opioids and lack of opportunity destroy our communities.

The best resource in the Appalachian mountains is the people on them not the black rock in them. We are determined, hard working, and smart. When we band together, there’s nothing we can’t accomplish. I’m ready to fight for my family, my neighbors and my state to deliver the prosperous, healthy future West Virginia deserves. The legacy of this great state cannot be burying our own miles deep in coal mines, it must be building a sustainable future for generations to come.

[Napkiraly]

Who is Kamala Harris and what is wrong with her?

Kamala "The Second Amendment doesn't protect an individual's right to own firearms" Harris.

[Major-Tom]

Joe Manchin doesn't give a shit about being reelected

West Virginia is a very, very, very silly and often absolutely inane and horrible place. They'll elect him again.

[Major-Tom]

Who is Kamala Harris and what is wrong with her?

Kamala "The Second Amendment doesn't protect an individual's right to own firearms" Harris.

Kamala "prosecuting white collar crimes is optional if you act all sweet on television" Harris.

[Corrian]

Joe Manchin doesn't give a shit about being reelected

West Virginia is a very, very, very silly and often absolutely inane and horrible place. They'll elect him again.

I hate to be that guy, but they do seem to do a good job at voting in their own misery (A lot of people seem to be good at that), but one can hope. I guess we'll see.

Nonetheless, you should check out the candidate opposing him. She seems pretty solid.

[Major-Tom]

West Virginia is a very, very, very silly and often absolutely inane and horrible place. They'll elect him again.

I hate to be that guy, but they do seem to do a good job at voting in their own misery (A lot of people seem to be good at that), but one can hope. I guess we'll see.

Nonetheless, you should check out the candidate opposing him. She seems pretty solid.

I was already that guy, it's fine. And - I'm looking into him, if he's anywhere left of Manchin, he won't win. The Democrats had a chokehold on WV for over a century, but that's only because they were generally afraid of civil rights, socially conservative, and left-populist on economic issues. Really, WV was dominated by Dems in Congress (both House and Senate) until the 2010 midterms. Now it voted 70% Trump. Funny how that happens.

[Corrian]

I hate to be that guy, but they do seem to do a good job at voting in their own misery (A lot of people seem to be good at that), but one can hope. I guess we'll see.

Nonetheless, you should check out the candidate opposing him. She seems pretty solid.

I was already that guy, it's fine. And - I'm looking into him, if he's anywhere left of Manchin, he won't win. The Democrats had a chokehold on WV for over a century, but that's only because they were generally afraid of civil rights, socially conservative, and left-populist on economic issues. Really, WV was dominated by Dems in Congress (both House and Senate) until the 2010 midterms. Now it voted 70% Trump. Funny how that happens.

There was a weird shift this last election there and they put their hopes into a con artist because they were desperate. It is sad.

[Eol Sha]

I was already that guy, it's fine. And - I'm looking into him, if he's anywhere left of Manchin, he won't win. The Democrats had a chokehold on WV for over a century, but that's only because they were generally afraid of civil rights, socially conservative, and left-populist on economic issues. Really, WV was dominated by Dems in Congress (both House and Senate) until the 2010 midterms. Now it voted 70% Trump. Funny how that happens.

There was a weird shift this last election there and they put their hopes into a con artist because they were desperate. It is sad.

Indeed. The Dems sure lucked out on nominating a coal mining magnate who was a life-long Republican. Talk about a Grade A maneuver. Its fourth-dimensional chess, in fact.

[Geilinor]

It came up because she's a convenient target because she's "establishment" even though the majority of her policy positions make her pretty squarely progressive.

I just think the gun thing is a really bad thing and a terrible approach for an idea in this climate. It would make it blatantly clear they have learned nothing from losing ground from the gun stuff.

It doesn't look like guns have anything to do with the criticism.

[Telconi]

Who is Kamala Harris and what is wrong with her?

Has built a career with her race/gender card as a cornerstone. Has actively attacked opponents on race or gender without any evidence.

Doesn't believe the 2nd amendment applies outside of the Nat. Guard. Abused AG powers to push this view contrary to court jurisprudence.

Soft on white collar crimes. Had a reputation for being friendly to bankers, major investors, etc.

Thinks that AGs just get to make up laws because reasons and stuffs. Was sued on multiple occasions for sudden enforcement policies that "criminalized" previously acceptable behavior.

Advocated for penalty reductions on a multitude of "non-violent" crimes, including serious issues like human trafficing, providing guns to street gangs, and some rapes.

Was accused of using office to write ballot measure summaries in a misleading way, wording them to lean towards her personal opinions.