Mikie

How hard is it to direct a caucus? Maybe this stupidity will be the death knell for Iowa, a state with no reason for being the first.

Touche. This is an important point. Especially things like "rigged system." Trump wanted to appear to be an outsider running against the establishment...

How's everyone leaning now? I think Biden is going to just barely pull it out, unfortunately. Second place goes to Bernie, but it'll be close.

Yes. In my opinion, libertarian ideas of "free markets" is pure fantasy. They've never existed.

Another win. If Bernie can win Iowa, his momentum will be hard to stop. Only 4 more days...

If by "working institutions" you mean massive state intervention, I agree. That's as "mixed" as you're going to find.

When do markets work, in your view? Any examples? I see mixed economies, all over the world and throughout history. All involve a very strong state in...

No kidding? I'm not familiar with either of them, but it makes perfect sense now.

As did Trump with the Republicans. Now it's the Trump Party. In three years. Things can change rapidly if the voters are behind a candidate. Yes, Bern...

Taxing the wealthy makes perfect sense. We've done it before (in the US) and we had much better growth and better quality of life. Mainly the corporat...

About as strong as Trump does -- 70-somethings with a lot of bluster. Sure, Trump wears more makeup and is fatter -- plus he talks a good game. But al...

This is the one that had me laughing out loud: http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/01/bernie-sanders-electable-trump-2020-nomination-popular-socialism...

Frank, I'm listening. You might be right of course -- but you might be wrong, too. That's why we have to go on the only evidence we have. Just asserti...

Here come all the hit pieces now that Bernie is surging in the polls. The establishment is nervous. Articles like "Bernie Can't Win," "Running Bernie ...

There's no evidence of this at all. Again, gut feelings isn't political analysis. Biden would be a terrible candidate. Just more establishment Democra...

The rich want a very strong welfare state -- for themselves. Thus they can take huge risks and have the taxpayers bail them out, get huge subsidies at...

Very likely? I don't see strong evidence for this. I'd say he has a 50/50 shot.

You're getting hung up on definitions, which is the point I was making: no one in this country has any idea about these terms. Regarding your definiti...

It is if you listen to Fox News. It's a welfare system. What they leave out is that it's mainly welfare for the corporate world, not the welfare queen...

Why not call it state socialism? You see my point -- "capitalism" and "socialism" are almost completely devoid of meaning at this point. The reality i...

This is purely anecdotal, but I don't know ONE person voting for Biden. I don't see anyone online, on radio or on television who's "excited" by Biden'...

It would help if we had a capitalist system to begin with, but we don't. In any meaningful sense. It's a corporate nanny state economy. Friedman and o...

None of my posts get deleted, because I don't name-call. As far as expressing myself too strongly -- perhaps. Others certainly have pointed that out. ...

And, again, that's nonsense. It's your own "gut-feeling" analysis, which is useless to me. Look at the facts: he beats Trump in national polls, he's b...

Cry me a river. Sue me for believing I was talking to an adult. I'm talking on a philosophy forum. This isn't a media junket. If you can't see my poin...

"Obviously"? Not really. The simple fact that we have a candidate (Sanders) breaking a century of American political history, since the late 19th cent...

So judging from your attempt at sarcasm, we can conclude climate denial is NOT insane? Fine. How about completely irrational. Eh, you're a waste of ti...

I actually agree with you. I didn't say stupid, I said ignorant. Ignorant about science, ignorant really even about politics. They're ignorant of hist...

Correct. For the reasons I mentioned, which you continue to ignore. Their denial of climate change is what makes them insane. If they suddenly become ...

Exactly, when they're the party who's literally pushing us to the precipice of destruction. To say it's the party of Eisenhower or even Bush is a joke...

Of all the countries in Europe, you choose as an example of political ugliness Sweden? Baffling.

It's all just a big "wash." So let's just throw up our hands and give up. This is just superficial analysis. Yes, there's plenty of lying, corruption,...

Absolutely! Beyond question. Why? Because I'm rational. Any Sanders supporter who doesn't vote for the democratic non-Sanders nominee is an imbecile, ...

Fuck the swing voters, then. If they're going to stay home, let them. I'd rather a candidate that energizes the people with new ideas than to have som...

Please. The argument that one candidate will be less of a target for Trump and the right-wing media is absurd. To worry about it is a waste of time. I...

Don't you get tired of doing this when confronted with a better argument?

True. It's frustrating.

They're fired up anyway. There is no ideal candidate. The Trump people will vote Trump. The swing voters, if there are any, greatly dislike this presi...

Don't be ridiculous. They're trying to make it as hard as possible to vote in some states. Republicans are doing all they can to suppress the votes an...

I think this misses an important point: we already have the numbers in this country. All we need is to get the vote out. We need organization and enth...

The NYT "endorsement" is so spineless and pathetic they play right into Trump's hands.

Bernie. Was just at a rally Saturday in New Hampshire -- lots of enthusiasm, lots of young people, the most consistent candidate out there. For all th...

Oh, OK. Glad your towering intellect is here to set us straight.

Proves my point. Reported. Thanks.

As did the entire thread for you, apparently. I didn’t ask for your ridiculous rationalizations for voting third party or not voting at all, I’m askin...

Yeah, that makes you both oh-so-special. Good for you.

Maybe. Singer is such a doofus though it's hard to take him seriously about anything.

Riveting.

This is another good point. And again, this applies to scientists as well. It’s almost considered in bad taste, similar to getting involved with “pop ...

Very true. I think it’s exactly this “deworlding” that accounts for the lack of enthusiasm for activism among both philosophers and scientists. But ag...