Pete Buttigieg: First Things First
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“Don’t back no losers”
Richard J. Daley – Mayor of Chicago, 1955 – 1976
The candidacy of Pete Buttigieg is a test and I’m afraid we’re going to fail it. I want to believe that a candidate with enlightened ideas and (it’s important these days) no criminal record could win, but these are not normal times and our sensibilities have been coarsened, vulgarized and enraged beyond any historical precedent. Many of the ideas many of us see as enlightened are seen in a far different light by the ruling Right, steeped in their ancient, uncouth barbarism and an alternate reality. As Pete himself has said, we can’t afford to dismiss or disregard 40% of the country.
How long before Trump notices him and gives him a nickname so that the giggle gallery can dismiss him, his domestic homosexuality, his boyish inexperience and a name that sounds like butt cheeks? Don’t laugh. Our process has all the dignity and gravitas of a fifth grade student council election.
Of course saving us from the savages takes much, much more than enlightened ideas. A president has to preside over a country where roughly half are nearly demented, stunningly ignorant; misinformed and besotted with their ancient gods. A powerful and commanding presence, Pete is not, and that’s what non-Millennial Americans seem to need: paternal, avuncular and able to foster calm. Think a Reagan who understands economics. The powers, foreign and domestic, arraigned against him will be massive and relentless and wealthy. They are ruthless. They are adept at enraging us and using that rage to drive us off the cliff for their own profit.
It hurts me to say it, but I think we’re looking for the wrong kind of candidate – and with our narrow, exclusive interests, that’s just what we will find. So many of our Liberal hopes are no less likely to divide us into factions and races and genders than the opposition who is more likely to look to a Juan Perón type than an FDR.
We need to remember about Democracy. We want the right to make bad decisions, and a righteous government that knows best; a paternalistic government that needs to use authority to overcome our objections isn’t appealing. Too many Democratic candidates are telling us to take our medicine; take our punishment for our own good. As the man said – don’t back no losers.
Our salvation can only be in getting the Trumpists out of office and that requires that we set aside the radical agendas. I don’t care about a president’s gender or stature or socio-economic and class affiliations. Passion for reform is far less appealing than the leadership, connections, experience and political clout required to accomplish it.
I want a sane person who will appeal to the more rational republicans and centrist Democrats. I don’t want to hear about how close she is to God or the working class or some victimized group. I don’t get exited by his being gay, I just don’t care. No, I want a leader who can get things done by legal means because there is much to be done to put America back together. A Utopian, 72 gender, insult and tuition free nation where everyone has an identical income can wait. This is our last chance.
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Speaking of a circular firing squad, such a thing could help if they all put Trump in the middle of the circle and used real bullets.
We really are grasping at straws once again. One has only to seem likable and we supply the rest. Like the Republicans, we’re still looking for a rogue, a renegade, a maverick, an outsider. Knowledge, experience and the ability to lead? Not so much. Is this what they call identity politics? I really don’t know but it smells of Marxism. A president is more than slogans and who he sleeps with is less important than who he’s supported by
you like the word salad just like Mayor Pete and Beto..but like mayor Pete you dance around and avoid the subject…nobody said anything about slogans, or who mayor Pete slept with..His record as mayor is lackluster at best and he didn’t have the guts to confront Pence about the RFRA, but now when it doesn’t matter he all of a sudden developed some balls to talk back indirectly, a real leader you are backing. By all means run this not ready to govern a state let alone lead the country data dumbass and usher in Trump II…after all that is what you neo liberals do isn’t it..stick together, whether it ruins this country or not…as long as you get yours….but, I forgot, he does have those “enlightened” idea’s that just like his “policy” proposals, no one can seem to articulate…
Weirdly, though they interacted regularly, Buttigieg does not seem to have actually confronted Pence about the RFRA: “I wish I could say I made a good effort to talk him out of it, but it was clear from the look in his eyes that he had made up his mind.”
So word salad contender Mayor Pete admits in his book he didn’t stand up to Pence and his hatred, but I am supposed to believe that he would stand up to evil world leaders…Pete, did you land under sniper fire too…
policies, don’t matter…well lets just run a swimsuit and talent competition then..oh and of course a word salad competition…that is likely the only category Mayor Pete would score in, he spews a lot of gobbledygook while still saying nothing…if you want to judge moral compass, he says he is a christian. Therefor, his moral compass is already suspect. His track record as mayor doesn’t bode well for any establishing good policy’s…
It’s policies, and policies don’t solve problems by themselves. Most have proved to be misguided in the long run. Most are just too general and designed to appeal to the emotions. Most policies evaporate in the sunlight and like battle plans are abandoned after the first shot is fired.
Anyone can say anything.
uh no…do some homework…he has no policy’s…it’s all just word salad and the cop..uh no again….
Trump had, and has policies. Its just that his policies are about turning America into a kingdom with him as king. It is easy to develop policies. Trump went after the lowest rung on the ladder of a lot of people’s hate or fear level and it worked. Let us first Identify a person who has some type of ethics or moral compass, then we will ask about his policies. A good person will establish good policies. A person like Trump can tell you anything and then say screw you, now I am president, whatcha gonna do about it?
Me too. I’m not in love with the Democrats but for God’s sake, what else can you vote for?
There are hardly any rational republicans left so good luck with that. I’m holding out for a fire breathing democrat myself because I am sick and tired of voting for the lesser of two evils. Kamala Harris and this guy are my two I am looking at right now but if forced to I will vote for the dem nominee even if they are a centrist because well that’s what we have to do to rid ourselves of that asshole currently occupying the WH.