And They're Off! The Democratic Candidates for 2020

[SimonNZ]

Right, all political commenters on youtube aren't good and should be ignored.

I don't know (shrugging). Maybe I should just only pay attention to the same news sources that as you.

I don't need or want you to be reading the same sources as me (well, okay, that's not quite true - I'd like you to put some of them in the mix), and perhaps you can lead me to the good YT stuff, because most of it - left or right - seems to me on the level of the guy at the bar sounding off on his pet peeves.

[schnittkease]

When I talked about Buttigieg's normalcy, I wasn't talking about that.
By normalcy I meant a decent human being who, if he were your neighbor,  you'd gladly ask to watch your kids while you ran an emergency, and who would gladly watch your kids for you.

What's your point? That can be said of each and every candidate.

[71 dB]

By normalcy I meant a decent human being who, if he were your neighbor,  you'd gladly ask to watch your kids while you ran an emergency, and who would gladly watch your kids for you.

Sure, babysitters are currently needed in the White House, but once Trump is gone the next person occupying the Oval Office hopefully is someone who's capabilities go much further than watching your kids while you ran an emergency.

If Buttigieg truly was a decent human being maybe he would have done more (read: something) to the racism of South Bend police department?

[dissily Mordentroge]

Sure, babysitters are currently needed in the White House, but once Trump is gone the next person occupying the Oval Office hopefully is someone who's capabilities go much further than watching your kids while you ran an emergency.

If Buttigieg truly was a decent human being maybe he would have done more (read: something) to the racism of South Bend police department?

Unfortunately we don't know the full story of what appears to be the wrong decision made by Buttigieg in firing his police chief. As to 'read something' what I'd really like to 'read' is what's on those tapes the police chief made and what detailed advice the FBI gave Buttigieg.
What I'm finding interesting about opposition to Buttigieg is how he's being held to absurdly high moral standards when other candidates, and the thug in the Whitehouse, are allowed to commit any errors, crimes and lie their heads off without being questioned by their supporters.
As to requiring someone who's capabilities go much further then watching your kids while running the Whitehoure since when has Buttigieg ever offered up his childminding abilities as evidence of being fit for running the US executive branch?
In the end though he'll probably not gain that office due to a mindless homophobia held by parts of the US community. A community that produces and consumes more gay pornography ( both of the African American kind and white!) than any other nation on earth whilst pretending to be closer to God than any other.

[Florestan]

As to requiring someone who's capabilities go much further then watching your kids while running the Whitehoure since when has Buttigieg ever offered up his childminding abilities as evidence of being fit for running the US executive branch?

English please. The correct expressions are whose and than.

[71 dB]

What I'm finding interesting about opposition to Buttigieg is how he's being held to absurdly high moral standards when other candidates, and the thug in the Whitehouse, are allowed to commit any errors, crimes and lie their heads off without being questioned by their supporters.

My problem with Pete Buttigieg is his lack of principles. He started the campaign as someone on the left supporting medicare for all, but after realizing the lefty lane is full (Sanders/Warren) he became a corporate fake progressive who is happy to take the money of the millionaires and speak against real single payer healthcare with his "choice" nonsense* in order to have the support of corporate media ("strong fourth") panicking over the weakening poll numbers of Biden. For anyone paying attention this is a sign of what kind of person Buttigieg is. He is more interested of becoming the president than the issues. He is willing to speak for and against medicare for all depending on the situation. So he doesn't believe in anything other than his own poltical career. He is no different from Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. Smart, educated and presidential, but doesn't bring real systematic change. Tweaks around the corners is all you get. That's not enough.

* For Big Pharma and insurance companies "choice" is a dog whistle of no real change, so no worries. For people who don't know the details, this is a dog whistle of Buttigieg "supporting" medicare for all so it's smart.

As to requiring someone who's capabilities go much further then watching your kids while running the Whitehoure since when has Buttigieg ever offered up his childminding abilities as evidence of being fit for running the US executive branch?

Never I guess, but what is he really offering? He tries to sound smart and serious hoping people will fall for it. A lot of people have fallen for it (his poll numbers are pretty good) and he has the corporate media support, but there are people who can see through his act, the lack of principles.

In the end though he'll probably not gain that office due to a mindless homophobia held by parts of the US community. A community that produces and consumes more gay pornography ( both of the African American kind and white!) than any other nation on earth whilst pretending to be closer to God than any other.

Homophobia is the wrong reason to be against him. I don't care if he is gay or not. I care about his principles and what he is offering politically. Is he fighting for medicare for all? Is he fighting for free collage? Is he fighting for living wage? Is he fighting for systematic change that would help regular people? No, he clearily isn't. He is not the worst candidate in this race, but he isn't the best either, not even close. Even Elizabeth Warren is superior candidate not to mention Bernie Sanders who is the real fighter, real progressive who we know will never flip flop on medicare for all.

[71 dB]

English please. The correct expressions are whose and than.

I think I started this "English please!" trend here. What have I done? 

I wasn't after typos. I was after nonsensical sentences.

[Florestan]

I think I started this "English please!" trend here. What have I done? 

I wasn't after typos. I was after nonsensical sentences.

You missed my point, but that's probably because you also missed this:

English please. The correct expression is mumbo jumbo

To summarize: he corrected your English orthography yet his is no better. Pot calling the kettle black.

So see, in this instance I am on your side.

[71 dB]

You missed my point, but that's probably because you also missed this:

To summarize: he corrected your English orthography yet his is no better. Pot calling the kettle black.

So see, in this instance I am on your side.

Huh? I was commenting on how much people suddenly use "English please!" after I used it, not who is on whose side... 

Anyway, thanks for being on my side.

[drogulus]

When I talked about Buttigieg's normalcy, I wasn't talking about that.
By normalcy I meant a decent human being who, if he were your neighbor,  you'd gladly ask to watch your kids while you ran an emergency, and who would gladly watch your kids for you.

     Yes, I agree he's normal like that.

[Todd]

I'm the first to admit that I haven't been following the Democrat race too terribly closely this time around since it is dominated by geriatric assclowns who want to raise my taxes.  Since I would never vote for whatever piece of shit emerges as the party's candidate, it doesn't matter anyway.  That written, I saw a 2020 ad for president last night on TV.  From Tom Steyer!  That means the Dems have twice as many actual billionaires running for or taking steps to run for president than Republicans have ever fielded.  Dems is the party of The People!  Good stuff.

[drogulus]

     

I don't need or want you to be reading the same sources as me (well, okay, that's not quite true - I'd like you to put some of them in the mix), and perhaps you can lead me to the good YT stuff, because most of it - left or right - seems to me on the level of the guy at the bar sounding off on his pet peeves.

     YT is the same as watching TV. What you can get from it depends on what you're looking for. If you have spent your life not distinguishing between "guy in a bar" and earned expertise, you'll take that disability with you wherever you go.

[SimonNZ]

'No discipline. No plan. No strategy.': Kamala Harris campaign in meltdown
Campaign manager Juan Rodriguez is taking the most heat for the failings, but his defenders point their finger at the candidate's sister, Maya Harris.

"Kamala Harris' campaign is careening toward a crackup.

As the California senator crisscrosses the country trying to revive her sputtering presidential bid, aides at her fast-shrinking headquarters are deep into the finger-pointing stages. And much of the blame is being placed on campaign manager Juan Rodriguez.

After Rodriguez announced dozens of layoffs and re-deployments in late October to stem overspending, three more staffers at headquarters here were let go and another quit in recent days, aides told POLITICO. Officials said they've become increasingly frustrated at the campaign chief's lack of clarity about what changes have been made to right the ship and his plans to turn the situation around. They hold Rodriguez responsible for questionable budget decisions, including continuing to bring on new hires shortly before the layoffs began.

Amid the turmoil, some aides have gone directly to campaign chair Maya Harris, the candidate's sister, and argued that Rodriguez needs to be replaced if Harris has any hope of a turnaround, according to two officials.

"It's a campaign of id," said one senior Harris official, laying much of the blame on Rodriguez, but also pointing to a leaderless structure at the top that's been allowed to flail without accountability. "What feels right, what impulse you have right now, what emotion, what frustration," the official added. The person described the current state of the campaign in blunt terms: "No discipline. No plan. No strategy."

This account is based on interviews with more than a dozen current and former staffers as well as others close to the campaign, including donors. The sources were granted anonymity to speak freely about the turmoil within the organization and protect them from repercussions."[...]


Buttigieg busts out to first place in Iowa
The latest Des Moines Register/CNN/Mediacom survey shows the small-city mayor has big momentum.

"Pete Buttigieg has soared to the top of the Democratic field in Iowa, according to the state's latest flagship poll released Saturday.

Buttigieg easily outpaced the field with 25 percent support, a 16-point gain from September, according to the Des Moines Register/CNN/Mediacom survey. Three candidates were statistically tied for second: Elizabeth Warren at 16 percent, and Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders at 15 percent.

The results, coming three months before the Iowa caucuses, showed Warren slipping 6 points from September, when she placed first in the Register poll. Biden's support also continued to soften in the state: He dropped 5 points since September. But Sanders rebounded, gaining 4 points."[...]

[dissily Mordentroge]

My problem with Pete Buttigieg is his lack of principles. He started the campaign as someone on the left supporting medicare for all, but after realizing the lefty lane is full (Sanders/Warren) he became a corporate fake progressive who is happy to take the money of the millionaires and speak against real single payer healthcare with his "choice" nonsense* in order to have the support of corporate media ("strong fourth") panicking over the weakening poll numbers of Biden. For anyone paying attention this is a sign of what kind of person Buttigieg is. He is more interested of becoming the president than the issues. He is willing to speak for and against medicare for all depending on the situation. So he doesn't believe in anything other than his own poltical career. He is no different from Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. Smart, educated and presidential, but doesn't bring real systematic change. Tweaks around the corners is all you get. That's not enough.

* For Big Pharma and insurance companies "choice" is a dog whistle of no real change, so no worries. For people who don't know the details, this is a dog whistle of Buttigieg "supporting" medicare for all so it's smart.

Never I guess, but what is he really offering? He tries to sound smart and serious hoping people will fall for it. A lot of people have fallen for it (his poll numbers are pretty good) and he has the corporate media support, but there are people who can see through his act, the lack of principles.

Homophobia is the wrong reason to be against him. I don't care if he is gay or not. I care about his principles and what he is offering politically. Is he fighting for medicare for all? Is he fighting for free collage? Is he fighting for living wage? Is he fighting for systematic change that would help regular people? No, he clearily isn't. He is not the worst candidate in this race, but he isn't the best either, not even close. Even Elizabeth Warren is superior candidate not to mention Bernie Sanders who is the real fighter, real progressive who we know will never flip flop on medicare for all.

You may be correct in your take on Buttigieg's changing positions, however if I was a US citizen I'd still be voting for him. As to medicare for all I fail to see why the removal of private medical insurance gains us anything. I live in Australia where we have a universal public medical scheme and private schemes. Both appear to funtion better than any alternative system I've lived under. Regarding a living wage I suspect Buttigieg and a few other Democrat candidiate know this and similarly left positions would be electoral suicide. The time to have a widespread discusssion between employers, unions etc about this would be after being elected.
On the other hand I totally disagree with your take on headphones. Well designed headphones can remove a lot of that 'in the head' feeling without the necessity for any form of 'blending'.

[71 dB]

As to medicare for all I fail to see why the removal of private medical insurance gains anything.

It gains coverage for everyone, lower prices for 95 %, improves "choice" as the "network" under medicare for all is everything + insurance is not tied to your job so you are not "married" to a job you hate because of healthcare.

On the other hand I totally disagree with your take on headphones. Well designed headphones can remove a lot of that 'in the head' feeling without the necessity for any form of 'blending'.

Oh please not you too! "Blending" happens acoustically with speakers (both ears hear sound from both speakers, at low frequencies almost the same sound and recordings are mixed for this scheme so yes, "blending" aka crossfeed can be beneficial no matter how expensive cans you use).

[Karl Henning]

'No discipline. No plan. No strategy.': Kamala Harris campaign in meltdown
Campaign manager Juan Rodriguez is taking the most heat for the failings, but his defenders point their finger at the candidate's sister, Maya Harris.

"Kamala Harris' campaign is careening toward a crackup.

As the California senator crisscrosses the country trying to revive her sputtering presidential bid, aides at her fast-shrinking headquarters are deep into the finger-pointing stages. And much of the blame is being placed on campaign manager Juan Rodriguez.

After Rodriguez announced dozens of layoffs and re-deployments in late October to stem overspending, three more staffers at headquarters here were let go and another quit in recent days, aides told POLITICO. Officials said they've become increasingly frustrated at the campaign chief's lack of clarity about what changes have been made to right the ship and his plans to turn the situation around. They hold Rodriguez responsible for questionable budget decisions, including continuing to bring on new hires shortly before the layoffs began.

Amid the turmoil, some aides have gone directly to campaign chair Maya Harris, the candidate's sister, and argued that Rodriguez needs to be replaced if Harris has any hope of a turnaround, according to two officials.

"It's a campaign of id," said one senior Harris official, laying much of the blame on Rodriguez, but also pointing to a leaderless structure at the top that's been allowed to flail without accountability. "What feels right, what impulse you have right now, what emotion, what frustration," the official added. The person described the current state of the campaign in blunt terms: "No discipline. No plan. No strategy."

This account is based on interviews with more than a dozen current and former staffers as well as others close to the campaign, including donors. The sources were granted anonymity to speak freely about the turmoil within the organization and protect them from repercussions."[...]


Buttigieg busts out to first place in Iowa
The latest Des Moines Register/CNN/Mediacom survey shows the small-city mayor has big momentum.

"Pete Buttigieg has soared to the top of the Democratic field in Iowa, according to the state's latest flagship poll released Saturday.

Buttigieg easily outpaced the field with 25 percent support, a 16-point gain from September, according to the Des Moines Register/CNN/Mediacom survey. Three candidates were statistically tied for second: Elizabeth Warren at 16 percent, and Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders at 15 percent.

The results, coming three months before the Iowa caucuses, showed Warren slipping 6 points from September, when she placed first in the Register poll. Biden's support also continued to soften in the state: He dropped 5 points since September. But Sanders rebounded, gaining 4 points."[...]

At least, Bernie's "a strong second" *snort*

[drogulus]

As to medicare for all I fail to see why the removal of private medical insurance gains us anything. I live in Australia where we have a universal public medical scheme and private schemes. Both appear to funtion better than any alternative system I've lived under.

     If you mean both function together I can see why that would be the case. In the U.S. universal solutions of any kind have been blocked, and that's a factor in what kind of choice might be made to defeat the sociopaths doing the blocking. It's a practical matter how this is done. Any way it's done will work.

[dissily Mordentroge]

It gains coverage for everyone, lower prices for 95 %, improves "choice" as the "network" under medicare for all is everything + insurance is not tied to your job so you are not "married" to a job you hate because of healthcare.

I need to explain the way public health insurance works in Australia as it's far more complex a system here than the 'medicare for all ' as being proposed for the US.
We have two schemes that run separately. One for medical treatment, another for drugs. This last is called the 'Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme' and manages to lower the cost of prescriptions by huge amounts. Newly developed ultra expensive drugs are often not subsidised however for some time after their release.
There's never been any form of 'tied to the job' medical insurance in Australia. Interestingly that approach in the US has resulted in the unemployed ( read uninsured) often remaining so ill they simply cannot be effectively employed so the problem just goes around in circles. The right in America has never done the arithmetic on the economic cost to the nation of this defect.

Oh please not you too! "Blending" happens acoustically with speakers (both ears hear sound from both speakers, at low frequencies almost the same sound and recordings are mixed for this scheme so yes, "blending" aka crossfeed can be beneficial no matter how expensive cans you use).

To suggest 'blending happens acoustically with speakers' is so simplistic an assertion as to be almost meaningless. What kind of speakers? Directional? Omnidirectional? Bi-polar? Near field? How much crosstalk is being inflicted by the amplifier?  And that's before we dive into the complex swamp of room accoustics.
I can't see the reason you mention 'no matter how expensive the cans you use'. The geometry of drivers placed to mitigate the 'in the head' feeling isn't an exclusive feature of expensive headphones. I have tried blending stereo recordings only to experience the subjective impression of the sound taking place more centrally inside my head. Maybe my ear/brain mechanism is atypical or defective? Lets just say that trick doesn't work for me.
I won't list the details of the system/phones etc I use. I stupidly listed all my gear on an audio forum a few years ago only to have my address tracked down and get burgled of the lot. I learnt from police there's a highly organised, web based racket that uses sophisticated software to locate all manner of goods, not just audio gear, and connect them with addresses. Luckily I got back most of my gear but lost forever a significant collection of private recordings on reel to reel and LP of US jazz and blues performances just as I was organising the commercial release of most of them. Lost forever.
How did we get here from The Democratic Candidates? The mods will soon come down on us for wandering far, far off topic.

[71 dB]

To suggest 'blending happens acoustically with speakers' is so somplistic an assertion as to be almost meaningless. What kind of speakers? Directional? Omnidirectional? Bi-polar? Near field? How much crosstalk is being inflicted by the amplifier?  And that's before we dive into the complex swamp of room accoustics.

The type of speakers etc. affect how much blending happens, but it happens nevertheless and together with the room acoustics it means the ILD (Interaural Level Difference) experienced by the listener remains within a few decibels at low frequencies. Crosstalk introduced by the amplifier is insignificant, headphones leaks sound more to the other ear, but not enough. So, crossfeed is beneficial with many recording with high channel separation at low frequencies.

[amw]

The right in America has never done the arithmetic on the economic cost to the nation of this defect.

They have, and have concluded it's outweighed by the savings of having most of the poorest people die before they can start collecting social security paychecks or any other government benefits, plus the benefit of having a working class that's too poor and sick (or dependent on employer-provided insurance) to go on strike or organise for its own interests—thereby keeping wages low and profits high. The healthcare situation in the USA is not a mistake; it's entirely calculated. It just so happens that the wealthiest 10% or so of Americans are all utter sociopaths.