My preference is a progressive ticket. But this isn’t about what I want, or what you want. While I don’t totally dismiss miracles, it’s about the reality of where we seem to be headed.
Not invited to unification? The deplorables. YES, I used “deplorables.” You know; that half of Trump’s movement who are like the character who Slim Pickens played in Doctor Strangelove. They would ride any bomb down for Trump, and Corona definitely seems “da bomb.” Oh, and I think “half” may have been far too generous. NOTHING we will say or do could win them over. On a Corona death bed they would insist a secret lab run by “lib-burr-uls” created Corona, and that leftist lab was also genetically altering ticks so when tick season arrives we can have Corona with Lyme. All they would need is a single Trumpster tweet.
I promise you: we are far better off without them.
On the unfortunate side nothing will bring the far smaller number of Bernie or Busters left in 2020. Unfortunate because we need their passion. However most fellow Bernie supporters I have discussed all of this with on Facebook are far smarter than your average partisan. They know how important this is.
Still, some healing of the partisan divide would help, and certainly uniting is very important for pretty much every reason one can think of, especially in the face of trolls determined to divide us with any lie and fabrication they can muster. The other day I had to slam someone who claimed there’s “no difference between Trump and Biden.” How was that 3 years plus coma, Mr. Clueless? Or was that “Mr. Troll?”
One idea floated by Biden that I think is really bad would be a Republican VP. Being the party of sabotage (see all done via Crosscheck, Exact Match, shutting down poll stations where the politically incorrect tend to go, blocking ANYTHING remotely not Republican only initiated; like election security, etc) a Republican VP would be a very clever fox given a key to hen house idea. No one on the right is going to be fooled by something like a Biden/Collins ticket, if he could even get a Republican.
Hey, Joe, how about a more likely, more productive, Biden/Yew the Unicorn ticket?
Didn’t we sort of try the 3rd Way X2 ticket idea in 2016? Didn’t inspire much of anyone, and piss-ethed off many a progressive.
A progressive/other ticket seems the ticket, a better idea, if doable, but only if the VP is treated as if he or she is a co-president. And mean it.
If this were to happen, I would love it to be Bernie/Biden, Biden/Bernie, but of all the options that is the least likely. I am open to other, depending what “other” is. I am amused by the concept there’s some big Democratic Party conspiracy either way. Given the choice a trial sheep-herding border collie would probably prefer herding a thousand rabid cats cranked up on catnip than Democrats. Yes, even “the establishment.”
I am not so amused by the naivete’ of “moderates” who simply want progressives and Bernie to go away. Taint going to happen.
I think we need progressive/other co-presidents. The vice president would be treat as a co-president: say it, mean it, prove it from the start even before the election. As a team when decisions are made they are as mutual as possible, compromising as much as they can, explain to the public the process together. Contentious issues are revisited and, once again together, announce the decision in public: giving reasons why there are any shifts in policy, or not.
Both progressives and the rest must know their concerns are being addressed.
Otherwise we’re simply helping to divide the nation and get Trump reelected. Corona alone has shown just how dangerous division is. Do we really need another right wing Court appointee? Don’t we desperately need to un-Trumpify the rest of our courts? Improve our health care and bring back at least what was gutted to destroy it? Don’t we really need appointees who know what they’re doing? Don’t we need to stop the enriching of the Trump family through violations of emoluments? Don’t we need to end this explosive ride to hell?
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Inspection is a column that has been written by Ken Carman for over 40 years. Inspection is dedicated to looking at odd angles, under all the rocks, and into the unseen cracks and crevasses, that constitute the issues and philosophical constructs of our day: places few think, or even dare, to venture.
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