Biden, Sanders unity task forces release policy recommendations

[JoeOtterbein]

Politico

The proposals ahead of the Democratic National Convention don’t include the kind of systemic upheaval that won Sanders so many followers.

By CAITLIN OPRYSKO

07/08/2020 06:07 PM EDT

Joe Biden’s presidential campaign on Wednesday rolled out the policy recommendations reached by its joint task forces with supporters of Sen. Bernie Sanders ahead of the Democratic National Convention, which is slated for next month.

The 110-page document has been submitted to the Democratic National Committee’s Platform Committee and will also be reviewed personally by Biden ahead of the nominating convention, the former vice president’s campaign announced.

The task force recommendations don’t include the kind of wide-scale systemic upheaval that won Sanders such a fervent following in his two presidential campaigns — while also provoking an outcry from moderate Democrats and Republicans alike. A single-payer health care system such as “Medicare for All,” a Green New Deal overhauling environmental policy, and doing away with Immigration and Customs Enforcement are not among the policy proposals.

But while the recommendations hew more closely to priorities laid out by Biden during the primary, like expanding the Affordable Care Act through a public option, they also include ambitious timelines for reaching certain environmental benchmarks, such as eliminating carbon pollution from power plants and achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions for new buildings.

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more good news at link

[LizBeth]

1. I do not know what any of this has to do with Sanders. Bidens plan, cool.

[HotTeaBag]

2. Yeah, I can't figure it out either.

Joe Biden’s presidential campaign on Wednesday rolled out the policy recommendations reached by its joint task forces with supporters of Sen. Bernie Sanders ahead of the Democratic National Convention, which is slated for next month.

[Hortensis]

4. Cool that Sanders is supporting the 2016 Democratic platform, tho.

With some tweaks to update to meet the disasters that have grown since, we will get to what we knew needed to be done then.

[LizBeth]

5. Ya, good Sanders is on board to vote Trump out. There is that, lol.

[Hortensis]

6. :) It's big, tho. Those who believed that Democrats were just

Republicans Lite will believe all progressivism in the Democratic platform is Sanders' influence, heck did back in 2016, and many will be happy. And that's good.

In 2020 they get what will satisfy many at this point: belief that Sanders and they are victorious in moving the party left. Mainstream Democrats get what we believed we would be working hard on starting January 2017, and both are essentially the same thing come together. Whatever works.

[LizBeth]

12. It may be big, but there in lies the rub. It should be given. Not "big". He should not get applause

for doing the only and right thing.

Like patting a mom for doing a good job instead of a given or patting a man on the back for not raping. Doesn't earn him cudoos, it is what decent men do.

[Hortensis]

34. Of course it shouldn't, but as long as people are people

it will be. I'm certainly not talking about forgetting the lessons of 2016. We really need to know who the leaders others embrace are and what they're capable of.

But...November 3 and everything that comes after. Eye on the prize?

[George II]

8. You are correct. A reminder, BIDEN won the nomination and will be running in November.

[Victor_c3]

3. As a very progressive Democrat, I'm happy with the platform

It isn’t the big change I hope for, but it is incremental change that I will be happy with.

[George II]

7. Another negative "analysis piece" about Biden and the Democratic Party by that Politico writer.

Does she realize who won 44 of the 54 primaries/caucuses and will be our Democratic nominee?

[Hortensis]

9. "the journeyman of ideas concerned only with his marketable mental skills,"

Someone posted an OP about Richard Hofstadter, who's almost endlessly quotable these days:

To the zealot overcome by his piety and to the journeyman of ideas concerned only with his marketable mental skills, the beginning and end of ideas lies in their efficacy with respect to some goal external to intellectual processes.

Sure. We're seeing the usual from this author.

But I'm feeling glad that some of those who wanted to be able to vote to do good, but were unfortunately lead to genuinely believe Democrats wouldn't and weren't a choice, can now vote a Democratic ticket hopefully and with belief that they're doing right.

If the shift is sweetened by claims like this, that Sanders dramatically changed the Democratic Party (from quasi-Republican to (anti-liberal) progressive would, after all, be one hell of a change!), well, wanting to believe we're making a difference is something we all have in common.

On to kick those bastards out of power.

[Cha]

10. If anyone isn't on board with Joe Biden at this

point in history.. they care nothing about our Democracy or the health of our Planet.

They are simply in the way. This is Democratic Undergroiund. We are all on Board for Joe Biden HERE!

Link to tweet

[JoeOtterbein]

11. Hi George II! Thanks for replying to my post. Now that Joe Biden is our candidate, you...

...can be a big help to the Biden campaign by helping attract previous supporters of Bernie Sanders, and possibly even Trump supporters to vote for Joe.

I'm sure I don't need to remind you that it's vitally important we attract every vote we can get in November.

After all, not only do we need to worry about Trump/GOP lies and voter suppression, but even election interference in our election from other countries like Russia, China, and Trump's romantic interest; Kim Jung-il.

I look forward to your interest in our; Campaign for Bernie & GOP voters for Joe!

Thanks for any help!

Joe Otterbein

[George II]

13. I've supported Joe Biden from the very beginning, even before he announced his candidacy...

Since you're handing out suggestions, perhaps YOU "can be a big help to the Biden campaign" by not posting things like:

The task force recommendations don’t include the kind of wide-scale systemic upheaval that won Sanders such a fervent following in his two presidential campaigns

A single-payer health care system such as “Medicare for All,” a “Green New Deal” overhauling environmental policy, and doing away with Immigration and Customs Enforcement are not among the policy proposals.

Overall the tone of the article isn't exactly glowing about the work of these groups, but are backhanded swipes at Biden and his people for not embracing all of the "progressive" ideas. One has to remember who our Nominee is and the reason he IS our Nominee.

I also read the negative comments by the author of this article on Twitter earlier today, specifically:

But on key policies involving the biggest issue today — criminal justice — the left flank got rolled.

Progressives pushed to end qualified immunity, a legal doctrine that shields police from being sued for misconduct, but Biden appointees agreed only to sign onto a pledge to rein in the rule. Sanders’ team also argued they should back legalizing pot, but that idea was rejected.

But on criminal justice, one Sanders ally said, "Joe Biden is missing the mark."

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

As you say, "I'm sure I don't need to remind you that it's vitally important we attract every vote we can get in November", we certanly don't need to take backhanded slaps at our Nominee that might discourage getting "every vote we can in November"!

[JoeOtterbein]

14. Hi George II Thanks again!

I'm sure you are so supportive of Joe Biden, I'm sure you would note the correct reporters of article upon which you are referring!

Thanks again for your unwavering support in attracting Bernie and Trump voters! We need 'em!

[George II]

16. JoeOtterbein, I'm well aware of the authors of articles upon which I comment AND tweets....

....that I read.

As I said, my support for Biden has been unwavering since even before he announced his candidacy, and my support for Democrats has been equally unwavering for Democrats since 1970 - that's 50 years (I should have celebrated my Golden Anniversary earlier this year!)

[JoeOtterbein]

17. Congrats! It's been 52 years for me!

We really do need to unite the Bernie and ex-Trump supporters. I'm serious about that. We could do a great job attracting more Dem support together!

[George II]

19. No sir, the Bernie supporters need to unite behind OUR and THEIR nominee - Joe Biden.

It's sad that in 2020 with all that's gone on in the last three years there still are Democrats reluctant to support Biden. One wonders what their reasons are here in July 2020.

[JoeOtterbein]

20. Remember it is more important to gain voters than to require voters because...

...gaining works. Requiring is too paternalistic, so it's a loser. To rephrase your words: "WE need to unite behind Biden."

Inclusion works much better than requirements.

[George II]

21. You say "require" three times there. Where have I said that at all?

[JoeOtterbein]

23. Think of how you feel when someone misses your point completely and then makes comments about...

...your daughter's twitter posts to comment on an article written by a different reporter.

It's kinda feels forceful.

Ya no bro?

[LanternWaste]

38. Ten bucks says you fail to see the irony in your having said that...

"It's (sic) kinda feels forceful."

[la-trucker]

30. We need to unite behind Biden

Holly Otterbein included ... unless she is looking at job opportunities at Fox.

[LanternWaste]

39. "You'RE suRGING!!!!"

Suggestions work much better than lectures.

[sheshe2]

24. I wonder...

But on criminal justice, one Sanders ally said, "Joe Biden is missing the mark."

I wonder if Holly understands that "criminal justice starts at home."

More recently, Vermont has continued to lead the way in progressive reforms both politically and socially. It was one of the first states to legalize civil unions, push for a single-payer health care system and legalize cannabis. However, Vermont’s criminal justice system does not follow the same progressive trend.

Vermont has one of the worst track records when it comes to the criminal justice system. According to Vermonters for Criminal Justice Reform (VCJR) white people are equally as likely to be involved with drugs as black people are, yet, “on average, black and brown people are incarcerated in Vermont state prisons at a rate 5.1 times higher the imprisonment of whites. Vermont has a higher rate of incarceration of black and brown men than any other state. 1 in 14 black and brown men in the state of Vermont are incarcerated.”

“Drug laws exist to police people of color,” said Joanna Colwell, a community activist. “That is a national issue, though, not just a Vermont issue. It’s a double whammy: the law itself is racist and then you have those racist laws implemented in a way that is even more unfair to people of color.”

[b]According to the 2010 census, while only 1.1 percent of Vermont’s population is black, blacks make up 10.7 percent of the Vermont prison population.

https://middleburycampus.com/37955/local/vermonts-criminal-justice-system-a-series-unveiling-challenges-practices/

She is clueless.

[la-trucker]

31. Criminal Justice is also mainly relegated to the states under the 10th amendment

Holly Otterbein needs to study the constitution.

Biden has nothing to do with it except for Federal crimes which are a minority of all the crimes involved.

[sheshe2]

32. Hey!

Welcome to DU.

Agreed.

[sheshe2]

15. Welp

JoeOtterbein

11. Hi George II! Thanks for replying to my post. Now that Joe Biden is our candidate, you...
..can be a big help to the Biden campaign by helping attract previous supporters of Bernie Sanders, and possibly even Trump supporters to vote for Joe.

We have 3 Million cases of the virus and 132K dead and Bernie supporters still need to be wooed to vote for a Dem? Are you serious.

I'm sure I don't need to remind you that it's vitally important we attract every vote we can get in November.

After all, not only do we need to worry about Trump/GOP lies and voter suppression, but even election interference in our election from other countries like Russia, China, and Trump's romantic interest; Kim Jung-il.

I am speechless. The genocide that trump is committing is not enough for some to put aside petty differences. The new model has the death count at 208K by November. Pretty sure it will be higher.

PS, "I look forward to your interest in our; Campaign for Bernie & GOP voters for Joe!"

Sorry, there is no campaign for Bernie. He lost.

[George II]

18. You really cut to the core of the argument. If some Democratic voters need to be wooed....

....in this day and age, something is seriously wrong.

The fact is Biden is the nominee, HE sets the agenda. There's a reason why he's the nominee - Democrats have spoken, and they've decided that they prefer Biden's positions to those of any of the other 20+ Democratic candidates.

Virtually all of them have embraced Biden's positions and have wholeheartedly endorsed him and are supporting him. I've received emails from virtually all of them asking for financial support for Joe Biden's campaign and the Democratic Party.

One has been conspicuously silent.

[sheshe2]

22. There is no Bernie Campaign.

They need to let it go and stand up to save America. We will not survive four more years.

There is only one Campaign and that is Biden.

[DenverJared]

27. One starts wondering where the Sanders' supporters loyalties are located

What are they going to do if not vote for Biden? Risk four more years of Trump?

Really?

It is time to stop the perfunctory, banal and mundane divisions and defeat Trump.

All other primary candidates' supporters are with the program to elect Joe Biden. Bernie supporters are not more special than supporters of Harris, Klobuchar, O'Rourke, Buttigieg, Booker or Warren.

Keep the eye on the ball.

This OP is divisive and written to harm Joe Biden. I don't like it.

[DenverJared]

25. Holly Otterbein is a shitty excuse for a reporter

I wonder if she is being paid by Trump and/or Putin

[JoeOtterbein]

26. Hahaha!!!!

Funny!!!

Jokes!!!!!!

[DenverJared]

28. I was damn serious. It was not a joke.

[Demsrule86]

33. The person who wrote this story...is not supporting Biden and never has.

[GeorgiaPeanut]

29. I think Holly Otterbein is eyeing a job at Fox News

Why would anyone write such a piece of crap?

[betsuni]

35. The proposals "don't include the kind of systemic upheaval that won Sanders so many followers."

What "systemic upheaval" are they talking about? I don't get it.

[sheshe2]

36. crickets

[betsuni]

40. Too bad, I wanted to know.

Bernie said he wasn't for reparations because "The likelihood of getting through Congress is nil." I'm curious why policies that also have the likelihood of getting through Congress being mil are different.

[sheshe2]

37. crickets