Elizabeth Warren

for president 2020

by Douglas Dunn

Elizabeth Warren is the best — and most electable — Democratic candidate for 2020, and Here’s Why:

Democrats need to stop being so timid. Stop playing it “safe,” and once again become the party of bold ideas and innovative reforms — big, structural change — to inspire voters who are tired of “politics as usual” to get off their sofas and out to the ballot box.

“Safe” gave us Al Gore, John Kerry and Hillary Clinton and the presidencies of George W. Bush and Donald Trump.

In 2020, Joe Biden is the “safe” choice and Bernie Sanders is the most extreme choice. In 2020, Elizabeth Warren is neither the “safe” choice nor the most extreme choice. She is the best choice — most qualified and most electable.

Joe Biden is a remake of Hillary Clinton.
Bernie Sanders is a remake of George McGovern.
Elizabeth Warren is a remake of FDR.

If Biden gets the nomination, I fear that we will again see the PROgressive (Bernie) voters sitting out and others simply not energized to turn out, plus we will see Burisma / Ukraine become the “Hillary e-mail server” of 2020. A replay of the nomination becomes a replay of the outcome — just change the names.

On the other hand, Bernie Sanders is too doctrinaire and unwilling to build coalitions and, while well-intended and a decent, sincere, consistent PROgressive, would not be able to actually get his policies enacted and, more seriously, while he would absolutely energize a group of usual non-voters, would lose moderates who fear the word “socialist” (which isn’t even accurate, more FDR than Norman Thomas).

In contrast, Elizabeth Warren is a TRUE PROGRESSIVE, has the same long-range policy goals as Bernie, but does not scare people by (inaccurately) calling it “socialism” (more “New Deal” than “Five Year Plans”) and, while she does not compromise unless or until she absolutely has to, if it comes down to a matter of getting nothing at all or at least getting as much as is possible in the situation, will negotiate most skillfully and most aggressively and at least get as much as she can.

This former Harvard Law School professor brings the greatest depth of knowledge of obscure financial details, the greatest reservoir of passion — nevertheless, she will persist — and innovative, bold plans, with details fleshed out, and numbers that do add up.

Is Elizabeth Warren too Extreme? Far left?

What is so extreme about championing goals that most Americans want and that work successfully everywhere else in the modern industrial world?

• Universal access to no-fee comprehensive universal public health care with the only plan that spells out full cost, funding and coverage details with no middle-class tax increase

• Tuition-free public education expanded from K-12 to include up to bachelor’s

• Being able to go out in public without fear of being shot by an assault weapon

• An economic system that works for workers and consumers, not just the wealthy and well-connected, who need to start paying their fair share

Instead of socialism, Warren calls for markets, but markets “with rules.” Conservatives complain that rules stifle markets, but the opposite is true. Rules are what make things work. Rules of the road do not inhibit driving, they make it possible. Rules of sports don’t inhibit competitive contests, they make them possible. Warren wants economic “cops on the beat” to make our economy and financial institutions work better for everyone; not one that is rigged in favor of only the wealthy and well-connected.

What is extreme about universal public health care, something that works, and is a resounding success, in virtually every other industrial nation, not as a repudiation of Obama’s signature achievement but as its natural successor? We should treat health care like the public safety issue it is!

What is extreme about expanding our public school systems from K-12 to include public colleges?

What is extreme about providing universal day care so single parents can collect PAY CHECKS (and pay taxes) instead of WELFARE CHECKS (and collect our taxes)?

What is extreme about common-sense gun safety standards that work everywhere else in modern industrial nations that have just as much mental illness and video games as we do?

What is extreme about taxes on the wealth of millionaires and billionaires (two cents on every dollar in excess of FIFTY MILLION DOLLARS) and corporate profits (seven cents on every dollar in excess of ONE HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS of income as reported to shareholders), to ensure that those who have benefitted the most from this system pay their fair share for it instead of on the backs of working people?

What is extreme about refusing donations from PACs, lobbyists or corporate special interests? Well, OK, I guess that is pretty extreme — imagine a president whose only allegiance is to the voters, and not the wealthy and well-connected!

Electability?

A bold reformer who can inspire turnout and explain how PROGRESSIVE policies help working people is the MOST electable candidate.

Remember 1980? Many establishment Republicans were terrified — and Democrats ecstatic — over the prospect of candidate Ronald Reagan, who many considered too extreme to win. But with a thespian’s sure voice, Reagan articulated his “extreme” message, explained it in ways that people understood, and won two terms with outright majorities.

Remember the first time you heard the name Barack Hussein Obama? How exotic it sounded? And “Hussein,” the name of a wartime enemy dictator? The first African American president? Many were afraid he could never get elected, but by articulating a bold, upbeat message of hope and change, he became the first Democrat since FDR (another bold reformer) to win two consecutive terms with outright majorities.

No one thought Donald Trump in 2016 could win, but his bold (if crude) language and ability to control his message allowed him to squeak out an Electoral College victory, by swatting away a history of draft dodging, infidelity, groping, hush money to porn stars, more than 140+ instances of collaborative “links and contacts” with Russia (as documented by Robert Mueller) as well as insults to war heroes, Gold Star families and disabled people, while Hillary Clinton couldn’t even deflect emails.

Is a woman candidate electable?

The idea that a woman can’t be elected because Hillary Clinton ran a shitty campaign (notwithstanding that she did get the most votes, by a margin of almost three million), is as sexist as it would be racist to say that Barack Obama could not be elected because Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton were not successful in their earlier efforts.

Elizabeth Warren is no Hillary Clinton.

They said the same thing about Warren in her 2012 race against Republican incumbent Scott Brown. No woman had ever won a statewide race for governor or senator in Massachusetts before, and after the death of icon Ted Kennedy in 2010, the seat he had held — and his brother John before him — was considered a safe Democratic seat.

Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley got the nomination for the special election and was considered a hands-down favorite to win easily. She ran a shitty campaign, and lost to Republican Scott Brown.

So when Warren ran for the full-term seat in 2012, of course a lot of sexist naysayers told Warren she couldn't win, either. Massachusetts was not ready for a woman senator and, blah, blah, blah. Of course, we know what happened. Nevertheless, she persisted, and Elizabeth Warren won the full-term seat by a comfortable margin and came back six years later to get re-elected by a landslide. And as Warren noted in the January 2020 primary debate, the only two people on the stage who had won every race they had ever been in were the two women.

Elizabeth Warren was no Martha Coakley in 2012, and she is no Hillary Clinton in 2020.

Elizabeth Warren has the PLANS, the PASSION and the PERSISTENCE to present a message and articulate it clearly and understandably. Warren is a candidate who will not be knocked off that message.

Warren is the candidate that can unite Democrats and inspire those sitting on the sidelines, waiting for someone with bold ideas and the ability to make them work.

External Links

Elizabeth Warren’s plans:

https://elizabethwarren.com/issues
[This page lists some of the key “Plans” that have gotten the most attention — click on “Latest Announcements” for more comprehensive list of additional detailed PLANS]

On social media and want to find some fun Elizabeth Warren GIFs?
https://giphy.com/elizabethwarren

Elizabeth Warren BUMPER STICKERS (I have a couple on my electric car):
https://shop.elizabethwarren.com/collections/stickers-buttons/products/warren-stickerv2

NEVERTHELESS…
SHE PERSISTED!

Home page for Word Wizards^® and Douglas Dunn: http://www.wordwiz72.com/