Month: September 2015

How Many Debates Do Primary Voters Need?

by Kevin Kelton

As the date of first Democratic primary debate approaches, a lot of the party faithful are up in arms because DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz is holding firm to the previously approved plan to hold only six debates during the 2016 primary season. Minor candidates and their minions are screaming that six is not enough when the Republicans will have 11, starting sooner and ending later in the primary season. But while the Martin O’Malleys of the world cry foul, most rational people realize that six face-offs is in fact the Goldilocks sweet spot: not too few, not too many… and probably just right.

The DNC chose six because of what they learned the hard way in 2004 and 2008, when 15 and 25 debates respectively almost bored voters to tears. This time around, with the primaries starting later (again not to bore voters) and fewer candidates, the DNC wisely concluded that saturating the airwaves with Clinton and Company for nine months would’ve been overkill. Here’s four reasons why the current debate schedule was a smart choice. Read More

While Joe Mulls, Dems Should Move On

By Kevin Kelton

Democrats all like Joe Biden. We know he is a smart and loyal vice president, a solid progressive, and we mourn for the painful loss of his son. But he’s not going to be the next President of the United States. So why consider nominating him?

Do you know how many vice presidents have gone from the vice presidency to be elected directly to the presidency? Four. It last happened for George H. W. Bush in 1988. You know the last time it happened before that? Martin Van Buren in 1836. That’s right, it’s only happened twice in the last 180 years.

That doesn’t mean it can never happen again. It surely will. But not in 2016 for Joseph Robinette Biden, Jr. (a guy with a middle name almost as bad as Hussein). Read More

Polls don’t tell the true story

by Kevin Kelton

You’ve heard of college basketball’s March Madness? This year’s presidential primary campaign should be called Polling Madness.

In the course of just three weeks, the media has reported that Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton is 11 points ahead of Bernie Sanders in Iowa, one point behind Sanders10 points behind Sanders, and 21 points ahead of the Vermont Senator.

Read More

Beware of Political Witch Doctors

by Kevin Kelton

I’m beginning to think there is a mass hysteria spreading across America – a real, delusional mass hysteria – about wanting a rebel candidate who will “fix” things in Washington.  The appeal of outsider, “tear-it-all-down” candidates like Donald Trump, Bernie Sanders, Carly Fiorina, Ben Carson, and Elizabeth Warren is on a par with the hysteria over witches in early Puritan America.  But instead of exorcising the devil out of a woman’s body, voters in both parties now want to exorcise corporate money and phoniness out of the body politic.  And they’re turning to political witch doctors for a cure.

Read More

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