Way too early analysis of 2024 presidential candidates

Let’s take some time from my hospitalization posts at look at prospects for the 2024 US Presidential Election.

The short version: things are looking utterly bleak. Irredeemably dismal. We the people must demand better.

The Republicans: forget it. They’re all stark raving loony nutso mad. They’re unabashed bigots, every single one of ’em. They’re advocates of Trickle Down Economics. They’re warmongers, except for the Libertarian wing. They’re climate change deniers, and by extension, science deniers. Whoever wins the Republican nomination will be evil.

The Democrats: is slightly less awful good enough? No. Let’s look at the individuals who have announced their candidacy or are likely to announce soon.

Joe Biden. Puppet of the forces of greed. Completely, utterly unacceptable on so many levels I can’t count that high. His warmongering in Ukraine is disgusting. The only thing worse is how many supposed anti-war folks are eating up the propaganda. On climate change, he acknowledges the problem, timidly advocates pathetically inadequate half measures, and then backs off without a fight at the first whiff of resistance. On abortion rights, he acknowledges the problem, timidly advocates pathetically inadequate half measures, and then backs off without a fight at the first whiff of resistance. On gun control, he acknowledges the problem, timidly advocates pathetically inadequate half measures, and then backs off without a fight at the first whiff of resistance. On tax justice, he acknowledges the problem, timidly advocates pathetically inadequate half measures, and then backs off without a fight at the first whiff of resistance. On issue after issue after issue, he has no interest in actually doing anything to address the crises and injustices facing us today. Instead he pretends to advocate politically popular positions and makes excuses for inaction.
I will never ever, under any circumstances support or vote for Biden. It doesn’t matter how awful the other side is. The same goes for the other unprincipled, warmongering corporate toadies who might fill the void when/if Biden becomes too senile to serve as Puppet in Chief. Harris, Buttigieg, Klobuchar, etc, are not part of the solution. They are part of the problem.

Marianne Williamson. She’s said some good stuff lately. She’s toned down the New Age woo-woo. She addresses real issues. Still, she’s never held any kind of elected office. It seems like the person who heads the government should have at least a little experience in actually governing something. I understand she’s said some disturbing anti-vaxx shit. Still, I suppose she’s the least-bad of the declared candidates so far.

Robert Kennedy, Jr. Give me a fucking break. I understand he’s done some good environmental work, but that pales in comparison to his truly evil anti-vaxx lunacy. I was once tied down, toothpicks were placed in my eyes holding them open, and I was forced to watch half of his insane anti-vaxx, anti-Fauci movie. It’s just an endless Gish gallop, with baseless assertion after baseless assertion after baseless assertion. It isn’t even coherent, as most of his claims don’t actually support his insane thesis, and many of the claims aren’t connected to the other claims in any logical way. There’s a reason the debunking videos are far longer than the original. Making unsupported assertions is quick and easy. Refuting them requires research, facts, and logic. Like Williamson, he’s never held elective office. I have no idea what constituency he’s supposed to appeal to. No way, no how, no chance.

Bernie Sanders. He hasn’t declared his candidacy, but he hasn’t ruled it out, either. This time around, he really is too old. Dang, he’s as old as Biden, and Biden is waaaaaay too old. As much as I like Bernie, I’d like to see someone younger emerge as the Great Progressive Hope.
Update: while this post was a draft, Bernie announced he’s not running and endorsed Joe Fucking Biden. My disgust knows no bounds. But who might become the Great Progressive Hope? Let’s look as some undeclared possibilities.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. There’s a lot I like about AOC. She’s just barely old enough to qualify for 2024 under the Constitutional requirement that the POTUS be at least 35. Does she have the gravitas to make a credible challenge? As a Bernie acolyte, she almost certainly won’t run with Bernie endorsing Biden’s puppeteers.

Ro Khanna. He’s often mentioned as a possible progressive challenger. But he’s way too nice and beholden to the corporate Dem power structure. He’s unlikely to mount even a token opposition to the forces of ever-so-slightly less evil.

CA Senate candidates. Since Dianne Feinstein is 6432 years old, she’s not likely to run again for re-election to the Senate in 2024. Several candidates have announced campaigns for that Senate seat. Two of them are excellent progressives. They run the risk of splitting the progressive vote and leaving us with a choice between Odious Schiff and Somedude Republican. So, I’d really like it if either Barbara Lee or Katie Porter would drop out of the Senate race and run for President. Yeah, yeah. I know it’s a mighty tough row to hoe, what with building a national organization and fighting the entrenched forces of money and power. But somebody has got to run a credible challenge from Biden’s ginormous left flank.

Conclusion: we are so fucked.