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Originally Posted by ISiddiqui
Harris's history on policing has been very different than Sanders (and not very promising for a Democratic candidate for WH). I believe she's changed her tune a bit, but she was against a body cam bill for police and she was fine with mass incarceration for drugs... until she started running. (an area where Harris falls well short of the rest of the field). This is where Harris gets the most concern.
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I think there are limits on being that liberal on policing when you are the DA. Once she stepped away from that role, her rhetoric changed to match most of the left.
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Most of the field has the same positions on abortion/social issues/and gun control. In fact, Sanders is probably the most pro-gun candidate in the field (maybe Klobuchar) - this was a big point brought up in 2016 as well.
Just about all the candidates have the same stance on immigration (as you heard last night), and the War in Afghanistan. Even Biden. Biden is more free trade than the others (which I like about Biden).
Harris is far closer, IMO, to Gillibrand and Booker than she is to Sanders. I think perhaps in your list of positions, you don't realize that most of the people running adhere to a lot of those positions (though some regard them aspirational as opposed to this is what we need to pass now - like Sanders does).
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I think most of the favorites are pretty close to Sanders in Booker, Warren, and Harris. Only Biden is more moderate. I think there is that left group and then a more socially liberal but moderate on the entitlements/economy in Biden, Ryan, Delany, Hickenlooper and Klobuchar. I just don't see any of the moderates outside of Biden having a chance. And I think the more liberal crew will be making an all out assault on Biden in these primary debates. The two I don't really have a feel for are Buttigieg and Gillibrand - which intrigues me on them. But, they don't really have a chance. O'Rourke doesn't really seem to stand for anything and has come off as an empty suit trying to impress all groups. In the end, it's going to be Biden, Sanders, Warren, Harris and maybe Booker? So, it does really seem like it will be Biden and four Sanders clones as the final option - and that is disappointing.
This is my frustration with politics - the primary system seems setup to depress moderates on either side. That's why I was hopeful for Hillary - but her negatives just became too much to overcome. That's also why I think we got Trump as the base favorites usually lack the ability to relate to the rank and file with their stance on the issues. I can't see Trump losing to Warren, Sanders or Harris. Booker is a wild card - but I think it would take a nominee like Biden, Hickenlooper or Ryan to really have a chance and I don't see a way they survive the primary voters.