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Most Important Topics in the 8th Democratic Debate

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  • J.K.Logic
    02-07-2020 11:07:09 PM
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    The eighth Democratic Presidential debate in New Hampshire didn't tackle a few single issues but instead covered a wide variety of issues. And maybe it was the best debate so far because of it.

    Joe Biden, Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar, Bernie Sanders, Tom Steyer, Elizabeth Warren and Andrew Yang were on the debate stage. And while the top candidates still got a bigger % of talking time, with the 3 hour run-time all the candidates at least got a few opportunities to make their case to be the next President.

    Here were the big topics that were discussed in the 8th debate, in rough order of appearance:

    • Iowa Results
    • Medicare-for-All
    • Foreign Policy and Warring in the Middle East
    • Opioid Epidemic - Decriminalizing Drugs - War on Drugs
    • Gun Control
    • Supreme Court - Abortion
    • Criminal Justice Reform - Race - Systemic Racism
    • Campaign Finance Reform - Citizens United
    • Climate Change and Trade Agreements
    • High Rates of Childhood Poverty


    Did you watch the debate? If not or if you want to re-watch the link is right here. Which issue do you think was the most important or poignant of the night? And who do you think made the biggest impact on the night?

    For me the most important topics were the war on drugs with Pete talking about his approach for decriminalizing all illicit drugs, which he clarified to mean that imprisonment would not be the reaction of the state for possession of drugs under his term if elected. And that it would be retroactive. Which then turned into a worthwhile discussion on systemic racism in America.

    But if you are looking for a big takeaway, general theme of tonight.. it was who is capable of beating Trump. And it makes sense with Super Tuesday just weeks away. These candidates only have a few weeks to convince voters that they in fact are the best candidate for the job.
  • bryce28
    02-08-2020 07:58:52 PM
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    Agree on the systemic racism conversation. That was probably the most interesting for me. But also Citizens United. I think all of them would try to overturn it if elected, mainly Bernie, Warren and Pete, in mostly that order.

    Thought everyone but Steyer and Warren had a good night. I feel like Warren is destined for 3rd place and she can't seem to rise above that at the moment. Yang was good but polling so low I'm not sure it matters. Biden stumbling over his words is still troubling to me, but he did come out strong with what he said, mostly. Bernie, Pete and Amy I think were the most coherent, on message and walked away potentially convincing the most people they can take on Trump.
  • justin412
    02-08-2020 08:30:00 PM
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    J.K.Logic Wrote: But if you are looking for a big takeaway, general theme of tonight.. it was who is capable of beating Trump. And it makes sense with Super Tuesday just weeks away. These candidates only have a few weeks to convince voters that they in fact are the best candidate for the job.

    I think that's pretty much the only question most Democrats, especially those who aren't wedded to any one candidate, care about. Even though there are so many more candidates this year than 2016, it's almost inevitable to be a replay of that primary between the "establishment" and "anti-establishment" candidate.

    Senator Sanders seems, at least for now, to have the upper hand on the anti-establishment side. And, perhaps surprisingly, Mayor Buttigieg seems to have the upper hand on the establishment side. That will truly be tested come South Carolina and Nevada. If he is able to perform even moderately well in those two states then that may be the death knell of the Biden campaign.

    Or perhaps I'm just blowing smoke out of my you know what and have no idea what will happen! The Democrats have never had such a crowded primary field before *and* we've never had an incumbent President like we have now, so playing the guessing game, while fun, is probably a fools errand.
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