TownHallMageddon: Left Coast - Democratic Showdown In Sin City

AngelHedgie

So, on the left side of tonight's card, we have the Democratic town hall, live from downtown Las Vegas, the City of Bad Decisions.

Unlike what the ads say, what happens in Vegas won't stay in Vegas.

Who's running this shindig?

MSNBC, NBC News, and Telemundo. Chuck Todd and Jose Diaz-Balart will be hosting, with Chris Matthews and Chris Hayes running the pregame show, and Maddow getting the postgame analysis. Streams will be available in both English and Spanish on all the respective websites.

What time?

9 PM Eastern. The hall should go for 2 hours.

This thread is for the Democratic Party Town Hall ONLY. This is not a general Democratic Primary thread.

RMS Oceanic

Left Coast is Beft Coast?

Are there preset topics for this shindig?

Lanz

Is there a radio/audio stream option? won't be able to watch it but I can listen if there's an option for that

AngelHedgie

RMS Oceanic wrote: »

Left Coast is Beft Coast?

Are there preset topics for this shindig?

Not that I saw.

PantsB

As an appetizer Maddow will be interviewed by Maddow airing at 8. I can't imagine it will be an endorsement or it would have been leaked

milski

PantsB wrote: »

As an appetizer Maddow will be interviewed by Maddow airing at 8. I can't imagine it will be an endorsement or it would have been leaked

That's twice the Maddow of a normal interview!

Awesome!

PantsB

milski wrote: »

PantsB wrote: »

As an appetizer Maddow will be interviewed by Maddow airing at 8. I can't imagine it will be an endorsement or it would have been leaked

That's twice the Maddow of a normal interview!

Awesome!

Lol. An interview of Biden, I meant

PantsB

Starting with Sanders. First question he said his one litmus test was CitUnited overturn for SCOTUS. Why not Roe v Wade etc if not one issue candidate? Dodges completely

PantsB

Question 2 is on backdoor/jail braking. Sanders afraid of Big Brother and terrorists, middle ground

PantsB

Sanders wincing when they play 2011 calling for Obama primary.

Sanders says it was a question. And then repeats Clinton ran against Obama (audible groan from audiences). Obama is friend and he's done well. But has strong disagreements with President Obama : TPP, compromising on tax breaks.

Won't answer if he still thinks he should have been primaried

PantsB

Question 4 is on why Sanders bashed Bill Clinton today

Again he says they asked him a question as defense. Brings up three ways Clinton did poorlymin his opinion (NAFTA wall Street welfare reform)

Says Congress doesn't have to agree with President even in own party

Praises Harry Reid in audience

PantsB

Immigration question, if it wasn't perfect

Says 2013 bill was very different than 2007 (??). Guest worker was akin to slavery ( same provision existed in 2013....)

PantsB

A question about deportation. Sanders would do what he could, unacceptable that's the case

Vet asks about immigrant veterans who were deported after being convicted of a crime. Sanders was on Vet committee, condemns policy should deport vets

Should unite families

Immigration is a major priority but not a dictator needs Congress

AngelHedgie

PantsB wrote: »

Sanders wincing when they play 2011 calling for Obama primary.

Sanders says it was a question. And then repeats Clinton ran against Obama (audible groan from audiences). Obama is friend and he's done well. But has strong disagreements with President Obama : TPP, compromising on tax breaks.

Won't answer if he still thinks he should have been primaried

Yeah, that's really problematic in light of this as well:

https://twitter.com/ABCLiz/status/700435385856331776

Raiden333

oh Bernie... Bernie Bernie Bernie.

You've had months to come up with a real answer for this better than "Yeah things suck for minorities but they suck for all poor people not just minorities"

PantsB

Whitest dude ever asks how economic programs can solve racism

Sanders says go to his website, and delivers, too many blacks in jail, 51% unemployment for AA youth. Police officers must be held accountable. Demilitarize police. Was arrrsted protesting segregation

PantsB

Doesn't back off that race relations would be better under Sanders than Obama. Wow

Raiden333

PantsB wrote: »

Whitest dude ever asks how economic programs can solve racism

Sanders says go to his website, and delivers, too many blacks in jail, 51% unemployment for AA youth. Police officers must be held accountable. Demilitarize police. Was arrrsted protesting segregation

Yeah he steered it right towards the end there but I was rolling my eyes when he started going stump at the beginning.

PantsB

Minimum wage how is it not passed on to consumer

Minimum wage is too low. His "radical" idea is working 40 hours a week shouldnt live in poverty, 15 bucks an hr

Marathon

Really not answering the question of how the cost won't be passed on to consumers if the minimum wage is raised.

It's not a good question, because f course that cost would shift to consumers, but Bernie is stumping all over the question.

PantsB

After a standard stump the questioner asks for a real answer (basically inflation). Sanders concedes you may pay a few extra cents for McDonalds. Bashes trickle down economics

Phyphor

Marathon wrote: »

Really not answering the question of how the cost won't be passed on to consumers if the minimum wage is raised.

It's not a good question, because f course that cost would shift to consumers, but Bernie is stumping all over the question.

Even in the worst case scenario the costs will still rise by less than the increase of income

Marathon

Phyphor wrote: »

Marathon wrote: »

Really not answering the question of how the cost won't be passed on to consumers if the minimum wage is raised.

It's not a good question, because f course that cost would shift to consumers, but Bernie is stumping all over the question.

Even in the worst case scenario the costs will still rise by less than the increase of income

That's true, and it's the kind of stuff Bernie needs to say first before playing the hits from his stump speech

PantsB

Sanders always trying to interior the question finally bit him a little lol

Would free college improve higher education?

Equates it to free public college to public schools. Every child should know college is a possibility.

Again doesn't answer question to address broader issue

PantsB

Vet question, how will you get vets good jobs?

Chairman of Veterans Committee, passed good legislation. Gotta build employment generally. Skills learned in military translation to private job market.

PantsB

VA chairmanship is highest position you've had, you said VA problems was a phony issue how can you fix?

Combative answer (muttered "really?" When crowd cheered). Anti privatization. Did really good legislation to address issue. Problem is fixed. "I apologize for nothing"

PantsB

sanders: Islamaphobia is unacceptable and so is scapegoating Latinos like Trump

Like Obama or not, delegitimizing Obama by calling in Muslim because he's black is terrible. Character not color of skin or nationality.

Raiden333

Bernie doing a really good rallying up the crowd with "Jesus fucking christ it's 2016 why is racism still around" but not offering answer to the question that's actually implementable to get something done, other than say "stop being racist people".

ok I forgot the emote for it but pretend I posted that smiley with the flat lips.

PantsB

High schooler asks about making it a non two party system.

Sanders says he knows more about that than anyone. Europe has many political parties, bad for competition of ideas. Hard to get on ballot and parties should change that (?)

We should have higher turnout and not voter suppression from GOP

PantsB

Political revolution to Latinos can sound like Venezuela or Cuba, what do you say to people who escaped those regimes to reassure them

Social Security, Medicare are Socialism. Single payer for all. Looking at Denmark and Sweden, which are paradises with universal healthcare, college and retirement benefits etc

Congress is dominated by Big Money and Wall Street. They don't care about you, they want donations and rich tax breaks.

Raiden333

"When I talk about Democratic Socialism, I'm talking about Social Security. I'm talking about Medicare."

Good line, good point.

edit: I think he's been practicing this one, waiting for it.

PantsB

Childcare question. Im pretty sure he does have a plan but he's just talking about it being important in the end her has a plan but its very vague

Lanz

Liking this answer; hope he suggests subsidizing medical training and funding medical infrastructure as well. Only way you can avoid rationing in a systme like that really is to basically have more resources.

PantsB

Wait time/rationing question on single payer

Insurance companies and pharmsa mouth pieces make that up according to Sanders. Healthcare is a right.

Not having insurance is rationing.

Todd brings up wait time problems in VA wouldn't have the same problems?

Sanders says there'd be wait times but better than by wealth.

Keeps weirdly pronouncing rationing.

Lanz

also liked that Sanders pointed out that the private insurance paradigm rations care as well, just with by financial resources instead of other methods

PantsB

Lanz wrote: »

Liking this answer; hope he suggests subsidizing medical training and funding medical infrastructure as well. Only way you can avoid rationing in a systme like that really is to basically have more resources.

Not to get OT but that's at best a long term fix and one that is expensive

PantsB

Privatization of public land especially re Native American land

Sanders says treatment of NA historically has been bad, global warming is bad and will work to help NA. Very thin IMO

Lanz

PantsB wrote: »

Lanz wrote: »

Liking this answer; hope he suggests subsidizing medical training and funding medical infrastructure as well. Only way you can avoid rationing in a systme like that really is to basically have more resources.

Not to get OT but that's at best a long term fix and one that is expensive

oh no question, but it needs to be brought out at some point.

but probably better to continue this one later in the ACA thread, if not it's own distinct one

PantsB

We're in the left field part where the candidates have to think on their feet. Question on human trafficking and visa waver program

Need a strong vetting process for refugees but be decent and help them as humans. Human trafficking is bad

Questioner presses for an answer specifically on visa waver program, Sanders will look into that

Lanz

Pants, anything come up in the first half about the recent Trans bill in South Dakota? I'm guessing not but was hoping it would come up tongiht

PantsB

HRC up. Do you regret filibustering Alito given the current situation?

She did do that after meeting with the nominee and being concerned over views. That process is different from just dismissing it out of hand. Have to use Senate rules to vote. Must go through process and then use procedures. Alito was concerned