Which issues could cause the most disagreement in the 2016 Democratic primaries?

[Blue3]

If the primaries are at all competitive for the Democratic nomination in 2016, what could the biggest potenttial policy disagreements?


* Civil Liberties?
* War on Drugs?
* Gun Control?
* Entitlement Reform?
* Defense Cuts?
* Policy towards Cuba?
* Single-Payer Healthcare?
* College nationalization?
* Government Transparency & Whistleblower Protection?
* Breaking Up "Too Big To Fail"?
* Natural Gas exploitation?
* Net Neutrality?
* School Vouchers?
* Free Trade?
* Labor Unions?
* Death Penalty?
* Assisted Suicide?
* if any big war starts?


Which of the ones above are most likely to be a major source of disagreement among the main Democratic primary candidates??

Did I miss anything??

[seanNJ9]

Entitlement Reform

[Blue3]

You don't see Civil Liberties, the War on Drugs, and Gun Control being areas of disagremeent and major tension between any primary candidates?
I could see those being big issues for Clinton, Biden, Cuomo, Schweitzer, and O'Malley.


If there's an environmental disaster involving fracking similar to the BP Oil Spill, or if there's another major war and it turns into a quagmire, I could see those becoming issues too. A big foreign policy disaster is unlikely, but environmental disasters are unpredictable and the natural gas boom could lead to some hasty decisions by corporations.

I think/hope entitlement reform will be done in Obama's 2nd term, so future candidates don't have to worry about it for a couple decades. Same with necessary defense cuts.

I don't see any serious Democrats bringing up single-payer when Obamacare has only been implemented in full for a couple years, and I don't see any serious movement by any serious candidates to make public universities free in 2016.

The rest I don't see being major issues.

[Blackacre]

Civil Liberties, the Drug War, and Drones.

Good god. Drones. Expect Drones to be a major issue

[Beet]

I think there's a major opportunity here for a candidate, because most establishment Democrats seem to be in agreement with the Obama administration re: drones, the drug war, and civil liberties. It's a chance for someone to really distinguish themselves from the pack.

[Blue3]

Civil Liberties, the Drug War, and Drones.

Good god. Drones. Expect Drones to be a major issue

I technically includes Drones under the umbrella of "Civil Liberties," but yeah, it looks like it will be the primary Civil Liberty issue.

Just look at MSNBC today and yesterday, they're all divided, and at each other's throats especially on the Cycle.

To be fair, its was the joint resolution by Congress (signed exactly 7 days after 9/11) that declared war on Al Qaeda that gives the Executive Branch this authority. Drones are just another tool, like Navy SEALS and manned bombers, it's the congressional authorization that should be the real target. Though, also to be fair, Obama did bring this on himself, since he campaigned as a civil libertarian, and the only exception during the campaign was his vote on the modified FISA (iirc).

I do hope the post-Obama Democrats become more civil libertarians and social libertarians.

[Blackacre]

Civil Liberties, the Drug War, and Drones.

Good god. Drones. Expect Drones to be a major issue

I technically includes Drones under the umbrella of "Civil Liberties," but yeah, it looks like it will be the primary Civil Liberty issue.

Just look at MSNBC today and yesterday, they're all divided, and at each other's throats especially on the Cycle.

To be fair, its was the joint resolution by Congress (signed exactly 7 days after 9/11) that declared war on Al Qaeda that gives the Executive Branch this authority. Drones are just another tool, like Navy SEALS and manned bombers, it's the congressional authorization that should be the real target. Though, also to be fair, Obama did bring this on himself, since he campaigned as a civil libertarian, and the only exception during the campaign was his vote on the modified FISA (iirc).

I do hope the post-Obama Democrats become more civil libertarians and social libertarians.

It was the drone story that made me take back my support for Obama. I cannot back a President who would do this kind of thing, especially so soon after Bush. W need somebody in the White House who would end the drone policy and War on Terror, repeal NDAA and the PATRIOT Act, and decrease military spending in favor of infrastructure.

A lot of Dems are frustrated over this (I mean look at MSNBC)  though, so there's hope there.

[BluegrassBlueVote]

I agree on the issue of drones and the PATRIOT Act and all that other neoconservative crap we've delved into, but "cutting defense spending" is a whole lot easier said than done. That's nothing more than campaign rhetoric until you see big Democratic pluralities in Congress.

[bedstuy]

I hope the winning Democrat continues Obama's foreign policy including drone strikes, but it's probably a healthy discussion.  Ultimately, I expect that the Democratic platform will not include allowing Al Qaeda freedom to operate in Pakistan or Yemen.  But, maybe I'm just a neo-con on that issue.

The real issue I want to be pushed and debated is campaign finance reform and election reform that addresses Citizen's United and the increasing voter suppression from the right.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Drones
Patriot Act
Cuban policy
Taxes for the rich
Anti-trust laws

[Frodo]

The past several decades have served to make the parties much more ideologically cohesive, such that as far as domestic issues are concerned, there is unlikely to be the kind of friction we might have seen in past generations.  

Foreign policy is another matter -both the Democratic and Republican parties are divided between interventionists and isolationists, free-trade supporters and protectionists -all symptoms of a deeper question: what is our place in the world, and what should be our role in it?

And I know what side of the divide I fall on.  Any Democrat who supports closing our bases and hampers our ability to fight terrorists will never get my support.   

[Mehmentum]

Gun control and civil liberties/drone strikes will be huge issues.

[Donerail]

Civil Liberties, the Drug War, and Drones.

Good god. Drones. Expect Drones to be a major issue

I technically includes Drones under the umbrella of "Civil Liberties," but yeah, it looks like it will be the primary Civil Liberty issue.

Just look at MSNBC today and yesterday, they're all divided, and at each other's throats especially on the Cycle.

To be fair, its was the joint resolution by Congress (signed exactly 7 days after 9/11) that declared war on Al Qaeda that gives the Executive Branch this authority. Drones are just another tool, like Navy SEALS and manned bombers, it's the congressional authorization that should be the real target. Though, also to be fair, Obama did bring this on himself, since he campaigned as a civil libertarian, and the only exception during the campaign was his vote on the modified FISA (iirc).

I do hope the post-Obama Democrats become more civil libertarians and social libertarians.

It was the drone story that made me take back my support for Obama. I cannot back a President who would do this kind of thing, especially so soon after Bush. W need somebody in the White House who would end the drone policy and War on Terror, repeal NDAA and the PATRIOT Act, and decrease military spending in favor of infrastructure.

A lot of Dems are frustrated over this (I mean look at MSNBC)  though, so there's hope there.

Hi.

I do hope it'll be civil liberties. We need a conversation about that.

[CountryClassSF]

May be a bit down the road nationally, but there's a lot of Democrat disagreement about legalization of pot here on the west coast.

The "law and order" types vs. the prog activists

[Blackacre]

Civil Liberties, the Drug War, and Drones.

Good god. Drones. Expect Drones to be a major issue

I technically includes Drones under the umbrella of "Civil Liberties," but yeah, it looks like it will be the primary Civil Liberty issue.

Just look at MSNBC today and yesterday, they're all divided, and at each other's throats especially on the Cycle.

To be fair, its was the joint resolution by Congress (signed exactly 7 days after 9/11) that declared war on Al Qaeda that gives the Executive Branch this authority. Drones are just another tool, like Navy SEALS and manned bombers, it's the congressional authorization that should be the real target. Though, also to be fair, Obama did bring this on himself, since he campaigned as a civil libertarian, and the only exception during the campaign was his vote on the modified FISA (iirc).

I do hope the post-Obama Democrats become more civil libertarians and social libertarians.

It was the drone story that made me take back my support for Obama. I cannot back a President who would do this kind of thing, especially so soon after Bush. W need somebody in the White House who would end the drone policy and War on Terror, repeal NDAA and the PATRIOT Act, and decrease military spending in favor of infrastructure.

A lot of Dems are frustrated over this (I mean look at MSNBC)  though, so there's hope there.

Hi.

I do hope it'll be civil liberties. We need a conversation about that.

We really do. I remain hopeful that it will happen, as long as MSNBC goes WTF and Bill Maher opposes Obama on that issue.

[Politico]

I suspect the fact that the country will be on the verge of bankruptcy after eight straight years of roughly $1 trillion deficits will cause a lot of havoc for Democrats. I will not be surprised if at least one governor uses it to attack Washington-based candidates, particularly if it seems obvious the Democrats are headed towards defeat (e.g., the economy continues to be stagnant the next three years, which would undoubtedly be the death-knell for the Democratic candidate in 2016). I can see a relatively unknown, anti-establishment governor stirring the pot with respect to the fiscal irresponsibility of the Washington establishment. The establishment would be well advised to manufacture a facade anti-establishment candidate, if you will, in an attempt to prevent this and thereby control the anti-establishment message (e.g., Howard Dean?).

[Blackacre]

I suspect the fact that the country will be on the verge of bankruptcy after eight straight years of roughly $1 trillion deficits will cause a lot of havoc for Democrats. I will not be surprised if at least one governor uses it to attack Washington-based candidates, particularly if it seems obvious the Democrats are headed towards defeat (e.g., the economy continues to be stagnant the next three years, which would undoubtedly be the death-knell for the Democratic candidate in 2016). I can see a relatively unknown, anti-establishment governor stirring the pot with respect to the fiscal irresponsibility of the Washington establishment. The establishment would be well advised to manufacture a facade anti-establishment candidate, if you will, in an attempt to prevent this and thereby control the anti-establishment message (e.g., Howard Dean?).

The deficit fell under a trillion this year and has been shrinking for a few years, so...

[Blue3]

Back in early 2013, people came up with these issues that could split the Democratic Party:

*how to tackle the $1trillion deficit and what kind of entitlement reform to do
*civil liberties & drone strikes
*ending the War on Drugs
*gun control
*foreign policy
*campaign finance reform
*Cuba
*taxing the rich
*anti-trust laws
*environment
*defense cuts
*single-payer healthcare




What has changed, if anything?



I really doubt drones will be as big of an issue as people were thinking.
Gun control is kind of off the table.
The deficit isn't as big of a deal as it was before.
I doubt anyone is going to campaign on big defense cuts, or single-payer.
The environment isn't what's worrying mainstream Americans.
We already got tax hikes on the rich so I doubt more will come anytime soon.
Campaign finance reform is no longer a big deal.
Anti-trust laws and Cuba aren't even on the radar.

So I'd guess ending the War on Drugs, and foreign policy / civil liberties.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Warmongering
3rd-way
Neoliberalism
Wall Street support
Clinton administration policies
TPP
Drones
NSA
MIC

The list goes on and on

Anyone left of center who votes on issues is going to be 100% against Hillary.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

Dunno, probably something petty and meaningless like normal.

[Deus Naturae]

I really doubt drones will be as big of an issue as people were thinking.

Why not? Maybe not drones specifically but I do think foreign intervention will be a big issue and drones are a significant part of that.

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Schweitzer is pro-gun so if he runs it seems likely that his opponents would bring that up.

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I agree on Defense cuts (this doesn't really excite people and when it comes down to it I'm not sure how many Dems would actually be willing to cut Defense if it meant losing jobs at weapons manufacturing plants and the like) but I'd disagree on single-payer. Sanders and Schweitzer have both criticized Obamacare for not going far enough and this seems like an issue that would excite the Dem base.

[Blue3]

Bump

What would you guys say the correct answers were?
Trade, guns, healthcare, college, marijuana, banks, fracking, etc... definitely all played a role.