Nothing much new in the fourth democratic debate.  All the candidates say the country is essentially falling apart and needs a massive amount of giveaways from the federal government.

 

The only thing different this time around is the paltry amount of time Joe Biden was given by the liberal moderators. Old Joe got two questions about his son vacuuming up money in China and Ukraine and that was it.  He did not directly answer the queries, deflecting the issue by attacking Donald Trump.

 

Elizabeth Warren seems to be emerging as Bernie Sanders fades.  But none of the candidates has captured the imagination of liberal voters.  There’s no Bill Clinton or Barack Obama in the field.

 

That’s good news for President Trump who needs some cheering.  If the Dems back the socialist Warren, I do not believe the working folks will vote for her in great numbers.  In order to buy the Senator’s economic vision, you’d have to believe the federal bureaucracy is efficient and caring.

 

It isn’t.  It never will be.  

 

The debate was kind of sleepy but my eyes opened when some of the candidates proposed putting drug company executives in prison for causing the opioid epidemic.

 

Since the democrats generally favor letting street drug dealers OUT of prison, how does that square?

 

None of the somnambulant moderators brought that up and that’s the biggest problem with the debate format.  The questions are predictable and the answers are rarely challenged.  I mean, journalists should not be starting arguments but they should point out when questions are not answered or don’t make sense.

 

Finally, you have to love the recovering Bernie Sanders who says unfettered capitalism is destroying the world. Beijing certainly agrees.  No NBA controversy for Bernie.

 

There are many more democratic debates ahead.  The hope on the left is that some candidate will catch fire. Could happen but right now the campfire needs a few more logs.