US Who Will/Who Should Run for President in 2016?

[Amy SF]

The discussions in the media have already started. On the Republican side, Chris Christie and Jeb Bush have been mentioned. In fact, some have speculated that Christie had weight loss surgery so he'd seem more qualified to run, as a lot of people may not want to vote for an obese candidate.

On the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton is the frontrunner.

If Hillary does run, and is actually elected, she will represent another political milestone: The country's first female president. She will be 69 in 2016, and while the Republicans are guaranteed to trot out every sexist canard they can think of to use against her, they will also likely try the ageism card - she's too old to run. Which would conveniently ignore the fact that Ronald Reagan was also 69 when he was elected to his first term in 1980.

I'm willing to bet, though, that there are plenty of other women who have the political smarts to run for president and actually get elected, and I for one would love to see a female president in my lifetime.

Place your bets now.

Are there any politicians you know of who you think could/should be the next president?

(It's a real shame that the Dems and GOP have a lock on the White House. I really wish a third party candidate has a real chance. But the sad truth is that no third party candidate has ever received enough votes to matter in any presidential election. Depending on their politics, they usually split the vote with either the Democratic or Republican candidate.)

 

[Snowcone]

I'd like to see Ron Paul run again. Ya know, so I can see him lose again.

 

[rainforests1]

I expect Christie and Rubio vs. Hillary and ?. Christie will win.

 

[mlp]

If Hillary runs, I don't think Christie will. (For the same reasons that all of the *better* potential Republican candidates stayed out of the race this last time.)

 

[rainforests1]

It also depends a lot on whether Obamacare causes the suffering that many expect it to. If so, the Republican will have a big advantage. If not, I expect Hillary to win. It'll be a big issue for this next election.

 

[RabbitLuvr]

If Hillary runs, I will vote for her.

 

[Forster]

It also depends a lot on whether Obamacare causes the suffering that many expect it to. If so, the Republican will have a big advantage. If not, I expect Hillary to win. It'll be a big issue for this next election.

Gut feeling but once it kicks in I think people are going to be more pleased than not. I think Obamacare is the baby step that was needed to eventually get us walking down the path towards single payer or at least a medicare option for all. Our system is so broken right now. The Mrs and I's health insurance costs $15,400/year through my wife's employer's group plan for high deductible health insurance ($5,200 deductible) and we're healthy people.

 

[mlp]

Gut feeling but once it kicks in I think people are going to be more pleased than not. I think Obamacare is the baby step that was needed to eventually get us walking down the path towards single payer or at least a medicare option for all. Our system is so broken right now. The Mrs and I's health insurance costs $15,400/year through my wife's employer's group plan for high deductible health insurance ($5,200 deductible) and we're healthy people.

This is the way I see it too, as a first step. Once universal/nearly universal coverage is in effect, there will be no option but to address the costs of the healthcare system.

 

[Forster]

If Hillary runs, I will vote for her.

I do think she would be an effective president, my only concern is the current trend to create "presidential dynasties". Both a Bush and Clinton are potential serious contenders, it worries me. We have 300 million people in this country, is our system so broken that we don't have any other sources for good presidents? (rhetorical)

 

[Amy SF]

I do think she would be an effective president, my only concern is the current trend to create "presidential dynasties". Both a Bush and Clinton are potential serious contenders, it worries me. We have 300 million people in this country, is our system so broken that we don't have any other sources for good presidents? (rhetorical)

I think from the point of view of the people working behind the scenes for both major parties, they're betting on name recognition to get somebody from their party into the White House. They don't want to take a chance with an unknown, which is silly when you remember that the Bushes and Bill Clinton were all at one time unknowns. So I think it's more about advancing party politics than advancing a potential leader.

 

[mlp]

Forster, I share your concern about the political dynasty thing we have going on.

OTOH, I think (like you), that Hillary would be an effective president. And I would like to see a woman president (not a conservative one) before I die. And it would be fun to watch some people's heads explode upon seeing the first president of color succeeded by the first female president.

 

[Forster]

Forster, I share your concern about the political dynasty thing we have going on.

OTOH, I think (like you), that Hillary would be an effective president. And I would like to see a woman president (not a conservative one) before I die. And it would be fun to watch some people's heads explode upon seeing the first president of color succeeded by the first female president.

I voted for her in the primary last time, I likely will again despite my reservations. I really think Obama was a bit green going into the presidency and an 8 year wait in the senate would have been better.

 

[Spang]

Hillary Clinton is an early Democratic frontrunner, and a good reason, I think, why the GOP is keeping Benghazi on the front burner. It may have an effect in the primaries, but if Ms. Clinton wins the nomination, I think she wins the presidency.

The Republicans have been shitting all over people of color for the last forty-plus years (Southern Strategy) and it's really come to bite them in the ***.

 

[mlp]

Hillary Clinton is an early Democratic frontrunner, and a good reason, I think, why the GOP is keeping Benghazi on the front burner.

Agreed - the emphasis on Benghazi is all about a possible Hillary Clinton candidacy. I don't think it will have any effect on the primaries - it has traction only with Republicans/conservatives.

I voted for her in the primary last time, I likely will again despite my reservations. I really think Obama was a bit green going into the presidency and an 8 year wait in the senate would have been better.

I was really torn in 2008, but then Bill pulled some crap, and I decided to vote for Obama.

 

[RabbitLuvr]

I voted for Hillary in the 2008 primary. First time I'd ever voted in a primary election!

 

[Wolfie]

Gary Johnson. No more elephants or donkeys please!

 

[Forster]

Gary Johnson. No more elephants or donkeys please!

I voted for him in the general election. While I do hope there is a good grassroots movement to include more 3rd party candidates I don't think one winning the presidential election will happen in my lifetime if ever. It's the one thing the Republicans and Democrats agree on, keep them out of the national debates at any cost. Ross Perot taught them that.

 

[cornsail]

I'd like to see someone like Jill Stein or Stewart Alexander as the next president.

 

[mlp]

Our political system isn't really structured so as to allow a third party to gain real traction, other than influencing one of the two major parties (i.e., the Tea Party moving the Republicans much further to the right).

The whole system would have to be restructured along more parliamentarian lines. That's not going to happen.

 

[Wolfie]

I'm tired of voting for the lesser of 2 evils. Obama got my vote in 2008 and I was not impressed. I voted for Johnson knowing he didn't have a snowball's chance in hell in 2012. It was a given Obama would take my state anyway.