If you are a Democrat.. anyone has a right to run for President in our party

[Peacetrain]

End of story... If someone starts saying this person or that person who is a Democrat cannot run because they are old, too young.or white, or black or gay or brown.. you get my drift.. anyone willing to step into the craziness of a primary and willing to support our platform and other candidates.. I say good on them and welcome aboard the good ship Democratic Party..

[Hortensis]

1. A legal right, yes. But not all

have a moral right to for many reasons.

And those whose actions do threaten the goals and principles we stand for and the well-being of our party and people create a duty for Democrats to try to stop them, or at least limit the damage they do.

[Peacetrain]

2. That is for the voters in the Democratic Party to sort out.. that is why we have primaries

and caucuses...to sort that out and get the best person in position to run in the general..

[NurseJackie]

3. I'm opposed to letting people use the primaries as a public forum to shit on the Democratic party...

I'm opposed to letting people use the primaries as a public forum to shit on the Democratic party, Democratic candidates, the Democratic platform and agenda.

That kind of negativity generates apathy. Apathy discourages voter turnout. Low voter turnout gives Republicans a chance to steal the elections.

[Peacetrain]

7. Jackie if someone is not supporting our platform ..then that is how we sort them out

that is for sure..

[NurseJackie]

10. It's not whether or not someone "supports the platform"...

It's not whether or not someone "supports the platform"... it's the insanity of giving anyone a national platform to denigrate and shit all over the Democratic party.

What good purpose does it serve to let anyone smear the party and make the GOP look like a reasonable alternative? What good purpose does it serve to give someone a podium who's going to proclaim that the Democratic party is "corrupt" or that Democrats are the "party of the one percent"???

I'll say it again: That kind of negativity generates apathy. Apathy discourages voter turnout. Low voter turnout gives Republicans a chance to steal the elections.

[Amimnoch]

8. totally agree. But then again,

none of those who are proud to wear the Democratic Party member label all of the time (instead of just when it's convenient) does that.

[Hortensis]

5. All Democrats, all the time when speaking

out and informing others about internal problems becomes necessary, not just when voting.

I presume you’re bringing up Bernie Sanders again, or maybe Gabbard, but in every election there will be plenty of nutcases and scoundrels to watch out for, such as conservatives disguising themselves as liberal Democrats to get elected, or to keep a good Democrat from being elected, with the intention of betraying their trust once in office.

As you said, everyone who registers as a Democrat has a right to run for office as a Democrat, and we all also have a right, and duty, to try to keep our party from being used in ways we shouldn’t allow.

[Peacetrain]

9. Not talking about any candidate at all... but about people who are

saying this person should not run or that person..actually now is the time to get all our ducks in a row.. because we are going to go out as a party united when the primary/caucus season is over.. And I will be honest with you Hortensis.. I was not a happy camper in 2016.. I thought Martin O'Malley was head and shoulders above Clinton and Sanders..and I got shouted down at caucus during the 5 minute speech that each precinct captain was supposed to get for their candidate of choice.. I came with in an inch of leaving the party..Never in my life have I experienced that in a caucus setting where one group would not let the other group speak.. I settled down, and did not let some other group run me out of my party that I have been a party of for over 40 years.. but I am adamant, that we evaluate our candidates on their stances and policy ..

[TreasonousBastard]

12. That is the filthy underside of politics, and no party or group is immune...

although some resist it better than others.

Look, I do not like or trust Bernie, although I agree with much of what he says. That said, if he sticks his nose into the election and somehow gets approval to run as a Democrat, I don't want him just tossed or pressured out for spite.

[Hortensis]

15. We do agree. :) But political forums

are just places a tiny percentage of people come to have a say because no one where they are wants to hear it.

Imo, what you want to see here now is both too early and too much to ask at any time because public forums tend to draw a lot of especially ardent people, some of whom always come to do battle. Plus all the paid trolls and bots.

Tens of millions of Democrats and indies eventually will come together behind two presidential candidates. When it’s time and in many places.

I do think it’s not too early for each of us to require all primary candidates we might vote for to already commit themselves completely to electing our nominee in the general election. Our own commitment is a requirement for participating here, after all.

Btw, I like MoM also.

[California_Republic]

11. Agreed let them run. If ther are shit they'll get no money and no support

[OhZone]

4. Yes, any Democrat - n/t

[WeekiWater]

13. Biden is too old. Sanders is too old.

They still have every right to run.

The two are not mutually exclusive nor is the too old aspect absolute. It is individual and personal in nature.

[stopbush]

14. What if you're not a Democrat? Do you still have the right?

Could tRump run as a D? How about someone who says they’re an Independent?