web analytics

Hickenlooper: Hard to Be Liked Without Free Stuff

Is John Hickenlooper a voice for reason in the Democrat presidential field?

Candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination, John Hickenlooper, is blaming his lack of traction on, well, being sane. Or in political speak, he is underperforming because his policies are potentially achievable – instead of drawing on Neverland-esque concoctions of imagination, and LSD-tripping dreams of socialism.

In a tough admission, the former Colorado governor stated that his second-quarter fundraising was a somewhat embarrassing feat. He blamed the failure on progressives’ incessant need to promise absolutely undeliverable goods, complaining:

“The bottom line is for a small campaign like us from a, you know—Colorado’s about 6 million or a little less than 6 million people—it’s harder to raise money because we don’t—we’re not promising free health care or, you know, free tuition for everyone, forgive student debt.”

John Hickenlooper

He went on to decry the ridiculousness of attracting a base of grassroots basement-dwellers who are seeking free stuff, saying, “We’re trying to present a picture of this country … that will resonate with everyone, and that has, you know, that’s a harder vehicle by which to get small donors.”

Oh, he is so right – and basically screwed in his quest for the ultimate nod. He needs money, lots of money, but DNC rules demand that a huge percentage of donations to its presidential candidates be provided by individual, $1 grassroots participants. That coupled with the nearly impossible polling requirements – name recognition for Hickenlooper is a tough nut to crack outside of his home state – may winnow out a candidate who seems less insane than the rest of the asylum inmates.

Recent polls have former Vice President Joe Biden enjoying a strong lead, with the woman who claimed she was a victim of his associates’ inner-city busing stance, Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA), inching a tad closer. Harris is garnering about half of Biden’s numbers overall and is veering dangerously into the pandering propaganda of free stuff and unicorn farming.

Socialism is the Political Trend

In a field of 24 presidential candidates, only Hickenlooper and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) appear to call reality home. They are proposing centrist policy initiatives and steering far from chasing the socialist rabbit down the hole. But while he shies away from using the term “socialism,” Hickenlooper is in favor of enlarging the government structure:

“One of the points I’ve tried to make is as Democrats I think we’ve very clearly got to say that we’re not socialists, and many people view those large, you know, large expansions of government as in some way socialist.”

Yes, socialism is the problem. Liberty Nation’s Tim Donner explains radical-left successes in a nutshell:

“Consider when the Democrats have lost the presidency and when they have won. In 1952 and 1956, they nominated well-known liberal Adlai Stevenson. In 1972, they selected George McGovern, the voice of 1960s-style liberalism. In 1984, it was another familiar liberal, Walter Mondale. And in 1988, they picked neo-liberal Michael Dukakis. The party suffered landslide defeats in every one of those elections.”

A 2020 Trump re-election is looking likely – if this progressive, socialist agenda continues to dominate political discourse from the Democrats.

Hickenlooper may be the only Democratic candidate to have boned up on the wins and losses in presidential history, which is why he is staying just a tad left of center. Rejecting pie-in-sky programs that cannot in any way, shape, or form be implemented – the New Green Deal and student loan debt forgiveness – Hickenlooper calls for sanity: “I’m not saying [Democrat proposals] are, I’m just saying that the Republicans are going to say we’re socialists and I think we’ve very clearly got to say socialism is not the solution. I can say that.”

Oh, but they are, and yes, the Republicans will scream socialism at every opportunity – as they should.  But all in all, Hickenlooper may just be, sort of, normal.

~

At Liberty Nation, we love to hear from our readers. Please comment and join the discussion.

~

Liberty Nation does not endorse candidates, campaigns, or legislation, and this presentation is no endorsement.

Read More From

Sarah Cowgill

National Columnist

Latest Posts

Leftist Media on the Ropes

It has been a rough month for progressives. Not only did they take a drubbing at the ballot box, but now they...

DOGE: A Whole-of-Nation Operation?

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) looks set to become both less and more than Trump promised....

Strange Justice for Jussie Smollett

Jussie Smollett has repeatedly seeded controversy in the years-long drama of his battle with the Illinois...

The Scarred Children of the Migrant Trail

It’s another moment that makes one wonder: Do the American people truly understand the full extent of the...

America’s Coming Out Party

On soccer fields, in football stadium end zones, inside fight rings, and just about every other public place one...