Yes, the Democratic primary debates will be a circus. But they are also policy incubators | Fletcher McClellan

Debates among the candidates for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination begin this week, giving voters their best opportunity yet to compare the views and personalities of the 20 candidates.

Each candidate will have little time to explain what they will do as president. However, voters who focus on issues and answers will still be rewarded.

There is an extraordinary flood of ideas among the Democratic candidates.

Some examples: US Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey wants every child to be given an interest-bearing savings account at birth. Washington Governor Jay Inslee has a comprehensive agenda to combat climate change. Entrepreneur Andrew Yang is driven almost exclusively by his plan to provide a universal basic income.

And almost every Democrat has a version of Medicare for All.

Some candidates are a one-stop shop. The patron saint of all politics nerds, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, coined the phrase, “I have a plan for that.” Not to be outdone, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota listed 136 actions she would take in the first 100 days of her presidency.

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Then there is the structural approach that U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont is taking. He outlined a vision of “democratic socialism” that would address social class differences in economics, politics, and quality of life.

To be clear, not all candidates are pro-solutions. Former Vice President Joe Biden is touting his service as President Barack Obama’s right-hand man. South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Peter Buttigieg, 37, is playing a role as a catalyst for generational change.

But what stands out at this early stage of the 2020 presidential campaign is the candidates’ efforts to market themselves as worthwhile politicians.

What is responsible for this escalate in interest in ideas? And where do ideas come from?

One obvious reason is tactics. In a field of two dozen presidential candidates (currently including former U.S. Republican Joe Sestak of Delaware County), it’s tough to be heard. Lesser-known candidates target specific policy areas to gain media attention and attract issue activists.

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Another explanation is that demonstrating political knowledge is an simple way for Democrats to oppose President Donald Trump, whose approach to governing has been more instinctive than fact-based, without engaging in the impeachment debate.

The third reason is that powerful liberals, who are most likely to vote in the presidential primaries, want action. Along with unions and other conventional partisans, they are allies of social crusades such as #NeverAgain, Black Lives Matter and the Sunrise Movement.

Some candidates directly appeal for support for the movement. For example, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (NY) calls for stronger measures to stop sexual harassment and assault in a conversation about #MeToo concerns. In response to waves of teacher strikes across the country, U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris (Calif.) wants to escalate teacher salaries by $13,500 over four years.

Fourth, there is a wide range of ideas to choose from, and not just those that undo Trump’s policies. The Green New Deal materialized in Congress after the 2018 midterm elections. Warren’s “economic patriotism” program relies heavily on green production.

Majority Democrats in the House have passed more than 100 bills, including disclosure of political contributions, universal gun background checks and civil rights for LGBTQ Americans, many of which are on the candidates’ agendas and likely to remain given the opposition of the Republican-controlled Senate .

While Washington is paralyzed by divided government, states are implementing groundbreaking policies. For example, eleven states are implementing free college programs, a centerpiece of Sanders’ platform.

It is reasonable to ask whether voters should pay attention to what politicians say. Do public officials take election promises seriously, or do they forget about them once the election is over?

Believe it or not, political science research shows that presidents try to keep their promises, making good faith efforts to fulfill, on average, two-thirds of their commitments.

Many significant presidential initiatives were born during election campaigns. Ronald Reagan championed supply-side economics, Bill Clinton proposed AmeriCorps, and George W. Bush championed the principle of “No Child Left Behind.” Trump promoted a border wall, a promise that went unfulfilled, but not for lack of trying.

Of course, not all modern campaign ideas are good and popular, and many of them will never see the featherlight of day. If, for example, you prefer a free-market approach to solving social problems, you will probably be disappointed by the Democratic debates.

Regardless, leave it to political reporters, morons and pundits to find the zingers, gaffes, winners and losers of the presidential debates.

Take a different course. While watching, try to ask yourself which candidate has the best ideas for the country.

Opinion writer Fletcher McClellan is a professor of political science at Elizabethtown College. His work appears monthly on the Capital-Star magazine comment page.

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