So, I feel like it's been enough time that I feel like I can directly compare the 3 candidates and regrade how I judge each of them on their policies and other characteristics. I graded Biden like way back last year, Phillips I did more recently, and I regraded williamson last night. However, I kinda realize my grades might seem a bit dated so I want to recalibrate.
Metric 1
This metric is more a general snapshot of the candidate overall and provides a comprehensive picture that allows me to get a good idea of what they're about.
Basic income support - 10
Medicare for all support - 10
Economic policies (other than UBI/M4A) - 10
Social policies - 10
Foreign policy - 10
Worldview/ideology- 20
Consistency/dedication to progressive values- 10
Experience/competence- 10
Doesn't act as a spoiler- 10
Total- 100
Joe Biden
Basic income support- 2/10
He supported an expansion of the child tax credit, but otherwise doesn't support UBI
Medicare for all support- 2/10
Supports a public option in theory but has done absolutely nothing to advance it. if he tried I'd give him a 5.
Economic policies- 8/10
Very pro union, supported free college, some student debt forgiveness, supported Build Back Better (climate plan), $15 minimum wage. He's been low key based, despite whatever criticisms I have against the guy.
Social policy- 9/10
Has been largely in line with my politics. Maybe some minor issues with immigration (slightly too harsh), and alternatively too woke, but I like Biden on social policy and find him to be progressive but also largely nonoffensive.
Foreign policy- 10/10
I know he gets a lot of crap, but Biden gets perfect marks from me on foreign policy. He has handled various crises well, including Ukraine. I know a lot of people aren't happy with him on foreign policy but I believe he's been trying (unsuccessfully) to moderate Netanyahu. I think he's been very good here.
Worldview/ideology- 10/20
He's far too moderate for me, but not terrible. Kinda leans hard into jobism at times. Of course everyone does in modern politics. Very much aligned on social and foreign policy. Economics he needs a lot of work, but he's okay at least. Giving him a lower rating so I dont end up crunching biden, phillips, and williamson into similar ratings.
Consistency/dedication to progressive values- 5/10
I mean, he's been true to his word on a lot of things, he's just too moderate and doesn't do enough. If that makes sense. he's been much better than I thought, but he's still a bit of a moderate. Again, giving him a lower score to better express my feelings with Williamson/phillips relative to him.
Experience/competence- 10/10
I mean, he's the current guy, he's done a good job, no one is more qualified. Literally.
Doesn't act as a spoiler- 10/10
Mostly added this to subtract points from west/stein, since I'm not looking at them here, it's just free points.
Total- 66/100
All in all, Joe Biden is not a terrible candidate. I find him acceptable as the minimum option, and I'm not really inclined to consider third party candidates this time around as a result. He's not everything I want, but he's been solid, and as a barrier against the threat of the insurrectionist getting in again, he's pretty solid. All in all, better than nothing.
Marianne Williamson
Basic income support- 10/10
She has recently come out in favor of basic income
Medicare for all support- 10/10
she has supported basic income since the start of her campaign
Economic policies- 10/10
She supports everything Biden does, and more. If anything she goes too far where I question if she can accomplish all she wants. See metric 2.
Social policy- 8/10
She seems a bit more "woke", which I don't like, but she's solid. I mean, I lean progressive anyway, so I'm not gonna criticize her too hard for this.
Foreign policy- 3/10
Here she seems very weak. I watched a video of hers today and she was talking about trying to negotiate a peace between Russia and Ukraine. Uh...let's not reward russia for anything. She also wants a department of peace with is cringey. I get it, you like peace, but sometimes the real world sucks and sometimes you need to be a bit hard on our enemies because they will be hard on us. For as civilized as we like to think of ourselves, foreign policy is that one realm where we need to deal with the uncivilized.
Worldview/ideology- 16/20
While Marianne Williamson is very progressive, she's also very...wooey at times. And sometimes she just seems to live in her own little world. She's basically fully aligned with me on economics, but outside of that we differ a bit and I likely agree with Biden more in some ways.
Consistency/dedication to progressive values- 8/10
I mean, i trust her more than Biden but I dont trust her recent pushes toward UBI somewhat. Still, if I trusted anyone to get it done, it's her.
Experience/competence- 2/10
I mean, she has no government experience, she has a bit of a wooey worldview, and on foreign policy she's terrifyingly ignorant in my opinion. Her economic platform is based, but I dont see how she can pay for all of that. keep in mind my biggest moderating factor in my own ideology is i kinda realized all of these proposals aren't sustainable at the same time and we need to prioritize. She hasn't realized that. So...yeah. Kinda unrealistic. Still, she means well.
Doesn't act as a spoiler- 10/10
Again, free points.
Total- 77/100
She does better than Biden and will likely win here. Still, let's look at Dean Phillips
Dean Phillips
Basic income support- 4/10
He supports the child tax credit, some UBI trials, and maybe a carbon dividend, but otherwise does not support UBI outright.
Medicare for all- 10/10
He's recently come to back medicare for all.
Economic policies- 6/10
I mean, he supports a lot of the same stuff Biden does but given his own direction he occasionally seems more moderate due to his upper class entrepreneurial background. Climate change plan seems to be a carbon dividend, weaker on free college/student debt forgiveness. But he otherwise seems largely in line with Biden and standard progressive policies.
Social policy- 9/10
Once again, inoffensive liberal, much like Biden.
Foreign policy- 9/10
Seems similar to Biden, maybe a tad more moderate, but acceptable.
Worldview/ideology- 13/20
Seems low key progressive at times, seems to align with me on policy in theory, but also seems way too moderate for me. Better than Biden, worse than Marianne.
Consistency/dedication to progressive values- 6/10
I'm not sure how much i CAN trust Dean Phillips. He's kinda flip flopped a bit and some answers in the democratic primary kinda concern me. Still he seems...okay at least.
Experience/competence- 8/10
He's a congressman and basically young Joe Biden. He's fine.
Doesn't act as a spoiler- 10/10
Free points
Total- 75/100
Despite being more moderate than Marianne Williamson, he's surprisingly well rounded, whereas Williamson is much better in some ways but much worse than others. He's also a more progressive Joe Biden. So he's pretty decent.
Overall
Joe Biden- 66
Dean Phillips- 75
Marianne Williamson- 77
Metric 2
This metric is more focused and is a measurement of consistency on my economic priorities
Basic income support- 40
Medicare for all support- 25
Free college/student debt forgiveness- 15
Climate change- 10
Housing- 10
Total- 100
Joe Biden
Basic income support- 8/40
As I said, he supported the child tax credit despite it being repealed
Medicare for all support- 5/25
Nominally supports a public option but hasnt done much to act on it.
Free college/student debt forgiveness- 8/15
Supported free college and some student debt forgiveness, got stopped by congress
Climate change- 10/10
Build back better was based, passed inflation reduction act, got stopped by congress
Housing- 0/10
No major housing initatives that mean anything
Total- 41/100
This is where Biden is going to flounder and his moderation is going to show. As we can tell he's not very good on my priorities. Still he's done a decent amount that makes me support him somewhat. He's not terrible and it's not like he completely ignored them.
Marianne Williamson
Basic income support- 40/40
Now supports a basic income very similar to my own.
Medicare for all- 25/25
Supports single payer
Free college/student debt forgiveness- 15/15
She's all over that
Climate change- 5/10
Goes with the extremist green new deal framework, dock points because I prefer a more moderate plan
Housing- 10/10
Supports building housing as part of green new deal
Total- 95/100
Williamson is a very strong candidate who is highly aligned with my policy preferences.
Dean Phillips
Basic income support- 15/40
Supports child tax credit expansion, basic income trials, and a carbon dividend, but no UBI itself.
Medicare for all- 25/25
Has thrown support behind M4A
Free college/student debt forgiveness- 5/15
Kinda weak here, supports some free community college if I recall but no real student debt forgiveness
Climate change- 3/10
While he supported build back better, has no climate plan of his own to my knowledge other than a carbon dividend which is weak.
Housing- 10/10
Wants to build more housing
Total- 58/100
Phillips is in some ways more progressive than Joe Biden, in some ways less progressive, and far worse than Marianne Williamson on my top priorities. He might be more pragmatic, but I also ain't measuring that here.
Overall
Joe Biden- 41
Dean Phillips- 58
Marianne Williamson- 95
Williamson is an overwhelming winner for me here, she is fully in line with my policies. Phillips is a distant second place, with some progressive proposals but nothing like Williamson's second economic bill of rights. And Biden is third. He's not terrible, but Phillips and Williamson are better.
Metric 3
Here I'm just going to rate the candidates on a scale of my "warmness" to them. This is a metric on a scale of 0-100 in which I measure how I feel about the candidates on a more intuitive level (50 is neutral). I will basically report the first number that comes to mind when I think of all of these candidates.
Joe Biden- 55
Marianne Williamson- 75
Dean Phillips- 65
I think that's about right. I'm not crazy about any of them, but I have a decent like of Williamson, Phillips a more mild like of, and Biden I'm kinda neutral on. All three of them are acceptable to me for the general election, but it seems quite clear that I trend toward liking Williamson the best, Phillips second, and Biden last.
As such, that's how I plan on voting. Williamson is my favorite, but if I have to settle for Biden in the general, I will. All of them are acceptable. I just think Williamson is far better.
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