Thank you Tom Steyer for steadfastly supporting impeachment

Thank you for joining responsible billionaires like Warren Buffett and signing the giving pledge.

Thank you for running a campaign that combined progressive ideals and centrist pragmatism.

I'll be honest enough to admit I figured you'd be out by my primary. I'll now plan on casting my ballot for Elizabeth Warren. I had the privilege to hear her speak at the Iowa State Fair, and while I have my differences with her, I feel she combines progressive idealism and centrist pragmatism.

How does Coronavirus factor into the primaries?

Obviously it is causing mild economic disruption as I write this. CDC is warning of other disruption. Does it change the discussion?

My problem with Bernie's Castro comments.

Let me start off by saying 1) I don't particularly see Castro as more or less despicable than Putin. 2) I think most of the South Floridians who take offense at Bernie's comment were voting Trump anyway.

By creating a linkage with Castro - a super polarizing figure - Bernie essentially justifies someone like Bloomberg or Mark Cuban making an independent run to "save us from Trump and socialism." As a result, Trump will be reelected. Bernie needs to stick with student loan debt and medical care and not get into high concept political history.

Something more controversial than the recent caucuses - RAGBRAI or Iowa's Ride?

This year, Iowa will have two cross-state bicycle rides. The marketing team behind RAGBRAI left to start a rival ride over the Des Moines Register's handling of the Carson King controversy. King, you'll remember, raised an unexpectedly huge sum of money with a request to gave people Venmo him funds for Bud Light on the ESPN Game Day show. He became a local celebrity when he donated the money to the Iowa Children's Hospital, but Bud Light ended their association with him after the Register published articles about Mr. King's social media history.

So both rides will cross northern Iowa, with RAGBRAI heading from LeMars to Clinton, and then Iowa's Ride heading from Dubuque to Rock Rapids in a north/central-ish fashion the following week.

So, Iowans

- Do you have any feelings on this?
- Do any of you plan to ride in either (or both)?

Some of the world's biggest economies are on the brink of recession

Source: CNN

Take Japan: The world's third-largest economy shrank 1.6% in the fourth quarter of 2019 as the country absorbed the effects of a sales tax hike and a powerful typhoon. It was biggest contraction compared to the previous quarter since 2014.

Then there's Germany. The biggest economy in Europe ground to a halt right before the coronavirus outbreak set in, dragged down by the country's struggling factories. The closely-watched ZEW Indicator of Economic Sentiment in Germany decreased sharply for February, reflecting fears that the virus could hit world trade.

Bank of America economist Ethan Harris points to the number of smaller economies that are hurting, too. Hong Kong is in recession and Singapore could soon suffer a similar fate. Fourth quarter GDP data from Indonesia hit a three-year low, while Malaysia had its worst reading in a decade, he noted to clients on Friday.

Meanwhile, engines of growth like China and India slowed in 2019. Fourth quarter GDP data for the latter comes out this week.


Read more: http://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/some-of-the-worlds-biggest-economies-are-on-the-brink-of-recession/ar-BB10il8F?ocid=ientp

A friend just reported long, slow lines in Nevada

Probably a good sign from a turnout perspective.

On edit: I have gotten this far in life without being able to read time stamps on my social media. Please feel free to "OK Boomer" me at will.

How many candidates do you predict will remain in the primaries after Super Tuesday?

I'm working under the assumption that those in now will stay in until then -- which could very well be incorrect.

Have any of the Loungers seen Shen Yun?

If so, what did you think? Worth seeing?

They advertise the living heck out of it. It makes the rounds through our area every other year.

If you are still undecided here on DU, why?

Just wondering. No judgment.

Vox: Opinion: Why Medicare for All works for Bernie Sanders -- and nobody else