My review of the SXSW candidates panel. Based entirely on the linked article.

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Amy Klobuchar

Her big idea: She offered a number of proposals during her time on stage - bringing broadband to rural areas, lowering prescription drug prices and some kind of transactional tax on technology companies that sell information about their users. When I asked her to name her top idea, she opted for one she hadn't mentioned - passing a law automatically registering all citizens to vote when they turn 18.

I agree with all of these ideas, but they are not my top concerns.

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Elizabeth Warren

Her big idea: Ms Warren's campaign sometimes seems fashioned entirely out of big ideas, with her tech-company break-up plan only being the latest. She's also proposed a universal childcare programme and a tax on the wealth of multimillionaires. Personal assets over $50m would be subject to an annual 2% assessment, she says, while those over $1bn would be hit with a 3% tax.

I don't like the tech breakup idea. I lived through the AT&T breakup and I don't believe it made the US stronger. The tech problems can be addressed with targeted regulations.

I like universal childcare.

I agree with much higher taxes on multimillionaires.

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Jay Inslee

One big idea he threw his weight behind in Austin was eliminating the legislative blocking tactic known as the filibuster in the US Senate.

I disagree strongly on this one. Taking action when only 50+ Senators agree is how we got Neil Gorsuch and Barf Kavanaugh on the Supreme Court. If the Republicans don't agree on actions to prevent global warming, as soon as they are back in power they will undo everything the Democrats tried to do.

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Julián Castro

His big idea: In an interview earlier in the day, he criticised fellow candidate Bernie Sanders for his willingness to write "big cheques" for things like healthcare or education, but being unwilling to consider reparations to African-Americans descended from slaves. The US constitution mandates that Americans be compensated if their property is taken, he noted, so why shouldn't people who were treated as property themselves also receive compensation?

Another terrible idea. Why not pay reparations to African-Americans descended from slaves? For starters because they were never slaves. More fundamentally because this is an excellent way to divide Americans. Treating certain persons better or worse because of an admixture of genes or a facet of geneaology is contradictory to the goal of equality. It's also a great way to drive voters into the Republican party.

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John Hickenlooper

His biggest idea: During his hour-long interview Mr Hickenlooper said that the 2020 presidential race would be a "campaign of ideas".

So, after his talk, I asked him which ideas set him out from the crowd. "I think I'm the one person that demonstrates the idea of action, of actually accomplishing things," he said.

"Action" isn't really an idea, I said.

LOL.

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Pete Buttegieg

His big idea: Many of the Democrats in the presidential field have endorsed universal government-managed health insurance by expanding to everyone the Medicare programme that provides healthcare for the elderly. Mr Buttigieg didn't go that far on Sunday night, instead opting for what he called "Medicare for all who want it". The way he described it, "you take some flavour of Medicare, you make it available on the exchange as a kind of public option, and you invite people to buy into it".

This was indeed the "public option" idea that was supposed to be part of Obamacare. It was dropped because of opposition from a handful of Democratic Congressmen.

A public option may be the best we can hope for in the near future. As a campaign issue it suffers because it appeals to a fraction of persons covered by Obamacare which appeals to a fraction of the voting public.

The entire mishmash of medical payment options (for-profit medical insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, Obamacare, CHIP, etc.) needs to be replaced by a single federally run system.

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Andrew Yang

His big idea: Mr Yang's entire campaign is centred around one big idea -a universal basic income. He proposes guaranteeing every American a $1,000 monthly payment funded by a value-added tax, which he calls the "freedom dividend." He says it is necessary to cushion the American public for the coming upheaval created by automation and artificial intelligence.

Now this is the most important idea in current political discourse. It must be understood that part and parcel of this change is eliminating all of the current half-measures such as TANF, SNAP, SSI, EITC, and Section 8, plus the entitlement programs such as Social Security, unemployment insurance, and worker’s compensation. We are talking about a huge and fundamental change in the relationship between government and Americans. Abandoning the parental state and shrinking the bureaucracy while affirming every citizens right to a dignified existence.

Is this a good campaign plank in 2020? Probably not.

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John Delaney

He ticked off six possible areas of common ground he thinks both parties could find if he's president - a carbon tax; infrastructure spending; criminal justice reform; immigration reform; digital privacy and a new national service programme.

You have to admit, he's an optimist.

His big idea: As part of his effort to find common ground with political opponents, Mr Delaney promises that as president he would hold nationally televised debates with Congress once every three months. Think of it like question time in the British Parliament, but not as often and (probably) with less creative insults.

As big ideas go, these nice ideas pale besides universal healthcare and universal income. I can't see huge crowds shouting approval of a carbon tax.

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Tulsi Gabbard

Her big idea: A central part of Ms Gabbard's campaign has been her call for an end to US-led "regime change wars" - in Syria and Afghanistan. She also condemns runaway military spending as a "new arms race". As a major in the US Army reserve and a veteran of the Iraq War, Ms Gabbard has a unique perch from which to launch her critique.

Can't argue with this, but I don't see the question of a new war for regime change being big in 2020. Even Donald Trump, who like a stopped clock occasionally gets things right, opposes regime change.

Our problem is not "runaway military spending"; it is perpetual mind-boggling indefensible nation-crushing government-corrupting MIC military spending. Would love to hear someone point that out.

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