Thread by @yarbatman

1. I'm an Iranian-American. As Iranians go to the polls today for parliamentary elections, I mailed my ballot for the Virginia primary. I voted for @ewarren, and it has a lot to do with Iran, but probably not for the reasons you might think. Let me explain...

2. OK, so as a supporter of the JCPOA and diplomacy with Iran, I am encouraged by Warren's statements around the nuclear deal and the need for the US and Iran to recommit to the deal as a basis for further negotiations. But it's Warren's domestic agenda that really matters.

3. I have closely followed Iranian politics and economics for a decade. Do that and you'll develop an appreciation for the difference between *politics* and *policies*.

In Iran, ordinary people are continually let down when vindictive politics get in the way of sound policies.

4. Unfortunately for America, the Trump administration is obsessed with vindictive politics, as made clear by the president's insistence to select political and largely unqualified figures for critical offices. Grenell as DNI! Perry at DOE! DeVos at ED! Jared fucking Kushner!

5. I am not exaggerating when I say that the cronyism we see in Washington today (and its impact on policymaking) is strikingly similar to the dysfunctional politics that have held Iran back for so long. This uncomfortable parallel is what makes Warren's candidacy matter to me.

6. Warren's campaign is all about how theory and practice make up good policy. It's her personal story, her practical experience, her extensive study of the challenges facing America, and her willingness (and proven ability) to draw on the expertise of others.

7. Small aside...

yeah @MikeBloomberg is short, but we also know Warren can DUNK.

...ok back to my point.

8. I am fortunate to know a couple of the people on Warren's policy team. I have witnessed @JarrettBlanc + @ilangoldenberg in meetings where there were current/former officials who simply did not display the same realistic yet principled approach to the complex issues at hand.

9. Basically, everyone had gotten around the table to talk policy, but a lot of people were arguing about politics. These meetings were on foreign policy + national security, but its easy for me to imagine the same dynamics in meetings on healthcare, education, and the economy.

10. This commitment to policy is an under-appreciated kind of leadership that we badly need. On this point, it's worth reading this profile of @sashanbaker by @DavidKlion, who smartly notes the campaign's intention to "combine radicalism and pragmatism."
thenation.com/article/politi…

11. Iran's problem (and lately America's too) is that radicalism and pragmatism are now the banners of opposing political forces. Meanwhile, elected officials appeal to "centrism" to cynically cling to their politics. They pretend to care about pragmatics: "How can we afford it?"

12. Against this backdrop, the (apolitical) challenge of crafting policy is to achieve radical ends with pragmatic means.

I think @ewarren has the best shot of doing that and getting America out of its rut.

13. One reason for this is that I believe Warren will restore the crucial working relationships between the "policymakers" and the neglected bureaucracy of America's demoralized and hollowed-out government institutions.

Fail to do so and there will be no transformative change.

14. I should add that we can't afford to eschew transformative politics. I would have no hesitation to vote for @BernieSanders, whose campaign also has excellent ideas on policy. On foreign policy, @mattduss has much to offer. Again, read @DavidKlion.
thenation.com/article/archiv…

15. Ultimately, however, Warren stands out because she is the candidate who can most credibly deliver radical change through pragmatic means.

16. The primaries have been focused on electability and spending power. That's the *only* reason anyone is talking about Biden, Buttigieg, Steyer, and Bloomberg.

Politicians and billionaires can't fix America.

We need a policymaker.

In Warren I think we have a policy master.