dailykos--2020-03-02--Moderation Is the Key to American Democracy.

“ With malice toward none , with charity for all , with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right , let us strive on to finish the work we are in , to bind up the nation 's wounds , to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan , to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.
” — Abraham Lincoln , 1865 What stirring words .
What so encapsulates who we should strive to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that I place in the Democratic Party is in its diversity .
Democrats are all of us , not just a minority of older , white , wealthy and/or low-information voters , who on one hand have a legitimate axe to grind but on the other are willing to look the other way when it comes to Trump 's monumental personal and political excesses .
In that regard , Trump has managed to make “ Big Lie ” politics his standard operating procedure and he has largely succeeded—thus far .
We see it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his “ tweets ” and rallies , egging us on in our hatreds and our fears .
Trump has infected us with his division mongering .
“ Charity for all ” is manifestly foreign to Donald Trump .
His tactics are nothing new .
Trump uses the same strategy , intentionally or otherwise , which brought Hitler to power in 1933 .
Aided by a worldwide depression and a ridiculously punitive Treaty of Versailles , the post WWI misery of working class Germans morphed into an irrational ( but always latent ) hatred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is was Jews and other “ non-Aryans ” and it was amplified by enormous sums of money from the `` German 1 % '' of the day .
The Republican Party of today is a numerical minority whose leadership uses every form of voter subterfuge and chicanery to hang on to power , just as the Nazis did in the late 1920 's and early 1930 's .
Like the Nazis ’ case , it is aided by endless amounts of plutocratic money to persuade the persuadable .
( We must take the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ electoral processes in this country . )
It has poisoned us all and most especially our leaders .
The leadership of the Republican Party—not its voters— is now captured by Trumpism and Trumpism is poisoning the democratic impulse throughout the globe , as we see in India , eastern Europe , Latin America and elsewhere .
Thanks to Trump , authoritarian regimes are on the rise precisely because the United States has abdicated its role as the great example of self-government .
The only chance for a return to political sanity we have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ various segments of the American public into a single bloc of voters who want something more than hatred and division in our government and in our politics in general .
Neither Sanders nor Trump understand that at some point , people are just going to say `` No more ! ''
Where that point is is yet to be identified .
Bernie Sanders will not succeed in matching the absolutist rhetoric of Trump with his own .
In that regard he is as a babe in the woods ; outgunned and outspent by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ divide and conquer over decades .
In Hitler 's case , he imprisoned or murdered his political opposition , which was , in fact , a very significant number of Germans .
In Trump 's case , we still have the ability to speak out , which is why he yammers so incessantly about the `` fake news '' media .
Like Hitler , he attempts to degrade and dehumanize any source of opinion counter to his own .
In 1933 , it was the `` Völkischer Beobachter . ''
Today , perhaps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was Jews .
Today , in this country , it ’ s non-whites—the so-called takers .
However , unlike in Germany , we still have a vigorous opposition , of all kinds , to Trumpism .
Nevertheless , the parallel trajectory of our politics with what happened in Germany is really quite unmistakable .
We must recover moderation above all .
We must recover the ability to talk to each other rationally , without the kind of rancor which defines our politics today .
We can not have dogmatic haters on either @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American political conversation and hope to preserve what we ’ ve inherited from our ancestors .
And our disgust with where we find ourselves in 2020 must translate into activism and work to regain what we ’ ve lost : civility , moderation , equality in work , in gender , in wealth , and the hope for our children and their children in a better life .

“With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.” — Abraham Lincoln, 1865
What stirring words. What so encapsulates who we should strive to be as Americans?
The great hope that I place in the Democratic Party is in its diversity. Democrats are all of us, not just a minority of older, white, wealthy and/or low-information voters, who on one hand have a legitimate axe to grind but on the other are willing to look the other way when it comes to Trump's monumental personal and political excesses. In that regard, Trump has managed to make “Big Lie” politics his standard operating procedure and he has largely succeeded—thus far. We see it every day with his manufactured facts, his “tweets” and rallies, egging us on in our hatreds and our fears. Trump has infected us with his division mongering. “Charity for all” is manifestly foreign to Donald Trump.
His tactics are nothing new. Trump uses exactly the same strategy, intentionally or otherwise, which brought Hitler to power in 1933. Aided by a worldwide depression and a ridiculously punitive Treaty of Versailles, the post WWI misery of working class Germans morphed into an irrational (but always latent) hatred of "the other," whether is was Jews and other “non-Aryans” and it was amplified by enormous sums of money from the "German 1%" of the day.
The Republican Party of today is a numerical minority whose leadership uses every form of voter subterfuge and chicanery to hang on to power, just as the Nazis did in the late 1920's and early 1930's. Like the Nazis’ case, it is aided by endless amounts of plutocratic money to persuade the persuadable. (We must take the unrestricted infusion of money out of our electoral processes in this country.) It has poisoned us all and most especially our leaders.
The leadership of the Republican Party—not its voters— is now captured by Trumpism and Trumpism is poisoning the democratic impulse throughout the globe, as we see in India, eastern Europe, Latin America and elsewhere. Thanks to Trump, authoritarian regimes are on the rise precisely because the United States has abdicated its role as the great example of self-government.
The only chance for a return to political sanity we have in November is in coalescing all the various segments of the American public into a single bloc of voters who want something more than hatred and division in our government and in our politics in general. Neither Sanders nor Trump understand that at some point, people are just going to say "No more!" Where that point is is yet to be identified. Bernie Sanders will not succeed in matching the absolutist rhetoric of Trump with his own. In that regard he is as a babe in the woods; outgunned and outspent by someone who has developed his strategy of divide and conquer over decades.
In Hitler's case, he imprisoned or murdered his political opposition, which was, in fact, a very significant number of Germans. In Trump's case, we still have the ability to speak out, which is why he yammers so incessantly about the "fake news" media. Like Hitler, he attempts to degrade and dehumanize any source of opinion counter to his own. In 1933, it was the "Völkischer Beobachter." Today, perhaps it's Fox News. In 1933 it was Jews. Today, in this country, it’s non-whites—the so-called takers. However, unlike in Germany, we still have a vigorous opposition, of all kinds, to Trumpism. Nevertheless, the parallel trajectory of our politics with what happened in Germany is really quite unmistakable.
We must recover moderation above all. We must recover the ability to talk to each other rationally, without the kind of rancor which defines our politics today. We cannot have dogmatic haters on either the right or the left controlling the American political conversation and hope to preserve what we’ve inherited from our ancestors. And our disgust with where we find ourselves in 2020 must translate into activism and work to regain what we’ve lost: civility, moderation, equality in work, in gender, in wealth, and the hope for our children and their children in a better life.
“Charity for all.”
###


dailykos--2020-03-03--Data Shows Warren Has the Best Overall Voter Coalition to Beat Trump

On December 2019 , President Obama said this : IMHO , Obama was hinting at the old men getting out of the race .
That would leave Warren .
People are freaking out about Bernie Sanders getting the nomination , and hope Biden can stop him .
However , Biden appeals to older voters while Sanders appeals to younger voters .
This is a problem .
The way to solve this is to vote for Warren .
Like Obama , Warren actually appeals to a broad coalition of people .
Here is a great diagram that agrees with other data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Morris from The Economist magazine tweeted this out on Feb 26 , 2020 : Warren is at the cross section of voters .
Exactly who we need – someone whom voters can coalesce around .
Back in 2008 , people were trying to talk me into voting for Hillary because she was a woman , and Barack Obama would have more chances .
That was a terrible argument .
They also told me he couldn ’ t win .
I had faith and voted for the best candidate , Barack Obama .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a huge bonus .
And very important to so many of us .
Yes , I want to see a woman president , but Hillary was a centrist – a moderate .
Moderates , by definition want to keep the status quo with little to no big structural changes .
This is exactly a symptom of why we ’ ve gotten little done in this country over the past few decades and how we got Trump in the first place .
Moderates cozy up to corporations & the super-rich .
Hillary , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he has harmed consumers in multiple ways , e.g.
, “ The first duty of any senator from Delaware is to do the bidding of the banks and large corporations ” ) , and Bloomberg represent exactly what is wrong with this country , which I wrote about in my previous diary .
Elizabeth Warren Said We Have One Shot – It ’ s Not Just about Beating Trump .
If you care about democracy and haven ’ t read my diary , please do because it talks about Trump is just a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spanned many decades .
In fact , he is overthrowing our democracy with his super-rich friends .
We can ’ t fix these problems together , unless we all understand how we got here .
Democracy means ( power of the people ) , so we have to make our democracy work for us .
It won ’ t work if we are spectators .
Bloomberg and others bought offices for Republicans in Congress who support Trump and the overthrow of democracy .
Super-rich folks are antithetical to democracy because they have all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brought hope and enthusiasm to voters of all ages , including Democrats and others across the political spectrum .
Fear , too , played a part .
The Republicans had crashed the economy , and people were scared and wanted change .
There ’ s the key to turning out large numbers of voters is ( read The Anger Gap by Davin Phoenix ) Back then , it was fear of economic recession , loss of jobs , homes , etc .
Now , we have even more to fear : Trump , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus , economic crash ( which is coming ) .
There ’ s a reason why Dr. King called for progressive reforms .
He saw the status quo of society as a threat to achieving equality across the board for people of color .
In order to combat inequality , a major reason why we got Trump , we absolutely have to have major progressive reforms .
Now , we have a woman – Elizabeth Warren – who really does follow in Obama ’ s footsteps and is a progressive .
Warren has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kindness , enthusiasm , hope , etc .
She ’ s intelligent , like Obama , and deeply cares about people .
Including people of color , who have traditionally been left out of the conversation .
In fact , The Root gave her the top score on her agenda for Black folks , which includes other people of color .
How many of us would sleep so much better at night with this type of president ?
In fact , her civil rights record goes back decades .
As a law student @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first law review article blasted an anti-busing court ruling.
” Among other things , the article says In 2015 , she also gave an amazing speech at the Kennedy Institute about systemic racism .
And she named names of Black men killed by police .
We Have One Shot & It ’ s More than Just about Trump I ’ ve been saying we have one shot for several years ( and I mean more than just Trump ) , so I was very happy to hear Elizabeth Warren say it at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shot to beat Trump .
Otherwise , this country will be in full authoritarianism/fascism .
However , let ’ s move beyond that .
Let ’ s say a Democrat wins .
If we don ’ t first control the corruption and ensure voting rights , we can ’ t do much of the really big stuff and make generational changes .
That ’ s true regardless of whether we take back the Senate and maintain the House or not .
There are some things a president can do , at least , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or the House .
Attacking the climate crisis has to be the next priority .
Need to Combat Corruption & Implement Big Structural Changes Right Away Here ’ s the one shot .
Democrats have to make big structural changes in the 1st year that make considerable differences in people ’ s lives .
That and tackle corruption .
Otherwise , we will lose in the midterms , just like Obama did , and democracy will be lost .
This is why Elizabeth Warren is right that we have to get rid of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part of the Constitution and is actually anti-democratic .
If we don ’ t make big structural changes right away ( Including many within the first 100 days ) , people ’ s frustration will more easily boil over with each failure .
There are a lot of people in America who are actually experiencing life like they are in a terrible recession or depression .
Trickle-down economics doesn ’ t work .
The is only 1 candidate who has plans for combating corruption and implementing big structural , progressive changes .
Elizabeth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ve lost our democracy .
It really is this dire .
Warren Studied Why People Go Broke & Set Up a Federal Agency to Hold Businesses Accountable Warren is the only one who sees how corruption is tied to everything and has plans to fix it .
Not only that , but also she ’ s studied this throughout her life and understands how dark money is tied into this .
She ’ s been working to help American families for most of her career .
In fact , she is the only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agency .
CFPB has returned over $ 12 billion to American consumers , as it fights the big banks that have cheated people .
This article is old ( from 2017 ) ; the amount is more than the article states .
But it talks about the Republicans wanting to kill it .
By the way , there was another win for CFPB just the other day vs. Well Fargo .
Republicans are dismantling the government as we speak and looting it , just like they did in Russia during the fall of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The worst thing to do is to vote out of fear .
Panicking people make lots of mistakes .
We will likely lose .
In FDR ’ s First Inaugural Address , he said ( bolding is my emphasis ) : Have Faith in the Best Candidate Have faith in Warren , the best candidate , like I do now and did with Barack Obama .
Otherwise , it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy .
And we lose .
If you are waiting for any of these candidates to save us , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do anything without our help .
Candidates have to generate enthusiasm , and we have to help them get out the vote .
Otherwise , people just won ’ t come out to vote in the numbers we will need .
While Warren is the best candidate , none of these candidates is perfect .
No matter who wins the nomination , they won ’ t win without our help .
And we ALL have to vote for that person .
If we ALL vote for the nominee , we can win .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ sat out the last election .
We literally are in the fight for our lives as all these hostile forces and the climate crisis bear down on us .
If we are all sitting home doing nothing , we will lose .
Democracy is not a spectator sport , so get involved .
Help fund candidates , including down-ballot races , if you are able .
Get out the vote ; make phone calls ; text ; talk to friends , family , and co-workers .
Those of us who have more have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There are plenty of people who are just surviving in this country who need us to get in this fight and work extra hard because they can ’ t .
One more thing , demand change for the better for ALL of us .
Hold elected people accountable , even Republicans .
Many Indivisible people showed up at their offices repeatedly , and many of those Republicans quit .
We only can make positive change when we all work together toward a common vision .

On December 2019, President Obama said this:
If you look at the world and look at the problems it’s usually old people, usually old men, not getting out of the way…I’m absolutely confident… if every nation on earth was run by women, you would see a significant improvement.
IMHO, Obama was hinting at the old men getting out of the race. That would leave Warren.
People are freaking out about Bernie Sanders getting the nomination, and hope Biden can stop him. However, Biden appeals to older voters while Sanders appeals to younger voters. This is a problem.
The way to solve this is to vote for Warren.
Warren Appeals to a Large Cross Section of Voters
Like Obama, Warren actually appeals to a broad coalition of people. Here is a great diagram that agrees with other data that I’ve seen.
G.Elliott Morris from The Economist magazine tweeted this out on Feb 26, 2020:
I took 2k responses to our polling on the Dem primary with YouGov and told my computer to place candidates in a 2-dimensional space depending on how likely they are to share voters. It spit this out. Note Gabbard/Steyer's extremity, Warren's centrality.
Warren is at the cross section of voters. Exactly who we need – someone whom voters can coalesce around.
Obama & the Moderates vs. Progressives
Back in 2008, people were trying to talk me into voting for Hillary because she was a woman, and Barack Obama would have more chances. That was a terrible argument. They also told me he couldn’t win. I had faith and voted for the best candidate, Barack Obama. That he would become the first Black president was a huge bonus. And very important to so many of us.
Yes, I want to see a woman president, but Hillary was a centrist – a moderate. Moderates, by definition want to keep the status quo with little to no big structural changes. This is exactly a symptom of why we’ve gotten little done in this country over the past few decades and how we got Trump in the first place. Moderates cozy up to corporations & the super-rich. Hillary, Biden (tied to financial industry — he has harmed consumers in multiple ways, e.g., “The first duty of any senator from Delaware is to do the bidding of the banks and large corporations”), and Bloomberg represent exactly what is wrong with this country, which I wrote about in my previous diary. Elizabeth Warren Said We Have One Shot – It’s Not Just about Beating Trump.
If you care about democracy and haven’t read my diary, please do because it talks about how Trump is just a symptom of much bigger problems that have spanned many decades. In fact, he is overthrowing our democracy with his super-rich friends. We can’t fix these problems together, unless we all understand how we got here. Democracy means (power of the people), so we have to make our democracy work for us. It won’t work if we are spectators.
Bloomberg and others bought offices for Republicans in Congress who support Trump and the overthrow of democracy. Super-rich folks are antithetical to democracy because they have all the power.
Warren Follows in Obama’s Footsteps
Obama won because he brought hope and enthusiasm to voters of all ages, including Democrats and others across the political spectrum. Fear, too, played a part. The Republicans had crashed the economy, and people were scared and wanted change. There’s the key to turning out large numbers of voters is (read The Anger Gap by Davin Phoenix)
Hope + Fear of something
Back then, it was fear of economic recession, loss of jobs, homes, etc.
Now, we have even more to fear: Trump, loss of democracy, climate crisis, coronavirus, economic crash (which is coming).
Dr. King Called for Progressive Reforms
There’s a reason why Dr. King called for progressive reforms. He saw the status quo of society as a threat to achieving equality across the board for people of color. In order to combat inequality, a major reason why we got Trump, we absolutely have to have major progressive reforms.
Warren’s Civil Rights Record
Now, we have a woman – Elizabeth Warren – who really does follow in Obama’s footsteps and is a progressive. Warren has many of Obama’s traits of kindness, enthusiasm, hope, etc. She’s intelligent, like Obama, and deeply cares about people. Including people of color, who have traditionally been left out of the conversation. In fact, The Root gave her the top score on her agenda for Black folks, which includes other people of color. How many of us would sleep so much better at night with this type of president?
Also, her civil rights record goes back decades. As a law student in 1975, “Elizabeth Warren's first law review article blasted an anti-busing court ruling.” Among other things, the article says
The isolation of minorities in urban centers, Warren wrote, and a shrinking tax base to finance public education would lead to facilities that are inferior in "student-teacher ratios, and other educational advantages" for minority students. For Brown v. Board of Education to have meaning in northern urban centers, Warren said that "effectively separate schools, even if equal, and certainly if unequal, are condemned by the Constitution, regardless of the reason for the separation."
In 2015, she also gave an amazing speech at the Kennedy Institute about systemic racism. And she named names of Black men killed by police.
We Have One Shot & It’s More than Just about Trump
I’ve been saying we have one shot for several years (and I mean more than just Trump), so I was very happy to hear Elizabeth Warren say it at the debate. Obviously, we have one shot to beat Trump. Otherwise, this country will be in full authoritarianism/fascism.
However, let’s move beyond that. Let’s say a Democrat wins. If we don’t first control the corruption and ensure voting rights, we can’t do much of the really big stuff and make generational changes. That’s true regardless of whether we take back the Senate and maintain the House or not. There are some things a president can do, at least, that don’t require the Senate or the House. Attacking the climate crisis has to be the next priority.
Need to Combat Corruption & Implement Big Structural Changes Right Away
Here’s the one shot. Democrats have to make big structural changes in the 1st year that make considerable differences in people’s lives. That and tackle corruption. Otherwise, we will lose in the midterms, just like Obama did, and democracy will be lost. This is why Elizabeth Warren is right that we have to get rid of the filibuster. It’s not part of the Constitution and is actually anti-democratic.
If we don’t make big structural changes right away (Including many within the first 100 days), people’s frustration will more easily boil over with each failure. There are a lot of people in America who are actually experiencing life like they are in a terrible recession or depression. Trickle-down economics doesn’t work.
The is only 1 candidate who has plans for combating corruption and implementing big structural, progressive changes. Elizabeth Warren. Without these, we’ve lost our democracy. It really is this dire.
Warren Studied Why People Go Broke & Set Up a Federal Agency to Hold Businesses Accountable
Warren is the only one who sees how corruption is tied to everything and has plans to fix it. Not only that, but also she’s studied this throughout her life and understands how dark money is tied into this. She’s been working to help American families for most of her career. In fact, she is the only candidate who has set up a federal agency.
On September 17, 2010, President Obama announced the appointment of Warren as Assistant to the President and Special Advisor to the Secretary of the Treasury on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to set up the new agency.
CFPB has returned over $12 billion to American consumers, as it fights the big banks that have cheated people. This article is old (from 2017); the amount is more than the article states. But it talks about the Republicans wanting to kill it. By the way, there was another win for CFPB just the other day vs. Wells Fargo.
Republicans are dismantling the government as we speak and looting it, just like they did in Russia during the fall of the Soviet Union, creating the oligarchs.
A Winning Strategy – Overwhelm the Ballot Box
The worst thing to do is to vote out of fear. Panicking people make lots of mistakes. We will likely lose. In FDR’s First Inaugural Address, he said (bolding is my emphasis):
So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is...fear itself — nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance. In every dark hour of our national life a leadership of frankness and of vigor has met with that understanding and support of the people themselves which is essential to victory. And I am convinced that you will again give that support to leadership in these critical days.
Have Faith in the Best Candidate
Have faith in Warren, the best candidate, like I do now and did with Barack Obama.
Otherwise, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. And we lose.
If you are waiting for any of these candidates to save us, we will lose. They can’t do anything without our help. Candidates have to generate enthusiasm, and we have to help them get out the vote. Otherwise, people just won’t come out to vote in the numbers we will need.
While Warren is the best candidate, none of these candidates is perfect. No matter who wins the nomination, they won’t win without our help. And we ALL have to vote for that person. If we ALL vote for the nominee, we can win. Keep in mind that 100 million people sat out the last election.
We literally are in the fight for our lives as all these hostile forces and the climate crisis bear down on us. If we are all sitting home doing nothing, we will lose.
Democracy Is Not a Spectator Sport
Democracy is not a spectator sport, so get involved. Help fund candidates, including down-ballot races, if you are able. Get out the vote; make phone calls; text; talk to friends, family, and co-workers. Those of us who have more have a moral responsibility to do more. There are plenty of people who are just surviving in this country who need us to get in this fight and work extra hard because they can’t.
One more thing, demand change for the better for ALL of us. Hold elected people accountable, even Republicans. Many Indivisible people showed up at their offices repeatedly, and many of those Republicans quit. We only can make positive change when we all work together toward a common vision.


dailykos--2020-03-03--IAN: Tuesday, March 3, 2020: SuperTuesday from CA.  Whiplash!

Tuesday : A day to take in all the political drama !
OK , I ’ m suffering political whiplash @ @ @ @ @ and I live in CA .
I already voted by mail-in ballot .
So much @ @ @ @ @ the last day , hours .
It ’ s hard to keep up .
I @ @ @ @ @ favorite candidate is not going to win .
I ’ m still all in for @ @ @ @ @ .
But I confess : I really wanted a woman nominee .
I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ going to happen in my lifetime ?
Probably not .
Which , I have to @ @ @ @ @ , very sad .
But , on to Democratic victory .

Tuesday: A day to take in all the political drama!
As you can see by Itzl's concerned look, this group gives Kossacks a safe place to check in, a daily diary where we can let people know we are alive, doing OK, and not affected by such things as heat, blizzards, floods, wild fires, hurricanes, tornadoes, power outages, earthquakes, or other such things that could keep us off DKos. It also allows us to find other Kossacks nearby for in-person checks when other methods of communication fail - a buddy system. If you're not here, or anywhere else on DKos, and there are adverse conditions in your area (floods, heatwaves, hurricanes, earthquakes etc.), we and your buddy are going to check up on you. If you are going to be away from your computer for a day or a week, let us know here. We care!
IAN is a great group to join, and a good place to learn to write diaries. Drop one of us a Kosmail and ask to be added to the Itzl Alert Network anytime! We all share the publishing duties, and we welcome everyone who reads IAN to write diaries for the group! Every member is an editor, so anyone can take a turn when they have something to say, photos and music to share, a cause to promote or news!
We do have a diary schedule. But, when you are ready to write that diary, either post in thread or send FloridaSNMOM a Kosmail with the date. If you need someone to fill in, ditto. FloridaSNMOM is here on and off through the day usually from around 9:30 or 10 am eastern to around 11 pm eastern.
OK, I’m suffering political whiplash today. Tomorrow is SuperTuesday and I live in CA. I already voted by mail-in ballot. So much has been breaking in just the last day, hours.
It’s hard to keep up.
I have to say, my favorite candidate is not going to win. I’m still all in for whomever is the Democratic nominee. But I confess: I really wanted a woman nominee. I’m old! Is it ever going to happen in my lifetime? Probably not. Which, I have to say, makes me very, very sad.
But, on to Democratic victory.


dailykos--2020-02-29--It's Not Too Late Most Places: Register to Vote in the Primaries! Updated with Even More Dates!

Make your voice heard !
If you are not yet registered as a Democrat , then understand that you need to do so in order to vote in the Democratic primary in your state .
Some deadlines have passed , but many others have not .
Some states even allow registration right up to the day of their primaries !
So please check your registration ( remember some messing around goes on and you might find yourself unregistered , but you might have time to fix it ! )
, and register if you are not currently registered .
Especially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote in your primary !
The Democratic Party needs young blood and new life .
It can benefit greatly from your participation !
In all states , all citizens can vote when 18 years old .
That means you can register when you are 17 years old , if you will be 18 by the time you vote .
In some states , you can vote in the Primaries when 17 , if you will be 18 by the time of the General Election .
In other states , you can only vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the time of the primary .
If there is any question , i.e.
, if you are 17 , since all rules are subject to change , check with your local party office .
Should you be able to vote as a 16 year old ?
Yes , but it hasn ’ t been made legal yet in the U.S. You can get involved in politics even if not eligible to vote , and you could make lowering the voting age your issue !
More info at the above link .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is listed as they can vary according to method of registration — online , by mail , or in person .
However , several states allow for same-day in-person registration , so that column is listed separately where it occurs .
Please do NOT wait until the last day , whenever possible : Give yourself plenty of time in case of unforeseen complications with your registration !
And recheck your registration often ; contact authorities right away if it disappears before primary day !
Business Insider was cross checked against USA Today .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I checked with each state ( Update 2 : and/or the state ’ s Democratic party ) and changed the table accordingly .
For those , the source of information is linked right in the table .
In summary , those states whose registration deadlines have not ( entirely ) passed include : So Srsly : Whether you ’ re an enthusiastic online supporter of Bernie Sanders or Liz Warren or Pete Buttigieg or any other Democratic candidate , if you really want to support them , you have to vote for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for them , you have to be registered , often a bit in advance !
So please check that you are registered , check that you stay registered .
Also check that you have proper ID , know where you go to vote , and otherwise follow all da Rulez .
You will then also be ready for November .
After you vote , you will be glad you did !
Please Note : Your humble diarist is NR , but please consider yourselves +1 as long as you behave !
: -D @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not only an issue of registering , but of registrations being lost .
So more details here : And if you are already registered and ready to do more !
:

Post-Super-Tuesday March Update
Several more states hold their primary votes on Tuesday, March 10, and these allow same-day registration on that date: Idaho, Michigan, and Washington state. Furthermore, more states vote the following Tuesday, March 17, and Illinois allows same-day registration on that date. Furthermore: If you live in Wisconsin, you can register until March 18! If you live in Wyoming, you can register until March 20. If you live in Rhode Island, you can register until March 29. And if you live in Pennsylvania, you can register until March 30!
more information
Make your voice heard! If you are not yet registered as a Democrat, then understand that you need to do so in order to vote in the Democratic primary in your state. Some deadlines have passed, but many others have not. Some states even allow registration right up to the day of their primaries! So please check your registration (remember some messing around goes on and you might find yourself unregistered, but you might have time to fix it!), and register if you are not currently registered.
Especially if you are a young person, vote in your primary! The Democratic Party needs young blood and new life. It can benefit greatly from your participation!
minimum age requirements to vote
In all states, all citizens can vote when 18 years old. That means you can register when you are 17 years old, if you will be 18 by the time you vote. In some states, you can vote in the Primaries when 17, if you will be 18 by the time of the General Election. In other states, you can only vote in the Primaries if you are 18 at the time of the primary. If there is any question, i.e., if you are 17, since all rules are subject to change, check with your local party office.
Should you be able to vote as a 16 year old? Yes, but it hasn’t been made legal yet in the U.S. You can get involved in politics even if not eligible to vote, and you could make lowering the voting age your issue! More info at the above link.
She might not be old enough to vote. But you might be.
voter registration deadlines by state
In the table below, the earliest deadline is listed as they can vary according to method of registration — online, by mail, or in person. However, several states allow for same-day in-person registration, so that column is listed separately where it occurs. Please do NOT wait until the last day, whenever possible: Give yourself plenty of time in case of unforeseen complications with your registration! And recheck your registration often; contact authorities right away if it disappears before primary day! Business Insider was cross checked against USA Today (where there are discrepancies, the earlier date is listed; “Maybe” indicates one source said yes voters could register in person on the day of the primary and one source said no voters could not, so be sure to check with your state) . Update: For all entries with discrepancies, I checked with each state (Update 2: and/or the state’s Democratic party) and changed the table accordingly. For those, the source of information is linked right in the table. In summary, those states whose registration deadlines have not (entirely) passed include:
registration deadlines after march 1 state deadline register in person day of? alaska alaska April 4 — president July 19 — state YES No california Feb. 17 YES (March 3) colorado Feb. 24 YES (March 3) connecticut April 23 No district of columbia May 12 YES (June 2) delaware April 4 No guam April 22 No Hawaii hawaii April 4 — president July 9 — state YES No idaho Feb. 14 YES (March 10) illinois Feb. 18 YES (March 17) indiana kansas kentucky April 6 April 11 April 20 No YES (May 2) No louisiana March 4 No maryland April 7 YES (April 28) maine michigan Feb. 11 Feb. 24 YES (March 3) YES (March 10) minnesota Feb. 11 YES (March 3) montana May 4 YES (June 2) north dakota Day of only! YES (June 9) nebraska April 24 No new jersey May 12 No New mexico new york May 5 April 3 No No oregon April 28 No pennsylvania March 30 No rhode island March 29 No south dakota May 18 No utah Feb. 2 YES (March 3) virgin islands May 7 No vermont Day of only! YES (March 3) washington state March 2 YES (March 10) wisconsin March 18 YES (April 7) west virginia April 21 No wyoming March 20 YES (April 4) For more information — to check my accuracy! — and for contact links for every state, please click the Business Insider link! You can also Google it; for most locations, you want to contact your Secretary of State.
So Srsly: Whether you’re an enthusiastic online supporter of Bernie Sanders or Liz Warren or Pete Buttigieg or any other Democratic candidate, if you really want to support them, you have to vote for them! And in order to vote for them, you have to be registered, often a bit in advance! So please check that you are registered, check that you stay registered. Also check that you have proper ID, know where you go to vote, and otherwise follow all da Rulez. You will then also be ready for November. After you vote, you will be glad you did!
Purrticipate! (h/t PinotBlue)
Please Note: Your humble diarist is NR, but please consider yourselves +1 as long as you behave! :-D
Update: h/t belinda ridgewood and mettle fatigue:
As noted above, there’s not only an issue of registering, but of registrations being lost. So more details here:
CONFIRM YOU ARE REGISTERED, REPEAT REGULARLY,
AND GET YOUR FAMILY AND OTHERS TO DO THE SAME!!! FIGHTING VOTER SUPPRESSION STARTS AT HOME! Many folks here have been surprised to find that their or a family member’s registration has mysteriously disappeared, even though it had been active. Don’t wait until too late to catch and correct this bullshit.
HEADCOUNT.ORG will direct you to your state’s Department of State/Division of Elections (or similar) webpage, which is the horse’s mouth, as it were.
will direct you to your state’s Department of State/Division of Elections (or similar) webpage, which is the horse’s mouth, as it were. Or, google something like “am I registered to vote” plus your state, and go to your state government’s page directly.
And if you are already registered and ready to do more!


dailykos--2020-03-03--Dirty Tricks Reported in Texas

Dirty Tricks Reported in Texas

Robocalls falsely telling Texas voters that the state 's primaries were scheduled for Wednesday , and not Tuesday , were @ @ @ @ @ Texas secretary of state on Tuesday .
Calls are going out in both English and @ @ @ @ @ at Democratic voters with no reports coming in from any other demographic .
I ’ @ @ @ @ @ a local effort or foreign one ?
Full story here ; www.nbcnews.com/ ...

From NBC website;
Robocalls in Texas push wrong day for Democratic primary Robocalls falsely telling Texas voters that the state's primaries were scheduled for Wednesday, and not Tuesday, were reported several times to the Texas secretary of state on Tuesday.
Calls are going out in both English and Spanish and are seemingly aimed at Democratic voters with no reports coming in from any other demographic. I’m wondering if this is a local effort or foreign one? Full story here; www.nbcnews.com/...


dailykos--2020-03-04--Why are youth a smaller proportion of 2020 Dem primary voters than youth were in 2016 Dem primaries?

According to NBC News ’ s exit polls , the Democratic electorate actually skewed older in Tuesday ’ s primary compared to past primaries .
In 2008 and 2016 , 13 and 18 percent of the electorate , respectively , was 65 and older .
In 2020 , it was 24 percent… .
Before Tuesday , voters younger than 30 were not keeping pace with the overall increase in voter turnout .
In fact , young voters ’ share of the electorate went down in three of the first four states compared with 2016 .
On Tuesday night , not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ young voters ’ share of the electorate , according to exit polls conducted by Edison Research and sponsored by several of the television networks .
In Alabama , only 7 % of the voters were in the 17-29 range compared to 14 % in 2016… .
In North Carolina , 13 % of Tuesday ’ s electorate were young voters , compared to 16 % four years ago…..
In South Carolina , young voters made up 11 % of the electorate Tuesday compared to 15 % in 2016…..
In Vermont , only 10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were under 30 compared to 15 % .
And a similar trend was playing out in Texas where 16 % of voters were between 17 and 29 compared to 20 % in 2016 .
The media have covered this mainly as an explanation for Sanders ’ losses , but what I am most concerned about is what it means for the general election .
Based on 2018 voting patterns as well as the fact that Sanders ’ base skews overwhelmingly young and Sanders was the frontrunner going into the primary , I thought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proportion of the primary electorate .
Why is the opposite happening ?
I can think of three possible explanations : 1 .
Republican efforts to suppress the youth vote were even more vicious and effective than in 2016 .
Republicans have used the state and local positions they won in 2016 to further increase requirements for proof of residency and possession of driver ’ s licenses and voter IDs and making it harder for college students to vote , and it ’ s working as Republicans hoped .
This would be horrible for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Unlike older Democrats who are more likely to have a favorite from previous years and/or may have more time and knowledge with which to evaluate candidates , a lot of young Democrats are so overwhelmed by the large number of Democratic candidates still running that they are tuning out the primary because they don ’ t have a strong favorite and don ’ t have time or energy to learn enough about all the candidates to decide on a favorite .
This may not necessarily be too bad for Democrats ’ chances @ @ @ @ @ @ @ choice will be between just Trump and a Democrat then , and most youth will like any Democrat better than Trump , but it makes me nervous because it could mean that a lot of young Democrats are not very energized by any of the current frontrunners .
3 .
Young Democrats are energized and turning out in higher numbers than in 2016 , but older Democrats are even more energized and turning out in even higher numbers , thus dwarfing the youth voter surge .
Maybe higher voter turnout meant that a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ line , and younger voters were more likely than older voters to get discouraged and walk away from lines without voting .
Most of the 2020 Democratic primaries have had a lot more turnout than in 2016 , which is reassuring .
This explanation wouldn ’ t necessarily bode poorly for Democrats ’ chances in the general election , although it makes me worried about whether older Republicans are even more energized than their Democratic counterparts ( there are a lot more old Republicans than there are old Democrats ) , and whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voting will discourage even more young ( mostly Democratic-leaning ) voters .
We need to get more polling places opened , more vote-by-mail opportunities , and more early voting opportunities set up wherever we can .
I ’ m very worried about what the relatively low youth primary turnout means for Democrats ’ general election chances , because historically , the rate at which young voters turned out for the general election correlated directly with how many wins Democrats got up and down the ballot .
Young voters are the most strongly Democratically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the age group that has long had the lowest voter turnout , even though youth voted more in 2018 than they did in previous midterm elections .
In 2016 , only 50 % of about 24 million eligible youth , ages 18-29 voted .
What other explanations can you all think of for why youth were a smaller proportion of Democratic primary voters in 2020 than in 2016 ?

Vox:
According to NBC News’s exit polls, the Democratic electorate actually skewed older in Tuesday’s primary compared to past primaries. In 2008 and 2016, 13 and 18 percent of the electorate, respectively, was 65 and older. In 2020, it was 24 percent…. Before Tuesday, voters younger than 30 were not keeping pace with the overall increase in voter turnout. In fact, young voters’ share of the electorate went down in three of the first four states compared with 2016. On Tuesday night, not a single state saw an increase in young voters’ share of the electorate, according to exit polls conducted by Edison Research and sponsored by several of the television networks.
According to USA Today:
In Alabama, only 7% of the voters were in the 17-29 range compared to 14% in 2016…. In North Carolina, 13% of Tuesday’s electorate were young voters, compared to 16% four years ago….. In South Carolina, young voters made up 11% of the electorate Tuesday compared to 15% in 2016….. In Vermont, only 10% of the state’s electorate were under 30 compared to 15%. And a similar trend was playing out in Texas where 16% of voters were between 17 and 29 compared to 20% in 2016.
www.usatoday.com/...
The media have covered this mainly as an explanation for Sanders’ losses, but what I am most concerned about is what it means for the general election. Based on 2018 voting patterns as well as the fact that Sanders’ base skews overwhelmingly young and Sanders was the frontrunner going into the primary, I thought young voters would be a much bigger proportion of the primary electorate. Why is the opposite happening?
I can think of three possible explanations:
1. Republican efforts to suppress the youth vote were even more vicious and effective than in 2016. Republicans have used the state and local positions they won in 2016 to further increase requirements for proof of residency and possession of driver’s licenses and voter IDs and making it harder for college students to vote, and it’s working as Republicans hoped. This would be horrible for Democrats’ general election chances.
2. Unlike older Democrats who are more likely to have a favorite from previous years and/or may have more time and knowledge with which to evaluate candidates, a lot of young Democrats are so overwhelmed by the large number of Democratic candidates still running that they are tuning out the primary because they don’t have a strong favorite and don’t have time or energy to learn enough about all the candidates to decide on a favorite. This may not necessarily be too bad for Democrats’ chances in the general election, as the choice will be between just Trump and a Democrat then, and most youth will like any Democrat better than Trump, but it makes me nervous because it could mean that a lot of young Democrats are not very energized by any of the current frontrunners.
3. Young Democrats are energized and turning out in higher numbers than in 2016, but older Democrats are even more energized and turning out in even higher numbers, thus dwarfing the youth voter surge. Maybe higher voter turnout meant that a lot of voters had to wait in line, and younger voters were more likely than older voters to get discouraged and walk away from lines without voting. Most of the 2020 Democratic primaries have had a lot more turnout than in 2016, which is reassuring. This explanation wouldn’t necessarily bode poorly for Democrats’ chances in the general election, although it makes me worried about whether older Republicans are even more energized than their Democratic counterparts (there are a lot more old Republicans than there are old Democrats), and whether the even longer lines for general election voting will discourage even more young (mostly Democratic-leaning) voters. We need to get more polling places opened, more vote-by-mail opportunities, and more early voting opportunities set up wherever we can.
I’m very worried about what the relatively low youth primary turnout means for Democrats’ general election chances, because historically, the rate at which young voters turned out for the general election correlated directly with how many wins Democrats got up and down the ballot. Young voters are the most strongly Democratically leaning age group, as well as the age group that has long had the lowest voter turnout, even though youth voted more in 2018 than they did in previous midterm elections. In 2016, only 50% of about 24 million eligible youth, ages 18-29 voted.
What other explanations can you all think of for why youth were a smaller proportion of Democratic primary voters in 2020 than in 2016?


dailykos--2020-03-04--Bernie Sanders, Necessary Pugilist

Bernie Sanders, Necessary Pugilist

I want to preface this diary by alerting you to the fact that I use a slur that many of us are uncomfortable using .
It ’ s important to the message , because it ’ s part of the psyche of our opposition .
I acknowledge that some may find it offensive .
Let ’ s be clear about something .
If you are supporting Joe Biden , you ’ re probably thinking , “ He ’ s a moderate .
He can appeal to both sides .
He ’ s not so extreme .
He ’ s pragmatic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like tough guys .
Guys who stick to their guns , and aren ’ t afraid to use them .
Remember — it ’ s estimated that between 30 % and 40 % of the population ( any/every human population ) is inclined to authoritarianism .
( See George Lakoff ’ s “ Don ’ t think like an Elephant ” and in particular , the Stern Father framing . )
You won ’ t capture that vote without having a position that sounds strong , feels strong , and stays consistent .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ has improved our reputation on the world stage .
Let ’ s let that be a rational perception for a moment ( I know ... it ’ s hard ) .
What could they be thinking ?
In what way has Trump done this ?
Well , frankly , he ’ s punched other countries in the face .
He ’ s made us look like a tough-guy .
America FIRST .
Show them the fist , and throw a punch .
( “ That ’ ll teach ‘ em ... ” ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A good Senator .
A good family man .
A man of principle in a business that scars people early and often , especially those men and women of principle who stick with it .
He ’ s honorable , honest , admirable .
He likes folks from all walks of life , and is willing to broker deals and make things ... ” nice ” .
Republicans hate guys like that .
They think guys like that are weak .
Even before the abject dissolution of any kind of principle in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extraordinarily unappealing to Republicans .
Joe Biden is a good guy .
Bernie Sanders , on the other hand , is , in many ways uncompromising .
We know where Bernie stands , because he ’ s stood pretty much in the same place for 40 years .
While the rest of the world compromised its way right-ward , Bernie stood pretty still , hammering away at what he felt was right , just , and human .
Bernie Sanders is a man of principle .
And Republicans think he ’ s a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any other policy-laden word that does or doesn ’ t describe Bernie ’ s policies .
But that ’ s the key .
It ’ s a descriptor based on policy , not character .
Which do you think will be an easier perception to unwind… policy , or character ?
It ’ s obvious .
For Republicans who are willing to listen , they ’ ll come to understand Bernie ’ s policies after a fashion , and maybe reflect on a few things like : • It might be expensive , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it .
• It won ’ t be the end of America as we know it , because a lot of it sounds like Eisenhower • At least we know where he stands .
And he won ’ t get everything he wants anyways .
We could argue about what the above list looks like .
It does n't really matter .
They ’ ll consider , and possibly change their perception .
And Bernie will remain the guy who is strong in his convictions and his positions , and his rhetoric will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Stern-Father-ish .
For Republicans who are not willing to listen ... who cares ?
They ’ re not going to vote for a Democrat no matter what , because Trump is the fulfillment of their dreams .
Authoritarian , hurting the “ snowflakes ” , bullying “ everybody we don ’ t like ” .
But few Republicans ( I dare say , “ no Republicans ” ) and few Independents who skew rightward will be convinced that Joe Biden isn ’ t a pussy .
Why ?
Because there ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s an emotional perception only .
Plus , he exhibits the key characteristic that they associate with being weak — he ’ s willing to compromise .
This logic is so very simple .
And remember , we need to think not like Democrats , who value facts , nuance , and pragmatism , but like Republicans , who value strength , certitude — and authority , above all else .
As pragmatic and reasonable as Joe Biden is , it ’ s not worth much to Republicans .
Stern-Father framing frames Joe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Pragmatism is simply not as valuable as strength .
Bernie has a chance to be perceived as strong .
If we want to win , we need the other side to see our strength , not our pragmatism .
Commie ?
“ Prove it !
” Socialist ?
“ Don ’ t be stupid .
Look at what he ’ s ACTUALLY saying.
” Will they ?
Maybe .
Maybe not .

EDIT: Lesson learned. I have replaced some of the controversial language I used in this post with an allusion to the profanity used by Donald Trump in the Access Hollywood tape. I initially used the word specifically to illuminate the depth of the antipathy and contempt that Republicans will aim at Joe Biden. But, as I am often discovering, my perspectives on what is appropriate are not always aligned with current mores. So, to honor the reasonable engagement of the community, I’ve made changes. I hope the changes do not soften the intensity and impact of my postulate.
I want to preface this diary by alerting you to the fact that I use a slur that many of us are uncomfortable using. It’s important to the message, because it’s part of the psyche of our opposition . I acknowledge that some may find it offensive.
Let’s be clear about something. If you are supporting Joe Biden, you’re probably thinking, “He’s a moderate. He can appeal to both sides. He’s not so extreme. He’s pragmatic. He can build bridges.”
If you’re supporting Joe Biden, you’re thinking like a Democrat.
That’s a mistake.
Republicans like tough guys. Guys who stick to their guns, and aren’t afraid to use them. Remember — it’s estimated that between 30% and 40% of the population (any/every human population) is inclined to authoritarianism. (See George Lakoff’s “Don’t think like an Elephant” and in particular, the Stern Father framing.) You won’t capture that vote without having a position that sounds strong, feels strong, and stays consistent.
Consider that so many Republicans think Trump has improved our reputation on the world stage. Let’s let that be a rational perception for a moment (I know...it’s hard). What could they be thinking? In what way has Trump done this?
Well, frankly, he’s punched other countries in the face. He’s made us look like a tough-guy.
THAT’S what Republicans respect.
America FIRST. Show them the fist, and throw a punch. (“That’ll teach ‘em...”)
Joe Biden is a good guy. A good Senator. A good family man. A man of principle in a business that scars people early and often, especially those men and women of principle who stick with it. He’s honorable, honest, admirable. He likes folks from all walks of life, and is willing to broker deals and make things...”nice”.
Republicans hate guys like that. They think guys like that are weak. Even before the abject dissolution of any kind of principle in the GOP, guys like Joe Biden were extraordinarily unappealing to Republicans. Joe Biden is a good guy.
And Republicans think he’s a .
Bernie Sanders, on the other hand, is, in many ways uncompromising. We know where Bernie stands, because he’s stood pretty much in the same place for 40 years. While the rest of the world compromised its way right-ward, Bernie stood pretty still, hammering away at what he felt was right, just, and human.
Bernie Sanders is a man of principle. And Republicans think he’s a commie, or a socialist, or any other policy-laden word that does or doesn’t describe Bernie’s policies. But that’s the key. It’s a descriptor based on policy, not character.
Which do you think will be an easier perception to unwind… policy, or character?
Commie, or ?
It’s obvious. For Republicans who are willing to listen, they’ll come to understand Bernie’s policies after a fashion, and maybe reflect on a few things like:
It might be expensive, but we’ll get something for it.
It won’t be the end of America as we know it, because a lot of it sounds like Eisenhower
At least we know where he stands. And he won’t get everything he wants anyways.
We could argue about what the above list looks like. It doesn't really matter. They’ll consider, and possibly change their perception. And Bernie will remain the guy who is strong in his convictions and his positions, and his rhetoric will continue to sound...pugilistic and pugnacious and Stern-Father-ish.
For Republicans who are not willing to listen...who cares? They’re not going to vote for a Democrat no matter what, because Trump is the fulfillment of their dreams. Authoritarian, hurting the “snowflakes”, bullying “everybody we don’t like”.
But few Republicans (I dare say, “no Republicans”) and few Independents who skew rightward will be convinced that Joe Biden isn’t what they will call him and paint him, in their minds and in their rhetoric. Why? Because there’s no arguing that point. It’s an emotional perception only. Plus, he exhibits the key characteristic that they associate with being weak — he’s willing to compromise.
This logic is so very simple. And remember, we need to think not like Democrats, who value facts, nuance, and pragmatism, but like Republicans, who value strength, certitude — and authority, above all else.
As pragmatic and reasonable as Joe Biden is, it’s not worth much to Republicans. Stern-Father framing frames Joe Biden as weak, and irrevocably so. Pragmatism is simply not as valuable as strength.
Bernie has a chance to be perceived as strong.
If we want to win, we need the other side to see our strength, not our pragmatism. Commie? “Prove it!” Socialist? “Don’t be stupid. Look at what he’s ACTUALLY saying.”
Will they? Maybe. Maybe not.
But I’m afraid one can’t un-slur Joe Biden.


dailykos--2020-03-04--Barack Obama and Bernie Sanders: Two Underestimated Men Who Persisted

I could not believe my own eyes but there he was in that resurfaced black and white photo , the young , bespectacled , and black-haired Bernie Sanders , being hauled away from a civil rights protest by two uniformed Chicago police officers in August , 1963 .
Bernie ’ s right arm looked as if it was being twisted and bent at an awkward angle .
Former President Barack Obama , born on August 4 , 1961 , was two years old when Bernie was forcibly removed from the protest .
President Lyndon B. Johnson would sign the Civil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But that bill would have never been signed if not for the actions of Martin Luther King , and men and women like Bernie Sanders , who offered their energy , their time , and their bodies ; risking pain , prison , and death for what they believed in .
I don ’ t know if I can imagine a young Joe Biden , a man who opposed school integration at the beginning of his political career , putting his body on the line for such a cause .
I can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ role of the arrogant man who smoked his cigarette and stood aside as the cops carried Bernie to the police wagon .
Barack Obama trounced Senator John McCain on November 4 , 2008 , as he more than doubled McCain ’ s electoral vote count while also accruing more than sixty-nine million individual votes , the most by any presidential candidate in the history of this country .
The democratic party rode Obama ’ s coat tails to a resounding victory , securing a majority of seats in the House of Representatives and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had delivered Obama a mandate to execute after he received the oath of office .
Republicans were aghast and vengeful in the wake of Obama taking the oath .
This man can not win , they ’ d said .
So the republicans converged in some back room in early 2009 , and devised a pack : They would do everything in their power to make sure that Obama does not succeed .
Weeks before the 2010 midterms , Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell , sat for an interview with the National @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying “ The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to become a one-term president.
” Not long after the Republicans won the house majority , Republican Leader Mitch McConnell , perhaps smarting from the criticism he received in the wake of the publication of the article , clarified his previous statement before a friendly crowd at the Heritage Foundation , wrapping his venality in a sanitized version of his stated goal .
Republicans would flirt with economic disaster as they set out to weaken Obama before the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ few hours away from crashing through the debt ceiling , the legislative limit on how much debt the United States of America can accrue .
Republicans were willing to risk financial ruin to make a point : We will risk our country ’ s viability in our quest to destroy Obama .
Mitt Romney , a republican senator from Utah , was selected by republican primary voters to face Obama for the American presidency in 2012 .
Republicans seemed confident , thinking that Obama ’ s rise to power was a fluke occurrence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than stellar first debate against Mitt Romney , John Sununu , a republican former governor of New Hampshire , said that Obama was “ babbling , ” “ lazy , ” and “ disengaged.
” And when asked if Obama can improve in future debates , Sununu said , “ When you ’ re not that bright you can ’ t get better prepared.
” Obama would go on to prove Sununu wrong in his next debate , luring Romney into a snare , and then springing the trap .
You all remember @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Romney thought he caught Obama in a lie about the terrorist attack in Benghazi , and he could barely contain his glee .
And then Romney chose the moment to attack , asserting that Obama had missed the opportunity to call the ambush a terrorist attack .
“ Get the transcript , ” Obama said , from his chair .
And then came the fatal blow from the moderator , who affirmed Obama ’ s truth .
“ Can you said that a little louder , Candy ?
!
” said Obama @ @ @ @ @ @ @ widened , his jaw clenched .
He looked like he was staring down an oncoming semi-truck as the cold reality washed over him : Obama had bested him .
It was an iconic moment in presidential debating history , in which Romney occupied the role of the goat .
I remember grinning at the television set as Romney ’ s body temperature dropped .
Obama would eviscerate Romney during the foreign policy debate and then go on to comfortably win re-election in November .
As Obama ’ s time as president was coming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ replace him as the new leader of the Democratic Party featured two prominent people : Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders .
Hillary was the polished and prepared candidate .
Bernie was also prepared to debate the issues , but he wasn ’ t graceful .
His hair — shockingly white — was scraggly and unkempt , his suits — which looked as if they ’ d been purchased from the dollar store — hung off his thin frame , and his skin was sallow and wrinkly .
He wore plain ass glasses .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bernie was the anti-Obama .
However , Bernie Sanders , although not as polished a speaker as Obama , spoke eloquently , consistently , and forcibly — almost in a growl — about the America that he wanted to help bring into fruition .
An America where every citizen was afforded viable healthcare , college tuition was free for anybody , a fair tax code was followed , and racial justice reigned .
Bernie ran on a platform that I could wholeheartedly support , but I did not think that a democratic socialist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opted to vote for Hillary Clinton , an avowed centrist and espouser of the super predator myth .
As a black man , I was skeptical of a Hillary Clinton presidency .
Yeah , she was working hard to make amends with black people , and Obama — a man for whom I ’ d knocked on strangers ’ doors — had thrown the full weight of his support behind her .
I didn ’ t really know if she could fulfill her promises , but I knew that she would be a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So I colored the oval next to her name with blue ink , sealed the ballot in the envelope , and threw it in the box .
And I hoped for a favorable outcome .
Trump won the presidency in November , 2016 , sapping the air from my lungs .
That ’ s all that I ’ m going to write about the man for now .
Almost four years have passed since a minority of the American people ushered in a disaster that came in the form of greedy and unscrupulous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of another presidential election cycle , one of the most important in the history of this very young country .
Bernie Sanders is once again running for president , extolling the virtues of Medicare-for-All , free college , taxing the wealthy , and expanding racial equality .
Bernie is a hedgehog .
He ’ s identified a core value — fairness — and has built a successful campaign around it .
His message has resonated with millions of people , including me .
And he now stands on the cusp of securing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of what is basically his life ’ s work .
I voted for Bernie Sanders because I believe in his vision for the country and I trust him to see it through .
If he receives the nomination , I hope the establishment democrats will put aside their skepticism and get behind Bernie .
And I hope that Obama will fight for Bernie like he did for Hillary .

I could not believe my own eyes but there he was in that resurfaced black and white photo, the young, bespectacled, and black-haired Bernie Sanders, being hauled away from a civil rights protest by two uniformed Chicago police officers in August, 1963. Bernie’s right arm looked as if it was being twisted and bent at an awkward angle. Former President Barack Obama, born on August 4, 1961, was two years old when Bernie was forcibly removed from the protest.
President Lyndon B. Johnson would sign the Civil Rights Act on July 2, 1964. But that bill would have never been signed if not for the actions of Martin Luther King, and men and women like Bernie Sanders, who offered their energy, their time, and their bodies; risking pain, prison, and death for what they believed in. I don’t know if I can imagine a young Joe Biden, a man who opposed school integration at the beginning of his political career, putting his body on the line for such a cause. I can imagine Donald Trump though, occupying the role of the arrogant man who smoked his cigarette and stood aside as the cops carried Bernie to the police wagon.
****
Barack Obama trounced Senator John McCain on November 4, 2008, as he more than doubled McCain’s electoral vote count while also accruing more than sixty-nine million individual votes, the most by any presidential candidate in the history of this country. The democratic party rode Obama’s coat tails to a resounding victory, securing a majority of seats in the House of Representatives and the United States Senate. American voters had delivered Obama a mandate to execute after he received the oath of office.
Republicans were aghast and vengeful in the wake of Obama taking the oath. This man cannot win, they’d said. So the republicans converged in some back room in early 2009, and devised a pack: They would do everything in their power to make sure that Obama does not succeed.
Weeks before the 2010 midterms, Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, sat for an interview with the National Journal and made his intentions clear, saying “The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to become a one-term president.”
Not long after the Republicans won the house majority, Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, perhaps smarting from the criticism he received in the wake of the publication of the article, clarified his previous statement before a friendly crowd at the Heritage Foundation, wrapping his venality in a sanitized version of his stated goal.
Republicans would flirt with economic disaster as they set out to weaken Obama before the next presidential election. We were a few hours away from crashing through the debt ceiling, the legislative limit on how much debt the United States of America can accrue. Republicans were willing to risk financial ruin to make a point: We will risk our country’s viability in our quest to destroy Obama.
Mitt Romney, a republican senator from Utah, was selected by republican primary voters to face Obama for the American presidency in 2012. Republicans seemed confident, thinking that Obama’s rise to power was a fluke occurrence. And after Obama’s less than stellar first debate against Mitt Romney, John Sununu, a republican former governor of New Hampshire, said that Obama was “babbling,” “lazy,” and “disengaged.” And when asked if Obama can improve in future debates, Sununu said, “When you’re not that bright you can’t get better prepared.” Obama would go on to prove Sununu wrong in his next debate, luring Romney into a snare, and then springing the trap.
You all remember that moment at Hofstra University, right? Romney thought he caught Obama in a lie about the terrorist attack in Benghazi, and he could barely contain his glee. And then Romney chose the moment to attack, asserting that Obama had missed the opportunity to call the ambush a terrorist attack.
“Get the transcript,” Obama said, from his chair.
And then came the fatal blow from the moderator, who affirmed Obama’s truth.
“Can you said that a little louder, Candy?!” said Obama.
The moderator obliged.
And then Romney’s eyes widened, his jaw clenched. He looked like he was staring down an oncoming semi-truck as the cold reality washed over him: Obama had bested him. It was an iconic moment in presidential debating history, in which Romney occupied the role of the goat. I remember grinning at the television set as Romney’s body temperature dropped. Obama would eviscerate Romney during the foreign policy debate and then go on to comfortably win re-election in November.
*****
As Obama’s time as president was coming to a close, the race to replace him as the new leader of the Democratic Party featured two prominent people: Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders.
Hillary was the polished and prepared candidate.
Bernie was also prepared to debate the issues, but he wasn’t graceful. His hair — shockingly white — was scraggly and unkempt, his suits — which looked as if they’d been purchased from the dollar store — hung off his thin frame, and his skin was sallow and wrinkly. He wore plain ass glasses. When it came to his appearance, Bernie was the anti-Obama.
However, Bernie Sanders, although not as polished a speaker as Obama, spoke eloquently, consistently, and forcibly — almost in a growl — about the America that he wanted to help bring into fruition. An America where every citizen was afforded viable healthcare, college tuition was free for anybody, a fair tax code was followed, and racial justice reigned. Bernie ran on a platform that I could wholeheartedly support, but I did not think that a democratic socialist could win the presidency, so I opted to vote for Hillary Clinton, an avowed centrist and espouser of the super predator myth.
As a black man, I was skeptical of a Hillary Clinton presidency. Yeah, she was working hard to make amends with black people, and Obama — a man for whom I’d knocked on strangers’ doors — had thrown the full weight of his support behind her. I didn’t really know if she could fulfill her promises, but I knew that she would be a much better president than Donald Trump. So I colored the oval next to her name with blue ink, sealed the ballot in the envelope, and threw it in the box. And I hoped for a favorable outcome.
Trump won the presidency in November, 2016, sapping the air from my lungs. That’s all that I’m going to write about the man for now.
Almost four years have passed since a minority of the American people ushered in a disaster that came in the form of greedy and unscrupulous men. We are in the midst of another presidential election cycle, one of the most important in the history of this very young country. Bernie Sanders is once again running for president, extolling the virtues of Medicare-for-All, free college, taxing the wealthy, and expanding racial equality. Bernie is a hedgehog. He’s identified a core value — fairness — and has built a successful campaign around it. His message has resonated with millions of people, including me. And he now stands on the cusp of securing the democratic nomination for president, the culmination of what is basically his life’s work.
I voted for Bernie Sanders because I believe in his vision for the country and I trust him to see it through. If he receives the nomination, I hope the establishment democrats will put aside their skepticism and get behind Bernie. And I hope that Obama will fight for Bernie like he did for Hillary.
Bernie Bruh!


dailykos--2020-03-05--Kos no Clue on Chicago

Kos no Clue on Chicago

The recent Kos staff article on Kim Foxx and her challengers in the upcoming election was an exercise in ignorance .
Ignorance about local geography and local politics .
It was this little snippet that had me shaking my head : Any Chicagoan knows that , while there is a little sliver of the magnificent mile that extends into the south end of the Gold Coast , the Gold Coast is a residential neighborhood , not a shopping district .
So , if they got that wrong , what else did they get wrong ?
First , the major dynamic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dems vs GOP .
It ’ s the ongoing fight between Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle .
These two have still not gotten over their bitter mayoral fight .
( To understand what kind of person Preckwinkle has become , see her homophobic and Uncle Tom whisper campaign against Lightfoot . )
Every local political development has to be understood in that context .
The other big stink bomb in Chicago politics is the unfolding corruption scandal around 14th ward Alderman and kingmaker Ed Burke .
In brief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mayor Harold Washington ’ s side and was recently accused by the FBI of extortion using his office ( I think it was Burger King that finally blew the whistle ) .
Kim Foxx is a Preckwinkle protégée , which was enough to disqualify her in my book in 2016 , but her opponent , Anita Alvarez , had been truly awful as States Attorney , culminating in the sorely mishandled Laquan McDonald case .
Foxx was tainted by Ed Burke donations , but Burke had sung at Alvarez ’ s wedding , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if you didn ’ t have Burke ‘ s support , you weren ’ t long for your job .
Now Kim Foxx is trying to straddle the dispute between Preckwinkle and Lightfoot on criminal justice reform .
Whose side she comes out on is an important consideration .
Who is Bill Conway ?
He ’ s an opportunist with a rich daddy who smells blood in the water .
If it weren ’ t for the Jussie Smollett blunder by Foxx , he wouldn ’ t have a chance .
I may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ll side with Lightfoot over Preckwinkle and not make any more blunders , but I may just pull the ripcord if I think Conway won ’ t do too much harm .
Better to reboot after one term with a different reformer than the flawed Foxx .
If you didn ’ t get any of that from the Kos staff article , well , demand more .

The recent Kos staff article on Kim Foxx and her challengers in the upcoming election was an exercise in ignorance. Ignorance about local geography and local politics.
www.dailykos.com/…
It was this little snippet that had me shaking my head:
While that may be a top priority for white shoppers clutching their pearls on the Gold Coast, many black and brown Chicagoans have slightly different priorities.
Any Chicagoan knows that, while there is a little sliver of the magnificent mile that extends into the south end of the Gold Coast, the Gold Coast is a residential neighborhood, not a shopping district. So, if they got that wrong, what else did they get wrong?
First, the major dynamic in Chicago and Cook County is not Dems vs GOP. It’s the ongoing fight between Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. These two have still not gotten over their bitter mayoral fight. (To understand what kind of person Preckwinkle has become, see her homophobic and Uncle Tom whisper campaign against Lightfoot.) Every local political development has to be understood in that context.
The other big stink bomb in Chicago politics is the unfolding corruption scandal around 14th ward Alderman and kingmaker Ed Burke. In brief: he was a major burr in mayor Harold Washington’s side and was recently accused by the FBI of extortion using his office (I think it was Burger King that finally blew the whistle).
Kim Foxx is a Preckwinkle protégée, which was enough to disqualify her in my book in 2016, but her opponent, Anita Alvarez, had been truly awful as States Attorney, culminating in the sorely mishandled Laquan McDonald case. Foxx was tainted by Ed Burke donations, but Burke had sung at Alvarez’s wedding, and at the end of the day if you didn’t have Burke‘s support, you weren’t long for your job.
Now Kim Foxx is trying to straddle the dispute between Preckwinkle and Lightfoot on criminal justice reform. Whose side she comes out on is an important consideration.
Who is Bill Conway? He’s an opportunist with a rich daddy who smells blood in the water. If it weren’t for the Jussie Smollett blunder by Foxx, he wouldn’t have a chance.
I may vote for Foxx if I think she’ll side with Lightfoot over Preckwinkle and not make any more blunders, but I may just pull the ripcord if I think Conway won’t do too much harm. Better to reboot after one term with a different reformer than the flawed Foxx.
If you didn’t get any of that from the Kos staff article, well, demand more.