People who are uninformed by the corporate media might beleive it, which seems many americans are.

You guys are almost as bad as your counterparts on the right. The only difference is I agree with most of what you want to see done. As a practical matter though, Bernie's got about as much chance of getting elected as I do. Presidents aren't elected by ideologues on either side. Rush Limbaugh thinks that Romney lost because he didn't run far enough to the right. You dopes seem to think Clinton can't win unless she moves to the left. So you have two choices. Stop trying to pull the ONLY party that's ever going to have ANY of your interests at heart to the unelectable left, and get behind the candidate who CAN win, or stick by your ideals and drive the party into the ditch on the left side of the road.

Cruz and Rubio are trying to drive the GOP into the right-hand ditch and we should let them go ahead. Anyone who thinks Trump can't win should just keep pushing for Bernie. There's a whole big slice of America that won't vote for anyone calling himself a socialist. It works in Vermont but not in Ohio, not in Texas, probably not in the Carolinas, and certainly not in Florida.

Republicans may have stolen the 2000 election, but Dubya carried Florida, Texas, both Carolinas, and Ohio in 2004. And won the popular vote by 3 million. Is anyone ready to make the argument that Kerry would have won if he'd run more to the left. Add to that the probability of many new voters coming out because Trump attracts a lot of bigots who don't vote because they feel nobody speaks for them. Look at the voter turnout in Republican primaries. They're doubling the Democratic turnout in some BLUE states.

And there's the unthinkable. Somehow Cruz or Rubio manage to stay alive all the way to the convention. And say the one with the most delegates, probably Cruz, offers the veep spot to the other in exchange for his delegates. Do you think for one second Rubio passes on that? He's barely past forty. Plenty of time to run in 2024. Think of the damage to the Supreme Court. Think how they will turn back the clock on all the progress that's been made over the past 50 years.

So you can say goodbye to gay marriage in any state that outlaws it. Get ready to return to 1970 on abortion rights. Get ready for a repeal of the Voting Rights Act and a whole host of Republican initiatives with no means of redress. Get ready for a court with two or three Scalias.

Scared yet? Republicans already control the majority of the statehouses and, I'm not sure but I think, most state legislatures. Think of all those Republicans run amok, passing blue laws, issuing warrants for surveillance on mosques, and on and on. This will become truly a Christian nation. They keep talking about Judeo-Christian, but watch how fast the "Judeo" part of that goes away. Maybe I'm exaggerating, but imagine even some of that happening.

I worked for George McGovern's campaign in '72 because I was as afraid of Richard Nixon as I am of the Republicans running now, so I appreciate fully how you all feel about these issues, Our Hillary was a guy named Scoop Jackson, an establisment guy who was as much as what we didn't want the party to be as McGovern was exactly what we wanted. We succeeded in changing the convention rules to make sure he got the nomination. He was painted a socialist by CREEP (what an apt acronym) and he didn't even identify himself in that way. And, needless to say, he, and we, suffered the 2nd worst electoral defeat in history.

So before you get your panties in a bunch about campaign financing and Debbie's positions on it, remember who allowed the super pacs in the first place. The Supreme Court with a Republican-appointed majority did that and imagine the damage they can do that will last for the REST OF YOUR LIFE. Also remember that Clinton isn't running so much against Sanders as she is against Trump Cruz and Rubio.

For all you high-minded souls who will "go green" & vote for Stein, save some gas & stay the f___ home. That way I won't have to explain to my grandchildren how you idealistic morons turned the country over to the Republicans.

Please note, that the Democrats are the party of BIG Business, BIG Labor, BIG Banks, and BIG Government, they all to well when the Democrats are in office, like during the Obama years, and Johnson, and FDR ..... At the expense of the middle class and the poor. The poor do best during Republican years. They did OK with Truman and Kennedy too.

I think some reality needs to be addressed .... Economics is based on everyone being greedy. Everyone wants more of something, and want to give something of lessor value to themselves, so they can get something they value more. The appeal of Socialism to some people is they think they will get more without having to work as hard. This in time results in a failed economy. ...... In the USA in the 1800's there were many socialistic communities, in time they all failed. In Eastern Europe there were socialistic nations, and in time they all failed. Socialism appeals to people's greed.

I wrote to the DNC last week and told them that the reason I've dropped my membership was that too many Democrats vote for things like the TPP and the Dark Act. I'm afraid Hillary would stand by and let these things happen. She also wouldl get us involved in the war in Syria, and she probably wouldn't do anything to stop climate change. It's pitiful what the Democratic Party has come to.

I'd have to really hold my nose (very hard) in order to vote for Hillary. If she gets the nomination and she's leading comfortably in November, I'll vote my conscience, which is to vote for Jill Stein. Hillary would have to pledge long and loud that she'd back efforts against free-trade agreements, threats to food safety, regime change in Syria, and ever-iworsening climate change before I'd feel good voting for her. As far as I'm concerned, she's the DINO we need to get rid of first

Of Course Wasserman-Schultz has orchestrated the whole debate issue to favor her candidate. She has done an injustice to the Democratic party with her prejudice against all but Hillary. She wanted to make sure no ones message got out but her candidate. But tell me how you dump her. I cannot find any method for feedback or comments on the DNC website, but there is a place where they allow me to send my money. Very dissappointed in what I thought was a party for all the people, not just those that fall in line. Nobody gives a hoot about what i have to say, they just want my dinero. Go Bernie, dump Debbie.

Schultz not only needs to step down, she needs to switch parties. If the info in tonights blog ever reached the voters in Florida it appears Schultz would have a much better chance getting elected running as a member of the Teapublic Party. In other words if Canova ever reaches the voters with the facts presented in tonights blog, Schultz will be totally crushed running as a Democratic candidate in the primary.

It's very frustrating to know that our democracy is based on massive amounts of deliberate and calculated misinformation. I'm quite sure the enlightenment thinkers never intended that purposeful deception to the extent that a huge segment of the population votes against it's own best interest could ever possibly lead to good government.

It's Tues March 8, 2016 11:42 in Tucson, AZ

If I heard right (and lately I've been wondering if my hearing has gone caput) a few minutes ago Thom mentioned an FSTV audio problem. Yesterday I spent half an hour online with a ROKU tech troubleshooting extremly low volume on The Thom Hartmann Program, so low as to be barely audible a few days ago. Today it's just a bit better - have two TVs in same room at max audio, but it's still only just audible, this when TH audio used to be far more than ample, as in blow me to California if it was turned up to present settings. Democracy Now is somewhat better, but still much lower than it used to be. I have Comcast 120+ mbps internet, and I wouldn't put it past this crummy power hungry corp to have a hand in this. I refer you to freepress.net "Comcast Has Sunk to a New Low" (suing the FCC over net neutrality rules) While I can't imagine anyone visiting Thom's website is unaware of this it's paramount all sorts of pressure be applied wherever possible, and we all should feel insecure about this being thrown into the court system.

Regards to Thom, his staff, and all progressives

PS: Since we are in process of determining wether the Democratic candiate will be Hillary or Bernie (he got my AZ vote especially since I don't believe she is the least bit progressive and doesn't have any intention of carrying through with campaign promises) I'd like to remind those who've determined they won't vote if it's Hillary especially since she gave private, highly paid talks to the BIG BANKS - does anyone think she didn't give them assurances business would'nt be as usual? This in contrast with Bernie's promise to break them up, and my hope that he indicts, tries and jails the execs and all the chairmen of the boards for their consistent criminality (can you say libor fixing?) for the rest of their lives, to reminisce along with Bernie Madoff in the same prison. That'd be justice. In any case all the alternatives to Hillary are worse, wacky, insane, thoroughly untrustworthy unless you, like I, think/know if any publican gets into office they'll shred any legislation that helps those that aren't filthy rich, a bunch of REAL BOOGEYMEN. So yes, I'll vote and vote for Hillary if she wins the nomination, by lying as well (she's running ads telling Michiganders that Bernie didn't vote for the auto bailout) even though I'll bite my tongue when casting the ballot. I hope the electorate finds this out and hammers her to the point of losing the nomination. Her loss would be much deserved for running a dirty campaign.

So, could 2008 be a repeat of 2000?

In case anyone's memory is a tad short here's a couple things to remember in channeling our best efforts to see the following doesn't happen again:

In 2000 pubs sent a bunch of congressional staffers down to Florida to screw up and stop the count:

https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2000/11/riot-n29.html

Then this:

http://morallowground.com/2010/12/13/on-this-day-2000-following-illegal-...

From what I've seen Supreme Court Judges are not beyond impeachment, especially when they decide to strike at the very core of our democracy. ie: "Citizens United" I'm no attourney but no one should be beyond the law, especially those entrusted with the responsibility of caring for it.

I wish Al Gore had been stronger, hadn't conceeded. I remember that concession like it was yesterday. I think he was in shock.

If something like the above happens again I think a national strike would be appropriate.

Facing diminishing national publican numbers the Bush Admin, looking to a bleak electoral future, installed those damn vote switching e-voting machines. Scheming pubs have been way ahead of Dems (who've been constantly knocked back on their heels) when it comes to dirty deeds to take ground they're not entitled to. Dems and Independents haven't a chance for clean electionsuntil those $#%@ machines are scrapped until those $#%@ machines are scrapped the way a responsible nation like Ireland did:

https://edri.org/edrigramnumber10-14evoting-machines-scrap-ireland/

http://blackboxvoting.org/

Best,

P A

Queenbee: You sound like a Republican, and anything but a Progressive. Who paid you to write this, Shillary? Bernie is only unelectable if people listen to Clinton mercenaries like you. This campaign has been rigged from the start. Why should we support someone who is taking money from establishment forces that we, the people, are trying to fight?

You use the socialist word just like your alleged Republicans opponents and accuse Bernie supporters of doing exactly what you are doing now, trying to throw dirt on Bernie. Well, there's plenty more dirt to dig up about Hillary. What about her secret dealings as Secretary of State that prevented oversight of her activities, which probably involved raising funds for the Clinton Foundation from foreign investors.

What about the murder of Vince Foster and Whitewater, the drug dealing and money laundering in Arkansas, the deaths of boys who saw too much of the CIA drug running in Mena? The Clintons are two of the most corrupt politicians in recent American history and I for one, a lifelong liberal Democrat, will not vote for her.

It's time to change the direction of our country and that won't happen if we elect another Clinton. No Mas, no mas, no mas! It's time eviscerate the rotten stink that is polluting the DNC and prevent the election of a dishonest, vain woman who only cares about becoming the first woman President of the United States. It would be one step forward and three steps back.

I've targeted you immediatly as a shill.
For one thing; if there were a significant body of democratic 'party hard-liners', we wouldn't be subject to a republican House and Senate right now, which does more harm than a repugnicant president would do.
Second; you might 'switch' parties due to the fact that Sanders has some socialistic concepts about our democracy?
Are you willing to disavow your social security right now?

and finally you say "principled or not" which means you clearly are 'not'. and what comes after that simply doesn't matter.

A lot of you are welcome to desert in any fashion you wish. Can I pack a lunch for you?

The Democrats need to take a breath and regroup.It would appear, based on the Republican election debacle, that the Presidency is the Democrat party's election to lose.

That said, Party hardliners, disgruntled lefts or rights or centers need to see the cautionary tale of the Republicans and maybe do their infighting during the election off years.

Bernie Sanders is NOT electable. I am an Independent who often votes Democrat for the President (but not always) Sanders is an unapologetic socialist who essentially has NO IDEA of the requirements of successful socialist systems (like caps on socialist programs and socialist employees who work within socialist parameters)

Socialism with capitalist drive is a recipe for bankruptcy. Further, Bernie promises things that as a President he CANNOT deliver. He cannot promise "free education for all" when the budget cannot support that and when as Presidents, the POTUS has NO SAY in grants or other programs. That is policy and laws with most powered dispensed state by state.

The Constitution will not allow the federal government to supercede state mandates or laws without good reason. It won't be on the whim of a President.

Socialism as well as communism has some great ideas in theory but fall apart in practice because they fail to factor in 2 things:

1. Hman GREED and power mongering

2. Myopia.

Bernie demonstrated his myopia in his failure to vote for the wall street bailout in order to also support the auto industry bill--that is what it is like on the HIll, quid pro quo, agendas within agendas. By saying nay to the one, he willingly hurt the other--but he made his point.

If he had his way, it would not only have been made on the backs of the workers in Michigan, but also in 2016, democrats could have kissed Michigan good bye.

That is not smart. I have listened to Bernie and he is principled and smart and so far left he is swerving in an odd way, to the right--the extreme of Leftism. The country is not there yet.

Keep in mind, that many of us DO have jobs and DO pay taxes and are already paying much more while a large part of the country pays nothing but also think nothing of having their hands in other people's pockets. That larger portion are not Democrats, they are tha Gray area of Independents who if they chose to swing right could destroy the Democratic juggernaut and who if threatened any more financially might do just that.

The PROBLEM with both the left and the right is a type of dogmatic political myopia, that makes you really believe the rest of the country feels like you do and are on your side.

We are not on your side, we simply side with you on occassion by default.

Democrats comprise about 34% of the electorate and Republicans the same--you can't count on minority votes like you used to (though you can this cycle) but Indies are a different matter. We have no loyalty and don't or rarely vote single issue or listen to party propaganda.

For this reason, when you proffer someone with ivory tower, pie in the sky rhetoric like Sanders (who is not all that likeable when his zeal is upon him) your party becomes as unpalatable as the GOP.

Tread carefully, any coalition is fragile and it takes very little to send up either back into the GOP camp (if only to stop the socialistic madness) or makes us stay home.

FYI--my medical insurance went from 4300.00 a year for a family of 3 to 10,700.00 for the very same insurance but with a higher deductible--now, since the consumer is mandated and FORCED to be insured, we must pay an almost 7,000.00 deductible before our insurance will even pay a dime and then the split is 80/20.Of course they do bargain down bills.

Recently my baby girl had a very bad sore throat on thanksgiving and my husband opted for the emergency room because all immediate cares were booked. The cost for 3 drs to see her (they looked at her chart and moved on) and for the examination was over 1100.00 and our insurance paid 0 of that but they DID let us know we only have around 5700.00 dollars more to meet our deductible (but that year ended).

THAT is what Obama care has done for us--so you have to forgive us if we are hestitant for any more of the Socialistic harebrained scheme. My kids are all grown and only one left in college. The last thing we need on the cusp of retirement are more Democrats who look at our bank account and imagine for whatever is in their we "owe" it to the people who failed to go to college or get /maintain jobs or that we have to fulfill the harebrained "free college for everyone" promises of a delusional socialist.

I'm sorry, Principled or not, if Bernie is the candidate a lot of us will desert your party, Trump or not--because if we have to be squeezed until it hurts at least we can have the solace of knowing Trump is sticking it to everyone and not just to the people the left thinks can afford to be milked.

Number one DINO that needs to be ditched is Hillary Clinton. #NotProgressive.

How? #Leverage. Take the Bernie or bust pledge today.