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The Sanders platform item by item is already desired by a big vast majority, and that's a fact....yet the corpse media and even many Democrats continue to label him as a far left Socialist, as if he's unelectable and out of touch with mainstream America. LMAO!
You won't hear any of the National media outlets actually talk about his platform...they don't dare to, they know he's already unstoppable.
Fascism: Typically a policy of belligerent nationalism and racism, a right wing system of government and social organization.
Fascism: As defined by FDR...." The liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to a point where it becomes stronger than the democratic state itself. That, in it's essence is Fascism, ownership of government by an individual, or by a group."
Does any of this sound familiar? Does any of this smell like Trump? ...or others like him, out of control with their god damn money and power....the Kochs????....why aren't we calling a pig a pig???
Industrial Hemp is Bernie's revolutionary strategy for putting everyone, in every state, to work in critically needed industries! He is a primary sponsor of SB134, The Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2015, a bill to "remove federal restrictions on the domestic cultivation of industrial hemp." It can grow in every state in America, which means American jobs! There are 25,000 practical products that can be made from hemp, all while saving the environment. And the best part? It has bipartisan support, so as soon as the bill passes we're on our way! Bernie has amazing foresight, and becoming a sponsor of this unbelieveably important bill is yet more proof!!!
I wholeheartedly agree that the progressive economic strategy is better for the US in many ways and I agree with 98% of what Bernie is for (I don't think higher education should be free for all for many reasons, although it should be free to those who cannot afford it, and that conclusion comes after teaching in the University system in both smaller public schools and major "ivy-league" schools for over 25 years). But my main, nagging concern, is that Bernie seems to be building his process towards success in implementing these programs based on having a revolution of people standing with him to show Congress that they have no choice but to go along with him. I may be oversimplifying, but I've heard him make that response when the "how" question comes up. First of all, that is an extremely tenuous platform on which to build your presidency. I fear that Americans will too quickcly lose the spark of revolution when things start getting rough and Bernie has to start making some concessions. Will they be there in a year when the energy of the election and the day-to-day of running the government has become boring and possibly difficult? Will they be there at the mid-term in the same quantity when Bernie will need them to elect a majority in the house? I just don't see it happening, and history has shown that it won't. Obama could have gotten far more done if his followers hadn't started to distance themselves from him when things got difficult and he had to make some compromises - resulting in our losing the house and senate. I think if he had felt peole were still behind him he would have done much more and pushed much farther. Look how much more he is doing in his last years when he doesn't have to worry about whether people are behind him. Revolutions are great and exciting and START change - Obama started the revolution as far as I'm concerned. But the evolution of revolution is actually very slow and takes a great deal of hard work and unwavering tenacity. Unfortunately, most people think that change should happen immediately or they move on to the next "revolutionary". That's why I think Hillary will be far more successful - and I also think her approach to the same ends will give us lasting change that won't be "repealed and replaced" with the first Republican president and congress. She's fought the big battles before and, as much as we may not like it, there is a process and "game" to getting things done - in any organization. To come into the presidency with not only unusually major changes planned - all good changes - but to also want to do it by relying on the support of the people to stand by you and somewhat thwarting the process seems too good to be true.
Ginico, that's why we need the "political revolution". It's not enough to elect a good president, Congress has to change too. Ted Cruz will get even more through Congress as currently constituted and that's what scares me about him and Hillary.
Trump says he's not part of the political establishment. Of course he is! He's the very backbone of it, he funds it!
He bragged about how he bought so many politicians who can never contradict him or say or do anything or even think anything that might upset him. Follow the money to the top of the political establishment and you'll find Donald Trump and some others.
DHBranski; Good points, the Middle Class has taken a big hit and is now questioning the Reagan inspired Trickle Down economy that the Neoliberal Democrat Leadership has been promoting since the middle eighties. Bill Clinton, the poster child for the Democrat Neoliberal Leadership, has long promoted the so-called free trade policies like NAFTA & CAFTA since the early nineties, policies that have long been viewed by Thom as SHAFTA for all American Workers and their families ! Sanders and I are close to the same age which means we have had the pleasure of living in an earlier America where families enjoyed a living wage existence and as one reporter printed in the mid-sixties, their are good jobs for everyone with real benefits and the only reason for anyone being unemployed is that they just don't want to work ! Now even the college grads who had to mortgage their futures to get a living wage job are increasingly being shone the door as they are replaced by low wage H1B foreign workers or foreign based highly educated talent doing business on the Internet. Foreign Talent that is increasingly being trained to fill the needs of American Business by American Universities who have established foreign branches in key foreign cities. To say that the American worker has been sold down the river to benefit the increased profitability of American Capitalists is in no way a stretch of the imagination !
I gather that much smart scholarship supports these assertions: {1} RIGHT-wing populists have for decades appealed to many of the “lowest”-quality sectors of America’s public. … {2} LEFT-wing populists have long appealed to our “better” angels. … {3} The ESTABLISHMENTs {of both parties} have long failed to push for the Publics’ good {instead,they’ve tended to kowtow largely to the money-grubbing interests}. ,,, Hooray for LEFT-wing populists.
Trump’s success seems to be exacerbating our culture’s turning xenophobically ugly-European.
Historians Will Forever Gape
{… a rhyme …}
Future historians will forever gape
that he won votes,- this baboonish ape
with an ego stretched to outlandish shape
whose mouth wouldn’t let America escape
from the blight
{from the Right}.
. . . .
Photo of The Donald:
http://sportsmasher.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Trump-Funny.jpg
=================================
Well, in Gore vs. Bush, the poor (and those who oppose Dem. laissez faire capitalism) voted third party or withheld their votes, and the middle class picked Bush. Twice. The poor, etc., won't vote for Clinton. Keep in mind that the middle class has fallen below 50% of the population, and that Dems (and liberals) only more deeply alienated the poor.
On what policies do you support Clinton? Her support for NAFTA/TPP? Her views on war, poverty, our legal/prison system...?
Much of the liberal media spent 2015 in overdrive, trying to sell Hillary Clinton as a "progressive." Clinton has a long, solid record of support for the right wing agenda, so I guess people simply need to draw their own conclusions about this media.
I'll probably vote for Sen. Sanders, but I think we need to reconsider sticking a "democratic socialist" button on him. Democratic socialism does, in fact, include a system of poverty relief for the jobless poor and the unemployable. Sen. Sanders used to speak out powerfully about the need for legitimate poverty relief programs, but that doiesn't sell to todays middle class campaign donors. Dem. socialists would be the first to point out that our poverty crisis is the result of the serious shortcomings of our deregulated capitalism. Sen. Sanders removed poverty from his priorities. Does this mean that he now believes our system is so successful that everyone is able to work, there are jobs for all, therefore no need for poverty relief?
I also hope (though don't expect) that Sen. Sanders will be asked to clarify his position on Social Security. Sanders (and Democrats overall) used to demand protecting Social Security in whole. Social Security provides retirement, disability and survivors' insurance. The Clinton admin., was the first to begin "reforming" Social Security, targeting the disabled. Tonight, Sen. Sanders vowed to protect Social Security retirement and, very specifically, disability for veterans. Does this indicate his intent to dump the disabled who aren't veterans? We don't know, and with November on our minds, that's a problem.
I don't think so. By election time, all of the things that the right has tried to use against Hillary will be resolved. No FBI indictment, the email will be shown for what it is, the same thing that previous people like Powell and Rice, who now have emails that also were classified after the fact. Hillary is the best prepared person in the whole bunch to be President . . . that's why the right will continue to spend billions against her. Bernie doesn't stand a snowballs chance in hell to get any of his promises even to the floor of the House. We have been trying to get something done on healthcare evern since the Truman administration, the ACA, broke that ceiling, and Bernie thinks the Republicans are going to roll over for single payer! Come on, people, think about it. He discards ACA, for single payer and he thinks that Republicans will play nice on YET ANOTHER debate on healthcare.
I still stand by Hillary, I don't believe that Bernie will stand a snowballs chance in hell of being able to get anything even on the House Floor of the Republican House of Representatives. He has preached these same things for years and what has he accomplished in the Senate on moving anything to a vote.
Trump is going to take care of Trump. Remember, he's a business man first. Can't change your stripes. He is not going to do anything that would hurt his business ventures, and so by default, he will be protecting all the wealthy. Remember, he doesn't like to lose.
Well said!
I'm sitting here watching the incoming votes in NH, and while watching I could not help but ponder the following question. Let me preface by saying the question arises from all those Trump supporters declaring he would be a great president, because he did so well in business. This, despite the fact that he files for bankruptcy when he feels it is necessary to cut his losses. This, despite the fact that each time he files for bankruptcy, it is We The People who get stuck with the tab.
My question is: "What would Donald Trump, the President and businessman extraordinaire, do when a well-respected Senator like Ted Cruz threatens to shut down the government?
This is a question that I hope gets asked, hopefully long before the General Election. He will have options. He could just say, "Go ahead." (Then one would have to accept by this time Trump would have learned that he can't make decisions on his own. He'd have to abide by the Constitution and negotiate with Congress.) Of course, the "Go ahead" is the equivalent of Trump, the businessman, trying to run the country like he runs his businesses. Chances are he would think nothing of defaulting on our loans. Wouldn't that be nice? (tongue stuck in cheek)
Trump states that to offset all the things he is uninformed about, unfamiliar with, etc., not to worry. He will hire the best, most brilliant experts to handle these questions for him. Doesn't that give you a warm, fuzzy feeling?
Now I'm thinking to myself as I put this matter to paper (so to speak), "Be careful what you wish for. You may get it!" If these Trump dilusionals . . . even 50% of them . . . give this question some thought and are actually swayed by it, it may make it a tad more difficult to beat some of those other "conservatives" (I think this is just another word for separatists) come November.
At the ripe old age of 73, I must admit that this is one of the most entertaining reality shows I've ever had the joy of watching. I usually don't watch them. I'm afraid they will exaserbate my dimentia. This election process from beginning to end (I see no reason to assume the antics of the candidates, personal responses from voters and lack of good questioners at both parties' debates will change in the next 9 months) should receive an Emmy right up there next to The Batchlor, The Batchlorette, Survivor, The Amazing Race, or The Biggest Loser. Yes, this is the most fun I've had watching any TV, especially Network TV, except maybe the Jon Stewart show when it was on Comedy Central on a cable network.
I don't know how anyone can consider Trump as an outsider. Trump has admitted to being one of the big money players purchasing our democracy. His Fascism and ownership of our government makes him part of the establishment/ruling class. "When I Call They Kiss My Ass" Trump words on 1/9/16. What am I not seeing here?
Of course calling him a Fascist would be unpolite in some circles, because the average person on the street equates the label Fascist with something very negative, much the same way they do with Bernie's Socialist label.....but wait....the mass media is constantly referring to Bernie as being a Socialist, but never Trump as being a Fascist.... we'll just call him an Oligarch and not be offensive....because 90 percent of the population will have no idea what that means.
That is why we have to help Bernie create a movement, and elect a Congress that will support the change. Bernie admits that alone he can do nothing, but the kids are getting it, we have to provide him the support team.
Thom I`m an out of the Crayon Box American. I`m more of the Salsd Bowl thinking type. When you think inside of the Crayon Box Then you act like Adam and Eve and you ate the forbidden fruit then you realize that you are naked and don`t have any clothes on. Well in the Crayon Box you start worring about what color is better, what color looks the best. Oh don`t forget what color is better than any color in the box and the whole wide world. Now there is the Salad Bowl fruits and vegetables and any other good thing you want to add to it. America all we need is the right Salad Dressing that we can all accept and get along with. I can`t help myself I watch and listen to Thom Hartman. This is Abner Hutchison signing off and Tag your it see if you can find that Salad Dressing
The ground game is really important in all of the states. If Bernie
does really well across the country and I have a feeling he will, my
real concern will be the fight of the century at the Democratic Convention.
One implication of this well done analysis:
If Hillary does win the nomination, there may be a large
crossover vote to Trump.
Being anti-establishment will be more important than other than issues.
ct
Hillary Clinton is a liar and a Bankster stooge who will say anything to get elected, and then do what her corporate masters tell her.
Even the moderate economist Robert Reich admits Glass Steagall would have prevented the criminal Bankster led financial meltdown:
http://robertreich.org/post/124114229225
"...because the repeal of Glass-Steagall led directly to the 2008 Wall Street crash, and without it we’re in danger of another one..."
"...“The idea is pretty simple behind this one,” Senator Elizabeth Warren said a few days ago, explaining her bill to resurrect Glass-Steagall. “If banks want to engage in high-risk trading — they can go for it, but they can’t get access to ensured deposits and put the taxpayers on the hook for that reason...."
"...the big Wall Street banks weren’t content. They wanted bigger profits. They thought they could make far more money by gambling with commercial deposits. So they set out to whittle down Glass-Steagall.
Finally, in 1999, President Bill Clinton struck a deal with Republican Senator Phil Gramm to do exactly what Wall Street wanted, and repeal Glass-Steagall altogether.
What happened next? An almost exact replay of the Roaring Twenties. Once again, banks originated fraudulent loans and sold them to their customers in the form of securities. Once again, there was a huge conflict of interest that finally resulted in a banking crisis. ..."
"...to this day some Wall Street apologists argue Glass-Steagall wouldn’t have prevented the 2008 crisis because the real culprits were nonbanks like Lehman Brothers and Bear Stearns.
Baloney. These nonbanks got their funding from the big banks in the form of lines of credit, mortgages, and repurchase agreements. If the big banks hadn’t provided them the money, the nonbanks wouldn’t have got into trouble.
And why were the banks able to give them easy credit on bad collateral? Because Glass-Steagall was gone.
Other apologists for the Street blame the crisis on unscrupulous mortgage brokers.
Surely mortgage brokers do share some of the responsibility. But here again, the big banks were accessories and enablers.
The mortgage brokers couldn’t have funded the mortgage loans if the banks hadn’t bought them. And the big banks couldn’t have bought them if Glass-Steagall were still in place.
I’ve also heard bank executives claim there’s no reason to resurrect Glass-Steagall because none of the big banks actually failed.
This is like arguing lifeguards are no longer necessary at beaches where no one has drowned. It ignores the fact that the big banks were bailed out. If the government hadn’t thrown them lifelines, many would have gone under.
Remember? Their balance sheets were full of junky paper, non-performing loans, and worthless derivatives. They were bailed out because they were too big to fail. And the reason for resurrecting Glass-Steagall is we don’t want to go through that ever again..."
You would think these criminal Banksters would be content with the fact that we let them create our money supply out of thin air, the biggest case of welfare in the history of human civilization, and they don't even pay any taxes on the 10's of $trillions they have created in the past decade. Our privately owned, privately controlled debt-money system. But no, they want more, their greed is insatiable. And all this to a bunch ultra-rich parasites who produce nothing. The thing about parasites is once they attach themselves to a host, namely us lowly serfs, they use every vile deception they can invent to keep us from shaking them off. Hillary Clinton is one of those.
An excellent documentary on the subject is 97% owned - Economic Truth Documentary:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcGh1Dex4Yo
Watch the Money As Debt Youtube videos by monetary theorist PAUL GRIGNON:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pBIEvKctSs
The CBS 60 Minutes program is well worth watching. The title is "Anonymous, Inc." and it ran on January 31, 2016. Covert video documentation supported the position that the US is one of the easiest countries in which to launder large sums of money. So much for the advantages of banking and market deregulation.
I liked this clip - and to make a Chris Mathews-like general assumption without really giving much thought, I'll just say that Chris Mathews has become a media hack with little depth.
I think Paul Rosenberg at Salon said it best in his article -
Chris Matthews is a dope and doesn’t understand Bernie Sanders’ appeal at all
The simple-minded "Hardball" host only understands conflict and has placed Bernie in a box. Let him out!
http://www.salon.com/2015/06/22/chris_matthews_is_a_dope_and_doesnt_unde...