BERNIE IS BACK!

Bernie Sanders in Colorado

Yes, Bernie Sanders, an Independent from Vermont, who has been serving in the U.S. Senate since 2007, and ran for President in 2016 and 2020, is back on the campaign trail fighting Donald Trump's oligarchy. He is being accompanied by the Progressive New York Repreesentative, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. In my mind, Bernie had two questionable presidential losses. One, 2016 against Hillary Clinton, orchestrated by the DNC, and two, 2020, against an insurmountable presumptive candidate, Joe Biden.

Okay, Bernie is 83, will be 87 when he would run. But don't forget AOC, only 35, and certainly capable of taking over the presidency if something happened to Bernie. She'd make a great vice president for the Bern since they obviously have the chemistry. And we are seeing a new Bernie Sanders with his current focus on defeating Donald Trump's oligarchy. Not that he had forgotten his working class ideology, it is just obvious today that a strong force from the left is needed to conquer the would-be king.

My wife and I still receive emails from Bernie and just this past week he alerted us to his current trip through Nevada, Arizona and Colorado. The rallies drew 34,000 in Denver, another 11,000 at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley. Arizona, heavily Republican, had crowds of 15,000 with thousands more watching online. And Nevada numbers aren't clear but the campaign quotes in the thousands. Bernie's and AOC's group said they expected a total of 51,000 for the trip. Arizona, Colorado alone had 60,000.

In his email, Bernie expressed frustration of the last Democratic votes between those who voted for Joe Biden in 2020 and Kamala Harris in 2024. Also noted was the loss in this election of working people, young people and Latinos. In other words, the Dems have completely lost contact with their base. Added to this is the fact that the Democratic Party has the lowest approval rating in decades. The Bern asks why and answers his own question. The establishment politicians just don't get it anymore.

The good news is that Americans across the country have had it with oligarchy. His three state rally speaks to this end indicating a need to reject the corporate wing of the party and head for the grassroots. People don't want authoritarianism and the huge tax breaks Donald Trump plans for the wealthy people of this country in favor of shifting the emphasis back to working class families. Voters are fired up nationwide, illustrated by the fact that thousands came out to Bernie/AOC meetings in Iowa, Nebraska, Michigan and Wisconsin.

American Oligarchy by Mother Jones

This is what Bernie had to say at the Denver rally...

“In the hundreds of rallies that I have done, we have never, ever had a rally as large as this,” Sanders said. “And Denver, your presence here today is not just significant for Colorado. You are sending a profound message all over the world. The whole world is watching, and they want to know if the people of America are going to stand up to Trumpism, oligarchy and authoritarianism.”

There's more...

“Abraham Lincoln talked about a government of the people, by the people, for the people,” Sanders said. “Well, Trump has a government of the billionaires, by the billionaires, for the billionaires. And what these guys are busy doing right now is going after Medicaid, going after Social Security, going after nutrition. The rich want to get richer and they don’t care who they step on.”

Bernie Sanders has been talking about oligarchy for years, reports NPR, but, now he talks about his favorite subject...

"...the Democratic Party has also turned its back on the American working class and suggested the party capitalize on this moment by championing policies that address things like income inequality, health care and climate change."

I have thought, and still believe, that the Bern should have won in 2016. There was talk that Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Florida representative and head of the DNC at the time, did some finagling that won the Democratic nomination for Hillary Clinton. Clinton, of course, who blew it in the last lap and we ended up with t-RUMP's first term. And it was then the seeds were sowed for the oligarchy Bernie Sanders is fighting today. Here is one of his recent statements...

"We will not allow you to move this country into an oligarchy," Sanders pledged, speaking directly to Trump. "We're not going to allow you and your friend Mr. Musk and the other billionaires to wreak havoc on the working families of this country. No, you're not going to destroy Social Security. You're not going to destroy Medicaid. You're not going to destroy the Veterans administration."

Although the Democratic Party has become unpopular, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

said, "voters still have power to push back against Trump administration policies..." and adds...

"Ironically, the most divisive forces in this country are actually starting to bring more of us together," she said. "And that's important, because the same billionaires who are taking a wrecking ball to our country derive their power from dividing working people apart."

Americans are sick of Trump in only the short time he has been in the White House. I don't know what it will be but I sense we are on the cusp of reestablishing our democracy. 

 

UPDATE...AZ Sen. Kyrsten Sinema takes Pharma $ then nixes Biden Prescription Plan...UPDATE

 

UPDATE: Increased amount AZ Sen. Kyrsten Sinema took from pharmaceutical and medical device industries is more than $750,000 in donations.  READ MORE

She's against Biden's $3.5 trillion infrastructure Bill, for the filibuster and against $15.00 minimum wage, as well as recently opposing Pres. Biden's Prescription plan to negotiate Medicare drug prices. AZ Sen. Kyrsten Sinema has taken all these positions in defiance of issues that are basic to Joe Biden's agenda. Okay, maybe the $3.5 T is negotiable but not the rest. As an added fact, in the last couple of years Sinema received $358,452 in donation from the pharmaceutical industry.

Kyrsten Sinema loves filibuster...

That's a major amount and her fight for Pharma coincides with West Va. Sen. Joe Machin who is in the pockets of fossil fuels giant Chas. Koch. She has even talked directly to Biden...

"Sinema met with President Joe Biden on Sept. 15 to discuss the social spending package, in which party leaders hope to include the Medicare prescription drug pricing proposal. Sinema has made her resistance to the current House prescription drug negotiation proposal clear to the White House, according to one of the sources, but it’s unclear if she’s completely immovable."

Joe Manchin has called for a pause in the Infrastructure Bill, vigorously opposed by AOC and her people. On the other hand, some Democrats disagree...

"Some in the party have called the bills even more necessary as parts of the country are ravaged by wildfires or affected by flooding."

The left is known for its spending, mostly in needy projects, where Republicans resist to the extent of putting the country in jeopardy. Like right now as Moscow Mitch is refusing to increase the debt limit. This could mean the U.S. goes into default and financial markets experience turbulence. We are certainly not in normal times, especially considering the Covid-19 pandemic, thus, the need for extra revenue. 

Sinema votes against $15.00 minimum wage...

And Republicans also must face up to the fact that many of the problems America faces today were caused by one of their own, the former White House maniac, Donald Trump. The fact that the right seems to be doing absolutely nothing about Trump's current bizarre antics is further burden in getting our nation back in order. It's bad enough when you have to deal with an unreasonable opponent, but when you have to fight with fellow party members it becomes absurd.

Sinema does have company within the party, and this does raise questions re. the amount of the Infrastructure Bill. Sen. Bernie Sanders wants the full amount, and he believes even more is needed. I am still a loyal supporter of the Bern, but at the
same time wonder if there are parts of the legislation negotiable that would appease the standoff Democrats...

"Congressional Democrats warred with each other on Tuesday over the price tag and policy scope of their roughly $4 trillion economic agenda, raising the potential for a stunning, self-inflicted defeat as the House prepares to vote on one of the measures next week."

It is beyond me how anyone in Congress could oppose Medicare's negotiation for the price of drugs for their constituents. Canada regulates their drug prices and they are 50% to 80% lower than in the U.S. Okay, we've known for years donations buy the votes of Congress. In the beginning, Big Pharma thought they had a friend in the junior Senator Kyrsten Sinema. Now the senior Senator of Arizona, they were definitely right. 

Robert Reich says Bernie Sanders is electable

Six ways to convert Bernie Sanders skeptics...

Robert Reich, who is an American liberal economist, professor, author, and political commentator, who worked for Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, has six ways he feels will convince Bernie Sanders' skeptics.

1. “America would never elect a socialist. P-l-e-a-s-e. America’s most successful and beloved government programs are social insurance – Social Security and Medicare. A highway is a shared social expenditure, as is the military and public parks and schools. The truth is we have already have socialists." A point that has been made hundreds of times and think about it, the Bern's programs have a majority support in the U.S.

Why is Bernie Sanders electable?...

2. “He’d never beat Trump in the general election. Wrong. The best way for Democrats to defeat Trump’s fake anti-establishment populism is with the real thing, coupled with an agenda of systemic reform. This is what Bernie Sanders offers, and it’s what the polls are reflecting." Biden beats Bernie by over nine points in the primary, understandable, due to recent dropouts and their endorsements for Joe Biden. But Robert Reich is looking at individual ideology more these days, and Sanders' candidacy is becoming more desirable.

3. “But how would he pay for it?" A question asked over and over when it seems no one muses, "Funny that they never ask how we’ll pay for endless wars or bailouts, tax cuts, and subsidies for the top 1 percent." Reich continues, "Bernie’s campaign just released a detailed memo outlining how they plan to pay for his policy ideas." When you consider what we are paying for and the results it will yield, the whole effort is put into perspective.

There are three more: 4. “He couldn’t get any of his ideas implemented because Congress would reject them.” - 5. “He’s too old.” - 6. “He can’t unite the Democratic Party.” I really recommend you read this article by one of the leading liberal political analysts of today, Robert Reich.

      

Who will Elizabeth Warren endorse now that she's out of race?

The "Party's" over for Elizabeth Warren as she has a dismal showing on Super Tuesday. But, it's been coming and think she might have known it for some time. This leave Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden, and will she play the good Democrat and endorse Joe Biden, or do the right thing and back Bernie Sanders? Hell, she3 is a Progressive and Biden is way out in right field with his campaign. She supported Hillary Clinton in 2016, which helped her win the nomination.

She repeatedly refused to answer the question of who she would endorse...

She noted that her endorsement could be coming, but “not right now.”

If she decided to endorse Bernie, it could turn the Democratic campaign upside down...READ MORE...

Youth vote deserted Bernie...

At least we know they weren't at the polls for Super Tuesday, so Joe Biden made a sweep of 9 of the 14 states. The Bern took Utah, Vermont, Colorado and the big delegate state, California. Apparently the loss of those states Bernie expected to win, like Texas, hasn't slowed down the Vermont Senator. USA Today says...

The common theme in all those [Joe Biden wins, Texas, No. Carolina, Virginia, Alabama, Tenn., Arkansas, Okla., Minn., Mass., with Maine leading Biden] states: "Sanders fared worse this year than he did when he faced eventual nominee Hillary Clinton four years ago."

But this didn't dampen Bernie Sanders enthusiasm for the nomination professing that he is still headed for success in November...

"We are going to defeat Trump because we are putting together an unprecedented grass-roots, multi-generational, multi-racial movement."

Mixed race, multi-generational family

I explained Bernie's "multi-generational, multi-racial movement," in a blog post yesterday However, the political pundits still say, "young voters’ energy rarely matches their turnout on Election Day." But then, millennial turnout did double from 2014 to 2018, according to Pew Research, so go figure. Here's an interesting comment from Griffin Schutte, 21, of Virginia Beach who said he "he switched from Clinton in 2016 to Sanders this year because he thinks the Vermont senator is best to stand up to Trump...

"And I think Bernie Sanders is well equipped to stand by his ideals and his policies that he’s been standing by during his long and very consistent career in politics," Schutte said as he stood in line for a Sanders rally in Richmond Thursday.

Howard Dean, former DNC Chair, puzzled by lack of youth vote on Super Tuesday...

Not that Joe Biden doesn't stand on his record; in fact most of what we hear from him is what he did in the Obama administration as Vice President. CNN reports that Biden's campaign was staggering until his win in the So. Carolina Primary, brought about by the black vote which translated into his southern states win in the Super Tuesday Primary. Of course Amy Klobuchar and Pete Buttigieg dropping out of the race and both endorsing Biden certainly didn't hurt.

The Washington Post says,  "All of a sudden, Sanders’s 2020 looks a lot like his 2016," which in my mind was a primary with Hillary Clinton that was hijacked by then DNC head, but now disgraced Debbie Wasserman Schultz. Many think Bernie could have beat Donald Trump then, and we wouldn't have been exposed to the Oval Office lunatics corruption for four years. The general consensus today is that Joe Biden is best fitted to win in November.

Here's the scenario from the WP with two approaches...

"In one narrative, Sanders picked up where he left off four years ago, coming into the 2020 contest retaining the core base of support he had built in that nomination fight. He rolled up three wins in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada — better than he did in 2016 — and seemed for a while to be in contention in South Carolina, a state he lost by 50 points then."

The assessment is after the California count, the Bern will "likely to be at or near the top of the delegate count."

Bernie Sander talks about Super Tuesday results and his "unique" campaign...

The second...

"Sanders’s presidential campaign starts with a tie in Iowa and an easy New Hampshire win — just as happened in 2016. He won the Nevada caucuses in which he came short four years ago but lost South Carolina by a similar margin. On Super Tuesday, his primary competitor, former vice president Joe Biden, ran the table in the South, winning a straight line of states from Texas to Virginia. He also picked up states that seemed within Sanders’s grasp, including Minnesota and Massachusetts."

Here is a list of upcoming Democratic primaries following Super Tuesday. As you can see there are several with sizeable number of delegates: Michigan, 125; Florida, 219; Illinois, 155; Ohio, 136; Georgia, 105; New York, 224; Pennsylvania, 153; and New Jersey, 107. We'll keep you posted on these in the future, but in the meantime Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden will be going head-to-head to get ready for Florida on March 17.

After two candidates exit race, Biden on top. What will it take to return Bernie to that position?

Bernie/Biden

Amy Klobuchar and Pete Buttigieg had to bow out of the Democratic Primary for Joe Biden to jump eight points over Bernie Sanders in national polls. That leaves Elizabeth Warren and Michael Bloomberg. Klobuchar's and Buttigieg's moves are typical party loyalty, because they both have aspiration for the future. I wish them luck but am more concerned over the present and who can beat Donald Trump in November. I believe Bernie is best suited for that.

I did a post earlier yesterday, pitting Bernie against Biden, each of which must garner votes of color to win. Biden pretty much has cinched the black vote, although Bernie may siphon off a few. Bernie seems to have locked most of the Hispanic vote from the early primaries, including yesterday in California; if they turn out in November as they did in Nevada. My gut tells me it would be easier for Bernie to attract the blacks from Biden in November, than Biden appealing to Hispanics.

You Tube coverage of Biden surge and Super Tuesday...

In the 2017 midterms, Hispanic new voters were 27% of the total, where only 18% of blacks were first time. Pew Research also says 30% of the young vote went to the polls for the first time in 2018. There is never a guarantee, but the youth vote has been soundly in the Bern's corner, and that looks likely to still be the case. As far as the female vote is concerned, both candidates are basically on the fence and will require more nurturing to convince the ladies.

There is also the question of whether this new poll makes any difference in view of Bernie Sanders' results in Super Tuesday's Primaries. Sanders is ahead in six, with the heavy delegate state, California, firmly behind him. Also, the Reuters/Ipsos poll puts the Bern 11 points ahead in the Democratic Primary. It would be helpful if Elizabeth Warren dropped out of the race and endorsed Bernie, but Warren is a Democrat and she may very well go the way of Klobuchar and Buttigieg.

However, the Socialism issue for Bernie Sanders is finally waning, as evidenced in a state you least expect, Texas. The Guardian reports, "56% of Democratic primary voters in the Lone Star state say they have a positive view of socialism while only 37% have a favourable view of capitalism. Even in this normally red state stronghold, which could reflect a blue color after Super Tuesday, the voting population has realized what the wealthy and corporate America have done to destroy the democratic process.

The Washington Post isn't sure about Bernie or Biden. Here's the scenario...

"The stampede to Joe Biden’s side among Democrats in the wake of his victory in a single primary has been remarkable to behold. What they are unlikely to say out loud is that this isn’t about Biden’s inspiring vision or compelling personality, so much as their fears that if Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) were the nominee, he’d lose to President Trump. Biden, for all his weaknesses, looks like a better bet."

As I pointed out earlier in this piece, that may not be the case. The WP alerts us to two very important factors. One, no one can comprehend every variable that is involved in this election. And two, who knows what might happen down the road? There are over eight months left until November. Biden, a terrible campaigner, according to the Post, and in 2020, "even worse than in his disastrous runs in 1988 and 2008." Not good news when running against Donald Trump.

Another insight by WP...

"Yes, he’s [Joe Biden] getting support from African American voters — so far, anyway — but they already vote at relatively high rates, comparable to white voters. The big untapped potential for Democrats lies in young people and Latinos, neither of whom seems particularly jazzed about a Biden nomination."

Like I said, plenty of time before November. Just hang in there Progressives.

What's next for Bernie Sanders?...

The smile on Bernie's face is because he was able to raise over $45 million in February. He did it with 2.2 million donations which, "surpassed what any Democratic candidate had raised in any full three-month quarter last year." Is it good enough? It will be if he can garner the vote of color, reports The Guardian. With Amy Klobuchar and Pete Buttigieg both out of the race and endorsing Joe Biden, Tom Steyer out with no endorsement yet, here's the scenario...

"The first four contests of the Democratic nomination have concluded, and it’s clear that whoever wins the nomination will owe their success to the love and support of people of color."

With Bernie versus Biden from the first four primaries, it shows...

Sanders [in Nevada] leading among white voters (31% to 18%) but running away with the contest among Latinos, who made up 17 % of all voters. Among that critical demographic, Sanders beat his opponents by at least a 3 to 1 margin (51% to 13% according to the entrance polls).

Blacks did the same for Biden in So. Carolina...

"where African Americans comprise the majority of all Democratic voters, exit polls showed that African Americans gave 61% of their votes to the vice president of America’s first black president, propelling him to a nearly 30-point victory."

 Joe Biden "denied there was an organized effort around the dropouts," but it was reported that Buttigieg met with Jimmy Carter the day before his decision. Like a good Democrat, Klobuchar followed suit and made her exit. Surprising Warren hasn't yet done the same since she performed like a good Dem in 2016 by not endorsing Bernie Sanders when it was clear even then she was in his Progressive camp. Of course, there is still time.

Here's CNN take on Super Tuesday...

Super Tuesday (today) stacks up on Nate Silver's 538 revealing Bernie Sanders ahead in nine out of the fifteen primaries, some the Bern leads in substantially, with California 91% to 7%, yielding Sanders total primary delegates of 540 to Biden's 395. Bloomberg and Warren are insignificant. The latest Univision poll of March 2, shows "42 percent of Hispanic voters in California intend to vote for Sanders, while 15 percent favor former Vice President Joe Biden."

Is the left targeting the Hispanic vote?...

USA today says Hispanics flocked to the Bern in Nevada, and in their latest March 1, poll...

Sanders was at 35% among likely Democratic primary voters, well ahead of former New York mayor Mike Bloomberg at 16%, former vice president Joe Biden at 14% and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren at 12%.

Have Latinos finally awakened to the fact that going to the polls doesn't guarantee them a trip back to their country of origin? Or are they just so pissed at Donald Trump they have finally decided to turn on him and help the left vote him out of office? They are both possibilities, but the end result is their showing up at the polls in November, and it looks like they finally will. Welcome to the USA!

Bernie Sanders Democratic Socialism is good for the country...Here's why...

There is a huge difference between traditional Socialism and Democratic Socialism. The former can employ violence to implement revolution and could border on Communism. The latter invokes only legislative efforts for its revolution and is in no way connected to Communism. As the above illustrates, Democratic Socialism is a return from emphasis on the upper class of this country, namely the wealthy and large corporations, to the people.

Here is a short definition of Democratic Socialism...

"Democratic socialism is a political philosophy supporting political democracy within a socially owned economy, with a particular emphasis on workers' self-management and democratic control of economic institutions within a market socialist economy or some form of a decentralised planned socialist economy."

If you want a complete explanation of the ideology, go to the Democratic Socialists of America site HERE. If Bernie gets the nomination and ends up running against Donald Trump, the Oval Office lunatic will do everything he can to paint the Bern as a full-blown Socialist with the elements of hostility and violence that go with this political theory in places like China and Russia. Not so. Here's Business Insider's take...

"'Socialist' remains a dirty, and often misunderstood, term in the realm of US politics. The Cold War, in which animosity and paranoia toward the Soviet Union was pervasive in the US, is largely to thank for that. Nearly 21% of Americans consider socialism to be a threat to the US, according to Insider polling from last summer."

Bernie Sanders talks about Democratic Socialism...

Hey, folks, you've heard this before. We already have our versions of Socialism in Medicare, the Post Office and Social Security, to name a few. Bernie is suggesting a modern version, but things like Medicare for All, free college and an equality in wages don't sound so bad to me. Here's a headline with an article following that does a good job of separating the two...

"Letters to the Editor: I escaped communism. Bernie Sanders’ democratic socialism isn’t communism"

This is a direct quote from the author...

"I lived under socialism in the 1950s and escaped from it during the bloody Hungarian Revolution in 1956. Socialism in that form stinks."

That's the kind of Socialism Trump would like for us to think Bernie Sanders espouses, but it couldn't be further from the truth. Bernie's attack on our democracy is just to level the playing field, turning all the emphasis from the wealthy and large corporations to the people. The Bern is the current Robin Hood of politics, wanting to take what is fair from the rich and give it to the poor. If you think that is wrong, then you are probably a billionaire or big business.

Here's advice from the LA Times...

"If the self-described democratic socialist secures the nomination, he should do everything he can to distance himself from the concept of “socialism” as opposed to “democratic socialism.” Sanders’ plan of increased spending on healthcare, infrastructure and education (supported by practically all European governments) is not the same as Soviet-style (or Venezuelan or Cuban) socialism."

Remember John F. Kennedy, a Catholic who won the presidency, with a public afraid he would let the church sway his decisions in governing? Well, it didn't, and his assassination probably preempted one of the potentially best presidential  administrations we might ever have had. Don't "assassinate" Bernie Sanders likelihood of changing this country back to one that is by the people and for the people. Give it a chance, folks.

So. Carolina black voters switching to Bernie Sanders from Joe Biden

Joe Biden's So. Carolina insurance to victory in this state's primary has suddenly taken a turn for the worse. The New York Post says, "Now he’s hanging on by a thread." Here's the scenario...

"The latest polls of Democrats in the Palmetto State show Biden’s once-commanding 28-point lead in November has shrunken to just five percentage points over a now surging Bernie Sanders in the same CBS News/YouGov poll released Saturday."

That's right, Biden polling 28% with Bernie now at 23% while continuing to sure here as well as in national polls. And that's after a landslide win for the Bern in Nevada caucuses. Looks like the Vermont Senator's "socialism" doesn't matter as much as the pundits think.

HEADLINE: After Bernie Sanders' landslide Nevada win, it's time for Democrats to unite behind him

If the Democratic establishment doesn't get behind Bernie Sanders soon, we are looking at four more years of Donald Trump. It is as if the old die-hards are saying, we'd rather see the Oval Office lunatic re-elected than give in to a Progressive. Are they jealous of the Bern's squeaky clean record, when most of them can't boast anything of the same. The leaders of the left, Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi must start the ball rolling and do it now.  

The Guardian says...

"No other Democrats can beat him at this point. But, the liberal establishment is still struggling to come to terms with Sanders’ inevitable nomination."

The word has been out for some time that Bernie "could attract left-leaning young white people, but was incapable of drawing in a diverse coalition." Not so. One of the candidate's major sources of support in Nevada was people of color. In fact...

"he received the majority of Latino votes. Entrance polls showed Sanders winning “men and women, whites and Latinos, voters 17-29, 30-44 and 45-65, those with college degrees and those without, liberal Democrats (by a lot) and moderate/conservatives (narrowly), union and non-union households.”

Here is a long, but very accurate description of the current status of the Democratic Primary...

"Michael Bloomberg fizzled completely in his big debut, and Democrats would be out of their minds to enrage every Sanders supporter by nominating a Republican billionaire. Joe Biden has lost badly in all of the first three contests, and it’s very clear that he can’t run an effective campaign. Elizabeth Warren’s campaign has nearly gone broke and in desperation she has resorted to relying on the Super PACs that she previously shunned. Pete Buttigieg can’t win voters of color or young people (and has accurately been described as sounding like 'a neural network trained on West Wing episodes')."

The media was so sure with Sanders' avalanche of votes that he was predicted to win with only 4% of the vote in. If this is any indication of the Bern's attraction, the skeptics can rest assured of his strength. Chris Matthews of MSNBC declared the primary "over." Jennifer Rubin of the Washington Post commented that it might be too late to do anything about him. This is the kind of language that pisses me off...why would we want to do anything about a winner?

Look, Bernie has built a solid grassroots organization with known ability to bring in plenty of money; he raised a massive amount of $25 million in January alone. Just think what he can expect now with the Nevada win. And, RealClearPolitics currently shows Bernie Sanders ahead of Donald Trump 49.7% to 45.3. On the socialism issue, American do consider it unfavorable by 58% to 28%. However...

"Democrats and, more specifically, progressives view socialism favorably. Half of Democrats said so, while more than two-thirds of progressives did."

The Nevada strong win by Sanders will be considered by many Democrats as a disaster for the party, as it continues to lean farther to the left. But that's where the new Democratic Party is and these old hands had better get used to it. The Guardian exclaims...

"All in all, Nevada was an inspiring moment for American democracy, proof that ordinary working people of all races and incomes and genders can come together around a robust progressive agenda."

The people have spoken. Now it's time to listen!   READ MORE...

Bernie Sanders at war with Donald Trump but also with the Democratic establishment...

The Russiasn are coming, the Russians are coming, but here is Bernie Sanders retort...

"We were told that Russia, maybe other countries, are going to get involved in this campaign, and look, here's the message to Russia: Stay out of American elections."

Not sure that will work but he also said to the Democratic and Republican establishment...

"I've got news for the Republican establishment," the Vermont senator tweeted on Friday night. "I've got news for the Democratic establishment. They can't stop us."

The Bern is on a roll and hopefully he is right, they can't stop him.

READ MORE...

Massive blue wave coming for November...???

How long have the Progressives sat on their butts when it was time to come out and vote to support their party? At least as far back as Barack Obama, and then for several years before. That's why we are currently saddled with a GOP Senate, and having just won back the House. I call them apathetics, those who hug the couch when it comes time to do their duty. But they may be waking up. In a recent extensive poll by Reuters they found...

"that interest in voting in 2020 is surging in urban areas dominated by Democrats faster than in Trump-supporting rural areas."

There's more in this AlterNet article...

"voters’ interest in going to the polls appears to be growing faster among those who disapprove of Trump than among those who approve of him. The advantage in urban political engagement extends deep into the most competitive battleground states that Trump won by razor-thin margins four years ago.”

Would anyone be surprised? Probably not, but it's comforting to see it in print with solid facts to back it up. The left is finally completely fed up with Donald Trump and his corrupt administration with the urban areas coming alive with Progressives committing all across the country. Nicholas Valentino, a political scientist at the University of Michigan commented...

“Democrats are very angry. Many see this administration as an existential threat to the constitutional order. They’re standing ready to participate to try to change the course of this country.”

One of the biggest issues for the November election could be health care, more likely than not, and although the Oval Office lunatic trumpets his support for this issue...

"the Trump Administration is very much on board with a Republican lawsuit that seeks to abolish the protections of the Affordable Care Act of 2010, a.k.a. Obamacare — including coverage of preexisting conditions — and rip health insurance away from millions of Americans by arguing that the law is unconstitutional."

According to journalist Daniel McGraw, this could be a major obstacle for T-rump who needs the rust belt this November, and where polls are reporting his loss of support in this region. Without this area, the White House maniac is probably dead meat. Bill Kristol, a very right conservative, and Charlie Sykes founded the Bulwark in late 2018, a "passionately anti-Trump" organization. But they are in favor of Obamacare. Go figure.

The RawStory article McGraw cites another study, the Baldwin Wallace University’s Great Lakes Poll in rust states Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan and Wisconsin, with this comment...

“One question in the poll was especially relevant to health care, and unlike the questions in most previous national polls, phrased very directly: ‘Do you approve or disapprove of the way Donald Trump is handling health care policy?’ The results show Trump and the Republicans have a big problem in these key states.”

Many of the pundits aren't giving Bernie Sanders much of a chance against Donald Trump, although he holds a commanding lead in the Democratic Primary. My gut tells me with a 70% U.S. approval rate for Medicare for All, there are more supporters for the Bern than we think.

Looks like Bernie Sanders was right about Medicare for All and with the support of 70% of U.S....

MEDICARE FOR ALL WOULD SAVE $450 BILLION ANNUALLY WHILE PREVENTING 68,000 DEATHS, NEW STUDY SHOWS

READ MORE...

New polls show Bernie Sanders in double-digit lead

Bernie Sanders is up 9% in the polls to 31% nationally with Bloomberg second at 19%, then Biden 15%, Warren 12%, Klobuchar 9% and so on in the new NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll. It is this poll that qualifies Bloomberg for the Nevada debates, which should determine his competition with Bernie going forward. There are two problems here: the Bern must increase his base to win this election; Bloomberg must address the accusations of women’s allegations of profane, sexist comments. READ MORE...

I am not talking about the Primary when it comes to Bernie, he can probably win that with his base due to the "fragmented" support of other candidates, according to Politico. Here's the scenario...

"While few expect that Sanders can carry more than a third of the vote in Nevada, nearly everyone believes that will be enough to win in a field where the moderate vote remains splintered. It is becoming a source of celebration for Sanders' supporters and an urgent problem for those who want to prevent him from claiming the nomination."

The Washington Post reports the Vermont Senator "is powered by a loyal base, but results in Iowa and New Hampshire show the movement has limits." Here's the thinking...

"A core base of young, liberal and working-class voters inspired by the Vermont senator's calls for a political revolution powered the self-described democratic socialist to an effective tie atop the Iowa caucuses and an outright win in this week's New Hampshire primary.

"Yet the early returns show that Sanders's loyal army represents a limited slice of the party, accounting for just over a quarter of the vote in each of the first two states. And one of the central premises of his campaign — that it is built to activate legions of new voters and spur record turnout among young people — has not been realized."

And that isn't good for the Bern. But the accusations of Bloomberg's conduct are also not good, and the two questions remain if Bernie can get his act together and widen his support outside the far-left and if Bloomberg can clear up this mess he has created. Something must happen, because, without these two, Democrats are way up the creek without the paddle. This would mean four more years of Donald Trump and a vast number of Americans don't want that, including some Republicans.

There is one more angle when it comes to Michael Bloomberg's candidacy, his close connection to Wall Street, which, both Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren are fighting against. But CNN says "the billionaire is nonetheless vowing to crack down on the financial industry." Some might say that the self-made billionaire would be reluctant to go against his former cronies but look at the gun control issue. He is a leader with his Everytown for Gun Safety group.

And, that may not be exactly apples and apples, but it does show that Bloomberg is willing to buck the system and do the right thing. His attacks on Donald Trump so far have been right on and seem to be getting under the Oval Office lunatic's skin, which is just more heat to drive Trump over the edge. As I said earlier, these two (Bernie and Bloomberg) are a must for the Dems in November when it comes to beating the White House maniac. Nevada debate February 19, on NBC/MSNBC.

Mike Bloomberg-Hillary Clinton: Could they beat Trump?

Bloomberg - Clinton

This pair may be proven research, but it looks to me like a train wreck going somewhere to happen. When you Google "Hillary Haters," you get 7.4 million hits. But, when you do the same with supporters, you get 22.6 million, so maybe I am wrong. My initial reaction comes from blogging during the 2016 election, seeing the ire from so many commenters and across the board when it comes to profiles. But Bloomberg's research team does appear to have credibility.

On the other hand, RealClearPolitics says, "Bloomberg May Be What Democrats Need." RCP continues that the 77-year-old, former Republican, billionaire is probably not what the Dems want, at least Progressives like Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. The Bern does say that Mike Bloomberg is trying to buy the election, which, if you look at the mechanics of Bloomberg using his money only to fund his campaign, might vaguely qualify for the accusation.

RCP considers Buttigieg and Klobuchar, but lacking the experience and a strong following, rules them out. Democrats need Bloomberg for four reasons...

"First, the former New York mayor has done real things. Building a multibillion-dollar business from scratch and ably managing New York City for 12 years are concrete accomplishments. Making speeches and sitting in committee hearings – the core tasks of being in Congress – are no match for what Bloomberg has done."

"Second, Bloomberg is not a left-wing ideologue."

"Third, competence. Bloomberg knows how to make things run."

"Fourth, Bloomberg guarantees a first-class campaign. He can fund the entire general election out of petty cash. Two billion? Three billion? Four billion?"

 With the favored candidate, Joe Biden, in a downward spiral, recoiling from being originally "available, acceptable and electable," here's the latest scenario...

"a recent Quinnipiac poll shows his once-powerful support among black and moderate Democrats nationally has taken a tumble since Iowa."

Warren is fairing no better, and all this considering Bloomberg skipped campaigning in the first four states: Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina. The experts thought he was crazy, but turns out he made a smart strategic move with the demise of Biden. The Buttigieg/Klobuchar profiles are fairly similar and I can see their followers going to Bloomberg, should they drop out of the race. But here's a possible obstacle that could throw everything into chaos.

Based on a recent release, Michael Bloomberg may be considering the selection of Hillary Clinton as a running mate. Now that may show strength to his strategists, but I can see it as pissing off Klobuchar and Buttigieg, if, in fact, as I have surmised earlier, each is now not running for president, rather, for vice president. Depending on how the two react, they could stay in the race, which, of course would siphon votes from Bloomberg.

As far as electability goes...

"On November electability, which was Biden’s calling card, Bloomberg is now doing better than other Democrats. The most recent Quinnipiac poll places Bloomberg ahead of Trump by a sizable nine percentage points. The latest Fox News poll has Bloomberg beating the White House occupant by eight points. Even polls that show narrower Democratic margins place Bloomberg in a relatively strong position for November."

On the Progressive side, haven't seen any recent polls for the Bern against T-rump, but in the past Sanders has been in the lead. For what it's worth the BBC says, "US election 2020: Could it be Bernie Sanders v Donald Trump?" This should be a very interesting fall.   READ MORE...

The Clinton-era expert speaks out

Sporting a new bow tie but brandishing the same political philosophy as earlier, this liberal icon of American political commentary is fired up and telling the Democrat Party off. “We’re losing our damn minds,” he exclaims, with the urgency of someone about to be pushed over the edge. Carville is the epitome of strategists, making Republicans look like crooks in a mediocre way by keeping his tactics, and those around him, principled and honorable.

He says the Dems must be "Majoritarian," a word I have missed, if a part of the current liberal jargon. Here's the definition...

"From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Majoritarian democracy, as opposed to constitutional democracy, refers to democracy based upon majority rule of a society's citizens. Majoritarian democracy is the conventional form of democracy used as a political system in many countries."

What worries me most is his opinion of the current tribe of 2020 Democratic candidates; he's not impressed with any of them, including Bernie Sanders and Mike Bloomberg. All this amid a chaotic Iowa Caucus that it isn't clear is settled yet. In the middle of this article, there is another piece, "Bernie Sanders leads Donald Trump in polls, even when you remind people he’s a socialist," and Carville has this comment...

"But back to Sanders — what I’m saying is the Democratic Party isn’t Bernie Sanders, whatever you think about Sanders."

And he's right, Bernie Sanders is where the liberals, call them Progressives or Democrats, are going for the future. Hillary Clinton screwed up 2016, ably assisted by the conniving of then DNC head, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, leading to an Electoral loss but a huge margin in the popular vote winning by over 3-million. Carville thinks Bernie could win the electoral--and I believe the popular vote in larger numbers than Clinton--but we won't regain the Senate.

And, of course, there is no way a Democrat/Progressive would get anything done in the White House with Moscow Mitch McConnell heading up the Senate, even though the Bern would probably hold on to the House. David Faris outlines his plan to fix all this in his book, "It's Time to Fight Dirty." This is how James Carville would fix it...

"The Democratic Party is the party of African Americans. It’s becoming a party of educated suburbanites, particularly women. It’s the party of Latinos. We’re a party of immigrants. Most of the people aren’t into all this distracting shit about open borders and letting prisoners vote. They don’t care. They have lives to lead. They have kids. They have parents that are sick. That’s what we have to talk about. That’s all we should talk about."

But when you look at the other Democratic candidates, it is clear that their focus is on those people above with programs like Sanders' fight against inequality, Bloomberg's gun control, Biden's appeal to the blacks, to name a few. James is right on racism; the only one in the campaign who really emphasized this issue was Corey Booker, and he is no longer running. And surprisingly, the ragin Cajun doesn't support free education for fear of pisssing off those who had to work their way through school.

Another thing I don't understand is his inability to grasp the fact that liberals are, in fact, slowly moving farther to the left and there is a quiet revolution of those of us who are fed up with the overall inequities between the elite wealthy and us normal folks. James Carville is looking for a "winning message," as he describes it, and I am not sure his reasoning here when Bernie Sanders has a hold on millennials numbering 71 million; that's a hell of a base to start with.

Carville closes with...

"I think the other side wants us to think there are no swing voters, that we’re doomed and it doesn’t even matter if you have a message because you can’t reach anyone. I think that’s bullshit. I think that’s a wholly incorrect view of American politics. But look, if no one’s persuadable, then let’s just have the revolution.

"Falling into despair won’t help anyone, though. I mean, you can curse the darkness or you can light a candle. I’m getting a fucking welding torch. Okay?"

You have to give the ragin Cajun his due, successfully steering Bill Clinton to wins in two presidential campaigns. I think the point here is to temper what he has said with the solid push to the left, which long time Democrats can't seem to get their minds around and come up with the winning combination. Not only to just win big in 2020, but to carry the left ahead in the future with solid issues there affect not only the left, but the right as well.   A MUST READ HERE!

According to Bernie Sanders' campaign, Michael Bloomberg is an "oligarch"

Nina Turner - Bernie Sanders

The mud slinging between Bernie Sanders' campaign and Michael Bloomberg had to start sometime with the former New York Mayor crashing the Primary with everything he can muster. Bloomberg's focus has been on Donald Trump with a minimum of attention directed against Democratic opponents. But Sanders' co-chair, Nina Turner, decided to start the action going by labeling Bloomberg an oligarch. 

Her concern was about, "'the oligarchs' being able to buy their way into elections." Bernie, of course, believe there is a huge inequity between the rich, like Michael Bloomberg, and the poor and middle class, and he would be right. But you have to consider what Bloomberg has done with his billions, from fighting gun violence to attacking the climate change issue. Besides, Turner's real problem is letting the billionaire into future debates. Here's the scenario...

"The Democratic National Committee is drastically revising its criteria to participate in primary debates after New Hampshire, doubling the polling threshold and eliminating the individual donor requirement, which could pave the way for former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg to make the stage beginning in mid-February."

Here are the new qualifications...

"Candidates will need to earn at least 10 percent in four polls released from Jan. 15 to Feb. 18, or 12 percent in two polls conducted in Nevada or South Carolina, in order to participate in the Feb. 19 debate in Las Vegas. Any candidate who earns at least one delegate to the national convention in either the Iowa caucuses or New Hampshire primary will also qualify for the Nevada debate."

Those who haven't yet hit the polling threshold are: Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar, Andrew Yang and Tom Steyer. Those who are over are: Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. The new criteria eliminate the individual-donor threshold, allowing Bloomberg to participate after New Hampshire. It also makes the way for his participation with his philosophy of not accepting any donations, using his own money, to prevent any problems with donor influence.

This might very well be the new starting point for the Democratic Primary with replenished hope for a successful outcome that will beat Donald Trump.
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Is Michael Bloomberg good for Progressives?

After reading Mark Sommer's article in Medium, I say yes. Sommer, a lifelong progressive and climate activist, makes a stand for a moderate, but who still sounds an awful lot like a Progressive. Just look at what Mike Bloomberg has done on gun control with his organizations Mayors Against Illegal Guns and Everytown for Gun Safety. Not only have these groups fought the gun nuts like Wayne LaPierre's NRA, but they are also compiling valuable gun violence data.

Okay, I am very passionate over gun control, but this is only one of Bloomberg's Progressive issues. Sommer exclaims...

"On matters of policy I’m all in with Elizabeth and Bernie. Whatever happens to their candidacies, I will be eternally grateful to them for forcefully delineating agendas foreign and domestic that altogether affirm my own priorities. They’ve set the benchmarks by which we must measure whatever candidate the Democrats end up nominating to confront Donald Trump."

Bernie Sanders is the Godfather of Progressivism, but with Democrats fighting to dump his bid for the Primary, and some feeling he may not have the total oomph to beat Donald Trump, you have to have a Plan B. It would appear that Michael Bloomberg could be Plan B. Mark Sommer has his philosophy and it sounds mighty good to me...

"I’m neither a capitalist nor a communist, having witnessed the endemic injustices and irredeemable flaws in both systems. I believe that our tax systems need to be made radically more progressive than they are today. We urgently need to reduce the widening abyss between the richest and poorest in our society, a seismic shift that is undermining the very foundations of our democracy and social stability. I believe all political campaigns should be financed solely by public funds."

We might as well get to the one mistake Bloomberg made when it comes to social and economic justice, he...

"pursued a policy of “stop and frisk” that specifically targeted hundreds of thousands of poor young men of color. His policy triggered credible accusations of racial bias from minorities and white progressives alike. He has since apologized for the policy but many feel it has come twenty years too late."

But by comparison, Donald Trump has been labeled an outright racist, which doesn't forgive the former New York Mayor, but in the case of the apology, something which T-rump has never done, you have to look on the positive side. Also, Bloomberg is a billionaire, something Bernie rails against constantly, but this billionaire "has also promised to provide ample resources ($1 billion or more) to whomever the Democrats ultimately nominate, even if it turns out not to be him."

And the candidate does have empathy for the black community...

"In a January 19, 2020 speech in a black community church in Tulsa near the site of the notorious 1921 Black Wall Street Massacre (https://www.mikebloomberg.com/news/the-greenwood-initiative-economic-justice-for-black-america), Bloomberg admitted that had he been an African American he wouldn’t have been nearly as successful as he is today."

But he still must work a lot harder to gain the trust of the blacks, and I think he will. With his moderate appeal, he can also take back some of those Independents who just sent Donald Trump's approval rating up, the 49ers.  And there is no doubt of his commitment to the environment...

"as demonstrated by his philanthropy, marshaling of climate action coalitions, and Bloomberg News coverage and advocacy..."

"Michael Bloomberg has done most not only among all the Democratic candidates but among climate activists worldwide to deploy substantial financial resources, supply reliable information to a corporate sector critical to the green transition, and build worldwide climate action coalitions."

Today, climate control may very well be the biggest problem we have in the world, and with this kind of activism from the U.S. President, it could very well begin to solve our problem...if it isn't too late. There's so much more to the man, Bloomberg, and I encourage you to read this article. Warning, it is long, but a second warning, you will be sorry if you don't. 

Looks like millennials could put Bernie Sanders over the top

There are 71 million millennials in the United States ages 24 to 39. 26 millennials voted in 2018. Bernie Sanders is ahead in the Iowa Caucuses and he leads in the New Hampshire Primary. So what does this say for the Bern...

"Democrats will need high turnout among young, left-leaning voters in November, and Bernie Sanders is overwhelmingly popular with such voters."

Joe Biden has been the front-runner on the left since he entered the race, with other candidates like Elizabeth Warren and Pete Buttigieg running up and down the rankings. Sanders has continually hovered around second position throughout the Primary competition, but lately has been surging...

"According to a Quinnipiac poll released Wednesday, Bernie Sanders boasts the support of 53 percent of Democratic voters under 35 nationwide, while Joe Biden lays claim to just 3 percent. That poll’s margin of error is 3.4 percentage points — which means that the percentage of younger voters who support the Democratic Party’s current front-runner could, technically, round down to zero."

The fact of the matter is that Joe Biden just does not appeal to the younger generation even though he is younger than Bernie by two years. The Intelligencer reports...

"Although Sanders’s 2016 backers did not sit out (or defect) during the general election in aberrantly high numbers, the age gap between Biden and Bernie backers this year is even larger than the one that prevailed between Clinton and the Vermont senator four years ago."

And then you have Michael Bloomberg entering the race who seems to be syphoning off support from all the candidates but Bernie Sanders. As I have said earlier, I am not sure Bloomberg is running to win or just to make sure Donald Trump doesn't win. The next couple of months will certainly be interesting.
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Not the time for Progressives to fight

Get over it Bernie and Warren

Bernie's hand is clearly out there, repelled by Elizabeth Warren, so what does that mean? Whatever happened, these two sophisticated politicians must mend fences and put this crap behind them. Bernie has just tied Biden with registered voters, putting him at the top for the nomination. Now is not the time to start a party brawl, but also not the time to ignore a gender conflict in the matter. Warren says Sanders said a woman couldn't win in 2020. Sanders says otherwise.

A former Vermont governor says Bernie will play dirty, if necessary, but I don't see the Bern in that kind of character. But this is the sort of thing that can knock a campaign off-course for both Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, something the left does not need right now. Jane O’Meara Sanders, Bernie's wife, says...

“Our campaign has always been about bringing people together. Not dividing them up like Trump does by gender, race or ethnicity.”

RealClearPolitics' recent poll pits Bernie against Trump averaging several polls, both liberal and conservative. The Bern comes out three points ahead. 
READ MORE...