Bernie Sanders v. Elizabeth Warren

He said...She said...There is much to explain in Tuesday night's debate

Bernie Sanders

Elizabeth Warren's campaign has accused Bernie Sanders' campaign of sending volunteers out door-to-door trashing her. Bernie, of course, said he had nothing to do with it and apparently the cause was some over-zealous volunteers. We are talking about in Des Moines, where the Iowa Caucuses will be held on February 3, and a Democratic debate was held last night. More on that later today. The script in question "described Warren's appeal as limited to the highly educated and financially well off."

Bernie's press aids never denied that the document existed and the candidate commented...

“We have hundreds of employees. Elizabeth Warren has hundreds of employees. And people sometimes say things that they shouldn’t.”

First of all, is the statement in the realm of being accurate. If there is any accuracy to it, Warren's campaign may be pushing the envelope. She has been dropping in national polls of late. One page actually "included attacks on the electability of Warren, as well as Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg." If Bernie is playing tough now against his own people, it will hopefully prepare him to deal with Donald Trump in the coming election.

And then, there is a meeting that occurred around a year ago when Warren accuses of Sanders saying a woman couldn't win the election in 2020. My immediate thought is why it is just now coming to light now. Bernie denies saying it but Warren says there were witnesses. Here's Bernie's actual statement...

"It is ludicrous to believe that at the same meeting where Elizabeth Warren told me she was going to run for president, I would tell her that a woman couldn't win.”

Tuesday night in Des Moines was probably very interesting.   READ MORE... 

Elizabeth Warren looking good in the polls

August 27, 2019: PROGRESSIVE STREET NEWS BYTES...Where Liberals Walk

Why is Elizabeth Warren moving up in the polls?  

Elizabeth Warren 2020

The question would have been moot a week or two earlier when Joe Biden looked like a sure thing. Apparently a few gaffes and a couple of misstatements have convinced some of the left that he may not be the right candidate. Monday's Monmouth University poll revealed surprising results...

"It found a virtual three-way tie among Biden at 19% and Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, who each had 20%."

However, the "Real Clear Politics’ aggregation of polls still shows Biden well ahead, at 28.8%, followed by Sanders at 16% and Warren at 15.4%." If we are to believe Monmouth, and it is a credible pollster, then might we expect the same trend to begin in other polls? Jennifer Rubin, a conservative writer for The Washington Post says, "There’s a reason Elizabeth Warren is surging," and that is because she is appealing to "ordinary" Americans.

We know there are a lot of ordinary Americans out there that have had absolutely no voice since Donald Trump entered the White House. And my guess is that there are many ordinary Americans supporting T-rump that must be having second thoughts now. Not the core, but the fringe. Rubin comments...

"she’s not telling exactly the same story as she did earlier. Using family stories she has gotten 'looser' and funnier. She interacts with the crowd more. She has less anger, more determination and more confidence. She is high-energy."

Elizabeth Warren gaining momentum...

But, it would appear that the voting public still favors a candidate who can win over one who is heated in the issues, for example, Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders. And it is interesting to note here that even after all the rhetoric, talk of being a socialist, and losing the primary to Hillary Clinton in 2016, Bernie Sanders is yet able to hold on to the second position in the 2020 Democratic Primary. I still say a Sanders/Warren ticket would be dynamite.

For some reason, the media is now beginning to focus on a two-way race between Joe Biden and Elizabeth Warren, With Biden's recent gaffes and misstatements, he could easily lose the edge, and Bernie is still suffering over his age, which I find ludicrous. Here's the current scenario...

"She [Warren] drew an estimated 15,000 people to a rally in Seattle after holding an event nearly as large in Minneapolis last week. Biden spent the weekend talking to small gatherings in New Hampshire and Iowa. This led to a new meme: the rock star versus the rock."

Here are some more of the latest...

"Warren is doing better than Sanders in Iowa but the reverse is the case in New Hampshire. The most recent polls out of South Carolina show Warren and Sanders essentially tied in a distant fight for second place that might not even give either of them any delegates at all, and the two most recent polls out of Nevada disagree about which of them is doing better."

I still have a hankering to see a Bernie Sanders surge that takes him to the top capped off by winning the primary. But I am not naive, the primary thrust of the left in 2020 is beating Donald Trump. And there is still a year to go.  

Meltdowns will send Donald Trump to the showers

July 21, 2019: WEEKEND NEWS BYTES  

Democrats may outsmart the GOP in 2020

Dr. Brandy Lee exposes Donald Trump

It is certainly woeful when an article asks the question, "Are Democrats too stupid to beat Donald Trump?" Is it really stupidity or simply a party that has miserably lost its way and needs an overall revamping? Perhaps some of the old hands like Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi are, shall we say, a bit out of touch with the party constituency. Like hanging so firm in the middle when a majority of voters are headed further left.

Bernie Sanders, God love him, started it and we should all be thankful there was someone with the integrity of this man to show us the way. I don't give a damn if you like Socialism or not. We've already got it and it will become even more prominent in the future. So, live with it! What we should be striving for is a country that caters to 100% of the population, not just 1%. Martin Longman of Washington Monthly says...

"the Democratic Party is not currently the default majority party in the country and it is not coming apart at the seams or circling the drain. If anything, the Democrats are about dead-even with the Republicans and have the wind at their backs, as demographic trends (in both youth and ethnicity) heavily favor them to make advances in the near future."

Like it or not, it looks like prosperity for the Democrats. And to confirm this Ted Cruz just commented that Democratic voters would come out in "staggering" numbers in 2020.

Read more... 

Are Democrats doing enough about Donald Trump's racism?

Meltdowns will send Donald Trump to the showers

Dr. Brandy Lee, the Yale psychiatrist who has said repeatedly that Donald Trump sitting in the White House is a national emergency, recently stated that T-rump is headed for ‘disgrace and downfall.’ Can't remember exactly where but recently heard that the way to get rid of the Oval Office maniac is to keep pushing his buttons until he goes over the edge. His recent meltdown from the Washington Post article about his racist tweets apparently sent him reeling.

Josh Israel talked about Trump...

"Echoing his standard smear of news stories that are unfavorable to him, Trump attacked the story as 'Fake News' with 'phony sources who do not exist,' despite its reliance on on-the-record quotes from key supporters."

Psychology also tells us that when a person begins to repeat a phrase, like "fake news" repeatedly, there is an uncertainty in their actions, which has now replaced confidence. Science is not clear on just how many meltdowns are necessary to blow a gasket, but it would appear that Donald Trump is on the verge.

UPDATE: Trumps own aides even hate him...

Monday June 17, 2019

Bernie Sanders re-explains Democratic Socialism with a focus on Donald Trump and the Bern's "new vision to bring our people together in the fight for justice, decency, and human dignity, this is that time.” Obviously a jab at Trump for the way he has belittled the United States, making it the laughingstock of the world. Read more.

400 Current, former cops members of hate groups on Facebook "that were anti-Islamic, Confederate, anti-women, or anti-government." From Chicago to Mississippi, more than 50 departments have launched internal investigations. Read more.

Clinton confessed before impeachment-will Trump? But the real question is will impeachment backfire on Democrats? Nancy Pelosi is downplaying impeachment, but other democrats are fanning the flames and making their own moves. The left must win the White House in 2020, along with the Senate and keep the House. Besides, what good would it do with Mitch McConnell sitting in the chair. Read more.

Should we ban the old farts from the presidency? Joe Biden is 76, Bernie Sanders 77, Donald Trump 73. On the other hand, Nancy Pelosi is 79, Mitch McConnell 77. Today, Democratic politicians are generally older than their Republican counterparts but those in the Dem wings are much younger like Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris and Pete Buttigieg. For my money, Bernie Sanders outshines them all in sharpness, but not in the polls. Read more.

Democrats win in racial gerrymandering case. SCOTUS dismissed a challenge to a lower court decision saying some of Virginia’s legislative districts were racially gerrymandered. This could radically change the Virginia legislature, and a move that has caught on nationwide. Republicans caught Democrats with their pants down when former DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz wasn't watching the store. Read more.

Trumps own aides even hate him. An excellent example of why in a recent ABC interview during which T-rump halted the interview to order his Chief of Staff Mike Mulvaney out of the Oval Office for coughing while Trump answered a question about turning over his financial records. "New York Times reporter Nick Confessore said the tone of the president’s voice was harsh and cruel." And this is the man you pathetic misinformed followers elected that has his finger on the button.

Corporate income tax dodgers

Here's a fact: "Corporations are paying a smaller share of federal tax revenue than they did in the 1950s, dropping from one-third then to only one-tenth of the total today." Here's more from Americans for Tax Fairness...

"Yet, an army of lobbyists is pushing hard to convince Congress to cut the corporate income tax rate by nearly one-third — from the current 35% to 25%. This issue is at the epicenter of the coming battle over tax reform."

Bernie Sanders has been screaming this to anyone who would listen for his entire political career. Here are more facts...

Corporate share of federal tax revenue has dropped by two-thirds in 60 years — from 32% in 1952 to 10% in 2013.

Profitable corporations paid U.S. income taxes amounting to just 12.6% of worldwide income in 2010.

U.S. corporations dodge $90 billion a year in income taxes by shifting profits to subsidiaries — often no more than post office boxes — in tax havens.

Corporations complain about their tax rates but...

"The top statutory tax rate of 35% in the U.S. is somewhat higher than that of 30 other OECD countries, but the average effective tax rate — the actual rate paid after deductions and credits — is slightly lower than our competitors, according to the Congressional Research Service (CRS).
"Several studies have found that U.S. corporations pay a similar or a lower effective tax rate — the rate actually paid — than corporations in other countries."

Thanks to Donald Trump's new tax law...

"This ITEP (Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy) report provides the first comprehensive look at how corporate tax changes under the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act affect the scale of corporate tax avoidance. The report finds that in 2018, 60 of America’s biggest corporations zeroed out their federal income taxes on $79 billion in U.S. pretax income. Instead of paying $16.4 billion in taxes at the 21 percent statutory corporate tax rate, these companies enjoyed a net corporate tax rebate of $4.3 billion."

 Go to this site for startling figures on who is not paying their fair share, as Bernie Sanders puts it. With escalating profits, conniving corporations leave it up to the American taxpayer to foot the bill, the ones who contribute to corporate profits. Legitimate deductions to decrease a fair tax is one thing, but in each case U.S. companies have an unfair advantage over the average taxpayer. This is why it is so important to elect Progressives to Congress and the White House.

How old is too old for U.S. president?

The question is, does age matter?

Art Cullen in the Guardian says that age-70 may be too old for being President of the United States, referring to Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, the latter turning seventy before inauguration. Considering who will be running in 2020, Trump will be 72, Biden 76, Sanders 78 and Warren 69. He cites Ronald Reagan in his 70s while in the White House, and Nancy Reagan and Al Haig actually running things as the Gipper passed into neverland.

Here's how Cullen describes the situation...

"Trump is batty and losing it more each day. Bernie impresses as a grumpy and impatient Trotskyite, Biden as a familiar Irish pol who wants to hug you up and keep you warm, hearkening to days when unions had teeth and Scranton had steel. They confront a candidate written by Rod Serling for the Twilight Zone."

 "Warren seems a pup in their presence. Young of mind, she is a fan of Game of Thrones. She is full of vim and vigor and maybe is no more likely to die of a stroke than Pete Buttigieg, 37. She could beat me in a foot race any day of any distance. But if she wins she will be 75 at the end of her first term – slightly older than Reagan at the end."

You'll note here that he spends twice as much space on Warren as any of the other three. After this Cullen draws comparisons between Einstein, Mark Twain, Eisenhower and the Kennedys, alluding to their accomplishments at various ages. He says, "War would be rarer if women ran the world." then adds, "But we are talking, in the main, about three old white men. At least the national cable media are. Biden nearly has the nomination cinched, to hear it told."

That doesn't bode well for Democrats with the rest of the field relatively weak, except, perhaps, for Kamala Harris. Sorry, but I still have a warm spot for the Bern, and as a Democratic Socialist myself, believe that most of his issues could fly. My concern is Medicare for All-Single payer plan, and just how feasible that is. Here's a definition...

"Single-payer is a more general term used to describe a government system, typically backed by taxes, in which everyone gets health care from one insurer, run by the government. Think of Medicare for all as a brand-name single-payer plan. Some advocates also like the term 'national health insurance.'”

Consider the possibility of not doing away with insurance companies, which would be an almost impossible sell. Have the government use insurance companies, allocating coverage out to the lowest bidder, with obvious restrictions on the quality of coverage. I solidly believe Bernie deserves a shot at the presidency with his honesty and integrity.  And I have no problem with his age...I am 86.

Joe Biden's left turn could pick up Bernie followers

Time to fish or cut bait

The headline says that Joe Biden is breaking with some of Obama's policies, even when he craves the former president's endorsement. Biden thinks it's “'an obligation' to provide health insurance for undocumented immigrants," according to The Hill. Joe wants a$15.00 minimum wage; Obama wanted $10.10. Biden has endorsed a public option on health care, creating a government insurer to compete with private firms . Obama said no to this.

What we have to consider is that Obama may have changed his mind on several of his policies when in office and updated his thinking to 2019. Biden is running on his own but still wants to be remembered as Barack Obama's Vice President. Amie Parnes of the Hill says...

"Biden also needs to move to the left, though not too far, and in all three cases the breaks with Obama-era policies allowed Biden to shift to a more liberal position."

"This is important for a candidate who is battling a number of rivals who have embraced more progressive policies."

Okay, I am a Progressive that strongly backed Bernie Sanders in 2016. I have not yet made a decision for 2020, but with Joe Biden holding such a huge lead, with the likelihood today that he will be the nominee, I still want to see more lean to the left, like a stronger stance on Gun Control. We could also use more emphasis on the racial problems that continue to plague this country. Biden thinks so, and there seems to be a consensus of opinion, he is best Democrat to beat Trump.

If Joe Biden does support a “middle of the road” strategy on climate control as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez expounded at a Howard University event with Bernie Sanders, he'll not only lose my vote but also a number of votes from other Progressives that value the ecology of this country and the world. Democratic strategist Basil Smikle comments...

"Biden has the potential to win over younger voters, who according to polls have not particularly gravitated to his campaign, and older Democrats — who the polls show are embracing him."

A recent poll shows that younger voters are deserting Bernie Sanders, and his average donation has dropped under $27.00. I truly hate to see this but it could be caused by the fact that Bernie has not expanded his platform enough, particularly regarding gun control and the racial situation. But Biden is weak in both areas as far as I am concerned. It's only May of 2019 and anything could happen between now and the Democratic Primaries.

Please let me have your comments.

Latest on the Democratic Primary for 2020

2020 Democratic candidates

To begin, it should be noted that after Joe Biden announced his candidacy recently, he shot up to a 26-point lead over other candidates, Elizabeth Warren second, Bernie Sanders third. Don't know about Warren's campaign, but I'll bet that Bernie's camp expected the surge; the question is what will he do about it? One thing he is doing is out-raising his competitors in contributions bringing in $18.2million in first-quarter fundraising.

On the other hand, Biden raised $6.3 million on his first day out of the gate. Kamala Harris is second to Bernie and Elizabeth Warren is a distant fifth at $6 million in total returns. The BBC says...

"Her [Warren] campaign is far from scraping the bottom, however, as she transferred $10.4m from her Senate campaign coffers to her presidential account, giving her some financial breathing room in the months ahead."

But here's the game changer...

"64 percent of Democrats and likely Democrats who had selected a favorite presidential candidate said it is possible they might change their mind. Thirty-six percent said they 'definitely support' their top choice."

Which means Joe Biden's 26% lead could go up in smoke and any of the other challengers could become the favorite. Money is the thing and Bernie Sanders is one of the best at fundraising, depending on small donations in the range of around $27.00 each that are loyal donors who give over and over.  But "Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) topped the list, with 23 percent of respondents putting her in the top three candidates they were most curious about."

Elizabeth warren was second, Joe Biden third. It might be safe to assume, because of Bernie Sanders run in the 2016 election, the public is so familiar with him they don't need to know more. There are 21 Democratic presidential candidates in the race so far with Joe Biden regularly taking the lead and the Bern a close second. However, Elizabeth Warren has seen increased interest in the last few days. In other words, it's still a wide-open Primary.

Please give me your comments on this issue.

Joe Biden holds 26 point lead over all Democrats

What is most astonishing after learning Joe Biden leads the Democratic Primary pack by 26 points is that Elizabeth Warren comes in second with 12 percent, and even more unbelievable to me is that Bernie Sanders is third at 11 percent. This is the highly respected Quinnipiac University Poll whose assistant Director Tim Malloy said...

“The Democratic primary race suddenly gets real with a fast start by former Vice President Joe Biden and a very clear indication from voters that he is the only candidate who can send President Trump packing 18 months from now.”

So how are Progressives supposed to feel about Biden, who appears to be a moderate with further left tendencies. The Hill-HarrisX daily poll, taken last December said voters who have...

"a 'strong liberal' ideology prefer former Vice President Joe Biden to Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) in a hypothetical 2020 matchup against President Trump, according to a new poll."

I would prefer to hear it from the candidate's mouth and will wait until Joe Biden addresses issues like gun control, free healthcare and education and immigration reform to name a few. I would also feel more comfortable if Obama spoke more positively about his former vice president. The results of the Quinnipiac University Poll are similar to survey results that report on Biden's surge in the polls after announcing he was in the race. Almost like they were just waiting.

In Pittsburgh, Biden spoke to a firefighters union the International Association of Fire Fighters, which endorsed him earlier in the day. He called himself a "union man," sounding like the days when unions helped candidates win elections. He talked about gun violence, plant closings and moving out of the country. He also called for a national minimum wage of $15 per hour, mostly sounding like Bernie Sanders. Then he exclaimed he could beat Donald Trump in 2020.

I like the last part best and obviously a lot of people out there agree.

Threats required for health insurers to do right thing?

I have never been completely sold on Bernie Sanders' Medicare For All plan, simply because it is so hard to visualize the GOP allowing health insurance companies to be expelled from the marketplace. And I am not sure it would be such a good thing, even though they have been a blight on health care for years. The reason is, I think the government would do a worse job. Perhaps the best approach is a combination of government and private business.

At any rate, health insurers have conveniently decided to add new Medicare benefits. These include...

Anthem added new supplemental benefits including those addressing social determinants of health...Blue Cross and Blue Shield launched a “social determinants of health benefits package” offering healthy meals for seniors

Of course, this doesn't even come close to addressing Bernie's concept that all Americans should be given their medical care free. On the other hand, there are numerous countries that have universal healthcare, which is paid for by the government...

Canada, Austria, Belarus, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom.

Bernie Sanders argues...

"the single payer version of Medicare For All would eliminate co-payments, deductibles and allow Americans to pick the doctors they want free of insurance company restrictions and provider network rules."

Apparently, the Medicare Advantage plans are popular today for many seniors with supposed increased benefits that I have never thought were worth the increase in cost. But, back to the original question, why did it take threats from Bernie's Medicare For All concept to make the healthcare industry cough up more benefits? The answer is the greed of the health insurance companies for more profits, and that is why the government should be in control.

Please give me your COMMENTS on this issue.

Wake up Democrats...Bernie Sanders can win

Bernie has the ball(s)

I cannot believe that major donors, party operatives, senior lawmakers and rival candidate Pete Buttigieg would conspire against another liberal who has shown that he can not only raise big funds but also spark a huge lineup of contributors and loyal volunteers. But they did. Is there jealousy on the part of these lawmakers and fellow candidates, the fact that they may have dismal track records? Or do they simply wish they had the balls to do what Bernie is doing?

I am not completely sold on the Bern yet, and won't be until he gets much more aggressive on gun control. One of his volunteers called me recently since my wife and I had supported him in 2016, and I told him my concern over the gun control issue. So, I have to look at Joe Biden, who, although middle of the road, seems more inclined to get solidly behind the gun violence issue. But let's just assume Bernie does come out solid in this area.

Some say the Vermont Senator isn't electable, but then he didn't get the chance to challenge Trump in 2016 thanks to Debbie Wasserman Schultz and the Democratic National Committee. Few can claim the favorability ratings that Sanders has maintained since coming on the presidential scene. Right now he is outperforming Trump in the polling. The Guardian says there's infighting and bad blood left from his run against Hillary Clinton. Here's a point of view...

"social psychology research tells us that people who have different ideas about politics than us are not generally bad people – they’re mostly good people with different convictions."

Bernie Sanders' convictions are definitely different than establishment Democrats, but in my eyes they are also definitely better. That's why I am an Independent.

Please give me your COMMENTS on this issue.

Pete Buttigieg couldn't be more wrong about Bernie

Pete Buttigieg just said, "he doubts fellow hopeful Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) can beat President Trump in a general election." Boy was I wrong when I suggested a ticket with him as Bernie's vice president. It is just damn arrogant of a newbie like Buttigieg, whose only political career so far has been mayor of South Bend, Indiana, to make a prediction about a seasoned, experienced and dedicated politician like Bernie Sanders.

On the other hand, I think Franklin Graham's attack on Bettigieg as a gay man is beyond bad taste. This country is trying its best--and is failing by the way--to erase the prejudice of racism and sexual orientation. Graham said...

the Bible defines homosexuality as “something to be repentant of, not something to be flaunted, praised or politicized.”

That's very interesting since I am just finishing a book, The Bible Unearthed, which makes an excellent case that the Bible's accuracy is, at best, questionable on all levels. This is supported by excavation uncovering complete cities with the artifacts to prove their theories. Graham probably wouldn't know about this and would refute it if he did. Still in the process of excavating, who knows what these archaeologists will find of homosexuality in biblical times.

Sanders's campaign manager, Faiz Shakir, replied to Buttigieg's comment with...

"At a time when Trump has lied to millions of Americans and sold out workers, voters are looking for a leader who they can trust will fight for them," obviously talking about his candidate, Bernie Sanders.

It will be interesting to see if Bernie's age or Buttigieg's being gay will affect their election chances. But so far both are front -runners. 

Joe Biden is running for President in 2020

Joe Biden announces for 2020

Joe Biden has finally thrown his hat in the ring after months of deliberation, and which will be his third attempt at the office. During his announcement he attacked white nationalism, particularly the Charlottesville , Virginia rally in August 2017, saying of Donald Trump...

"He said there were quote some very fine people on both sides. With those words, the President of the United States assigned a moral equivalence between those spreading hate and those with the courage to stand against it. And in that moment, I knew the threat to this nation was unlike any I had ever seen in my lifetime."

And Joe Biden had hit the nail on the head in describing Donald Trump's presidency.  Biden is the front runner right now, leading other candidates like Bernie Sanders, but, as a centrist, must contend with these powerful forces from the left, and the fact that Bernie came in a solid first in a recent New Hampshire poll. Here's what Trump had to say about Biden's entry into the race...

"Welcome to the race Sleepy Joe. I only hope you have the intelligence, long in doubt, to wage a successful primary campaign. It will be nasty - you will be dealing with people who truly have some very sick & demented ideas. But if you make it, I will see you at the Starting Gate!"

The words T-rump uses against Biden like doubtful intelligence, nasty and sick and demented are the perfect verbiage to describe a Donald Trump.

Bernie says don't impeach Trump-He's right

Bernie says the most important thing to him in the time left leading up to the 2020 election is to see that Donald Trump is not reelected. That would be the attitude of most of the U.S. population, minus the Trump hard core supporters, which was around 18% in 2018. I have been in contact with a few of these uninformed citizens recently and can say their less than rational mentality will never change. As I mentioned in another post today, much of the Trump base is completely disenchanted with the Oval Office lunatic and are looking hard at Bernie Sanders. The gist of Bernie's statement...

"At the end of the day, what is most important to me is to see that Donald Trump is not re-elected president, and I intend to do everything I can to make sure that doesn't happen."

 He does want a thorough investigation by the House and would reconsider his position if anything damaging to Trump were to develop. Meanwhile, here's CNN Politics assessment of the right direction for Democrats...

1) Abandoning the Mueller report conclusions is unacceptable to the party's political base.
2) Impeachment will allow Trump to paint himself as a victim of overly partisan Democrats looking to run him out because they lost an election.
3) Senate Republicans will simply not abandon Trump en masse, ensuring that even if impeachment succeeds in the House, Trump will not be removed from office.

Bernie's position is, and I agree, that the left shouldn't fight a campaign of personalities, rather, emphasize the issues like healthcare, minimum wage, climate change, gun control and racism. A sensible public is not interested in revisiting the bizarre antics of a moron who has proven time after time that he is unfit to be president of the United States. And since impeachment is the epitome of Bernie's base, he must justify this position by convincing his people he can win in 2020. Early polls show him well out front in New Hampshire, but Joe Biden declaring tomorrow could change things.

Karl Rove says Bernie can beat Trump in 2020

Bernie Sanders

Coming down the stretch for the first U.S. primary in New Hampshire, Bernie Sanders has a commanding double-digit lead at 30 percent, followed by Biden at 18 percent and Buttigieg at 15 percent. Biden hasn't officially declared and N.H. is right next door to Sanders home state of Vermont. But the real surprise is the fact that newbie Pete Buttigieg is surging in the Democratic race, trailing former V.P. Joe Biden by only 3 points. Could the primary end up with a Bernie Sanders/Pete Buttigieg ticket, and, if so, could they beat Donald Trump?

Karl Rove says so. He "thinks Democratic contender Bernie Sanders could beat Donald Trump in 2020 to become the next president." Rove even added...

"After watching the Vermont senator’s Monday Fox News town hall, Rove complimented Sanders on Fox and Friends Friday, saying participating in the event was a 'smart move on his part.' He was also impressed with the response Sanders got, saying, 'Bernie comes on to Fox, and gets the largest viewership of any campaign event thus far.'”

Now that's very interesting considering Fox plays to a conservative, Republican base.

The word is out some Trump supporters who are disenchanted with the Oval Office lunatic's bizarre antics are looking at Bernie Sanders for 2020. But Bernie still must contend with the fact he is a Democratic Socialist, a trait becoming more acceptable but not quite there yet. I have had two people recently question my Bernie 2016 bumper sticker, still affixed. One "patriot" actually walked up to my wife on the passenger side window and said, "Just wanted to see what a Socialist looks like." I pulled out of the parking place quickly hoping to run over his toes. Unfortunately not.

Looks like Bernie's on right path this time

Early on Bernie Sanders is taking advantage of his record-breaking grassroots army, picking out volunteers and hiring people with the right experience. Campaign aides report that more than 1 million people have signed up to volunteer for his campaign, and they will be asked to host house parties around the country again. In an email to supporters he will say...

"we need to create an unprecedented grassroots political movement."

Sounds familiar, as does a lot of Bernie's rhetoric. But stop! is this the kind of individual we need in the White House, one we know exactly where he stands, with pretty much no change in the issues of his platform since he first ran for Senator in Vermont? NPR has done a good job of illustrating them here. If you like the issues, get on Bernie's bandwagon. We're all keeping our eyes on the polls because that is just as important to Bernie's campaign as money.

Bernie tops $18 million from 500,000 donors

Bernie Sanders 

The above number comes from the period when he declared his presidential bid in February, topping all other declared candidates. Newcomer Pete Buttigieg has raised $7 million and Beto O'Rourke raised $6.1 million. Yet I read a Wash. Post article recently that implies Bernie Sanders isn't electable. Apparently 500,000 people don't agree. First of all, they think he's too old and spouts the same platform over and over. And, oh yes, he's a Socialist.

There are millions of progressives that believe the above qualities are good enough to put him in the White House. The question remains whether certain other factions will agree, like Independents, young people and the female vote. In comparison with Bernie's $ numbers, the Trump campaign has only about $19 million cash on hand. There are also around a $6 million in legal fees against the campaign. Should it come down to Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump, I believe Bernie can take him, if those above factions kick in.

Bernie's weekend in California a YUGE success

Just received an email from the Bern with the interesting news that "in 2020 California voters will receive their ballots in the mail right around the time people in Iowa head out to caucus." It is important that Sanders' supporters continue to stand behind their man. He took his campaign to California this past weekend with a gungho crowds in San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Bernie has already accumulated 245,000 supporters in the state.

In San Diego, where President Franklin Delano Roosevelt gave a speech to the people of that city 82 years ago., The Bern attracted 6,000 people; in Los Angeles, 15,000; and San Francisco brought out 16,000, with a total of 37,000. He also stopped by the Islamic Center of Southern California to talk about the recent New Zealand mosque shooting, more encouragement that Sanders is firmly behind gun control for 2020.

I'm in for Bernie's 2020 run

Bernie Sanders in 2020

Bernie Sanders has officially declared for the 2020 presidential campaign and both my wife and I are now satisfied that he does genuinely support gun control. This is his most recent position:

"Sanders supports a ban on assault weapons, a ban on high-capacity magazines, and expanding background checks. However, his record on gun control has been mixed, and he has admitted that he comes from a state with little gun control legislation, though many of the guns used there are for hunting."

OK...this is at least a start.

The above is from Elle magazine where you can also find out where he stands on Taxes, Income and wealth distribution, plus other issues. I was particularly encouraged by the recent Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez comments on confronting the NRA and banning assault weapons. If you really look into what Bernie Sanders stands for, his slate is the most diverse of policies that appeal to Progressives, and they are the issues that are most important today to get this country back where it belongs...a humanitarian nation.

Now it's time to start making our donations to the Bern.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for gun control

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

I was a Bernie Sanders supporter in 2016, despite the fact he never did come out strong for gun control. He recently asked supporters to tell him what we were concerned about and I did...gun control. Now I do not expect to hear from Bernie personally, just want a firm indication that he will support the issue in the White House. This is what he said recently on Twitter...

"This is what real action to stop gun violence looks like. We must follow New Zealand's lead, take on the NRA and ban the sale and distribution of assault weapons in the United States."

This is a great start but there is much more to be done than banning assault weapons; like the gun show loophole and universal background checks to name a couple. The Bern feels that this issue should be settled in the states. I don't. My thought is that hundreds, maybe thousands would die before all states got around to passing gun control legislation, although some states have made this move.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is solidly behind federal gun control legislation and it would be nice if she was age 35 and able to run for president. It seems that most of the enthusiasm and good ideas are coming from the young ones.  Ocasio-Cortez is 29; maybe we should change the law for electing presidents.