Progressives Bernie Sanders/Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: Could a grassroots movement elect them?

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez/Bernie Sanders

I know, I know, Bernie ran for President in 2016 and lost. I voted for him and think he should have won the primary if not for some questionable moves by Hilary Clinton and Debbie Wasserman Schultz, DNC Chair at the time. And yes, Bernie is 84 but acts as sharp as a 20-year-old. Have you guessed by now I am a Bernie Sanders fan, as well as AOC, but don't feel she quite has enough ammunition for the Oval Office yet. And what a teacher Bernie would be, and  what a pair they would be putting America's democracy back together again after Donald Trump.

And the argument against Progressives is apparently no longer credible with all the recent wins by these candidates across the country. Leftist candidates have won in a series of major primary upset victories and contested wins across the country. Here are some...

Colorado: Political newcomer Melat Kiros defeated 15-term establishment incumbent Rep. Diana DeGette for the Democratic nomination in the state's 1st Congressional District.

New York: Backed by NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani, progressives had a massive primary night. Darlisa Aila Shioalier ousted incumbent Rep. Adriano Espaillat in the 13th District, Claire Valdez won the primary in the 7th District, and Brad Lander dominated the 10th District.

Pennsylvania: Self-described Democratic socialist Rabb won a closely watched U.S. House primary in Philadelphia, defeating an establishment-backed rival.

New Jersey: Senator Bernie Sanders-backed candidates secured notable nominations, including Adam Hamawy in the 12th District and Analilia Mejia.

New Mexico: Secretary of State Maggie Tuloo Oliver won a highly contested Democratic primary for Lieutenant Governor, advancing to the November ballot. 

California: State Sen. Scott Wiener advanced in the jungle primary for a highly prominent U.S. House seat. Meanwhile, Randy Villegas secured a runoff spot in the Central Valley aiming to face an incumbent.

My wife and I received an email from Bernie recently with this headline...

"I understand why many of you in the last week are feeling anxious, angry, and upset..."

Then he continued..

"In this unprecedented moment in American history we, as progressives, are engaged in many struggles."

There's even more... 

"Not only are we trying to defend and improve democracy against those who want to move us toward authoritarianism; we're trying to create an economy that works for all of us and not just billionaires; we're trying to create a public health care system that guarantees health care to all; we're trying to stop U.S. weapons going to the extremist Netanyahu government and end a genocide in Gaza; and there is the not-so-small matter of trying to save our planet from the ravages of climate change so it is habitable for our children and our grandchildren."

I am quoting heavily from Bernie Sanders to show the sharpness of his insight and the depth of his perception. I am not looking for a comparison with the Oval Office moron because there is none. But, a comparison could be drawn if the Bern had won in 2016, had served a second term, and would be handing off the White House to a now well experienced AOC. I don't want to undermine her abilities, rather, she is smart, confident and know what the American publlc wants and needs. This, plus Bernie could be a winning ticket.

In a July 13, Benzinga article, the Bern said,  'American Society Is in Decline,' Calls for Grassroots Movement. "Decline," in my estimation is the understatement of the century. Bernie is a nice guy and never was one to diss others, even his opponents, so you have to take "Decline" with a grain of salt. Donald Trump has obliterated democracy in this country, has sent the economy in a downward tailspin with prices for groceries and gasoline skyrocketing. People can no longer afford to eat or leave the house.

The Vermont Independent doesn't blame Democrats for doing nothing, which they haven't, but offers this strategy, which bites the Dems in a positive way...

"But in the midst of our many struggles, we cannot simply remain on the defensive. The answer to all of this is not simply to bury our heads in the sand or wallow in despair."

Here's the answer...

"It is to continue fighting back as we did in New York City where we won three 

House seats last month, in Colorado where we elected Melat Kiros in a race against a long-time Democratic incumbent representative, as well as many other House victories this year in New Jersey, Montana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, California and more." 

Don't be afraid of Progressives. When you find out what their mission is, equality for all. and if you are not in the wealthy class--millionaires, billionaires--yet still wouldn't like to see impartiality on the social scene, in the marketplace and in politics, then maybe you need authoritarianism. That would be someone telling you every move to make, what you can say, what you can buy, how to raise your kids. (Sound familiar?) This list goes on and on. Now let me leave you with a definition of Progressive that I hope you will read, at least once...

In politics, a progressive is someone who advocates for social and economic reform through government action. The movement focuses on reducing inequality, protecting the environment, expanding civil rights, and ensuring that large corporations and the wealthy pay higher taxes to fund public programs. 

Historically rooted in the early 20th-century, progressive politics prioritizes active government intervention to correct societal wrongs and protect vulnerable populations rather than relying on the free market. While often used interchangeably with "liberal," modern progressives generally distinguish themselves by pushing for more aggressive, structural changes to the economy and healthcare system. 

Peace! 

Women voters will not "skip" but they will "flip" on Donald Trump in November

Democratic strategist Celinda Lake is warning Democrats against "complacency" leading up to the midterms in November, and past that into 2028. Here's her take...

"Republicans still have a massive war chest, Trump loyalists are still winning big, and redistricting efforts are likely to benefit the GOP."

Lake says the expected midterm "blowout " could disappear in this mode of "complacency," this term defined as...

"a feeling of quiet pleasure or security, often while unaware of some potential danger, defect, or the like; self-satisfaction or smug satisfaction with an existing situation, condition, etc."

Taken from the above, describing Democrats perfectly, are "unaware" and "smug satisfaction with an existing situation, condition, etc." Remember Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the DNC head during Hillary Clinton's run for the White House in 2016? Wasserman Schultz not only helped tank Clinton's run but she was apparently sitting around on a Florida beach while Republicans took over state legislatures and governors' offices throughout the country.

I have never seen such contentment in a party that has been struggling for years to find a

Debbie Wasserman Schultz

leader, something they should have recognized when Hillary went down the tube. And the old-line Dems received a harsh wake-up call when Zohran Mamdani, A Democratic Socialist, won the mayoral slot in New York city, and then three of his endorsed candidates won their primaries. Here's the scenario...

"Inside a Brooklyn industrial garage turned underground event venue, local leaders of the Democratic Socialists of America urged hundreds of mostly young people last month to avoid complacency."

There's that word again, complacency and you can be assured, the Progressives are not complacent, with their recent wins in mentioned New York, but also in Denver and Philadelphia. This could and should shake up the Democrats that have slowly moved to moderacy over the years, forgetting their base of non-wealthy working Americans. Bernie Sanders has been preaching inequaltiy for his entire Senate candidacy and presidential run. That, I say, is Democratic Socialism, and America had better get used to it.

And looking to the right, one three-time Trump voter said he was "confused and disappointed," and when asked if he feels richer or poorer since Trump took office, that he feels “poorer.” MS Now's Katy Tur asked former Gov. Pat McCrory (R-NC) what he thought of the governor's comment...

“The disappointing thing is not him getting rich,” McCrory told Tur. “The disappointing thing is he got rich on the backs of people who are getting ripped off on high commissions, because that's how they're making most of their money — on the trading of Bitcoin.

Trump hoarding billions in bitcoin

Ah yes, cryptocurrency, the latest area Donald Trump has turned his corruptive attention to, although artificial intelligence (AI) seems to be the new area he is engrossed in most recently. Trump is the epitome of the saying, 'Go where the money leads you.'

And then Celinda Lake, from The Hill, says that Republicans still have a massive war chest to work with. On the other side of the aisle...

"Democrats are significantly trailing Republicans in national party committee funding ahead of the 2026 midterms, with the DNC reporting about $14.8 million cash on hand compared to the RNC's $125 million war chest. However, many individual Democratic candidates remain highly competitive by out-raising their opponents in key battleground races."

Lake says the Democrats should be worried, even with Donald Trump's abysmal ratings. She says the Iran War debacle could help Republicans in November, but states the Dems cannot...

...rely on Trump administration “missteps” to take back control of Congress in November, but rather must “swell” their turnout at the ballot box.

Lake reports, that turnout relies on women voters — and specifically, those women she calls “skippers” and “flippers.” OK, let's get down to what the headline portends, who are these two categories so important to the left...

"Skippers are Democratic voters who did not turn out in 2024. Flippers are disaffected Republicans who could choose to vote Democratic." 

Here's the scenario...

“Trump has a serious problem when it comes to women’s votes,” says Lake. Citing a recent New York Times-Siena poll, she notes that nearly two-thirds (66 percent) of women disapprove of Trump’s performance. Another poll showed Democrats with a 21-point lead among women over Republicans. And 60 percent of young women disapprove of Trump as well.

Lake mentions an analysis done by her team showing specific GOP flipping around the country in numbers that are huge, like Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, could have made a difference in electing Harris. Lake concludes with...

“We need to reach and persuade these women to turn out, especially if the Iran war actually ends and gas prices fall,” she writes. “Democrats must do the work to mobilize skippers and create flippers. If we want to lock up a victory in November, these women hold the keys.”

In the latest figures from the League of Women Voters, 91.3 million women voted in 2024. Here are some interesting stats on women voters...

• white, non-Hispanic women voted in the highest numbers
• women of color are significantly more likely to be impacted by suppressive anti-voter policies
• Women ages 25-64 cast the most votes
• young voters (aged 18-24) cast the fewest

According to data from the Pew Research Center, 51% of women lean Democratic compared to 44% who lean Republican.

These are the numbers...now we'll see what the Democrats do with them for November.

 

 

Hello Bernie, 2028...Farmers dump Trump...Donald Trump loves inflation

I have been a Bernie Sanders fan since this man came on the scene running for President in 2016. He is articulate, sincere, and stands for the average citizen...a Democratic Socialist. A term that has carried shame for some but hope for the future for others. Like Zohran Mamdani, the new Progressive mayor of New York. Add Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, known as AOC, as Bernie's Vice President running mate, and you have a winning ticket. 

There is a current stigma when you mention Democratic Socialism or Progressive that must be alleviated through education to allow this ideology to prosper in the U.S. A Bernie Sanders/Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez run in 2028 could put this country back on track.

So the farmers finally got smart and decided Donald Trump is the trickster he has been all along. This group is the last to be offended by the Oval Office lunatic, pretty slow coming out of the fields, I guess, a collection, I might add, that put him in office. The farmers have had an interruption in their "energy and fertilizer supplies that has emerged as a consequence of the war with Iran." A war that Trump started with his ego and can't seem to get the handle to stop.

That's not all that pissed off the growers of America, "American agriculture had been struggling due to Trump’s tariffs and attacks on immigration, the latter of which has exacerbated a preexisting labor shortage." There were also funding freezes and all-toll, the farmers of America have gotten smart and turned left.

Did Donald Trump really say, 'I Love The Inflation,' which just went up on billboards in 16 states with a picture of dufus and what he said. The anti-Trump group, Home of the Brave, which has a number of Republicans on its board, spent $15 million to advertise the rising cost of living. We've seem a large increase in gas prices fueled by the war along with grocery prices going up and T-rump's ratings plunge. Trump has dismissed the affordability issue as a "hoax," while Americans suffer, including Republicans up for reelection. 

Huff Post said, "Democrats quickly seized on Trump's Wednesday remarks to show how out of touch he is with the struggles of everyday Americans." Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer added, “His contempt for you [the American voter] knows no bounds.” It is hard to fathom how the White House maniac could have any followers, much less the gang of MAGA maggots who dearly love him. It has to be based on the individual's intelligence level, which doesn't say much for the future of our kids and grandkids.

Loss of democracy not our only problem-Just follow the money to Donald Trump

How long have we talked about how money is the answer to' all political needs. SCOTUS made it easier for Republicans to draw on the business community...

"The 2010 Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission established that corporations and unions have the same free speech rights as individuals and can spend unlimited amounts on independent political communications."

Bernie Sanders has been progressively stalwart on GOP spending habits, but the big issue today is the disagreement between parties on spending factions that could have already shut down the U.S. government. One of the major points of contention is healthcare spending, which, naturally, the Republicans want less of, but Democrats want at least to hold the line on current spending; the former to enrich the wealthy and the corporate community, the latter to continue to help those in need. But, suffice it to say the biggest financial wrecking ball is Donald Trump and his family. 

Here is an AI opinion on the Trump family grifting...

Recent financial activities of Donald Trump and his family have been described as "grifting" by critics and watchdog groups, citing their extensive monetization of public office through cryptocurrency ventures, real estate deals with foreign governments, and other enterprises. A civil fraud case in New York found that Trump and his sons inflated their assets to secure favorable loans, reinforcing accusations of deceptive business practices.

These government parasites pull no punches...'We did it and we're glad...And we'll do it again.' As former Friends actor, Chandler, would have said, 'Could it be more blatant?' Robt. Reich says...

"That tsunami [of legal bribes] has grown dramatically over the last forty years. It underlies the crisis of democracy. It is fueling polarization. Democracy and social cohesion are impossible to sustain when big money is dictating political outcomes.

There's more...

"Over the last four decades, corporate political spending has more than quadrupled, adjusted for inflation."

Reich comes to an interesting conclusion: union political contributions no longer offset those of the

corporate world. I have been talking about this for several years in the sense that this kind of evolution has reduced the strength of the individual voter. Some of the financial experts contend that there is a cycle in who controls the marketplace. But contrary to this concept, unions reached their peak around 1954 when 35% of the total workforce belonged to a union. In 2024, this changed to 10% with a total of only 14.3 million members. Dems were in control then but that too has changed substantially.

I use the union examples for two reasons. One, To show how the individual has lost most of its power in the workplace. Two, To show how the corporations have not only taken up that slack, but how they have forged a tremendous position in the control of employee benefits and wages, plus holding the dominant spot in political donations at a three to one ratio. And, you can only blame the last ten years on Donald Trump. However, look what he has recently done to federal employee unions, including ending collective bargaining rights for over one million federal workers in March 2025.

Here's a shocker...

"According to a landmark study published in 2014 by Princeton professor Martin Gilens and Northwestern professor Benjamin Page, the preferences of the typical American have no influence at all on legislation emerging from Congress."

And the conclusion...

“The preferences of the average American appear to have only a minuscule, near-zero, statistically non-significant impact upon public policy.”

In other words, Congress doesn't give a damn what the American public wants. We'll get what these dunderheads--and yes, there are some Democrats--think that we need, and, currently, what is best for the Republican Party. This won't change, folks, until we divorce politics from the big money and return to the system where donations are reasonable and regulated. And there is no way this will happen until the left is in control from state governments to the White House. The GOP has been flying high with t-Rump's steam-rolling administration. But now there is gloom on the horizon...

"The share of Republicans who see the country headed in the right direction has fallen sharply in recent months, according to the September survey by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Today, only about half in the GOP see the nation on the right course, down from 70% in June. The shift is even more glaring among Republican women and the party’s under-45 crowd."

With only 25% of Americans agreeing that the country is headed in the right direction, a massive shift to the left could be coming...just around the corner. And I do agree, big-spending Democrats will have to be managed.

The Donald Trump collection...DISORIENTED

 

Donald Trump disoriented

It is almost impossible to select one blog post subject these days when talking about Donald Trump. So, here is a selection that should delight even the most radical Republican...

The Trump gang is downplaying the Signal issue, but new polling suggests that the president is facing a growing revolt over it among GOP voters. Read more

Rachel Maddow says "GOP poll numbers 'dropping like a stone.'" 

"New polling from Gallup just out today shows that there's no issue in which the American people like what Donald Trump is doing,"

"On his handling of the economy, Trump is 18 points "under water," Maddow said, and 19 points under water on his relations with Russia.

"He's underwater on his handling of the federal budget, energy policy, on foreign affairs, on the Ukraine war, on the environment. On even his relations with the dreaded news media!"

Read more 

A member of Denmark's parliament has warned the United States: "We cannot be allies with US if Trump tries to take our territory away." Vance is in Greenland while Trump exclaims, "he wouldn't rule out using economic and/or military methods to take over the island. Read more

In his 1949 novel, 1984, George Orwell warned of the Surveillance, Manipulation, and Authoritarianism that t-RUMP's administration has forced on Americans. Orwell's dystopian society is no longer fiction, it has become the reality of today. What we are experiencing is Donald Trump's escalation to the dictatorship he has been string for years. Read more

This headline says it all: "Vaccine skeptic hired to head federal study of immunizations and autism." That's right, RFK Jr. hired a long-discredited researcher and vaccine skeptic to conduct a government study on whether vaccines cause autism. Read more

Are we really getting rid of Elon Musk? He says "he'll 'ditch Trump' and quit Washington D.C. after DOGE purge." DOGE employee said, "President Trump has been very clear, scalpel not hatchet and that's the way its been getting done." Bullshit! Here's what the House Committee on the Budget said just last week: "DOGE's Mass Firings Result in Gutted Services and Higher Costs." Read more

Steve Bannon attacks the courts to keep Trump out of prison. U.S. District Judge James Boasberg ordered President Donald Trump to preserve all records from the "Signalgate" scandal. Bannon's concern is that when [not if] the Democrats come back into power, Trump's track record of dodging prison time for his criminal charges will run out. Read more.

New Canadian Prime Minister, Mark Carney, says 'old relationship' with US 'is over.'

t-RUMP, the White House sham, cowers and plans his next stupidity. Read more

Here is Canada in retaliation: "Canada 'rage room' lets visitors smash Trump, Vance, Musk portraits to release tariff angst." But, "Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney says there may be a limit to Ottawa's ability to escalate a tariff war." Read more

Signal chat won't go away. "U.S. District Judge James Boasberg orders Trump administration to preserve Signal chat on Yemen strikes."  The same judge, earlier this month, temporarily blocked Trump's use of the Alien Enemies Act to deport more than 200 alleged migrant gang members to El Salvador without due process. Read more

The New Republic reveals Trump's cluelessness over what he is doing. "The American public knew before Donald Trump that top administration officials had conducted airstrikes on Yemen via a Signal chat, and now it appears that the president has been left in the dark on other intelligence matters too. Read more

Is Trump losing interest in governing? Not that he has ever really governed but AlterNet has concerns...

"over President Donald Trump’s ability, willingness, or even interest in engaging with the most pressing issues facing the country, as he increasingly—and casually—admits to being unaware of critical matters. His repeated declarations of ignorance, often delivered without hesitation or concern, have deepened alarm among critics who warn of a dangerous void in informed leadership in the Oval Office."

Read more 

Here's a headline that is irresistible: "The American Dream is officially over," by Donald Earl Collins of Aljazeera. Collins adds, "All because the rich must always steal from the poor." Sound familiar? Bernie Sanders has been saying that for years. Here's an example...

According to a report from Moody’s Analytics in February, the richest 10 percent of Americans (households with an annual income of at least $250,000) [12.7 million households] drove half of all US consumer spending (about $10 trillion) between September 2023 and September 2024.

Read more 

 RFK Jr.'s vitamin A conspiracy sends kids to the hospital. Here's the scenario...

As the New York Times reports, overuse of Vitamin A — health secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.'s purported measles cure, alongside cod liver oil, which contains the same vitamin — has led to liver damage and yellowed skin in children infected with measles.

Read more 

And, so much for today...

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. 

 

Seniors must revolt against the Trump/Musk attack on Social Security

There are 69 million Americans on Social Security. I am one of them. And I am satisfied with the benefits I receive. I also realize Social Security isn't paying for itself and something must be done. There have been proposals for years to expand Social Security benefits and revenues by expanding the tax base...

In the House of Representatives, Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.) has led proposals for years to expand Social Security benefits and revenues by expanding the tax base. In the Senate, “The Social Security Expansion Act,” introduced by Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Congresswomen Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) and Val Hoyle (D-Ore.) would raise the taxable earnings cap to $250,000, and like Larson’s bill, include investment income.

The above " would raise more money than needed to solve the long run deficit." And there has also been talk of taxing the income of the wealthiest, which would not only solve the Social Security crisis, but also put the U.S. budget on solid ground. And why not? Larson says...

"164 million workers (about 94% of us) pay Social Security taxes all year long. The point is a lot of income escapes the Social Security system; and the escaping income is that from the wealthiest Americans."

This could all be moot if Donald Trump and Elon Musk get their way, with The New Republic reporting the "systemic destruction" of Social Security started last Tuesday night in t-RUMP's speech. 7,000 SS employees are already scheduled to be laid off, another 30,000 in the near future. With half of its staff gone, experts expect delays in every aspect of the Social Security program. There are many in the program that depend entirely on their benefits and it is likely there will be deaths if they lose them.

Contact Congress NOW!

Trump and Musk don't care. Hell, most Republicans don't care. And many others in the country are apathetics, which is one of the reasons we are in the situation we are. But this is what U.S. voters elected, and hopefully it will be the Trump-voting group that suffers the most from the actions of the radical right. Here's what Republican anti-Trump publication, The Bulwark, says...

"House Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Richard Neal (D-Mass.) said that "after years of hard work and a lifetime of contributions, our seniors shouldn't have to worry about Republicans meddling with their Social Security. This is an attack on our nation's seniors—plain and simple.""

Emphasis my own. 

The GOP and its wealthy donors have wanted to get rid of Social Security or, privatize it, for years. It comes up regularly in Congress but even Republicans realize you don't meddle with something as sacred as this senior benefit. But, under t-RUMP it is different...

"They’ve [Republicans] called it everything from communism to socialism to a Ponzi scheme, which Musk just called it this week (“the biggest Ponzi scheme of all time,” no less)."

But The New Republic counters...

"In fact, it has been the most successful anti-poverty program in the history of America, one now emulated by virtually every democracy in the world."

The masquerading president, Elon Musk, appears to have his sights on privatizing Social Security, according to a leaked email from acting Social Security Administration Commissioner Leland Dudek, posted on AlterNet. It goes without saying, this maniac should not have the power given him by Trump, and he most certainly should not have the capacity to make changes to Social Security. So, it all gets back to the morons who elected Donald Trump, knowing full well he carried the baggage of Elon Musk.

The Bobbsey twins who want to take your Social Security

Other salient points from The Bulwark and AlterNet: former SS admin. Martin O'Malley says there is a toxic work environment there, "they are driving people out there with a viciousness that I believe will collapse the agency, which could result in an 'interruption of benefits.';" "We have a 50-year low in staffing while the baby boomer generation is swelling their ranks," O'Malley said. In fact, O'malley thinks Trump and Musk want to break the agency.

Continuing these points...

"House Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Richard Neal (D-Mass.) said that "after years of hard work and a lifetime of contributions, our seniors "shouldn't have to worry about Republicans meddling with their Social Security."

"Congressman Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) declared that 'in no way, shape, or form, should we privatize any aspect of Social Security.'"

Here is an interview from The New Republic with Tracey Gronniger, a leading advocate for social insurance, who argues that Musk’s ransacking of Social Security is getting worse—and will prompt a major political backlash: "Transcript: Musk’s Attack on Social Security Exposed in Shocking Leak." It illustrates the disaster Elon Musk could cause if he is allowed to mess around with Social Security.

John Larson reports...

"that recently House Republicans advocated cutting Social Security benefits by (about 8%) by raising the full retirement age to 69 and President-elect Donald Trump’s only Social Security proposal would drain Social Security of revenue by $23 billion, according to a report by the thorough Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget."

But Larson also says there is, "Political Hope For Social Security Fixes"...

There is hope. In December 2024, Republicans and Democrats raised Social Security benefits for more than 2 million people by repealing the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO).

The hope is that the bipartisan support for the expansion of Social Security benefits may mean Congress is listening to the majority of Americans — Republicans and Democrats — who want more revenue for Social Security and do not want benefit cuts.

The other hope is that the Republicans in Congress will finally get some balls and keep Trump and Musk from any tampering with Social Security benefits. 

If DOGE is illegal then Elon Musk must be illegal

The “department of government efficiency” (Doge), headed up by billionaire Elon Musk, has grabbed the governmental infrastructure by the balls and refuses to let go. It is so bad that Musk, along with J.D. Vance, has said that he might defy orders and verdicts from judges. This borders on sedition in an environment where the players actually control the country, from the White House, to Congress, to the Supreme Court. against which they are directing their discontent. But then, we are talking about Republicans.

Ben Makuch reports in The Guardian, that Doge is facing "countless lawsuits alleging everything from privacy concerns to free speech violations." It was T-rump that created the department on the first day of his second term. He named his buddy, Elon Musk, who bought him the Oval Office, to head up Doge. From then on Musk has been known as White House maniac #2. The latter has messed with Treasury files, causing major concern over the fact that he is now scrutinizing Social Security.

Regardless of political party, most of us believe that government should be pared down, eliminating the waste. But Trump, and Musk, are using this concept to seek revenge on enemies and eliminating programs for the needy while enriching the wealthy. It's the Republican way. Here's the scenario...

"Laurence Tribe, one of the nation’s leading and preeminent constitutional scholars and a professor emeritus at Harvard Law School, has already argued that much of Trump’s blitzkrieg of executive orders on the day of his inauguration disregards the US constitution. He told the Guardian he saw Musk’s actions as furthering that culture."

There's more...

"On whether Doge and Musk can legally have this much power over an array of government departments, Tribe was emphatic: 'NO.'"

More from the constitutional expert...

"Tribe said the lack of guardrails being placed on Doge’s maverick initiatives, raises 'both' questions of illegality and ethical wrongdoing that can be challenged in court. As for Musk’s status as a federal contractor (such as his StarLink work with the Pentagon) and now a government employee, Tribe sees it as 'absolutely' a legal conflict of interest."

Senator Bernie Sanders added: “What Musk is doing is illegal and unconstitutional.” The Bern's opinion...

"...deleting an agency like USAid, which was itself a creation of Congress, requires congressional approval."

One must wonder how long the wave of executive orders will continue; more than 50 have been signed by Trump so far. Thirty minutes after the Oval Office lunatic was sworn in...

"...a Maryland-based public interest law firm to file a 30-page lawsuit alleging Musk’s Doge should be considered a “federal advisory committee”, which makes it subject to government transparency laws and public scrutiny, which includes note keeping and meeting records, as required by law."

However, SCOTUS has a solid conservative majority, with three Trump appointees, that will think twice before crossing their monarch. And Trump appointees are strewn throughout the lower court system, which makes this all a monumental unknown. What we do know, though, is that our country is being destroyed by a gang of barbarian politicians. 

Radical Information Can Destroy a Democracy...Here's how

 

Over thirty-five years in the junk mail industry, information was my crown jewel. Information about mailing lists, information about people (demographics); information about geography (demography). Without all this I could never have progressed as a data broker. It was plentiful and it was expensive but cost even more when collected and refined, then sold to a client for their mailings. I do not know the number of peoples' names I sold but it was in the multi-millions.

This was several years ago and the business has changed significantly since then. What hasn't changed is still the fact that nothing moves without information. In Salon recently, Chauncey Devega spoke with Stephanie Foggett, who is director of global communications at the Soufan Group, a global intelligence and security consulting firm. Foggett specializes in monitoring white supremacist, neo-Nazi and other right-wing extremist groups.

With the Covid pandemic in a slight decline, we now have monkeypox to deal with. And there is a constant reminder from Bernie Sanders and other Progressives that inequality is still raging in this country. Devega reminds us...

"Here in the U.S., Donald Trump's political cult and a Republican Party dominated by fascists are attempting to end multiracial democracy. This is a revolutionary struggle whose goal is to create a new American society, that in practical terms will be an apartheid Christian fascist plutocracy ruled without challenge or accountability by a small number of rich white men."

 The Pro-Putin Wing Of The GOP Echoes Kremlin Disinformation...

In Devega's exchange with Foggett, she...

"shares her views on how "malign actors" are using this moment of global disruption to expand their power by undermining liberalism and Western-style democracy, both internationally and in the United States."

Of special concern is the use of the Internet and conservative media by "the global far-right and their allies, along with the Republican Party and its agents." Including Fox News and conspiracy cults like QAnon. Foggett even predicts that military conflict between states is now a reality, in keeping with recent forecasts of another Civil War. But, it takes time she says, because more than ever today, we must know why we are doing what we are doing.

It is here where Foggett addresses "How the far right is winning the information war." With Republican disinformation of course, made popular during the Donald Trump administration...

"Every issue is being muddled with disinformation and half-truths and narratives that paralyze action by creating confusion and doubt. This makes it hard to chart a shared path forward."

In this "confusion," it is...

"very difficult to even have discussions about politics and current events when there is less of a shared understanding of reality, the truth and facts. Every issue is being muddled with disinformation and half-truths and narratives that paralyze action by just creating confusion and doubt."

And therein lies the problem. Republican disinformation creating a confusion because the GOP has no agenda other than to block anything the Democrats want to do. It sure isn't the Grand Old Party anymore.

UPDATE: Joe Manchin: LIAR...HYPOCRITE...DESERTER...CORRUPTER

 

LATEST: Manchin received 36 donations from corporations in the last two months after announcing he would not support Build Back Better, and raised close to $260,000 in that time period.

Joe Manchin, the Senator from West Virginia is all of those and more, looking more like Donald Trump every day. Taking them one by one, LIAR: He told Pres. Biden he would back the Build Back Better bill, then backed out. On Fox News. HYPOCRITE: Acting like a Democrat, voting like a Republican. DESERTER; from the Democratic Party, most of all his constituents at home. CORRUPTER: Shares this with daughter, Heather Bresch. 

On Sunday, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki issued a statement re. Manchin's bail out on the bill designed to benefit Americans in a number of ways, one of the most important decreasing the cost of your medical prescriptions. Of course Manchin would oppose this because of the fiasco with his daughter's pharmaceutical company, Mylan, Inc. which donated at least $200,000 to her father's campaign during five election cycles. Here's the scenario...

"Manchin’s daughter, Heather Bresch, was the president and chief executive officer of Mylan Inc., a pharmaceutical company that specialized in generic drugs. The company raised the price of a two-pack of EpiPen from around $124 dollars in 2009 to $609 in 2016. Bresch left the company in 2020 after Mylan merged with Upjohn, Pfizer’s generic division, in November 2020, to form Viatris Inc. Bresch began working at the company in 1992, and became CEO in 2012."

I did a post back in June asking the question, "Is Joe Manchin a Senate plant

serving Chas. Koch's conservative group?" The answer, an unequivocal YES! The White House is bending over backwards to work with Manchin, a Democrat that should understand the value of Build Back Better to the American public, particularly West Virginia needy. Apparently he doesn't, prompting this from Jen Psaki...

"In the meantime, Senator Manchin will have to explain to those families paying $1,000 a month for insulin why they need to keep paying that, instead of $35 for that vital medicine. He will have to explain to the nearly two million women who would get the affordable day care they need to return to work why he opposes a plan to get them the help they need. Maybe Senator Manchin can explain to the millions of children who have been lifted out of poverty, in part due to the Child Tax Credit, why he wants to end a program that is helping achieve this milestone—we cannot."

The fact is, he doesn't care about his constituents, or he would be supporting BBB. West Virginians are desperately in need of what this bill offers. Let's take a look: $400B Pre-school for all 3 and 4-year olds; $200B Child tax credits; $200B 4 weeks of paid family and medical leave; $165 billion on healthcare spending;  $150 billion to expand affordable home care; $150 billion for affordable housing; $555 billion to fight climate change.

Yes, a lot of money, but is there anything you see in the above that is not justified by the needs in this country? And how is it paid for...

"Democrats say the spending package will be paid for by tax increases on high earners and corporations, but the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office found on Thursday that this will only raise around $1.5 trillion over 10 years—just short of the $1.75 trillion in 10-year spending.

"The CBO findings are at odds with the White House’s pledge to fully pay for the Build Back Better bill, which is now expected to increase the federal budget deficit by $160 billion over the next 10 years."

 A pathetic Joe Manchin Says He Won’t Vote For Biden’s Build Back Better Bill...

Like White House Press Sec. Jen Psaki asks in her statement, how will Joe Manchin explain to his West Virginia constituents that he voted down these benefits: child welfare, medical leave and healthcare spending, affordable home care and housing, and a fight against climate change that could save even more lives. The answer, another resounding YES, Democrats are spending but on the right things that will help homelessness, those in poverty and a general shot to the economy.

Contrary to what Manchin says, some aspects of BBB could counter current inflation as reported by NBC...

"The White House and Democratic leaders have rebranded the legislation as an antidote to widespread price hikes, arguing that it would lower the cost of prescription drugs, childcare and overall expenses related to raising families."

 Republicans are harping on increased inflation and consumer prices did jump 6.2% last month. Biden and Chair of the Federal Reserve, Jerome Powell, as well as Treasury Sec. Janet Yellen, are working on the problem. But thanks to the fact that Joe Manchin blew off the Build Back Better bill, Goldman Sachs has issued a gloomy prediction for the economy. Surprise. It always seems to be traced back to the blockhead senator from West Virginia.

And, because of the latter, Manchin has the country on edge, allowing Republicans to plunder our democracy. It is so fragile that this kind of chaos, added to the Covid-19 pandemic, could soon bring on a GOP autocracy, all thanks to Joe Manchin and cohort Krysten Sinema.

More Joe Manchin below...

WATCH Bernie Sanders put Manchin in his place.

WaPo's Jennifer Rubin's take on Joe Manchin.

Manchin bottom feeder ‘refused’ a call from W.H. before killing BBB

Coal miners want Joe Manchin to reverse opposition to Build Back Better

Do We Really Need Progressives?

Six House Democrats known as The "Squad" almost doomed Pres. Joe Biden's $1.2 Trillion Infrastructure bill. They are progressives and, although there is a lot of merit in what progressives stand for, their desires in this case do not justify going against the Democratic Party to condemn its agenda. If it hadn't been for thirteen Republicans voting for the bill, it might not have passed. Here's the current Squad...

• Rep. Jamaal Bowman of New York
• Rep. Cori Bush of Missouri
• Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York
• Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota
• Rep. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts
• Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan

The Squad demanded the Build Back Better Act, sister legislation to the

Infrastructure Bill, be passed simultaneously. It wasn't up for passage so the gang of defectors balked at giving Joe Biden the big win he needed, but got anyway, no thanks to the faithless six. I was a progressive, supported and voted for Bernie Sanders, and I am very disappointed at his opposition to this bill. There are three years left in Biden's administration, with the hope of some miracles in 2022.

But maybe the Squad, and Bernie Sanders, consider 2022 a lost cause, possibly even 2024, and they are going for broke with the hopes of getting as much done as possible. That makes little sense as well since Biden could have gotten nothing had it not been for the Republican crossovers and everyone, including progressives, lose. We mustn't totally discourage this faction, however, since their fight is for the forgotten group that Democrats used to stand for.

The 13 Republicans who supported Biden's Infrastructure Bill, of course, had to take flak from especially the Terrible Trifecta, consisting of Lauren Boebert, Matt Gaetz and Margorie Taylor Greene. These are the original three Republican airheads that have proven just how far off course the right has gone. And this kind of stupidity in the American Congress is why the left must solidify its support and move forward in order to save our country from anti-democracy.

So, do we really need progressives? Perhaps the word "progressive" has overpowered this group and others like them, resulting in action almost like another political party. What the Dems need is for this bloc to merge with moderates and conservative Democrats, but, at the same time, when they push their agenda, there is a need for solidarity. Those conservative Dem could take this advice as well.

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.