Bernie sanders looking good in Iowa

In the latest Quinnipiac poll released yesterday, Bernie Sanders leads Hillary Clinton by 4 points, 49% to 45%. By demographics Bernie trounces her with men, trails slightly with women, way ahead on the age group 18-24, trails slightly on 45 to 64 year-olds and is way behind in the 65+ age group. An earlier Quinnipiac survey this month...

Clinton and Sanders are not far apart among women. Sanders has a net favorability of plus-81 with women; Clinton's is +69. Among men? Sanders is +88 and Clinton is +29 — a massive gap.

Should Bernie bring more women over to his side, he would have two major groups along with the young. Not sure he'll ever get the older folks 65+ and I believe it has something to do with Sanders Democratic Socialism; they remember Joe McCarthy and his fight against Communism and just seem to mistakenly put the two together. Another factor is that Sanders's support is far heavier among the third of poll respondents who've never been to a caucus before.

But The Washington Post cautions there are red flags. One, in 2008 fewer men voted and traditionally young people don't vote. I say, with the enthusiasm Bernie is getting from men in Iowa, and the fireworks this Presidential election has created, they will go to the caucuses on Feb. 1. And that goes double for the younger vote.

Oh, by the way, The Huff Post combination of several national polls had Bernie Sanders at 35.8% against Hillary Clinton's 51.0% as of January 24. Bernie's up from 33.3% and Hillary's down from 54.8% since January 1. Pretty significant for less than a full month.

FLASH: Does Microsoft have a "Hillary" ulterior motive with Iowa caucus software

The Bernie Sanders camp is suspicious of the offer by Microsoft for the "free" software that will tabulate Iowa caucus results. MSNBC reports "The Sanders campaign has built their own reporting system to check the results from the official Microsoft-backed app." Sanders aides noted that Microsoft employees have donated several hundred thousand dollars to Hillary Clinton over the years.

I did some research on my own to check on thesr donations and came up with the following April 2015 statements from the The Washington Free Beacon:

"Few corporate entities have managed to entwine themselves in the Clinton financial empire more thoroughly than Microsoft, a 20th century technology company that presumably feels great affinity toward a couple of 20th century politicians trying to recapture past glory.

"The feeling is apparently mutual. Hillary used Microsoft software, for example, to operate her now-deleted private email server.

"Microsoft has been supporting the Clintons years. When Hillary Clinton ran for president in 2008, Microsoft was one of her top campaign contributors: the company’s employees and political action committees donated $184,119.

"Microsoft is a regular sponsor of the Clinton Global Initiative, and has donated between $1 million and $5 million to the Clinton Foundation. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which also sponsors CGI events, has donated more than $25 million to the foundation."

Coincidence, perhaps, but the ties that bind have a funny way of ending up tipping the scales in a favored direction. 

Bernie Sanders Sayings

The greater the belief that participation in the political process doesn't really make a difference, the likely it is that people will give up hope that we can ever attain a just society and a decent standard of living.

Would you vote for Hillary Clinton if Bernie Sanders isn't nominated?

Sanders Warren ticket

One voter said Clinton is “bought and paid for,” another said he wouldn't vote for Clinton unless Elizabeth Warren was on the ticket. Yet one more said the "dream" ticket would be Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. Those are three viewpoints that do indicate a definite preference, but don't demonstrate a voting population that would stay home from the polls without Bernie. And they shouldn't. All you need to confirm this is to look at who leads the GOP ticket. Donald Trump.

If you want that maniac in office, or for that matter, any of his fellow candidates, especially Ted Cruz, then stay home on November 8. Most agree that "...a low-energy, low-turnout election in November would be disastrous for Democrats," according to the Washington Times. Jeff Weaver, Sanders campaign manager, feels his candidate is the one to wake up new progressive candidates and bring them out in November.

RootsAction.org says, “The head of one of the two big political parties in the United States is trying to manipulate the presidential election process by limiting direct debate and tilting the national party apparatus in favor of one candidate. This is unacceptable,” A Democratic county chairman in Iowa, Jason Frerichs agrees. Debbie Wasserman Schultz was co-chair of Hillary's campaign in 2008. There’s no doubt she’s putting her fingers on the scale, limiting the number of sanctioned debates,” Mr. Frerichs said.

And now Michael Bloomberg says he might run if Hillary Clinton isn't nominated. Looking at Bernie Sanders momentum and his recent surge in the polls, don't think the Bern will worry, although Bloomberg could take away some votes.

Bernie Sanders Sayings

It is in the interest of those who have great wealth and immense corporate power to weaken democracy. The less power the people have the fewer checks there are on those who already control the American economy and its resources.

Obama talks 2008 and Bernie Sanders

Just today it was reported on MSNBC that "Obama doesn’t see Clinton vs. Sanders as a repeat of 2008." He goes on to confirm that Hillary Clinton is establishment and Bernie Sanders is, well, too focused on one thing. Admittedly, Bernie started his campaign and has continued to emphasize America's inequality, but under that heading falls all of issues also being promoted by Clinton:

Campaign finance reform
Climate change
Criminal justice reform
The economy
Gun violence reform
Health care
Immigration reform
Voting rights  

There are more but the above shows just how close the two campaigns really are. It doesn't point out, however, the differences which make Bernie Sanders the choice of voters who want real change. Like in 2008. Bernie wants a $15 minimum wage, Hillary only $12. Bernie wants honest, single-pay universal health care, Hillary satisfied with Obamacare. Bernie wants to control the wealthy and Wall Street, Hillary is a part of it. There's even more.

Hillary thinks that we must work within the framework of the current political system, Bernie wants a revolution to change that and do away with the current disruptive government. Hillary wants to modify the educational system, Bernie wants to change it to free education for all. Hillary not clear on how she'll pay for her proposals, Bernie will tax the wealthy, large corporations and Wall Street. The last is perhaps the most significant in the separation between the two candidates.

President Obama, along with the rest of the Democratic establishment, is protecting the party favorite over the Independent candidate. Bernie Sanders will finally put this kind of thinking to rest.

Bernie Sanders Sayings

In recent elections the concept of "one person, one vote" has been supplanted by the influence of big money. The more money you have, the more power you have. Some citizens participate by contributing hundreds of thousands of dollars to the politicians and parties of their choice. Most citizens contribute no money and do not vote. To paraphrase Orwell, some citizens are clearly a lot more equal than others.