Is Bernie Sanders running for Trump resignation/impeachment?

Bernie Sanders-Chris Hayes MSNBC

Bernie Sanders has been everywhere recently talking about everything from how the Republicans are screwing up to how the Democrats are twiddling their thumbs. As recently as Thursday, he said Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch, "...brought the Supreme Court confirmation process to a new low during this week's confirmation hearings." And it was only mid-March that headlines were screaming, "Everyone loves Bernie Sanders. Except, it seems, the Democratic party," headline from The Guardian. It is certain that The Bern is well versed on both sides.

Here's the latest figures on Sanders who is being given the national spotlight regularly these days. 61% favorable, 32% unfavorable. When you look at Donald Trump, who sits in the Oval Office today, DT is only 44% favorable, with an unfavorable rating of 53%. When you take the comparisons even further, Barack Obama had a job approval rating of 69% during his first days in office in 2009. Considering the chaos of the Trump administration, the screw ups they have pulled to date, and the fact that Donald John is incapable of getting any of his programs approved, it can only get worse.

These are Fox News polls and although I do have reservations about anything Fox says or does, I take some comfort in the fact that these numbers are being reported by The Hill, a highly reputable publication. They even mention that Trump's unfavorable ratings have been even worse, rising above 55% at times. Here's The Hill's take...

"The huge popularity of Sanders in the Fox poll tracks virtually all other polling that shows Sanders to be, by a large margin, the most popular political leader in America, and far ahead of Trump, the most unpopular new president in the history of presidential polling."

Bernie Sanders has been rallying against the GOP healthcare bill and the repeal of Obamacare since it was introduced by Paul Ryan and endorsed by Donald Trump. The Bern has his own healthcare plan that is even more universal than The Affordable Care Act, but agrees with The Hill that, "...TrumpCare's unpopularity creates a grave danger of disaster for Republicans in 2018 and 2020." And here are some results of Bernie's efforts...

"...a shocking new poll from Quinnipiac University found American voters opposing the pending Republican healthcare bill by a three to one margin. Fifty-six percent of voters disapprove of TrumpCare (or "RyanCare," or whatever name is attached to the disastrous GOP bill), while only 17 percent support it."

With Sanders popularity today, there is no doubt that he would beat Trump in an election, a point I have made several times recently in an effort to keep Progressives active, with an eye toward the day that Donald Trump implodes and brings the Republican Party down around him. The Hill agrees...

"The consistently high ratings for Sanders, and the consistently low ratings for Trump, show that the real majority in America is the genuinely progressive and genuinely populist view of Sanders, not the phony populism or warped conservatism represented by Trump."

 "If Sanders were running against Trump for president today, he would win by a gigantic popular vote margin and a strong electoral vote margin."

Even across the pond, Bernie Sanders' popularity shines above all other American politicians. Here's the tragic analysis of The Guardian from Great Britain...

"If you look at the numbers, Bernie Sanders is the most popular politician in America – and it’s not even close. Yet bizarrely, the Democratic party – out of power across the country and increasingly irrelevant – still refuses to embrace him and his message. It’s increasingly clear they do so at their own peril."

Here's a Party, the Dems I'm talking about, who should have learned their lesson in the DNC fiasco with Debbie Wasserman Schultz; the fact that she unethically ramrodded Cliinton to the Democratic nomination, when Bernie Sanders was clearly the choice of the public. But that wasn't even enough. Again, there was Keith Ellison who was a natural to lead charged up Progressives on the left, but the old guard of the Party felt more complacent with a hard-liner, Tom Perez. Here's another startling fact from The Guardian; with U.S. Independents, Sanders has an astonishing +41 net favorability.

Progressives are asking for more--they want the adoption of Sanders' populist policies in retaking governor's offices with good support in the defined areas--but Democrats have their own ideas. The proof in the pudding came in a recent town hall meeting hosted by MSNC's Chris Hayes, and it applied directly to Trump voters. In "Trump country" West Virginia...

...the crowd ended up giving him [Bernie Sanders] a rousing ovation after he talked about healthcare being a right of all people and that we are the only industrialized nation in the world who doesn’t provide healthcare as a right to all its people.

The Guardian chastises the Democratic Party for its past lack of attention to houses of Congress, governorships and state houses across the country [thanks to Debbie Wasserman Schultz], instead concentrating on just a White House loss by Hillary Clinton, blamed on James Comey and the Russian intervention in the election. The ostrich effect, they [the Dems] either have their head in the sand or...up their ass. I go for the latter. Politico reports eventual attention to a positive economic message by the Democrats but...

“For now, aides say, the focus is on slaying the giant and proving to the voters who sent Trump into the White House why his policies will fail.”

Same old, same old, which Clinton tried at the end of her campaign and failed miserably. Bernie's comment...

“There are some people in the Democratic Party who want to maintain the status quo. They would rather go down with the Titanic so long as they have first-class seats.”

Looks like the Dems plan to stay on the bottom of the first-class heap. 

Do you think Bernie Sanders could win in 2020?

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 NEWS BYTES

YES! Bernie can win...  

Bernie, the man for the White House

The above is a Slate headline and it's not from two months ago, it is from last Thursday, September 12. In the Ben Mathis-Lilley piece, there is a sub-headline, "It’s time to start focusing on serious candidates—like the socialist." We are, of course, talking about "Bernard “Bernie” Sanders, the Brooklyn-Vermont 'democratic socialist,'” who is still one of the leading candidates in the crowded Democratic Primary. Here's Mathis-Lilley's comments on the debates...

"Given that debate performances are scrutinized for how they shape the primary “narrative,” Sanders is at a disadvantage. He’s not the Establishment Favorite—that would be Joe Biden—and he’s not the Surging Insurgent, Elizabeth Warren. He’s not An Inspiring Resistance Leader Who Might Appeal to Centrists (Kamala Harris), and he is certainly not An Uncannily Articulate 14-Year-Old Mayor Who Likes Radiohead (that would be Pete Buttigieg)."

Okay, before going any further with Slate, here's my take on Bernie. There would be no Democratic Primary without Bernie Sanders, no ideas, no substantive issues, no meaningful direction for the left. Sanders is a Progressive and a Democratic Socialist, which makes him the candidate of the people. I am having trouble understanding why a voting public cannot see this clearly. The other Democratic aspirants would have nothing to say if not for the Bern paving the way.

Bernie compares 2020 with 2016'''

Have been wanting to get that off my chest for some time; if anything needed to be said right now, that did. Here's more from Slate...

"He [Bernie Sanders] is, instead, The Exact Same Guy He Was Last Time—a fiery leftist who has a substantial, if not primary-majority-size, base of committed supporters who believe in his ambitious plans to bring justice to a “rigged” society by sticking it to the damn fat cats. A Sanders presidency would, guaranteed, involve an attempt to raise taxes on top earners in order to institute single-payer universal health coverage and make college free."

Although Elizabeth Warren has made strides in the polls, and being in the same ideological ballpark as Sanders, the latter seems to still be hanging around his standing from last May. Granted, Biden leads the race but I am not convinced he really wants to run. Maybe his number one position has made him too secure and he needs some polling competition to wake him up. Bernie has always been a charging contender with a philosophy that dates back to his early days in politics.

Bernie in Denver recently...

But there are additions to his traditional issues, notably "changing his rhetoric and his platform since 2016 to acknowledge and decry the role that race plays in economic disparities, he’s done so in a way that fills out, rather than erases and redraws, his public meaning." Bernie Sanders as a candidate...

"He hasn’t done anything, since the last time he ran for, and did not win, the nomination, to radically change the public’s established impression of who he is, what he believes, and how he would behave as president. If you liked him in 2016, you probably still do; if not, you still don’t."

In other words, the Bern is consistent with substantive issues, has been and most likely always will. It all starts with the first four states to hold primaries or caucuses which are Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina. From Nate Silver's 538, Sanders is second to Joe Biden in the area of electability to beat Trump: Biden 68%, Sanders 56%, Warren 51%. Bernie is also well off financially with $27 million in cash on hand and a "deep e-Rolodex of small donors."

I believe many of Bernie Sanders supporters have faltered over time, especially with Joe Biden's lead and Elizabeth Warren's recent surge, myself included, but Slate has some excellent points which could rally the Bern's base. On to the White House.

Read more of my Bernie Sanders posts.

Bernie Sanders is back and this time he plans to win

Elizabeth Warren-Bernie Sanders

When I say win, Bernie Sanders is already in overdrive to elect more Progressives in the 2018 midterms and, yes, I think he is shooting for the presidency again in 2020. But I hope that Elizabeth Warren will see the light and support his candidacy this time, no matter who the Democratic Party plans to run. And there is a definite difference between Democrats and Progressives, a point that is confirmed by the fact that Hillary Clinton, a Democrat, lost the election to an incompetent candidate who is also defined as a pathological liar by Sanders. The new Republican president, Donald Trump.

Just yesterday Elizabeth Warren  with Bernie Sanders introduced a new tuition bill that would make college education available to all,regardless of who they are. "Education should be a right, not a privilege," according to the Bern, an issue he has been promoting since first starting his 2016 presidential race. "The legislation includes a joint-bill in the House which would be introduced Wednesday by Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., and Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minn.," according to a statement provided to International Business Times.

This should arouse the Progressives out there who have been on the sidelines wanting something to happen. That includes me, and I am now ready to roll on to upending a Republican Congress to putting Bernie sanders and Elizabeth Warren in the White House in 2020. Don't laugh, conservatives, it has been some time now since the left has had this much reason for the momentum to get the right job done. With Hillary history, and Sanders as the most popular political candidate in the U.S. the cross-country fight for legislative and governor's seats will now be easier.

And the Sanders/Warren people aren't alone. Not satisfied that enough was being done, two major groups have formed to elect Progressives in 2018 and 2020. The first is Justice Democrats, started by the founder of the Young Turks, Cenk Uygur, who said that he was starting the organization because it needed to be done and no one else was doing it. The second is Brand New Congress which was originally started by a group of volunteers and staffers from the Bernie Sanders presidential campaign. They want, "...to be a big tent for anyone who is tired of partisan politics."

The latest information is that these two groups recently merged, which is a good start for the new aggregation.

Somewhere in the future it will be necessary to galvanize all these efforts into one cohesive group that supports Progressivism in order to move ahead as a collective organization. NBC News takes us back to the 2016 convention to point out where the left might take us...

"But the more radical strain, which led hundreds of Sanders delegates to walk out of the Democratic National Convention in protest last summer, is still present on the left and emboldened by the loss of Hillary Clinton and their belief that Bernie would have won."

"Some are betting that the disaffected left is as or more interested in remaking the Democratic Party as it is in fighting President Donald Trump."

What is needed now is a defined structure to get there. And that is why all these splinter groups will have to bite the bullet and find one common denominator that will rebuild, or replace, if necessary, the Democratic Party with one that will serve the people and not a political clique. Corbin Trent of Brand New Congress said...

"The point is we've watched this party over the last decade lose over 1,000 seats, lose a national election to least popular nominee in history, Donald Trump, and now we've seen poll after poll showing the Democratic Party less popular since election day. What we think is the American people are ready for a new direction."

The American people were ready for a new direction in 2016, namely Bernie Sanders, proven by the fact that he won 23 primaries with 1,865 delegates, winning just one-hundred less votes in the Democratic Primary than Donald Trump did in the Republican Primary. But he didn't win because of the shenanigans of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), which has now resulted in the firing of two top politicos. Unfortunately, Tom Perez heads the DNC now, instead of Keith Ellison, which is another result of Party hardliners. See, they will never learn.

Although Republicans profess not to be worried, they should take note of the fact that the Tea Party almost upended the Party in 2009 and 2010, proving that a grassroots kind of movement can be effective. But this will require the passion of all liberals, including those who regularly rally around the Party. Just after the 2016 election, I did a post, "What do Republicans have that Democrats don't?" and the answer was passion. Some of those that didn't like Hillary Clinton either didn't vote or for some stupid reason, voted for Donald Trump.

In that case the "Party" would have been better than what we ended up with. We are not in that position approaching 2018 and 2020, and there is plenty of time to build on your passion by looking at the daily antics of the Oval Office maniac. If this isn't enough to make you crave for a change to the kind of government you would get from Bernie Sanders, then you don't want to live in the kind of country I do. That, of course, is your choice.

Poltiical Satire: Can the Democrats/Progressives recover? Why not!

The left is in, perhaps, the worst shape it has been in for decades. Not that it has had that much past luck in Congress, the only positive recently being Barack Obama who was stonewalled by the GOP during his entire eight years. But the election of Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton proves the inability of Democrats to nominate an electable candidate to run against a weakened Republican Party. They had one in Bernie Sanders but blew it allowing Debbie Wasserman Schultz to run the show and bar his nomination through unethical tactics, for which she was fired.

There are all kinds of perceptions of whether or not the Bern would have beat Trump, but what is sure is the fact that he would have given him a better run for his money than Hillary Clinton did. Sanders awakened the younger crowd, which could have been his ace in the hole against Donald John. But this is all history and the focus now is how to bring Democrats/Progressives back to the forefront. If my experience with the Demographic grassroots volunteer organization is any indication of the competency of this group, this is where the most work is necessary.

With both Barack Obama and Bernie Sanders I volunteered my services repeatedly; in both cases, with no takers. That's right, my background in database management, including computer modeling , along with research and market predicting was made available several times to apparently deaf ears. Due to my physical condition I couldn't go out and knock on doors, but time and again I offered to make my full office and experience available. Most recently, I contacted Bernie Sanders' campaign right up to the bitter end of his running for the nomination. Both in my state and national. Nothing.

And today Democrats are divided over how to handle Donald Trump, with one group wanting an all-out war, the other wants to try and guide him to the center. It should be obvious by now to anyone, you don't push Donald John in any direction but his own. And then there's the realization that with all the support to oppose Trump, the congressional Democrats just may not have the power to accomplish what they want. Impeachment now would take some strong support from Republicans and that isn't likely to happen. Of course, 2018 could turn the tide.

Bernie Sanders

But there has always been a leader from the left that stood out when minds were being made up aboutBernie Sanders stood out as the candidate of choice but denied his right. The American public was screaming for change, and the Bern offered that in a way that would most benefit the working class. What they got was Donald Trump, the voice of...Donald Trump.
campaigns and elections to come. Names like F.D.R., John Kennedy, Bill Clinton, unfortunately, Hillary Clinton most recently. There was a clear point at which the obvious was there to see in 2016, and that was when

One Democrat from a left-leaning state, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, who is Vice Chairman off the Democratic Governors Assn., spoke of massive support for resistance against Donald John's Executive Order banning refugee admissions and travel from seven majority Muslim countries. Gov. Inslee has backed a lawsuit that challenges Trump's Executive Order and commented that by "...undermining Mr. Trump across the board..." The Dems will eventually hope to split Republicans away from the President. Not sure the likes of Mitch McConnell are bright enough.

The Democratic Party is so weakened that several Congress members from red states are afraid to oppose Trump for fear of losing their seats. But what good are those seats to the left if they have no voice. The answer is none. I am having a problem here wondering why we aren't getting fire and brimstone from a team of Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Chuck Schumer. They are, combined, the strength of the Senate and the Democratic Party. The Republicans doesn't hesitate to gang up against the left when the opportunity presents itself.

However, this is what the Dems are up against. A House and Senate controlled by the GOP. A Republican in the White House, although with such a lack of direction in his first month in office, the unknown will be the biggest problem. And if, probably when, Neil Gorsuch is installed in the Supreme Court, it will be five conservatives against four liberals. Insurmountable odds? Maybe not. Leo Jennings, a Democratic consultant from Youngstown, Ohio, days the Party must adopt a more Progressive economic agenda. Progressives must reclaim the Party.

Jennings, a Sanders supporter, said...

"If we don't start talking about the things that we can do to make it better for all working-class voters, we're bankrupt as a party."

Jennings feels you should lump whites and blacks (people of color) together in the Party's approach, but not rule out identity politics altogether. A state Party organizer who is black said, "If the Democratic Party wants to be around in the future, they need to go left." Precisely what Bernie Sanders was doing when his campaign was ruthlessly side-tracked. The public saw Hillary Clinton as too middle of the road and much too connected to the financial community to be on the side of the consumer. Some Sanders' supporters did vote for Hillary butt it was all too late.

I mentioned the potential magic trio earlier of Sanders, Warren and Schumer, the latter also Senate minority leader, thinking how much power is held by three of the most forceful Democrats in the Senate. What if we now add former President Barack Obama to the formula as a civilian, and Bill and Hillary Clinton, if they are of a mind, plus any other Progressives that want to join the new club. Now, looking forward to 2018, and a takeover of the Senate, and the House too, this consortium could be unbeatable. Is there any reason why these people couldn't and shouldn't work together?

There is at least one skeptic, Chinemerem Onyeukwu, 23, the Party organizer from Ohio, who is worried that, "...Democrats are going to keep running what he called '90s-style campaigns despite Clinton's loss." He has reason to believe that when, in light of the changing analytics of the 2016 Primaries, the Dems were still under the spell of the wicked witch from Florida. There is hope with the election of a new Democratic National Committee head yesterday, Tom Perez. It wasn't the pick of Bernie Sanders and the rest of the Party left, so the future remains to be seen.

Is Elizabeth Warren "Cheering Bernie On ' just short of endorsement?

Elizabeth Warren-Bernie Sanders 

Elizabeth Warren today said about Bernie Sanders, “He’s out there. He fights from the heart.” Then followed with, “This is who Bernie is, and he has put the right issues on the table for the Democratic Party and for the country in general. So I’m still cheering Bernie on.” And she is so right. You cannot find another candidate in the last century who has campaigned with the level of passion for his cause, and with an honesty in his presentation than Bernie Sanders.

In the past Warren has said, "Bernie's out talking about the issues that the American people want to hear about." And back in January a Fortune magazine headline blazed, "Elizabeth Warren Makes Bernie Sanders' Case Better Than He Does." Warren and Sanders make the same case for a Progressive way to improve the country we live in, although Bernie goes a bit further in his health care plan. The pair would make an unbeatable combination in the general election.

And if Elizabeth Warren did endorse Bernie Sanders, it would not guarantee a primary win but it would certainly beef up Bernie's support and most likely send his momentum skyrocketing. That may have already started with a new Bloomberg national poll out on March 24, showing Bernie Sanders at 49%, Hillary Clinton 48%. The Bern can compound on that with Washington state, Hawaii and Alaska caucuses coming up tomorrow. So get out and vote!

In 2009 ThinkProgress did a survey and found that 47% of Americans were Progressive/Liberal, 48% Conservative/Libertarian. Since then the U.S. has slowly but surely moved toward a more Progressive political philosophy which hasn't been evident due to the loud mouth Republicans and the Tea Party. Their thinking is if you scream the loudest, you must be the best. Donald Trump is now the epitome of this belief.

It's hard to say what Elizabeth Warren will do but today's kind of "almost" endorsement will go a long way.  

Bernie sander's track record going into Wisconsin Primary

As we approach the important Wisconsin primary tomorrow, below is a reminder of Bernie Sander's recent track record. These are not only wins, they are significant wins that should illustrate to the political community just how important this Progressive's candidacy is in the Presidential race. Wisconsin is the gateway to the New York Primary on Tuesday, April 19, followed by other big states like Pennsylvania, California and New Jersey. Here are the recent ones.

Democrats Abroad - 3/21
Bernie Sanders: 69% (9 delegates)
Hillary Clinton: 31% (4 delegates)

Idaho - 3/22
Bernie Sanders: 78% (17 delegates)
Hillary Clinton: 21% (5 delegates)

Utah - 3/22
Bernie Sanders: 79% (26 delegates)
Hillary Clinton: 20% (6 delegates)

Alaska - 3/26
Bernie Sanders: 82% (13 delegates)
Hillary Clinton: 18% (3 delegates)

Hawaii - 3/26
Bernie Sanders: 70% (17 delegates)
Hillary Clinton: 30% (8 delegates)

Washington - 3/26
Bernie Sanders: 73% (74 delegates)
Hillary Clinton: 27% (27 delegates)

The latest Wisconsin RealClearPolitics poll shows the Bern 2.2 points ahead of Clinton (47.5 to 45). Public Policy Polling has Bernie at 49%, Hillary at 43%. There are 86 pledged delegates in Wisconsin, 10 superdelegates. Should Bernie Sanders continue this succession of picking up the majority of delegates, it is doubtful that Hillary Clinton can arrive at a pledged majority before the convention without depending on superdelegates. 

Nate silver's 538 thinks Bernie Sanders can win Iowa caucuses

Hillary Clinton led Barack Obama 30% to 24% at this same point in the 2008 Iowa caucuses. She leads Bernie Sanders an average of 53% to 37% in this past month. Nate Silver, 538's founder and editor, thinks Bernie could catch up and capture the state, making New Hampshire a tougher win for Clinton. Where we disagree, Silver believes Clinton will still get the nomination. I certainly don't have the data that 538 does--dating back to 1980--but Bernie Sanders has a campaign momentum that might be explained by the following numbers.

It's the young vote; this group is 97 million strong and likely to surprise the pollsters starting in February through November of 2016. It did wonders for Obama in 2008, due to his stand for change, and Bernie Sanders Revolution is exciting this same collection of youth in 2015/2016. 61% of that 97M is registered to vote or over 59 million. 49% of that 59 million voted in 2012 or more than 29 million.

As an example, according to the Washington Wire, Iowa figures show that 60% of this age group supports Bernie Sanders for the February Caucuses. And in New Hampshire, where he leads Clinton now, Bernie has 55%. Nationally, he is viewed positively by 45% of age 18-34, 37% 35-49, 33% 50-64 and 35% 65+. There is a hushed underground working fervently for Bernie Sanders that most of the pollsters are ignoring; it is obvious to me daily from the correspondence I receive on the Sander's campaign.

I have been supporting and covering Bernie Sanders from the first day he entered the race and plan to be around when he is nominated in July.

Another example media ignores Bernie Sanders

These are Bernie Sanders donors

On January 1, MSNBC reported that Hillary Clinton had raised $37 million in the 4th quarter of 2015, bringing her total for the year to $112 million. The piece even said that 60% of her 2015 donors were women. Bernie Sanders raised $33 million in the same period, but I had to go to the International Business Times to find that out. Bernie ended the year with a total of $73 million but there is one distinct difference between the two races.

Clinton raises much of her money from PACs and corporate donations whereas Sanders' money all comes from individual donors and that translates into votes, as compared to Hillary's block contributors. 

From the beginning, the media has ignored this candidate with an arrogance that says, 'We will decide who is going to be the next President.' 538"s Nate Silver said Donald Trump received 4 times the media coverage of what Bernie Sanders received. In Sanders first campaign rally he drew 5,000 and the Washington Post completely ignored the rally.

And as far as the national and primary polls are concerned, Clinton's popularity is partially the product of her coverage. In a September Media Matters article, MM reports that Clinton received 82 minutes of network news time, second only to Donald Trump, where Bernie Sanders received a measly 8 minutes. Think of that. When you compare this exposure with how TV ads are often the reason a candidate wins his or her race, it's easy to see why Hillary Clinton is ahead in the polls.

And that should make Bernie Sanders supporters mad as hell.

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.

Sanders TV network coverage 10 minutes compared to Trump 234 minutes

I did another blog post today, "New take on why Bernie Sanders will be President," and the facts there are supported by the Media Matters report that reflects a huge disparity for Bernie Sanders in the coverage given the Presidential candidates. Donald Trump received 234 minutes of air time from the first of January though the end of November, compared to 10 air time minutes for Bernie Sanders. I worked in television news and know that you always go with the stories that will provide the highest ratings. But the very fact that Trump beats Bernie Sanders in news coverage is worse than pathetic.

What even worse is that "Republican Jeb Bush received 56 minutes of coverage, followed by Ben Carson's 54 minutes and Marco Rubio's 22," and they aren't close to being the contender that Bernie Sanders is. And yet another shocker, ABC News has devoted only 261 minutes to campaign coverage with only one of those minutes going for Bernie Sanders. Media Matters says, "Sanders got virtually ignored by ABC because there was a conscious decision to do so."

With these kinds of odds against him, can you imagine the smile on Bernie's and Jane's faces after he is elected President and they walk into the White House?

Youth vote deserted Bernie...

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

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

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

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

Mixed race, multi-generational family

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The second...

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

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

Bernie Sanders Must Come Out NOW for Minority Vote for Credibility

The Bernie Sanders team should look at this graph and decide today to point their candidate in the direction of the minority vote. I mean African American and Hispanic specifically. A better place does not exist to prove his point of economic and income inequality than these two voting blocks. I did a post back in May that outlines his positions and voting records on race and immigration. They are favorable on both but Sen. Sanders is not making this clear to the public. If they don't know you want their vote, they won't vote for you Bernie.

Jason Johnson of NBC News did a piece asking the candidate questions for African Americans on whether they should vote for Bernie Sanders. First of all there is the implication that Sanders has slim or no chance for winning. This group did not even support Obama until he won in Iowa, but in Sen. Sanders last trip to Iowa, he did great with large crowds at his events. And Johnson wants to know if the candidate understands African Americans when they make up only 1% of Vermont's state population. He pursues this question with another, "how he plans on galvanizing this crucial demographic in order to win a national election?"

This could be the big year of the Hispanic vote since people who harass the Mexican community like Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio have been put in their place, thus, many who were in the past, won't be afraid to come out and vote. This could change, though, if voter ID laws persist and there are 32 states that enforce this that you can see here. Hispanics voted for Mr. Obama en masse in 2008 and especially in 2012, and recently Bernie Sanders said, “We have 11 million people in this country living in the shadows, living in fear. That’s got to end. We need a path toward citizenship for all of those people.”

Bernie Sanders must make racial and immigration reform an integral part of his campaign and do it soon. Without it he cannot win.

The Clinton-era expert speaks out

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Carville closes with...

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

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

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

Bernie out of 2020 race

The Bern has left the race, but not the building...

Bernie's big decision

These are headlines I hoped I would never write. But it happened and this great warrior has lost too much of his support to continue. He is solidly behind Joe Biden, but said he would...

"continue to gather delegates — a move that would give him leverage to influence the Democratic platform and continue carrying his message."

We cannot afford to lose Bernie's mission, nor can we let the Progressive movement forget his primary presence. Oh, Bernie Sanders will always be there, as long as he is able to breathe and stand before a loving audience. But now is the time to stand behind likely Democratic candidate, Joe Biden, to beat Donald Trump, no matter what has to be done. Bernie sent emails to his tribe heaping thanks on all those who helped, saying...

"Together, we have transformed American consciousness as to what kind of country we can become, and have taken this country a major step forward in the never-ending struggle for economic justice, social justice, racial justice and environmental justice."

Bernie Sanders with balls

Bernie helped to turn Democratic Socialism into an understandable term to the point today that 25% of the American people embrace some form of socialism. Clearly an underdog in Wisconsin, he still recommended a stay-at-home policy due to the COVID-19 problem. Here is what he said in defiance of a clueless governor supported by a very partisan Supreme Court...

"Let's be clear: holding this election amid the coronavirus outbreak is dangerous, disregards the guidance of public health experts, and may very well prove deadly," Sanders said in a statement released Monday night.

I have covered Bernie Sanders extensively since his first run for president in 2016. You can see those posts here... 

How do I say it, I think there is a great amount of disappointment among his loyal followers, and those who have fallen by the wayside, some of it due to the interferences he has run into along the way. As an example, the tampering with the 2016 primary by then NC chair, since disgraced, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, in favor of Hillary Clinton. Many think the Vermont Senator would have beaten Donald Trump.

I

It was apparently the loss of an abundance of young voters that made the difference. The question is now is whether these young people now change their support to Joe Biden or, disillusioned, stay home and not vote. Somehow, we cannot allow that, and with the Bern's exit, Biden must concentrate on bringing this group back into the fold. It will require moving further to the lef,t but Joe Biden must do what is necessary to beat Donald Trump.

And here's the kicker, since Bernie Sanders is officially out of the race, this leaves prior president, Barack Obama, open to campaign for his former vice president. Here's the scenario from This week...

"Obama has refused to endorse a primary candidate since the 2020 Democratic race's jam-packed beginnings, though reports did suggest he was quietly backing Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.). Other reports suggested he wasn't thrilled about Biden getting in the race, and told Biden's campaign staff to make sure he didn't 'embarrass himself.'"

That is certainly no blessing for Joe Biden, but Barack Obama knows more than anyone just how important it is to beat Donald Trump, so I believe he will come in swinging soon. In the meantime, I plan to practice the Progressive philosophy in what I do or say, and keep the Democratic Socialist concept out there for all who want to learn. The one thing necessary today is beating the coronavirus and hopefully, Dr. Anthony Fauci will remain in control.

You're on Progressive Street...Where Liberals Walk...

Who says nobody likes Bernie Sanders?

Hillary Clinton statement "Nobody likes Bernie Sanders" backfires

Here is Newsweek's headline: "#ILIKEBERNIE TRENDS AFTER HILLARY CLINTON SAYS 'NOBODY LIKES' BERNIE SANDERS." This sent Bernie's supporters to the Internet in the thousands to show just how much they do like Bernie Sanders. And you would think someone as disliked as Clinton was in 2016, when she and Debbie Wasserman Schultz colluded to secretly give the Democratic nomination to Hillary, would keep her mouth shut. But she didn't, and now it is clear who the most liked of the two is.

Clinton even indicated the possibility that she might not support Sanders if he receives the nomination for this November's election. This at a time when Bernie is surging in the polls...

"Overall, 27% of registered voters who are Democrats or Democratic-leaning independents back Sanders, while 24% favor Biden."

It is clear moderate Democrats are hell-bound to knock Bernie Sanders out of the race simply because he is both Progressive and an Independent. It isn't working because there are 57.7 million Progressives out there and of the 137.4 million Independents, 52% are Progressive, Get used to it old line Democrats.   READ MORE...

Looks like millennials could put Bernie Sanders over the top

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here is a short definition of Democratic Socialism...

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

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

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

Bernie Sanders talks about Democratic Socialism...

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

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

This is a direct quote from the author...

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

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

Here's advice from the LA Times...

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

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

Rush to Clinton taking its toll in deceit and dishonesty

Harry Belafonte for Bernie Sanders

First it was Madeleine Albright claiming her support for Hillary Clinton while condemning women to hell if they don't help each other. The women for Bernie Sanders took it for what it was, a threat against their feminism and decided to firm up their backing for the Bern and then denounce Albright. Then yesterday, Albright said she regretted the way her remark was "perceived." What the hell did she expect, this coming from a career diplomat?

If that wasn't enough, civil rights leader John Lewis implied that Bernie sanders' claim of being involved in the civil rights movement was not true because he didn't see him there. But Harry Belafonte, who has been very active in civil rights and is supporting Bernie Sanders, chastised Lewis, his friend, saying he couldn't have possibly seen everyone involved in the movement. Belafonte goes on to say he definitely saw Bernie Sanders involved in civil rights and that is the reason he is backing him now.

Albright is a staunch Democrat, as is John Lewis. It is tragic that because of this party connection, they feel compelled to support the party by trying to bring down Hillary Clinton's opponent, Bernie Sanders.

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

Bernie/Biden

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Another insight by WP...

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

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