Is There Some Way to Get Rid of Governors like Ron DeSantis and Greg Abbott?

 

As if Donald Trump didn't do everything in his power to demolish democracy in the United States, the focus of late has shifted to states like Texas and Florida. The GOP governors from these two states, Greg Abbott and Ron DeSantis, respectively, are now hammering away at our freedoms at an alarming rate. As an example, Abbott recently issued an Executive Order prohibiting vaccine mandates by any entity. And DeSantis refuses to address the current surge of the Omicron virus.

This is not contrary to their past deeds, rather, it just compounds what these morons have been doing to destroy their states during the Covid-19 pandemic. As of today, Florida has 4,213,301 coronavirus cases, 62,480 deaths. In comparison, Texas has 4,752,113 cases, 76,353 deaths. Between the two, 138,833 of their citizens have died, many of which were surely caused by the ineptitude of these two idiots who continue to deny the science of the virus.

Here's the overall picture from Greg Sargent, The Washington Post...

"As the political world stumbles into 2022, the GOP’s grip on state governments appears as formidable as ever. Republicans will fully control the governorship and legislature in nearly half of states, while Democrats will have less than one-third. Republicans control either legislatures or governorships in Democratic-leaning swing states such as Pennsylvania, Michigan and Virginia.

Remember Debbie Wasserman Schultz, when she chaired the Democratic National Committee, falling asleep at the switch while the GOP was doing their state-by-state takeover? This was between 2011 and 2016 and the Democrats have never caught up. Actually, they haven't really put in a lot of effort, concentrating, instead, on the national political scene. Sargent believes a host of factors are "dramatically raising the stakes" in this control including a threat to democracy.

Democratic super PAC Forward Majority warns the dems to do something now aggressively to recapture control among the states. However, a combination of Republican gerrymandering in drawing new political districts and a very worrisome 2022 midterm and 2024 elections are keeping them busy now. The Forward Majority study...

ran dozens of potential scenarios over the next decade, adjusting various factors, such as the national mood and support for Democrats among college-educated and non-college-educated voters. It concludes: “We anticipate a defensive map over the next decade.”

And here's a very productive idea...

"The report recommends a major effort to register millions of voters in states that show such growth opportunities. It also suggests a big push to focus more on the importance of suburban and exurban voters in state legislative contests, among many other things.

“There is so much unregistered opportunity,” from David Cohen, a co-founder of Forward Majority."

No matter what strategy the Democrats decide to use, for governors it must focus on the likes of Ron DeSantis of Florida and Greg Abbott of Texas.

There is much more from Greg Sargent's opinion, which I urge you to read. 

 

 

 

The Agony of Stupidity...Should we Make Gerrymandering Illegal?

Republicans know that if voting district lines were drawn as they should be, based on Census population data, results would favor Democrats. That is why years ago, when then DNC head, Debbie Wasserman Schultz was asleep at the switch, the GOP started to make its move taking over state legislatures allowing them to gerrymander at will. That's where we are today the most recent action..."Justice Dept. sues Texas over redistricting, citing discrimination against Latinos."

This is the first challenge for Pres. Biden in legal action for redistricting; hopefully not the last. Here's the scenario...

"While the Supreme Court has declined to put limits on partisan gerrymandering, it is illegal to draw lines that are unfair to racial and ethnic minorities."

It, apparently, is clear in Texas that the lines have been drawn to put Hispanics at a

disadvantage in voting, which has been taken by A.G. Garland as a move to prevent a particular race from going to the polls. And from all indications, that would be right. This act is just a continuation of Republican moves on the Latino vote...

“This is not the first time Texas has acted to minimize the voting rights of its minority citizens. Decade after decade, Texas has enacted redistricting plans that violate the Voting Rights Act,” the Justice Department said in the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court for the Western Division of Texas. “In enacting its 2021 Congressional and House plans, the State has again diluted the voting strength of minority Texans.”

Eric Holder is getting involved as the left tires of GOP constant blocking of voting rights legislation, the reason for pressure on Merrick Garland to take action against cases like the move in Texas. Earlier it was required that DOJ had to approve redistricting maps to prevent discrimination. No longer the case, Texas is free to draw the line within the above parameters. Clearly, no one in the Democratic Party trusts Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, rightfully so considering his record.

And here is where we are today...

"But when the Supreme Court eliminated pre-clearance in Shelby, it effectively said that instead of the Justice Department judging whether states are passing discriminatory laws, it will be the courts that decide. Which means it will be the Supreme Court that decides."

Ari Berman: With Extreme Gerrymandering, the Republicans Are Rigging the Next Decade of Elections...

And with a solid conservative majority at SCOTUS, it's pretty obvious the decision we can expect. Joe Biden's commission on expanding the Supreme Court cannot decide currently if this is appropriate. One more decision like voting rights in favor of the GOP should certainly change their minds. Mother Jones says, "Republicans Are Rigging Elections for the Next Decade," covering activity in four states, including Texas...

• In Georgia, Republicans passed a new congressional map on Monday giving their party 64 percent of US House seats in the state...
• In Ohio, Republicans passed a new congressional map on November 18 giving their party at least 80 percent of seats in the state...
• In North Carolina, Republicans passed a new congressional map on November 4 giving their party between 71 to 78 percent of seats in the state...
• In Texas, Republicans passed a new congressional map on October 18 giving their party 65 percent of seats in the state...

Mother Jones adds...

"You get the idea. In state after state under GOP control, Republicans are passing extreme gerrymandered maps that will allow them to pick up enough seats to retake the US House in 2022 and lock-in dominance of state legislatures for the next decade.

This is clearly not democracy when a political party can rig elections, and so far into the future, to be able to insure they win majorities. This is a fight Democrats are losing, and I still say the reason is the left has not been aggressive enough in the past several years. It may be too late, which means simply, democracy will go up in flames in America. 

Republicans continue to dissect the democratic process

 

Richard L. Hasen, is a professor at the University of California, Irvine, School of Law, and an expert in election law, according to the New York Times, and he is concerned that the GOP is quietly but effectively undermining the democratic voting process. You might recall a few years ago when the radical right, again, quietly and effectively, completely flummoxed DNC head, Debbie Wasserman Schultz in taking over Governors' offices and state legislatures, leading to won elections.

Hansen reminds us of the recent Jan. 6, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, basically for the purpose of denying the validity of the 2020 election, which 

The Donald Trump sneer

Donald Trump has continued in a number of ways by energizing his group of double-digit supporters. This, alone, carried into the 2024 election, would be enough to disrupt the democratic process. But, Hansen says the next coup attempt will be executed by “lawyers in fine suits.”

Here are the facts...

"Between January and June, Republican-controlled legislatures passed 24 laws across 14 states to increase their control over how elections are run, stripping secretaries of state of their power and making it easier to overturn results."

And there is, of course, the ever-present Moscow Mitch McConnell, known as the "Grim Reaper," since President Barack Obama he has decreed to block anything "Democrat." His most recent drive against our country is to block 
"Democrats’ effort to act responsibly and step up to the thankless task of raising the debt limit." Here's the Daily Beast's take...

There are lots of things you can say about Cocaine Mitch, but you can’t say he broke his vow to make stopping Biden “100 percent of his focus.” His willingness to imperil the full faith and credit of the United States to do so is more proof than the country can stand.

Here's a typical Republican quote for you by Sam Brodey: "Republicans Don't Want a Debt Default—Just Democratic Chaos."

But what we must never lose sight of is the fact that Trump supporters are just as

mentally unbalanced as the simpleton they follow. Here's a headline from Salon: "White terror: Millions of Americans say they'd support violence to restore Trump to power." That should scare the hell out of anyone who is in full command of his or her mental faculties. There has even been talk of another civil war like we experienced in 1861, with the Jan. 6, insurrection a preview.

A couple weeks ago the Trump goons held a "Justice for J6" rally, which pretty much fizzled with a very low turnout. Salon's reaction was...

Trump's Republican-fascists and their propagandists have elevated these hooligans, vandals and (in many cases) terrorists to the status of martyrs and patriots as a way of legitimizing their anti-democratic movement, creating sympathy among Trump's faithful that can be exploited for fundraising and, of course, recruiting and encouraging more extremists to the cause.

To underwrite this bizarre Trump movement, AlterNet reports there is a group, The Claremont Institute that will tell you...

that Republicans and Democrats aren't just members of competing political parties, but are, in effect, living in two separate countries. Describing Claremont as the "intellectual home of America's Trumpist right," Green notes that Claremont President Ryan Williams and his colleagues "believe that America has" become "two fundamentally different countries, not least because of the rise of secularism."

Can you imagine what Abraham Lincoln would have thought had he been confronted by a bunch of lunatics like this? Racists aren't the most mentally stable individuals, but at least the cause was simpler. The South favored slavery; the North did not. It is no longer simple, but still very similar to 1861, two very different groups that are determined to, each, have its way. Only one side can win, and it is that which will determine the future of democracy.

What if you found out you couldn't vote in the next election?

 

Would you be pissed? Or would you be relieved that you don't have to fulfill your voting responsibility? The latter is what Republicans want you to feel, and they are again working hard on their ideological voter suppression, targeting Democratic strongholds. A good example of this comes from the Atlanta Constitution citing new laws passed in the state House...

"A bill to restrict ballot drop boxes, require more ID for absentee voting and limit weekend early voting days passed the Georgia House on Monday amid protests that the proposals would make it harder for voters to participate in democracy."

The key words here are "make it harder for voters to participate in democracy," words you should not expect from a free country with a mentally stable voting population. But we haven't had either since Donald Trump walked into the White House just over four years ago. Although Joe Biden's administration is trying to rectify what Trump put into motion, we still have an anarchy working in this country and a gang of double-digits who still worship their emperor. Read more...

But you remember Georgia, the state where Donald Trump made his last stand

screaming voter fraud in the 2020 election. Also the state that lost 2 Senators to the Democrats, giving them a bare majority. If you don't keep your eyes on every move Republicans make, you can bet your life the left will lose something. They skirted a nation of state legislators right under our nose and during the DNC tenure of Debbie Wasserman Schultz. Now Moscow Mitch is after judgeships.  

However the biggie is the 253 bills in 43 states on the heels of a "rash of baseless and racist allegations of voter fraud and election irregularities," according to AlterNet. Here's why Republicans are doing this according to "Marc Elias, a prominent Democratic attorney and founder of the voting rights advocacy group Democracy Docket...

"Republicans are doing this because they think they can gain an electoral advantage from making it harder for Black, brown and young voters to participate in the process. This is the reaction of a party that knows it can't compete for a majority of the votes."

Eventually you have to take off the gloves and give back to the right the same thing they are spewing at the left. 

 

 

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...

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.

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!

Donald Trump has Conservative pundit Rick Wilson on his back...again

If conservative Rick Wilson's bite is as bad as his words, Donald Trump not only has the left to fear in November; having raised the ire of another Republican who has sworn to turn his Lincoln Project group loose on T-rump exclaiming he is...

"set to do everything thing they can to oust Donald Trump and his Congressional enablers out of office in 2020 with, in his words, a 'pretty frigging nasty' blitz of ads."

I just did a post on Davis Faris' book, "It's Time To Fight Dirty," which comes from a staunch Progressive, but pushes the same agenda as Wilson. Hey, we'll take all the help we can get, and this GOP strategist is right at the top of his Party when it comes to substance. Here's the scenario...

"Asked by [HBO “Real Time”] host Bill Maher if his group will be endorsing a Democrat or another Republican for president, the acerbic Wilson said that is not their plan and that they will instead focus on hammering Donald Trump and vulnerable Republican lawmakers who defend him."

Wilson continues, but here chides Democrats for their miserable recent actions against Republicans...

“As an outside force that can do things that the Democrats have demonstrably failed on doing a lot of the time, like actually getting in people’s sh*t, we’re sort of a pirate ship in that regard.”

There is absolutely no excuse for the way Dems have handled the "war" against the GOP, starting with Debbie Wasserman Schultz's running of the DNC in the 2016 election, up to the feeble attempts made by House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, and Senator Chuck Schummer to move the Democratic Party forward. Like Davis Faris said, the left has been guilty of coddling the right with no real plan to put the Dems back on top. The Party is simmering in the juices of mediocrity.

If the Democrats don't come up with some "friggin nasty" tactics real soon, this November will go back in the books as just another Republican political nightmare.   READ MORE...

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...

Thursday night's Democratic debate imposing

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2019 NEWS BYTES

Who won, who lost...you decide...  

If we could wrap all ten Democratic contenders from last night's debate in a neat package of two, we'd have great candidates for 2020. RealClear Politics defined it, "10 Candidates, 10 Strategies on Display." And there lies the diversity of the Party of the Left, with little animosity, unless you consider Julian Castro's attacks on Joe Biden. Castro said they weren't personal, and they weren't really attacks, rather strong disagreements.

Taking it from stage right, Amy Klobuchar, from Minnesota, who makes a lot of common sense, but only ranks 1.2 on the RealClear Politics polling. Her primary statement was, "if you feel stuck in the middle of the extremes in our politics and you are tired of the noise and the nonsense, you've got a home with me." She is definitely against Medicare for the Medicare for All proposals championed by Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren.

Next, Corey Booker, talking about growing up in unsafe Newark, NJ neighborhoods, and definitely on the band wagon for more gun control, when asked by Dana Bash if Joe Biden is too old, replied definitely not. But, on the other hand, he was concerned about Biden's meandering, in the past and on that evening. In addition to gun violence, Booker reminded us of the problems with our water supply nationwide. He is 2.3 in RCP. 

Pete Butigieg talked about coming out, and will likely lend support for the LBGTQ community if elected. Butigieg had an earlier surge, and there was talk that he would at least come in as a potential vice-presidential candidate, but he has lost ground and comes in at only 4.8 on RCP. He made the statement, “This is why Presidential debates are becoming unwatchable,” referring to Castro's attack on Biden.

And then there's Bernie Sanders, who should be President of the United States today, but for a DNC unethical move by Debbie Wasserman Schultz, is second on RCP with 17.3. There would be no Democratic Party today without the Bern, even considering his leftness, it is far more discernable than the politics of Nancy Pelosi/Chuck Schumer. Think Bernie was losing his voice last night, but only physically, since his political voice will live on forever.

Joe Biden was, well, Joe Biden, and thankfully no huge gaffes last night. Julian Castro said his challenge to Biden was not personal, but I wonder if there is some movement to unseat the former vice president from his number one position in the polls. Joe Biden is a solid 26.8, leading Bernie by almost 10 points. Biden is able to 'work across the aisle' as is described by many, but in my mind is too moderate for the new wave of Progressives he just doesn't understand.

CNBC says Elizabeth Warren is rising in the polls [16.8 RCP] due to a base "more intense than any other candidate." She, along with Bernie Sanders fought with Joe Biden on Medicare for all; Biden prefers to just improve on Obamacare. My gut tells me the pair will not sell MFA until they make it clear how it will be paid for, using actual numbers. It wouldn't bother me to get rid of health insurers, but that may be a hard sell. Warren still favors reigning in corporate America.

Kamala Harris was riding the high road for a while, but apparently hit a speed bump. Her primary thrust was and has been against Donald Trump, although following the debate she chided ABC for asking no questions about abortion and reproductive rights. She is fourth in the polls at 6.5 RCP, which has been a plateau for her recently. A body language expert said she was less passionate than other candidates in the first hour. Her big money supporters were watching.

Beto O'Rourke brought the audience to their feet with applause when condemning assault weapons and saying he is for a mandatory buyback law. He was criticized saying this would certainly help Republicans in 2020. I don't think so, and if I'm wrong the voting public is completely hopeless on gun control to save the lives of innocent Americans. You have to wonder if O'Rourke is a bit too early but a prime candidate for 2028? He is 2.8 on RCP.

Andrew Yang wants to save traditional retail and attacked Amazon to make his point. He also suggested a $1,000 monthly giveaway for an entire year to 10 American families, if you believe that you can solve your own problems better than any politician. This drew chuckles from other debaters, and one deemed the idea at least original. Later, he said he left the debate not “encouraged” for the Democrats’ future. He is 3.0 on RCP leading O'Rourke and Booker.

Finally, Julian Castro, already mentioned criticizing Joe Biden for his contradiction. Castro also attacked Biden for his references to former President Barack Obama throughout the primary campaign. This I don't understand since Biden was an integral part of the Obama administration. He is only 1.0 on RCP but at one time was considered an up and comer in the Democratic Party. This debate was no help

RealClear Politics poll rankings.

UPDATE: Trumps own aides even hate him...

Monday June 17, 2019

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

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

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

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

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

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

GOP gerrymandering going down the tube

"A federal court has ruled that Ohio's congressional map is an 'unconstitutional partisan gerrymander' and must be redrawn by the 2020 election, reports National Public Radio. The Republican unethical ploy for keeping Democrats out of the voting booth is being axed all around the country. It is a result of the Dems allowing the GOP to establish strongholds on local and state levels while the dimwit Debbie Wasserman Schultz ran the Democratic National Committee.

States continuing the action are Texas as the fifth-most gerrymandered state, behind North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and New York. As I recall, this all started during George W. Bush's administration with Karl Rove as the head perpetrator. Now Ohio judges...

"agree with voting rights groups in their argument that Ohio's districts were 'intended to burden Plaintiffs' constitutional rights, had that effect, and the effect is not explained by other legitimate justifications.'"

In other words, Republicans were caught with their hands in the voting box. Which means that the Grand Old Party will stoop to just about anything to get its way. And we can thank this gerrymandering for many of the Republicans now in Congress. That is the reason to get all these cases through the courts as soon as possible so Democrats will have a fair shot in 2020. Of course that won't prevent Donald Trump with coming up with more bogus voting fraud.

Every ten years following a census the "boundaries of congressional and state legislative districts are redrawn, in what’s known as the redistricting process," according to Vox. The process explained...

"In most states, the new maps are drawn by the state legislature and then approved by the governor. So partisan control of each of those three political entities is crucial. If a single party controls all three, that party can usually draw whichever maps they want without giving the opposition party any say. If control is split, a compromise will usually result."

Based on the above, you can understand how the Democrats fell behind and are now playing catch up. Can't say the Dems are the brightest bunch yet but trust they won't let this happen again.

Wake up Democrats...Bernie Sanders can win

Bernie has the ball(s)

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

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

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

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

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

Please give me your COMMENTS on this issue.

What is gerrymandering?...

GERRYMANDERING IS...

"manipulating the boundaries of an electoral constituency so as to favor one party or class."

In other words, drawing lines that favor your party so the people in a particular voting district will have the numbers to elect the candidate of their choice. It's been done for years, by both parties, but most recently Republican efforts--while Debbie Wasserman Schultz was asleep at the Democratic National Committee--have put the GOP in the enviable position of controlling an important number of voting districts across the country. And this wins elections.

What ThinkProgress calls an "unlikely alliance" in the U.S. Supreme Court could save "Proportional representation" in No. Carolina and Maryland, where cases are pending. During the process of each attorney arguing his or her case, Justice Kavanaugh made an interesting observation. After listening to one of the lawyers with no comment, Kavanaugh suggested...

"that proportional representation provides the courts with a 'judicially manageable' standard to assess whether a particular map is gerrymandered." 

Justice Brett Kavanaugh has been a constant worry of Progressives and Democrats for his conservative views, the most prevalent being abortion. But he, along with Chief Justice Roberts, could help SCOTUS to arrive at an equitable decision for both sides.

Trump to beat in 2020...if he's still around

And here is the left's voting problem

Now these are opinions based on the statements of political experts that were involved in past and current elections. They take into consideration the election of Barack Obama in 2012, and the fact that in 2016, "Voters were looking for something more "strident" than Obama’s "incrementalist agenda." In other words, they wanted a faster track than Clinton was exhibiting. Something like Bernie Sanders. Not sure, though, they wanted the ignorant bluster of a Donald Trump, but he was elected; they wanted action not promises. Trump was a mover and shaker and he excited people.

That's all proven to be big mouthed bullshit, but those who still support the Oval Office lunatic are solid in their backing. The last I heard they were around 30%, an easily beatable figure. The Democratic candidate was all wrong in 2016; it should have been Bernie Sanders but the fraud of DNC head, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, nominated Hillary Clinton. Maybe Sanders will run again, or perhaps the left could convince someone like James Comey, former FBI Director, to run as a Democrat. Think about that...James Comey running against Donald Trump. More on this later.

One of the main items on the Progressives/Democrats agenda is getting out the vote. According to Nate Silver's 538, the Republicans were able to get their voters to the polls much more aggressively than Democrats. Progressives naturally rejected Hillary Clinton because of the DNC fiasco, and the fact that it was this that beat their candidate, Bernie Sanders. If Sanders plans to run in 2020, and his age will be a factor, he must throw his hat in now. We also cannot rule out Joe Biden, or Elizabeth Warren or New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker. Whoever it is, the youth vote must be considered.

The Progressive/Democratic candidate must enthusiastically go after social media to spread its message to all ages and over all political persuasions. The Russia probe of Donald Trump should be a great handle for the left. If a Progressive candidate is nominated, the Democrats must get behind him or her. Many political pundits talk of the potential success of a Sanders/Warren ticket in 2020 winning big on the Progressive side, combining experience with youth, two people who seem to excite their followers to action, meaning voting.

If Trump does last, the candidates on the left will have the most corrupt administration that this country has ever experienced to run against. There are the Donald Trump daily lies, his Stormy Daniels and similar escapades, firing of FBI Director Jim Comey in obvious obstruction of justice in the Russian investigation, the scandal over Michael Cohen's consulting, more obstruction of justice, again, involving Comey, in defending Michael Flynn, and the list goes on and on. Never in the history of American elections has there been this kind of ammunition for a political party.

But...will the Progressives/Democrats be able to pull it off???

Read more: How Hillary Clinton blew it
                   How Trump won the election: volatility and a common touch
                   How did Trump win? Here are 24 theories

How young voters will determine 2018 elections

49% of Millennials (ages 18 to 35) cast votes in 2016 along with 63% of Gen Xers (ages 36 to 51), comprising a slight majority of total votes cast. However, it was Millennials who favored Democrats in a big way while Gen Xers went for the GOP. But the popular vote didn't matter since Hillary Clinton received almost 3 million votes more than Donald Trump. The latter won the presidency through the vote of the Electoral College, a result of congressional districts nationwide gerrymandered for years by Republicans.

The above took place thanks to a sloven DNC head, Debbie Wasserman Schultz.

But Millennials have overtaken Babyboomers now and Pew Research says, "It is likely, though not certain, that the size of the Millennial vote will surpass the Gen X vote in the 2020 presidential election." Democrats got 55% of the youth vote in 2016, compared to Republican's 37%, and Rock the Vote, a group that is focused on increasing young registered voters, is predicting Millennials will be the largest voting bloc in 2018. This group doubled the size of its vote from 2008 to 2016, with 34 million votes cast in the latter.

In a recent Florida poll, where the Parkland gun massacre took place, it showed that immigration topped gun control in the November election; Florida is 22.5% Hispanic. But according to the younger population, stricter gun laws are a major issue with them that will no doubt reflect on Millennials in November; this high school group voted 67% for stronger gun control laws and 55% against teachers carrying guns in school. The age group here is just below the Millennial age, but some are already old enough to vote and thousands more will be soon, even before November.

There are over 71 million Millennials living in the United States today, and a lot of them are mad as hell. Since they lean heavily toward the left, it is safe to say that Democrats are heading into November with optimism. Although gun control is fading as an issue for the election, "46 percent say a candidate's position on gun policy will be a major factor in deciding whom to vote for." That's down 13 points from February," right after the Florida shooting. It will be incumbent now on David Hogg, and the other survivors from the Parkland, Florida gun massacre to carry the ball from here.

Hllary Clinton sabotaged Bernie Sanders' 2016 Primary run, Donna Brazile says

Didn't happen

Donna Brazile says she has proof that Hillary Clinton "rigged the race against Bernie Sanders. I blogged in agreement several times in 2016, and Sen. Elizabeth Warren also acknowledges the fact. Brazile promised Sanders she'd get to the bottom of the then mystery after replacing Debbie Wasserman Schultz. Brazile talks about how Hillary compromised the party’s integrity, and "alleges that an unethical agreement was signed between Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign and the DNC to keep the party financially afloat." My question is, with Elizabeth Warren so vocal now, 'Where was she in 2016 when Bernie needed her?'

Donna Brazile has proof Hillary Clinton rigged 2016 Primary...

Elizabeth Warren acknowledges Hillary Clinton guilt...

Donna Brazile goes to work at DNC uncovering scam...

Hillary Clinton compromised Democratic Party's integrity...

Donna Brazile acknowledges Hillary Clinton 2016 unethical agreement...

Will Trump impeachment woes turn out Progressives in 2018?

Daniel Coats-Michael Rogers

In yesterday's post, I posed the idea that the Republican Congress could become so worried over Donald Trump's recent antics between the Russian relationship, Michael Flynn's problems, and what James Comey might say to Congress, they would vote for impeachment. But wait, that's not all. The dumbest of all dufuses has done it again. T-rump asked Daniel Coats, director of national intelligence, and Adm. Michael S. Rogers, the director of the National Security Agency, two of the top intelligence chiefs to push back against FBI collusion probe after Comey revealed its existence. Unbelievable.

The Washington Post commented...

"Trump’s effort to use the director of national intelligence and the NSA director to dispute Comey’s statement and to say there was no evidence of collusion echoes President Richard Nixon’s 'unsuccessful efforts to use the CIA to shut down the FBI’s investigation of the Watergate break-in on national security grounds,' said Jeffrey H. Smith, a former general counsel at the CIA. Smith called Trump’s actions 'an appalling abuse of power.'"

So now we have added another blunder by the master blunderer, and more fire in the furnace of growing disillusionment with Donald Trump with increasing worry for those GOP seats across the country that could go left in 2018. Marc Rotterman, a longtime Republican consultant in North Carolina, feels Trump is not fulfilling his 2016 campaign promises, and finds it hard to justify this to Trump supporters in his state. Rotterman said...

“...there still could be a course correction but that if Trump and Republicans don’t make good on their promises, they risk losing support — particularly from the blue-collar voters who helped propel Trump to victory last fall. They’re counting on him,”

As a life-long liberal, I remember when the blue-collar worker was solidly in the Democrats' camp. I do not know what happened to change their minds so radically that they would vote for someone like Donald Trump; perhaps their lack of education, which is borne out by some of the comments made by the man's supporters. And here is the best example of Trump supporter stupidity I have ever seen. WATCH THE VIDEO. It is so obvious in this video that the people interviewed, T-rump's loyal supporters, belong to the same moron club as does the blockhead they elected.

So, how is this affecting the trenches, those Republican strongholds in local, state, and national offices nationwide that were carefully expanded over the years while DNC head, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, had her head up her...well, you know. Here's an assessment of the current situation from Jennifer Horn, a former chairwoman of the New Hampshire Republican Party...

“We cannot sustain this level of chaos from the White House and expect it will be anything less than a tragic outcome on Election Day.”

While Rotterman concentrates on the Trump blue collar vote, the candidate took 29% of the Hispanic vote, better than Romney in 2012; total Latino turnout in 2016 was 11%, which mirrored 2012. Unfortunately, Bernie Sanders didn't convince Hispanics in 2016, but he made a solid pitch to the working class, the blue-collar worker, and had he run against Trump, he might very well have taken this group, thus, eliminating one of T-rump's bases. As a point of reference, Donald Trump won blue collar workers by 40% over Clinton; men by 49%.

While it's all about Russia, James Comey and Michael Flynn right now, Barry Bennett, a Trump political adviser during last year’s election campaign, says 2018 will be all about jobs and his present feeling is that the jobs picture is good, therefore, many Republicans will be safe in the midterms. But, while Bennett's point does have some validity, I cannot believe that a rational American public will continue to settle for a bonehead like Donald Trump as the President of the greatest country in the world. You won't change the dimwits in the video above, but who really needs that mentality.

DNC convinced it has right to rig Democratic primary

Not only are they convinced of this but the Democratic National Committee is using this premise as the basis for their defense in a lawsuit against the organization for Debbie Wasserman Schultz's bias toward Hillary Clinton in the 2016 Democratic primary. The DNC said in a court of law that the party is not obligated to run a fair and impartial primary election implying, "We rigged primaries. So what." Wasserman Schultz agreed, apparently, being the ringleader in the rigging and being fired in disgrace as a result. The losers, the American voters and Bernie Sanders.

The charges against the DNC and Wasserman Schultz include fraud, negligent misrepresentation, unjust enrichment and negligence. According to RT, "The suit has three different classes of plaintiffs - those who donated to the DNC, those who donated to the Bernie Sanders campaign and all members of the Democratic Party." I fit into the second class, those who contributed generously to Bernie Sander's campaign. It would be comforting to see Wasserman Schultz and whoever was in this with her go to jail. I am sure Bernie Sanders will agree.

It doesn't appear the DNC defense has much of a chance based on a comment by Tom Perez, the current chair. WND.com reports while campaigning to become the DNC chairman, he even admitted in February that the Democratic Party primaries were rigged in favor of Clinton. And on top of all this, Democratic influential Donna Brazile admitted she used her position at CNN to pass on debate questions to the Clinton campaign. It's beginning to become apparent why many in the Democratic establishment are trying to distance themselves from the Clintons.

Take a look at the following and then wonder with me just how this man was ever admitted to the bar. Here is DNC attorney Bruce Spiva's argument...

"...where you have a party that’s saying, ‘We’re gonna, you know, choose our standard bearer, and we’re gonna follow these general rules of the road,’ which we are voluntarily deciding, we could have – and we could have voluntarily decided that, ‘Look, we’re gonna go into back rooms like they used to and smoke cigars and pick the candidate that way.'”

God forbid. The man sounds like Donald Trump. This brings up once again my suggestion that we dump the Democratic Party and start all over for the liberals. This time we'll get it right because we'll populate Washington with Progressives and get rid of the McConnells and Ryans and the rest of the Republican riff raff. 2018!