Non-stop rigged GOP elections

July 17, 2019: TODAY'S NEWS BYTES

Republicans rig elections

How to win an election, the Republican way. If you can't win it forthrightly, look overseas for ways to corrupt the system in your favor. You can encourage foreign countries...

"with world-class internet hacking capabilities and less-than-democratic (Russia) or highly corrupted and oligarch-dependent (Netanyahu, Duterte, Modi) leaders become “good friends” of Trump..."

Senate head Mitch McConnell has made sure mostly “red” states keep their voting systems’ defenses down and continue to use 17-year-old technology running on Windows XP operating systems, thus, the implication of a free ride for those hackers who would help the GOP.

Read more...

Republican claimed voter fraud not true...

Tim Alberta of Politico has a new book, "American Carnage," which has been described as demonstrating "just how irredeemable the Republican Party is." There's a lot in the book about...

“'never-Trumpers' who rolled over for the guy once he won: Sean Spicer, Reince Priebus, Sens. Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz. But three stand out: Mike Pence, Mick Mulvaney, and Paul Ryan."

Mike Pence has earned the nickname “'the Bobblehead' from fellow Republicans because he is so obsequious, nodding along to everything Trump says in meetings. But it is Paul Ryan that takes the cake...

"The former House speaker fully admits that he used retirement in 2018 as an 'escape hatch' from Trump because he couldn’t face having to deal with him for another two years."

Read more...

Trump dumped Iran deal to "spite" Barack Obama. Former UK ambassador, Sir Kim Darroch, described the move as an act of "diplomatic vandalism," "after the then Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson appealed to the US in 2018 to stick with the deal." Recently Darroch criticized Donald Trump, sending the Oval Office lunatic ballistic, eventually culminat5ing in the ambassador resigning. Background...

"Sir Kim wrote to Mr. Johnson informing him Republican President Trump appeared to be abandoning the nuclear deal for 'personality reasons' - because the pact had been agreed by his Democrat predecessor, Barack Obama."

The 2015 deal was backed by the US and five other nations, with Iran agreeing to limit its sensitive nuclear activities in return for the lifting of crippling.  economic sanctions. Then Trump grumbled over Iran's nuclear ambitions and reinstated US sanctions after withdrawing from the deal in May 2018. So, the brat in the White House took his little red ball and bounded up the stairs to his bedroom where he called Jeffrey Epstein for advice, plus other requests.

Read more...

The undeniable Donald Trump/Jeffrey Epstein link

PROGRESSIVE STREET...Where Liberals Walk


It's not just sex trafficking charges that Donald Trump's buddy, Jeffy, has to worry about. Now a 1980s fraud case is resurfacing with a claim by his old boss, Steven Hoffenberg that "Epstein was his accomplice in a Ponzi scheme Hoffenberg ran through his Towersinvestors.com." Jeffrey Epstein was arrested last Saturday on child sex-trafficking charges, and in a recent interview...

"Hoffenberg said Epstein was 'totally in the mix' of the scheme that defrauded 200,000 investors of $460 million. “He was my colleague daily, seven days a week."

Steven Hoffenberg is the chairman of Towersinvestors.com, a financial services company, and in 1995 Hoffenberg pleaded guilty to bilking investors out of $475 million...

"Tower investors also claimed in an August lawsuit that Epstein 'knowingly and intentionally utilized funds he fraudulently diverted and obtained from this massive Ponzi scheme for his own personal use to support a lavish lifestyle.'”

And here's a scenario by Salon... 

"He owned a palatial home in Palm Beach and a luxurious residence in Manhattan. He owned a commercial airliner converted into a luxurious private plane. He gave parties attended by young women seeking careers in the modeling business. He was connected to numerous wealthy, powerful men who shared his taste in women and money. He bragged to others about his sexual conquests with women. He paid women for sex. He was charged in lawsuits with numerous sexual assaults on women."

Think they are talking about Jeffrey Epstein? Wrong. The subject is Donald Trump. The question here is why all the hurrah over Jeffy when the guy who sits in the White House, supposedly running this country, is guilty of the same escapades? We also are reminded of the Access Hollywood Billy Bush tape...

“I better use some Tic Tacs just in case I start kissing her. You know I'm automatically attracted to beautiful — I just start kissing them. It's like a magnet. Just kiss. I don't even wait. And when you're a star, they let you do it. You can do anything. Grab 'em by the pussy. You can do anything.”

Why Trump's White House Is Linked To Jeffrey Epstein Sex Trafficking Case...

 A stark reminder that Donald Trump is as big a piece of shit as Jeffrey Epstein, and he clearly condoned his friend's lifestyle. In the past, they were close buddies. And if there was any doubt in your mind, a former biographer, renowned for his work, makes it clear how close they were...

"President Donald Trump clearly lied to America in his attempts to distance himself from convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. When the president stands on the White House lawn and said he barely knew Jeffrey Epstein, that’s just not supported by the fact pattern. They knew each other well from 1987 until at least 2002. Epstein was either a member of Mar-a-Lago in name or substance, but he was there all the time — and the president wanted him to be there."

Those were the words of Tim O’Brien, the author of the 2005 book "TrumpNation: The Art of Being the Donald," who was interviewed by Nicolle Wallace on “Deadline: White House.” Wallace made some comments about Trump calling Epstein a "terrific" guy, then deferred to O'Brien...

“When the president stands on the White House lawn and said he barely knew Jeffrey Epstein, that’s just not supported by the fact pattern. They knew each other well from 1987 until at least 2002,” O’Brien replied. “Epstein was either a member of Mar-a-Lago in name or substance, but he was there all the time — and the president wanted him to be there."

There's more you can read on Raw Story.

And finally, in an observation by Bob Hennelly of Salon, he observed Jeffrey Epstein as a man in court who sat with a "condescending disregard," for what was going on around him...

"I was sitting just a few yards away from Jeffrey Epstein as he sat with his defense counsel in Federal Court on July 8. His demeanor was more like an American Express Black Card member frustrated by a flight cancellation than a man facing sex trafficking charges that could put him away for 45 years."

Unfortunately, his buddy, Donald Trump, won't be going away with him. 

Michael Moore warns Democrats: Beware Donald Trump

PROGRESSIVE STREET...Where Liberals Walk  

Michael Moore was right in 2016 when he predicted that Donald Trump would win the election and go to the White House. Here is exactly what he said...

Michael Moore & Donald Dufus

“Donald J. Trump is going to win in November. This wretched, ignorant, dangerous part-time clown and full-time sociopath is going to be our next president.” The activist/filmmaker went on to say, “President Trump. Go ahead and say the words, ‘cause you’ll be saying them for the next four years: PRESIDENT TRUMP.”

I have never said the words, either verbally or in print, and I never will. There are millions in this country who don't consider T-rump "our" president, but Moore is only using the term for emphasis. It was the Rust Belt states that ordinarily go Democratic, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, that did it for Trump, but the polls don't favor him for 2020, according to The Hill...

“Wisconsin seems to be a real problem, the 2018 midterms were a disaster for Republicans there, and Biden seems to have unique appeal in Pennsylvania.”

Michael Moore is waving a red flag toward fellow liberals and Progressives to wake up and not let the same thing happen again. Trump's first-quarter fund-raising haul of $30.3 million should get them off their butts but the current in-fighting between Progressives and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi seems to be usurping the left's energy. The Oval Office lunatic loves every minute of it and that is exactly what the filmmaker is talking about.

In a NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll’s first ballot tests of the 2020 general election, Joe Biden leads the president by 9 points among registered voters, 51 percent to 42 percent, Bernie Sanders is ahead of Trump by 7 points, 50 percent to 43 percent, and Elizabeth Warren holds a 5-point advantage, 48 percent to 43 percent. NBC adds...

"With more than 200 days until Iowa caucuses and more than 470 days until Election Day 2020, the poll is a very early snapshot of the general election, and much can change."

Michael Moore's take on how Democrats win in 2020...

 Sonali Kolhatkar in Truthdig makes a disheartening statement for the left...

"Donald Trump appears a better prepared and far more formidable candidate than he did in 2016—or compared to many of his current rivals."

Kolhatkar does wonder how Trump's " degradation of basic standards of human decency" could be ignored by voters, but the answer is simple, anyone who would vote for Donald Trump is in his class, just plain 'ignorant,' as Michael Moore puts it. As an illustration of to what extent T-rump will go to manifest his ego while pumping up followers, Kolhatkar uses his July 4th celebration, all in honor of Donald Trump. The left must not lose in 2020!

Donald Trump headed for ‘disgrace and downfall’ says Dr. Brandy Lee

PROGRESSIVE STREET...Where Progressives Walk

Dr. Brandy Lee-Donald Trump

You might remember Yale psychiatrist, Dr. Bandy X. Lee, a forensic psychiatrist and an expert on violence at Yale School of Medicine, who published a report back in May proving that Donald Trump is mentally challenged.  Well, she has just topped that research with recent findings arguing...

"that President Trump suffers from a uniquely dangerous pathology that will end up wrecking the country."

Everything Dr. Lee comes up with is beyond frightening, with the amount of study involved, and especially with her credentials. She is editor of the New York Times bestseller, “The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump: 37 Psychiatrists and Mental Health Experts Assess a President." She and her colleagues...

"prepared a mental health analysis of the Mueller report with recommendations. Next week, they will present their analysis at a town hall-style meeting on Capitol Hill as well as unveil five questions they would like to ask Special Counsel Robert Mueller at his testimony the following day."

Alarming video of Dr. Lee documenting the dangers of Donald Trump in the White House...

 However, Dr. Lee feels the testimony by Robert Mueller could be delayed, "blocked, severely limited, or even sabotaged." Not surprising she commented, "given the magnitude of its importance." She had this to say about Mueller...

"Robert Mueller’s response of requiring a subpoena to appear and posing severe time restrictions is consistent with his constraints on stating facts directly. Why didn’t he say more simply, “There were a dozen counts of criminal wrongdoing, but because of department policy, we cannot convict him”? It is a common psychological phenomenon"

She exclaims people around Donald Trump's type are unable to resist giving in to their whims, thus...

"Entire households and entire nations can be vulnerable. This is why it is extremely important to prevent those who show signs of mental pathology from taking over powerful positions and why this is a public health problem."

Dr. Lee says her group has placed a video with the copy of the Mueller Report, but will go into greater detail at their town hall on Capitol Hill on the day before his testimony, on July 16, with details on their web site, dangerouscase.org. I will be looking and so should you.

WEEKEND NEWS DIGEST: George Houraney v. Donald Trump

July 14, 2019

PROGRESSIVE STREET...Where Liberals Walk  

Donald Trump should examine closely the saying by 17th-Century English theologian Thomas Fuller, "it is always darkest before the dawn," which Washington Monthly's Martin Longman says may have been meant to be optimistic, but in Donald Trump's case is more of a warning. He speaks of the "smut business" of Jeffrey Epstein involving human trafficking of underage girls, evolving almost on the front lawn of the White House. So far, T-rump has been unable to shake it.

In a CNN opinion piece by Elie Honig, who used to work for the independent Southern District of New York, Jeffrey Epstein's "just being charged by the SDNY is, in itself, a defendant's nightmare." Honig cites the track record...

"the conviction rate on federal charges is typically over 90%, and the conviction rate in federal human trafficking cases is even a tick higher than that."

Epstein's victims will have a chance to testify against him, many of whom are now adults and have already come forward. Will he go to trial, plead guilty without cooperation, or cooperate? These are his three choices, and it also has to be considered that others will be implicated with him along the way. It is obvious the noose is tightening around Jeffrey Epstein's neck. Anyone aware of any spare rope in the White House?

Jeffrey Epstein charged by Southern District of New York...

And just recently Trump friend, Florida businessman George Houraney, "dropped a dime" on Donald Trump, as expressed by Vanity Fair's Eric Lutz...

"There was a time when Trump could be counted among Epstein’s rich, well-connected friends. And, according to a report in the New York Times on Tuesday, the relationship may have been a good deal closer than the president has let on."

There's more...

"Per the Times, Trump in 1992 directed Florida businessman George Houraney—who would later accuse Trump of sexually harassing his former girlfriend and business partner, Jill Harth—to organize a members’ only 'calendar girl' competition at Mar-a-Lago."

Houraney claims Trump deceived him into thinking this would be a party of VIPs. In warnings about Epstein’s behavior, banning him from Houraney's events, the latter said, “Trump didn’t care about that.”

Ring of Fire site exposes Donald Trump/Jeffrey Epstein with 28 girls...

Jeffrey Epstein wealth just a fantasy? A new report says his reputation of being a billionaire appears to be a myth. "The story also revealed that Epstein has been a client of Deutsche Bank, the embattled institution facing waves of controversy in recent months and years." Along with his exploits with underage girls, Epstein has also become prominent because he has been identified with former president Bill Clinton and the current Oval Office lunatic, Donald Trump.

Could Jeffrey Epstein walk again on double jeopardy? Untangling a lot of legal jargon, it would seem that double jeopardy could impact New York's case against Epstein but prosecutors will argue...

"that the 2007 SD-Florida non-pros does not bar a 2019 SDNY indictment arising out of the same conduct and charging the same offenses."

Andrew McCarthy of the conservative National Review cites the recent Supreme Court ruling on the “'dual sovereignty'” doctrine — hurts, rather than helps, the SDNY’s position." Not good. Apparently the key is that SDNY only has new evidence not a "new offense," which is necessary to overcome the double jeopardy. "There has to be proof of a discrete criminal transaction that amounts to a new offense." I thought Epstein's shenanigans were ongoing. We'll see,

Read more: "The state of New York protected Jeffrey Epstein — not his victims"

Why did Jeffrey Epstein wire $350,000 to two co-conspirators? Federal prosecutors allege "he wired hundreds of thousands of dollars to two potential witnesses, according to court documents." The $350,000 was wired...

"between November and December in 2018, after The Miami Herald published its extensive investigation about his previous plea deal."

"The two individuals who were alleged to have received the money were possible co-conspirators prosecutors said, according to NBC News."

 These are charges of witness tampering with two unnamed individuals that may have been co-conspirators, according to prosecutors, who are requesting no bail for Epstein. Business Insider reports...

"This course of action, and in particular its timing, suggests the defendant was attempting to further influence co-conspirators who might provide information against him in light of the recently re-emerging allegations," prosecutors said in court filings."

WEEKEND NEWS DIGEST: The Republican Party darkened Colin Kapernick's skin in a political ad, then lied about it

July 13, 2013

PROGRESSIVE STREET...Where Liberals Walk  

The biggest judicial problem we have in addition to a one-sided Supreme Court are loaded courts across the country with conservatives orchestrated by the bottom feeder, Senate head Mitch McConnell. Politico reports...

"Every senator running for president has voted far less often for Trump’s judges this year compared with the previous Congress."

This has been a Republican focus that supports their legislation at local levels. It has become dangerously lopsided for the GOP.

Mitch McConnell exposed on federal judges...

Independent Rep. Justin Amash has inside info on how congressional Republicans really feel about impeaching Donald Trump. Amash told CNN...

"that high-level party officials have thanked him behind closed doors for his stance on impeachment proceedings against Trump."

There's more...

"I get people sending me text messages, people calling me, saying 'thank you for what you're doing,'" Amash told CNN's Jake Tapper in a wide-ranging interview on "State of the Union" Sunday. "They're not saying it publicly. And I think that's a problem for our country, it's a problem for the Republican Party, it's a problem for the Democratic Party when people aren't allowed to speak out."

Enough said!

Love affair between the alt-right and Donald Trump is on the rocks in areported by Raw Story, because the president’s policies and actions are not playing out in the way that the right wing extremists had hoped. Owens reports

that...report from Vice News’ Tess Owens,

"commenters on forums hosting alt-right rabble-rousing appear to have given up on Trump."

The alt-right feels its heyday of power is weakening, combined with Trump's betrayal of their march for white supremacy, tied in with the feeling that he has failed to deliver on the sweeping immigration enforcement he promised during the campaign.” There are just over 11-million whites that have beliefs consistent with the alt-right’s worldview, according to a U. of Alabama researcher. The question is, do they vote?

Is the alt-right moving up or down?...

Will Obamacare survive the appeals court? If you are one of the 20 million insured by the Affordable Care Act (ACA), your coverage as you know it could end if the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals makes its ruling. In question is the mandatory provision of the act that is accompanied by the preexisting clause. It is the fact that Obamacare is compulsory that is considered unconstitutional, but why throw out the rest of the law, especially the preexisting part?

The Republican Party darkened Colin Kapernick's skin in a political ad, then lied about it. It was Yahoo News’ White House correspondent, Hunter Walker...

"who caught the National Republican Congressional Committee pushing out a disparaging meme of Kaepernick."

Sarah Burris of Raw Story reports...

“House Republicans are running on racism, plain and simple. It’s disgusting, it’s offensive and it should be fireable, but there’s no accountability in the Republican Party,” a Democratic operative said.

It was when given the opportunity to clean up the public relations disaster that the GOP lied about it. The "original photo compared to the meme, clearly shows otherwise." The Republican Party is beyond pathetic!

    

Trump still protecting Jeffrey Epstein guardian angel Alex Acosta

PROGRESSIVE STREET...Where Liberals Walk  

Acosta-Epstein

July 12, 2019: Trump Labor Secretary Alex Acosta has resigned amid accusations of the mishandling of the Jeffrey Epstein case in So. Florida some twelve years ago. Epstein walked on charges of molesting underage girls. Donald Trump, of course, still supports Acosta, while one more link of the Oval Office lunatic's political disaster machine falls by the wayside. The Washington Post's description of Acosta...

"the man who cut a secret plea deal with a “monster”

Mitch McConnell in Amy McGrath's sights

PROGRESSIVE STREET...Where Liberals Walk  

July 12, 2019: ‘Everything that’s wrong with Washington started with him,’ a headline from Raw Story refers to Mitch McConnell. But now he has a credible candidate challenging him in 2020. It is Amy McGrath, "a former Marine Lieutenant Colonel fighter pilot with a Masters from Johns Hopkins. A BS in political science from the U.S. Naval Academy. She’s 44. A Democrat. The mother of three and married to a life-long Republican."

RS reports...

"McConnell is not liked in Kentucky. His average approval rating is just 25%, and his unfavorable is 46.7%, according to Real Clear Politics."

Here's a tweet from McGrath...

"I’m running to replace Mitch McConnell in the U.S. Senate. Everything that’s wrong with Washington had to start somewhere—it started with him. With your help, we can defeat Mitch and defend democracy. Join us: (link: http://www.AmyMcGrath.com) AmyMcGrath.com"

McGrath lost a close election for Congress in 2018, by less than 10,000 votes, 51% to 47.8%. But "McConnell is not liked in Kentucky. His average approval rating is just 25%, and his unfavorable is 46.7%, according to Real Clear Politics." Amy McGrath wrote McConnell a letter at age 13, which he never answered, provoking the comment, “I’ve often wondered how many other people did Mitch McConnell never take the time to write back, or even think about.”

Robert Reich exposes the loathsome Mitch McConnell...

In a Politico piece, McConnell is called  “Cocaine Mitch,” “Nuclear Mitch” or the steward of the “legislative graveyard,” admitting,  he’s the “Grim Reaper” anyway, so he’s loving every minute of it. Mitch the misrule mechanic, thinks all this is funny, stonewalling anything that comes from Democrats, no matter how good or important the legislation is. The racist in this lowlife proclaimed, "my number one priority is making sure president Obama’s a one-term president." He didn't.

If Kentucky voters dislike Mitch McConnell as the above figures would indicate, an approval of only 25%, unfavorable 46.7%, and Kentucky voters continue to reelect the man, then I would place these poor souls in the same category as the clueless, double-digit Donald Trump supporters. Amy McGrath raised $2.5 million in the first 24 hours of her campaign eclipsing presidential contenders Elizabeth Warren and Kamala Harris. Want to be beat Mitch McConnell? Make a contribution to Amy McGrath here.

Donald Trump: Thousands of lies and still going strong

PROGRESSIVE STREET/Where Liberals Walk:

July 11, 2019: Since lying seems to be what Donald Trump does, and he is certainly known for it around the world, how many lies will it take to win the 2020 election? And can the Democrats summon the strategy to beat this megalomaniac? As an aside, would you agree that Trump makes Karl Rove look like a Sunday school teacher when it comes to lying? He is already lying that "he has better support among key demographics — women, Hispanics, young voters — than he actually does."

When I Google "Trump's latest lies," I get 55,400.000 hits. I also get a treasure trove of deception, dishonesty and disinformation, most all associated with the Oval Office lunatic, Donald Trump. On one site I found a report from the Washington Post that said Trump had made 10,000 “false or misleading claims” since entering the White House. 'You were indicted for one,' Nicolle Wallace told Trump who had just said, “I don’t do cover-ups,” re. Nancy Pelosi's charge.

Jimmy Kimmel on Donald Trump 2,000 lies...

And the most interesting was a site by a former card magician exclaiming, "How Trump Gets Away with Lying, as Explained by a Magician." Ben Chapman continues, asking these questions, “How does he just keep lying?” “He can’t possibly get away with this again.” “Why do people still trust him?” Chapman has his own opinion of Donald Trump...

"Our current Administration has shown an unprecedented disregard for the truth, and many Americans are flabbergasted at how few people are disturbed by this disregard. As a former card magician — and therefore someone with a bit of experience deceiving audiences — I have developed some strategies to catch other people in their lies."

His strategies are very interesting, starting with, "1. Dress for the Occasion."
With five in all, you will gradually begin to visualize the subject of his piece, then see the actual picture of Donald Trump. I wouldn't bestow T-rump with the credibility of a magician, but he has certainly developed some of these tactics, turning them into the implements of his warped mind. Ben Chapman's site is well worth your time, providing unique insight into the Donald Trump psyche.

But, back to the original question, "Can Democrats beat Trump lies in 2020?" Here's where it stands right now...

"The Trump campaign has been spending about $1 million weekly on Facebook and Google ads. In comparison, the Biden campaign spent about $75,000 last week. The Trump team knows that the online world is where their campaign thrives and they also know that they can expect little to no regulation from Facebook even when their ads are a direct violation of Facebook policy."

Distortion and deceit without regulation, a strategy that hearkens back to Karl Rove's handling of the George W. Bush campaign. And yes, the Democrats employ their own version of deception but nowhere near as blatant as Republicans, especially Donald Trump, the world's most egregious liar. The best example recently is a fake Joe Biden website run secretly by an operative working for the Trump campaign. Not even sure Karl Rove would do that.

Donald Trump: Supporters help make him the scam artist he is

PROGRESSIVE STREET...Where Liberals Walk

July 10, 2019: When I see a headline like the following: "Trump’s fake patriotism was sophomoric and insulting — so of course his supporters loved it," it makes me worry about the future of this country. It also cuts to the core of what is wrong with the United States; an uninformed gang of morons is running it with their elective power to put someone like Donald Trump in the White House. And, it looks like pictures of a large crowd at his July 4th speech are valid, even more distressing.

This man, no matter how low his morals or how many times and hour he is caught lying to the public, and his loyal followers, by the way, is still the head of the most powerful country in the world. And for whatever bizarre reason, maybe it is sheer luck, it hasn't yet happened. No, we haven't suffered a major catastrophe caused by this egotistical maniac, but according to Yale Psychiatrist, Brandy Lee, we are getting closer and closer to Trump armageddon.

Salon's Lucian Truscott, in an opinion piece said...

"Donald Trump’s Fourth of July speech was sophomoric. The fly-overs were anemic. The pairs of Bradley fighting vehicles and M1-A2 tanks were practically invisible. Everyone was soaked to the skin. They even played the hoary redneck anthem, 'I’m Proud to Be an American.'”

"But the crowd loved it."

This conflagration of Trump-lovers was kept well away from their idol, with the VIP seats clustered around T-rump, close enough to blow smoke, well, you know where. These are the same VIP seats that, with such little demand, the Trump aides ended up giving the tickets to anyone who would take them. Truscott commented, "The crowd adored the man who delivered his fourth-grade-level history lesson in robotic, singsong cadences..."

Other nations who put on gigantic displays of their clout to impress their people are no doubt marveling over the fact that what Trump did was "the cheapest, lamest, most pathetic display of military might ever put on. It was Trump’s. He was all that mattered." Pathetic. And Salon had a recommendation for the Dems...

"The Democratic candidates for president should get tapes of Trump’s 'Salute to America' and make watching it mandatory within their campaign operations. Trump’s speech sounded like it had been written by the 'creatives' at Hallmark, and that was the point."

Truscott closed with...

"We are not the country we like to think we are. Trump won in 2016. 'Make America Great Again' carried the day for him. His 'basket of deplorables' turned out for him. They can do it again."

And that is a challenge that should convince every Progressive/liberal to make their way to the polls early in 2020.

PROGRESSIVE STREET/Where Liberals Walk: Jeffrey Epstein, Donald Trump, Alex Acosta/Trouble in Paradise

Alex Acosta-Jeffrey Epstein

July 9. 2002: Donald Trump, well, you know the infamous liar of the Oval Office, but do you know his Labor Secretary, Alex Acosta, who signed off on a non-prosecution agreement with Jeffrey Epstein more than a decade ago? Yes, the Jeffrey Epstein who was just jailed for child sex trafficking, and who was a friend of Donald trump, another pal who hung out with him at Mar-a-Lago. But the new focus is on Acosta who investigated Epstein in 2008, letting him off the hook with a plea deal.

Bloomberg reports, "The Justice Department said in February that it planned to investigate 'allegations that Department attorneys may have committed professional misconduct in the manner in which the Epstein criminal matter was resolved' in Florida. Here's the deal...

"Later that month, a federal judge ruled that the same group of attorneys broke the law by not telling Epstein’s victims that the plea deal existed. The Miami-based prosecutors had prepared a 53-page federal indictment against Epstein, but his deal allowed him to plead guilty only to a state charge of soliciting a minor for prostitution. He served 13 months in a Palm Beach prison that allowed him to leave six days a week to work. The deal also granted immunity to any of Epstein’s potential co-conspirators, who otherwise might have been swept up in his abuses."

 MSNBC’s Mika Brzezinski picked up the story asking, "whether President Donald Trump’s secretary of labor might be personally implicated in the Jeffrey Epstein child trafficking case." A former federal prosecutor, Mimi Rocah, said...

“It is a travesty what Jeffrey Epstein was allowed to get away with, that he sexually abused and raped — himself and allowed others — so many young girls. That is one of the most serious federal crimes I have ever involved in prosecuting. I mean, we are talking about 10, 15, 20 years in prison, and he got a slap on the wrist.”

When asked if Acosta, who, because of his association with the case has been asked to resign and refused, personally allowed Epstein to get away with raping and trafficking young girls, Rocah replied "Yes," without hesitation. Brzezinski wondered then just what Alex Acosta had to gain by cutting Epstein loose, was he involved in the escapades? Rocah had no evidence of this but "was aware that that Alex Acosta was very close with attorneys who were representing Epstein."

If Acosta wasn't personally involved with Jeffrey Epstein's shenanigans, he was certainly guilty of the "old boys' network," as described by Rocah, that released a sexual predator on the street to continue his trysts with underage girls. Hopefully, the U.S. Attorney’s office in Manhattan will finally put a stop to this.

PROGRESSIVE STREET...Where Liberals Walk: Donald Trump buddy, Jeffrey Epstein, in jail for child sex trafficking

July 8, 2029 

Trump and Epstein with unknown women

The man who sits in the Oval Office today, Donald Trump, has been accused of rape, sexual assault, and sexual harassment, including non-consensual kissing or groping, by at least 22 women since the 1980s. There were three widely reported instances of litigation, and, of course, there was the Access Hollywood tape during which Trump made the statement...

"You know I'm automatically attracted to beautiful—I just start kissing them. It's like a magnet. Just kiss. I don't even wait. And when you're a star, they let you do it, you can do anything ... grab them by the pussy. You can do anything."

Any woman voting for T-rump after hearing that is devoid of any self-respect.

Billionaire financier Jeffrey Epstein was arrested Saturday evening on suspicion of trafficking dozens of underage girls as young as 14 in the early 2000s. Here's what Donald Trump had to say about Epstein in a tweet...

“I’ve known Jeff for fifteen years. Terrific guy. He’s a lot of fun to be with. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side.” - Donald Trump, 2002

You have to read Kat Tenbarge's article in Business Insider to see all the gory details, and they bounce out at you one after the other. Like the foursome at Mar-a-Lago, Trump, Melania, Epstein and his British socialite girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell...

"Politico reported that a woman who claims to have been a part of a sex trafficking ring run by Epstein was recruited directly from Mar-a-Lago in 1999 by Maxwell, where the woman, who was then 15-years-old, worked as a locker room attendant."

The Daily Beast reported that "Epstein trafficked dozens of minors in New York and Florida between 2002 and 2005, according to three unnamed law enforcement sources." The pervert friend of Donald Trump is "already a convicted sex offender, having allegedly molested dozens of underage girls in Florida before signing a 2008 secret plea agreement that allowed him to avoid federal prosecution and jail time." Apparently Epstein has plenty of friends.

And, of course, there was the Stormy Daniels affair, where Trump made a generous payoff to keep her mouth shut during the 2016 election. First he lied about the payment, letting his attorney Michael Cohen take the heat, eventually admitting reimbursing Cohen $130,000. 

A lying, conniving madman in the White House with the support of a double-digit gang of followers, the kind who will come out in the rain to hear him babble on about the Continental Army taking back airports in the Revolutionary War. Pathetic!

Read more about Donald Trump's sexual exploits on Wikipedia.

NEWS DIGEST: The tweeting madman is Donald Trump

July 7, 2019: PROGRESSIVE STREET...Where Liberals Walk  

It's the second time we've heard a single "fast radio burst" from a galaxy across the universe. Although we don't know what causes these FRBs we do know that this one came from a "galaxy, similar in size to our own Milky Way galaxy and is 7.9 billion light-years away. Is it some advanced extraterrestrial civilization--scientists can't rule this out--and somehow technology can be harnessed to contact them, pleading that they come and take Donald Trump away? Please!

Read more...

Could you do without $55 million and 5 million voters? (NRA 2016 campaign activity) Not if you are Donald Trump, candidate for president of the United States. The wheels are coming off the National Rifle Assn. (NRA), and with the recent closing down of their NRATV propaganda machine, they are likely to be hard put for cash. A rich donor is after head gun nut Wayne LaPierre and Madonna recently did a video on gun violence. Looks like Trump is in even more trouble.

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George Conway's simple formula to beat Donald Trump in 2020: Constant attacks on Trump personally and politically by Democrats that will eventually cause the Oval Office idiot's meltdown. It's so simple but so obvious. Anyone who has observed this man since his inauguration knows that he cannot take criticism on any level. How this shakes out with Conway's wife Kellyanne Conway as one of Trump's closest advisers is anyones guess and could actually fit into the equation.

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On the surface it would appear that Donald Trump had a reasonably large crowd for his July 4th speech. No crowd size has been confirmed but pictures show the people alongside the pool. This, however, calls into question why Trump's staff felt the need to hand out VIP tickets to Trump’s Fourth of July rally to anyone who will take them. Politico said the WH staff was desperate to entice people to come, and yet pictures available show a sizeable gang of T-rump blind sheep minions. Questionable?

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The tweeting madman is Donald Trump, says Daily Beast, and uses the revolving door handling of the census question by this nutcase to explain what it's like to work for a psychopath. It a'int easy as Joshua Gardner, special counsel at the Department of Justice, who told the court the question was out, knows. Now it's back in because the maniac thinks he can beat around the courts with an executive order. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross himself was in on the "outing" decision. Washington has never been so much fun.

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NEWS DIGEST: Ivanka Trump for president?

July 6, 2019: PROGRESSIVE STREET...Where Liberals Walk  

Over 200 major U.S. and international corporations have signed an amicus brief and submitted it to the Supreme Court last Tuesday with the argument that excluding sexual orientation and gender identity from federal civil rights law “would undermine the nation’s business interests.” More than 7 million employees are involved and the companies account for over $5 trillion in revenue.” It's another great mark for the movement.

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Millions of NRA members are asking why they should fund an outfit rife with financial mismanagement and apparent insider beak-wetting, signaling an organization that appears to be rotting from the inside out. The top lobbyist, Chris Cox quit, and one of the NRA's largest donors is calling for the head of top gun nut, Wayne LaPierre. The New York Post says....

"It’s a welcome blow to the lucrative 'nonprofit' racket of milking moral outrage."

The NRA does have our "thoughts and prayers."

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France had an all-time high temperature of 114.6 degrees last week, no doubt a result of "human-induced climate change.” With a climate change catastrophe facing us, backed by notable scientists, Donald Trump forges ahead shattering environmental protections now in place. Here's how...

"Since Andrew Wheeler was made acting EPA director in July, he has issued a series of controversial environmental rollbacks. Wheeler is a former coal lobbyist who replaced Scott Pruitt." See more reasons.

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Robert Mueller testimony before Congress could send Donald Trump postal. Trump's own biographer, Tim O'Brien, said, “This is a man who has lived dangerously for decades by flirting with the boundaries of propriety, legality and civility." According to Yale psychiatrist Bandy Lee, losing the control Trump has had for years could make him extremely dangerous, "an alarming worst-case scenario for the man who commands the most powerful nuclear arsenal in the world."

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Ivanka Trump for president? You have to be f***ing kidding. Although she might not be any worse than Mike Pence, which I can't even remotely fathom him being electable, you have to consider the warped mind of Donald Trump and his claim on the Oval Office throne. There has been talk that he wouldn't vacate the White House if he lost in 2020, and he has even mentioned running a "forever" campaign for the presidency. Ivanka could be his ace in the hole.

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July 5th, 2019: Blowhard dictator reviews his troops

If it weren't for the fact that Donald Trump mentioned in his July 4th speech that the Continental Army took over the airports (in 1775, or 1812 what airports?), something which gave the whole world a laugh, the fact that he pretty much stuck to his script, plus the fact that apparently pictures reveal he had a relatively decent crowd, even in the rain, otherwise the whole ceremony was a disaster. Here's the statement on 1775...

“The Continental Army suffered a bitter winter of Valley Forge,” he continued, “found glory across the waters of the Delaware and seized victory from Cornwallis of Yorktown. Our army manned the [unclear]. It rammed the ramparts. It took over the airports. It did everything it had to do. And at Fort McHenry, under the rockets’ red glare, it had nothing but victory. And when dawn came, their star-spangled banner waved defiant.”

But the fact that he has always craved power, even from his first childhood, which has carried over into this childhood, where he dreams of being a strong-arm dictator like his idol, Kim Jong un. With tanks, parades, flyovers, all the things that despots do. It's all way out of line since the U.S. is and has been in a mode that does not encourage conflict, rather peace. But this all fits with T-rump's latest crusades in isolationism.

The Raw Story said, "Trump’s disastrous July 4th speech walloped as ‘middle-school story time from hell,’" RS quotes writer Molly Jong-Fast from Daily Beast...

“It was a speech that had all the excitement of an excerpt from one of Bill O’Reilly’s YA history books,” Jong-Fast wrote. 

Jong-Fast went on to criticize Trump's lack of any oratorical skills, which all tyrants must have, something the Oval Office lunatic replaces with bullshit, riddled with endless lies. Salon ended its piece with...

Unfortunately for Trump, his old nemesis John McCain had the last laugh. Again.

The Blue Angels tribute at McCain’s funeral in Annapolis was in every way more patriotic and inspiring.

So much for Donald Trump and his July 4th debacle.

Justin Amash exits GOP

Amash-Trump

U.S. Representative Justin Amash has been a continuing thorn in the side of Donald Trump, criticizing him on several fronts, but primarily arguing that Trump has “engaged in specific actions and a pattern of behavior that meet the threshold for impeachment.” Donald Trump's response to Amash's opinion piece about leaving Congress was, ""one of the dumbest & most disloyal men in Congress." This coming from the dumbest president ever.

In June, Amash left the conservative House Freedom Caucus he helped found, and it should be noted here that Justin Amash is a loyal member of the Tea Party. Not only was he the first House member to favor Donald Trump's impeachment...

"In February, he became the lone Republican to co-sponsor a resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives to reject the emergency Trump declared at the U.S.-Mexico border to build a wall there, in a stinging reprimand to the president."

Amash is of the opinion that most U.S. voters are not "rigidly" partisan, and they don't feel they are getting the representation they did vote for. He is convinced the Republican Party favors nationalism, a term defined as follows...

"identification with one's own nation and support for its interests, especially to the exclusion or detriment of the interests of other nations."

This is more apparent in Donald Trump's handling of tariffs with countries like China, and the Oval Office lunatic's negotiations with Iran in the nuclear standoff. But most of all it points to the illusion of a Trump massive ego that thinks he can do anything he wants to simply because he is Donald Trump. This is basically a new breed of nationalism spawned by the kind of abhorrent individual that currently resides in the White House.

Yesterday, July 4th, Amash published an opinion piece in the Washington Post...

“Instead of acting as an independent branch of government and serving as a check on the executive branch, congressional leaders of both parties expect the House and Senate to act in obedience or opposition to the president and their colleagues on a partisan basis.”

He followed this with...

“Modern politics is trapped in a partisan death spiral, but there is an escape.”

Justin Amash has been serving in Congress since 2011, and back in May was when he first came out against Trump using the results of the Mueller Report...

Amash said in May that the Mueller report showed Trump had obstructed justice, bucking his party and joining Democrats in castigating the president for his actions. “President Trump has engaged in impeachable conduct,” he said.

 The former Republican is considering running against Donald Trump as a Libertarian in 2020. If he does, he'll have to shed his former life as a Tea Partier, and that won't be easy.

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July 4th celebration Trump warning to all

Please...Light the fuse-Send him to the moon

Jeff Greenfield on Politico tried to put a positive swing on Donald Trump's 4th of July celebration with three reasons not to worry but one big reason to worry...

"And on a more troubling level, what Trump is doing is wreathing himself in the most potent symbols of American history—delivering a speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, site of the 1963 March on Washington, looking across at a landscape of monuments—without any appreciation for the history that made that whole landscape possible. Perhaps uniquely among American presidents, he sees himself without any connection to the American story, any link to presidents past, other than his manifest superiority to any of them."

The parts above, in bold, illustrate the chronic pathetic nature of Donald Trump.

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HAPPY July 4th to all

We celebrate Independence Day annually on July 4. It is the anniversary of the publication of the declaration of independence from Great Britain in 1776. Patriotic displays and family events are organized throughout the United States. It is a day for going to the beach or the lake, the mountains, hanging out by the family pool, going to your favorite amusement park or just staying at home with family and friends, barbecuing in the backyard. It is not for dictators.

Greg Sargent's piece in the Washington Post portrays the plans of the desperate, totalitarian Donald Trump in another attempt to boost his ego by making July 4th all about him. Supported by tanks and flyovers, this incompetent tyrant will actually close down Reagan National airport in Washington simply for self-gratification. Sargent says...

"The historians tell us that this is what authoritarian nationalists do. As Harvard’s Jill Lepore puts it, they replace history with tried-and-true fictions — false tales of national decline at the hands of invented threats, melded to fictitious stories of renewed national greatness, engineered by the leader himself, who is both author of the fiction and its mythic hero."

Bingo! That hits the nail right into Donald Trump's head.

But happy 4th of July anyway. 

NEWS ALERT.Big time NRA donor wants Wayne LaPierre dumped

Thank God someone in the gun rights community has finally usurped the nerve to go after the National Rifle Assn. (NRA's) head gun nut, Wayne LaPierre. This maniac is the common denominator for all the gun violence since he took office in 1991. It is his firm belief that everyone in this country should be armed with a gun, take it anywhere he wants to, with every American household claiming its own personal arsenal. This offense is purely to sell more guns to appease the gun manufacturers who generously support him and the NRA.

Here's what David Dell’Aquila, LaPierre's hit man, says...

the NRA’s internal warfare “has become a daily soap opera, and it’s decaying and destroying the NRA from within, and it needs to stop”.

“Even if these allegations regarding Mr LaPierre and his leadership are false, he has become radioactive and must step down.”

Don't you love his description of Lapierre as "radioactive?" 

NEWS ALERT...Alarm going off for recession

A yield curve inverted is predicting Donald Trump's economy is headed for weak or nonexistent growth in the next few years, and little inflation. Yield curves don’t cause recessions, but their inversion can make business leaders reluctant to hire or invest because they’re worried about economic slowdown. The yield curve started to invert in March...

“The alarm’s gone off,” said Campbell Harvey, the Duke University finance professor who first noticed the relationship between yield curves and recessions.

So much for the despot's plans.

WEDNESDAY'S NEWS DIGEST: Carbon dioxide is good for you

PROGRESSIVE STREET...Where Liberals Walk

One source describes Donald Trump's performance at the G-20 Summit in Japan like a circus. In Salon's words, "Ignorant of history and contemptuous of existing treaties, as usual, Trump insulted the host country on his first day." Good start for what would become a "slow-motion train wreck" involving sucking up to Saudi Arabia, ignoring the Khashoggi murder, and Vladimir Putin, ignoring their interference in the 2016 election. Basically, typical, useless, embarrassing Trump conduct.

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Beware of flesh-eating bacteria known as necrotizing fasciitis, which can be caught anywhere the public has been. I know, first-hand, from someone who caught it, they think, in a motel from the toilet seat. It progressed from a dot on the skin to a six-inch grotesque splotch of bleeding flesh in just six days. The person was just minutes from losing a leg, with the doctor at one point concerned the person wouldn't make it through the night. Although left with an obvious scar, otherwise okay now.

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Necrotizing fasciitis kills grandmother...

Trump to lose big in 2020, according to the same people who accurately predicted the Democratic takeover of the House in 2018. Rachel Bitecofer, assistant director of the Wason Center for Public Policy at Public Policy at Christopher Newport University says Donald Trump will lose the Electoral College 297 to 197. She predicted 40 seats won at midterm, and says with the Democrats agitated as they are, Trump isn't likely to pull off another 2016.

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"Carbon dioxide is good for you," says Trump scientist. William Happer. This looney is from the obscure "Heartland Institute, which disavows manmade climate change," but apparently doesn't read authentic scientific studies proving that humans are decimating the earth's eco-system. Obviously just another GOP thing to disrupt those of us trying to save the planet. Happer even pressured NASA to change their climate to conform to Heartland's version. NASA said no!

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William Happer, 'the scientist." on Co2...

Trump's preposterous 4th of July gala for family and friends will feature, as T-rump describes them, the very latest American Sherman tanks. (Sherman tanks haven't been produced since 1957.) It will be necessary to close Reagan National Airport to accommodate the flyovers demanded by the oval office lunatic. Kellyanne Conway even chimed in with reporters questioning their patriotism. And why didn't other presidents do all this? The simple answer is just that they weren't crazy.

NEWS ALERT...Census Citizenship question out

PROGRESSIVE STREET...Where liberals Walk  

Dept. of Justice has just released that the citizenship question will not appear on the 2020 Decennial Census questionnaire. Another "defeat for the Trump administration after the Supreme Court refused to allow the question to be added without further explanation from Census officials."

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LIBERALS ONLY BREAKING NEWS...Trump's economy turning bad

PROGRESSIVE STREET...Where Liberals Walk  

It is a combination of fear of public reaction along with a continuing concern over retaliation from a diminishing National Rifle Assn. (NRA) that keeps most Democrats from espousing strong gun control. There are a couple, Booker, Stalwell, but neither is prominent in the polls. Kamala Harris might have potential but what bothers me is the overall pall that spreads through politicians when you talk about banning even assault rifles. Still the killing goes on.

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And then Biden says, "that gun manufacturers, not the National Rifle Association (NRA), are the Democratic Party's 'enemy' in its efforts to reform gun control laws. Comments like this are why he's slipping in the polls. The NRA, led by head gun nut, Wayne LaPierre, is what gives gun manufacturers reason to keep making more and more guns, thus, more killing machines on the street. It doesn't help for the leading Democratic contender to protect the NRA.

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Older but great analysis of NRA supports gun manufacturers...

Trump economy weak and heading down says an Aussie with public policy experience. Here is his assessment...

"During the election we were promised jobs and growth. But in 2019-20 The Conversation’s forecasting panel is predicting an economic growth rate as weak as any since the financial crisis, as well as dismal consumer spending, no improvement in unemployment or wage growth, and an increased chance of recession." 

And Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moody's Analytics, says the economic growth isn't as strong as it looks. Much will depend on Donald Trump's tariff wars, which anyone knows could be bizarre.

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Bernie Sanders should be delighted, the entire lineup of Democratic Primary candidates has picked up at least one issue that the Bern has been advocating his entire political career. In other words, without Bernie Sanders, we would not have a Democratic platform. And doesn't this say something about the vision of this man that can't be overlooked. If his age is the only barrier, then the selection of a vice president should solve that problem. The Bern deserves a break here.

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Bernie Sanders on the issues...

Presidential candidate John Hickenlooper is solidly against Socialism and even attempts to make his point with a banjo. He was booed heavily at a San Francisco Democratic convention which didn't seem to dim his enthusiasm. On the other side, Bernie Sanders has a continuing Democratic Socialism vision that he says will save us from global authoritarianism. I go with Bernie and am sure he would start his sweep with the current White House.

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LIBERALS ONLY BREAKING NEWS...My earlier post asked, 'if not Joe Biden, who?'

PROGRESSIVE STREET...Where Liberals Walk  

Nineteen billionaires and ultra millionaires including George Soros, Abigail Disney and members of the Pritzker family say they and similar families should be taxed more. They favor accessing the finances of the wealthy over middle-income and lower-income Americans. Sound like Bernie Sanders? A letter sent by the nineteen participants said...

“The next dollar of new tax revenue should come from the most financially fortunate, not from middle-income and lower-income Americans."

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Trumps says Putin is a 'great guy' and 'terrific person' at the G-20 summit, expressing his feelings on Russian TV. Sounds like someone is building a hotel to me with the generous amount of syrupy praise for the Russian president. Let's just compare this monumental fraud with past presidents who would attend the G-20 to improve conditions for the united States. Donald Trump could care less about this country when a Trump Tower is possible in the middle of Moscow.

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Could "crypto" fecal parasite ruin your summer vacation? It can cause watery diarrhea for as long as three weeks and is worse for children, pregnant women and those with compromised immune systems. Only fatal once, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the malady can be found in swimming and wading pools, untreated drinking water, lakes, contact with cattle, unpasteurized milk, child care centers, etc.

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Donald Trump campaign member sets up a fake Joe Biden site that ridicules the Oval Office lunatic's highest rated 2020 contender. Shades of Karl Rove methodology. It parodies Biden's campaign and uses out-of-context quotes from the former vice president. This tells me that T-rump considers "sleepy Joe" a real threat to his campaign. Here's an example: "Uncle Joe is back and ready to take a hands-on approach to America's problems." This could definitely backfire.

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My earlier post asked, 'if not Joe Biden, who?' is even more appropriate today after Biden's support dropped by 5 points after last Thursday's debate but still maintaining first place position. Kamala Harris surged to 12% to become number three, with Bernie Sanders hanging on to number two. Biden still commands 33% and Sanders at 19%. However, Lindsey Graham said, "underestimate Joe Biden at your own peril." Dems are desperately in need of a solid citizen.

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