MERRY CHRISTMAS

Here's why Bernie Sanders should be Democratic nominee

Bernie Sanders looks happy

If you have the people you have the votes and this is just what Bernie Sanders is doing. Bernie "has broken the record for the number of individual contributions received at this point during a presidential campaign," as reported Monday by the Huff Post. He hit 2.3 million contributions during last Saturday's debate, breaking Obama's record of 2.2 million donations in 2012. It is significant to me that he broke the record of the man who beat Clinton in 2008. People were pissed off by Sander's treatment by the DNC and its chair, Debbie Wasserman-Schultz.

So far I cannot find Hillary Clinton's number of individual donors, but that may be withheld due to the fact that she is funded by many corp. donors and PACs, unlike Sanders. Individual donors translate into voters, as compared to large PAC contributions; I would hope individuals who are committed by their money given would also tend to go to the polls. Obviously Bernie's $41.2 million doesn't match Clinton's $76 million, but there is something to be said for those who donate what they can to the man they are convinced represents their best interests.

It seems Wasserman-Schultz DNC has lit a fire under Bernie Sander's followers with $1 million raised just during the Friday before the debate when the rumpus was going on. You see, Bernie's supporters know when he needs them and they come to his aid with what they can give. I'm pretty sure the candidate can depend on those same followers to come to his aid in November of 2016.

Bernie Sanders Sayings

To begin reversing the growing inequality in the distribution of wealth, we can rescind the tax breaks given to the rich over the last twenty years.

Will we get through Christmas without another mass gun massacre?

Mass shootings in the U.S.

It has been three weeks since two terrorists broke in to a Christmas party in San Bernardino, Calif., killing 14 and wounding 21. The two assailants, married, were heavily armed using assault rifles and handguns bought legally for them by a friend. Although they don't appear to have been a part of a terrorists network, they both had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State. Is this a prelude to what we can expect in 2015, with more guns going on the streets every day?

But going back to 1984, there have been no mass gun killings on Christmas day and hopefully we can finish 2015, without another one. The closest we came to this holiday was December 26, 2000, when Michael McDermott shot and killed seven co-workers at the Internet consulting firm where he worked. This, apparently because his wages were going to be garnished by the IRS. Three weapons were used in the attack.

The next closest is Sandy Hook School in Newtown, Conn., on December 14, 2012, where 20 six-year-olds were slaughtered by Adam Lanza using an assault weapon, before Lanza killed himself. He had earlier shot and killed his mother who had a regular arsenal in the home. After this one, and due primarily to the deaths of so many children, there was an uproar across America with promises of doing something about it but three years later...nothing.

Pres. Obama is preparing an Executive Order that will no doubt include particulars such as universal background checks, the gun show loophole and more. The gun nuts, backed by Wayne LaPierre's NRA are also preparing their onslaught to counter the President's actions of purely sensible gun restrictions that any sane person should welcome.

However, I still say that confiscation of all guns may very well be the only answer. I am convinced, though, that we are nearing the point where we can expect to solve at least some of the gun violence problems soon.

Bernie Sanders Sayings

One-third of the nation's work force is now "contingent" labor, without any job security.

Donald Trump revives white supremacists movement

Donald Trump has made so many bizarre statements in his campaign for the Republican Presidential nomination that one should not be surprised that now he has sparked a revival in the white supremacists movement. Instead of walking up to a group of people in their robes, the Ku Klux Klan now dons their civvies and approaches the same individuals with a newspaper clearly displaying a Donald Trump article. It has become the perfect conversation starter, says Rachel Pendergraft, the national organizer for the Knights Party.

It is downright pathetic that the leading contender for the nomination to represent the GOP in November 2016, is, among numerous other derogatory names, a racist, and the man seems perfectly comfortable with all the monikers. Republicans are scared shitless that Trump will somehow receive the nomination, which of course would be a disaster against either Bernie Sanders or Hillary Clinton. Where's the master of digging up dirt, Karl Rove, when they need him?

You know he's stepped way over the line when Trump draws praises from former Louisiana politician and KKK Grand Wizard David Duke. 
Duke told The Post that while he has not officially endorsed Trump, he considers the candidate to be the “best of the lot” at the moment. “I think a lot of what he says resonates with me,” Duke said. Now, just think of the recent incidents where the Confederate Flag was brought down because it represents the worst kind of racism. Multiply that by 100 and you have the Ku Klux Klan. This is who supports Donald Trump, the kind of people we thought we had left behind years ago.

Maybe confiscation of all guns is the answer

God forbid, I've been reading the National Review, but the idea hit home the minute I read it. Abolish the 2nd Amendment and confiscate all 300 million guns in the U.S. Obama vaguely covered that recently in reference to Australia's approach to gun control and of course this conservative publication picked it up and ran with it. We also heard the same old crap from the gun nuts; neither the gun show loophole nor background checks would have prevented the mass shootings or daily gun violence.

If none of the proposed changes that Pres. Obama plans in his Executive order on gun control will help, and the fact that apparently putting more guns on the street, the stupid idea of Wayne LaPierre, head of the National Rifle Assn., has only caused more gun violence, there is only one choice left. Abolish the 2nd Amendment and confiscate all 300 million guns in the U.S.

Yes, we've talked about improving mental health programs and corresponding databases but it hasn't happened and with all-states cooperation necessary to accomplish this, it isn't likely to happen. Just take Arizona, Florida and Texas as an example of those on the radical end of gun rights. We've no choice but to abolish the 2nd Amendment and confiscate all 300 million guns in the U.S. It will be expensive but isn't it worth 30,000 gun deaths a year, and the end to these mass killings?  I think so.

Once we have everything under control, start a program of controlled distribution of firearms, with registration required of every gun that goes out. And, I'm not saying that everyone who had a weapon, especially handguns, will get one back. In the new scenario, assault weapons would be banned, concealed carry only for those with special needs, and there would be universal background checks, the gun show loophole would be closed, ban straw purchases and the CDC would reinstate CDC collection and analysis of U.S. gun violence.

Now, I've said it and I'm glad.

Bernie Sanders Sayings

The majority of new jobs created in America today pay only $6.00 or $7.00 an hour, offer no health or retirement benefits, and no time off for sick leave or vacation.