The "Inevitable" Democratic presidential nominee of 2020

The Democratic Party establishment has already picked their nominee, so you need to just shut up and fall into line.
If this sounds familiar, it is.

On Feb 17, 2014, Markos informed us that resistance is useless.

Some people have to come to terms. And I'm looking at you, people desperate to find an alternative to Hillary Clinton in 2016.
If Hillary runs, she's the nominee. I know it's in vogue to talk about how "inevitable" Hillary was in 2008. But it was a different world.
There is no alternative to Hillary this cycle.

The very same day, Robert Shrum on the DailyBeast said:

And in modern history, or virtually all American history, Hillary's inevitability is unprecedented for a non-incumbent."

Hillary was "inevitable" a full two years before the primaries started.
The following year, The Atlantic and Time called her "inevitable".

You might think the establishment would at least use a different word after the 2016 debacle.
You would be wrong.

It's the 53-year-old Harris who has rocketed up the chain of fresh possibilities this year, as she's been feted by elite donors, fawned over by the Democratic establishment and elevated by a smitten national press corps.

As the cultural and ideological antidote to the current president, her ascension was almost inevitable. But it's also been in motion for years.
... In defending her against liberal critics in September, Hillary Clinton singled Harris out as one of her "favorite Democrats." Later that month, Gwainevere Catchings Hess, president of The Black Women's Agenda, introduced Harris at a luncheon as "the unsilenced, the uncensored, the unstoppable."

In case you missed the message, the article is titled:
The Inevitability of Kamala Harris

The subtitle is:
The Female Obama

Even as she's still finding her freshman footing, Harris has been foisted into the meat grinder, drawing early fire from liberal activists who suspiciously view her as the next anointed choice of the aristocratic party pooh-bahs who propped up Clinton.

"Poo-bahs" isn't the word I would use. I would use "corrupted".

She may not know what she'll do yet.

But the world that's watching thinks her choice is inevitable.

Who is this world you speak of? Because the polls show something very different.
demprimary091217_0.png

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detroitmechworks's picture

just to watch how fast the bootlickers fall over themselves claiming that Harris is "Unelectable" and has no appeal outside of the elite areas, whereas Clinton is SOOOO well loved in the south and among the working class minorities...

/snark

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I do not pretend I know what I do not know.

Steven D's picture

@detroitmechworks as do many of her cult followers. I’d love to see her try.

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"You can't just leave those who created the problem in charge of the solution."---Tyree Scott

@detroitmechworks I have a feeling Clinton will run again. The worst part is that she would probably win.

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detroitmechworks's picture

@BORG_US_BORG so they might as well double down.

I mean, you know, some people think the way to win at blackjack is to double their bet every time they lose.

Some people are REALLY fucking stupid.
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dsy2q_rkl3w]

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I do not pretend I know what I do not know.

Wink's picture

@detroitmechworks

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the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.

Pricknick's picture

None of the above.

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Regardless of the path in life I chose, I realize it's always forward, never straight.

I think Tulsi Gabbard could beat Harris in the primaries. Tulsi isn't perfect but she does have the very important qualifications of military service in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as having been kicked off the DNC leadership council by DWS because she spoke up about the unfairness.
I was also pretty impressed with Maria Cantwell on the CNN debate about the tax scam. I think she would beat Harris too.

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Beware the bullshit factories.

@Timmethy2.0 Cantwell has been a sellout since forever. Im from her state. She needs primaried.

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Creosote.'s picture

@Battle of Blair Mountain
when tbings get dangerously real she has a genius for disappearing.

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Bollox Ref's picture

...she's been feted by elite donors, fawned over by the Democratic establishment and elevated by a smitten national press corps.

You'll notice that us proles don't merit a mention.

Gotta love those 'Democrats'.

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Gëzuar!!
from a reasonably stable genius.

Wink's picture

@Bollox Ref
"smitten (by the) national press corps." What more do we need?!
Get Her throne ready!

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the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.

The Aspie Corner's picture

And that any attempt to form one will be punched the fuck down by the Donor Party and their sychophantic surrogates in both the Dem and Repig factions.

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Modern education is little more than toeing the line for the capitalist pigs.

Guerrilla Liberalism won't liberate the US or the world from the iron fist of capital.

Harris for all her backing, lacks Clinton's long time in the spot light, sure she's known in political circles, but how many normal people can name their own senators let alone ones from even a big state like Cali.

So limited name ID.

Also I've really not heard hear talk, but unless she's got Obama level speaking skills it will be hard to win in a primary also lacking the name ID from above.

On the other hand, Bernie has the name ID (thanks to his run vs clinton and his spots on CNN debating X Republican on Y topic), the Speaking skills, not to mention the factor of being on the right side of history so often.

Also i get the feeling that other establishment factors may not get behind a single person like they did with Clinton.

-G

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-G

@firemage And Bernies been saying the same thing for 30 years. Clinton was 180 from Bernie on a lot of things until she saw people responding to what he said. Then it was"me,too! me, too!"

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Cassiodorus's picture

@firemage @firemage she can't possibly be the moneygrubbing narcissist that Clinton was. On the other hand, any candidate running for President in 2020 will inherit a political party rapidly headed toward minor party status. The primary political facts of the Obama administration were 1) a "health insurance bill" which keeps the companies in business, 2) the Obama normalization of the Bush regime, and 3) more than a thousand legislative seats lost to the Republicans with no Democrat so much as batting an eyelash in reaction. If Harris works hard she'll win California, Oregon, Washington, New York, and Massachusetts in the November election. Perhaps the Republicans will become America's only party in the future.

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"there's something so especially sadistic about waving the flag of a country that you're actively destroying" -- Aaron Mate

@Cassiodorus Kamala Homeless is the worst kind of politician money can buy, yet another big money weather vane. People love her here I guess. Not me. She married a millionaire lobbyist lawyer for crying out loud, big whoop. Superficial looks will get you anywhere, thanks Hollywood.

With her eye on becoming a nationally recognized player, Harris wanted to raise money that would place her in the stratosphere of elite Senate fundraisers like Warren, who collected more than $40 million in her 2012 run.

Yet she hemorrhaged funds almost from the start, and her penchant for preferring luxury hotels like The St. Regis and Waldorf Astoria didn't help her cash flow.

"Her travel would be a first-class seat and a fine hotel. Maggie Hassan would be at the Sheraton in New York City, and Kamala would stay at the Ritz," says a former staffer at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, referencing the former New Hampshire governor who successfully ran for the Senate in 2016. "She's not frugal; she's fancy."

And she inherited a few hundred thousand homeless constituents, after flying everywhere first-class, and staying at the Ritz. WTF?! She wants to be Queen not President. Just like the Clintons and their revolving door of political prostitutes, money and power is their game. Bomb the poors, get stinking rich.

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Wink's picture

@firemage
Dem nominee. No way, no how. Hillbots want their Hillary vindicated, and if they can't have Her they'll settle for second best but, By God, they're getting a female elected, dammit! No other Dems need apply. They WILL have their day in the sun! Take THAT, BernieBro mofos!
So, no, Bernie won't be the Dem nominee. He could really fuck up the Dems, though, by running as an Independent - and I hope he does. It's doubtful, but... ya never know. But, if he does he easily syphons off 10% to 15% of the Dem vote. And that's very likely enough to bork the Dem candidate, the Trumpster likely to win again unless Bernie pulls the miracle and draws some Repub votes. And wouldn't THAT be sumpthin'!

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the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.

reflectionsv37's picture

@Wink I agree with you that I hope he runs and that he runs as an independent this time. Sadly, I don't think he will, but if he did, I suspect he'd make a very strong run and get 25% to 35% of the vote.

Just look at that poll up there. Bernie with 28%. The Hillbots would never vote for him, but there are going to be plenty of unhappy republicans looking fore someplace else to turn when they realize just how bad the repub's just screwed them last night. They might never vote for a dem, but Bernie is all the things that Trump pretended to be.

He should have run 3rd party last time. I'm pretty much convinced he's be president today with the votes of the Millennials who stayed home and repubs who wanted someone other than Trump. What a wasted opportunity for America.

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“Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we.”
George W. Bush

Wink's picture

@reflectionsv37

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the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.

@reflectionsv37

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dervish's picture

@Wink I think it's time too, and would be happy to support Warren or Gabbard.

Harris can pound sand.

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"Obama promised transparency, but Assange is the one who brought it."

Azazello's picture

let's hope it does. (I'm lookin' at you, millennials.)

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We wanted decent healthcare, a living wage and free college.
The Democrats gave us Biden and war instead.

@Azazello
she won't win.

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Anja Geitz's picture

@gjohnsit

What is stopping them?

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There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier

Anja Geitz's picture

@lotlizard

In addition to having to answer monthly and annual reporting requirements on their overhaul efforts, the BOE has to "establish a complaint intake process where it records, tracks, investigates, resolves and responds to complaints about voter registration status submitted by voters."

Investigation performed under the purview of the Department of Homeland Security. More "irregularities" found a year after the next election.

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There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier

Not Henry Kissinger's picture

@Anja Geitz

the BOE has to "establish a complaint intake process

How can any Board of Elections possibly monitor voting irregularities if it doesn't have a process for reporting and recording those irregularities?

Kinda seems like they're missing standard equipment, no? Like a car without an engine - just a snazzy shell of democracy that never goes anywhere.

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The current working assumption appears to be that our Shroedinger's Cat system is still alive. But what if we all suspect it's not, and the real problem is we just can't bring ourselves to open the box?

Anja Geitz's picture

@Not Henry Kissinger

Of a Pacer, without the engine. Nothing snazzy about it.

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There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier

@Anja Geitz
Sorry, I thought we were talking about a classic virtue, not Dem Establishment.

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Orwell: Where's the omelette?

Anja Geitz's picture

@jim p

"Resistance" movement. Reclaiming "our" integrity. And while the useful idiots are busy with that shiny new object, they'll rob all of us blind so they can pay for a submarine to go with their yachts.

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There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier

When offered a slam dunk 1000 crime spree to prosecute she refused, gave no explanation, then took a 5 figure "campaign donation" from Mnuchin. She's locked up the bankster vote!
And she's had some exposure. On some investigation she badgered a witness mercilessly, grandstanding like anything. I don't remember what it was about, but shse really came across like a grandstanding jerk. She'll be the media darling until they realize that that sort of behavior turns more people against her than excites them. Of course, it took until Nov 8 for them to realize that abou Hillary.

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On to Biden since 1973

gulfgal98's picture

is once again being used to cover up the fact that the "identity" candidate they are now trying shove down our throats is simply another neoliberal under the identity facade.

God, I hate the Democrats. They continually believe that they can get away with the same shit they have been peddling for decades. People want substantive policies that address the real issues in their lives, not just another identity candidate who will be branded once again as the lesser of two evils.

They cannot guilt trip me into voting for Harris just as I refused to vote for Clinton.

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Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy

snoopydawg's picture

@gulfgal98

God, I hate the Democrats. They continually believe that they can get away with the same shit they have been peddling for decades

If they run Harris next time then this shows that all those people thinking that if democrats take back congress, nothing is going to change. No rolling back this shit storm republicans squatted and pushed out like people on some sites are thinking is going to happen.
Timothy nailed this is Steven's essay. (my bad. This was said by MinuteMan)

Things weren't that great before Trump.

Bingo! We saw what they did during Obama's first two years when they had all 3 branches of government.

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Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.

Wink's picture

@snoopydawg
IIRC, was the classic excuse.

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the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.

@gulfgal98
A Newly Elected Democratic Socialist On How to Win in Trump Country

“Whether you are on the left or the right of the political spectrum, everybody is facing the same economic hardships,” Grooters says. He calls it “the specter of ‘what happens if’’”—the fear of being one paycheck away from financial disaster because of a medical emergency, a layoff or some other sudden expense. To address these fears, Grooters says his campaign focused on talking to voters about what has to change so that they can thrive rather than being left out of a prosperity being enjoyed by only a small group of the wealthy and well-connected.

While Grooters believes in connecting the struggles of white working-class people to the plight of communities of color and other marginalized groups, “when our message is around identity politics, it is not a winning message.” What works better, he explains, is connecting with voters around shared values and needs.

“If we’re means-testing what we’re selling to voters, we’re already excluding a lot of people who should be voting for us,” Grooters says. “The best social programs we have are ones that are universal,” he explains, as opposed to programs like the Affordable Care Act, which, though it helped many people gain healthcare coverage, was structured in a way that kept millions of others from benefiting. “If we talk to people on issues in a universal way, we are going to get their vote,” he says.

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riverlover's picture

@gulfgal98 I have never voted for either Clinton in my 64 years. And I was a good Dem until #DemExit and Markos' purge.

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Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.

Wink's picture

@riverlover
In baseball 100% = 1.000, or 1,000 (one thousand).
The reason being is batting averages (the number of hits vs. the number of chances) need to be drawn out another zero, to 1,000 instead of 100, to determine which player has the better average. That is, two players might be hitting 28%, or .28, but when we drag it out another zero, one hitter is batting .283 (28.3) while the other is batting .282 (28.2). The player batting .283 beats the player batting .282 by .001 point even though both players are batting 28%. If we didn't carry it out to the extra zero - from 100 to 1000 - too many players would have the "same average," even though prolly not if you stretch it out the extra zero.
"Batting 1,000" of course, is hitting 100.00%. Back in the day 3rd grade boys were figuring out their favorite players' batting averages (as taught by their dads). They knew hitting .283 was pretty good. Not great, but pretty good. Today, 3rd graders don't know what baseball is.

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the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.

lotlizard's picture

@Wink  
And in the age before communications via satellite, obviously there were no live sports (or live anything else) from North America.

I learned about baseball by reading books my older brother brought home from the library.
https://www.goodreads.com/series/117219-bronc-burnett

IIRC, for a child’s level of understanding, the “Bronc Burnett” series explained things very well and in great detail.

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@gulfgal98

ditto.

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snoopydawg's picture

@Big Al

Obama did absolutely nothing. He didn’t lift a finger to boost government spending, launch a second round of fiscal stimulus, or implement his grandiose infrastructure plan. Nothing. He ushered in an eight year period of falling incomes, higher personal debts, eviscerated household balance sheets and nearly-universal economic uncertainty.

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Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.

Dark Knight's picture

I haven’t seen her as a Progressive in the 16+ years I have been following her from WA state. For example: Note that she didn’t sign on as a co-sponsor for Medicare for all. Also she voted for Clinton as a superdelegate against the will of WA voters.

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@Dark Knight she was a high level exec at Real Networks and used mostly her own money to "get elected." No, I voted for Murray last time as there was no other choice but a Repugnant, but I will not make that mistake again. Same for Cantwell and same for my Congresscritter. And is it Cantwell who's on board for criminalizing BDS or is that my Congresscritter? Or both? Either way, fuck all of them.

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Only a fool lets someone else tell him who his enemy is. Assata Shakur

I just returned from a Town Hall with Seth Mouton, our rep from Salem, MA. I heard from the crowd how they feel sooo wronged and that Trump should be impeached and that we need to use the popular vote as Her-high-ness and her admiring minions were so wronged by the electoral college. Meanwhile, their hero of the day, Representative Moulton, has an enormous corporate war-chest, 7% from individual donors of $200 or less, and Raytheon as his second biggest donor. He voted for the immense increase in the Pentagon's budget (a nice thank you to Raytheon). He quickly and loudly supported Trump's illegal, falsely justified missile attack on a Syrian airbase. He bemoaned that the new tax cut would generate large deficits and would be threatening to the Pentagon budget and that "we need more bombs", yes really! According to him our biggest defense threat is Russia hacking our elections and we got treated to the false regurgitation that "all intelligence agencies agreed".
He went on and on about taking back the country by making the Democrat Party strong again. Talked about values. My observation is the obvious symmetry with middle America, that conservative America also wanted to take back the country because of "values". Interestingly enough both parties are lying and really have nothing to contribute. He seems fine with corporate America financing our elections, he can't get enough of their money, and he also can't get enough bombs or hatred of Russia. He wants us to be much more tough on Russia so that they will back away from behaviors that the US finds objectionable. Wow, what an asshole! Will that not ever work! The crowd was truly obnoxious. anytime anyone would ask a controversial question then they would loudly applauded Moulton answer, as if to express extreme indignation that someone would challenge him. One guy had the nerve to ask about a third party, and if Moulton would support this. I'd say that three people in the audience supported this idea. Moulten's answer was absolutely not. He's going to be a good Democrat (and ride the horse to the White House). He campaigns for other Democratic candidates in 11 neighboring states, but only if they are military vets. Wow, that is one bad litmus test.

My conclusion is that Democrats are not going to change their ways, and that probably means in CA, NY and MA, and don't have any self-reflection. We have truly entered the vast wasteland of useless politics.

This guy is dangerous. He is a military-corporatist-Democrat feigning populism. He's strong on identity issues, of course, this seems to be the Dem Party formula to seem to be a populist. I heard zero ideas that were progressive and zero introspection about why the Democrats are in the wilderness.

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Capitalism has always been the rule of the people by the oligarchs. You only have two choices, eliminate them or restrict their power.

Fionnsboy's picture

@The Wizard Oh, that is so disappointing about Moulton!!!! I'm a fellow Bay Stater and really liked how he challenged that ol' NeoLib fossil, Pelosi, by backing that guy from Ohio for House Minority Leader last year. But after reading this-- yuck! Et tu, Seth?

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Semper ubi sub ubi

@Fionnsboy

-Yes,dear.

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@The Wizard

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lol

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Not Henry Kissinger's picture

Who are these people?

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The current working assumption appears to be that our Shroedinger's Cat system is still alive. But what if we all suspect it's not, and the real problem is we just can't bring ourselves to open the box?

mimi's picture

I am potentially considered a racist and a sexist ? That's another Democratic twofer ... All I have heard about her is her name, but I know nothing about her, so that's just my hissyfit comment not relating to the person of Kamala Harris, because at these times all of the mud in the swamp has to not been cleaned up out of my mind. Sorry, Ms. Harris, no offense, but can you tell me why you think you are qualified to be the next President of the US?

If it's Michelle Obama, I would say it's time for a law that doesn't allow wives of former Presidents to run for Presidency. Mannoman, even in such fantastic African Republics /s like Zimbabwe folks put a line in the sand and got pretty irritated and then nasty when Mugabe's wife tried to run and gain power through her husband's Presidency.

Really ... are these strange times or interesting times? Makes me want to stop reading the news.

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thanatokephaloides's picture

@mimi

Mannoman, even in such fantastic African Republics /s like Zimbabwe folks put a line in the sand and got pretty irritated and then nasty when Mugabe's wife tried to run and gain power through her husband's Presidency.

In fairness, I believe Zimbabweans "had a cow" because Mrs. Mugabe tried to take over her husband's Presidency without an election.

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"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar

"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides

Bollox Ref's picture

@thanatokephaloides

lacks grace. And will hopefully lack many millions soon.

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Gëzuar!!
from a reasonably stable genius.

mimi's picture

@thanatokephaloides
an intentional provocation and for sure not fair, but then aren't the ...
U.S. Elections: A Poor Substitute for Democracy

Some political scientists argue that regular elections that generate competitive contests for citizen votes are all that is required for a nation to be a democracy. They are dead wrong. “Elections alone,” Page and Gilens note, “do not guarantee democracy.” That is an understatement.

“Democracy in America?” shows that majority opinion is trumped by a deadly complex of forces in the U.S.: campaign finance, candidate selection, lobbying and policy. Powerful and wealthy individuals, corporations and interest groups set the agenda for the special primary-election influence of extreme party activists. We also have the disproportionately affluent, white and older composition of the active (voting) electorate, the manipulation of voter turnout, the widespread dissemination of “distracting, confusing, misleading, and just plain false information,” unrepresentative political institutions (the Electoral College, the unelected Supreme Court, the over-representation of the predominantly white rural population in the U.S. Senate, and one-party rule in the House), constitutional and related partisan gridlock, and the fragmentation of authority in government.

Mammon reigns. American “public” policy, Page and Gilens write, “reflects the wishes of those with money, not the wishes of the millions of ordinary citizens who turn out every two years to choose among the preapproved, money-vetted candidates for federal office.”

So, what's the big deal to have elections with no democracy or having no elections with no democracy? I guess the former looks more sophisticated the latter more vulgar.

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Fionnsboy's picture

@mimi Of course you'll be considered sexist and racist! Glad to know you got the memo. In fact I believe TOP had a diary on this very topic a few months back when it was leaked out that Harris had met with Big Money Dems Donors/Clintonistas on Long Island, and there was some blowback from lefties after, concerned about Harris' NeoLib ways as well as this (pre)selection of our candidate three years before the first ballot was cast. Outrage ensued of course that Harris should be criticized/vetted-- those damn Bernie Bros were back, trying to wreck this party too! I believe the name of the diary was IF YOU OBJECT TO KAMELA HARRIS, THE PROBLEM IS YOU!!! and of course it was rec'ced to the high heavens. Somehow the same kid-glove treatment was not reserved for Donna Brazile, who the last time I checked was also a black woman-- under the bus with her! The only unpardonable sin is apparently blaspheming against HER. I'm shocked, shocked I tell ya!

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Semper ubi sub ubi

Dark Knight's picture

Being primaried

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Centaurea's picture

@Dark Knight Cantwell is being primaried by Jennifer "Gigi" Ferguson, a Bernie supporter.

http://www.votejennifergigiferguson.com

https://m.facebook.com/votejennifergigiferguson/

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"Don't go back to sleep ... Don't go back to sleep ... Don't go back to sleep."
~Rumi

"If you want revolution, be it."
~Caitlin Johnstone

divineorder's picture

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A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.