Also to a whole army of lobbyists, special interests and politicians who live for corporate cash. I seriously can't fathom out how anyone can support Hillary over Bernie. If it weren't for Bernie, issues like campaign finance wouldn't even see the light of day in this election because no one else would bring it up. Can this please be the beginning of the end of the cocktail parties, insider deals and legal bribery?

Submitted by JayRaye on Wed, 03/09/2016 - 11:28pm

Give 'em Hell Bernie!

—

Never be deceived that the rich will allow you to vote away their wealth.-Lucy Parsons

Submitted by Jazzenterprises on Wed, 03/09/2016 - 11:21pm

Breaking Bern

..." I am dangerous for Wall Street." - Heisenbern

—

Progressive to the bone.

Submitted by JayRaye on Wed, 03/09/2016 - 11:24pm

Love it!

—

Never be deceived that the rich will allow you to vote away their wealth.-Lucy Parsons

Submitted by Santa Susanna Kid on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 2:38pm

Really dangerous!

I have been throwing this up on dkos...SSK

Submitted by WoodsDweller on Wed, 03/09/2016 - 11:26pm

And California will answer!

—

"The greatest shortcoming of the human race is our inability to understand the exponential function." -- Albert Bartlett
"A species that is hurtling toward extinction has no business promoting slow incremental change." -- Caitlin Johnstone

Submitted by Ravensword on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 12:38am

Go California!

California is a solid liberal bastion. Don't fuck this up and go to the center.

Submitted by WoodsDweller on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 12:56am

Heisenbernie

can't even find the center.

—

Submitted by Ravensword on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 2:35am

Not Bernie

I'm talking about California. I hope California doesn't drop the ball and go for Hillary. It would besmirch California's tradition of liberalism.

Submitted by eyo on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 11:05am

Let's talk about California

My rep. Jared Huffman already endorsed Hillary and he is a member of the Progressive Caucus! What The Fuck? I want to say the Clinton machine here is vast and deeply entrenched with lobby money but I am no longer of that world. The closest I got was my brother as a Clinton delegate for the '92 convention, I met Donna Brazile in the basement of some Castro district building once and I thought she was just as mean then as she is now. It seems their number one goal is more money to perpetuate their grip on power, fuck poverty and homelessness it does not exist in their circles. I am now "No Party Preferred".

I'll watch Huffman's net worth maybe it will grow off the charts like my two sell-out Senators. How'd that "Year of the Woman" turn out for you? Me, not so good it is my fault because I cannot compete with the outsourcing, the automation, or the immigration of cheaper labor. I am left to the charity food pantries and shelters, or acquire more bank debt to stay alive. Fuck this shitty rigged system.

Speaking of Medical Cannabis, the state Democrats have screwed the pooch again trying to put a handle on that. If you grow you know the cost is nowhere near the wholesale price that is just bullshit greed coming from what might have been a peaceful place. Purchasing politicians to codify high prices and cheap labor is what Big Ag does. Fuck this shitty cannabis greed, it is the opposite of the intended effect. Peace love and healing before profit, that's what I say. Harvest SF: Haute Dispensary for the Other Half

San Francisco’s Harvest is a dispensary for the other half—the half who’ll spend up to $200 a gram to walk into a private, members-only lounge with leather couches, open shelving and a distinct lack of riff-raff.

Recently opened on Geary Street, the open, airy space claims to have the “most advanced, chemically pure concentrates; and the healthiest and most delicious edibles.” At a price.

As California advances quickly toward recreational marijuana sales, it’s a clear indication of the evolution of cannabis from fringe to posh, medication to artisan recreation for the wine bar crowd. - Ginger Kush

Retch! Fuck it I give up. Carry on.

Edited for irony: Okay a few puffs of Green Ribbon later I am feeling much better thanks. I am okay I have some income even though I'd rather earn it. "Great for lifting spirits but not so much for focusing." lol grateful there is medicine available that works for me despite the cost. Neurotic depression is dysfunctional living hell, the right strain of cannabis somehow helps snap out of it. Wish I knew how that worked but I don't it is some kind of miracle. Also I rebooted the PC and my new login message was "Somewhere, just out of sight, the unicorns are gathering."

Submitted by bluezen on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 8:36am

sounds like your rep is a pino: progressive in name only

& he's not alone, either - unfortunately. didn't most of the progressive caucus endorse hillary? bleccch.

all the more reason we need bernie's revolution...

Submitted by jiordan on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 10:22am

I sincerely believe

that the slow move to legalization across the country is so that corporations, equity firms, and hedge funds can get their business model set up to profit mightily from this massive cash cow. Screw the medicinal benefits, or any altruistic advantages, how can they monetize it and hit the ground running? I was really proud of Ohio for saying no to the business model being proposed, but New York has already set up minor monopoly on who can and can't grow and sell weed and California is working on defining the business so that only high end, wealthy growers can be involved.

It makes me sick, but our society is so caught up in the capitalist model that what's happening in the weed industry is just a natural progression. And I'm not sure how to stop it, although I would very much like to.

Submitted by detroitmechworks on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 9:46am

So far Oregon's pretty good.

Even with the new tax, the price is low enough and the quality high enough.

Course, we also allow anybody to grow, EVEN on rented property.

—

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

Submitted by Cali Scribe on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 11:32am

I still maintain

that cannabis be treated just like alcohol, including allowing individuals to grow small amounts for their own use or to share with friends like you can brew your own beer in some states. Any taxes levied on recreational cannabis should be earmarked to subsidize medical cannabis so people can actually afford their medicine.

I know Clinton has allegedly softened her stance (open to states legalizing it, though that still leaves one in a Catch-22 if they happen to be caught on the wrong side of the state line), but her initial stance of moving it from Schedule I to Schedule II had the nice little side-benefit of allowing her friends in the pharmaceutical industry to research it and see if there's any way they can make a profit. And it still leaves way too many people, especially people of color, in legal jeopardy. Sanders has the best approach -- take cannabis off the Controlled Substances list altogether, and non-violent drug offenders should be in community treatment where they're close to their families, not tossed in prison and breaking up those families. When you considered how even low-level non-violent drug use/possession is considered a felony, and how many states still don't give voting rights back to ex-felons, it's not surprising how many people of color are screwed out of the system.

Submitted by Muddy Boots on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 6:37pm

I am very steady with the facebook push back

My friend is very pro Hillary and has many who agree with her. I am always posting links to facts about Hillary that fly right in the face of their adoration. I do it as she has a large following, and is connected to Lily Tomlin who is a friend of hers, so maybe it goes even further. She called me up yesterday as I gather she has got on the wrong side of a few of her followers and I had to assure her we had no friction. I don't want her dropping me. We are neighbors and good friends. I am very very clean with my stuff. Example I accused Hillary of going for the money and she said she never did so I said "No?" and posted the looooong list of $225,000 speaking fees she received since 2013. Well, that didn't count as she was not in govt. I don't have to say anything - the facts are all there. No need for me to be rude. I had to laugh when she felt the need to call me.

But yes - I do worry California could fail to give Bernie the love he needs.

—

"If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back" - Regina Brett

Submitted by Pricknick on Wed, 03/09/2016 - 11:31pm

Hell ya

Same response I had when he asked Hillary to join him and stop fracking.
She will until November.

—

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

Submitted by Cali Scribe on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 11:34am

November may be too optimistic

I give her till after the convention. Once she's got the nomination, all bets are off.

Submitted by Bisbonian on Wed, 03/09/2016 - 11:58pm

That's right, Ice...Man

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_BEJmY911s]

—

"I’m a human being, first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.” —Malcolm X

Submitted by mawnjilla on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 12:17am

SWOON

Bernie killed it tonight. Yall should see the Clintonistas on DK. They are not pleased.

—

bern baby bern disco inberno

Submitted by pswaterspirit on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 12:47am

Yes as you can tell buy the stench

Radiating from this post I was over there reading a few interesting things. Had one go all nasty on me for a fairly neutral comment. I don't mention Hillary just said she was not on the same page as my region. The Hillary family is cranky...

Submitted by bluezen on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 8:39am

"[hillary supporters] are not pleased."

that's always good news

Submitted by jiordan on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 9:14am

I went over there for BNR and made the mistake

of dropping into another rec post that caught my eye (stupid, I know--I'm admitting my guilt here for a public shaming so I don't ever do it again) and it turned out to be one of those kos-didn't-say-what-Bernie-people-think-he-said diaries with waves of vomit-inducing agreement in the comments. The gist went along these lines:

It's so short-sighted to mercilessly slander a candidate who one might be ethically obligated to support six months from now

I had to leave and leave fast or I was going to make the mistake of logging in and getting into a stupid pie fight, but there's just so much arrogance, condescension and stupidity in one sentence that it left me breathless. Ethically obligated?!?!?! Since fucking when am I obligated to vote for anyone? And what the hell is so slanderous about the truth? Just..dear FSM there's a black hole of narcissism over there that a "reality-based" community ought to be embarrassed by.
I was trying to figure out how to strategically manage the GOS until the 15th, I've been archiving my old diaries off site and making sure I have all my stuff, and, of course, reading BNR and a few other Bernie diaries, but I logged out of my account the day of the "edict" and have only logged back in to get my stuff. I haven't commented or recced or anything else, I've even considered using a proxy so my IP doesn't show up on the stats but...that day is soon enough. Today was the day I stopped reading the comments section, even in BNR.
On the plus side, there's more than a whif of desperation in the Clinton crowd as they seem to know that things are crumbling. I know Bernie could be President, my only fear is that he doesn't have enough time to get his message out past the blockade of the MSM. I'm beginning to think their fear is the exact opposite.

Submitted by detroitmechworks on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 9:16am

They're taking themselves WAY too seriously.

Of course, I just wrote an entire article on this exact topic...

—

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

Submitted by JayRaye on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 9:21am

Ethically obligated to support? HA HA HA HA HA!

An what the hell is so slanderous about the truth?

Perhaps if she'll quit lying about Bernie's record, we'll stop telling the truth about hers.

On 2nd thought, nope.

We're at C99 so we can keep right on "slandering" her with the truth.

—

Never be deceived that the rich will allow you to vote away their wealth.-Lucy Parsons

Submitted by dakrle on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 9:41am

I'm doing the same regarding GOS, I'm not logging in.

GOS=DWS=DNC=OLIGARCHY=FUCK the 99% every chance we get.

I don't mind wolves, the keep us alert and sharp. I know what the wolves are after and how to identify them. I can see their coats of fur and hear their howls and I can see their tracks in the snow staking our livestock.

What I do ~~mind~~ despise is Wolves dressed in Sheeps clothing. Those are the most dangerous people of all and that is what Kos and DWS and Hill and Bill are. They are wolves but they disguise themselves as sheep and they wreak havoc from within.

Fuck the Oligarchs!

Submitted by MinuteMan on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 1:20pm

Cookies, too.

You might also want to delete any of the cookies your browser stores for the GOS.

Submitted by bluezen on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 5:50pm

how do you delete dk cookies?

i'm on an macbook pro.

Submitted by Cali Scribe on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 11:42am

I've mainly been reading on mobile

which has the advantage of not even having to open the comments (plus if there are more than about 200 or so my smartphone crashes), so I can simply focus on the story. Not logged in on mobile so no temptation to comment or rec -- I did have that brief regret last weekend when we were all mourning Tricia Wyse's death. Not burning my bridges just yet, and I'll probably mark Clinton's name on the ballot in November if she pulls this out solely as a repudiation (or even refudiation if I was Sarah Palin) of the entire GOP even though if Clinton's in danger of losing cerulean blue California, she's in deeper shit than my lone vote is capable of digging her out of.

Reserving my right to return to indulge in a bit of schadenfreude if Sanders takes the nomination, if Clinton loses to Trump or some other GOP hack, or if she wins then takes us into a Middle East war. I'll have to bite my lip till it bleeds though to avoid the "told you so" that would probably get me banned.

Submitted by Azubia on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 12:21am

I love Bernie Sanders.

LOVE LOVE LOVE HIM.
I missed the entire debate. I missed a lot clearly.
Thanks for the clip.

—

I have no need to beat you, I just want to go my way."~ Malcolm Renyolds

Submitted by Big Al on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 12:21am

Why is he dangerous to Wall St.?

What's he going to do? The military industrial complex is part of Wall St., a big part and the people in charge are one and the same, and he's not said a word against the MIC or U.S. imperialism. It's one of those things his supporters claim he can't talk about in order to run for President. I sincerely don't get that, in fact it presents a contradiction that makes me wonder about his whole act (he is after all, a politician). Why can he talk about Wall St in general terms but not the MIC and not U.S. imperialism? And exactly what is he going to do to Wall St? Break up the big banks? Hardly, everyone knows the bankers own the place. Campaigns are one thing but when they get in office, it's compromise after compromise until we get one step forward, two steps back.
Hey, someone around here has to be skeptical of this whole spectacle of electing a U.S. President.
But really, why is he dangerous for Wall St specifically? And how does that square with his support for U.S. imperialism which is the primary means for which Wall Street can thrive. I think Sanders should be made to explain that contradiction before he gets elected.

Submitted by mawnjilla on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 12:54am

I agree he's not hammering hard enough here

but I think when he trashes Kissinger, regime change, the CIA, and the military budget, he's at least starting that conversation in the mainstream discourse. He hasn't exactly been quiet on these issues, though there were some times where you could probably say that. More than a few. I don't know that he couldn't get elected by being more aggressive on the MIC, as a supporter of his.

And yeah, there will be compromise , no matter who you elect. I certainly believe his compromising will be significantly better than any of the other candidates. I think he's dangerous to Wall St. because he's willing to call them out on their illegal, reckless behavior, instate higher taxes on them, their ilk, and their transactions, and remove their official presence from the regulation proceedings and oversight in the federal government. He's pointing out that none of them went to jail for their illegal activities. He's aiming to bring back Glass-Steagle, break up the too big to fail banks, and enact the public financing of elections, which curtails their power a fair amount. I am under no impression that Bernie or his movement turn this entrenched system over anywhere in the nearish future, but he's trying to get the ball rolling at least. I respect that.

I personally think despite his various shortcomings he's the best candidate. Whats the alternative? Jill Stein? I'm not a fan of hers myself, but I know many people who are. I agree he should expand on why he supported various imperialist endeavors. He is a politician, as you said, compromise is inevitable in many cases, I'm not sure that was always what was on his mind though. I think he has made some genuinely weird votes. I do think he is an honest "socialist" who doesn't believe in lending any more power to the MIC or US imperialism. I think his visiting Nicaragua and the USSR in his early days as a public servant lend some credence to that, along with many of his votes, along with his rhetoric. Again, I'm not entirely convinced he won't continue current policies in Washington. I am convinced that Hillary would escalate them, or any of the other viable candidates. I may be too apologetic for some of his votes, but I'm not expecting a perfect candidate either. With Bernie I see possibilities, more than any other candidate I've ever seen. Possibilities for peace.

—

bern baby bern disco inberno

Submitted by Big Al on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 1:03am

Excellent response, thank you.

Too many take something like I said and get offended. But this isn't Daily Kos is it.

I think in the end we're still playing a Vegas game, it's completely rigged and the owners have all the power and set all the rules. The immense wealth inequality and transfer has only made them more powerful and taxing Wall St transactions or repealing Glass -Steagall, which would turn into just another Dodd Frank act, of which Bernie Sanders supported, won't change a thing in the big picture. He backed out of anything resembling an audit and accounting from the Federal Reserve and he's voted with Democrats, who have been anything but progressive, something like 95% of the time. He's a politician, one of the ones who've participated in bringing us to where we are, and placing hope in that is fool's gold in my opinion.

I do agree he's the best candidate if you can say any candidate can make a difference. Rhetoric is one thing, Obama had the rhetoric, he had people crying and praising the Lord saying Hallelujah, but reality always sets in.

Submitted by mawnjilla on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 1:14am

its certainly all a crap shoot

at some point you either gotta play or go home though, either join in or have no say in the winners and losers. I think Bernie probably made some poor decisions regarding Wall St. in the past like the rest of his peers, but I think he learned from them unlike the rest. He has at least been talking about these things for some time, he doesn't always walk the walk perhaps. I think if there is a politician to place any bets on, its him. If he's playing us all, at least he's good at it. Unlike Hillary. I think he's a hell of a lot more trustworthy than Obama was too, so I wouldn't use him as a bar by which to judge.

—

bern baby bern disco inberno

Submitted by Haikukitty on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 9:55am

Yes, Obama had the rhetoric - but that's all it was...

He hasn't been a horrible president, and if he'd run as a centrist, he'd be a great one. The issue is he ran as a progressive when he simply isn't one.

Bernie has the integrity that's so sorely lacking in politics. Is he perfect, of course not! Can he singlehandedly hurt Wall St, not likely. But what he can do, and makes a habit of doing, is honestly shining a light into places the oligarchs would rather keep dark. And doing that from the Presidential pulpit has a chance to make a real difference, by slowly forcing Americans to open their eyes to the truth.

Its not going to be a magic, quick fix - but I think its the best chance we've had in my lifetime to get some honest discourse going in this country.

Submitted by dakrle on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 10:27am

Big Al

but reality always sets in.

I understand that we have to hold all politicians feet to the fire. But let's not be cynical about Bernie please.

Realty is Bernie fought for 16.3 Billion for the VA, so that is 16.3 Billion that wont be spent on more weapons systems or wars. Realty is Bernie voted against Iraq War Authorization and is NOT responsible for the strain on the VA the war caused but he tried to fix it anyway. The reality is Bernie will be much more judicious when deploying our military which will help slow the MIC's perpetual grift.

I believe we definitely need him to hit the MIC harder but we also need to time it correctly.

We are talking about expanding SS :), thanks to Bernie that is a reality. I don; thear folks talking about cutting SS anymore. I dont hear the talking heads discussing insolvency and entitlements...What happened?

Reality was exposed. Bernie pointed out that the reality is we have seniors living on 12k a year and folks want to cut that?

Bernie has a lot of reality left to expose, all in do time.

Submitted by Big Al on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 2:14pm

I'm darn well going to be cynical about Bernie

and any U.S. politician. If that makes me a pariah on this site like on Daily Kos, then so be it. I visit other sites where there are plenty of people that agree with me. I've tried to explain myself over and over but it appears many on here just are not listening to what I am saying.

He has adhered to the false narratives about U.S. imperialism, I can't make it any more clear. Therefore he is one.

"A chicken in every pot". The U.S. has a long line of politicians that have tried to challenge the status quo, Sanders is hardly the first and he won't be the last, but in the end, like I said, running with the establishment Democratic party is a non starter for any type of revolution and I think it's actually disingenuous for him to go that route.

These discussions that everyone on here is claiming Bernie is responsible for, like SS, wealth inequality, etc., are not his ideas, they have been brought up time and again for the last century (not SS of course) by the likes of Kucinich and many others. They were brought out with the Occupy protests, they were brought out during the Vietnam war. Exactly what would they talk about if not the most obvious and crucial issues we face?

I totally disagree with this timing thing about U.S. imperialism and U.S. wars. There is no better time to hit on U.S. politicians than BEFORE they are elected, I've seen that said many times by people frequenting this site. What makes Sanders any different?

Well, whatever, if this site wants to lay all it money on another politician, it's not my blog. I'll continue to rail, if that bothers people, then so be it.

Submitted by dakrle on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 3:20pm

I agree with you hippie brother :)

Let's hold his feet to the fire. He has asked to hold his feet to the fire, he isn't afraid of walking the walk. And we will be here to make sure he is walking on fire.

I'm all good with that.

I also agree with you that no war is a good war brother and I agree that imperialism in EURASIA and EASTASIA is wrong.

Where we differ is you seem to be lumping Bernie in and I'm not going to do that. You are making a point that every politician is flawed including Bernie and I agree however, that is not a point worth making because it is self evident. Not one person on this site that I have read in the several days I have been here has said that Bernie is perfect.
Nobody is perfect. We all understand that.

With Bernie we have a vessel that will lead us to change but we can also change that vessel if it veers off course.

What I mean by this can be seen in the way that Bernie handled NN and BLM. He made a misstep he got called on it and rather than double down on his stance he checked it. When he checked his stance he realized that he needed to expand and enhance his criminal justice platform.

Submitted by Unabashed Liberal on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 2:30pm

Hey, dakrle! I'll be following the ongoing

negotiations of the appropriations bills (over at EB, for one place), and I hope that you'll join Everyone there.

I'm very happy that Bernie has proposed to hike monthly Social Security benefits beginning for those beneficiaries who file in 2020, or later.

However, there's much to watch for in this current Congress, since they're looking to offset (cut) $1.070 Trillion Dollars from nondiscretionary (entitlements, mostly) spending, in order to offset the over $1 Trillion Dollars in spending that they just passed, and the approximately $800 Billion Dollars in Tax cuts, also passed in December.

This could explain the unprecedented deal that Paul Ryan and Harry Reid struck in December--that Reid will not block (filibuster) any of Ryan's spending bills in 2016. I posted the 'Tweet' and article on this, earlier this week.

Sincerely, though, I don't think that we should let our guards down, just because Bernie hopes to expand Social Security benefits. (Which is wonderful.)

Already, early this past winter, cuts were enacted to eliminate some Social Security 'spousal benefits' which were enacted during the Bush Administration (2000). We had a couple of discussions about this over at EB.

Hey, "Great to see you here--a hearty C99P welcome!"

(Music City) Mollie
elinkarlsson@WordPress

"The obstacle is the path."--Zen Proverb

—

Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.

Submitted by dakrle on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 2:57pm

Thanks UL and I hear ya. I appreciate all your efforts!!

I feel like I should know what EB stands for but I''m drawing a blank?

Submitted by Unabashed Liberal on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 3:21pm

My bad! "EB" = The Evening Blues by Joe Shikspack--I'm

thinking that I may have seen you there. If not, please join us.

Joe has a nightly (M-F) post featuring an excellent news compilation, and Blues music.

(Music City) Mollie at DKos
elinkarlsson@WordPress

"Only he who can see the invisible, can do the impossible."--Frank L Gaines

—

Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.

Submitted by Big Al on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 1:04am

And ya,

as a medical marijuana user and grower, I like your avatar.

Submitted by mawnjilla on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 1:14am

and thank you

I am also a medical user. I was an official patient in Washington state for a while, I had to move back east so I'm dealing with no strain names and cops again.

—

bern baby bern disco inberno

Submitted by kharma on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 7:46am

I have to say this thread has harshed my buzz ;)

But I agree with Big Al, we have to be prepared that little changes. I have more hope in Sanders than in any person I have ever intended to vote for but at one time I was so blinded by 'hope' for Obama that I didn't see what was coming even though I was repeatedly warned otherwise, both by Obama's own remarks and analysis/comments on the web. I still believe Sanders is our last hope, if we fail him then the lost opportunities will be enormous and most likely permanent. I have no such hope for Clinton. She will sell me down the river as soon as the votes are cast.

The biggest thing to remember is that getting Sanders in office is only the very beginning. We have eight years of hard work ahead of us and it is something we must do because hope yields goals and to achieve them requires action.

—

There is nothing which I dread so much as a division of the republic into two great parties.. This...is to be dreaded as the greatest political evil under our Constitution.--John Adams

Submitted by JayRaye on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 8:03am

Yep kharma, a bit of buzz harsh

But at the same time it's good to be forewarned. And I also agree with Big Al on that point, altho it might be nice to celebrate Senator Dangerous for at least one day before being slapped around by reality.

If we do get Sanders into office, we need to keep fighting like you said:

The biggest thing to remember is that getting Sanders in office is only the very beginning. We have eight years of hard work ahead of us and it is something we must do because hope yields goals and to achieve them requires action.

—

Never be deceived that the rich will allow you to vote away their wealth.-Lucy Parsons

Submitted by Cali Scribe on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 11:56am

When you've got a dog that likes to bite people

you don't necessarily shoot him -- you muzzle him first and see if that works. That's what I see Sanders doing with proposed regulations -- muzzling the beast. If that doesn't work, then we talk about other options.

As the "Amendment King", Sanders knows that compromise is necessary. So you ask for a lot, in the hopes of getting something, rather than asking for a little and getting nothing. I see this same pattern in sports contract negotiations. You'll hear of a sports star asking for some huge number, the team offering far less, and eventually after negotiations the two sides settle on a number somewhere in the middle. Maybe instead of Medicare for All right off the bat, we get the ability to buy into Medicare as part of the ACA, and if a lot of people (and especially employers) choose that option that's going to speed up the process. If you ask for a $15 minimum wage, you can settle for $13 or $14 but if you start at $12 you're left with only $10 or $11.

I'm not sure who advises Sanders on foreign policy, but it's certainly not Henry Kissinger, and his policies don't get the Neocon Seal of Approval from the likes of Robert Kagan. If he does take us into a war, it'll be for a damn good reason, and he'll get it done as quick as possible.

Submitted by MinuteMan on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 1:22pm

Got to aim high

And if you ask for less that you need and they give it to you, then going back for the rest looks pretty bad.

Submitted by BrutallyHonest on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 2:13pm

Once cut, funding never returns.

I have learned over the years that once funding for anything is cut, that funding never returns.
Even if more money is available in the future, by "accepting" the previous cut you have proven that you don't "need" any more money.

That is why it is important to aim high.

Last night Bernie proved that he, and ultimately us, can strongly fight for us and what is right all while fighting hard.

Submitted by Big Al on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 2:15pm

There are no good reasons for war.

All war is a racket, all wars are based on lies.

Submitted by WoodsDweller on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 1:29am

During times of universal deceit

telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act. - Orwell

During times of universal corruption, refusing to be bought is a revolutionary act. Bernie is an old man, if he was going to sell out, he would have done it by now. He's Elliot Ness. When was the last time the US had a President that wasn't bought by Wall Street? Maybe Jefferson, who was corrupted by slavery. That alone makes him dangerous to them. The President has great ability to set the terms of discussion, and Bernie can't go three sentences without talking about WS and billionaires. "The business of Wall Street is fraud".
Congress will still be on the payroll, but corruption thrives in the shadows. Bernie will keep the lights on.
He may not manage to reign them in, he needs Congress for that, but he can be a big obstacle to their agenda.

—

Submitted by gulfgal98 on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 6:07am

This is important

"The business of Wall Street is fraud".
Congress will still be on the payroll, but corruption thrives in the shadows. Bernie will keep the lights on.
He may not manage to reign them in, he needs Congress for that, but he can be a big obstacle to their agenda.

He is the first politician I can remember to actually shine a light on the corruption in Washington DC. This is important.

—

Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

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

Submitted by JayRaye on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 8:04am

Yep, exactly. gulfgal, the President has the biggest bully

pulpit in the land and I believe that Bernie would use it and Wall Street and others wouldn't like it and that right there makes me happy to vote for him.

Whatever else he could or couldn't do would depend on us staying in the fight both electorally and as activists.

—

Never be deceived that the rich will allow you to vote away their wealth.-Lucy Parsons

Submitted by jiordan on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 10:01am

I feel the same way

I know he's just one man, but everything that I know about his legislative history tells me he's a man who believes in sunlight and transparency. I believe (okay, I WANT to believe) that laws like the one improving FOIA and making it easier to get information will actually get out of committee and signed into law with someone like Bernie (the current administration has apparently been working behind the scenes to make sure it stays just the way it is) and allow us to see some of the machinations we suspect/know about but can't prove.
And as commander-in-chief, the military answers to him, so if his instructions are "bring me a plan to get out of Afghanistan and Iraq" (my very fondest wish), that's what they'll do.
I know its not that simple, but I see possibilities with Sanders I see with no other, and his requirement that I keep paying attention is a large part of that. No other pol wants you to watch and monitor their activities once you have their vote...

Submitted by Jazzenterprises on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 2:23am

Fighting the establishment is going to be very hard

there, I am in complete agreement with you. However, I think and hope (ugh sounds like Obama again) that Bernie might be the real deal. To be honest, I don't know what he can do, if anything at all, but I know he will try. He's been trying all his life. Let's see what happens, I think it's worth a shot. At the very least, such discussions are in the open and I believe won't go away. That's already a win no matter what happens.

Even say Bernie didn't get his way ever ( a likely possibility depending on Congress), I know one thing for sure... every month or so he'd resend the bill, over and over and over... again I'm guessing, but that would pretty cool in itself.

On another note, I do agree the MIC is tied up into Wall Street, but it is also tied up into our taxes... I wonder loudly which would have more pull...

Cheers, good debate.

—

Progressive to the bone.

Submitted by gulfgal98 on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 6:15am

IMHO,

Bernie biggest gift to the electorate is that he is educating us and empowering us. I see it as a continuation of the Occupy Movement. Of course, Bernie pre-dates Occupy by decades, but I think that the public is starting to realize that we must take control of our destiny. This is one of the big reasons I want him to stay on the campaign trail through the last state to vote even if the math does not support his winning. He is winning in many other ways too. Electing Bernie would be the start that serves notice to the oligarchs that we want our country to work for we the people. Then we must be willing to take it further. How we actually do that, I am not sure. But what I am sure of is that electoral process follows the social movement, not vice versa and it seems that there is a broad social movement out there that is fed up with the status quo and establishment politics.

—

Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

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

Submitted by lotlizard on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 4:33am

If U.S. relations to the Saudis, Turkey, and Israel don’t change

it’s hard for me to believe much of anything else will change either.

The Saudis and their lesser Gulf tyrant friends are the entire billionaire class and attendant evils we rail against, all rolled up into one single theocratic, mafia-Godfather-like clan.

If Bernie and the movement beginning to form around him don’t see that yet, well . . .

I just hope folks catch on soon, otherwise it’ll “all be for the cat” (all be in vain), as Germans say.

For all their successful machinations, the Koch brothers are not the very top of the fossil-fuel power pyramid — that would be the Saudis and similarly closed, clannish groups with fabulous wealth and sovereign state structures at their disposal.

Submitted by bluezen on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 8:45am

the main difference between bernie & hillary, to me, is

when it comes to compromising with the opposition -- which is inevitable in a democracy (right?) -- bernie starts negotiations from the left...while hillary starts from the right -- & proceeds to go further right.

Submitted by UntimelyRippd on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 10:37am

Not said a word against US imperialism?

I recommend you revisit his remarks from last night regarding the US replacing governments in Latin America, and his renunciation of the Monroe Doctrine, America's earliest explicit statement of imperial prerogative.

—

The earth is a multibillion-year-old sphere.
The Nazis killed millions of Jews.
On 9/11/01 a Boeing 757 (AA77) flew into the Pentagon.
AGCC is happening.
If you cannot accept these facts, I cannot fake an interest in any of your opinions.

Submitted by Big Al on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 11:12am

Granted, but we have to look at what he's said

about what's happening now relative to Iraq, the illegal War OF Terror, ISIS, Yemen, Syria, Libya, Venezuela, Putin and Russia, Ukraine, etc., and it's the exact same false narratives and outright lies that all the politicians adhere to. He challenges on a certain level but stays within the framework of current U.S. imperialist policies, i.e., strongest military in the world, etc. One principle we have to understand is ALL war is a lie.
I don't have time for more, have to work, but I can elaborate later.

Submitted by Ranger_995 on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 11:19am

Well, he is the first politician I have ever heard

speak out against the Monroe Doctrine and it's terrible effects on Latin America. That is an anti-imperialist stance.

Bernie is not perfect, but he has been on the right side of issues more than he has been on the wrong side.

For example, he is one of the few people talking about our ridiculous military budget and reducing it.

Submitted by JayRaye on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 12:22pm

yep, don't even remember Wellstone doing that.

(Altho I could be wrong about Wellstone not speaking out against imperialism, but I sure don't remember it.)

I'm really proud of Bernie for this, and it could cost him too, but he still spoke out on the issue.

—

Never be deceived that the rich will allow you to vote away their wealth.-Lucy Parsons

Submitted by MinuteMan on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 2:07pm

Can't always get what you want

There appears to be a strongly-held consensus for getting the oligarch's yoke off our necks and that is a very good area for Sanders to run in: better than any for of the GOP and better than for Clinton. There is not a general and strong consensus on foreign policy; it's the one avenue of attack that the GOP could exploit against any Democratic candidate (that's one of Trump's recurring arguments: America is weak!). The best argument for a Dem to make is that we need a smart foreign policy for the good of the country rather than one that creates money and wastes people and money. Going so far as to condemn past policy as "imperialism" is going to contradict the popular wisdom and likely to be political suicide. The media has been feeding the pax americana meme to people for a long while and it's also embedded in our k-12 books; unlike the economic propaganda most people don't have direct experience to see that meme for what it is.

Obama moved the foreign policy pendulum a little ways towards the good side (on the whole; remember his predecessor) and Sanders will move it even further; with any luck we might eventually get American foreign policy fixed some day but it's going to take a while or require a huge disaster (or maybe a yuge disaster).

Submitted by Le Frog on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 11:11am

These are exactly the questions a lot of us non-Americans want

answered. You're not wrong to be asking them. In my opinion, the reason Sanders is dangerous is because he is the only candidate running for POTUS actually shining a (small) light on the corruption cesspool (which is deep and wide), but also has no record of being cozy with special interests. (Even the small gesture of talking about it is a big deal in this political climate, but in the grand scheme of things... weak sauce, right?) Anyway, this is critical: take the way his campaign is being financed; I believe he is the best hope out of this bunch for taking on campaign financing because he isn't eyeball deep in dark money and corporate cash. I believe that he is the best hope out of the bunch for taking on climate change (for another example), because he isn't funded by polluting industries. If the one guy in the entire political system raising two middle fingers to "politics as usual" gets elected, I suspect other people running for or currently in office who hate it and don't want to do it will suddenly feel safer to not only talk about it but do something about it. That though is contingent on voters siding with Bernie Sanders, and it is a mere first step in a long and arduous journey.

I agree that the MIC and Wall Street are intertwined (as are campaign finance and climate change), but my take is that most Americans are actually quite comfortable with the MIC, and not only don't care that you can't talk Wall Street reform without talking MIC reform, but would also defend it. The press, the education system, everything that's supposed to be protecting the everyday American has failed; there's nothing out there telling Americans consistently and honestly that modern war isn't just showing up to bomb a place, but it's about systemic economic and political interference, and there's A LOT of that shit going on; the bombing stuff is just gravy. It seems to me that Americans actually embrace the MIC in ways that they don't embrace Wall Street and dirty campaign finance, and I don't know that one guy is going to be able to educate about, let alone shift, what I see as part of your American cultural and political identity. Also, I'm just not convinced that there is whole lot of understanding or acceptance of how dangerous America is to the rest of the world.

Maybe I'm off the mark, but allow me this analogy. Saying Wall Street must be reformed is like telling someone that they have to lose weight for their health: this is easy to understand and agree with; saying the MIC has to be reformed is like telling someone that they have to change their personality: it's difficult to fathom that it isn't okay to be me after all.

Your national identity and history basically amounts to AMERICA! FUCK YEAH! and why shouldn't it? When has imperialism failed to produce bad outcomes for American interests? Americans agree that in general, war is bad, but the alternative to not being #1 and THE FREEST AND MOST LIBERATED EVAH is worse. Ask some of your compatriots if they'd be okay with China or Saudi Arabia or anyone else also having military bases in so many countries; ask them why the U.S. needs them. Ask them how they'd feel if Russia were to stage a coup in the U.S. and not a single other country reacted. Ask them why it's possible and acceptable for American companies to have carte blanche to the rest of the world's resources at the cost of people's lives. I've asked these questions of the most liberal Americans I know and I can't seem to get an answer why it's good when the U.S. does it but unconscionable if another country does it. I don't see any other explanation other than you secretly understand that peace is bad for your interests. Hillahawk Clinton, personal friend of Henry Kissinger, with her record, and her sleazy connections, is running to be the Democratic candidate; President Obama is a massive warmonger, and no one seems to care: Gitmo is still open, the world's skies are full of killer drones, and American arms are ending up in the hands of anyone who wants them. What's the difference between those two and the GOP? What's really the difference between them and someone like Mubarak or Assad in terms of global peace?

So back to Bernie Sanders; I believe he does understand the contradiction you're talking about, Big Al, but I wonder if he's afraid that talking about taking on the MIC is a step too far in terms of campaigning. That isn't great, but that doesn't mean I think the way he talks about Wall Street is nothing. Perhaps I'm rationalizing and have set myself up for massive disappointment, but I wouldn't discount that if Bernie becomes POTUS, and enough voters have his back, he can start with the Wall Street weight loss and work towards the MIC personality reform. The scary part is that that's a commitment that requires voters to show up and pay attention en masse and consistently.

Submitted by mimi on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 11:56am

jobs and feeling good about yourself

Maybe I'm off the mark, but allow me this analogy. Saying Wall Street must be reformed is like telling someone that they have to lose weight for their health: this is easy to understand and agree with; saying the MIC has to be reformed is like telling someone that they have to change their personality: it's difficult to fathom that it isn't okay to be me after all.

I think saying that the MIC has to be reformed is like telling someone, who thinks he has just to lose weight, that as of tomorrow you won't have anything more to eat than half a piece of bread and not butter for the whole day for your whole life.

Meaning, the MIC employs so many Americans with a good paying job on which you can survive, that reforming it would seem to most like losing their jobs. Same reason why the US military never will decide to just "pack up and go home" and "close all their overseas involvements". Just think about all the hordes of former military guys having no jobs at home.

Unless there are massive government job programs located inside the US, who deal with reconstruction of the infrastructure, I think there is no chance to absorb all those who will lose their jobs, once the MIC really would be reformed.

Submitted by Unabashed Liberal on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 1:15am

Thanks for this post, JR. 'Nature called,' and Mr M

and I decided to cut out, and take an extended walk with 'the B'--the weather was a perfect 68 degrees!

Anyhoo, from what I've gathered, it was a really good debate performance by Bernie. I've bookmarked the debate transcript, and will finish reading it by tomorrow. (I can barely stand to listen to her speak, and I'm not trying to be hateful. Her voice really is rather grating.)

Have a good one!

(Music City) Mollie
elinkarlsson@WordPress

"Every time I lose a dog, he takes a piece of my heart. Every new dog gifts me with a piece of his. Someday, my heart will be total dog, and maybe then I will be just as generous, loving, and forgiving."--Author Unknown

—

Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.

Submitted by JayRaye on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 6:17am

Hey Mollie. Hope you had a great walk with your B.

Lots of rain here so my boys didn't get their usual hour-long walk.

—

Never be deceived that the rich will allow you to vote away their wealth.-Lucy Parsons

Submitted by bluezen on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 8:48am

:D i feel the same about listening to her voice

i had to turn the volume down to 1 when she was ~~answering~~ filibustering the questions.

Submitted by JayRaye on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 9:16am

That voice, those lies, the waste of time listening to her

because whatever long drawn out answer you endure will be erased and replace by the time the next debate rolls around which means that 90% of what you're taking the time to listen to is pure unadulterated bullshit.

—

Never be deceived that the rich will allow you to vote away their wealth.-Lucy Parsons

Submitted by Gerrit on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 9:04am

w00t! Thanks, mate, and for all these wunnerful comments.

TYT has it right:

"I am not in danger, Skyler.
I am the danger.
A guy opens his door and gets shot
and you think that of me? No.
I am the one who knocks."

Walter White in Breaking Bad

Have a great day, folks. Go Bernie!

—

Resilience: practical action to improve things we can control.
3D+: developing language for postmodern spirituality.

Submitted by Fishtroller 02 on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 9:17am

Trust/likeability

I thought the debate was quite interesting last night. I was upset that the male panel member kept attacking Hillary about Bengazi because that just generates sympathy for her. But he did hit a nerve on the emails, and she lied about her server issue being the same as Colin Powell's and Condi Rice's.

The WSJ has a major article today about the issue of the voters views on likeability and trust and the candidates that are the least likeable and least trusted nationwide are Trump and Hillary. The Dem Party continues to ignore this. If Hillary is the nominee, they will learn fast how important these numbers really are.

—

"Without the right to offend, freedom of speech does not exist." Taslima Nasrin

Submitted by elmo on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 9:51am