Why Bernie should not be president

This story has been told by me before, but reiteration will help, especially those unfamiliar with my views. Prior to 2016, I was a political ignoramus. Some readers may conclude, with justification, that I remain so. But, thank FSM, I saw the light and FELT the BERN. I contributed the max to him, went to his local speech, caucused for the Bern.

His message has remained the same more than 40 years. But the messenger has changed, and not for the better. Where Bernie in the early 60's was unafraid to become physically involved, as well as emotionally involved, in protests to the point of being arrested; the matured Sanders has developed severe spiritual osteoporosis: his spine has turned to jelly.

In the spirit of the current impeachment sham, I present to you a Bill of Particulars supporting my contention.

BS, whose initials now signify his lack of courage despite strong policies, never complained, to anyone's knowledge, when Tulsi abruptly resigned the DNC because their plot against BS (and remember, in this essay, when BS appears, it represent Mr. Bernard Sanders, formerly Independent as opposed to the more usual understanding of that brief acronym). Surely this bold move in BS's favor should have been lauded and its reason amplified publicly. But no.

When Nina Turner's appearance on the DNC stage in Philly was precluded, where were the protests by BS? As mute as Eric Ciaramella (to use a current example).

When BS was trounced at the DNC Convention, why did he endorse the Evil Queen, H. Rodent Clinton?

Even though he endorsed HER, why did he actually campaign for her (which actually alienated many supporters of his, including, me)?

If he felt obliged to campaign for HER, why so many times?

Changing the subject, temporarily, the issue of judgement occurs, of which several instances are now cited:

1. Espousing xenophobic anti-Russian faerie tale more than once--or even just once?

2. Refusing at any time to publicly acknowledge, let alone actively object, to the underhanded Clinton machine's nomination robbery?

3. Appoint a virulently anti-semitic Linda Sarsour to his list of surrogates? Her views were already well-known. Was this a pander to all Muslims or only to reassure the anti-Semitic ones that he wasn't out to get them?

4. Support Ilhan Omar, who is on her way to equalling the number of HRC's many financial and ethical crimes. Not smart, even if Bernie got the entire US Somali vote.

Now returning to the topic of spinelessness:

1. Supporting a grossly illegitimate presidential impeachment, even if Commander Cheeto is unethical.

2. Failing to call out, in the Gabbard fashion, the horseshit peddled by most of the Klown Kavalcade Kompetition

3. Failing to call out the suck-up Senatorial Dems going along with there Chump's appointments, even though all nominees would get through the Senate.

4. Un-endorsing Cenk Uyghur. The Cenkosaurus will be a powerful progressive voice. Cenk has a tendency to bombast and retains delusional Russiagate thinking, yet he is a true progressive in his heart.

Strength of character is a powerful determinant of achievement. To strength must be added a player. The strength and plan require enactment boldly, combined with a willingness to DO the unorthodox, not merely as in the case of BS talk about it (often as a whimper).

Bold leaders make mistakes. Pretenders, which Bernie has now proven himself to be, make mistakes also. But pretenders never admit mistakes. Has BS done so about any of this?

NO

I will not vote for a jellyfish who's lost his sting.

Bernie, you have let me and millions down

Go home, enjoy yourself

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janis b's picture

But that means little to a jellyfish who is immortal.

"Where Bernie in the early 60's was unafraid to become physically involved, as well as emotionally involved, in protests to the point of being arrested; the matured Sanders has developed severe spiritual osteoporosis: his spine has turned to jelly."

As with most cases of biological immortality, exactly how the immortal jellyfish pulls of this trick is a mystery. It seems to involve a bizarre reversed version of the cellular processes that go on during metamorphosis; the process by which juvenile caterpillars transform into adult butterflies.
Jellyfish don't have much in common with other animals, which is why their asexual reproductive strategy, and their immortality, seem so peculiar to our eyes.
Even in sexually reproducing animals, biological immortality isn't entirely unheard of
The two traits may actually be connected, says Bosch. If stem cells do play a vital role in animal biological immortality, then animals that have to carry potent stem cells in order to clone themselves might often be immortal.

A jelly-like spine is far more flexible than an ossified vindictive one.

Apologies in advance for the sting, but in keeping within the theme of animals, this essay really gets my goat. And also in advance let me say, that although I recognise Sander's fallibilities, I think he is far more deserving than any other potential candidate with a chance.

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mimi's picture

@janis b
being tough. Mostly they love to sunbathe on rocks during daytime and at night they feed themselves ... but that is on the dark side of things.

Alligator Ed made me search for alligator vs crokodile fights and I am in the know now about the gators.

Standing up for alligators - NOW!
Yes 3
Gator is a stingray fish in camouflage of a jellyfish.

Now I have a conflict of emotions. Do I love Bernie more than Allgiator or Tulsi more than Bernie or Alligator more for spekaing truth to powerful Bernie-men?

Consulting my son over this, he indicated he loves Gators, Bernie and Tulsi all the same, ie. that much:
[video:https://youtu.be/2ywsRwMbqMg]

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janis b's picture

@mimi

And thank you for your gentle mediation between gator and crocodile, and other conflicting forces.

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mimi's picture

@janis b
and burn the heck out of you, have you met these ones?

Stinging Lion’s mane jellyfish in Irish waters is larger this year -
Several swimmers in the west have received hospital treatment for Lion’s mane stings

[video:https://youtu.be/Cc8JT4A7Sp4]
In the waters of my corners of the world (North Sea) they are common (but not that large), especially after stormy weather, and oh boy, I remember when my sister was touched by this kind of jellyfish, it was extremely painful.

So, careful what you wish for. I prefer the gators ...
Nothing for Ungood.

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janis b's picture

@mimi

I did meet one from the safety of the beach, just last week. Luckily the water is still very cold and I wasn't tempted to go swimming in it.

Part of a purple Lion's Mane Jellyfish. The exposed part in this photo was 12 inches in diameter.

It seems that jellyfish are thriving in the ocean's warming conditions, while all other ocean plants and creatures are not.

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mimi's picture

@janis b
comments, I wondered if that was what I remembered being washed ashore on the sand of our North Sea's beaches. Those looked more redish than violet. So, I was not sure.

Well, I plan to make a trip to the beaches and have a clother look of what is there these days. So many trips to make, so little strength to make them.

Have a nice day at the beaches over the holidays.
Smile

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janis b's picture

@mimi

They are more common, and even larger in the cold waters of the north atlantic. I did see a smaller version on the beach that was pink. I thought it might be a slightly bleached out (by the sun) version of the larger purple one.

Happy Holidays, mimi xox

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lotlizard's picture

@janis b  
http://infogalactic.com/info/Cnidaria

http://infogalactic.com/info/Chordate

Ladies and gentle-organisms, please rise for our phyletic anthem . . .

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janis b's picture

@lotlizard

what side do I pledge allegiance to ; ?.

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CB's picture

@lotlizard
Without the Arthropods, the Cnidarians and the Chordates would not exist.

https://infogalactic.com/info/Arthropod

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lotlizard's picture

@CB  
http://infogalactic.com/info/Bilateria

Both display that bilateral symmetry thingy, where our external body form has a “front” and a “back,” as well as “left” and “right” “sides” that are mirror images of each other.

Arthropods play in the Protostome division, however — we Chordates play in the Deuterostome division.

Protostomes, of course, are always razzing us Deuterostomes about that “gASStrula” business where the anus develops first (with Protostomes it’s the mouth).

http://infogalactic.com/info/Deuterostome

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CB's picture

out your ass now! Dirol

@lotlizard

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lotlizard's picture

@CB

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CB's picture

@lotlizard
I identify as an Arthropod!

Unfortunately you Chordates have discovered just how tasty we are.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOTQPywCP_4]

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Alligator Ed's picture

@CB Secret

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CB's picture

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Alligator Ed's picture

@lotlizard

In the Cnidaria sexual reproduction often involves a complex life cycle with both polyp and medusa stages. For example, in Scyphozoa (jellyfish) and Cubozoa (box jellies) a larva swims until it finds a good site, and then becomes a polyp. This grows normally but then absorbs its tentacles and splits horizontally into a series of disks that become juvenile medusae, a process called strobilation. The juveniles swim off and slowly grow to maturity, while the polyp re-grows and may continue strobilating periodically. The adults have gonads in the gastroderm, and these release ova and sperm into the water in the breeding season.[6][7]

Thus upon reviewing your estimable research I came across the above quotation, proving my long-held point that HRC is a Medusa.

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mimi's picture

I got syndroms too. Don't watch this, otherwise you get the symptoms.
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_O8vfUpXZQI]
There are too many videos that gives you symptoms. So I pray for your sanity to come back.

Sundays for symptoms-free peace of mind - NOW

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Not Henry Kissinger's picture

Always has been.

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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?

@Not Henry Kissinger That he’s disavowed to find a reason not to endorse him. He shouldn’t have endorsed him to begin with, imho.

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Idolizing a politician is like believing the stripper really likes you.

gulfgal98's picture

@Dr. John Carpenter Even though Cenk let Bernie off the hook, Bernie should have never withdrawn his endorsement. IMO, by doing so, Bernie showed weakness to being controlled by out side influences. This was a much worse move politically than endorsing Cenk and all his baggage in the first place. Therefore, I totally agree with your statement that he probably should not have endorsed Cenk to begin with, but taking back his endorsement was far worse politically for Bernie than letting it stand.

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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

Alligator Ed's picture

@gulfgal98 It was a bad move to endorse Cenk, an error of judgement. Then a worse move to un-endorse him. Bernie should have known about the past of anyone he endorsed. He either didn't or didn't care until Cenk's record was called out. This did make him seem weak. Which is why he should not be president.

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Not Henry Kissinger's picture

@gulfgal98

Therefore, I totally agree with your statement that he probably should not have endorsed Cenk to begin with, but taking back his endorsement was far worse politically for Bernie than letting it stand.

Seriously, who truly cares about one Congressional endorsement takeback except us geeks? And why should that even matter to us?

But to the point: Cenk isn't a Progressive. He just plays one on TV with Hillary's money.

However the Bernie campaign finally came to the decision not to endorse him, it's still the right one.

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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?

convention of the Freedom From Religion Foundation several years ago (he gave a good speech) BUT Cenk is an opportunist at heart. While Bernie has taken some positions that I felt sad about (like endorsing Hillary and going to visit the Pope and accepting the Russia narrative), I think he is highly qualified to be the President. More than that, I think he would return a sense of morality to the office that has been absent for decades.

But nice try Alligator Ed.

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

Alligator Ed's picture

@Fishtroller 02 Pleasantry

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Russiagate.
BS is off your radar because he uttered Russiagate more than once.
BS is further off your radar because he un-endorsed Cenk, a committed Russiagater.
Although I do not pay much attention to Omar, I have not heard of her financial or ethical misdeeds. Do you have some links?
While there are some good reasons to vote for him, and some good reasons to vote for Tulsi, there are good reasons not to give a shit about voting in the first place.
edit: Didn't Cenk go full tilt for Hillary at the same time Bernie was campaigning for Her?

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

Alligator Ed's picture

@on the cusp I am not a fan of Cenk. He is bombastic. All accusations leveled by against him are true. He is still a Russiagator--the worst kind of gator one could imagine (consider a gator waving a red-blue-and-white flag while singing the International.

I am no fan of Cenk but apparently the establishment, represented by the DNC don't like him either. The enemy of enemy is (temporarily) my friend. I mentioned the Cenkosaurus only because he provided one example, out of the many cited, of spineless BS.

Also, please note that whether BS lives as long as Methuselah, he has lost his sting, as noted in my essay. Lacking significant motive power except two float with the tides, he will, if I too am allowed to mix analogies, will be as useful as tits on a bull.

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@Alligator Ed the Dem Party Establishment backing the centrist D candidate vs the currently progressive flawed Cenk. There's a lot to be said for sticking it to the Pelosi's and Garimendi's and their cult of centrism. I might have preferred however that the progressive candidate be Ana Kasparian with her lighter baggage.

I'm not entirely sure who Cenk is, whether he's authentic or just putting his moist finger to the wind, but often in politics you can't be sure and just have to give the benefit of the doubt. In any case, he has associated himself with the progressive brand and so there's no going back or triangulating. He's going to continue to get hammered for his past stupidities however, so beating the establishment candidate will not be easy.

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if he is the nominee, just out of excitement. I think he may achieve the nomination because the Democrats are doing such an abominable job of everything they attempt. They wanted a woman of color from Congress, but NOT Barbara Lee, who has been in Congress over 20 years but who opposes illegal wars. When Kamala Harris, who went from California corruption to the United States Senate and has been there 2 years, proved unpopular, they hauled in Biden. When Biden's negatives were too obvious to obscure, they went to Bloomberg. Happily, they're going to keep digging.

So I will joyfully vote for Bernie, just to see the Democrats fall apart as a corporate den of incompetence.

But I want to add to your list of reasons NOT to vote for Bernie. In 2017, Congresswoman Gabbard introduced H.R.608, the Stop Arming Terrorists Act. There were 14 Cosponsors in the House.

When Senator Rand Paul introduced the companion bill in the Senate, there were NO cosponsors, not Bernie Sanders, not Kamala Harris, not one.

https://gabbard.house.gov/news/press-releases/gabbards-stop-arming-terro...

Gabbard's Stop Arming Terrorists Act Introduced in Senate
March 10, 2017 Press Release

Washington, DC—Rep. Tulsi Gabbard’s Stop Arming Terrorists Act has been introduced in the U.S. Senate by Senator Rand Paul. The bipartisan legislation (H.R.608 and S.532) would prohibit any Federal agency from using taxpayer dollars to provide weapons, cash, intelligence, or any support to al-Qaeda, ISIS and other terrorist groups, and it will prohibit the government from funneling money and weapons through other countries who are directly or indirectly supporting terrorists.

…The bill achieves this by:

Making it illegal for any U.S. Federal government funds to be used to provide assistance covered in this bill to terrorists. The assistance covered includes weapons, munitions, weapons platforms, intelligence, logistics, training, and cash.

Making it illegal for the U.S. government to provide assistance covered in the bill to any nation that has given or continues to give such assistance to terrorists.

Requiring the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) to determine the individual and groups that should be considered terrorists, for the purposes of this bill, by determining: (a) the individuals and groups that are associated with, affiliated with, adherents to or cooperating with al-Qaeda, Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, or ISIS; (b) the countries that are providing assistance covered in this bill to those individuals or groups.

Requiring the DNI to review and update the list of countries and groups to which assistance is prohibited every six months, in consultation with the House Foreign Affairs and Armed Services Committees, as well as the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

Requiring the DNI to brief Congress on the determinations.

https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/608/cosponsors?q...

H.R.608 - Stop Arming Terrorists Act
115th Congress (2017-2018)

Cosponsor Date Cosponsored
Rep. Welch, Peter [D-VT-At Large]* 01/23/2017
Rep. Massie, Thomas [R-KY-4]* 01/23/2017
Rep. Lee, Barbara [D-CA-13]* 01/23/2017
Rep. Jones, Walter B., Jr. [R-NC-3]* 01/23/2017
Rep. Garrett, Thomas A., Jr. [R-VA-5]* 01/23/2017
Rep. Yoho, Ted S. [R-FL-3]* 01/23/2017
Rep. Gosar, Paul A. [R-AZ-4] 02/07/2017
Rep. Perry, Scott [R-PA-4] 02/28/2017
Rep. Conyers, John, Jr. [D-MI-13] 03/06/2017
Rep. Rohrabacher, Dana [R-CA-48] 03/29/2017
Rep. Khanna, Ro [D-CA-17] 04/26/2017
Rep. Rush, Bobby L. [D-IL-1] 04/27/2017
Rep. Duncan, Jeff [R-SC-3] 05/22/2017
Rep. DeFazio, Peter A. [D-OR-4] 06/22/2017

https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/532?q=%7B%22sea...

S.532 - Stop Arming Terrorists Act
115th Congress (2017-2018)

(Cosponsors 0)

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Alligator Ed's picture

@Linda Wood @Linda Wood

But I want to add to your list of reasons NOT to vote for Bernie. In 2017, Congresswoman Gabbard introduced H.R.608, the Stop Arming Terrorists Act. There were 14 Cosponsors in the House.

When Senator Rand Paul introduced the companion bill in the Senate, there were NO cosponsors, not Bernie Sanders, not Kamala Harris, not one.

What a magnificent creature! In form but not function. Mr. Sanders should retire to the 40 acre wood in Vermont, consorting with equally tough animals like Winnie the Pooh.

Yes, in the spirit of Bernard's bird of 2016, BS now has a suitable companion, gentle and fragile, just as he has become.

Lest you think that all alligators are beyond redemption, I will hold my nose and vote for Mr 40 acre Sanders in the 2,000,000 : 1 chance he gets the nomination.

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lotlizard's picture

@Alligator Ed  

Once upon a time, a very long time ago now, about last Friday, Winnie-the-Pooh lived in a forest all by himself under the name of Sanders. (“What does ‘under the name’ mean?” asked Christopher Robin. “It means he had the name over the door in gold letters, and lived under it.” “Winnie-the-Pooh wasn’t quite sure,” said Christopher Robin . . . )

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Alligator Ed's picture

@lotlizard A.A. Milne was friends with little Bernard when he was quite a bit younger. AAM watched with pride as Bernard matured into Mr. Sanders. Once attaining sisterhood, Bernard, with the aid of his wife (noted Catholic scholar) purchased 40 acres (no mule) of woodland, replete with donkeys (Democrat forebears), bears, pigs, rabbits, and all sorts of other higher-order chordates (as lotlizard is fond to point out).

Mr. Sanders can be grumpy if reminded that he supported a giant Rodent for president. Please do not say "superdelegate" in Mr. Sanders' presence. He gets "triggered" as the current descriptor all the rage goes.

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lotlizard's picture

@Alligator Ed  
http://www.winnie-pooh.org/eeyore-birthday-presents.htm

Piglet’s “balloon” is really a ballot, and its “popping” stands for it being replaced by a provisional ballot (or a manipulated electronic vote, a superdelegate’s prior commitment, a mysteriously altered voter registration, a backroom deal, or a coin toss).

The “honeypot” is really a ballot box, symbolizing the counting process. Thus Democratic donkey Eeyore’s discovery that the popped balloon (provisional ballot) “goes in and out” stands for the public’s discovery that votes may or, arbitrarily, may not be counted — i.e. the wishes of the Democrats’ base may be paid lip service to or simply ignored, as the DNC wills.

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Alligator Ed's picture

@lotlizard @lotlizard Learned Interpreter of the mystic, please, at any time (including 3 AM), please do enthrall my walnut-sized brain with more such insights. It is so hard to make sense of these political things popping up and bursting, seemingly as if a malicious hummingbird was willfully popping my thought balloons (which is all we have in the swamp), making so different to think great thoughts in the swamp.

Yessirrr, when the teacher arrives, the student will be tardy, or some such.

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moneysmith's picture

Bernie may have his flaws -- who doesn't? -- but I wouldn't vote for any of the other candidates if you held a gun to my head.

That said, I'm just wondering -- who do you like? Not trying to start a fight, just curious.

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Hell is empty and all the devils are here. William Shakespeare

@moneysmith
Who can you honestly say is a better candidate?

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Alligator Ed's picture

@gjohnsit TULSI, Andy Yang

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@Alligator Ed
Tulsi has backed away from M4A and free public college.

Yang is barely a progressive at all.

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Alligator Ed's picture

@gjohnsit Progressivism is something which will free us from the MIC morass, which no candidates besides Tulsi and Andy, will do--or attempt to do. As I have written in my penultimate essay, (and rarely does one get to use such a word, except for one of our communitarians). Tulsi is the hard, sharp tip of the spear. Yang is an intellect, clearly espousing policies with which not all of us agree.

Left, right, up, down. It's all a fantasy. In real life, "its is them (TPTB) or us (serfs)".

In the aforementioned essay is a Des Moines Register interview with Andy Yang. I am sure we will find some thing or things objectionable. Yet, taken as a whole, I find much of what he says persuasive.

Chew on this if you will (I find oral gratification to be unusually satisfying), but don't be surprised if Tulsi doesn't form her own party. We may call it the Aloha Party.

As Tulsi says "Don't mistake Aloha for Weakness".

Here is more compatible fantasy:

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YL4OWXiV8LY]

It's all part of my rock 'n' roll fantasy. Et tu?

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@gjohnsit His major program is a $1000 a month universal basic income for every American citizen over the age of 18. That even includes $1000 a month on top of social security benefits so that senior citizens can live independently a bit longer.

That is about the most progressive program I have ever heard of. Surpasses anything that Bernie has come up with. Yang understands that AI, computers and robots are going to be taking over 40% of the jobs that Americans do now in the very near future. And eventually it will be nearly all jobs. Bernie doesn't seem to get this. He is too fucking old to appreciate how computers and AI and robotics are going to change everything before we know it. Singularity may already be here. Quantum computing may already be here. Bernie is too old to understand what this means for the future. People like Elon Musk are saying they fear AI more than they fear nuclear war.

And Yang is solidly behind Medicare for All.

Yang understands that nuclear power, specifically molten salt thorium reactors, are the only way we can mitigate CO2, because that is the only form of energy that can compete with coal on cost -- and most of the rest of the world will go cheap because it is dirt poor and wants the amounts of energy the first world consumes. Bernie's clean new deal is total nonsense.

Yang's got a sensible immigration plan since he is the son of an immigrant like Bernie.

It is not progressive to do stupid shit. And not understanding the technology of today is Bernie's biggest problem. And it is true for all of the old geezers. Take it from an old geezer, they don't get it.

And Yang's idea of foreign policy is diplomacy. And war is pretty much a last resort.

How do you get more progressive than that?

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Alligator Ed's picture

@davidgmillsatty their social utility. Yes, some of their ideas are quite worthwhile, while others are not.

A relevant example, analogous to the current changing of the guard, is the end of the horse and buggy era, when Mr. Ford got Tin Lizzies on the road making horses obsolete. Speculators in that era, not realizing what that meant, engaged in attempting to corner the buggy whip market. Wow. What a brilliant undertaking. Does one think that JoJo, H. Rodent Clinton, or Commander Cheeto fully grasp the implications of the rise of AI and robotics?

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WaterLily's picture

@davidgmillsatty

He is too fucking old to appreciate how computers and AI and robotics are going to change everything before we know it.

And you know this how? Have you interviewed Bernie Sanders in order to determine his cognitive ability in general, or his ability to understand and appreciate evolving technology in particular?

Jesus fucking christ.

As a matter of fact, you undermine your own argument:

And not understanding the technology of today is Bernie's biggest problem. And it is true for all of the old geezers. Take it from an old geezer, they don't get it.

Mmmmkay. This is where a Millennial would say, "Okay, Boomer."

(And no, I'm not voting for him. Or, for that matter, ANYONE who's running as a "D"emocrat, including our essayist's fave, Tulsi, or yours, Yang.)

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@WaterLily When I was young I had no idea what it was like to be old. Now I do. Many of your faculties fail. And often you have just not kept up with technological progress. I can understand technical shit that a lot of my peers can't.

For example, I know far more about thorium molten salt reactors than most young people who have never heard of it or have the ability to understand it.

But being realistic about it, that does not mean I can learn things the way I once could.

But while we are on the topic about voting for Yang. Do you as a millennial think that a universal basic income of a $1000 a month is a good idea or a bad one? Because as far as I am concerned there had not been a progressive idea (or a neoliberal or conservative idea) this good since social security. Are you such a rich millennial that you don't see a way that a $1000 a month could help. Would you not want other millennials to have a thousand a month? Because apparently your outright dismissal of him and his big idea doesn't sound progressive to me.

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Jen's picture

@davidgmillsatty I would LOVE to have an extra $1000 a month! The problem I see with it is all the ways they will dream up to take every last cent of that $1000 and we will not be any better off than we are now. I believe that the ONLY way $1000 a month would help us all is if there is some sort of price lock on just about everything - including but not limited to rent prices. If we all got $1000 more per month, what would stop landlords from raising rent prices $1000 the very next time the lease expired? I think they (landlords) would be the biggest supporters of UBI. They would see it as money in their pockets.

Then I could see how homeowners could get behind it too. "Well, I don't rent, so why should I care? I'll get my $1000, screw the renters. Shoulda pulled themselves up by their bootstraps and bought themselves a house."

Only, I don't think landlords would be the only ones out to take that $1000 from us.

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Is it great yet?

@Jen against UBI re rent increases etc could be used against, say, raising the fed minimum wage to $15/hr. Or against any group, a union or teachers, seeking a pay increase. It's futile b/c landlords will just add the increase to their benefit. So you would seem to be making an argument against any kind of pay increase. It's not a very strong or compelling argument against UBI and seems quite a reach.

Meanwhile to the extent it would happen here or there in any substantial way, there is the antidote of local/state rent control measures.

It is interesting however that Yang himself is against a $15/hr min wage, which Bernie supports, as he contends it would cause small businesses to have to downsize their workforce. This issue puts him with the conservative camp who have long been against any substantial min wage hike. I'm skeptical, and tend to think small business would at worst just pass along any financial strain to customers.

Me, I'm intrigued by the UBI idea, and tend to prefer it, if given an either/or, to the focus on the $15/hr min wage. I just wish Yang's FP stance were as bold and innovative as his smart UBI and AI thinking.

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@wokkamile Actually Yang wasn't even on my radar until I was looking for updates on thorium molten salt reactors last week and he was temporarily featured in a video. Me, being the thorium molten salt reactor advocate that I am, I watched a couple of video interviews with him, one by Matt Taibbi, and the other by the editorial board of the Des Moines Register to see what else he advocated. The $15 minimum wage was not mentioned in either.

So if you have a link to him and the $15, I would like to check it out.

While I am thinking about it, I liked his answer in the Des Moines Editorial Board interview on the Supreme Court. He advocates a maximum tenure of 18 years. Too many justices staying on the court till they die and presidents appointing judges hoping their appointment will be on the court for 40 years. Unless the Constitution says these judges have appointments for life (and I don't think it does) I think term limits could be imposed by statute. Anyhow another interesting position.

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@davidgmillsatty spoke against the raise to $15/hr during the first half of the year, as in this Rave Dubin interview from June.

[video:https://youtu.be/0V5rvfJ_am0]

It looks like in recent months he's slightly more nuanced on this issue, to acknowledge the need to improve on poverty wages and to allow for the role of state govts to hike the minimum.

Re a Scotus term limit of 18 yrs, I would tend to strongly favor. Not sure how it would be accomplished, and legal scholars disagree on whether a constitutional amendment would be needed. I like the argument that fed legislation is all that's needed -- they can still "hold office" in "senior status" where they have retired from the SupCt via term limits but can still hold office as a senior judge on one of the lower federal courts.

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@wokkamile You want to speed up automation? The best way to speed up automation is to raise the minimum wage because it will incentivize any employer who is not sure whether he should automate or not -- with the impetus to go ahead and do it. And like Yang said, these jobs are going to be gone. It is not a matter of if. It is a matter of when.

So the better choice is for the government to pay everybody $1000 a month instead, which is the equivalent of a $6.00 an hour raise. That keeps the employer from having to make a decision he may not want to make right now. Also the $1000 a month also benefits the employer because now he may have more potential customers from the community, and simultaneously it benefits the employee who now has some leverage. Money in your pocket gives you some leverage that having no money does not.

But here is the much better reason for Yang's approach. Everybody is a winner. When you increase the minimum wage there are going to be winners (those who get a pay increase) and losers (those who don't because they already make that much, or those who lose their jobs, or those who would have been hired but now are not and employers who are struggling to begin with). There are lots of ways increasing the minimum wage can create losers and resentment. And if you are not in the job market, a $15 minimum wage does not help you a bit. And that situation will apply to millions of people.

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Jen's picture

@wokkamile I have heard the same argument against raising the minimum wage. But it's easier for me to imagine happening when everyone would get that $1000.

But I truly believe it's pointless to argue about UBI anyway because I don't think they would never do something like that.

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Is it great yet?

@Jen It will have to happen. AI can already do nearly every job better than a human can. AI doesn't have every job yet because it is not politically possible. But it is getting more and more inevitable every day. When AI does everything ten times better than any human, even politics won't stop AI from having all the jobs.

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@Jen Don't forget that food stamps, or whatever they are being called this year, are a subsidy for retail grocers. Welfare stipends are a subsidy to landlords.

What I think--heresy!!--is that some of Yang's property owning friends were whining about how they couldn't keep tenants because the tenants couldn't pay the rent. Naturally it would be unthinkable! to lower rents to levels tenants could actually afford. So Yang, who is a smart guy, thought or someone suggested to him something has to give somewhere and it shouldn't be our friends losing money on their upgraded chickenhouses. So, Yang, or someone, came up with instead of just depending on welfare checks, why not a monthly check for all renters, and all of us get our cut, and our friends who own other businesses will benefit as well.

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Mary Bennett

@Nastarana I don't know where to begin with this kind of thinking.

It is a bit like saying that people who came up with the idea of Medicare were doing it to support their doctor, nurse, and pharmacist friends and their hospital CEO friends and drug companies and gave two shits about sick people.

Or you could say the same thing about higher education. That any benefit for a student was not for the student but for all of the professors, football coaches, deans, and university endowments.

How fucking cynical do you have to be? That everybody is in it for the money, 100 % of the time.

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@davidgmillsatty Regulating the Poor by Piven and Cloward. I have lived in low income areas. Have you? What I noticed is that a lot of people were making money off the suffering souls in those areas. Landlords. Utility companies. Used car dealers. Owners and franchisees of furniture rental stores. Liquor and tobacco store owners. Who all those exploiters are is Trump's real base.

I forgot to mention that welfare bureaucracies are also a jobs program for college educated but otherwise incompetent scions of the upper middle class. If you can't get through law or medical school, lets not even mention engineering, you can become a social worker and still have managerial status and income.

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Mary Bennett

@Jen hypotheticals can be imagined whenever a bold, radical proposal is offered. Currently this has been the mainstream reception to M4A, with a briefcase full of objections.

It's a neat way to stop innovative thinking about anything and just go back to the safe confines of incrementalism.

Insert here the obvious example of JFK's Apollo plan.

As for UBI being too far-fetched to have to think too much about it being implemented, it does have some bipartisan, cross-ideological backing historically. And the red state of Alaska has long had a mini-UBI version, with no ill effects I'm aware of, including from landlords.

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@Jen with or without UBI. Preferably with, of course.

Many if not most societies in the past have controlled their markets. A country which allowed The Market to impoverish its' citizens was a weak country ripe for invasion.

When anyone suggest sensible regulations on rentiers, ie. landlords, all of a sudden leftists turn into get the @#$% govt. off our backs libertarians. Why is this?

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Mary Bennett

@Nastarana How much money do you want to spend arguing about what is sensible. If you have $1000 a month, you got some leverage. You can vote with your feet.

Why is it that the progressive mindset is that landlords always have boatloads of cash as if they are all Jeff Bezos? Why do people just assume that because you have rental property you are part of the yacht class? Why don't they assume that most landlords are three days away from filing bankruptcy? Because most new businesses end up as failures. Have you tried running a business? Have you been part of the gig economy? That is what running a business is like for most people.

So when you start talking rent controls all that will happen is the marginal landlords will lose their businesses and the really rich will take their businesses for pennies on the dollar. And it becomes even more monopolistic than it is now and the renters get screwed even worse.

Regulations help one group of people over all the others. The rich. Complying with regulations always cost money. In fact the rich are often the authors of regulations. They write them in such a way that the costs force the less-wealthy competition out of business. The rich can afford the cost and the average business person can not, and the average business owner loses his business.

Is that libertarian or common sense? The progressive thing is to give people a basic income so that they have some economic security despite what happens. And it is not dependent on the government forcing other people to do something on your behalf.

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@davidgmillsatty shouldn't have overextended themselves in the first place. Maybe that person should just get a job. Oh, but that is what we tell low status people. The status of "property owner" puts you above such insults. Why should our policies favor self-styled "businesspersons" at all? Why not policies that favor workingmen and women, including self employed artisans. GAI PLUS rent controls might well enable artisans to work from home, to the benefit of us all. I would rather spend a little more cash on something well produced by a neighbor than have to buy cheapo trash from Wallyworld or $stores.

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Mary Bennett

WaterLily's picture

@davidgmillsatty She explained my thoughts on UBI better than I could have.

Also, I'm not a Millennial, though I can see how it may have sounded that way.

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@WaterLily Wokkamile proves Jen's argument applies to every kind of increase in income. But it actually might be a good thing if local costs rise because someone else is making money to hire somebody else. And Yang points this out. What businesses want is consumers. No consumers, no business. No money, no consumers. This is a means to have a significant portion of every $1000 spent locally to support local business. And rural America needs this, suburban America needs this and urban America needs more local cash.

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Pluto's Republic's picture

@davidgmillsatty

A dream ticket for me would be Sanders - Wang.

He is respectful, intelligent, and self-aware. We have entered the technology revolution (the Fourth Industrial Revolution) where we must think ten years ahead at all times. Andrew Yang is the only person running for office who thinks this way. He has the skills and knowledge to lead Americans successfully foreward without causing harm to any of them.

When you read his platform, you can sense his compassion at the center. You can also see that he understands how the technology industry will transform our national economy, and how that can be regulated to serve all the people. He has the vision to lead the congress in the right direction and share the responsibility for the results of the decisions they made; to measure how those decisions have served the most vulnerable among us. That should be the benchmark of everything we do as a nation., for it lifts all of us to a proportionally higher state of wellbeing.

UBI is inevitable, and we are already paying a steep cost for delaying its enactment. Everyday we do not have it in place right now makes our lives harder in the future. There are 100 million Americans that are underemployed, whose paycheck is too low, or whose net worth is a negative number. In these early stages of the technology revolution, there are extremely low and extremely high wages, but not enough in the middle to support a secure life for the majority. Wages need to be buffered for the next 50 years at least to allow for all of us to live in a pleasant and decent nation rather than the hellish dystopia that is rolling in at the edges of society. When we step outside, this is not what we want to confront us. UBI will immediately boost and charge the economy, pushing the GDP up several points and creating healthy marketplaces for new businesses. It will support the expansion of the workforce for small businesses.

Universal Basic Income [UBI] is not meant to replace wages, and it doesn't. It can help out in a pinch, like a safety net, but it is not a lifestyle. It is distributed to every individual to disperse pressing needs, and then to help them pursue opportunities to improve their lives, from growing a kitchen garden to getting a masters degree, or from starting a small business with a great idea to mastering an important skill that can lead them to a new future.

Andrew Wang is the only candidate who thinks this way. It's the kind of empowerment we need.

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____________________

The political system is what it is because the People are who they are. — Plato
boriscleto's picture

@moneysmith #HowieHawkins2020, or whoever the Greens put on the ballot in NY.

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" In the beginning, the universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry, and is generally considered to have been a bad move. -- Douglas Adams, The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy "

@boriscleto
then I'll be voting Green too.

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@gjohnsit for sure. Interesting though that Yang said yesterday he might accept being Joe's VP, which would make my decision a bit more complicated.

Of course, being in safely blue CA, I have plenty of options. But voting for an oh-for-24 loser in political contests with Howie is not one of them.

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moneysmith's picture

@boriscleto Especially if the DNC stiffs Bernie again. That would be a declaration of war!

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Hell is empty and all the devils are here. William Shakespeare

Alligator Ed's picture

@moneysmith One declaration of war in 2016 should have been enough.

I am reminded of a the story of a drunk, sitting at the bar in his sports pub. A championship fight is being re-shown on the TV. After the fight replay is over, the drunk mopes about losing $25 on the fight. So the bartender asks him why, knowing the drunk had been getting his load on during the original showing of the fight. The drunk replied that he thought the second time he watched it, the fight would turn out differently.

Any of you backing Bernie think the replay is gonna turn out different?

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@Alligator Ed I think the general would produce the same result because of the EC. It remains to be seen just how much the popular vote can go to the Democrats and still have the Republicans win the EC. Iowa is a state Trump won by seven or eight last time. He is still winning Iowa but by less to Biden and Buttigieg.

Everybody was expecting Sanders to do better in the Midwest (including me) than HRC. But he is not in Iowa. Same for Warren. Of course Iowa voters are already getting bombarded with campaign ads and fever so Iowa may be a harbinger of the rest of the Midwest once the other Midwest states get the campaign whirlwind.

Emerson polls from December 11.

Iowa: Trump vs. Biden Trump 49, Biden 45 Trump +4
Iowa: Trump vs. Sanders Trump 50, Sanders 43 Trump +7
Iowa: Trump vs. Warren Trump 50, Warren 43 Trump +7
Iowa: Trump vs. Buttigieg Trump 46, Buttigieg 45 Trump +1

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First of all Cenk knows the words to popular progressive ideas but that's as far as it goes and his favorite person is Cenk, the rabid Russia-gater, Hillary lover and as far as the un-endorsement of Bernie Sanders goes Cenk announced he wanted no endorsements.

I'd undoubtedly have more examples to give except for the fact I quit listening to him when he got behind Hillary big time, but what makes that worse he attacked Bernie Sanders....and his supporters.
I'd have been surprised had he not jumped on the 'Russia did it!' bandwagon.

Then there is this in 2017....
'...The idea that someone with such a strong track record of support for the Clinton machine and Obama, like Katzenberg, is actually working to help real progressives and progressive ideas come to the forefront of American political discourse is patently absurd.

Ironically, Cenk still attempts to maintain that he is against money in politics – completely failing to mention that his newest corporate owners have shoveled millions of dollars into the pockets of Hillary and Obama – both standard bearers for the corporatist brand of Democratic party politics.

The reality of the situation is that mega rich corporatist Democratic backers aren’t investing in TYT network to turn a new leaf. These vulture capitalist outfits are buying influence within progressive outlets like Young Turks as a means of indoctrinating their audiences prior to the next election cycle — with hopes they can undermine the next Bernie..."

https://www.blacklistednews.com/Clinton_Machine_Caught_Funneling_%2420_M...

Maybe he has renounced this or has changed his ways I don't know because, like I said, I quit listening to him.

Bernie drives me crazy with his Russiagate nonsense but what bothers me more was him referring to Hugo Chavez, someone the whole world could use more of, as "that dead Dictator" and that is worse coming from someone who went to Nicaragua during the Sandinista uprising over the US installed dictator. He also called Maduro a dictator and if he has spoken out against the sanctions have killed, and will continue to kill tens of thousands of Venezuelans, I'd welcome the update.

About him campaigning for Hillary Rodent Clinton, Bernie had signed an agreement in advance of the Primaries that he would support her if she won, that was a requirement of the DNC, and he kept his word. I can't explain his silence on the treatment of his supporters at the Convention that was so obvious with the lights turned off in their area and people paid to take up seats to keep Sanders supporters out of a big area of the audience.
Myself, I thought that agreement with the DNC was null and void when the whole operation was set on killing any chance he had at being nominated as the Democratic candidate for President.

Bernie has greatly improved regarding the rights of the Palestinian people but his foreign policy views need the person of Tulsi Gabbard as part of his ticket.

There are many things to criticize about Bernie Sanders's position on some things but at age 69 never in my life have I seen a better candidate for the Presidency (that had a chance to win) and his fervent call for action on the Climate crisis, aptly calling it an "emergency" is something on which the whole world needs action. Soon and he has an ongoing record of putting on those "comfortable shoes" the President Empty Suit kept in the closet (if he even had any).

I loved Bernie's answer when asked how he could get the despicable (my word for him) Joe Manchin to support a certain Bill he said he would go to that State and get people behind the Bill and if Joe didn't go along another person can oppose him in a Primary with Bernie's active support. Spread that across the Country and we have have at such a critical time, a chance to really get the change so desperately needed.

One last thing, no matter what happens I will not vote for anyone else, other than Tulsi,no matter what.

Obama only got one vote from me( which I soon regretted) and in the last two Presidential elections I voted for Jill Stein.

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Alligator Ed's picture

@aliasalias

One last thing, no matter what happens I will not vote for anyone else, other than Tulsi,no matter what.

Obama only got one vote from me( which I soon regretted) and in the last two Presidential elections I voted for Jill Stein.

I voted Obummer once also. Yecch! Next I voted for a Mouse (Mickey), and then a greenie (Jill Stein).

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@aliasalias
but he's a bombthower (like Grayson was), so I'd still prefer he wins.

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Pluto's Republic's picture

@aliasalias

...about your political position in this election. I'm very impressed and a bit influenced, too. I like the way you set the measures and weights of the candidate's ideals and intentions, and the way you stationed guards around the perimeter of your decision.

You evaluation of Bernie was especially bold and intellectually honest. That's a quality I have learned to prize in recent ears.

One last thing, no matter what happens I will not vote for anyone else, other than Tulsi, no matter what.

Obama only got one vote from me( which I soon regretted) and in the last two Presidential elections I voted for Jill Stein.

.

Does that mean that if there is no candidate in the election that meets your standard of representation, that you would choose not to participate at all? This is not a question about voting, I am just looking at the influence of the Standard.

If Bernie was on the Presidential Ballot, it would be the only election in my lifetime that I wouldn't feel shame and embarrassment about participating.

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____________________

The political system is what it is because the People are who they are. — Plato

ADL ain't telling me how to vote. I feel the same way about "anti-Semitism" as I do about accusations of "elitism" and "racism" directed at the organic farming and gardening movement just because someone's cousin the farmworker doesn't want to work for scruffy organicman instead of Mr. Big Shot with his 300 acres of pesticide drenched produce. Which I will NOT buy.

I wish Bernie hadn't endorsed Klinton, and look how much gratitude she showed. I wish he would have run as an independent. I wish he were ten years younger, but what we have is what we have. At this juncture, I doubt he can win against Orange Julius, but we need him to be the nominee because he has coattails. He will bring out the voters who will put yet more progressives in Congress, state legislatures, and maybe even cost the Rs the Senate. Maybe even take down Mitch. "Moscow Mitch"? That is a laugh; where *itch gets the money from that he hands out to Republican candidates is the PRC, I am convinced, just like I think, and again can't prove, that Sheldon Adelson is laundering PRC money.

Russiagate is a pile of crocadoo. You know it; I know it, and Cenk ought to know it, and if he doesn't he doesn't belong in Congress.

Omar is, I believe, a CIA baby who turned on the hand that fed her. Couldn't have happened to a nicer bunch of jerks. Anyone who wants to complain about Omar, do something useful and find out the real story of how her family got here, because the official one makes no sense at all.

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Mary Bennett

Seth Rich -- still dead

Julian Assange -- for Christ sakes, Assange all but said that Seth Rich was the source of the Clinton emails and he is rotting in jail.

Chelsea Manning -- still in jail

Ed Snowden -- still chilling in Russia

Apparently these heroes are not worth standing up for.

Bashing all the unfriendly dictatorships around the world for something Israel routinely does.

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@davidgmillsatty these are AWESOME points, Mr. Gills.

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

snoopydawg's picture

@davidgmillsatty

They know that he is being tortured and being held without due process. But not one of them is saying how heinous this is. Tulsi said she'd pardon him if she became president, but he may well be dead by then.

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

gulfgal98's picture

@davidgmillsatty I have chosen to support Tulsi over Bernie in the primary. Only Tulsi has stood up for Manning, Snowden and Assange. All the rest, including Bernie, are on the wrong side of history.

I believe one of the big reasons that Bernie does not stand up to the MIC and spooks is because he is afraid that he will lose his standing on committees in the Senate. Bernie stands for some great domestic policies, but the reality is that getting funding for them is going to be very, very difficult until we dismantle the MIC and de-fang the security state.

We have spent upwards of $6 Trillion on wars in the Middle East and the costs are rapidly escalating. Congress always finds money to throw away down the black hole of war, but cannot find enough money to continue funding SNAP for 700K people. SNAP returns $1.70 back into the economy (most of which goes into local economies) for every dollar spent. SNAP and similar domestic programs are direct investments in our citizens while every dollar spent on war and the MIC simply greases the palms of the banksters and oligarchy at the expense of the people here in the US. Tulsi has spoken about how she want to re-direct those war monies into programs benefiting the people here at home.

One last thing. I believe Bernie will be able to handle Trump in the debates, but I worry that he will give into pressure from the deep state once in office. I truly believe that Tulsi will not only easy destroy Trump in the debates, but also that she has the courage and backbone to stand up to the deep state once in office.

Bottom line for me. I will vote for Tulsi in the primary. If Bernie gets the nomination, I will vote for him in the general. If neither Tulsi nor Bernie gets the Dem. nom., I probably will not vote for a Presidential candidate in the general. I have some real issues with Howie Hawkins of the Green party, so I cannot vote for him.

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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

@gulfgal98 Can't do green again. Maybe I will vote for an alligator eating jellyfish.

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snoopydawg's picture

@gulfgal98

Only Tulsi has stood up for Manning, Snowden and Assange.

Doing something is another. Like I said down thread no one is talking about what Assange is going through right now. If Tulsi supports Assange and Chelsea then I'd like to see her doing something about getting Chelsea out of jail and talking about what we are doing to Assange. He might be dead by the time a new president is sworn in. There is no reason Chelsea should be in jail for contempt when Eric Holder was charged for criminal contempt and congressional contempt. This is a huge travesty and an outrage.

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

gulfgal98's picture

@snoopydawg But at least Tulsi took that first step. I really wish she would take that second step like you said.

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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

mimi's picture

@snoopydawg
and what would that be that she supposedly could be doing?

Arent't we all say something all the time, but what are we then doing ourselves?

What is the second step?

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Joe Hill pdx's picture

I am fervently hoping that I get the opportunity to vote for Bernie in the general election. Hell, I live in Oregon. I'll probably write him in under any circumstances if another Democratic neoliberal shill is the nominee. I see in Politico today the "Bernie is surging" article. Hope it is true and durable.

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All forms of the state have democracy for their truth, and for that reason are false to the extent that they are not democracy. Marx, Critique of Hegel’s Philosophy of Right (1843)