Iowa and Bernie--both in dire need of fixing. Does Bernie have what it takes to fix it?
By now the carefully planned clusterfuck which is the Democratic Presidential Primary (DPP) is unravelling unashamedly as a hopelessly prejudiced and controlled event.
No results. Some results. Whose results? Warren, Buttgiggle, ByeDone, Bernie, and anybody else claims victory in Iowa. Can they do this? Sure. Because nobody else can claim that they have more votes. Why? Because, in the words of Lamont Cranston, only the Shadow knows.
For those tuning in late, there are no official Iowa Caucus results. Why? Because only the Shadow knows--an application designed putatively for caucus vote-counting but in reality is a data black hole.
As the two videos here indicate, the Shadow is the joint product of H. Rodent Clinton and allies, including the DNC, and would be usurpers to the Bernie throne such as Pete, the Savior of South Bend, Indiana.
Whoa there, Berniecrats! Rein in your pent up hostilities toward the Establishment. Bernie has yet to prove himself worthy of the crown. Details below.
Since even CNN was predicting, balefully, a Sanders plurality, the DNC has been further scheming on effing Bernie over once more. So the plotters, no doubt with the same subtlety as Adam Schiff, have thrown the proverbial monkey wrench into the process. Yes, people voted. Yes, precinct caucuses were held. Yes, the two-step "alignments" took place. Even some exit polling occurred (but we can't show you those because...)
We think we know who won--but do we? Is it a Bernie win? Did ByeDone come in second--or fourth? Etc. DNC makes rule changes to allow Bloomberg to enter (as his 1 million dollar DNC donation was very persuasive). Sorry, Cory. Sorry Marianne. Sorry, Andrew. Y'all just didn't convince the DNC sufficiently of your pro-DNC ardor.
Lee Camp makes this Democratic skullduggery quite obvious.
[video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSaKApE68DA]
The Duran extends Lee's analysis much more analytically.
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOjyb6FkrSQ]
There are two clear lessons, one is on-going. The other lesson is pending.
Lesson One: The DNC will never allow Bernie to win
This should surprise no one. Like the shampeachment, this travesties the product of the total disdain of the Dem establishment for due process or even the appearance of fairness. This is going to come back to bite the entire party in the ass--not just the Machine but the lefties too. This is like the Mayberry Police trying to control the Mafia. The Revolt is well-established. The rift is now made not only permanent but so clear-cut that even casual observers will not fail to notice the total dishonesty of this political aberration called the DP. There will not be any reunion of party factions. Repeat: there will no longer be any re-union of the warring factions. PUMA is the phrase carrying the message of disarray and ultimate defeat.
In a prior thread, I commented that the "Or Bust" factions will not cohere to any one DP nominee. At least 10% of Berniecrats voted Trump in '16. An equal or greater number will not support the DP nominee if that person is not Sanders. Yang voters are said to have about 20% contingent who will sit out the election if Andy doesn't get the nom. Etc. ByeDone voters won't go Left either. Lots of disaffected partisans will sit the GE out. Low turnout favors Commander Cheeto.
Democrats appear not only untrustworthy but incompetent. Voters who are not DP devotees will likely be very quizzical about the DP's ability to lead. The Dems are on the verge of a catastrophic defeat up and down the line.
Lesson Two: as yet unknown, does Bernie have the guts to call out this hoax now while it is still raw and fresh in memory?
He surrendered during the '16 debates by failing to attack HRC on her illegal emails.
He kissed her ring at the '16 convention
He campaigned for the Rodent in '16, perhaps even more effectively than the Rodent herself.
He never called out the numerous cheating incidents against him in '16.
He did not attack Biden for his Ukraine corruption, which apparently he doesn't recognize.
He failed to call out Warren for her misogynistic smear against him.
Does he have the guts?
No. If I am wrong, then Bernie should publicly and loudly condemn the DNC for this fakery NOW. But likely he won't. If Bernie does not speak for himself, strongly, effectively, then he does not deserve higher office.
This Iowa debacle is a two-fold test. It tests the public's toleration of a brazenly corrupt party. In fact the only thing progressive about the Dem Party is its progressively overt cheating and lying.
Test two is all on Bernie. Is he strong enough to stand up for himself? If he is not, why should anyone believe he will stand up for anything?
Bernie and the Dems have hit Rock Bottom
Comments
Somebody step on your tail Ed?
Bernie (and Tulsi either for that matter) don't have to prove their guts to me. Taking on the establishment is not something the weak hearted would even consider but he's done just that over and over again his entire life. That's why they hate and fear him so much. And he pays for it every fuckn time some talking head on the teevee slanders his name or spins away his accomplishments. Were he to come out and publicly proclaim that he's being screwed by the DNC the media frenzy would be unprecedented, and they'd fry him to a crisp,
, and in the process turn half the so called lefties in the country against him. He's in this thing to win, that's priority one. And he not only needs the votes of those of us who are well aware of the bullshit that he's being subjected to, we who already believe in him, he also needs the votes of every left leaning person in the country. While calling out the shenanigans of the DNC might give some of us a temporary high, in the end it would do a lot more harm than good.
All I want is the truth. Just give me some truth. John Lennon
I'm feeling just fine, thanks
I do pick up my tail when I walk. But Bernie is not fighting the process well. You say he is courting voters. He is. But all the gains he makes are being sucked away by opponents , mainly DNC. While Bernie is attracting adherents, the DNC is nullifying them by rigging vote tallies, changing primary rules, disqualifying voters.
Bernie is frantically trying to fill a glass of water with a big hole in the bottom. He won't make progress until the hole in the glass has been publicly identified and the hole filled.
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJvTtuB215A]
Morning Ed, glad you're feeling fine,
I have to strongly disagree that "Bernie is not fighting the process well." In my humble opinion he's fighting exceptionally well. He's going about it his way, which may not suit you but from where I stand it looks like that's been working pretty damn well. And you say all his gains are being sucked away by his opponents, but no, that's not true either, they're trying to nullify him for sure and no doubt their efforts have had some kind of effect but I'd hardly call their efforts successful. His message is still getting out there and he's reaching new people every day. In spite of establishment's efforts to crush him, his movement is far from stalling, it's growing. He's been in the streets fighting for fifty some years so I think I'll trust him to know how he needs to deal with the situation today. I hope someday the perfect candidate will come along and you'll be able to support him/her. I'm sure I'll be long dead before that happens. In the meantime, instead of throwing rocks at him why not support the best candidate we've had in all our lifetimes ?
All I want is the truth. Just give me some truth. John Lennon
Thanks for your comments
But, firstly his "opponents" are not the individual candidates but the DNC establishment. They call the shots.
Secondly, Bernie's policies have been consistent for 40+ years but the greatest candidate won't be president quite yet. Tulsi.
Hmmm
I don't recall saying that his opponents were individual candidates. I'm well aware that the DNC is his major opponent so not sure why you think I feel otherwise. And regarding Tulsi, I too have high hopes for her and I'd vote her this time around if I didn't have a candidate (with time proven creds) already earning my vote. And to be totally honest I think it's a little early to be proclaiming her as the "greatest candidate". Time will tell.
All I want is the truth. Just give me some truth. John Lennon
@burnt out Tulsi needs to
Tulsi needs to get off the Fundie Religion (Hindu) Modi train before I’d consider her or any other candidate “great.”
Inner and Outer Space: the Final Frontiers.
Why?
you drop in and make this comment frequently, but you don't explain what it is you object to. Does a person's religious beliefs really disqualify anyone from being president? Didn't we go through that with Kennedy? Pence is a religious fundamental as are many of the people in Trump's cabinet and they want Israel destroyed so that the rapture can happen. Are any of Tulsi's beliefs worse than that?
Was Humpty Dumpty pushed?
@Alligator Ed
I still am hoping for a Bernie/Tulsi ticket.
Perfect balance.
"I used to vote Republican & Democrat, I also used to shit my pants. Eventually I got smart enough to stop doing both things." -Me
Sadly I agree with you that he will not fight the democrats
I don't know why he'd put so much time and effort into his campaign if he knows it's being rigged. He recently said that he would once again support the winner and he's getting lots of crap for doing it from his supporters. Last time many of them did vote for Herheinous, but not this time. Not if it's stolen from him again. People say they will write his name in, but why would you fight for someone who doesn't fight with you?
"Did Hillary win fair and square?"
Bernie - "Yes." Maybe he said that so he could run again this time, but if everything is so dire as he says then what does he have to lose by going 3rd party? If the Greens have the infrastructure in place then he has nothing to lose to join them. My $.02 on this.
Was Humpty Dumpty pushed?
I think it's pretty gracious
I would be going full throttle low-classy, but his way is better. Sanders has a legion of attack dog supporters pushing back on the rigging. The attacks ads don't work, the last-minute Hail Mary candidates don't work, the questionable voting data gathering isn't working. This conflict is between American voters and the oligarchy; Bernie Sanders is our proxy. My only hope is to actually see them grabbed by the ankles and dragged to the nearest guillotine.
As far as an endorsement, Sanders knows it's his bargaining chip in a tradeoff, like the way he got us a seat at the table for modifying the party platform. That to me was a very big deal. He also knows that people who support him aren't going to just agree to support whoever; any candidate who wants a single one of his votes can step up and show some energy. He isn't stopping anyone from grinding it out for his supporters, and that comes across in the way he is constantly courting voters himself. Faillary Clinton did not grasp this one iota, and if anyone at the DNC was serious about the actual party and actually winning an election, they'd be doing everything to help him.
I don't really have an answer; I'm just reminding myself that the blame and derision and pressure belongs on the fools in the party's alleged leadership, not just on one guy doing his level best.
Not this One
Come hell, high water, or both I will be voting for Bernie in the general election. That's just the way of it, I am a street fighter and I will go down swinging before I let those incompetents take me for granted.
I don't tolerate corruption well. That particular intolerance is a feature, not a character defect.
RIP
Ramen! I agree 100%
"I used to vote Republican & Democrat, I also used to shit my pants. Eventually I got smart enough to stop doing both things." -Me
Agree.
He's fighting smart. Not necessarily by calling a press conference to shout about elction-rigging; but by planning ahead, quietly implementing the technology and processes to prove it's rigged, and then calling a press conference to release the results. And those results speak for themselves -- saying everything anyone who's paying attention needs to know.
Seems the campaign learned a lot from 2016.
@WaterLily
I hope so, I have seen a few places now that he's "Lawyer'd up" and that the campaign had their own internal app so they could track all precincts.
Fingers crossed that its true
"I used to vote Republican & Democrat, I also used to shit my pants. Eventually I got smart enough to stop doing both things." -Me
I agree Snoopy but
I checked. The Greens do not have ballot access in enough states to win the Electoral College, so the best he could get is a Green/write in combo. That would at best throw the election to the House, effectively guaranteeing a third place corruptocrat victory. D is the only way he can seriously hope to both defeat Trump and defeat the quislings.
On to Biden since 1973
i'm curious;
you and snoopy dawg seem to believe that the Green Party would choose bernie over the other five or six citizens running already, including Howie Hawkins who'd started the green party in NY back in the day. may i ask why?
I don't claim to speak for the Greens
I was just making the Bernie running 3rd party idea believable. Creating a new 3rd party or running as an independent and getting on the ballot in enough states is even harder.
On to Biden since 1973
got it;
thanks for explaining. i'd gotten to thinking either of you having been thinking bucks: that according to open secrets, bermie has $18,274,849 cash on hand might be attractive to the Green Party, as he might be able to open further ballot access with it.
i'd seen periodic café commenter juliania on the Iowa debacle thread at MoA suggeting the same thing for bernie.
@wendy davis
Honestly, and it's gonna sound dickish, but I don't think it would matter.
The Sanders wing of the party could literally Occupy and consume the green party with a little planning if they wanted to.
Numbers wise they just wouldn't have a chance.
"I used to vote Republican & Democrat, I also used to shit my pants. Eventually I got smart enough to stop doing both things." -Me
Shoe called this shit out a week ago.
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNRPmK_sFDg]
Stomping on Bernie
is bullshit.
I have no problem with what Bernie is doing. He has been doing the political gig for many decades. Being political is not the same as being a street fighter. He knows how to be a street fighter. He, also knows the consequences of being a street fighter. There are entirely too many people that don't understand the difference.
The less Trump-like, and the more presidential Bernie is the better. A "don't fuck with me" is not as good as a "I will make you look stupid" strategy for Bernie to actually win. I, on the otherhand, adopted a "don't fuck with me" strategy in my career and it worked well in a weird sort of way, but I am not a politician … Bernie is.
I like how Bernie thinks, and will continue to support him to the end.
RIP
Wow! Hit me again, I can take it!
This is not a winning strategy. Trump is a street fighter. Trump also makes his enemies look stupid, even though he is a boorish impolite clod. You don't bring a knife to a gun fight. Bernie doesn't even brandish a knife. He is a door mat. Sure he can talk to people but he is proving himself inept in Presidential politics. Despite his platform positions, many of which I endorse, he cannot take the fight effectively to the enemy. The enemy are not the voters but those who control the vote. Those that do are collectively the DNC faction.
As Comrade Stalin said: "It doesn't matter who gets the votes; what matters is who counts the votes."
Ok, AE
You’ve made yourself clear (as mud).
I believe you miss the inherent subtlety therein.
May I clarify my comment?
Don't bring a knife to a gunfight unless you also have a gun. Bernie's got a pea shooter.
@Alligator Ed
I hope your wrong and the fact that they can't hold anything over his head anymore after this election coupled with the fact that they already screwed him once makes the fighter come out in him.
It would make sense, because he has always been a fighter in the past, I think he got quite because he was holding on for this election and I don't think his supporters will let him.
Not all, but a lot of his supporters want to see him call bullshit this time, and I think he is just waiting for the final vote from Iowa to come in.
If he lays down and takes the insult in Iowa and doesn't start winning by high margins in NH and Super Tuesday then he will be done as a lot of his supporters may walk away in disgust at being let down yet again.
Just speculating though like everyone else but I would love to be a fly in his hair right now.
"I used to vote Republican & Democrat, I also used to shit my pants. Eventually I got smart enough to stop doing both things." -Me
Bernie Sanders was never a good fit for you.
You need a super-hero. You deserve one.
Bernie can only disappoint you. He is what he is.
Pluto--you are right
We both need a super hero--not just me. Super heroes have flaws--it's the extent of the flaws.
Since I am ancient, I recall the old admonition: "It isn't the size of the man in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the man. I respect those Berniecrats still supporting him. I was once one of them.
Repeating my list--none of which are policy based--but importantly character-based:
How many Berners are going to endorse Any Blue Will Do after the DNC does the expected, knocking Bernie out of contention? Does Amy Klobuchar sound enticing? How about Mike Bloomberg? Maybe Joe Biden, if he's not resting in Ukrainian prison? Like Liawatha? Who is she today? or tomorrow? Shall I continue?
I do not succumb to delusions, Ed.
I make that promise to my Readers.
It is a delusion to think that an election can or will change anything in the US.
It is a delusion to think that you live in a Democracy. I have never lived in one. I have accepted that fact since I was 18 years old and behaved accordingly
I don't need a superhero. I need a population that is not suffering from delusions.
Hi Pluto
There's some truth in that, one election by itself won't do much, but a movement can, and will, if we can keep it going...
All I want is the truth. Just give me some truth. John Lennon
Burnt Out
There has never been a Left political movement in the United States.
There never will be.
You have to know this.
I am speaking the truth today, only.
Well hell, I guess it's over then.
All I want is the truth. Just give me some truth. John Lennon
It never existed in the first place.
Look around at America. This cage-match is not what a real Democracy produces. Prisons filled to the bursting point. A blatantly lying press. Propaganda every way you turn. Wars in seven countries and growing. Homelessness and hunger. You think people vote for this?
The only thing that is 'over' is the delusion that there is a working democracy in the a US.
And, really, that's only for today.
The delusion will be back tomorrow.
But somewhere deep within, most Americans know the truth. They are just too tangled up inside to speak it.
Let's look at the silver lining
Under Trump we're no longer overtly in 9 wars. The count is down to 7. Incrementalism at its best.
and yet on a different
thread, you'd argued that bernie IS the authentic left, whatever that signifies. i guess now people left of bernie comprise 'the radical socialit left'. boy, howdy, have the Progressive Dems ratcheted the Overton Window to the Right!
Bernie is a Leader who is authentically Left
The politicians whom he leads, however, are willing to overlook profound Leftist principles when they are dazzled by identity politics.
The so-called Progressive politicians went along with Obama's wars for Israel's benefit. They kept a low profile and didn't speak out against the unspeakable for the sake of Democratic Party cohesiveness or loyalty — a capitalist-driven Party that wishes the Left would just go away and die. The Democrats invented Identity Politics solely to suck them in and compromise them.
Progressive politicians will follow Bernie because he makes them feel like decent and honorable and principled people again. They can actually say what they truly feel — if only for a short time.
Quote of the day, week, month, etc
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
What you going to do with that non-delusional population?
When?
Help them govern themselves.
And take control their country.
Ok, if Bernie doesn't do it, I'll look you up.
I assume you'll still be hangin' out here.
And maybe even join in when this movement reaches a comparably-sized critical mass as Bernie's. Good luck!
I outright reject "Any Blue Will Do"...
I'm more at "The Right Blue or I'm Through".
I fully support #BringingBackPuma
"I used to vote Republican & Democrat, I also used to shit my pants. Eventually I got smart enough to stop doing both things." -Me
Have to agree, AE
I duck into Infowars on occasion to see what they have going and the other day they were talking about the tactics the Deep State employed to make sure that Trump's initiatives never went anywhere (in areas that threaten their interests, a lot of what he wants, they are fine with).
Essentially, it went like this: intimidate anyone that was inclined to work for him who was competent and sympathetic to his agenda into not doing so. Where persuasion and/or threats were insufficient the DOJ could be brought into play (ex: Flynn case) and MSM.
Then, when he was starved of alternatives, they would introduce their own people (ex: Gen. MacMasters) and/or keep people such as Ciaramella in place to undermine and preferably get rid of Trump one way or another.
I think that's generally accurate, but why relevant to Bernie?
Because they would do the Exact Same Thing to Sanders or anyone else elected who threatened their hold on power.
And I can't see Bernie having what it takes to deal with that either in terms of fortitude or experience.
But if anyone can, I say it's Tulsi G.
If she was on the ticket as his VP I *might* vote for him in the general. But it would actually be a vote for her.
100% agreement here
@Blue Republic If Tulsi is so great,
If Tulsi is so great, why is she backing organized Hindu Fundie yahoos like Modi? She also has made quite a few critical remarks towards Muslims. Fundamentalism in organized religion is a violent, intolerant, idiotic curse. Is she aware of that fact?
Inner and Outer Space: the Final Frontiers.
You are doubling down on this
Did you see my comment to you asking you to clarify your statement? Again you post this as the number one reason why you won't support Tulsi. Please expand on it.
Can't the same be said for all religions? The US says it's a christian nation and yet it has killed well over 20 million people since the end of WWII and is now killing hundreds of thousands through it's brutal economic sanctions. What makes Tulsi's religion more dangerous than any other? I am not trolling you. I am curious to why you think it is.
Was Humpty Dumpty pushed?
I'm not aware of her
"backing" Hindu extremists, although she did meet with Modi fairly recently. I don't have a problem with that per se, any more than I do with her meeting with Assad. I personally know Indian Hindus who can't stand Modi, although this (Hindu Indian, apparent Jimmy Dore fan) makes a case for the BJP not being as bad or extreme as they are portrayed by the MSM.
Anyhow, tell you what. You check out this keynote speech of hers to the Muslims for Peace (2017) conference and let us know what you regard as the xenophobic bits. I (and, seemingly, her audience) seemed to have missed them.
As far as that goes
"Fundamentalism in organized religion is a violent, intolerant, idiotic curse."
it's not exactly a blessing in organized politics, either.
@Blue Republic
I am down with that as well. I'd like to see preferably 8 Years of Sanders/Gabbard then another 8 with Gabbard and a progressive to be named at a later date.
"I used to vote Republican & Democrat, I also used to shit my pants. Eventually I got smart enough to stop doing both things." -Me
Now I'm going to agree with you gator, no buts
Bernie's plan appears to be to win support by turning the other cheek. Under the 5 ways theory he's using the intelligence/morality combo very effectively, getting money just fine and probably enough popular support to win. The corruptocrats are rapidly reaching the point of no return with the last tool - violence - and it is always a losing tool when used alone. If the corruptocrats cheat Bernie and succeed the Democrat Party will not survive 2020, 2022 at worst. A pyrrhic victory for Bernie, but the worst case scenario for him.
Look at the possible results of a Bernie/Trump/quisling race:
Enough die hard Rs and Ds could give up their delusions and elect him outright, but do you trust the voters of Alabama and the secretary of state of California to allow that? That leaves the identity of the quisling Dem:
Mayor Cheat? (a CIA goon who thinks a domino mask is a disguise)
The Senator (actually the VP) from the Great State of Alzheimer's?
Or my most likely, The Firm Hand Rising From The Rubble (see Feinstein 77 for a terrifying example)
I'd go for it, but I have only a little time left and believe that we have even less.
On to Biden since 1973
I agree with the predicted Whiggification of D Partei by 2022
For my information, what are the "five ways"?
However
My point is Bernie can't win if he gets cheated again and if he does what will he do this time? Last time he accepted the results and I can see why he did then. It positioned him to run again and I fervently hope that Bernie can pull this off and even though I no longer partake in voting for reasons I have said numerous times before and the biggest is because I am in Utah and my vote doesn't count or matter here.
I am not saying that people should stop supporting him now. That would be ridiculous of me to do. I am wondering if he will fight this time since time is so short.
I agree with this: Dr. John
I don't think he has anything to loose if he fights them with everything he and we have. We are losing so much on so many issues that if he fights he won't be fighting alone.
Was Humpty Dumpty pushed?
Oh, Sanders Won for sure!
Whether or not our corporate overlords can rig it enough without getting caught?
That's the question...
"I used to vote Republican & Democrat, I also used to shit my pants. Eventually I got smart enough to stop doing both things." -Me
Absolutely. If anyone other than Bernie had won they would have
found a way to release the full caucus results so the winner would get a bump from the victory. There is only one reason for them to sit on the data, to screw Bernie.
They already *got* caught n/t
There is no justice. There can be no peace.
Getting caught?
By whom and what is the punishment for rigging the primary?
Answer: In court, the DNC stated that as a private corporation they had every right to choose their candidates in whatever way they choose. The court accepted that argument and now we are seeing it in practice. We have no real recourse beyond taking to the streets.
I have heard that the Sanders campaign was looking into filing a lawsuit over the Iowa caucuses. Does anyone really believe that a lawsuit will change anything? Jared and Elizabeth Beck's lawsuit against the DNC went no where. We are all royally f*cked.
The DNC's candidate will be some version of the Clintons including perhaps Hillary herself either as the compromise second ballot candidate or perhaps as Vice President under Buttigieg. They do not care about appearances or whether or not we know. They only care about power.
It has been so depressing that there is no real legal recourse. Meanwhile, I will vote Tulsi, knowing that my vote does not count. But at least I will have my self respect knowing that I voted my conscience.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
Biden is possibly suiing the Iowa results
not to contest the results which I would support, but he wants to see how the results were tallied before any of them are released and will take it to the SC if he can. What would that accomplish? Nada, but it would disrupt the rest of the vote process imo. It's just more theater and I am tired of knowing how the play is going to end. Badly for us no doubt.
I posted a link to the article in one of the other essays on this.
Was Humpty Dumpty pushed?
@gulfgal98
Hopefully they will get caught by the majority of their voters and they get outraged enough to throw out the current DNC leadership.
Sure it's a long shot but I never thought it was a good idea for him to run in the Democratic Party in the first place.
We should have worked with, or taken over, the green party at the end of the last election and gotten on the ballot in all 50 states.
But that's water under the bridge, the most likely way they will get caught is by stealing the election from the candidate with the best chance to beat Trump.
Bernie would pull a lot more Independents than a Scumberg or equivalent DNC Stooge.
We have to find a way to take the energy from this movement forward regardless of what they do to Bernie again.
We can't let the fucking fuckers get away with screwing Sanders again, and if Trump wins and Sanders isn't the nominee I will happily tell every Dem bitching about it, "Well you should have called out your party for screwing you out of the candidate that could have beaten him... Twice..."
"I used to vote Republican & Democrat, I also used to shit my pants. Eventually I got smart enough to stop doing both things." -Me
The cheer leader should be Bernie--but will he?
Some rumblings from his staffers about the Iowa rigging are afoot but unless Bernie weighs in HEAVILY now, this cheating will simply be swept under the News Cycle Rug.
Here's the article on democrats saying it's legal to rig the
primary and the election if they want. I haven't checked to see if anything has been updated yet. Anyone know if it has?
https://observer.com/2017/05/dnc-lawsuit-presidential-primaries-bernie-s...
Was Humpty Dumpty pushed?
I have a room in which we can smoke cigars
Now all we need are donations and candidates.
There's really nothing there for Bernie to fix.
I wouldn't ask myself that question,
because there is no other option than to vote for Sanders and see what comes out of it, to be realistic. He does what he can. And that's not that much in this beautiful democracy of yours. (sorry for insulting the democracy of the US) I would ask myself the question, if you had asked if Tulsi had what is needed. In the darkness of shaddows all the answers are shaddowy, I guess., so why even ask them, if nothing but more shaddow will be the result of it.
https://www.euronews.com/live
I wouldn't say Bernie is in dire need of fixing.
Though I do hear what you're saying and I agree. Bernie is nothing if not consistent and honest. I fully expect when the DNC tips the scales for an as yet to be determined notBernie, he won't fight it and he will go out and campaign for them. He's consistently said he will do this and it's what he did in 2016, so I have no reason to doubt him.
But, here's the thing, the progressive movement should be bigger than just one person. That's not to downplay what Sanders has done. We couldn't be at this point without him. However, I think if Bernie chooses to sheepdog (yeah, I said it) for the corrupt Dems again this year, his movement will move on without him. I don't know what that looks like, I don't think anyone does. But I feel pretty confident that a repeat of 2016 is going to prove once and for all we don't have time to try to take over the Democrat party.
I would hope that Sanders has a change of heart and will be on board. I strongly doubt that will happen and really, I think it's ok. I often worry that some people have made this too much about Sanders and moving on without him will give new leaders the opportunity to lead. I guess we will see what happens.
(Sorry if that doesn't make sense. I'm only on coffee #2 this AM. lol)
Idolizing a politician is like believing the stripper really likes you.
The progressive movement will survive
The movement is bigger than Bernie, bigger than the Squad. It is currently increasing, independent of its most respected member. Bernie started something in 2016 that the Dems will not crush. In fact, the Dems will cease to exist in 4 to 8 years. They will be overtaken and then replaced by a Progressive Party, one that is preferably a Realistic Progressive Party--the current inspiration for that is epitomized by Tulsi G.
I would believe so too, the younger generation
will take care of it. Some time from now the older generation has to give up, resign and go home and leave their power behind.
https://www.euronews.com/live
They can’t live forever
try as they might.
I used to work with high schoolers and frankly, most of them were much more together than I was at their age. I’m definitely working to leave them something better, but I think they’re pretty aware of the odds they’re against and resourceful enough to figure a way out.
Idolizing a politician is like believing the stripper really likes you.
Agreed.
And the more Iowas that happened, the stronger I think it’s going to get. And oh man, there are going to be more Iowas this year.
Idolizing a politician is like believing the stripper really likes you.
I for one do think Bernie does
get the fact that what he started is a movement - he keep saying it's about us, not him.... I think at this point all he can do is keep on doing what he's doing, not giving any unnecessary ammunition to a party and a large group of its deluded followers (suicidal lemmings in reality) to say he's not doing his part to beat the Trumper. Of course that is a stupid position but look how many in this country still believe it changes things, all evidence to the contrary that we as a populace should damned well know by now.
Do we honestly think Bernie would get any type of fair hearing on charges of rigging once again? How well did that go last time? I think what he's showing all of us, and perhaps that really IS the point, is just how corrupt and un-reform-able the Democratic party really is, and IMHO, that's not really a small thing. Maybe after he loses again he does try third party, or maybe he just throws in the towel and gives up completely, we won't know that until it happens.
I have NEVER been happy with him jumping on the Russiagate crap or any of the other things he's done to reinforce the neo-liberal war mongers, but then again, I haven't been working there for 40 years either. We talk a lot out here about just what "has" to be done to get anywhere near an election, and most seem to at least accept the reality that unfortunately there ARE boundaries that cannot be crossed in such a willfully deluded and ignorant society. But we expect one man to buck the entire system and when he does not we throw him away because he didn't do it our way? Sorry, I guess I really am not ready to just roll over and give up, all my hardened cynicism to the contrary. Survival instinct perhaps, the lizard brain that will keep on trying even when everything tells you one should just give up.
Only a fool lets someone else tell him who his enemy is. Assata Shakur
Great comment
and maybe I need to clarify some of my early morning ramblings.
I do have complete confidence Bernie realizes, expects and wants this to be something bigger than himself. My point was more that if Bernie gets cheated again and decides to stay with the Dems, not to cast him aside, but I do think that it will be time to start looking outside the Dems for solutions. Imagine if a serious effort was built on this momentum to create a viable third party. A lot of people will say it can’t be done and I say why? Just because it hasn’t? And you really think the Democrats are going to cooperate with a President Sanders anyway?
As it stands, Bernie probably couldn’t run third party now because of our asinine ballot access rules. But, again, imagine the momentum of the movement plus four years plus the transparent DNC fraud two elections in a row...
So I’m just spitballing here. I know trying to take over the Democrats seems like a best solution to some but I disagree. And I really think another year where the progressives are shit on by the Dems ought to at least encourage some to start looking beyond taking over team blue.
Hope that’s a little clearer maybe.
Idolizing a politician is like believing the stripper really likes you.
You're fine, lol.
I guess its my morning tendency to rant that got me fired up. But I do actually hope, dare I even think that way, that this blatant theft might just truly wake up enough of the Democratic party faithful to just what they're really facing - a party that does not support real people and NEVER WILL. Bernie is doing what he can, he has started a conversation and that cannot be denied. And really, even IF he wins nothing will change overnight, and if our masters do as they usually do, they'll time a big financial crash right after he gets elected, blame socialism for it all, and the country will go right down the shitter anyway. Ooops, some cynicism slipped through that tiny bit of hope, my bad, as usual.
Only a fool lets someone else tell him who his enemy is. Assata Shakur
Hahah. You and I are 100% on the same page
Idolizing a politician is like believing the stripper really likes you.
Not sure why the Fed has bowed to Trump
by not raising interest rates, thus causing the inevitable recession. Maybe he's got some FISA stuff on the governors--no, I really don't believe that. But recessions are great political weapons, more potent than foreign wars in determining our governance.
Martin Amrstrong, voice of I am not sure what part
of the establishment, Wall Street maybe, has what I suppose are the agreed upon "official" caucus results: https://www.armstrongeconomics.com/international-news/politics/iowa-caucus/
Armstrong points out that Sanders, tied with Bootygag in the "official" results, received strong support from young voters. Didn't occur to Armstrong to wonder why the much younger Booty did not have equal appeal with his own age group. Issues, in MA's world, seem to have nothing to do with voting.
Mary Bennett