Tuesday Open Thread ~ Super Tuesday Edition
You need chaos in your soul to give birth to a dancing star ~ Friedrich Nietzsche
Good Morning!
Welcome to Super Tuesday’s Open Thread. Been super busy here in delegate-rich California as a group of friends and neighbors, along with myself, have been canvassing and making those very important GOTV phone calls ahead of the Big Day. And here it is! While there's been lot's of news in the past two days with both Buttigieg and Klobuchar dropping out, I'd like to take a moment and reflect instead on what Bernie's campaign has achieved, particularly the differences between his campaign in 2016 and the campaign he is running now. It took a lot of determination, not to mention a lot of people engaged in something bigger then themselves, to build the kind of movement Bernie and his surrogates have created. As many of us remember, not only did the Establishment and their arrogant supporters tell us we were delusional "purists" for supporting someone like Bernie in 2016, they laughed at us for wanting better things for ourselves, our neighbors, and our families. Well, it's 2020 and they sure aren't laughing now. And you know what? I think that's something to dance about!
Tweets of the Week
No, @JoeBiden, most Americans really DON’T like the status quo. Shouting out that you oppose change + you disdain the “revolutionary” idea that working people deserve a better America - well, THAT’S not the way to beat Trump. @BernieSanders will see you on the playing field Tues
— Bill de Blasio (@BilldeBlasio) March 1, 2020
Did not see those Texas numbers on socialism coming. https://t.co/Emi3i4VY9t
— Krystal Ball (@krystalball) March 1, 2020
With 0%, Bernie Sanders has won:
CA
UT
CO
MN
TX
NC
MA
ME
VTSee, we can do it too. See you #SuperTuesday.
— Jen Perelman For Congress (@JENFL23) March 1, 2020
I’m voting for Bernie because he’s the type of person to neatly stack the plates and cups on the table after he’s done eating to make it easier for the server.
— Logically Preston ❼ (@PrestonTheSnack) March 2, 2020
The establishment has their man
The problem? Well he can’t form complete sentences
— Saagar Enjeti (@esaagar) March 2, 2020
Reminder: @JoeBiden cast one of the key votes to help Republicans narrowly defeat legislation by @BernieSanders and Paul Wellstone designed to stop pharmaceutical price gouging.
Pass it on. https://t.co/PLuyHSofgX
— David Sirota (@davidsirota) March 2, 2020
Imagine putting all your eggs in the Joe Biden basket. https://t.co/nRPX4gqol5
— Krystal Ball (@krystalball) March 3, 2020
NEWS: @BernieSanders campaign tells endorsers/supporters to make clear the choice between Bernie & Biden "is a choice between Democrats' core economic & social justice agenda & the establishment’s agenda that aims to protect & enrich the wealthy."
Memo: https://t.co/JneO2O1f50 pic.twitter.com/nSnvRpA7bQ
— David Sirota (@davidsirota) March 3, 2020
If there’s one thing Pete & Amy hate more than each other, it’s you having health care.
— rob delaney (@robdelaney) March 3, 2020
It is said that power corrupts, but actually it's more true that power attracts the corruptible. The sane are usually attracted by other things than power. ~ David Brin
The Corruptible Club
It takes a certain kind of person who knows that they want to become President before they’ve even finished college. In a six degrees of separation story I heard recently from a friend of mine, the topic of one such person came up when he told me that a friend of a friend of a friend remembers going to a bar with this guy who declared that he was going to be the first black president of the United States. That person was of course, Barack Obama.
Although I wasn’t surprised to hear that Obama knew early on what his ambitions were, the size of his ego still had the capacity to amaze me. It shouldn’t really. After all, even in his book, “Dreams of my Father", the signs were there in ways I’m not sure were intended. As a young child, after finding out his paternal grandfather was from the Masai Tribe, young Barry goes to the library to look into his African heritage. When he finds a photo of a Masai warrior wearing clothing indigenous to that tribe, he is so upset he leaves the library immediately. Ok, he's only 11 years old, so maybe the "shame" of seeing where his family came from was understandable. But Barry's focus on his African family's social standing, seemed, er, very keenly felt.
Also upsetting to young Barry, were the material conditions of his very ambitious Father who had two wives and several failed business adventures. Again, what Obama lamented most about were the failed "Dreams" of his Father to become a successful man, rather than the decisions his Father made to abandon his Mother and young son to pursue glory. That Obama never holds his grandiose and ego-centric Father accountable for the horrible decisions he's made throughout his life in regards to his relationship with his son, and focuses instead on his Father's station in life is presciently telling of what Obama holds truly important. And I think we can safely say that Barry didn't want to become the first Black President of the United States so he could help his Brothers and Sisters, he wanted instead to right the wrongs of his Father’s life by becoming someone powerful and important in a way his father always dreamed for himself. Not for his son. For himself.
So there you have it. Instead of benefiting from the cautionary lessons his Father's life afforded him, Obama picks up the ego banner his Father left behind, eschews any self awareness about the price one pays for prostituting oneself out to political power players, and decides to sell his soul for glory.
Job well done, Barry.
Cheesy Popcorn
Recipe courtesy of Chowhound.com
To get cheese to stick to popcorn, you need melted butter. The problem is, the melted butter makes the popcorn soggy. To solve this, we drizzle popcorn with some spicy butter, coat it with lots of finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese, then bake it in the oven for half an hour. The cheese melts and the popcorn gets crispy again.
Ingredients
15 cups plain popped popcorn (from about 1/2 cup kernels), unpopped kernels removed
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
3 ounces Pecorino Romano cheese, grated on the spiky or smallest holes of a box grater (about 1 cup)
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 250°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Place the popcorn in a large roasting pan.
- Place the butter, red pepper flakes, and salt in a small saucepan over low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the salt has dissolved and the butter has melted.
- Drizzle the butter mixture over the popcorn, making sure to scrape it all out of the pan with a rubber spatula. Using a flat spatula, toss the popcorn to coat it in the butter mixture. Sprinkle with the cheese and toss again.
- Bake, stirring every 10 minutes with the flat spatula and scraping up any cheese from the bottom of the pan, until the popcorn is crispy and well coated with the cheese, about 30 minutes total.
Comments
I hope we can prevail over the election shenanigans in TX
The people in districts with minority voters are going to have lines at the polls.
link to article in the gaurdian about texas polling places and racial profille of districs
Thanks for all the great work in CA.
Looking forward to big numbers for Bernie.
I hope so too
There are a lot of people out there who've worked very hard to make that happen. If there is a political karma, let it happen now!
There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier
As I've said above --
Buttigieg and Klobuchar are positioning themselves for 2024. Or so they think. 2020 is a wash for them. As I pointed out, though, their cultural stock is in decline, and moreover in 2024 people are going to be more concerned with the ongoing disaster that has been neoliberal rule.
“When there's no fight over programme, the election becomes a casting exercise. Trump's win is the unstoppable consequence of this situation.” - Jean-Luc Melanchon
Half of all the young people I work with
Have either canvassed for Bernie, or are closely following this election. You can't put that genie back in the bottle. At some point, there is a tipping point, and if we aren't already there, we're flirting at the edge of it.
There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier
Good morning, Anja ~~
Unfortunately for the dimwit party, their little trick of stacking the deck with Biden might not work out so well for them. Should they be able to steal the nomination from the people (Bernie), we will have four more years of Herr Drumpf. It's now or never for the American people.
CHOICE MATTERS
Have a stomach turning day, folks! (imagine the evening!
) 
Edited to add this article by Greenwald in the Intercept
"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11
The Rising folks warned us last night
that they wouldn't have results till late tonight from CA, and might not have final results from there for as much as a week. Early votes are likely to trend Bernie, seeing as they pre-date Biden's SC bump and the exit of Klobby and Butty. So chill out as much as possible, y'all. As they say in sports, don't get too high or too low.
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
Indeed, I think most of us here
are aware of how long California will take. Thanks for the reminder, though.
"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11
More like 2 weeks, actually. That's pat of why many
Californians were outraged that they called it so early in 2016.
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
If they do manage to steal this away from Bernie
I have to wonder how long it will take for a massive realization that the Establishment actively chose to bide their time with another four years of Trump, rather than deal with the consequences of a Sanders Presidency.
There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier
massive realization
if the voters do not get it by now
they may never
some of us see the establishment games
more clearly than others
depending upon our chosen programming
perhaps.
Most of the good folk, activists and politically aware
recognize the stakes in this contest.
Like you said, karma is on the side of good.
Well we're off to vote in an hour or so
I get to bubble in two choices on the dim ballot...prez and an amendment to allow the governor to appoint the state school board. No local, state, nor federal Dim candidates. Alabama is very red (neck).
We're splitting our votes...one for Bernie and one for Tulsi. Sure is amazing how effectively they disappeared Tulsi. And no I don't want the governor to appoint the school board (even though voters usually elect crummy candidates I trust them more than the governor).
So that is what I have to vote for today. Sure seems like a charade. I hope we have good news tomorrow AM.
Why hasn't Biden's role in the devastating Crime Bill not been more widely covered?
(Rhetorical question)
https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2019/03/joe-bidens-1993-crime-bil...
Trump will chew him up and spit him out as ByeDone struggles to complete a sentence.
Hope everyone has a good day. Another wet one here.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Hey, Anja, and everybody,
I'm a little freaked out b/c Kate got the call last night. She went out in the middle of the night to get blood tested b/c some organs came in.
So great, right? Well, yes, but I was really hoping to keep Kate away from hospitals while coronavirus was pandemic--not have her go in for really serious surgery that requires her to take immunosuppressant drugs. So we're waiting to see if the organs match, & I don't even know what I should be hoping for!
They're out voting for Bernie--Kate never got around to leaving the Democratic primary, so why not? She said "You know I'm an optimist--I always think `Well, maybe they might count it this time!'" I said "Make 'em sweat."
EDIT: Shit! When did we stop being a Super Tuesday state! OK, well, I guess they won't be voting this morning.
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
March 17 for Florida
Good luck with finding a match today.
I'm still a Dem too. Otherwise, I would never get to vote in local races around here.
I don't know why they keep changing things around. ?
Good to "see" you, crbingville.
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
Good luck to you and Kate
my father had a kidney transplant at a time when there wasn’t the threat of a pandemic looming. It was one of the most stressful things I can remember. The up side is, things went well. But it was scary, I won’t lie.
My thoughts are with you.
Idolizing a politician is like believing the stripper really likes you.
Nothing to do but hope for the best!
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
Wow, that is some exciting news!
Nerve wracking, too, I'm sure. Will chant for the best possible outcome for the both of you.
There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier
Dang brother,
good, positive thoughts and prayers I send out to you and yours!
C99, my refuge from an insane world. #ForceTheVote
For you guys and all the work you've done in CA...
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
I am not expecting
a big turnout here, other than those who might be interested in our local sheriff's contest.
As of yesterday, the area with the highest concentration of meth labs is also the area with the most "re-elect the Sheriff" signs.
One of my best friends, an establishment D with whom I can converse about anything but politics, lost her shit, discussing the Bernie purists".
I just listened politely.
One of us will be pretty happy tonight, the other will not, so we shall see.
Anja, a great h/t to you for not losing your fiery enthusiasm.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Remaining active helps stem the anxiety
As I'm sure you can relate being an active person yourself. I believe what Bernie and his supporters have done has been to fundamentally change the way we engage in politics. And that matters to me. Can't control the outcome or what TPTB will do, but I'll be damned if I roll over dead for them. Fight on!
There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier
Morning,
I can't believe anyone would vote for "You know, You know the thing..." guy...
I'm quite pleasantly surprised by the number of people favorable to Socialism in Texas. Maybe my idea of the Soviet Socialist Republic of Texas isn't such a pipe dream after all...
Chris Matthews is out at MSNBC! YEAH!
[video:https://youtu.be/LGMxtDo94XQ]
EDIT: I just caught the "supersized" instead of "surprised", jeezsus!
C99, my refuge from an insane world. #ForceTheVote
I can't believe anybody would either
But people never fail to surprise me. On the flip side of that, I've had the privilege of organizing with some amazing people. There's a lot of heart and fight in the generation that is going to inherit this mess, and they sure do give a damn.
Thanks for the vid. Will circle back when I'm done with reading this thread and watch it. Was REALLY surprised to hear Matthews "retired". Weird, weird stuff happening these days, eh?
There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier
Make 'em sweat it out
Vote like our lives and our planet depends on it . . . . pretty please. Pleading for folks I don't know and some I do.
Hey Wally, will be thinking about you today!
Solidarity, dude. You kept at and never gave up on Bernie.
There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier
Thanks Anja
for all your work.
Stomach turning day it will be, as R.A. said above.
I might have to make that popcorn recipe and watch a bit of MNSNDNC tonight in the hopes that another talking head entertains us by going batshit crazy.
It'll be a long day, I suspect
That's for sure. Funny thing I noticed as people with their "I Voted" stickers came through my line yesterday. The ones that voted for Bernie had a lot o say when I nonchalantly remarked what an "interesting" day Tuesday will be. As opposed to the ones who I suspect voted for Biden, or Warren. They just stood there stone faced as I mused how curious it was that Pete and Amy dropped out before Super Tuesday. Lol.
There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier
Bernie's new ad today - It's POWERFUL
Please, please, please . . . .
Send and tweet it to all your friends and acquaintances today.
#withthesehands
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IckwaUkr2Dc]
While Rap
is not my style of music, I thought y'all might like this...
C99, my refuge from an insane world. #ForceTheVote
That was great, RR!
Thanks for posting it!
"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11
Terrific!
I don't listen to rap because I can't keep up with the speedy lyrics; plus they are not really written for old white men like me. But this one I managed to stick with and finally could understand what he had to say. I hope lots of others took the civics lesson to heart. If we save ourselves it will be the young who make it happen. Thanks.
-Greed is not a virtue.
-Socialism: the radical idea of sharing.
-Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.
John F. Kennedy, In a speech at the White House, 1962
I have two excuses
for not listening to Rap. Same as you, I generally have to listen to a song 2-3 times, to get the first, I guess verse or quatrain? And I'm Texan, which means the same thing, slow to hear the fast talking lyrics. Well, three excuses, the last being, very little rap has any guitar in it.
But once in a while, one breaks through and stirs me, like this one did!
C99, my refuge from an insane world. #ForceTheVote
Here's something for my West Coast friends...
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
Is Tuesday really Super?
Bah-da bah-da-da-da
Bah-da bah-da-da-da
Bah-da bah-da-da-da
Tuesday, Tuesday, so good to me
Tuesday mornin', it was all I hoped it would be
Oh Tuesday mornin', Tuesday mornin' couldn't guarantee
That Tuesday evenin' you would still be here with me
Tuesday, Tuesday, can't trust that day
Tuesday, Tuesday, sometimes it just turns out that way
Oh Tuesday mornin' you gave me no warnin' of what was to be
Oh Tuesday, Tuesday, how could you leave and not take me
Every other day, every other day
Every other day of the week is fine, yeah
But whenever Tuesday comes, but whenever Tuesday comes
A-you can find me cryin' all of the time
Tuesday, Tuesday, so good to me
Tuesday mornin', it was all I hoped it would be
But Tuesday mornin', Tuesday mornin' couldn't guarantee
That Tuesday evenin' the people won't let our Bernie down.
"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11
That made me smile
And YOU make me smile. Pity we couldnt sit together in my garden tonight and kill a nice bottle of Pinot Noir, eh? I'd bet we'd have a good ole time!
There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier
You know we would!
"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11
Dreaming of victory in California?
All the leaves are brown
And the sky is grey
I've been out to vote
On a winter's day
I'd be safe and warm
If I was in L.A.
California dreaming
On such a winter's day
Stopped into a church
I passed along the way
Well, I got down on my knees
And I began to pray
You know we need Bernie to win
He knows I'm voting for him
California dreaming
Long lines persist for the Bern
All the leaves are brown
And the sky is grey
I've been out to vote
On a winter's day
If I didn't vote for him
I could’nt live today
California dreaming
Deliver the delegates to Bernie!
"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11
Good morning Anja. Completed and sealed our ballots into
their special envelope yesterday (and signed and dated the envelopes). Later this afternoon we'll walk them up to the local drop off area and then come home and have a glass of wine and some cheese, cookies, or both. Tonight's dinner will be pork hash, because nothing better symbolizes US politics.
Thanks for the OT and for all you're doing for Bernie.
have a good one.
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
Well, if we are in a dancing mood.
Go Bernie. Go Tulsi. Bernie's campaign should have insisted on international election monitors. Or got his people in areas where democrats traditionally cheat insurgents.
[Video::https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGsfzsWkybc]
Great work and OT, Anja;
vicariously in the hills today.
So anxious, can't sleep; but i've good vibes, will be very happy with a 150 delegate lead, will of course be okay with a win.
WE need a new arena where the lions can't eat us, one by one.
Long live the revolution.
Wish I could invite all you wonderful people
Into my garden where I could serve you wine and cheese while we listen to wind chimes and enjoy the tea lights sparkle in the night.
There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier
I was feeling good about Bernie's chances in California until
I read this. Four hundred fifteen delegates at stake plus hinky software. We all know where this is going, right?
Edited to add: THANK YOU for all your work on Bernie's behalf!
Hell is empty and all the devils are here. William Shakespeare
Thanks for the Open Thread and
All the work you have done in California as well as tales from the aisles of Teader Joe's!
Did not get my absentee ballot in time this go round so voted in person with many of my Republican neighbors. Very red community this is. Man wearing a maga hat made to remove it. Made a big fuss because man in front of him still wearing a hat. Sheesh, what stupidity.
Back home doing chores and maybe some of that cheesy popcorn for later!
Life is what you make it, so make it something worthwhile.
This ain't no dress rehearsal!
4 votes for Bernie cast in BG, TX
First time to vote for 18 yr old son. At the voting center they announced "a first-time voter here!" and all applauded. Sort of cool.
Our extra child had to drive her mom to Sherman today, so she might not have the chance to vote. The case for early voting!
All the best to everyone!
Marilyn
"Make dirt, not war." eyo
Hey, Anja ~~~
I just want to say that when I picture you, I picture you like that woman dancing with Fred. Can't tell if it's Ginger or not. Anyway - to me, that's YOU dancing with Fred!
"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11
Enjoyed hearing you say that
more than I can say. And btw, I picture your spirit in much the same way...
There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier
Ditto, my friend
"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11
I'm fairly calm about today
I think Biden will get a boost from SC and these endorsements but Bernie will win a lot more delegates.
I've become convinced, however, that real change for the better will only happen after the US collapses and the resulting wars/skirmishes between the former states settle down, somewhere around 2250 AD.
This is encouraging out of Texas
(hopefully this line of text will fix twitter embed)
C99, my refuge from an insane world. #ForceTheVote
FWIW, I identified the GIF
"Broadway Melody of 1940", Fred Astaire and Eleanor Powell.
I was pretty sure it wasn't Ginger, she was very very blonde.
There is no justice. There can be no peace.
Thanks Maven!
I was wondering who that was dancing with Fred. Knew it wasn't Ginger.
There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier