I doubt I'll be voting for the lesser of 2 evils
The lesser of 2 evils. A concept we talked about in 8th grade history class. I turned 18 in 1976 and voted for Jimmy Carter, and have continually voted for the lesser of 2 evils my entire adult life. I have seriously considered writing in Bernie come November, I see no reason to continue this pattern.
ANother concept: Give the keys to the car to the GOP, and they will run the car off the cliff. The alternative is to sign up for 4 or 8 more years of incrementalism at a minimum, more likely for the rest of my adult life. Because at age 58 I will most likely never get another chance to vote for a candidate that represents the people like Bernie has. Letting the GOP totally screw the pooch would require 4 years of not incrementalism, but real increased pain. People would die. But at the end of the day we would be in a much better position to take the reigns of our government and lead the way to a new progressive era that would last decades.
That is why BrandNewCongress.org has inspired me to run for Congress in 2018. Bernie stepped up and swung for the fences, no its my turn to step up and swing for the fences.
I wholeheartedly suggest we all step out of our comfort zones and step up.
BTW I scooped the Huffington Post when I first wrote about Zack Exelys new PAC, Brand New Congress, by a good 20 hours. After sitting on the information for 48 hours.
Heres the FEC filing dated April 5th:
http://www.fec.gov/fecviewer/CandidateCommitteeDetail.do?candidateCommit...
Comments
So, where do you live?
And what's your platform? ;->
I'd like to know that, as well.
good to see you here, GW
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Muerte al fascismo. Muerte a la tiranía. colapso total de los que promueven tampoco. A la pared con el unico porciento%
Live? Platform? How About Filling In the Bio Page?
"Location: Olympus Mons"
Seriously? Constituency Little Green Men?
Come on, Roger. You have to help out... a little.
Improve the Resilience Resource Library by adding your links.
Vote Smart - Just the Facts - 40,000 politicians by name or zipcode
"Come on, Roger. You have to help out... a little."
First off --
Bernie hasn't lost yet. He needs people to PHONEBANK CALIFORNIA!!!!!!!!
Secondly, let's be real about the "Letting the GOP totally screw the pooch would require 4 years of not incrementalism, but real increased pain. People would die" pitch. Plenty of people have already died thanks to Hillary Clinton, and lots more are going to die under her rule than under any Republican you care to name. Do we need to repeat it?
"The most revolutionary thing one can do is always to proclaim loudly what is happening." -- Rosa Luxemburg
That second clip, about Qaddafi's death
was shown on Democracy Now! yesterday or the day before. Amy Goodman was interviewing Sy Hersh. He was really upset by her dismissive comment and laughter. He said, "the man was sodomized with swords!" Not really a laughing matter, even if he committed equally disgusting acts.
Wow
Amy is death on Hillary. To me, she is a model journalist, objective and fearless. But she had a piece on Honduras that was brutal. Kissinger, indeed!
Bernie is a win-win.
Amy Goodman the only actual factual journalist left
That cackle of hers. My friends heard it as they were "escorted" out of a infiltration of HRCs pandering for money here in OR for her Senate run in NY. They said she was not laughing but CACKLING.
I will never vote for her. But... I would never vote for Trump or a Repubican just shit can get worse.
Shit getting worse means people will suffere even more. MORE.
Phonebank for Bernie! And let's throw out the entire election process.
"Love One Another" ~ George Harrison
Her cackles.
I remember Bill Maher making a joke about her laughing, saying that she doesn't sound like she's laughing at something funny or whatever, but that her laugh makes her sound like she just poisoned Snow White.
Unsurprisingly, anybody who makes fun of her laugh is considered sexist, b/c why the fuck not.
No, the Sanders campaign is dead,
After the shellacing in NY, it's over. If Clinton had beaten him by 5% or even 10%, he had a chance. But 60-40, a 20% loss in the second biggest state means that Democratic voters have overwhelmingly rejected him and embraced privatization, offshoring, and Wall Street buying the White House. As a consequence, I am leaving the Democratic Party. I have voted in my last Democratic primary. I had already quit NARAL over their endorsement of HRC, as if Bernie was anti-choice! Might as well vote in the Republican primary where there is some chance of having an influence.
I've seen lots of changes. What doesn't change is people. Same old hairless apes.
No - it isn't Voice...
Although he can't outright win, if he does as well as expected in the last states - neither can she if he stays in, why do you think they are getting so panicked about making him drop out?:
https://johnlaurits.com/2016/04/28/this-is-what-will-happen-at-the-democratic-convention/
You have to remember those super delegates won't vote until all this is over, and if they go to the convention with neither getting the magic number, anything could happen. At the least, its going to look bad if they use those supers to hand her something she didn't win.
Although I agree with you about leaving the D party. Once you've voted in your primary, there's no reason to stay in. I'm doing the same. But don't give up on the campaign, because even not winning, it can still motivate people and start things moving. I don't think they can put this back into the can. Its been building and will keep building the more the 1% screw us, and they will keep screwing us.
I hope you're right
We'll see after California. if, as I suspect, California mirrors New York, then the New Deal is truly dead.
Illinois, New York, Pennsylvania - why wouldl California be any different?
I've seen lots of changes. What doesn't change is people. Same old hairless apes.
Yeah, I know...
It's hard not to give into despair.
But I still think we should stay in until the end. Let them overplay their hand and prove to everyone paying attention that they are cheats and thieves. It may not matter for Bernie's campaign, but it can matter for the future and make more people wake up and pay attention to what they are doing.
What really makes me despair
is all the talk about Bernie giving a ringing endorsement of hillary at the convention.
If that happens, I'll know that I was fooled by a politician once again and swear off this meaningless exercise of voting for tweedledee or tweedledum.
I've seen lots of changes. What doesn't change is people. Same old hairless apes.
Because it's out west, where he did way better than he
did in the east, for one thing. California doesn't even mirror NY.
Come on, folks, if you're giving up already, you're not very committed to change. If you're that sure he's Done already, you need to turn off your television--or at least turn off the damned repetitive garbage propaganda.
In a way CA
is a lot like NY. LA is like NYC only hot. My first boss in Hollywood used to say everyone thinks LA is so laid back but it's like NYC only hot. It's controlled by wealthy rich limousine liberals.I lived half my life in CA both SF and LA. Don't even get me started on Silicon Valley or Orange county. Being poor in LA is almost as bad as being poor in NYC. It's a police state were poor and poc are considered criminals. Northern CA might be a little better but the Bay area and SF may be socially liberal but look at the Democrat's that get elected there.
I now live in Portland OR. and sadly we are being invaded by neoliberal screw or get screwed yuppie hipster's from CA who think Portland is a good place to move to because even they have been priced out by the unmitigated rampant greed in CA. I hope your right but I doubt Bernie will carry CA. Maybe he will win the rural non Bay Area and the northern part of the state. I really do hope he wins it but having lived my life in OR and CA makes me pessimistic. It may have a Democratic majority but it's the brand of Democratic that Hillary embodies.
The Republicans were the
The Republicans were the party of Lincoln at one time. They aren't any more, but Lincoln's ideals are still very much alive. By the same token even if the Dems are no longer the party of FDR and the New Deal, that doesn't mean that those ideals are dead, either. Party alignments change, that doesn't mean the ideals die. They just sometimes have to move to a new home. I personally think that 2017-2020 is likely to see some major movement. It might be progressives leaving the Dems to the corporatists and forming a new party; it might be corporatists joining their counterparts in the GOP and leaving the Dem party to us, while the TPers and socons go their own way; it might be something else I can't envision yet. But I don't think either current coalition can survive this campaign season. It's like a marriage that's been on the rocks for a while having the final fight - too many words being said on both sides that can never be taken back or forgotten.
Only time will tell how things will eventually shake out. But those of us who believe in progressive ideals will still believe in them, even if we end up having to find a new home.
California
allows people who are registered by May 23 as Democrats or "no party affiliation" (i.e., independent) to vote in the Dem primary. Unlike NY, which was a closed primary that had onerous restrictions on changing one's registration to Dem in order to vote in the primary (deadline for doing so was last October - I just beat the deadline to vote for Bernie).
"You can't just leave those who created the problem in charge of the solution."---Tyree Scott
Duplicate
post
"You can't just leave those who created the problem in charge of the solution."---Tyree Scott
I'd say Trump has more of a lock on the nomination
than Hillary. The Democratic Party has become a tool for corrupt Wall Street crooks, and that includes the Clintons. Even if Hillary does win the nomination, the Democratic Party establishment must be punished. They must be replaced by another Party. We have to work on that this summer and send the establishment a message that we're done with their crap.
Beware the bullshit factories.
No, the Sanders campaign is NOT dead,
and it's not over. WTF? The only Democrats that rejected him in NY were the Democrats who were actually able to vote in NY. So if you're using those results as your benchmark, you're not real dedicated. Among other things.
Not So Fast, Pardner
From Democracy for America
Something astonishing is happening in California.
Since the beginning of 2016:
Nearly 1 million new voters have registered in California.
There's been a 70% increase in the number of voters age 18-29 registered in 2016, as compared to 2012.
Latino registration is 98% larger this year than in 2012
Democratic Party registration is up 185% (!) over 2012.
It's clear that one of the main reasons fueling this record-breaking surge of voters is Bernie Sanders and our political revolution.
The California primary is on June 7, and voters are flocking to the chance to vote for him. California also holds important primaries for state and Congressional races that day -- and a surge of Bernie voters can help progressives down-ballot.
After Tuesday's primaries, some are calling for Bernie to drop out of the race. They don't want to let everyone vote. And they don't seem that interested in helping out important progressive candidates hoping for help from voters inspired by Bernie Sanders. Bernie's made it clear he's staying in the race. Let's stand with him.
It is not over until it is over.
Thank you! For this awesome news
I'm working as hard as I can to make it happen in CA. Every single vote/delegate earned is a victory of staggering importance. Even if there were no way for Sanders to win the nomination, I'd fight just as hard.
The writing was on the wall with the 15% under30 IA turnout
I really thought the under45 turnout would be higher relative to over45 and that Sanders would beat Clinton, not by as great a margin as Obama. The first part in that model was IA under30 being 20%. It wasn't and ever since then he's been performing almost well enough to clinch victory, but always just a hair shy.
There was always the hope that by NY the tide would have turned ad he'd win there and the remaining states by 57% and clinch victory.
But it's over now. I refused to say it out loud for months because a black swan event could occur, or I could be wrong. But we lost. Again. After 20 years of losing in the primaries and getting a candidate I can't stomach it's time to build a third party. Problem is, everyone wants to run the Greens but I've seen how the GP fails in Ireland, how it's failing in Germany.
When the problem is a party that refuses to help the working/middle classes, we need a class based party not an issue based party that is co-opted by the neoliberals in every other polity where they've gained influence.
A sh*tload of them were just too busy
texting to bother.
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Muerte al fascismo. Muerte a la tiranía. colapso total de los que promueven tampoco. A la pared con el unico porciento%
Republicans screwing pooches et al.
You seem to forget that Hillary Clinton IS a Republican. And a right-wing one at that. Her ability to acquire the "D" label courtesy of her husband and some poor overworked Arkansas county clerk signifieth nothing.
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
"travelgate" destroyed my life savings
I married a man who'd been a travel agent for 25 years and an airline employee before that post Viet Nam. We were literally down to our last 17 bucks in the bank, plus a 5 gallon jar of pennies when after a 2 yrs without dental, health care, steady employment for either of us, he landed a pretty good job with an international, not US owned travel agency for business only travelers which remained open around the world 24/7/365, could work from home with a paid-for VOIP, good benefits, retirement plan, etc. MY line of work, high accuracy transcription had been made redundant and I scrambled hard to find work up to the time I became disabled.
We NEVER recovered... EVER...
Had I had no savings, we'd have been homeless before he landed that job. His savings went down the oubliette a second time when Bushit instigated Shock and Awe.
At the time the Clintoons gutted travel contracts for all govt. employees, including the military, even press were saying it was partisan politics, but it was oligarch versus oligarch.
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Muerte al fascismo. Muerte a la tiranía. colapso total de los que promueven tampoco. A la pared con el unico porciento%
The Concept Takes Shape?
I have eyes, and I know I've been lied to about the chances Bernie has in this election for months, but seriously I can't believe that most people accept things just because they hear them or read them.
This is an interesting thought. Congratulations, and best of luck Roger, when this takes off, it could be the "force to be reckoned with"! It's interesting, I, too, have been inspired to look into local government, and I'm your age also.
Bernie is a win-win.
While driving in a car without a radio,
I came up with this observation. Note: just spent a bit of time at GOS. All those folks who keep telling me/us we risk turning the White House over to some Repuke if we abstain or vote for a party other than Dem, I have this to offer. Maybe by voting for Hillary, you're the ones creating a larger risk. Who's going to vote for her? The Repukes haven't even begun to attack her. And she came unglued when Bernie mentioned, just mentioned, anything negative about her associations with Wall St and PAC's. Does nobody remember the Clinton administration? Culminating in impeachment? And now she's managed to piss off all the enthusiastic youth---the lost future of the Dem Party. Let's throw the onus back on the Hillary supporters. They're the ones who are risking our future.
Agree 100%
Hillary has the personality of a dishrag, and that's without even mentioning that she's a sociopath who lies every time she opens her mouth and never saw a middle eastern war she didn't want into. The majority of the country despises her. She's a perfectly putrid nominee. I made the mistake of going to TOP for a while today and read Teacherken's diary wherein he explains that if Bernie doesn't get onboard the Hillary Train he'll "lose respect" for Bernie. HE will "lose respect" for BERNIE SANDERS. Meanwhile, he's cheering on a warmonger. My God, the arrogance. Why on earth did I read that site for so long? Am I just imagining that it used to be a liberal oasis?
Twain Disciple
The Masks Are Off
This primary has been an eye opener for me, too. I didn't read Daily Kos that much, but invested too much time reading some other "progressive" blogs. I wish I could get "my time" back. At least people are becoming more aware of the insidiousness at various places.
That's a laugh
He hasn't had anything good to say about Bernie in months, if ever.
"You can't just leave those who created the problem in charge of the solution."---Tyree Scott
Did you catch his comment about "revolutions"?
Something along the lines of "We know what revolution means in El Salvador and.... " yadda yadda yadda revolutions are evil. Ties in with the El Salvadoran background in interesting and revealing ways.
Teacherken would have been a Tory in 1776
and would have wound up bailing out to Halifax NS so he could still sing "God Save the King".
There is no justice. There can be no peace.
Zing!
Twain Disciple
I never read his shit. More
I never read his shit. More is not better and TK's offerings are consistently crap.
To quote myself talking to the cat: "Nobody cares."
Not a dishrag, but a toxic virago
You've attributed stupidity to Shillary and blandness.. and she's neither.
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Muerte al fascismo. Muerte a la tiranía. colapso total de los que promueven tampoco. A la pared con el unico porciento%
I didn't mean to.
I totally agree she's not stupid, and she sure as hell isn't bland. What I meant was that a person seeing her speak for the first time, and knowing nothing about her, would simply be bored. The woman has absolutely no charisma at all. She's a sociopath first and foremost, but she is also a putrid politician and a lousy speaker. The Dem Party is not only corrupt for shoving her into our faces over and over; it's ignorant.
Twain Disciple
100% from this 99%er :)
I am very politically active. I will never vote for HRC. I've known that since the 90s. I've protested her ass in the 2000s due to her stance on murdering people for poll points and her warhawk ways.
I know people who will never vote for HRC. Many are Green, Liberals, Socialists, pissed off Democrats, Progressives and other Dems. We all know Republicans would rather eat a steaming pile of shit than vote for her.
My own teabagging, fox new loving mother in law who moved TO NC because of it's bigotry... she's not voting for Trump or HRC. She has even said, she would rather die than vote for Hillary. She has said that there's only one choice - Bernie. Of course, I don't think she is a model of the basic Sanders supporter LOL but she is kinda typical of the visceral hatred of all things Hillary.
I know of not one of my daughter's friends who are all big time feminists - even their guy friends call themselves feminists - none of them are voting for Hillary. My daughter may be dropping her D registration soon after the CLOSED primaries.
"Love One Another" ~ George Harrison
I have a number of Republican leaning friends and
colleagues that all say anyone but Hillary. About half of them will vote for Bernie if he is the nominee and all of them think Bernie is honest and they respect him. If Bernie not the nominee, they'll all vote for Trump. I won't vote HRC under any circumstances.
"Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." - JFK | "The more I see of the moneyed peoples, the more I understand the guillotine." - G. B. Shaw Bernie/Tulsi 2020
I agree completely
they're going to own it when she gets her ass handed to her in November. Oh, they'll deny it and point fingers outward, but when they start doing that, I'm going to call them out for the dysfunctional assholes that they really are...
Luna, do you think that they have ever owned up to anything?
Aren't they setting us up to be the abusers to their victimhhood? As in: "The Berners wouldn't support the legitimate Democratic nominee and plunged the nation into chaos!" "We did everything we could, but those nasty Berners wouldn't do the right thing!" If things head that way, I think we better prepare ourselves for at least four years of that. After all, it couldn't be their fault because Bernie, Trump, FBI, rw conspiracy. As long as it isn't their fault they can keep doing it their way.
“Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities.” Voltaire
woops
“Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities.” Voltaire
I have it easy in this
Bill Clinton did more damage to my state than any of the republicans. From trade deals to ignoring leaking nuclear waste On federal land. I have been firmly in the anyone but Clinton camp since his second year in office.
me too
I'm sick of "my Party" ignoring me -- to kowtow to Republican nihilism.
I will write in Bernard Sanders, if allowed,
or vote for the Green Party Candidate.
Best of Luck on your Decision RogerFox;
Looks like the Sanders awakening is having its "ripple effect" impacts.
All this party has done is back stab and betray me and mine
Equal rights and gay marriage. yay. I mean that.
But everything else has been a fucking lie.
I helped get a single mom who had never voted to vote in 2008. It was very hard for her. But she did it and she voted for Obama. Then... over the months and years at work... it was abundantly clear that she was correct in what she first told me...
Voting doesn't matter.
Everything Obama had told her and all of us was this. Thanks for electing me now go away for four more years.
She didn't vote in 2012. She even said she lost some respect for me because she thinks I'm "smart" but that politics is stupid. She thinks I care too much about politicians who simply don't care about working people.
I had told her that I couldn't believe she didn't bother to vote, I knew she was a strong, hard working single mom of 3 and that she would never let another person or a MAN tell her what to do or how to live her life - so why would she not at least have a voice in the elections....
Apparently she was smarter than me.
She is apathetic once again. Gee, thanks Dems.
"Love One Another" ~ George Harrison
My husband is the same way now
He, like everyone else, bought into Obama's lies. Now, he won't vote and fights with me being involved at all. He thinks its all bread and circuses to amuse the people, and both parties are the same. And the worse part is, he's right, but I can't just be indifferent about it.
Its pretty obvious that Bernie will not be allowed to win and is being cheated out of votes. Hillary has made promises to lots of Very Important People and they have paid her lots of money, and they are determined to get what they've paid for. TPP, less banking and environmental regulations, fracking for everyone. They are not going to let something silly like the electoral process get in the way.
The only way she can be stopped is if someone gets hard evidence and somehow gets it out globally in a way that the PTB are forced to act on it. Slim chance.
I have to be honest
My husband votes but he completely copies mine and the kids (kids are 21 - 23).
He believes in what I do as far as protests and such.. but he's pretty much done with either party because it is just two parties. Pepsi/Coke both toxic swill.
He is however very political active. He feeds the hungry every week and twice a week the next week. He does Meals on Two Wheels (yeah on his fucking bike because part of his politics is he doesn't drive.)
He walks his talk. That's his politics.
Hello Haiku Kitty
"Love One Another" ~ George Harrison
ha! Mine used to do the same
He trusted me to do the research because I'm into it, and he'd vote as I did. But he got smart before me, I guess.
Of course, I'll still vote - just because the system is corrupt doesn't mean we should let them get away with it without at least trying.
But its really a shame that the DNC took a really good-hearted person and basically turned him completely off of any interest in politics and made him completely disillusioned. Although, perhaps they prefer things that way. They only need their tiny little core of sheep and power brokers to rig elections and follow the party line. Us aware people are just troublemakers to them and their plans.
Sorry, I'm feeling bitter today. I'm not usually so pessimistic.
No worries HK
you can always vent to me. I've been BITTER for years
It's been really bad this past month
"Love One Another" ~ George Harrison
We Should Have Known After 2008
In 2008, after the Democrats took the White House, Senate, and House of Representatives, we should have had a better return for all the effort and support. After the election, I knew something was wrong, but I bought into the spin that "it's just so difficult to get something accomplished in D.C." Your single mother friend was also smarter than I. I keep asking myself, "why didn't I see this charade earlier"?
Yeah
That's when we found out the Senate Dems and a fair share of House ones as well were owned by Wall Street, Big Pharma and numerous other corporate interests.
The damn stimulus package was too small, and too heavily weighted with tax breaks that benefited the 1% at the expense of the rest of us.
"You can't just leave those who created the problem in charge of the solution."---Tyree Scott
Dems did zero
and they took a woman who was eager to regain some control in her life and become active in at least voting and turned her away from it all.
she did say that she respected me for my protesting but said that politics was just stupid and not worth it. and in Oregon it's super easy to register and vote. she wanted to do it physically as she had never been registered or voted before. She was SO EXCITED... we all at work turned it into a big deal....
and Obama and the Dems shat on her. she won't be voting this time either.... not even for Sanders.
Dems don't realize that once you lose a person... you don't win them back. Once you fuck them and back stab them and tell them to just shut the hell up and do what you're told.... that person , if they are smart, leaves for good.
She had survived being almost killed by an abusive spouse - she was going to school, working while being a single mom of three kids who had been traumatized. Part of her strength was taking the reigns, and to her that meant voting because we all had told her how legit it was, how empowering voting is...
And she was right.
They lost her. I can only imagine how many more are giving up just with this primary crap.
"Love One Another" ~ George Harrison
The Dems did little to support Gay marriage
Most of that was accomplished through the courts by activists.
Dem party establishment only got on board when public opinion changed favoring it.
"You can't just leave those who created the problem in charge of the solution."---Tyree Scott
Thanks for knowledge Steven D :)
You are correct I am sure on that.
I usually try the benefit of the doubt too much.
"Love One Another" ~ George Harrison
The error is in the phrase "my party".
It never was your party, precisely because you (and likeminded compatriots) never exercised any control over its politics.
The best solution, in my mind, is to make it our party by taking it away from the people who currently claim its authority.
The earth is a multibillion-year-old sphere.
The Nazis killed millions of Jews.
On 9/11/01 a Boeing 757 (AA77) flew into the Pentagon.
AGCC is happening.
If you cannot accept these facts, I cannot fake an interest in any of your opinions.
I will never vote for Clinton
I am so sick of people saying that Bernie supporters will be at fault if we get a Trump presidency. I refuse to take the blame for Hillary being a bad candidate. We need to remember one thing, Obama just nominated a republican to the Supreme Court. Do you really expect Hillary to do better? Bernie said he would withdraw the nomination not her.
Hell no, we won't go along.
I will not vote for Hillary.
And will vote Green party. I seriously doubt if Trump would be worse than Hillary.
A B C = Anybody But Clintons
Would give a vote to Trump b4 I'd give it to Clintons.
Twofer: Destroys the Republican party. Gets the Democratic party out of the clutches of the Criminal Clintons.
Maybe, just maybe, we get to lead the Democratic party back to the values, mission, of Bernie Sanders.
No more dynasty. Republicans were smart enough to give the boot to Bush. We can do the same.
A B C = Anybody But Clintons
Democrats are worse sheep than Republicans
At least they had the sense to kick their crime family's scion to the curb, and no matter what insults the media hammered Trump with day after day, they voted for him anyway. Democrats just vote for the person they're told to vote for. Thus, the Clinton Crime Family once again defeats the residual forces of FDR. I'll be happy to leave the sheep pen the day after I vote for Bernie.
Twain Disciple
I agree about the Clinton crime family
but I think the rot goes deeper then just the Clinton machine. Anybody but neoliberal/neocon oligarchical collectivist Democrat's is my sentiment. Unfortunately this is 85% of elected Dems.on all levels local, state, and national. I'm lucky as I can and will cast a vote for Senator Merkley but other then him on my ballot there is no other Dem. candidate I'm voting for.
I was very active politically grass root local and state, a card carrying member of the Multnomah county party starting with the Bush selection 2000.I thought we were dealing with a RW coup. I was wrong it's was and is a by-partisan coup. I learned the hard way what the Democratic party is about on every level from dogcatcher to mayor, city supervisors, to governor.
Oregon may be a solid Democratic state but it's is as corrupt, bent and owned as DC. Portland is a hot bed of crooked machine politics with a murderous goon squad of pigs enforcers to boot. The Democratic party is dead to me because it is the evil donkey puppet as opposed to the theologically evil elephant puppet. My only hope is that the Democratic Party has gone too far fascistic and becomes extinct. An ex party.
What will happen will have to be a global democratic movement as 'the world as we find it' is a global screw by the 'wealth creators' endless bloody warrior's and earth destroyers. People need to look at what is going on globally and not feed the beast. One way or another people need to stop the madness and stop giving their consent to be governed in this sham of democracy. I do see the sparks of democracy around the world but the powers that be stomp them out. We just have to play it as it lays and not give your consent to non existent lesser evils regardless of what party they fly under.
speaking of "goon squad/pig enforcers"...
the other day we were driving along and saw this police car that had what looked like a battering ram on the front of it. Swell.
It says a lot that there's an organization that theoretically is there to protect people like us and yet we do whatever we can to avoid 'em. Police are supposed to give us a feeling of security and yet we feel threatened by them. And this is well known! The very people who need protection are the ones being threatened! The city council is aware of this, I'm sure. I'm not certain that they care but if they do then it's clear they think there's nothing they can do. Which is pretty odd, if you ask me.
And on a similar note, there's an armed security guard who stands outside the Bank of America in our neighborhood. I have often crossed the street so as not to walk past him. I actually fear that he'll have his moment of action and that he'll panic and start shooting the wrong people and I don't want to be right next to him when it happens.
Ok, it's bad enough that a bank has an armed security guard. The bank has lots of money inside. It's sick that they put him outside and scare people but I get the concept of a guard being employed by them. But what's with Whole Foods??? We went there a couple of weeks ago and they had one of those guys in the store. How does that help shopping? All it did was make us finish our shopping quickly and get out of there, never to return.
Oregon = Massachusetts
Shaharazade, you spoke my mind, literally!
Lived in DC for years, so thought I was familiar with corruption, greed, incredibly selfish behavior ( "what's in it for me" the mantra of every Democrat I met from 1987 - 2006) and of course, "you haven't paid your dues!" when first moved there, after years in Europe, doing grass roots organizing.
Then moved to Massachusetts. Thankfully in western MA, very rural, nearest neighbors are organic farmers, no street lights, quiet, all very concerned about sustainable living, and community.
The exception - the MA Democrats. Won't go into detail about the horrors, will just say Martha Coakley. And if you've never heard of Gerald Amirault, worth a google. She's a horrible human being.
I've been an Independent since the Clintons took over what used to be MY Democratic party. Never thought we'd have the opportunity to elect someone like Bernie Sanders. Been an activist for most of my life, since studying with my favorite college professor, Howard Zinn. Confess 2000 election felt like the end of the world, respect Obama, but also disappointed. Came back to "life" to work for Elizabeth Warren. Now surprised she's been so "quiet" - expect she's agree to play "match maker" at the convention, also disappoints.
See no way forward unless BOTH political parties crash & burn - means a President Trump, which I'm not as afraid of as a return of Clintons to the White House. Getting the Democratic party out of the hands of the Criminal Clintons would be a start, if WE can mange to take over the party.
Hope Bernie Sanders doesn't use up too much energy trying to get "promises" from the Democrats. Empty words.
Trump would be better than Cruz. Trump being
elected would end the Clinton's, the Republican and Democratic parties. Will be voting for Stein unless Bernie can pull this thing out.
"Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." - JFK | "The more I see of the moneyed peoples, the more I understand the guillotine." - G. B. Shaw Bernie/Tulsi 2020
Gag me with a spoon!
For what it's worth, in 2012, I voted Green over the sell-out "Democrat". It didn't hurt and I survived just fine.
At any rate, it's probably "party time". Third or fourth party time!
Our village and town are so small that we don't have a village idiot or a town drunk. Nope, we all take turns.
What I honestly don't get ...
... is the claim that Hillary is the "lesser" of two evils simply because of the (D) after her name.
Because different ills will occur under her than under Trump or another Repub doesn't make her the "lesser" evil.
I'm of the school that it ain't over yet and I don't see any need to rush to a decision about what I'll do when I get into the voting booth in November.
Beat in the USA.
conscientious objection
Refusing to participate in the election of Hillary Clinton is a moral imperative, even if that helps to elect someone else who will also pursue terrible policies.
This is the same as the moral position of pacifists who abstain from participating in so called just wars.
Even the smallest person can change the course of the future
Does voting matter?
From my view it depends on the election and the state where you vote. Also what's down ballot may matter. Here in the 3rd world of Alabama, for any county or municipality in the state to pass a law, it requires approval of the entire state to even allow the local to bring the issue up for a local vote. Talk about maintaining the status quo. It is insane. We have an upcoming measure for funding our state parks, basically saying they get to keep the revenue they generate...it is a constitutional amendment. SNAFU
So I guess I'm saying every state has it's own level of insanity. Educate yourself. Decide for yourself, and not voting is an option.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Please vote
If you don't vote, the media will cite it as evidence that people don't care or that people were equally satisfied with both candidates. Please vote. Vote (R) or (G) or whatever ballot choice you have and I fervently wish that ALL ballots had the choice of "none of the above" for every race and that if "none of the above" won, a special election would be held 60 days later with the previous candidates barred from the ballot.
I've seen lots of changes. What doesn't change is people. Same old hairless apes.
What a lovely idea, voice!
None of the above would win so many elections they'd be forced to change
I've advocated that for years
But of course the possibility that "None of the above" just might win means that the Powers That Be will never allow that choice to be offered.
There is no justice. There can be no peace.
You can in some places
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/None_of_the_above
Stay on track. Stay in lane. Don't throw rocks.
What an interesting article, all those people
Changing their names to "none of the above" and then running for office.
Stay on track. Stay in lane. Don't throw rocks.
A liberal case for Donald Trump
Walker Bragman on Salon:
A liberal case for Donald Trump: The lesser of two evils is not at all clear in 2016
Is there one? A Trump presidency needn't be a nightmare for the left. On many issues, Clinton presidency might be.
"We've done the impossible, and that makes us mighty."
He would also probably destroy
the economy. And with his showboating and egomania, I wouldn't be surprised if he started some mar wars. He's already threatened to bomb ISIS.
I don't think its a good idea to just assume that anything he says at any one time as representing what he'll actually do. He is emotionally unstable.
destroying the economy
What do you think that TPP will do? A vote for Hillary is a vote for TPP. She was Secretary of State and spoke in favor of it until Bernie got traction by opposing it. That will not last. Another Clinton lie. "It depends on what the meaning of 'oppose' means."
I've seen lots of changes. What doesn't change is people. Same old hairless apes.
You know
that the Neocons and entire MIC are lining up behind Clinton? They are not doing that because of her winning personality.
“To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” -Voltaire
WHEN the primary is over
because, as many are taking pains to point out, it ain't yet.... Before we all decide that Donald Trump is preferable to Hillary Clinton, let's see who his VP nominee is. That's really important on a number of levels--but one big one in particular just got pointed out, so I'm compelled to try to provide some follow-up:
Yeah, he probably is. So what happens if Congress decides he's nuts, and declares him incompetent to be POTUS and the VP takes the reins. Is that even possible?
Trump
I personally am warming up to the idea of voting Trump. I even know he's a xenophobe. (Ugghh)
Hillary is itching to bomb not only Syria, but also Iran & probably Yemen more directly than we are at present. Even more disturbing to me is that she also wants to declare war on Russia & will probably manufacture a reason as soon as she can. With Hillary, we are surely facing WWIII. If we don't also take on China, we'll at least attack N Korea. We'll have a draft again of course. And forget about any concerns for the environment.
Trump will not have the support of the Congressional dems & probably not of many of the repugs either. The military has already taken the stand that they will not do anything illegal for him. For Hillary, they won't even question the legality because of how ruthlessly she exerts her power. (Just look at how many seemingly decent people have lied for her during the campaign.)
True, he is a wild card. Usually it's better to choose the devil you know than the devil you don't, but I now know too much about the Hillary devil.
Still phonebanking for Bernie.
Destroy the economy?
How could he do any worse than what HRC will do? Name any specific economic policy you honestly believe either candidate will undertake that will make any important difference to the macroeconomy.
The earth is a multibillion-year-old sphere.
The Nazis killed millions of Jews.
On 9/11/01 a Boeing 757 (AA77) flew into the Pentagon.
AGCC is happening.
If you cannot accept these facts, I cannot fake an interest in any of your opinions.
The Inevitability of All Empires Is to Drive
Themselves Into the Ground. To push their limits until they break.
Our modern day empires are nominally in competition, but that's mostly kabuki to occupy the limited attention span of the plebes. Our modern day empires are, more importantly, corporate empires that are intent on each capturing a segment life's necessities - water, food, shelter, energy, information. The ultimate and long-term goal of these corporations is to become The Corporation that owns
e v e r y t h i n g.
The ethos of corporations is: "higher profits next quarter, and damn the consequences." The universal problem of complex systems, which is what global corporations are, is that they become susceptible minor and unpredictable shocks known as "Black Swans."
As such, we the plebes, are destined to suffer the consequences, one way or another, until it all falls apart.
Improve the Resilience Resource Library by adding your links.
Vote Smart - Just the Facts - 40,000 politicians by name or zipcode
I'm inclined to agree with
I'm inclined to agree with that frankly, but I have to do my best to stop it in the meantime.
Most empires actually have a longevity of about 250 years, believe it or not. A familiar pattern emerges when you look at them. Every time, the most important among them demand more and more resources and get them, while the less important people below struggle. Eventually this causes the empire to rot from within.
We are no different.
Every Empire over the last 400 years plus
has sunsetted within 85-100 years.
FDR 9-23-33, "If we cannot do this one way, we will do it another way. But do it we will.
Every Empire over the last 400 years plus
has sunsetted within 85-100 years.
FDR 9-23-33, "If we cannot do this one way, we will do it another way. But do it we will.
A couple of points
based on time: today and tomorrow.
1. Tomorrow. No matter what happens this year, a competent group with the goals of Brand New Congress could be a strong force towards democracy [which we don't have now]. I'm going to look into it and will probably support it.
2. Today. The campaign is not over. It needs to go on to every place in the nation. You have heard of rainmakers? Bernie is a firestarter. We, our descendents, our country, and our planet need that fire. We gotta keep pushing for Bernie.
2a. Apparently Jill and Bernie are talking. There are petitions out there urging Bernie to run as an independent. If Bernie can run on a third party ticket, we disgruntled hippies, all of Bernie's organization and network, the Greens, and whatever the folks in Chicago in June come up with can work together. And the Working Families Party. And more groups that I don't mean to insult by leaving them out.
I think that a 3rd party could work because Trump will shred Hillary like paper, somebody has a recording of at least one of her high-paying Wall Street talks, and the FBI/DOJ is going to hammer her like a nail.
In the meantime, Brand New Congress? Sure.
Life is strong. I'm weak, but Life is strong.
I hope you are wrong.
For Bernie Sanders to run on a third party after he said he wouldn't would make him just another lying politician. However, I do think it would be good if he endorsed Jill Stein or another Green.
I've seen lots of changes. What doesn't change is people. Same old hairless apes.
He should confess
that he is breaking his promise and while that pains him, he sees no other way to keep Trump out of power.
Then he should gather his troops and fight like hell.
Life is strong. I'm weak, but Life is strong.
I don't think he should do it
or would do it.
If he went Independent, the media would crucify him for breaking his promise, and it could turn off a lot of people. And I'm not sure he'd be able to win, regardless.
Much better for him to stay clean and support the movement in other ways. Just my opinion, of course.
Unfortunately
supporting the movement and supporting the Democratic party are pretty much mutually exclusive imo.
“To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” -Voltaire
I agree, stevej
I don't mean he should support Hillary. I just mean I don't know if running as an Independent himself is the right thing.
Its definitely a tightrope for him to walk, and he'll undoubtedly have his own opinions of whats best. I sincerely hope it isn't to try to throw support behind Clinton, because that would be terrible and dishonest. I hope he doesn't feel compelled to do so through some misguided sense of responsibility.
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