Anticipating the Caucus99percent Candidates' Forum

Here I'd like to briefly interrupt the ongoing discussion of how we're being screwed by the neoliberals to suggest that C99% do two things:

1) institute a candidates' forum, in which candidates who actually claim to do something for us can receive some scrutiny

2) create a coalition for vetting candidates

I don't feel that C99% should feel under any pressure to nominate anyone. Perhaps we shouldn't nominate anyone at all. But we should give those who dare come here a voice so that they can either be shouted down or discussed openly.

In doing so, we should prepare the stage for any candidates who visit this place with a "political guide for 2018," which could conceivably be based on five principles:

1) Vote your political self-interest. The corporate media tell us every day that our self-interest doesn't matter, and that what matters is "Russia!" or some other such nonsense.

2) Know your political self-interest. If you thought your self-interest was defined by more capitalism, you lost touch with history and with ecology. Capitalism will have exhausted the planet by the time your grandchildren are grown up. A stellar example of how this coming exhaustion is playing out now can be seen in gjohnsit's diary of recent: "Working yourself to death is now something to aspire to." The owning class is so desperate for sources of profit in this era of ecological exhaustion that it has turned to capitalist ideology as its main resource. Of course, people have worked themselves to death since the long 16th century; the difference today is that capitalism would die pretty soon if government were not propping it up, and capitalist ideology is the way in which they keep government in the capitalist orbit. Y'all work yourselves to death for nothing, otherwise... okay, where were we? An alternative version of self-interest would be based on humanism, on communities of people demanding their rights.

3) The criteria for selecting politicians that the media are offering you are generally wrong. Experience, for instance, is a bad criterion for selecting a politician. When they tell you they're more experienced, you should ask: "experienced doing what"? Government today props up capitalism and jettisons the people and the other planetary residents to make that happen. Experience dealing with the government bureaucracy is experience dealing with a bad government bureaucracy. What you want to ask is basically "what's in it for me?" Inexperienced politicians, arguably, are in a better position to shake up the bureaucracy, and even if they fail they will have set the stage for the next attempt.

4) Unless otherwise indicated, politicians should be assumed to believe that a) you are disposable and b) they are scamming you. This after all, is what both Democrats and Republicans are about, and even when the Republicans talk of "smaller government," what they really mean is "government that is smaller in those ways in which it does something other than prop up the capitalists and their system."

5) Think Cuba, 1992. Or Margaret Atwood dystopia. When questioning a politician we should assume that there is no future and that bad things are going to happen, and ask "what are you going to do about it?"

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Cassiodorus's picture

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"The war on Gaza, backed by the West, is a demonstration that the West is willing to cross all lines. That it will discard any nuance of humanity. That it is willing to commit genocide" -- Moon of Alabama

earthling1's picture

@Cassiodorus I've got a million ideas, maybe two million. Of which most will be shot down.
But with every one of them shot down, the potential of sparking a workaround or completely new idea is always there for anyone who reads it.
Am considering a run for a house seat in 2018. Lets start the vetting process with me. Yeah, I have some crazy ideas. But, like you said, experience can be albatross.
Well, maybe you didn't say that exactly. But we can sure turn that into one.
My mission statement: I'm not the lessor evil nor the greater evil. I'm just not evil.
Or some such.

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Neither Russia nor China is our enemy.
Neither Iran nor Venezuela are threatening America.
Cuba is a dead horse, stop beating it.

Hillbilly Dem's picture

@earthling1 , when you say "house", are you contemplating a WV House of Delegates run or a U.S. House of Representatives run?

Am considering a run for a house seat in 2018.

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"Just call me Hillbilly Dem(exit)."
-H/T to Wavey Davey

earthling1's picture

@Hillbilly Dem Herrera-Beutler's seat US House Distric 3.
Sugar daddy hubby. She's a doorstop.

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Neither Russia nor China is our enemy.
Neither Iran nor Venezuela are threatening America.
Cuba is a dead horse, stop beating it.

Hillbilly Dem's picture

@earthling1 kick ass, e1

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"Just call me Hillbilly Dem(exit)."
-H/T to Wavey Davey

Cassiodorus's picture

@earthling1 @earthling1 to office-seekers, which would go as follows:

1) Your name as we will see it on the ballot
2) Office for which you are running
3) Category of citizen eligible to vote for you (e.g. residents of New Mexico)
4) If elected, you will do what, again?
5) The Web address of the YouTube video of you doing your best Richard Nixon voice impersonation

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"The war on Gaza, backed by the West, is a demonstration that the West is willing to cross all lines. That it will discard any nuance of humanity. That it is willing to commit genocide" -- Moon of Alabama

earthling1's picture

@Cassiodorus I can get my jowls to shake like that.

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Neither Russia nor China is our enemy.
Neither Iran nor Venezuela are threatening America.
Cuba is a dead horse, stop beating it.

Cassiodorus's picture

@earthling1 Bonus points for secret recordings in which you swear, too!

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"The war on Gaza, backed by the West, is a demonstration that the West is willing to cross all lines. That it will discard any nuance of humanity. That it is willing to commit genocide" -- Moon of Alabama

earthling1's picture

@Cassiodorus Ha. Don't have that many cuss words.
Not in English, anyway.

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Neither Russia nor China is our enemy.
Neither Iran nor Venezuela are threatening America.
Cuba is a dead horse, stop beating it.

Lily O Lady's picture

@Cassiodorus

senator from X district or US representative from Florida's 10th district. Whoever votes in the district or state mentioned as for the office of governor would be eligible.

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"The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power. Now do you begin to understand me?" ~Orwell, "1984"

Cassiodorus's picture

@Lily O Lady so I felt it would be good to ask. If I'm running for California's 27th Congressional District, that means everyone has to look it up to find out if they can vote for said individual.

Say! Know anyone running against Judy Chu?

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"The war on Gaza, backed by the West, is a demonstration that the West is willing to cross all lines. That it will discard any nuance of humanity. That it is willing to commit genocide" -- Moon of Alabama

Lily O Lady's picture

@Cassiodorus

may know.

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"The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power. Now do you begin to understand me?" ~Orwell, "1984"

riverlover's picture

@Cassiodorus family to members of MSM? See, I find many too close (think Mrs Greenspan, Andrea Mitchell).

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Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.

@riverlover No clue why so many voted for Harris, just for information: OpenSecrets Venable LLP

Year: 2016
Total Lobbying Income: $10,355,000

Nice client list over there (not, in my view).
https://www.venable.com/douglas-c-emhoff/

Douglas Emhoff is Venable's Managing Director, West Coast, overseeing the firm's offices in Los Angeles and San Francisco. He maintains a busy legal practice, focusing mainly on complex commercial, media, advertising, entertainment and intellectual property litigation matters. Additionally, he is experienced in defending class action matters concerning claims of unfair business practices, the validity of advertising and marketing claims, cases challenging privacy statutes and wage and hour violations.

Mr. Emhoff represents clients across a wide variety of industries including media and entertainment, digital media, production, advertising, technology, hospitality and character licensing.

In addition to trying cases in both state and federal courts, he has particular skills in alternative dispute resolution (negotiation, mediation, arbitration) across varied forums. His clients have come to rely on his insightful, dispute avoidance strategy counsel as a preventive measure and appreciate the value of his extensive courtroom experience when litigation is unavoidable.

Which side are you on bro.
Kamala Harris married in Santa Barbara ceremony

Both Harris and Emhoff are 49.

The wedding was accompanied by little publicity, and Harris’ office provided few details other than a photograph of the newlyweds.

Harris, a former San Francisco district attorney, is widely considered a potential future candidate for governor or U.S. Senate.

J. Geils - Full House Live - First I Look At The Purse

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Cassiodorus's picture

@riverlover that would disqualify the likes of Barbara Boxer I suppose

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"The war on Gaza, backed by the West, is a demonstration that the West is willing to cross all lines. That it will discard any nuance of humanity. That it is willing to commit genocide" -- Moon of Alabama

@Cassiodorus

It did explain certain behaviour - and yeah, people would have been braced for it had that been more generally known. And good point; considering the criminal behaviours of the Clintons, people connected with them should be considered for disqualification from public positions they may abuse based on also their own behaviors.

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Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.

A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.

Big Al's picture

@earthling1 @earthling1 had the same inclination in the past. Went down to Esther Short today to scope it out, farmers market is open.

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earthling1's picture

@Big Al @Big Al just waiting for a break in the crappy weather.
It doesnt bother me that much, but not a lot of citizens come out.
We should prepare for the very first beautiful weekend.
Cabin fever will bring out everybody AND they will be in a really good mood.
A pizza meetup?
PM me. Now that I know how to send and retrieve messages.

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Neither Russia nor China is our enemy.
Neither Iran nor Venezuela are threatening America.
Cuba is a dead horse, stop beating it.

SnappleBC's picture

@Cassiodorus @Cassiodorus I need to think about the specifics more but the bonus video was simply priceless.

"He [the DNC's new treasurer] is the person who can go to rich business folk and explain to them why it's the Democratic party under which they will make the most money and succeed -- and by the way, give some of it to us."
-- Andrew Tobias

Yeah, I'd say that sums it up in a nutshell. Interestingly, I went to my local Democrats Abroad web site looking to see what local meetings I could attend and... voila... there were none. I emailed them. It'll be interesting to see what they say.

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A lot of wanderers in the U.S. political desert recognize that all the duopoly has to offer is a choice of mirages. Come, let us trudge towards empty expanse of sand #1, littered with the bleached bones of Deaniacs and Hope and Changers.
-- lotlizard

Cassiodorus's picture

@SnappleBC while standing on the sidewalk as I was driving north. The signs said:

DONATIONS

(picture, presumably of the operation to be performed)

SURGERY

Wasn't the ACA supposed to take care of that sort of thing?

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"The war on Gaza, backed by the West, is a demonstration that the West is willing to cross all lines. That it will discard any nuance of humanity. That it is willing to commit genocide" -- Moon of Alabama

Lily O Lady's picture

@Cassiodorus

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"The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power. Now do you begin to understand me?" ~Orwell, "1984"

detroitmechworks's picture

to read and respond to comments.
I have great deal of respect for those that answer openly and honestly. It lets me honestly disagree with them without personal animus.
On the other hand, those that obfuscate and spin?
It's probably the fastest way to earn my enmity.

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

earthling1's picture

@detroitmechworks at Gos when Barney Frank engaged the community there.
I called him out on a couple of things and felt really bad about it later. I've since learned to respect that they at least engaged us and that was courageous to some degree.
Especially at TOP.
My suspicion was, later, validated (third way).

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Neither Russia nor China is our enemy.
Neither Iran nor Venezuela are threatening America.
Cuba is a dead horse, stop beating it.

Cassiodorus's picture

@earthling1 to invoke #4:

Unless otherwise indicated, politicians should be assumed to believe that a) you are disposable and b) they are scamming you.
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"The war on Gaza, backed by the West, is a demonstration that the West is willing to cross all lines. That it will discard any nuance of humanity. That it is willing to commit genocide" -- Moon of Alabama

@detroitmechworks

No word salad, please! Can't abide it.

Dude.

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SnappleBC's picture

One of my cherished goals is to try to get "the left" and "the right" to understand that we are all getting screwed by "the man". I also want to sound reasonable and rational. So I made some notes from my own perspective.

1) Vote your political self-interest. The corporate media tell us every day that our self-interest doesn't matter, and that what matters is "Russia!" or some other such nonsense.

It remains to be seen whether “Russia!” is nonsense so we set ourselves up to look just as ridiculous as the Democrats do now. Claims have been made. Nearly zero supporting evidence has been produced. The story today is not credible but that might change. So I’d reword this slightly, perhaps…

Vote your political self-interest. Legacy media and talking heads tell us every day that we can’t figure out our own self-interest. Instead, we must worry about whatever they are worrying about. Stop and think for yourself. Look at your own actual day. What would make your life better? Vote for that. Right now, Russia is the thing you are to worry about. But so far, the evidence presented has been nearly non-existent. Yes, if it turns out that a foreign power is colluding with our President that is a serious matter. But the charges outpace the evidence here by miles and miles. I'm more worried about my ability to put food on the table. I'll worry about Russia when there is reason to. What do [em]you[/em] worry about?

2) Know your political self-interest. If you thought your self-interest was defined by more capitalism, you lost touch with history and with ecology. Capitalism will have exhausted the planet by the time your grandchildren are grown up. A stellar example of how this coming exhaustion is playing out now can be seen in gjohnsit's diary of recent: "Working yourself to death is now something to aspire to." The owning class is so desperate for sources of profit in this era of ecological exhaustion that it has turned to capitalist ideology as its main resource. Of course, people have worked themselves to death since the long 16th century; the difference today is that capitalism would die pretty soon if government were not propping it up, and capitalist ideology is the way in which they keep government in the capitalist orbit. An alternative version of self-interest would be based on humanism, on communities of people demanding their rights.

Uncharacteristically, I that that diary of gjohnsit’s was weak. I felt the stretch from the ad to the title sounded like something I’d expect to hear on GOS. Without a lot more supporting evidence for the claims in your version, I’d go down more immediate lines.

“We can look at the realities of today to see what “more capitalism” gets us. We have a two-tier judicial system. We have for profit penal systems and health systems… both of which are monstrous for distinct reasons. We have earthquakes in Oklahoma and poisonous water in Flint (and about 4000 other cities). And as a finale, we have continuous war. The United States has been at war for the last ???16??? years almost always with muddled strategies and muddled goals… sometimes justified with complete lies to the public. We dropped 26,000 very expensive bombs last year and you and I paid for them. Are you happy with the return on your investment? Are you content with the civilian death and destruction that caused >>. Frankly, I think I would have benefited more by domestic expenditures.

What I'm trying to do is stick with easily supportable claims and to bring things close to home in as neutral a fashion as I can. OK, I'm also pressing the anti-war angle but I suspect that might be a more commonly held opinion if people knew the truth.

I like the direction you're going with these though which is to encourage people to think for themselves rather than pushing a specific ideology. I wish there was some easy way to tell them, "Here's how you can research". I'm going through this with my brother right now about the sarin Gas in Syria. He does a quick google and comes up with a thousand legacy media articles detailing how Assad used Sarin gas on his people. It probably took him 5 minutes. I'm STILL wading through that Ray McGovern video trying to support each one of his statement. It's going to end up taking me 15 hours.

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A lot of wanderers in the U.S. political desert recognize that all the duopoly has to offer is a choice of mirages. Come, let us trudge towards empty expanse of sand #1, littered with the bleached bones of Deaniacs and Hope and Changers.
-- lotlizard

Cassiodorus's picture

@SnappleBC I'm just trying to set a tone at this point.

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"The war on Gaza, backed by the West, is a demonstration that the West is willing to cross all lines. That it will discard any nuance of humanity. That it is willing to commit genocide" -- Moon of Alabama

Cassiodorus's picture

@SnappleBC 17426101_656259484584885_2466542783202395367_n.jpg

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"The war on Gaza, backed by the West, is a demonstration that the West is willing to cross all lines. That it will discard any nuance of humanity. That it is willing to commit genocide" -- Moon of Alabama

SnappleBC's picture

@Cassiodorus I think that's something that everyone can identify with and is easily verifiable.

I just want to stay away from stuff that is sketchy in terms of it's supportablity and potentially divisive with folks that ought to be our allies.

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A lot of wanderers in the U.S. political desert recognize that all the duopoly has to offer is a choice of mirages. Come, let us trudge towards empty expanse of sand #1, littered with the bleached bones of Deaniacs and Hope and Changers.
-- lotlizard

Cassiodorus's picture

@SnappleBC That's why we have candidate forums at C99%: to see where the divisions lie.

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"The war on Gaza, backed by the West, is a demonstration that the West is willing to cross all lines. That it will discard any nuance of humanity. That it is willing to commit genocide" -- Moon of Alabama

@SnappleBC

... Right now, Russia is the thing you are to worry about. But so far, the evidence presented has been nearly non-existent. Yes, if it turns out that a foreign power is colluding with our President that is a serious matter. But the charges outpace the evidence here by miles and miles. ...

Lucky that there's been no evidence of anything but yet another false statement and even more false accusations in yet another apparent regime change effort by the US PTB.

But damn lucky that the Clintons didn't get in again, since (unlike Putin, who may suck in some respects but is sane, intelligent and who places public pensions over military expenditures even while lunatics mass on his people's borders and point missiles at his citizens, hoping to initiate Mutual Assured Destruction) the foreign power Hillary was definitely going to collude with as President is provably a pathological, murderous nutcase.

https://theintercept.com/2015/09/09/hillary-clinton-goes-militaristic-ha...

Hillary Clinton Goes to Militaristic, Hawkish Think Tank, Gives Militaristic, Hawkish Speech
Glenn Greenwald

September 9 2015

... As for Israel itself, Clinton eagerly promised to shower it with a long, expensive, and dangerous list of gifts. ...

... Echoing the vow of several GOP candidates to call Netanyahu right away after being elected, Clinton promised: “I would invite the Israeli prime minister to the White House during my first month in office to talk about all of these issues and to set us on a course of close, frequent consultation right from the start, because we both rely on each other for support as partners, allies and friends.” ...

At least Trump upset the Golden Apple-cart a little bit and slowed the destructive process a trifle, even if he also did babble promises to the Likud/AIPAC/certain billionaire donors. The things Hillary would have got done would likely have been the death of us by now. And by Her projections, will you know Her.

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Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.

A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.

shaharazade's picture

You surely do not think that picking any candidate 'available' and wasting time yakking about them for 2018 or 20 whatever will somehow be of use? Holy shit Cassiodorus is asking for a debate between the 'progressive' and assorted monsters of both party's who run for office? Why? Perhaps I have misread this post. Why would anyone of a sound mind want any of this current crop of pols or any future candidates that the current duopoly partisan system offers to even be considered. Are you speaking of individuals outside the duopoly who are running? Well good luck with that. I see no point in debating any candidates that are part and parcel of this horror show. WTF?

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Cassiodorus's picture

@shaharazade might also prove fruitful. Please consider carefully section 3) where I discuss "experience."

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"The war on Gaza, backed by the West, is a demonstration that the West is willing to cross all lines. That it will discard any nuance of humanity. That it is willing to commit genocide" -- Moon of Alabama

earthling1's picture

@Cassiodorus Oh what we could accomplish with Congress filled with truck drivers, cooks, school teachers, street cleaners, hell even rodeo riders.
Representative from the poor, the sick (two year terms though), the working class, and pensioners.
If anything, maybe they'll get rich.
Maybe even rotate quick enough that everybody gets a piece of the 1% pie.
Maybe have each one serve a few months and quit, then hold another special election to fill the spot. Double the new millionaires more quickly.
Ha. Just thinkin'

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Neither Russia nor China is our enemy.
Neither Iran nor Venezuela are threatening America.
Cuba is a dead horse, stop beating it.

SnappleBC's picture

@shaharazade So I only commented on the voter guide part. But what I know is that periodically some new Democrat surfaces on my radar. Of course DKOS calls every last one of them "fine progressives". I, of course, am not so sanguine about that. I wondered if we (or someone) could host a discussion board for them... one board per candidate or somesuch... wherein discussions could be had.

When someone is brand new to the political world, like the school teacher I was just looking at, they have no real track record so it's hard to figure out where they stand. But new blood is pretty much the only hope so I need to find a way to vet them. I was seeing this proposal as a possible answer.

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A lot of wanderers in the U.S. political desert recognize that all the duopoly has to offer is a choice of mirages. Come, let us trudge towards empty expanse of sand #1, littered with the bleached bones of Deaniacs and Hope and Changers.
-- lotlizard

riverlover's picture

is desired, get more real people in and professional politicians out. A learning curve in a political position is good, if that person questions everything. Spending a short political career asking 'why?' can be good. Shakes up entrenched systems if there are 100 people asking 'why?' often.

I have good roots. My father as a second career taught modern European History at a University. He was quite leftist for the time. But he had a good friend Who was a Bircher. They could mix it up.[The Bircher had a Japanese wife and a farm with free-range hogs, in itself, interesting. Hogs in the woods.]

It's a plan to entertain.

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Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.

earthling1's picture

@riverlover they are nearly all tainted.
If I did run in 2018 and win, my operating mantra would be:
"This is what a genuine Progressive Democrat sounds like".
" These are the things we stand for. These are the things the current crop of Dinos never talk about. If you feel moved by what I am saying, YOU must be a genuine Progressive Democrat".
Then sit back and see who salutes.
However, I am way open to suggestions.

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Neither Russia nor China is our enemy.
Neither Iran nor Venezuela are threatening America.
Cuba is a dead horse, stop beating it.

Strife Delivery's picture

Yes, I have a confession...

I am a millenial.

There I said it.

Reading through various sites and people, I've always heard that (primarily center-right dem sites) is that the young need to rise up, new blood is needed in the Dem party...as long as they are from a 1% old-money family or signed their soul away with blood on the corporate line.

For me at least, I find the idea of state representative, legislature, House Rep, or Senator interesting honestly. I mean, my God, seeing Schumer and Pelosi fumble through word salad answers and mealy-mouthed garbage...jeez. How difficult is it to be forceful and have convictions? It can't be that hard. Of course they are entrenched and paid handsomely to be that way but still.

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