Tulsi Update: March 9, 2019 (Venezuela, Pot, Sex Work, Colbert, CNN)

In this past week, Tulsi has been spending a lot of time in Washington DC and she has some appearances in mainstream media coming up.

Tulsi and 15 other mostly progressive legislators (including AOC, Ro Khanna, Ilhan Omar, and Elizabeth Warren) sent a letter to the Secretary of State demanding that the US not use military intervention or sanctions in Venezuela. She is also co-sponsoring a bill in the House (bill HR 1004) that would forbid the president from using military force there.

In a first (as far as I know), Tulsi was the first presidential candidate to be in favor of legalizing sex work. In an interview with Buzzfeed, she stated "If a consenting adult wants to engage in sex work, that is their right and it should not be a crime. All people should have autonomy over their bodies and their labor."

Regardless of how you personally feel about this, I think it represents a strong principled stand and promotes her progressive bona fides.

Also, Tulsi has co-sponsored and introduced (along with Bernie Sanders and others) two bills to legalize marijuana at the federal level (same link as the one above). One bill would remove pot from the federal list of controlled substances and leave it up to states to decide, and the second bill would implement data collection with regard to marijuana's effects on revenues, health, incarceration, and its relation to opioid abuse.

Tomorrow (Sunday, March 10), Tulsi will have a full hour by herself on a CNN Town Hall (complete with stacked audience members, I'm sure) at 8 PM ET presenting herself and why she should be president. That's a significant mainstream opportunity for her, and we'll see how it goes.

Also, at some point this week (not sure when), Gabbard will appear on the Colbert show.

All in all, I'm pretty impressed with how many mainstream outlets/appearances she is securing. I think people who see her generally like her and like her arguments, which is a hugely positive thing.

Late Edit to Add: Tulsi seems to have been in Philadelphia yesterday. See video here.

Share
up
0 users have voted.

Comments

Shahryar's picture

in that she'll be ignored, treated like she's not running. If she's even allowed onto the debate stage she'll get one absurd question for every 5 Kamala questions....if that much.

up
0 users have voted.

@Shahryar @Shahryar

But I think she has more dynamism than Kucinich and a topic that hits home across all parties/ideologies for the American public that no other candidate is touching--Anti-War.

Bernie was ignored by the media for the most part, but he still managed to grow by word of mouth and draw tens of thousands into stadiums for his appearances (later in the primary contests). I see Tulsi having potential for a similar effect.

Give it some time.

up
0 users have voted.
EdMass's picture

@Shahryar

I now Kucinich.

Kucinich was a friend of mine.

Tulsi, you are no Kucinich...

up
0 users have voted.

Prof: Nancy! I’m going to Greece!
Nancy: And swim the English Channel?
Prof: No. No. To ancient Greece where burning Sapho stood beside the wine dark sea. Wa de do da! Nancy, I’ve invented a time machine!

Firesign Theater

Stop the War!

Shahryar's picture

@EdMass

Not treated right

up
0 users have voted.
mimi's picture

@Shahryar
I would think that she is more courageous. May be that's not fair to Kucinich. Just the way my guts talk and my brain remembers.

up
0 users have voted.
mimi's picture

@mimi @mimi
I don't remember much anymore. I read in his Wikipedia bio that he tried to put forward impeachment procedures against GWBush, Dick Cheney and Obama. He supported Trump and is a Fox News news 'boy'. Well, I don't see any relationship to Tulsi Gabbard other than that the PTB will try to crush her as they tried to ignore him.

up
0 users have voted.

@Shahryar IMHO, and behaved like a clown. If he was such a great mayor as we are told, why did he not run for Governor?

up
0 users have voted.

Mary Bennett

Tulsi's calm demeanor wins the day when she is being smeared. And oh will she be smeared. She should read or re-read Homer's Odyssey for some inspiration.

up
0 users have voted.

@MrWebster Maybe the new translation by Emily Wilson would be best.
It is really good IMO. Reviewed here.

up
0 users have voted.

@peachcreek I have read the Lattimore translation. I like the quotes--very smooth.

I read somewhere I forgot that the in the great library at Alexandria, that half of of scroll/books were on Homer.

Oh screw it, I am waiting for the movie on Netflix.

up
0 users have voted.

Tulsi's activities current here at C99.

up
0 users have voted.
mimi's picture

@Linda Wood

up
0 users have voted.
EdMass's picture

There's one contender that can actually challenge Trump on policy. Why does no one support her? She checks most of the Intersectionality boxes. She's really a Democrat. But no.

The corruption of the DNC, Nancy's House and all the GOS jerks are blind to reality.

Yeah, Hickenlooper will take down Trump now that Sherrod has backed off cause he doesn't want to deal with his #MeToo issues.

The rest of the announced field are beclowning themselves. Hey, let's let undocumented immigrants vote while they wait for their asylum hearings, that will occur years from now. (Haven't the Rethugs said for years Dems want to have all those non-citizens vote for Dems? I guess it's true?)

The absolute winner strategy for 2020.

While we're at it, the House Dems vote for letting 16 year old children vote. I guess they are all celibate and never had any children so they just don't know and can't be blamed for not knowing how a 16 year old thinks or behaves. Let me recall, "F you Dad!!!" Heh!

The only thing I find that makes me happy is that the Dem Establishment have completely lost control of their caucus and the party.

Gloating isn't that bad, is it?

up
0 users have voted.

Prof: Nancy! I’m going to Greece!
Nancy: And swim the English Channel?
Prof: No. No. To ancient Greece where burning Sapho stood beside the wine dark sea. Wa de do da! Nancy, I’ve invented a time machine!

Firesign Theater

Stop the War!

thanatokephaloides's picture

@EdMass

The only thing I find that makes me happy is that the Dem Establishment have completely lost control of their caucus and the party.

Gloating isn't that bad, is it?

When the victims are those who have done you and your country some very real harm in a very malicious way for their own monetary gain, a little schadenfreude is actually quite healthy!

"Schadenfreude..... makin' the world a better place to be!"

[video:https://youtu.be/nCQGQ5qBQTA]

up
0 users have voted.

"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar

"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides

@EdMass but when they realize the unwashed masses of 16 yo's don't particularly want to vote for them,(democratic leadership) well, that's a different story.

up
0 users have voted.
Centaurea's picture

@Snode @Snode Another cynical action by the Dem establishment. "Hey, let's tell the 16-year-olds we want to give them the vote! That will definitely convince the younger generations to vote for us instead of that awful Bernie (and Tulsi, AOC and Omar)."

Bless their hearts. Lol

up
0 users have voted.

"Don't go back to sleep ... Don't go back to sleep ... Don't go back to sleep."
~Rumi

"If you want revolution, be it."
~Caitlin Johnstone

@EdMass I do think that the practice of mass hiring of non voting, non citizens needs to stop. That means prosecution of employers who do exploit such workers, something the Rs, and their upscale Dem. allies will never allow.

up
0 users have voted.

Mary Bennett

Deja's picture

It wouldn't stop child trafficking, but if managed properly, it could provide the adults involved a safe place to conduct business.

As for the 2 pot bills, I don't see the point in the 2nd one. The 1st one? Hell yesssss! Remove pot from the controlled substance list, where it never should have been put in the first place. Higher on the list than meth ffs. Ludicrous! And, let states make their own tax money (like they could with regulated prostitution).

I trust the states more than the feds on pot. The feds will want to make themselves and their Monsanto/Big Pharma partners in crime, more money, so they'll want it genetically modified and made into a pill so it, and its users can be tracked. Screw that! Gimme a nice, non genetically modified, agricultural hybrid, and let me be on my way, thank you very much!

I don't have cable, so I'll wait to see what's posted on her Clinton News Network appearance. Maybe the fact that she's actually allowed on that channel means Her Heinous really isn't running!

up
0 users have voted.

@Deja

To my mind, it would be like pot legalization--reducing the illegal stuff because at least some of the industry would be brought out from behind the curtains into daylight where it can be watched and regulated to a certain extent. People wouldn't be as scared to come forward if some Joe was beating them and not paying them, for instance. Not sure it would reduce trafficking so much--that's non-consentual (essentially slave trading), although I'd imagine it would make where that is happening more clear (because the legal stuff would be in plain view).

I really like her view on people's rights with their own body and labor, though.

For the 2nd pot bill, that has more to do with helping scientists and economists evaluate where marijuana is most effective. It is less important than the first bill, but I think it's a nice addition.

up
0 users have voted.

@apenultimate that we need to strengthen the 13th Amendment to expressly prohibit, not just ownership but the selling of one human by another.

up
0 users have voted.

Mary Bennett

Lookout's picture

https://www.tulsigabbard.org/

She doesn't run away from her ideas. She's got them out there to see. Worth a look.

up
0 users have voted.

“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

thanatokephaloides's picture

@Lookout

I like her issues page

https://www.tulsigabbard.org/

She doesn't run away from her ideas. She's got them out there to see. Worth a look.

I like the fact that she even has an issues page -- and a real one, into the bargain! Front and center on her website, too!

Smile

up
0 users have voted.

"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar

"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides

@Lookout On the issues page, under Farming

•Tulsi advocates for small farmers, food self-sufficiency, organic agriculture and sustainable agricultural systems that are both profitable for farmers and good for the environment
•With Hawai’i importing 85% of it’s food, Tulsi strongly supports food self-sufficiency including working together to build food aggregation and distribution hubs that serve our farmers, distributors, and local communities to promote self sufficiency
•Tulsi also supports a permanent home for farmers markets, incubator farms, farm-to-school and other educational programs and agri-tourism

Finally!! A candidates who gets it about the food we eat. Sorry, Bernie, I still love you, always will, but it is time for us boomers to move over and get behind worthy newcomers.

up
0 users have voted.

Mary Bennett

Lookout's picture

@Nastarana

I'll vote for him, but right now Tulsi has my primary vote.

...as though voting has any meaning anymore?

up
0 users have voted.

“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Wally's picture

@Lookout I hope other Berners will do the same to ensure that she meets the minimum donation requirements to secure a spot on the debate stage come June.

That said, to carry the nomination, a candidate must have 50% of the delegates on the first ballot at the convention. It's going to be difficult for Bernie to reach that mark, but I'm hoping he will.

My guess is that if Tulsi sees that Bernie needs her delegates to gain the nomination, she will ask them to move their votes to him.

If there's a second ballot with the superdelegates kicking in with their votes, we all lose again.

up
0 users have voted.
Lookout's picture

@Wally

No doubt that the DNC trick is not allowing anyone to win on the first ballot...even if Bernie has say 40% of the delegates. Then allow the supers to select a corporodim.

That's my guess, but I hope i'm wrong.

up
0 users have voted.

“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Wally's picture

@Lookout

. . . then hopefully Gabbard and Warren will have enough to make up the difference by releasing their delegates to vote for Bernie on the first ballot.

up
0 users have voted.
wendy davis's picture

watch or read the transcript at TRNN? i was just mentioning to someone on my OPCW final report on the alleged gas attack on douma that if an elected official or candidate conceded to x, y, or z smears....then comes to some virtuous conclusion, should the rest blow in the wind? for me, the answer's no, but i do realize that i'm likely an outlier here.

for instance, from the trnn transcript:

RO KHANNA: I was just with President Carter, actually, this morning, and I shared a concern that these elections weren’t legitimate. I mean, the Carter Center was not allowed to monitor any of the elections. The United States should be calling for clean new elections, and a process of peaceful negotiation that the Pope, Mexico, and Uruguay are calling for. No one is saying that we ought to be defending Maduro when he’s committing human rights violations, or getting elected by an election that wasn’t transparent. But what we shouldn’t do is make the situation worse. And either military intervention or draconian sanctions actually allows Maduro to rally support, and is counterproductive.

as to the the letter, on Ro's house.gov website a few key outtakes:

"We strongly condemn the Maduro government's actions, including repression of Venezuelan civil society, failed economic policy, the killing of unarmed protestors, disregard for the rule of law, the holding of unfair elections, and blocking humanitarian aid from entering the country. However, threats of military intervention against a failed autocrat who poses no threat to our national security are simply unacceptable. U.S. military action in Venezuela would be unconstitutional without congressional authorization and illegal internationally without approval from the United Nations. We were deeply troubled to learn that President Trump, after having spoken publicly about a "military option" for Venezuela, reportedly pushed for military intervention in Venezuela in meetings with other senior officials in the White House." [snip]

"The Venezuelan government's own economic mismanagement and misguided economic policies are in large part to blame for the horrific economic crisis that has unfolded in the country. Yet today Venezuelan government officials can claim that the U.S. is waging an economic war and laying groundwork for direct confrontation, which threatens chaos and mass migration from Venezuela that will be felt throughout the region. The sanctions are already hurting ordinary people and contributing to the ongoing outbound migration of hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans, which could also result in a dramatic increase in refugees to the U.S."

"Further, threats and involvement in Venezuela's domestic affairs by the U.S. are counterproductive as they play into the Venezuelan government's narrative that the opposition is a proxy for the U.S. These actions help shore up Maduro's support base and take attention away from urgent domestic issues. Respected Venezuelan pollster Datanálisis has carried out a survey showing that the vast majority of Venezuelans are opposed to foreign intervention as a means of removing Maduro."

that's progressive? he (and i guess the signatories) sounds like rubio and his troika in a way: "Democracy will be restored in venezuela!" and of course the humanitarian aid by USAID (cia) is a psyop, and didn't work anyway. VZ is getting plenty of aid that doesn't come thru the US via miami and southern command.

now i get that some of them rightfully want only congress to have the power to declare war, and may have wished the same under former presidents, but..front-loading the letter by ceding to all those crimes is just plain wrong to me, and MSM lies to boot. and again, to me, it's akin to bernie sanders ceding to all then trumpeting that he doesn't consider guaido the president of VZ, yanno?

i'd be interested to know your (and other gabbard supporters here) opinions. but maybe knowing what's been afoot in the beleaguered leftist nation for fifteen years would be crucial knowledge, and now with guaido proclaiming himself king and some 50 nations or so acknowledging him as such... but the media smears have been hot and heavy, but ro and the signatories should have done due dilligence and found out the truth, i think.

off my soapbox now... ; )

up
0 users have voted.
Pluto's Republic's picture

@wendy davis

These people who state their left-handed, intellectually-honest views by prefacing them with denials and accusations are either trying to preempt smears of themselves with cya prattle or they are too insecure to speak the truth and smear their potential critics first.

"Even though Assad is a tyrant who gasses his own people, the Syrian people want to decide.... blah blah blah."

"Putin, a corrupt thug who rigged his own election and poisons his enemies, wants to preserve nuclear agreements we signed.... blah blah blah."

"Although China gets their scientific advances by stealing our intellectual property and putting spy chips into everything they sell us, they repeatedly ask the US to join them.... blah blah blah."

I get why they straddle and pander to the point of reinforcing US propaganda and lies. But it merely transforms them into a "lesser of two evils" candidate, in my view.

up
0 users have voted.

____________________

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

@Pluto's Republic

Say all the nice things you want about Tulsi & Bernie (I do, I like them both). But incontrovertibly they are both proven to be liars unless someone comes up with evidence that Russia interfered in the 2016 election and someone describes what, exactly a "dictator" is and shows that Maduro is one.

up
0 users have voted.

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

wendy davis's picture

@Pluto's Republic

pluto; i'd add maduro is an authoritarian who stole the last elections, but i don't call him the prez of venezuela. (bernie)

tulsi is of course your first example on the view. ocasio? she folded on support for palestinians on NPR's 'crossfire' while paying indecent homage to william buckley, then close to: garsh mickey, what does poor little ol' me really know about a two-state solution? at least i support israel's right to exist'.

as to this: "I get why they straddle and pander to the point of reinforcing US propaganda and lies. But it merely transforms them into a "lesser of two evils" candidate, in my view."

i get it too, and i'm so fooking sick of LOTE voting. i always turn in a ballot, whether i vote for prez candidates or not, there are always a plethora of ballot issues on CO ballots, also 'retain judge so-and-so'; i usually delete them all, lol. never have known but one good un, and she was a county court judge (not electorate approved or disapproved)

my main thing is: who in the name of sweet fanny adams has the hubris to believe that i) they'd be good at the job, and ii) want the job? there used to be an old saw about 'the three jobs the application for which should immediately disqualify applicants' but first was Prez, maybe the others was po-po, third was Priest, but i'm not sure.

up
0 users have voted.
Pluto's Republic's picture

@wendy davis

...for these smear-bait questions.

ocasio? she folded on support for palestinians on NPR's 'crossfire' while paying indecent homage to william buckley, then close to: garsh mickey, what does poor little ol' me really know about a two-state solution? at least i support israel's right to exist'.

In fairness, it's a minefield and easy to make a misstep. But as we've seen, it doesn't matter what you say. You'll get smeared if that's what is on the agenda. Nave a nice night.

up
0 users have voted.

____________________

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

@Pluto's Republic

certain for instance, that tulsi will announce that she's No Longer Conflicted about torture cuz presidential ticking time-bombs and all (supporters will sigh w/ relief).

as to this: "In fairness, it's a minefield and easy to make a misstep." i need to be fair? what about fairness to the palestians wounded and killed by the IDF in april 2018 when she'd tweeted: 'this is a massacre!' bernie, otoh, tweeed 'tragic! the IDF over-reacted". (ya think?) then walked it all back on cross-fire after some push-back:

"She wrote that tweet as an “activist,” she said — she’s not an activist anymore, now she’s about to be a congressperson representing a broad district (with many Zionist Jews in it), and she promised to “learn and evolve.” Ocasio-Cortez vowed that she supports the two-state solution, she seemed flustered when asked why she used the term “occupation,” and she apologized for herself, saying that she’s not an expert on Middle East issues. “I may not use the right words.”

maybe she was thinking of contributors, but it was all bullshit to me, cuz as i've said: i like verisimilitude, especially about Imperialism and War. but 'AOC has a peace plan' is how she burst upon the scene, but voted for the Defense of Nato bill (bernie had vote aye in an earlier senate straw poll bill that never matured into an actual bill or something).

now as sam husseni wrote in his excellent and nuanced (imo) essay: 'Rep. Omar's Choice', here are the cliffs notes, but i'd urge anyone to read it all.

noting one choice as fold (as ocasio), and go silent on israel, or this small portion of Get Specific, Expand the Critique:

"Much of Rep. Omar's comments to date have been about herself, about her relationship to Jews and Jewish constituents. What they have been insufficiently about is actual Israeli and U.S. government policy towards the Palestinians and others.

For example talking about U.S. policy being literally "all about the benjamins" is highly dubious. Money is certainly a needed ingredient, but the U.S. government’s backing of Israel more than anything has to do with geopolitics, most obviously Israel effectively crushing Arab nationalism in 1967, preventing the development of the region along lines remotely responsive to the people of the region.

Rep. Omar can highlight such critical aspects. Some are timely: The recent UN report on Israeli atrocities against Palestinians."

"With Rep. Omar being the center of much attention just now, her highlighting Israeli criminality and nuclear threats to humanity itself could have an immeasurable positive effect."

on edit to add this toward the end of his essay:

"She did confront some of this when recently questioning U.S. envoy to Venezuela Elliott Abrams, a criminal abettor of genocide. She questioned Abrams far more strongly than any of the other congressional representatives, but when he claimed the U.S. government wanted democracy, she extraordinarily agreed." (click for stand alone thread)

Feb 13 "Abrams said "US wants democracy," then @IlhanMN says no one is disputing that. That's wrong, she's allowing him to confuse US with US gov. Virtually anyone paying attention doesn't think US gov is attempting to uphold democracy in Venezuela or anywhere else."

I'd say the same for ocasio-cortez, but she chose not to fold for whatever reasons.

up
0 users have voted.

@wendy davis

Gabbard supporter, and I agree with Amanda Matthews that

She’s the most credible one running so far (IMO).

And I agree with your comments, especially that,

ro and the signatories should have done due dilligence and found out the truth...

up
0 users have voted.
wendy davis's picture

@Linda Wood

amiga. and while i admit to having opened pandora's box, i'll channel a quaker meeting. "while listening to all those who have spoken here today, and sitting in silence listening to god within us, this is the sense of the meeting."

as is yours, i reckon. with that, i'll yield to all of your collective wisdom.

although i will say that i checked w/ the US green party to see if they were running a candidate for pres 2020, found zip, and went on jill stein's twit account, and she was all over the ongoing coup against maduro, and good on her. i voted for pinko ajamu baraka last cycle, and wouldn't waste my vote on stein for obvious reasons, but #good.on.her.

good night, linda wood, may your sleep (and mine, lol) be restorative. gotta go close out my VZ diary w/ a lullaby....i'm thinking it'll be santana & everlast, cuz the electrical blackouts 'likely' caused by the opposition and supporters, esp. marco rubio:

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCBS5EtszYI]

up
0 users have voted.

reparations. I did not read how they were defined. Warren has come out in favor of breaking up Amazon, Facebook and a few others. I'm still all for Bernie for Pres. Warren for VP riding the Senate and the House to get money reforms passed and send bankers to jail. Tulsi for Secretary of State unwinding the mess Hillary and Obama made.

I think the three of them together are dynamite, despite their individual shortcomings, and if determined, could indeed bring us a New Green Deal and not necessarily the one on the table now.

up
0 users have voted.

"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon

mimi's picture

@dkmich

up
0 users have voted.

@dkmich

The reparations bill is mostly just a bill to form a congressional committee to study reparations and come to a conclusion of what those should look like tangibly. It's does not propose anything beyond that, but it does make Congress acknowledge the issue formally, which is something they have not done yet. Consider it a first step, I guess.

As to Tulsi, Bernie, and Lizzie (Warren), my dream is Tulsi as prez--honestly, I think she is even better than Bernie because I think their domestic agendas are pretty identical, but Bernie has not really touched on foreign policy and Tulsi's is (IMO) a lot better. I agree with Tulsi that you can't really address a lot of the domestic stuff in a realistic way without reducing military expenditures.

Having said that, I do kind of also like the idea of Bernie winning and Tulsi being VP. This would do two things--ensure nobody "offs" Bernie, because the military-industrial-complex (MIC) is actually more frightened of Tulsi's foreign policy (and she'd be next in line). Also, it sets up potential for 16 years of progressive presidency (8 years Bernie, followed by 8 years Tulsi). Lizzie is fairly advanced in age as well, and I'm not sure the MIC would mind Lizzie as prez or that she would be all that progressive (although I do like her financial/economic views).

To me, I'd be happy with Tulsi as prez, vice prez, sec state, or even sec defense. Bernie would be good as prez. Lizzie would make a good sec treasury or fed reserve head.

up
0 users have voted.
Amanda Matthews's picture

I whine and complain about how early the campaign for 2020 has kicked in, if I were being completely honest I’d have to admit “...but I’ve aleady donated a couple bucks to help Gabbard stay in the race”. (In this day and age, the amount I’m giving wouldn’t even get you a good quality 4-pack of double ply.)

She’s the most credible one running so far (IMO).

up
0 users have voted.

I'm tired of this back-slapping "Isn't humanity neat?" bullshit. We're a virus with shoes, okay? That's all we are. - Bill Hicks

Politics is the entertainment branch of industry. - Frank Zappa

@Amanda Matthews its a symptom of "any one can grow up to be president". After Trump, the grow up part is optional. The more traction she gains, the more both parties agree that the left is the enemy of democracy.

up
0 users have voted.
snoopydawg's picture

This is much better than, "can't we drone him?"

up
0 users have voted.

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

Pluto's Republic's picture

@snoopydawg

This is much better than, "can't we drone him?"

Tulsi is hitting all the right notes. And the places where she is wrong on the use of violence instead of diplomacy — she can evolve. Sometimes answering violence with diplomacy puts the diplomat into a powerful position.

We saw Russia do just that when Turkey shot down one of their planes. It was a terrible thing to do. But Putin didn't react with violence. Now Russia is selling defensive weaponry to Turkey and they are helping one another. Russia can negotiate with Turkey about strategies to achieve Turkey's aims without killing the Kurds. Great energy goes into keeping those diplomatic channels open. The US is slapping them both with sanctions for these interactions. Who is the geopolitical loser here?

The Dems think the people can't see their strategy in this election. They will let Tulsi in, and David Wang, and several others who might may declare rather late. In 2016, the Democrats were the incumbent party, and they were selling a continuation of the Obama administration through Hillary Clinton. It looked like a sure thing to them. They didn't want any serious challengers, and viewed Bernie as a marginal Leftist. They had no idea that Americans didn't want more of the same. Bernie vision spoiled more than Hillary's lame agenda, he was highlighting Obama's lack of vision and his commitment to the oligarchs and monopolies.

This time they are not the incumbent and are pushing against Trump policies. Every Dem candidate will use that red meat as a fall-back. A third of them are targeting moderate Republicans, with whom they have a natural rapport. Another third is speaking to the ideological Left, young and old (not fauxgressives), and addressing people who are sinking fast and want a bold new approach to bring economic relief. The remaining candidates are moderates with creative Left-sounding solutions, like Wang who's pushing UBI.

The party is going to generously support them all — to keep them in the race. Ultimately, only thing that works for the Establishment is a brokered convention where the Super Delegates pick the winner. It seems to me they will likely pull that off. There aren't many ways to stop it, if they're passing out money.

I'm guessing that will split the party for good and suppress the vote.

up
0 users have voted.

____________________

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

If they do that then we won't be selling them our turkey plane the F- 35's. I think that would be doing Turkey a favor since we have grounded all of ours.

Bernie spoiled more than Hillary's lame agenda, he was highlighting Obama's lack of vision and commitment to the oligarchs and monopolies.

Yep he did do that. Sadly too many people wanted things to continue with his agendas. Bernie woke people up to how much things could and should be different from what we've gotten from the democrats going back before Clinton's presidency. This article is a genie that is hard to put back in the bottle. The younger kids want what Bernie is selling. Kamillary is offering debt free college as opposed to Bernie's free college. And lots of the MFA types are only offering universal health care access not care.

A third of them are targeting moderate Republicans, with whom they have a natural rapport

I like this plan. Those left of the centrist democrats have lots in common with moderate republicans who also think their party has gone too insane. They are seeing through the GOP's fiscal conservative motto after the tax cuts exploded the deficit and ended up hurting them on their tax refunds. So many people are owing money for their taxes instead of getting refunds that they planned on using for many things.

Lots of people are thinking that is the plan. A brokered convention and then Hillary steps in. This will not go over well at all. And now the police are more brutal than they were in 1968. Fun times ahead.

up
0 users have voted.

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

snoopydawg's picture

and saw a few people saying they were going to vote for Tulsi because of her "anti war" stance because they are fed up with Trump not getting the troops home like he campaign on. People are really tired of our military being in countless countries and want them to come home.
This goes back to working with people on the other side. Many people who have been divided for since ever are finding that they have more in common with each other. If we can find a way to work together then maybe... or will that happen when pigs fly? If we put wings on pigs could they fly or are they too heavy?

up
0 users have voted.

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

Lookout's picture

@snoopydawg

I've been watching her events https://www.youtube.com/user/VoteTulsi
...and veterans are showing up in force....she is reaching across the aisle in a way Bernie can't. As a self described socialist many on the right automatically reject him.
She also has a channel focused on her legislation...
https://www.youtube.com/user/tulsipress

Of course the primaries precede the general election. My real question is - if or when the DNC cheat both Bernie and Tulsi will either run as a people's party candidate?

up
0 users have voted.

“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Unabashed Liberal's picture

@snoopydawg

I've thought that a candidate who's NOT a warmongering "happy warrior"--but, who has some military experience/background, is what we need to get this country out of the decades-long interventionist quagmire that we've in. For wisdom regarding the MIC, think Eisenhower. (Admittedly, I'd feel better about her service if she wasn't career. But, can't have everything.)

Note - I'm not including any of the scores of MIC/State Department/CIA Spooks/Deep State Conservadems who just swept the House in that broad statement. From their bios, it appears that they mostly are/were "happy warriors."

As is true in 2016, can't support a Dem Party ticket. But, if Gabbard should decide to run as an Independent--and, I can get satisfactory answers regarding a couple of her stances (which she hasn't addressed on her website), I could see supporting her.

A couple of Gabbard's past stances and associations (with No Labels, for instance) concern me, though. I'll address them, later. (After I seek clarification from her office, about them. Of course, don't know if I'll get answer. I avoid calling lawmakers, anymore. So, considering Tweeting my questions.)

As I see it, all of the Dem candidates that have announced are flawed in some fashion. At least, she's probably not been a Washington-Insider so long that she wouldn't be able to break with the Dem Party Establishment. I think, and hope, that is the case.

Pleasantry

Hey, give Charlie and Abby a scritch for me!

Blue Onyx

I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love. For me they are the role model for being alive.
~~Gilda Radner, Comedienne

Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.
~~Cicero

The obstacle is the path.
~~Zen Proverb

up
0 users have voted.

Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.

wendy davis's picture

@Unabashed Liberal

there were boxes under each federal office to check for None of the Above. then those vote would have to be counted. just turning in a ballot but not voting in any races just doesn't show up, and low voter turnout can be interpreted in myriad ways.

i've never understood the reasoning behind mandatory voting in some nations, myself. 16-yr-olds? hell, brains aren't even fully wired by that age, esp. in males, iirc.

up
0 users have voted.
Unabashed Liberal's picture

@wendy davis

mandatory anything, rubs me the wrong way!

Smile

And, the idea of 16-year-olds voting--I would never advocate for that.

Hey, hope you and Mr WD are doing well. We're getting by, I suppose. Hands full with new Pup.

Blue

I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love. For me they are the role model for being alive.
~~Gilda Radner, Comedienne

Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.
~~Cicero

The obstacle is the path.
~~Zen Proverb

up
0 users have voted.

Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.

@Unabashed Liberal
of america who isn't "flawed" with respect to my political philosophy is me.

up
0 users have voted.

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.

Unabashed Liberal's picture

@UntimelyRippd @UntimelyRippd

of words, since I wasn't making a moral/ethical/character assessment of the candidates, and, my reference was to their policy stances, only.

One example, I need to know Gabbard's reasoning for joining 'No Labels,' since it's a bipartisan corporatist organization that carries water for (the late) Pete Peterson. And, whose primary goal is to balance the budget by 2030, on the backs of seniors.

In order to do so, 'No Labels' endorsed budget proposals/plans such as Bowles-Simpson and Domenici-Rivlin--which eviscerate what's left of the flimsy US "safety net," especially, Social Security and Medicare.

For me, that's a deal killer for any Presidential candidate--including, one making an Independent run.

(That is, in the unlikely event that one of the Dem candidates breaks rank, and makes a Third Party/Independent run--which, I realize, is not very likely.)

Blue Onyx

I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love. For me they are the role model for being alive.
~~Gilda Radner, Comedienne

Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.
~~Cicero

The obstacle is the path.
~~Zen Proverb

up
0 users have voted.

Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.

Unabashed Liberal's picture

at EB.

Will seek clarification on her answer to the MFA question. She clearly tried to avoid answering what appeared to be an uncomfortable question--regarding whether or not private insurers should be eliminated. From the jumbled answer, not sure that she has even read Jayapal's or Bernie's bill.

(Yesterday, her campaign website had no mention of the two newer MFA Bills--only the defunct HR 676--originally, sponsored by John Conyers. I'll post a link to the bill, when I post the CNN transcript, so that folks can have a frame of reference as to what she was talking about.)

BTW, it's an ongoing interview, if anyone is interested (at 7:31 p.m., March 10) . . .

Blue Onyx

I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love. For me they are the role model for being alive.
~~Gilda Radner, Comedienne

Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.
~~Cicero

The obstacle is the path.
~~Zen Proverb

up
0 users have voted.

Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.

managed to restrain herself. Nobody asked about torture, but she had previously answered that she did not support it in this interview.
https://youtu.be/k0q3mqsBeDA

up
0 users have voted.

chuck utzman

TULSI 2020

Unabashed Liberal's picture

anything, if you didn't catch his Town Hall segment.

Sorta mind boggling, since he's one of the first millennials (I think) to run for President.

Bottom line, he sounds like a WJC/FSC clone . . .

Blue Onyx

I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love. For me they are the role model for being alive.
~~Gilda Radner, Comedienne

Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.
~~Cicero

The obstacle is the path.
~~Zen Proverb

up
0 users have voted.

Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.