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What’s his plan? A revolution? He’s too smart for that. Does he care more about beating Republicans or beating the Democratic establishment? Here’s the information you need to grasp the epic nature of this struggle.
Bernie won for Mayor of Burlington in 1980 and so began the Vermont “political revolution.” During his tenure, the Coalition was formed that became the Vermont [Read more…]
Karl Rove’s super-PAC, American Crossroads, spent $100 million trying to defeat the Democrats in 2012. According to Steven Law, Crossroads CEO, “American Crossroads and Bernie Sanders helped Nevada caucus-goers see right through Hillary Clinton … that one-two punch [Crossroads and Sanders] shaved Clinton’s 50-point lead a year ago to a slim, single-digit win.” Crossroads also funded a TV ad for the Iowa primary that features Sanders’ talking points insinuating that Clinton has been bought by Wall Street. How to explain this?
The Daily Beast asked the Sanders campaign for a comment [Read more…]
The 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago is now underway. Eugene McCarthy and Robert Kennedy (now assassinated), the peace candidates, have won a huge majority of the popular vote. President Johnson has dropped out and Vice President Humphrey and Ed Muskie are the party-establishment’s choice. More than 10,000 demonstrators have shown up to protest the inevitable, and face 28,000 police, national guards and federal troops. (see previous post)
According to CNN, “The worst day of protesting was Wednesday, Aug 28, and was dubbed the “Battle of Michigan Avenue.” Protesters were stopped in their march to the convention site and the media recorded graphic violence on the part of the Chicago police. [Read more…]
It was different then. We weren’t worried about hedge-fund bankers, but rather about a war that would drag 2.7 million of us to Vietnam and kill 58,000 Americans. But the political revolution started the same way, with students shocking the Democrats in the New Hampshire primary. They didn’t get their man nominated in ’68, but as we’ll see later, they returned to do that in ’72. And then … stay tuned …
Lyndon Johnson (LBJ) had passed the Civil Rights Bill in 1964, and the war-on-poverty legislation—Medicare, Medicaid, Food Stamps, VISTA, Job Corps, the Community Action Program, the Education Act, and the Voting Rights Act—came close on its heals. All this in less than two years. What made this possible? [Read more…]
We want to know what you think. On Feb 4 in New Hampshire, Bernie said Hillary was part of the establishment because of taking contributions from Wall St., the drug companies and other special interests.
Hillary accused Bernie (YouTube exact time link) of saying she had been “bought,” and continued “I just absolutely reject that, Senator, and I really don’t think these kinds of attacks by insinuation are worthy of you. And enough is enough. If you’ve got something to say, say it directly. But you will not find that I ever changed a view or a vote because of any donation that I ever received. … So I think it’s time to end the very artful smear by you … Take the poll. [Read more…]
Is the Democratic nomination really up for grabs? True, Bernie could still win if his momentum continues after a near-tie in Iowa, but right now the delegate count is 385 for Hillary to his 29.
Yes, Hillary won in Iowa, but Sander’s supporters are jubilant and hoping a win in New Hampshire [Read more…]
While endorsing Clinton, the NY Times said Sanders had “pushed Mrs. Clinton a bit more to the left.” Everybody says that, but nobody knows. He likes to sound very left and she doesn’t. Both have their reasons. Obama half explained these reasons when he endorsed Hillary. “Bernie came in with the luxury of being a complete long shot and just letting loose.” That was the smart thing for Bernie to do, and it’s good to see his views getting a lot of air play.
Hillary has also been playing it smart. But all politicians say and do things for strategic reasons. They have to, or they would not be politicians for long. For example, Bernie voted against the Brady (gun control) Bill several times (to the delight of conservatives), but he claims this was for strategic reasons. You just can’t be sure what’s talk and what’s strategy. But there are two things you can tell for sure. [Read more…]
Paul Krugman is left of almost every Democrat, and he hates Wall Streeters. He’s Bernie’s kind of guy. Except for one thing. He’s smart. Really smart. And he knows health plans — from Medicare to Obamacare, from Hillary’s two plans to Bernie’s new plan. Here’s what he says.
“For all the talk about being honest and upfront, even Sanders ended up delivering mostly smoke and mirrors.” As Krugman reminds us “I say this as someone who favors single-payer—but it’s just not going to happen anytime soon.” He finishes with: “And Sanders isn’t coming clean on [Read more…]
“One of the very few heroes in an unheroic place,” that’s Bernie’s hero. King Abdullah was the only person to receive such praise from Bernie in yesterday’s debate. In contrast, he likes Obama a bit but has called him “weak” and “disappointing.” And Hillary? She’s an anti-hero controlled by Wall St.
So who’s this Abdullah guy, who’s better than our president? One of his [Read more…]
Many of us know the US pays too much because we don’t have single-payer healthcare. Naturally this appeals to left Democrats. But playing them for suckers is not going to help anybody. Don’t take my word for it, here’s a Vox article critical of Hillary’s campaign strategy, but …
“In 1994, Clinton spearheaded a doomed overhaul of the health care system. I’ve interviewed dozens of people who worked with her on that effort, and who have worked with her since that effort, and the lessons her team took away are clear and deeply held. When it comes to health reform, do not screw with what people already have. [Read more…]
