Jesse Jackson, Ross Perot, Ralph Nader, Dennis Kucinich, Bernie Sanders… one again, I don’t get the radical outsider I want for President:
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders suspended his 2020 presidential campaign Wednesday, bowing to the commanding delegate lead former Vice President Joe Biden established.
“I wish I could give you better news, but I think you know the truth. And that is that we are now some 300 delegates behind Vice President Biden, and the path toward victory is virtually impossible,” Sanders told supporters in livestreamed remarks, shortly after he had broken the news to campaign staff.
…On Wednesday, Sanders directly addressed supporters who wanted to see him stay in the race: “I understand that,” Sanders said, but countered, “I cannot in good conscience continue to mount a campaign that cannot win and which would interfere with the important work required of all of us in this difficult hour.”
In his statement, Biden said Sanders “has put his heart and soul into not only running for President, but for the causes and issues he has been dedicated to his whole life.”
He added that “Sanders and his supporters have changed the dialogue in America” [Scott Detrow, “Bernie Sanders Suspends His Presidential Campaign,” NPR, 2020.04.08].
Senator Sanders had the second highest liberal rating by GovTrack’s Ideology Score on its 2019 report card (behind only Kamala Harris). Ditto for 2018 (beaten by Kirsten Gillibrand) and 2017 (beaten by the great Al Franken). Sanders maintains one of the best Trump scores—”best” meaning low, as in voting against Trumpism whenever possible—on Five Thirty-Eight’s scorecard.
Sanders didn’t take his defeat in 2016 as an excuse to retreat from standing for his principles. He didn’t flip out and start voting Libertarian or theocrat out of sheer pique. He continued to fight and continues to fight for what he believes in, and for what America needs.
So must we Kucinich-Sanders Democrats. We must rally to support Joe Biden for President. We must rally to unite around an eminently qualified and decent man to take the helm of our nation, rebuild America’s global reputation as a leader and partner and force for good, and remove the stain of Trumpist incompetence and venality from government.
Biden 2020. That’s the most important political decision any American can make this year. Bernie Sanders has made it. So should you.
Related Field-Winnowing: Lincoln Chafee also ended his Libertarian Presidential campaign yesterday. The Libertarian Party lists nineteen remaining candidates… but focus up, people: Biden 2020.
Biden is a moderate Republican with declining cognitive abilities. How did he win the Democratic nomination? CNN, MSNBC and other corporate media outlets told us Biden was most electable. Is he more electable? Here are a few issues that Biden will have to explain to voters in the general election:
1. Supported cuts to social security
2. Supported free trade agreements that outsourced our jobs
3. Vehemently Supported the 1996 Crime Bill that caused mass incarceration
4. Supported corporate bailouts
5. Supported Iraq War
How will these positions play out in the general election? Maybe Biden wins despite his awful record. It is probably 50-50 at this point. But why would Democratic voters choose such a weak candidate? That’s what I am trying to figure out. Why would Democrats choose a moderate Republican to try to beat an incumbent Republican? It really is worth a closer look.
Off the top of my head I blame corporate media and 40+ years of neoliberal capitalist programming. The result is that we do not have the ability to think of a world outside of capitalist dominance. We are afraid and reflexively go back to what is comfortable … so we choose Obama’s VP.
Jason, I don’t disagree with your issue analysis of Biden. I think the answer to your question (on how did this happen) is that this is the product of the US political discourse being moved to the right. Since Ronald Reagan, right-wing radical ideas have been marketed as “centrist.”
Democrats/Liberals/Progressives need a beachhead. We need a place to land to start the long push to take back the definition of “central/middle” and what should be the social norm we aspire to. Most importantly, we need to end the flow of young, unqualified, radical conservative judges the GOP is using to undermine the US. That opportunity was squandered with the Election of President Obama; the Election of President Trump has been a disaster. Biden is the first step to clawing a way back.
The choice is …either vote for Biden or re-appoint the worst potus ever. What’s the problem?
Bernie bits are gonna get 4 moar years of drumpf’s massive clusterFFFFs!
So when Bernie gets votes, he is the chosen one.
When Biden gets votes, must be brainwashing.
Doesn’t seem like a disingenuous argument that Biden couldn’t possibly win at all, Jason.
Biden was Obama’s choice for vice president. That means that Obama thought that if something were to happen to him, Biden would be the perfect fit to continue with Obama’s vision for the country. No argument there. Biden proved himself to be a very able vice president that bought into that team, much Democratic support.
Biden is smart and will look to Obama, he will bring Warren in for vice, as she will bring in the most of Bernie supporters as well as her own supporters to beat crooked Donnie boy.
I don’t know how young Jason is, but he sounds like me when I was 21. I was so disaffected from the system that in 1972 I voted, and even was an elector for, Linda Jenness for President. You surely remember Linda Jenness, the Socialist Workers Party candidate for President. The SWP wasn’t some pantywaist democratic socialist outfit. They were revolutionary Trotskyites. Power to the People, Right On!
Am I embarrassed about that? No. It was an experience that taught me a lot about politics. It sort of brought home John Lennon’s lesson, “If you go carrying pictures of Chairman Mao, you ain’t gonna make it with anyone, anyhow.” I remain disaffected in many ways, but I’ve become more focused on what’s important and practical over the years.
I’ve voted for fifty years, and never voted for someone I’ve not had some reservations about on issues or experience. Biden was not my first or second, third or even fourth choice this time around. In fact both Biden and Bernie were two folks I had said I wouldn’t vote for. So, as I cast my absentee vote by mail in Wisconsin’s primary, there were a lot of people still on the ballot, though not in the race. I could have voted for Warren or Klobuchar, my two favorites, who had left the race. The real choice boiled down to Biden or Bernie. I voted for Biden.
Biden, to me, is sort of like Obama. He’s the last man standing. Obama was my last choice in 2008. For me it was in the order of their progressivism: Edwards, Clinton, Obama. Obama was a moderate. I think Obama turned out to be a good president, even though he was the most moderate of the candidates.
What we’re now seeing is what social Democrats like Bernie have always seen, there is plenty of money. Republicans, well, they’ve always been lying, always.
“Confronted by an economy-killing pandemic, remarkably, a bunch of frantic politicians in the West have found lots of money to try to resuscitate their suddenly on-life-support, market-driven balance sheets.
Taken together, they have injected trillions of dollars to the frenetic effort; money they have always insisted they did not have and could not spend to help people they claim – with varying degrees of sincerity – they are now determined to help.
Today, these rebar-hard capitalists turned quasi-socialists have become grudging facsimiles of Bernie Sanders – whether they are prepared to admit it or not.”
So why bother with crooked lying republicans when we can have a country that is by the people and for the people. VOTE BLUE, THAT’S WHO!!
Oh, and somebody please run against Dirty Johnson to expose that little stinker for the worthless skin tag he is. He is another lying, Russian loving, waste of time.
Yes Biden will look to Obama. It was Obama who orchestrated the landslide support for Biden from SC to Super Tuesday.
https://news.yahoo.com/obama-biden-spoke-pete-buttigieg-152315206.html
But don’t expect that Obama advice to help ordinary Americans. Obama is a representative of corporate capitalist and Wall Street interests. Obama’s cabinet was handpicked by the CEO of Citigroup.
https://newrepublic.com/article/137798/important-wikileaks-revelation-isnt-hillary-clinton
Obama is a fraud. He campaigned as a progressive and delivered crony capitalism. He promised hope and change and gave us more of the same. Democratic voters may not recognize this yet. Maybe that is why they still cling to him during these uncertain times. Maybe that is why his advice still matters in Democratic circles.
Ah, yes. Democratic voters are just too stupid to see the truth that you see. Why won’t those pesky black voters recognize what is good for them? Jason knows what is good for them.
You have no idea how condescending and paternalistic you come across. Maybe, just maybe, people don’t agree with you, Jason. And maybe the reasons have nothing to do with recognizing whatever objective truth you think you see.
Dicta:
Nice move. Pivot to identity politics. Yes. Good job. Make this about race. Meanwhile we continue to transfer wealth to the top 1% which disproportionately hurts people of color.
Dicta should work for the DNC.
More evidence to prove Obama failed.
https://jacobinmag.com/2017/12/obama-foreclosure-crisis-wealth-inequality
Obama bailed out the banks. Not the home owners. Of course he did. Look at his cabinet.
Or maybe you don’t understand why they vote for who they vote for. Instead of bloviating about what is “good for them,” maybe you could stop being an arrogant turd and ask them. Not everyone wants what you want and they are also a part of the party. You don’t have a monopoly on the truth.
I notice that you don’t dispute the evidence above?
I wrote the comment while you posted that one. I dont have a time machine.
A cult of the all-knowing personality is the same regardless of which “direction” it leans – or doesn’t.
BTW – there is also such a thing as a RADICAL “moderate” – Centrism against all else. NONE of these approaches are indicative of any tendency toward open minded problem solving.
Bless his heart, Jason loves him some trump
Jason, Obama was not a progressive. I’m not sure how closely you follow politics, but Obama’s stands on issues during the primary were decidedly moderate, though he was a bit more left than McCain.
Electoral college is the only thing that matters. If you are not in a swing state, consider changing your address to one and then vote. Ones vote in a solid red state matters not.
Donald:
Obama campaigned for universal health care.
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/12/barack-obama-campaign-electability-risky-progressive-unelectable.html
Instead we got a conservative health care plan from the Heritage think tank.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/theapothecary/2011/10/20/how-a-conservative-think-tank-invented-the-individual-mandate/#1eb61f261877
$16.49, 2008 price of soybeans. Thanks Obama
In chess it is a good idea to anticipate our opponent’s strategical goals and the tactical methods the opponent is likely to use to obtain these goals. Russians have long considered the development of these skills to be a valuable resource.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesrodgerseurope/2018/09/22/why-russians-are-good-at-chess-and-why-it-helps-to-know-that/#5978e6384de6
What does this have to do with this set of comments you ask? The answer is fairly straight forward.
The current Russian strategical political goal identified by the Mueller report and other sources is to sow discord in the American political system. Tactically, Russians have determined that mining support for Trump and denigrating Trump’s political opponents is a key tactial means of fowarding this strategical goal. Bernie supporters and progessive young activists have been identified as a potential resource. The specific tactic of creating “useful idiots” is particularly effective. Encouraging these individuals to engage in public attacks on potentially successful democratic challengers to Trump is a particularly effective tactic to acieve the strategical goal of sowing discord among American voters.
When I read comments attacking Biden from sources that don’t claim to support Trump, I think of this particular tactic and the known Russian strategic goal. I would urge anyone who thinks we woud be better off without Trump to consider the same before promulgating public statements attacking Biden.
Jerry smeared me as a Trump supporter because I dare to criticize Obama and the Democratic establishment. Obama’s failures led to Trump. Trump is the symptom of a failed system.
$12.67, 2009 price of soybeans. Thanks Obama/Biden
Omg here we go again with the Russians. When will we fix America and stop blaming the Russians for our own policy failures?
Very good points bcb!, As always, you come across with a more dimensional approach to situations. I envy your wisdom and wordplay.
$14.01, 2010 price of soybeans, Thanks Obama/Biden
For Jason’s benefit:
https://intelligence.house.gov/social-media-content/
And the system will fail far more if we give Trump four more years to rig, raid, and wreck it than if we elect Biden, who will work sincerely for the public good and will at least be open to arguments about how to serve everyone better.
When will people stop blaming russians for their own political failures? Around the time Jason stops blaming the DNC for Bernie’s, I suspect.
$14.55, 2011 price for soybeans. Thanks Obama/Biden
Everybody yelling at Jason: I’m a lifelong Democrat, and I think he has valid criticisms of Biden and the Democratic establishment. Valid criticism and unwillingness to wave pom-poms for the nominee doesn’t warrant ad hominem attacks or make one a “Bernie Bro” (never, ever give up that insult, by the way; it’s your Free Bird).
But even though I think he’s a terrible candidate, I’m going to vote for Biden. The choice I’m given is between a bad, barely competent Democrat or a literal fascist. I’ll take Biden. At least his administration will be filled with people who will do their jobs on behalf of the American people.
If anyone wants to criticize people like me for not clapping hard enough for Biden, fine. I’m not going to stay home or vote against Biden out of spite. However, if your goal is to actually win the election, maybe reconsider whether yelling at voters is the best way to accomplish that. Insults and abuse are pretty poor sales techniques and suggest that you don’t have a very good product to sell.
$17.68, 2012 price of soybeans. Thanks Obama/Biden
“I’ll take Biden. At least his administration will be filled with people who will do their jobs on behalf of the American people.” True that Chris S
If Chris S. actually wants Trump out of office, then perhaps he can explain how the tactic of publicly describing Trump’s only opponent as “a terrible candidate” and “a bad, barely competent Democrat. . . ” helps garner support for that candidate.
I confess that there are likely many tactical considerations I haven’t considered, and perhaps in Chris’s view these denigrating comments will convince people to come out and vote for Biden. If so, then it could be helpful to understand why.
If not, however, then what is the point of the comments, especially if Chris has a genuine fear that inappropriate comments “suggest that you don’t have a very good product to sell?” Can you imagine a restaurant owner advertising that his establishment offers only “terrible food made by a barely competent chef?”
I don’t mind criticisms of Biden. He’s slipping and done some bad stuff in his time. What I won’t tolerate is Sanders’ most fervent water carriers treating him as though he is the second coming and that his falling behind is solely attributable to the shortcomings of others.
Well, I’ll stick up for Jason. We think alike. I’m old and I hope that Jason is young since the young are the ones that are going to be stuck with the mess this country has been made into and hopefully can do something about it. I personally think that democracy in this country is something in the past and that it is too late to resurrect. At least in my lifetime. Hopefully I’m just being pessimistic.
Here’s some other folks opinion’s. I know Jerry apparently can’t stand this guy so I advise him to make a pass on the first.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXr8LtfAUJE
Nomiki Konst was Sanders representative to the DNC and was largely instrumental in getting rid of the super delegates in the first round. Here’s her take:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hf5GVq9zOWw
$15.40, 2013 price of soybeans. Thanks Obama/Biden
As far as the opinions of Dicta and others the fact is that the media and the DNC has controlled this whole process and are virtually 100% responsible for Biden. There is NO doubt of that unless you have been getting all of your influence from the propaganda machine that we now have in this country as media. Every mention of the name of Sanders was followed with ‘whats it going to cost’ or getting what he wanted done was ‘unrealistic’. That along with never mentioning his name without prefacing it with ‘socialist’. Yes, Sanders made some mistakes but countering the press would have been a very hard thing to do. One of the last things he should have done was to refuse the invite to be on the ‘View’ and receive the usual hatchet job the Establishment has been handing him all along.
Now lets see if Biden is willing to do anything to get the Sanders vote which he will need or will we get the Trump presidency that the Establishment would just as soon have.
Jerry, Jerry, Jerry. I sold almost all of my corn in 2012 for $8.22. Those prices had to do with the fact that we raised nothing in 2012 because of drought and the fact that the collapse of the economy in 2008 had our dollar at a low value. Strong dollar we sell nothing and buy everything….weak dollar just the opposite.
A little more on the demise of honest believable media in this country by John Oliver with his brand of humor thrown in:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bq2_wSsDwkQ
We no longer have any semblance of competitive honest media and without it and a educated public democracy dies. This country has been doing everything it can to dumb down the proletariat and feed them only what the ‘Big Brother’ Establishement wants them to know.
I don’t like any candidate’s “most fervent water carriers.” There are plenty around for every candidate, and if a few people are coloring your entire impression of a candidate, maybe stop listening to them and winding yourself up.
I left Twitter and no longer have to listen to the fans/stans of any candidate. (For my money the Kamala stans were hands-down the most aggressively toxic, yet I know those people on Twitter were just a tiny fraction and not representative of all of her voters.)
As a former State Chess Champion (1993) and daily chess player (chess.com) I was happy to see the comments regarding Russians and chess. I was also happy to see a chess table with pieces set up in the background when Bernie spoke yesterday.
Another reason to elect a Democrat this Fall is because of the Administration that they will bring in to support them. The Judges they will appoint, head of the EPA, SEC, AG and so many more. It won’t be a one man show.
There is no “perfect” candidate.
I would put Jason up there with them, Chris. He seems incapable of placing blame on Sanders for any of what has happened. People just don’t seem to get how great Bernie is. They don’t know what is good for them. DNC bad. Media bad. Everybody bad but Bernie.
Sounds an awful lot like Trump’s base. Once again, horseshoe theory nods its head solemnly.
$15.20, 2014 Soybean price. Thanks Obama/Biden
“Bernie’s base is just like Trump’s base” is really insulting and inaccurate, as was the rest of that boilerplate smearing of people who supported Bernie in the primary. But of course anyone saying that is actually more interested in trash talking and stirring the pot than in building a coalition to win an election. Very Trump-like when you think about it, actually.
Believe it or not, Dicta and Jerry, I’m afraid that I have to be in the ‘vote blue no matter who’ camp now. I will have to do the “lesser of two evils” game once again since the evil is so evil. I’m not betting that the majority of American voters will be following my logic though. In fact I’m betting they will not.
$10.56, 2015 soybean price. Thanks Obama/Biden
2.80 corn Thanks Trump.
$11.78, 2016 soybean price. Thanks Obama/Biden.
And then, we lower our voices and our expectations because the big dummy takes office and immediately crashes the markets.
Ag producers, you have to all know what kind of failures and humiliation you’ve experienced with these failed elected officials. It’s up to you to make the change. The past is your future. VOTE BLUE, THAT’S WHO!!
I didn’t say Bernie’s entire base was that way, rather people like Jason were. Dont put words in my mouth.
Mr. Clyde, grudznick hears you now and may understand you later, but if Mr. Sanders were to be the Democratic candidate, it would put me right back in the camp of last time, where grudznick was a Huge Johnson Supporter.
I still blame Hillary for Mr. Trump being president, because she was so hated and ran for her own glory without realizing one who was not insaner than most, as was she, could not win. Bernie is insaner than most.
Mr. Biden seems mostly normal. grudznick hopes to not have to follow last time and vote Libertarian. Unless of course my good friend Bob, or perhaps Lar, runs.
Just thought of one of the things that Bernie kept doing wrong. He just couldn’t stop calling Biden “my friend”. Jesus, that made me mad! Of course if he had gone off on Biden and called out his major faults when the press couldn’t suppress it, the press, the next day, would have been all over “mean” Bernie Sanders! He couldn’t beat the propaganda machine. Really had little chance.
I liked most of Bernie’s plans and I’m glad he was able to move the Democratic Party and the national conversation leftward. Now he’s out, Biden is in.
I want Biden to select either Harris or Abrams for VP. Harris would make a fine president. Give Abrams a couple years, even less, working in the West Wing as VP and she’d be good to go.
Although I’m significantly more liberal than Biden, I’d be perfectly happy to vote for that ticket. I think it’s very important for Biden to choose a running mate farther Left and under 60 yo.
Warren for Treasury!
Trump is going to eat Biden alive during the upcoming debates. I cant wait for him to fumble and mumble throughout some of the best potential TV ever. Biden clearly has dimentia and it is really sad that the Dems distain for Sanders caused this. SAD.
Trump: Pro medicare for all
Dems: No
Trump: Emergency stimulus NOW
Dems: No
Debbo, Harris is the reason we have Mnuchin for treasury secretary rather than having him behind bars as he should be. I can’t hope for Harris being successful in any political endeavor in the future for that.
In response to the comment by Chris S. at 2020-04-09 at 12:52, I offered a comment at 2020-04-09 at 13:44, but it seems to have been posted somewhat later and may have been missed due to the high level of activity between the time I submitted it and the time it was posted. Among other observations, I asked:
I see Chris S. is still commenting, supporting Jason, and has garnered support from Clyde. Can Chris S, Jason or Clyde explain how the above quoted comment from Chris S. (and similar comments from Clyde or Jason) will help in any way to defeat Trump?
Like dicta I have no problem with criticizing Biden and have not always agreed with him, but during the current political chess match such a tactic seems unwise.
One good thing that has come out of Sanders campaign is the realization that you don’t need to be funded by big money. In fact, just the opposite, being funded by big money is a detriment. If truly progressive candidates are allowed any exposure at all in the future and I don’t say that lightly they may have a chance with public money. You can’t get elected without huge amounts of cash anymore. Of course you have to be recognized in the first place even for the public to contribute. Not sure that will be allowed.
Here is a yuuuuge reason to vote Biden. The Laffer Curve, written on a napkin that became the reason for the United States to fall directly on her arse.
“WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Republican economist Art Laffer, an architect of the Reagan era tax cuts that paved the way for historic budget deficits in the United States, has a plan to rejuvenate today’s pandemic-crippled economy.
Tax non-profits. Cut the pay of public officials and professors. Give businesses and workers who manage to hold on to their jobs a payroll tax holiday to the end of the year” https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-usa-laffer/cut-salaries-taxes-to-reopen-u-s-economy-says-laffer-conservative-fave-idUSKCN21Q3AT
If you thought that virus was bad, wait until this guy steps in. We gotta unite and VOTE BLUE, THAT’S WHO!! or were gonna be dead from the Red.
Then there is this about Harris and Munchkin….
The California Agreement:
A $12 Billion Promise, An $18 Billion Achievement
In March 2012, the nation’s three largest mortgage companies—Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, and Wells Fargo—
signed a landmark agreement with California Attorney General Kamala D. Harris to deliver $12 billion in mortgage
assistance to California families. This separate California Agreement was reached at the same time as the $25 billion
National Mortgage Settlement.1
The California Agreement had a narrower focus
than the national settlement. Only mortgage help
that reduced what homeowners owed on their
loans could be counted by the three banks. Debt
relief was especially important for families who
were hit hard by the financial crisis and saw the
value of their homes drastically reduced. Each
household helped makes a contribution to the
overall recovery in the real estate market. A home
saved from foreclosure helps stabilize the
neighborhood, prevent blight, and buoy up
housing prices. The California Agreement
ensured that families and communities got the
critical help of debt relief—quickly. From April
2012 to August 2013, California families received
over $18.4 billion in mortgage relief, including
first and second mortgage principal reductions
and short sales as a result of the Agreement.
FIGURE 1.
DOLLARS PROMISED AND DELIVERED UNDER THE
CALIFORNIA AGREEMENT (IN BILLIONS)
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
$8.1
$11.16
$1.95
$4.07
$1.95
$3.2
Promised
Delivered
Bank of JPMorgan Wells Fargo
America Chase
The relief numbers in this report are raw dollar amounts. The numbers do not reflect the crediting process, in which
different forms of relief will be assigned different dollar amounts of credit. The banks also can receive “bonus” credit for
relief delivered in the hardest-hit counties in California and relief delivered particularly rapidly (in the first year). Each of the
three banks has asserted that it has completed its required amount of consumer relief. The data suggests they have
significantly exceeded it, delivering over 50% more relief than was required by the Agreement. These assertions will be
audited. Given the much higher total for each bank than its commitment, it seems very unlikely that the auditing process
would require the banks to deliver additional relief. The California Monitor Program will carefully review the crediting
process to be conducted by the National Monitor, and report on its findings.
Harris got a 12 billion promise from the banks which was exceeded by 6 billion, plus another 2 billion from National settlement. Sounds like a terrible deal to me. (my commentary)
The graph didn’t copy, but if you want to examine the pdf I will copy and paste it. It is a biggie.
https://oag.ca.gov/sites/all/files/agweb/pdfs/mortgage_settlement/04-report-by-the-numbers.pdf?fbclid=IwAR2QyUtIxTUV542nrg2nDqDxbI7iG3gjfGBG9D9mjWHeua6BoL6rN9tJhj8
So, BCB, no one is allowed to dissident now? We dare not mention that the emperor has no clothes? You are sounding pretty Trumpy with his rants about “fake” news. I said I was going to vote for the evil that is the lesser of the two and I imagine most readers that consider this forum that Cory graciously puts up are willing to do the same. Sounding out about the emperors lack of clothes is still something that needs to be done.
Mike, many thought that what Harris got wasn’t enough and with that agreement all further action was ended by her as AG. I agree that it wasn’t enough.
Lower Medicare age to 60, forgive student debt. How about that? Booyah!!
“Lowering the Medicare Eligibility Age to 60
I have directed my team to develop a plan to lower the Medicare eligibility age to 60.
Under this concept, Americans would have access, if they choose, to Medicare when they turn 60, instead of when they turn 65. Medicare benefits would be provided to them as they are to current Medicare recipients. This would make Medicare available to a set of Americans who work hard and retire before they turn 65, or who would prefer to leave their employer plans, the public option, or other plans they access through the Affordable Care Act before they retire. It reflects the reality that, even after the current crisis ends, older Americans are likely to find it difficult to secure jobs.
Of course, those who prefer to remain on their employer plans would be permitted to do so, and employers would have to comply with non-discrimination laws and would be prohibited from excluding older workers from coverage or otherwise try to push them out of their plans. And the Biden Medicare-like public option — as well as other subsidized private plans available to individuals through the Affordable Care Act — would remain available.
Any new Federal cost associated with this option would be financed out of general revenues to protect the Medicare Trust Fund.
Forgiving student debt for low-income and middle class individuals who have attended public colleges and universities” https://medium.com/@JoeBiden/joe-biden-outlines-new-steps-to-ease-economic-burden-on-working-people-e3e121037322
It seems Messrs. jerry and grudznick may have found a common cause upon which to agree, if not fight, with others who disagree with us.
Sounds to me like Harris did pretty well by her state. Thanks for the facts Mike.
Clyde, So, no one is allowed to dissident (sic) now, when it comes to Bernie or busters? They need to take a look in the Psych mirror.
Kamala Harris is a cop.
https://theintercept.com/2017/01/05/kamala-harris-fails-to-explain-why-she-didnt-prosecute-steven-mnuchins-bank/
Wake up Democrats.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/kamala-harris-has-to-answer-for-not-prosecuting-steve_b_5980d18ee4b09d231a518205
Kamala is a cop.
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/01/kamala-harris-prosecutor-record-2020-campaign.html
Hit the wrong sp correct, Richard, and I, IMO, am right. When you start chastising someone for presenting their opinion I believe that to be wrong. Totally different than criticizing the opinion in an attempt to change that opinion.
Jerry, the public option will lead to all the sickest on the public option while private insurance will cherry pick the healthiest and provide them with cheaper insurance to the point that the public option will make the whole of medicare look over bloated and will give the so called conservatives just a reason to kill all of it. IMO unless you provide all or nothing it won’t work and the talk of a “public option” is not realistic or desirable. Lowering the age for Medicare incrementally is exactly what Sanders was recommending. A few years at a time and allow the system to absorb the change.
On student debt I have changed my opinion after a discussion with a friend who scrimped and saved for their children’s education. In the 70’s I dated a girl who was going through college completely on student loans. Her folks were not well off so maybe she got a special deal. I don’t know about that but the fact was that her loans at the time had extremely low interest rates. The rates these student’s have to pay on a debt they can’t discharge through bankruptcy are ridiculous. The whole program should be taken away from private lenders and the rates ought to be next to nothing provided the borrower make a honest effort to repay them in a timely fashion. If the borrower doesn’t keep up his end then let private lenders have them.
Alternative education ought to be offered as well. Every student ought to be able to qualify for at least 2 more years of a tech school training or background for higher education. Just think of it as extended high school. If you don’t have the mental faculty for higher ed perhaps funneling into a street sweeper job or something. In the 70’s I knew a family that weren’t extremely bright but were willing to work hard. They made a good living as Union packing house employees. Those jobs have now been replaced by job programs for folks from all over the world with the government paying part of their wage. No good Union jobs in the packing industry now like they once had.
Naw, not when you have the work horses in the starting gates. We will see this begin at 60 for Medicare for the older crowd and the biggest deal of them all, is something for the young. We old farts have long stood on their necks and for them to rid themselves of our shackles of student debt…well that will be yuuuuge. Go Biden Go. Put our farmers and ranchers in the black column for a change. Let’s do this! VOTE BLUE, THAT’S WHO!!
Clyde, it was never my intent to criticize you for bashing Biden and Democrats. Of course you are free to do so.
My goal simply was to point out how such actions will advance the goals of the Internet Research Agency of sowing discord in the US and helping re-elect Trump, which seemed to be contrary to your stated goals. I wondered whether you thought that by bashing Biden and Democrats you were somehow undermining the IRA and advancing your own stated desire to remove Trump and I had overlooked your tactical thought process; hence my question about your tactics.
Your defensive reaction to my inquiry suggests I was mistaken and instead you simply get some sort of self satisfaction out of bashing Trump’s opponent that outweighs any stated desire to end the Trump presidency. So bash away to your hearts content if that squirts your pickle; it’s certainly your prerogative.
BCB, I am just very disappointed that the enemy has won. Sorry if I lashed out. The enemy is the Establishment and their pick to run against Trump is Biden. I do not think he will do well. Sanders has done as good of a job of countering the media and DNC onslaught as could possibly have been done. He was not a savior but as close as we can expect to come. He is too old to fight much more and as Cory pointed out at the beginning of this discussion, another of a long list that the powerful have silenced. His supporters were not the misinformed majority electorate but those that could see just how things were stacked up to work against him and are going to be hard to convince that they should vote for Biden. The current administration is getting as close to Fascism as they can possibly get and I agree with Noam Chomsky that the world can not stand more of it. People on both the right and the left need to recognize who the real enemy is and without someone to lead the conversation that will not happen.
This is an old Hill broadcast with a guest that I think makes some very good points:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBLae8reoUE
So, who would have Bernie gotten for his cabinet? Just asking for a friend.
A thought I came upon this morning that seems apropos to this discussion.
“The biggest communication problem is we do not listen to understand. We listen to reply.”
Do we really want 4 more years of this? Mass burials, incompetence, blackmail, extortion, just to name a few. Here is what trump, Rounds and Thune have brought to our country.
Photos have emerged of workers in hazmat outfits burying coffins in a mass grave in New York City.
About 40 coffins were buried on Thursday
Drone footage showed workers using a ladder to descend into the huge pit where the caskets were stacked.
The images were taken at Hart Island, off the Bronx, which has been used for more than 150 years by city officials as a mass burial site for those with no next-of-kin, or families who cannot afford funerals.
Burial operations at the site have ramped up amid the pandemic from one day a week to five days a week, according to the Department of Corrections.
Prisoners from Rikers Island usually do the job, but the rising workload has recently been taken over by contractors.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio indicated earlier this week the city’s public cemetery might be used for burials during the pandemic.
“Obviously the place we have used historically is Hart Island,” he said.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-52239261
Welcome to trump/republican world, this must end so it’s not the beginning…
VOTE BLUE, THAT’S WHO!! Like your life depended on the vote.
“A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing personal opinion.” (h/t Jeff)
Above Jason suggests universal health care was a “progressive” position of Obama, and that Obama failed to deliver on that. Well, not really. All three candidates for the Democratic nomination in 2008 had universal health care in their plans. In fact universal health care has been a goal of Democrats, “establishment” and “progressive,” since Truman. Plans to get to universal health care are simply plans, and until they are actually enacted they don’t really mean a lot. So, Obama could have insisted on his plan, a position I was fully in agreement with at the time, or he could find a way to get to the same goal with a different mix of strategies. He choose to get most of the way to the goal with what became Obamacare. I was disappointed that he didn’t push for a public option, but that, apparently, was not going to garner enough support in Congress and would have sunk the rest of the plan. Everyone, even Obama, knew his plan was not perfect and would have to be amended, but the foundation was laid.
What Jason and Clyde don’t understand is that progress is not birthed all at once. It’s a step by step process. Having a plan is step one, but that is hardly making progress. Step two is having the sense to modify your plan to make progress. Step three is to build on what you have already built.
Senate Democrats were engaged in a highly contentious debate throughout the fall of 2009, and the political life of the public option changed almost daily. The debate reached a critical impasse in November 2009, when Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-CT), who usually caucuses with the Democrats, threatened to filibuster the Senate bill if it included a public option.
Freedom First, California declares itself a “Nation-State” and will procure it’s own medical supplies and needs. California is saying who the hell needs trump, I say, booyah!
“California this week declared its independence from the federal government’s feeble efforts to fight Covid-19 — and perhaps from a bit more. The consequences for the fight against the pandemic are almost certainly positive. The implications for the brewing civil war between Trumpism and America’s budding 21st-century majority, embodied by California’s multiracial liberal electorate, are less clear.
Speaking on MSNBC, Governor Gavin Newsom said that he would use the bulk purchasing power of California “as a nation-state” to acquire the hospital supplies that the federal government has failed to provide. If all goes according to plan, Newsom said, California might even “export some of those supplies to states in need.”
“Nation-state.” “Export.” https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2020-04-09/california-declares-independence-from-trump-s-coronavirus-plans
mike, that has become a defining difference between the political parties: Democrats get into office THEN plan what to do; Republicans have the playbook ready to go THEN get elected. Obama’s election came with a House majority and a Senate filibuster-proof majority, and they squandered the ability to push forward the/ANY Democrat agenda. Soon the GOP had at least a filibuster block in the Senate and the pathway closed. We also have learned where lines in the sand are: Democrats cave on deficit-ballooning tax cuts that exacerbate the wealth gap — which tends to reenforce the corporate party rhetoric above.
Whoa whoa, o. Maybe you might have forgotten Norm Colman and Al Franken’s election results, or Roland Buris of Illinois or Scott Brown of Massachusetts to name a few issues in the senate.
Then you get to the House and you find Blue Dog Democrats (republican lites) mucking up the place.
There were no plans?? The biggest recession since the Great Depression kind of is the elephant in the room. We almost lost the place only to save until now for it’s destruction by trump and his republicans.
Obama had a filibuster proof senate for 4 months in the first 2 years. Like Jerry says, wingnuts refused to seat Franken, then Kennedy and Byrd both got major illnesses and both eventually died, but both missed numerous votes and Kennedy’s seat was won by carpetbagging wingnut.
Read this, O, please…..https://www.beaconjournal.com/article/20120909/NEWS/309099447
Jerry, the photos in your link to the burial pit are shocking. I tend to think of sights like that in terms of 3rd world countries, but it’s right here, in the contiguous USA. My god. 😢 😢 😢
Well, folks, its started:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIb0XQ9Hpvg
Is this all they got. Try this one on for size from the Lincoln Project, it is so much more direct to where we’re at. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=83&v=UHjJydZO99A&feature=emb_title
That’s a good one, Jerry. Hope it gets lots of air time. Since I seldom turn on the boob tube anymore I will probably miss most of them…from both sides. That isn’t really going to bother me!
Obama’s family managed 133 taxpayer funded outings per year. drumpf’s family is averaging 1665 per year. Vote for Joe and Democrats.
https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/trump-family-has-already-traveled-on-taypaxers-dime-10-times-more-than-obama-family-did/
It’s telling how those two young “conservatives” on the Hill program equate interpersonal meanness with “strength”. I wonder if they claim to be “Christians”?
Tara Reade says a mouthful……
Tara Reade, a former Senate staffer who has alleged she was sexually assaulted by former Vice President Joe Biden, told The Associated Press that the complaint she filed 27 years ago did not explicitly accuse the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee of sexual harassment or assault.
“I remember talking about him wanting me to serve drinks because he liked my legs and thought I was pretty and it made me uncomfortable,” Reade told the AP on Friday. “I know that I was too scared to write about the sexual assault.”
Reade, who previously said she filed a sexual harassment complaint against Biden, said “uncomfortable” was the main word she used in her complaint and noted she was fearful of retaliation. Reade said she intended to report the harassment and assault but “chickened out.”
We still gonna lynch Joe?
So far no record of the complaint Reade swears she made has turned up. The Senate should do a full investigation and publish all the results. That’s how this works.
That’s how “Believe Women” works. Every woman has a right to make her accusation known and have it taken seriously. Every accusation deserves to be fully investigated.
That’s not what Higgins is doing. He’s just using her to play political games. If anyone on DFP has anything to be ashamed of regarding Reade’s accusations, it’s Higgins. How typically GOP of him. Women only have value when they can be used to advantage.
Unfortunately, Debbo, Biden’s reply to the allegations and the claim of where you can find the facts is, as expected, hogwash….
I said, “The Senate should do a full investigation and publish all the results.”
OK, I concede that the Senate might get it right. The leader of the House sure hasn’t. Trump is even going to bat for Joe
Anyone who tells me the allegations against Biden disqualify him from the Presidency must also tell me that the comparable and more numerous allegations against Trump disqualify him from the Presidency.
Game over, Biden for the win…..
►Memory lapse. Reade has said that she cannot remember the date, time or exact location of the alleged assault, except that it occurred in a “semiprivate” area in corridors connecting Senate buildings.
Goes with above post, couldn’t find this article when I looked for it.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2020/04/29/joe-biden-sexual-assault-allegation-tara-reade-column/3046962001/
Guy makes some quality points, even if this is just his opinion.
mfi, that is an informative, and in my experience accurate, opinion piece about factors that are relevant in assessing the credibility of any allegation of wrongdoing. Thanks for posting the link.
Sooooo, you believe Ford against Kavanaugh but Reade isn’t believable against Biden. Wow, folks, really time to reassess. In case you are not noticing the propaganda machine is providing you the talking points. Remember, I’m a liberal and Biden will get my vote against the abominable Trump but its time for you all to take a hard look at the hypocrisy. And Biden’s chances!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7DJTKsE8Zc
Ford was shortchanged by an FBI investigation that was wholly partisan and biased against her. The relevant people were not interviewed and none of Blasey-Ford’s corroborating witnesses were given a chance to speak.
And the final, single copy of that report, which alleged years of bad conduct on Kavernmouth’s part, was never released and is still classified.
MFI, I totally agree that Kavenaugh is no good. Just saying…take a look at Biden.
330M citizens of the US and these are the two we get to choose from?????
Sanders could get back into the race as easily as he has gotten out but if he wasn’t willing to go along with as much as he has in his career he would have been eliminated from politics long ago. They would have figured out a way just as they did with Alan Grayson. Sanders has made mistakes in this election and won’t stand up to the machine.
I have never seen someone who claims “Remember, I’m a liberal and Biden will get my vote,” take such affirmative public steps to diminish the candidate that he claims to support. Instead this seems to be either an irrational case of biting one’s nose to spite one’s face, or perhaps simple and plain gaslighting by a Trump supporter. I simply cannot fathom how Clyde could believe that such comments will convince readers to support Biden, the candidate Clyde claims to support in this two way race between Biden and Trump.
I don’t remember where I saw a comment accusing any women who aren’t jumping on the Tara Reade bandwagon of hypocrisy, so I’ll just leave this here. It’s my answer.
is.gd/SIQFBd
Fauci was similarly accused. MFI’s explanation of Kavanaugh is spot on. Trump is licking his lips at the second demonization of his opponent. Clyde and Jason are more or less trolls here like grdz. Obfuscation. Trump has avoided prison using an electoral college presidency despite Comey, Mueller and the House. Symptom? No. Corrupt capitalism! Remove money from politics. VOTE BLUE
Leslie:
I agree. We should remove money from politics. Looks like Pelosi disagrees with us.
https://theintercept.com/2020/05/05/lobbyists-trade-groups-bailout/?fbclid=IwAR0nIA8kSqso30gj9997DXxrqwTUS0iiIRPFey-1hMD3jACWCZzBIfySV80
At what point do we stop the Vote Blue No Matter Who strategy? I have been doing it for 30+ years. This strategy has turned the Democrats into Republicans. And the Republicans into Fascists.
At some point after we remove Trump’s moral menace from the White House.
Somehow my comments here are, I doubt, going to win or loose the election for either of the chosen candidates. I think Jason summed up what “vote blue no matter who” has accomplished. Its turned Democrats into Republicans and Republicans into Fascists. Looks to me like the Fascist’s are going to win regardless of what we do or say here. I’m really sick of voting only to pick the lesser of the two evils.
There is but one evil Clyde. Vote who you want to vote for, but remember, there is but one evil and you can see the head turd speaking for the rest of bile pile regarding the unnecessary deaths this evil party has caused.
The evidence, Clyde, the evidence makes the difference. It’s anti-evidentiary when a person puts something into the written evidence 27 years ago as “uncomfortable”, and then changes it 27 years later into “sexual assault”. 27 years later in an election year, suddenly it becomes all different and substantially more criminal than “uncomfortable.” There was nothing bogus about Christine Blasey Ford or Anita Hill or Andrea Constand. But this has the smell of bogus like white on rice.
Seems prertty obvious, many Obama voters voted for or had their votes changed to drumpf votes and he still lost by n early 3 million votes.
What was the name of that Russian lawyer who met with Donnie Jr. and other operatives at Trump Tower that day to give Team Trump “dirt” on HRC?
Same song, different verse.
Natalia V. Veselnitskaya, Robin. Never fear. HRC had emails.
It was kind of a rhetorical question, but thanks anyway, Mike. Same thing. Called “opposition research”, I hear. :-)
Mght Jason have it backwards? Might there be far more Democrats who have adhered to conscience and rejected substandard Democratic nominees while there are far more Republicans who have voted Red no matter what, thus leading us to the current tyranny?
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/05/18/biden-white-house-keystone-xl-permit-265041
Biden claims he would jerk KXL permit if elected.