October 31, 2015

Sane Progressive Calls Out Clinton Campaign & Hillary Supporters on False Talking Points.

Just got a note from this lovely lady. Still speaking out.

She is still speaking the truth. Using her videos to get her views across.

I would rather be thought of as a truth-teller than be thought of as toeing any party line. Go Sane Progressive!

October 30, 2015

Remember Steve Elmendorf's famous words about bloggers?

Segami's post here reminded me of Steve's rather blunt assessment of bloggers a few years ago.

He was an advisor to Hillary in 2008 and now is a lobbyist for Time Warner.

His famous/infamous words about bloggers:

Prescient 2006 column: Blogs Attack From Left as Democrats Reach for Center

"The bloggers and online donors represent an important resource for the party, but they are not representative of the majority you need to win elections," said Steve Elmendorf, a Democratic lobbyist who advised Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign. "The trick will be to harness their energy and their money without looking like you are a captive of the activist left."

Yep, there you go. We are a convenience to the party until we aren't.

October 30, 2015

When the DLC shut down, it sold its records and archives to the Clinton Foundation.

I had heard that from someone before, but I had always assumed the Third Way took their place. Here's more about it. From Politico 2011.

DLC records to Clinton Foundation

The remnants of the once-powerful Democratic Leadership Council, which closed its doors earlier this year after a period of ideological and organizational decline, are being absorbed into the Clinton Foundation, founder Al From said in an email.

From wrote this morning:

"Because many of these materials show and explain the growth and development of President Clinton's policies, passions and legacy, the William J. Clinton Foundation has purchased all of the records and materials of the DLC. The Clinton Presidential Center is an important location for telling the story not just of the Clinton administration but also of the world at the latter part of the 20th century. We believe these records are an important part of that history, and believe the Clinton Foundation is an appropriate and fitting repository.

.....The New Democrat model is as powerful today as ever. Statehouses, state legislatures, and local governments across America are led by a new generation of leaders whose political philosophies were shaped by President Clinton and the DLC. We are thankful these documents and ideas will live on, and the new generation of leaders can learn from the politics that President Clinton and the DLC forged.

Al From

I really don't know the implications, but the feeling I get is that one or the other of those think tanks think or appear to think they are in control of the party and its message.

Thinking about down-ticket races is another matter. We have lost the House and the Senate, and the GOP has worked hard to win races all the way down the line.

I started thinking about these two groups today because the Third Way, which some say took the place of the DLC has issued a warning to Hillary and party members not to fall for the populism being preached by Bernie Sanders.

Centrist Democrats, including Delaware Gov. Jack Markell, are warning fellow party members that the economic populism championed by the left wing risks “political perils,” and they’re offering an alternative.

...The report rejects progressives’ theory that the primary culprit is a system that favors the wealthy. Instead, it blames changes related to globalization and technology and the country’s lack of preparedness for a new economy.

It also rejects policies offered by Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., that would expand Social Security benefits and create a single-payer health care system, saying his policies would “divert money away from job-creating public investments – such as cancer research, bridge repair, and school construction.”

They should be careful criticizing about bridge repair and school construction. Not much has been done to bridges in need of repair, and this administration has allowed the education secretary to spend almost 4 billion with no accountability.

This kind of warning from the think tanks toward party members is not unusual at all. They sharply criticized Al Gore when he took a populist turn. They warned Bill Clinton to toe their line.

The DLC's blunt warning was delivered in November in response to the Democrats' midterm election debacle, which shrank the party's congressional membership and shook whatever remaining confidence they had in Clinton's political viability. The DLC's criticism followed some bitter remarks by its chairman, Rep. Dave McCurdy of Oklahoma, who, after losing his Senate bid, complained that his defeat was due to "a visceral anti-Clintonism" among the voters.

..."I think for President Clinton there is a pretty blunt message in this poll," DLC President Al From told reporters this week. "It's `Get with the program or you'll have to pay the consequences.'"

Will Marshall, who heads the group's Progressive Policy Institute, said the poll showed that swing voters who helped elect Clinton were sending the president and the Democrats this message: "We are disappointed in what you've done, but we haven't given up on you. You have one last chance. You govern as a New Democrat, unequivocally as a New Democrat, and you can win us back, and you can win back the vital center of the electorate. But if you don't, you're in big trouble."

They even had some words for President Obama.

Bill Clinton's win in 1992 ushered in a generation of modern, more moderate New Democrats. And when Clinton left office, several of his former staffers started up Third Way to discourage the party from reverting to its leftward ways. During the Obama era, the group issued similar warnings about the rise of Democratic populism and played consequential policy roles -- most memorably encouraging lawmakers to abandon the pursuit of a public option during the crafting of health care reform in 2010.

On the eve of a post-Obama America, Third Way's role appears more defensive or, at least, complicated by the few candidates running for the White House. Far from cheerleading Hillary Clinton's presidential candidacy, it warned her not to mimic her nearest competitor.

"They are really going to beat her up to move further and further and further (to the left) because they assume she is going to get it and they want their piece of flesh," said Daley.

The attack on Sanders, meanwhile, was one of the more overtly aggressive yet to come from within Democratic ranks.

They did not even bother to warn Howard Dean. They simply called a press conference to announce that he would not be president.

More than 50 centrist Democrats, including Virginia Gov. Mark R. Warner, met here yesterday to plot strategy for the "New Democrat" movement. To help get the ball rolling they read a memo by Al From and Bruce Reed, the chairman and president of the Democratic Leadership Council.

The memo dismissed Dean as an elitist liberal from the "McGovern-Mondale wing" of the party -- "the wing that lost 49 states in two elections, and transformed Democrats from a strong national party into a much weaker regional one."

...."We are increasingly confident that President Bush can be beaten next year, but Dean is not the man to do it," Reed and From wrote. "Most Democrats aren't elitists who think they know better than everyone else."

The DLC and now the Third Way have always preached compromise and bi-partisanship. They have even used the words "Post-Partisanship" which implies a one-party system.

From the Third Way, 2013.

Democratic base wants compromise

The New Democrat Coalition and Third Way believe we should heed the advice from Bob, Evelyn and so many moderate voters like them and use the 113th Congress to address our nation’s problems with pragmatism, balance and a willingness to compromise to get things done. That means getting our fiscal house in order by increasing revenue, but also ensuring that crucial programs like Social Security and Medicare are on a path that is affordable and sustainable for the long term. It means increasing our country’s exports, especially in Asia, where the greatest opportunity lies to sell American products, while ensuring that we protect the U.S. workers who are affected by new trade markets. It means investing in education but also making sure we’re demanding reforms in our schools to better prepare our students for the competitive 21st-century global economy. It means moving toward a clean energy economy so that we can win the energy race and dominate the $2.3 trillion clean energy market in the future. And it means dealing with our broken immigration system and updating it to bring in skilled people who can help create growth for the U.S. economy.

No, actually many are tired of compromising with people who won't compromise. It gives them a win, and we get nothing.

There are many new people of all ages supporting Bernie Sanders, though college age is a big factor. They are no longer fooled by the talking points and political talk, and they want something more.

The warnings have grown annoying. They really shouldn't own our party. Think tanks should have minimal influence.

But money talks, and big money talks even louder.

October 29, 2015

Interview with some of the young people at George Mason U town hall for Bernie.

These young people impress me so much! Thanks to Fawke Em for finding this video.

October 29, 2015

College town hall. These passionate young people...will the party embrace them?

There are videos in the Video forum, in the Bernie forum, and a really powerful one here in the Primaries forum.

This was a town hall originating at George Mason University and being broadcast to other colleges. It is moving and powerful.

Since the stream kept breaking from overload, MSNBC finally picked it up.

As I watched it my mind kept coming back here to the attitude that those of us who support Bernie are not really truly real Democrats. There is some name-calling, some ridicule on both sides.....but there's recently a new theme. The underlying idea is that Bernie is not really a Democrat and is taking part in a political activity that belongs only to registered Democrats.

It has hit me that the Democrats have benefited from his votes with them, even though they did not at the beginning want him to be part of their caucus. He stands for Democratic ideals that too many in our party have moved away from through the years.

This picture hit home as did the huge crowds and enthusiasm.



About the picture:

Muslim Students Demand Bernie Sanders Denounce Islamophobia In The 2016 Race

But in one of the most emotional moments of the night, George Mason University senior Remaz Abdelgader stood up and demanded to know how Sanders would address the rising tide of Islamophobia in the U.S. Her voice breaking, she spoke of how hurt she feels when she hears anti-Muslim rhetoric from other candidates for president — including GOP frontrunners Ben Carson, who has said he doesn’t want a Muslim as president of the U.S.

“Being an American is such a strong part of my identity, but I want to create a change in this society,” she said. “I’m so tired of listening to this rhetoric saying I can’t be president one day, that I should not be in office. It makes me so angry and upset. This is my country.”

Sanders insisted she join him on stage and gave her a hug as the crowd of a couple hundred stood and cheered.

BTW that "couple of hundred" is pure baloney. Watch the videos.

Then, in response to her question, Sanders does something he rarely does: he spoke personally about his Jewish faith and family history, which includes losing relatives in the Holocaust, and said Americans need to learn from that past. “If we stand for anything we have to stand together and end all forms of racism in this country,” he said. “I will lead that effort as president.”

Sanders also talked about the ways people in power have used racism and prejudice throughout U.S. history to keep working class people from uniting.

This ridicule of us as supporters is getting worse. I would imagine the same ones would likely not be inclusive toward this crowd of enthusiastic young people, many of whom said in the comments that Bernie was the most honest man they had ever heard speak.

My late husband and I learned a lot from the Howard Dean campaign. My husband attended every DEC meeting until he got too ill to attend. I had been getting the emails from the district Democrats, but they stopped when he could not attend. We were told they were not allowed to send emails to those who missed more than 3 meetings. We did not beg for an exception because we were dealing with other stuff then.

The leaders of our strong Dean campaign here went to chair the DEC. Everytime they tried to bring even moderate change they were slapped down. You see, this area of Florida was one of the very first to embrace the then newly formed DLC. One even called it the "wind in our sails"...and he said if people didn't like it stick it to them anyway. The new chair finally stepped down when threatened with violence from the old guard here.

So it's a really simple question. Watch the video, see those wonderful young people who care about their country. Think before ridiculing those of us who support Bernie Sanders.

In my mind now it really comes down to this.

If you demand our votes for the nominee whoever it may be....then you should treat us as a respected part of the Democratic party. How you treat us is just about how you would treat those passionate young people.

Are they wanted in the party or not? It's really a simple thing to decide.

This video starts when the rally begins, before Bernie arrives. It also shows the big hug he gave Remaz Abdelgader.

October 29, 2015

Bernie Sanders at George Mason University today.

The stream at first died when it hit about 30,000 I think. Then MSNBC streamed it.

Large enthusiastic group. He announces his plan to legalize marijuana. Lots more.

Part 1

Part 2

October 28, 2015

Things are different this time.

Many times here at DU I see myself and others treated as outside the party. I see the many times it is said or implied that Bernie himself is racist. I have seen a difference between this and other primaries. There are always words between supporters, but this time there is a contempt bordering on hatred.

We are looked upon as interlopers who are meddling in party affairs that were already settled.

So many polls all at once pushing Hillary way way ahead, so many unions jumping in to support her. More congressional endorsements every day. It's like the blessings of heaven came down this week for Hillary.

It's meant to be a turning point in the primary. It was meant to be a clear statement of the outcome.

If it turns out that way, then that's the way it is. Meanwhile it's like the polls, the union endorsements, don't include the people behind Bernie candidacy....us.

It was considered time this week to again make clear the inevitable.



Not so sure how that's going to work.

October 28, 2015

One thing esp. needs to be considered..what happens to the new folks Bernie brings in.

I am among Democrats who made a primary pick and then voted for the winner. Always.

There's something different this time. Bernie's campaign is bringing in a lot of people who are either inactive Democrats or independents who will register as Democrats in order to vote for him.

That should be considered a good thing by the national Democratic party. Yet it doesn't seem to be that way.

Unfortunately it seems that these newer voters are attacked as not being real Democrats. Bernie is more and more here being criticized for that as well. The party has been happy to get his vote through the years, but many members are not welcoming the newer people he is bringing in.

It's an important moment for Democrats. If they want these folks overall to remain as Democrats and help get the party back in control of the House and Senate....they can not ridicule, mock, or express contempt for these people.

There's a lot of back and forth on both sides, but those of us supporting Bernie are fighting against a great big huge money machine. Our candidate recently has been very outspoken against the big money control. Suddenly nearly all polls are overwhelmingly against him.

There's a lot at play, but the bottom line is that this is a chance for a big membership increase for the party. People might remain if they are treated with respect.

I believe the Democrats have gone too far to the right and away from standing for things that are good for and needed by the people of the party. I have always done the falling in line thing, but I am not sure how some of these people will handle it.

I don't talk much politics locally as my district is ultra red. But recently 4 people with almost no prompting have expressed interest in and support for Bernie Sanders. They are Republicans, nearly everyone here is one. But they like what he's saying, and they feel their own party has been taken over by extremists.

October 27, 2015

The Monmouth poll included NO new voters. Only 24% age 49 and under.

Monmouth Iowa Poll

The Monmouth University Poll
was sponsored and conducted by the Monmouth University Polling Institute from October 22
to 25, 2015 with a statewide random sample of 400 Iowa voters drawn from a list of registered Democratic voters who voted in at least one of the last two state primary elections and indicate they are likely to attend the Democratic presidential caucuses
in February 2016. This includes 300 contacted by a live interviewer on a landline telephone and 100 contacted by a live interviewer on a cell phone, in English. Monmouth is responsible for all aspects of the survey design, data weighting and analysis. Final sample is weighted for age and gender based on state registration list information on the pool of voters who participate in primary elections. Data collection support provid
ed by Braun Research (field) and Aristotle (voter list). For
results based on the total sample, one can say with 95% confidence that the error attributab
le to sampling has a maximum margin of plus or minus 4.9 percentage points (unadjusted for sample design). Sampling error can be larger for sub-groups (see table below). In addition to sampling error, one should bear in mind that question wording and practical difficulties in
conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of opinion polls.

Also Poll Demographics indicate that only 24% of those polled were age 49 and under.

Just those two categories alone leave out many Bernie Sanders supporters.

When a poll giving Hillary a huge lead doesn't include new caucus voters, it needs to be analyzed.

The Loras survey does include more recently registered caucus voters.

Survey conducted with a random sample of registered voters, with phone numbers drawn from official Iowa Secretary of State voter files of those who voted in either the 2012 or 2014 general election or who had registered since December 1, 2014.

This poll includes more voters under age 49.... .37%, still a little under a third.

Loras poll states that only 18% of those polled own a landline. Yet 80.1% of those polled were reached by landline.

My support for Bernie Sanders is growing stronger. Seeing the under-representation of categories of his main supporters in these polls bothers me greatly.

October 26, 2015

Bernie Sanders "subtweets" Hillary. Powerful remarks about coming to fork in the road.

I don't watch events like that on TV. I wait and watch the video later or read the transcript. I have just read an article from the Washington Post, and I am so impressed by the words of Bernie Sanders. He is saying some things that needed to be said long ago, and he will catch heat for them.

Many feel like I do....that it is fine, it is okay to take heat for telling the truth.

Bernie Sanders’s speech Saturday was one long subtweet of Hillary Clinton

The writer explains subtweeting, shows some highlights from the speech that illustrate it...then he posts some paragraphs of Bernie's words.

Just a few:

The Trans-Pacific Partnership "is not now, nor has it ever been, the gold standard of trade agreements. I did not support it yesterday. I do not support it today. And I will not support it tomorrow."

People around the world are protesting it. Our media is falling down on the job.

"Today, some are trying to rewrite history by saying they voted for one anti-gay law to stop something worse. Let us be clear. That’s just not true."

This type of "meet in the middle" or take the position of the other side before they can make a worse decision...is absolutely wrong. And not just anti-gay laws. One of the very worst anti-abortion bills ever presented was by the Democratic minority leader, Tom Daschle, with the okay of President Clinton.

This is a Democrat bragging that his bill is stricter than the GOP bill.

SENATOR SPENCER ABRAHAM, (R) Michigan: We should be able to end this process, and we should be able to end it in the context of this legislation, which provides, I think, protections for the life of the mother in sufficient fashion to meet whatever standards society might demand.

KWAME HOLMAN: A Democratic amendment was briefly considered and rejected, giving way to the major alternative of the abortion debate. The bill by Minority Leader Tom Daschle has attracted support of Republicans and yesterday the endorsement of President Clinton.

SENATOR TOM DASCHLE, Minority Leader: That is really the fundamental difference between the two pending bills. We ban abortion; they ban a procedure. They allow all the other abortive procedures available--dilation and evacuation, induction, hysterotomies, hysterectomies--those are still legally available. What we ban are all of those procedures--all of them.

Also last night Bernie Sanders says the Keystone pipeline was a no-brainer.

If you agree with me about the urgent need to address the issue of climate change, then you would know immediately what to do about the Keystone pipeline. Honestly, it wasn’t that complicated. Should we support the construction of a pipeline across America and accelerate the extraction of some of the dirtiest fossil fuel in the world? To me, that was a no-brainer.

Hillary finally announced her opposition to it. Last night Bernie said it was about time.

Bernie talks about the decision to invade Iraq.

"If you go to my website, you can see exactly what I said at that point and the fears that I had about the destabilization of that region if we invaded Iraq. It gives me no joy to say that I was largely right about the war. I am proud to tell you when I came to that fork in the road I took the right road even though it was not the popular road at the time."

The anti-war protestors the media refused to cover were absolutely totally right about the harm done to the middle east.

From a Guardian blogger in 2014:

I have encountered no sense of vindication, no "I told you so", among veterans of the anti-war protest of 15 February 2003 in response to the events in Iraq. Despair, yes, but above all else, bitterness – that we were unable to stop one of the greatest calamities of modern times, that warnings which were dismissed as hyperbole now look like understatements, that countless lives (literally – no one counts them) have been lost, and will continue to be so for many years to come.

....The catastrophic results of the Iraq invasion are often portrayed as having been impossible to predict, and only inevitable with the benefit of hindsight. If only to prevent future calamities from happening, this is a myth that needs to be dispelled. The very fact that the demonstration on that chilly February day in 2003 was the biggest Britain had ever seen, is testament to the fact that disaster seemed inevitable to so many people.

And one more paragraph with Bernie's words last night.

"Those are the choices I made when I came to the forks in the road. I think they tell you a lot about the choices I will make as president. And my message to you today is the same as it was yesterday, and will be tomorrow."

I saw in a thread here today someone was saying that he lied. Things like that are making it painful to even come to this forum. Same with attacking Hillary personally. It should not happen.

Issues are fair game, and I was impressed.