I don't doubt there are genuine fervent Bernie supporters, probably a lot from the OWS crowd. But the hate and venom against Hillary is so over the top it can only be GOP disruptors trying to drive a wedge between true Hillary and Bernie supporters. True progressives would not try to kill one of their own even if they are not as progressive as they would like in order to bolster their nominee. In the chance (a very big chance) Hillary may be the candidate, why would any progressive/liberal want to tear down their candidate before the convention. The GOP will have a fine time trying to do that during the general election. I just hate to see individuals from our own side giving them the ammunition.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/latest_polls/

Iowa Democratic Caucus....................Gravis.................Clinton 49, Sanders 31, O'Malley 10.......Clinton +18
New Hampshire Democratic Primary...... ARG.................Sanders 43, Clinton 46, O'Malley 3.........Clinton +3
S Carolina Democratic Primary...... CBS News/YouGov......Clinton 67, Sanders 31, O'Malley 2.........Clinton +36

The good news, we've only got 2 more months to deal with it. By March 5th many major primaries elections will be concluded and a clear front runner will emerge.


Date (all 2016) State

February

Monday, February 1 Iowa caucus
Tuesday, February 9 New Hampshire
Saturday, February 20 Nevada caucus (Dem) South Carolina (GOP)
Tuesday, February 23 Nevada caucus (GOP)
Saturday, February 27 South Carolina (Dem)

March

Tuesday, March 1(Super Tuesday)
Alabama
Alaska (GOP)
Arkansas
Colorado caucuses
Georgia
Massachusetts
Minnesota caucuses
Oklahoma
Tennessee
Texas
Vermont
Virginia

Saturday, March 5
Kansas caucus,
Kentucky (GOP caucus)
Louisiana
Nebraska (Dem caucus)

http://www.uspresidentialelectionnews.com/2016-presidential-primary-schedule-calendar/#spfjP8CB9jpgw5Ap.99

A Republican / RW president could have a disastrous impact on our country and our ideals for the next 100 years.

If Hillary is even a little left of center, she would be immensely better for the country and our causes than a Republican / RW president. Any Supreme Court and Federal Judgeship appointments, will have a lasting impact on generations.

The last 8 justices retired or died between the ages of 70-90.

Sandra Day O'Connor retired at 75
David Souter............retired at 70
John Paul Stevens.....retired at 90
William Rehnquist.........died at 81
lewis Powell............. retired at 80
Harry Blackmun.........retired at 86
Warren Burger..........retired at 79
Thurgood Marshall.....retired at 83

It's very possible there will be 4 vacancies either through death or retirement in the next 10 years (2 remaining of Obama's term, and 8 of new president(s)). If those next 8 years after Obama are followed by a Republican, we may as well bend over and kiss our asses goodbye. I would love to have a truly progressive president in the WH, (who is it by the way?), but I am also looking at the long term. Judgeship appointments have consequences.




Thanks to http://www.thegreenpapers.com/ for the chart.

For a person with some type of personal health insurance, even getting annual check-ups, or preventative care it was an out of pocket cost before you hit you annual deductible limit. So for some people, paying out $2500-$5000 deductible for health care is even too much. One of the many good things that the ACA provides for is "free" preventative services. Free in the sense that all network insurance providers have to cover these services without charging a deductible or co-pay. I'm not sure a lot of people know or understand this benefit of the ACA.

Americans now can receive free preventive service through their private insurance plan without additional cost sharing such as copays or deductibles.

Free preventive services

All Marketplace plans and many other plans must cover the following list of preventive services without charging you a copayment or coinsurance. This is true even if you haven’t met your yearly deductible. This applies only when these services are delivered by a network provider.

1.Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm one-time screening for men of specified ages who have ever smoked
2.Alcohol Misuse screening and counseling
3.Aspirin use to prevent cardiovascular disease for men and women of certain ages
4.Blood Pressure screening for all adults
5.Cholesterol screening for adults of certain ages or at higher risk
6.Colorectal Cancer screening for adults over 50
7.Depression screening for adults
8.Diabetes (Type 2) screening for adults with high blood pressure
9.Diet counseling for adults at higher risk for chronic disease
10.HIV screening for everyone ages 15 to 65, and other ages at increased risk
11.Immunization vaccines for adults
•Hepatitis A
•Hepatitis B
•Herpes Zoster
•Human Papillomavirus
•Influenza (Flu Shot)
•Measles, Mumps, Rubella
•Meningococcal
•Pneumococcal
•Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis
•Varicella
12.Obesity screening and counseling for all adults
13.Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) prevention counseling for adults at higher risk
14.Syphilis screening for all adults at higher risk
15.Tobacco Use screening for all adults and cessation interventions for tobacco users

Comprehensive coverage for women’s preventive care

All Marketplace health plans and many other plans must cover the following list of preventive services for women without charging you a copayment or coinsurance. This is true even if you haven’t met your yearly deductible.

This applies only when these services are delivered by an in-network provider.

1.Anemia screening on a routine basis for pregnant women
2.Breast Cancer Genetic Test Counseling (BRCA) for women at higher risk for breast cancer
3.Breast Cancer Mammography screenings every 1 to 2 years for women over 40
4.Breast Cancer Chemoprevention counseling for women at higher risk
5.Breastfeeding comprehensive support and counseling from trained providers, and access to breastfeeding supplies, for pregnant and nursing women
6.Cervical Cancer screening for sexually active women
7.Chlamydia Infection screening for younger women and other women at higher risk
8.Contraception: Food and Drug Administration-approved contraceptive methods, sterilization procedures, and patient education and counseling, as prescribed by a health care provider for women with reproductive capacity (not including abortifacient drugs). This does not apply to health plans sponsored by certain exempt “religious employers.”
9.Domestic and interpersonal violence screening and counseling for all women
10.Folic Acid supplements for women who may become pregnant
11.Gestational diabetes screening for women 24 to 28 weeks pregnant and those at high risk of developing gestational diabetes
12.Gonorrhea screening for all women at higher risk
13.Hepatitis B screening for pregnant women at their first prenatal visit
14.HIV screening and counseling for sexually active women
15.Human Papillomavirus (HPV) DNA Test every 3 years for women with normal cytology results who are 30 or older
16.Osteoporosis screening for women over age 60 depending on risk factors
17.Rh Incompatibility screening for all pregnant women and follow-up testing for women at higher risk
18.Sexually Transmitted Infections counseling for sexually active women
19.Syphilis screening for all pregnant women or other women at increased risk
20.Tobacco Use screening and interventions for all women, and expanded counseling for pregnant tobacco users
21.Urinary tract or other infection screening for pregnant women
22.Well-woman visits to get recommended services for women under 65

https://www.healthcare.gov/what-are-my-preventive-care-benefits/#part=1

A Democratic federal government can legislate all they want, but if the Repugs hold governor seats and state legislatures, they pass their own laws. Look at the outlawing of "Legal Abortion", restrictive voting laws and purging of voter lists, rejection of federal subsidies for the ACA, removing any restrictions on gun ownership. These are issues that cannot be governed from Washington, but at the local level.

The DNC needs to work with all state wide democratic committees in the red states to organize them, get strong aggressive leadership, and identify viable candidates for state positions. We may win the wars (Presidential, Congress) but we are losing the battles at the state levels.

Enjoy and Happy New Year!


http://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/2012-photos

Gabby Giffords...Pledge of Allegiance[/b

http://www.c-span.org/DNC/Events/Pledge-of-Allegiance-by-Former-Representative-Gabrielle-Giffords/C3873655/

John Kerry

http://www.c-span.org/DNC/Events/John-Kerry-at-the-2012-Democratic-National-Convention/C3779980/

Jennifer Granholm

http://www.c-span.org/DNC/Events/Jennifer-Granholm-at-the-2012-Democratic-National-Convention/C3811701/

Elizabeth Warren

http://www.c-span.org/DNC/Events/Elizabeth-Warren-at-the-2012-Democratic-National-Convention/C3779973/

President Barack Obama

http://www.c-span.org/DNC/Events/Pres-Obama-You-Elected-Me-to-Tell-You-the-Truth/10737433893/

Bill Clinton

http://www.c-span.org/DNC/Events/Bill-Clinton-We-Cant-Double-Down-on-Trickle-Down/10737433861/

Vice President Joe Biden

http://www.c-span.org/DNC/Events/VP-Biden-The-Journey-of-Hope-is-Not-Yet-Finished-but-We-are-on-our-Way/10737433895/

Michelle Obama

http://www.c-span.org/DNC/Events/Michelle-Obama-I-Have-Seen-the-Very-Best-of-the-American-Spirit/10737433811/

Charlie Crist

http://www.c-span.org/DNC/Events/Charlie-Crist-Jr-at-the-2012-Democratic-National-Convention/C3873581/

Eva Longoria

http://www.c-span.org/DNC/Events/Eva-Longoria-at-the-2012-Democratic-National-Convention/C3797183/

Caroline Kennedy

http://www.c-span.org/DNC/Events/Caroline-Kennedy-at-the-2012-Democratic-National-Convention/C3797181/

Kerry Washington & Scarlett Johansson

http://www.c-span.org/DNC/Events/Kerry-Washington-and-Scarlett-Johansson-at-the-2012-Democratic-National-Convention/C3873577/

The Supreme Court.

We all have reasons for wanting President Obama to be re-elected. There are some who express some disappointment with what he did or did not do in his first term. But if President Obama is not re-elected, the make-up of the Supreme Court could become much more conservative over the next 4-8 years.

If Obama is re-elected, he will have 4 years to appoint moderate/liberal judges. Given the current age of 4 of the judges, he may get 1 or 2 appointments. It's possible Ginsburg and Breyer would retire before Obama's term is over, just so he could appoint 2 judges. Scalia and Kennedy would both be in their late 70's, but unless they become ill or incapacitated, they probably would not leave before Obama's 2nd term is over.

A Romney presidency of 4 years could result in replacing 1-2 moderate/liberal justices with 1-2 conservative justices.
A Romney presidency of 8 years could result in replacing 2 conservative justices with 2 conservative justices. Scalia and Kennedy would either leave on their own volition, or be encourage to retire so Romney could appoint 2 younger justices who would be on the court for 25-30 years.

So there is the potential for a 7-2 court with the conservatives in total control. If we thought the Citizens United decision was a travesty, imagine a court with no liberal influence at all. Even if Breyer held on for all 8 years, Romney would still get to replace 3 justices leaving us with a 6-3 court.




The last 8 justices retired or died between the ages of 70-90.

Sandra Day O'Connor retired at 75
David Souter............retired at 70
John Paul Stevens.....retired at 90
William Rehnquist.........died at 81
lewis Powell............. retired at 80
Harry Blackmun.........retired at 86
Warren Burger..........retired at 79
Thurgood Marshall.....retired at 83

I'm not a deep thinker, but I can do the math. I have seen what this court has done, and know what the right wants this court to do. Look at their efforts on voting restrictions, women's access to health care, the ACA, Roe v Wade, ad nauseum. I'm in the last third of my life cycle, so much that they could do would not impact me for too many years, but if I was young I would be very concerned about my future. I'm just saying.