April 30, 2015

Hillary is doing this and Hillary is doing that

because Bernie is in the race. Can't you post about how good your guy is without comparing him to Hillary?
Hillary is doing OK.

April 30, 2015

If they "gentrified" that Baltimore neighborhood

where the unrest is taking place, they would restore many of the buildings making lovely homes out of them. The old shops would become specialty boutiques. Many more retail establishments would move in. New schools would open.
Typically they evict the current residents to do that.
But imagine if they did that and the current residents remained. Imagine if everyone could get a hand up until they were trained and given skills so they could earn a decent income. Imagine the children going to great schools where they learned they do have a chance at a bright future.
We could afford to do that if we had the will.
Instead of cops being a militant army used to enforce the status quo, they protected people's homes and property and civil rights.
We need a new Malcolm X to keep the issue real and before the public. You shouldn't have to burn a building or car to get people to take notice.

You didn't land on Plymouth Rock! Plymouth Rock landed on you!
Malcolm X

April 29, 2015

Where are the anti-Bernie threads I am reading

about? I haven't seen any.

April 28, 2015

Baltimore and Ferguson are the canaries in the mine.

As the oligarchy takes root the first to be marginalized are those who have the hardest time succeeding in the economy. Once they are ground down the next level up becomes the floor and at some point they will be ground into the dust too. It keeps moving up the chain until everyone who can survive is a surf to the ruling class. You will work for your daily bread and your meager shelter but you will get nothing more. Nothing to save or to get ahead.

I see the burning and destruction in the cities as the noise the canaries make just before they are gone. The owners of those businesses are on borrowed time. At some point they will make up the bottom rung.

April 27, 2015

The more things change the more they stay the same 1964 to 2015

- 51 years

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http://machinemean.org/2014/02/04/dave-dennis-freedom-summer-of-1964-and-the-eulogy-for-james-chaney/

“I’m not here to do the traditional things most of us do at such a gathering…But what I want to talk about right now is the living dead that we have right among our midst, not only in the state of Mississippi but throughout the nation. Those are the people who don’t care, those who do care but don’t have the guts enough to stand up for it, and those people who are busy up in Washington and in other places using my freedom and my life to play politics with..

April 22, 2015

I get what Obama is saying about the TPP.

The trade deal is good for educated Americans with good paying jobs. The rest of you are part of the past and old news.

April 16, 2015

Maybe we should have a "I don't like Hillary" group

where nobody can say anything nice about her.
Then all the "I am not voting for Hillary" folks can go to talk to people who care.

April 16, 2015

Listening to Rachael Maddow and Bernie

Sanders tonight confirms in my mind what I posted earlier today.
Bernie said it will take millions of $42 contributions for him to run. He doesn't know if people will do that.
It's up to us, not Hillary. No body is forcing her on you. Open your pocketbooks.
Stop blaming people like me and get on with the progressive run!

April 15, 2015

2016 may be the last time I get to vote for

a Dem for president. I will be 70 in 2016.
If we lose the White House we will lose the SCOTUS too. The Kochs will own the federal government.
I know things are not as progressive as they should be. Hillary isn't as progressive as we would like.
We all know that. But if she or someone else is the candidate we need to work together to elect them. Losing is not an option!
Stand on principle if you need to but just be aware that 2016 is not going to be an election where your principles are on the ballot. In a few races there will be progressive candidates. Vote for them. Kamala Harris in CA is a good example.
Work your asses off for them.
But I hope at some point you get off the purity kick and realize that you build your dreams one step at a time. Look long term.
I hope younger Dem's here see a progressive movement take place after I've gone. But remember it takes winning in 2016 for that to happen.
Don't take yourself out of the game because your favorite players aren't on the field. For our sakes and our kids sakes, winning is everything.