March 10, 2016

I'm flabbergasted by Rachel Maddow. Last night she spent exactly 10 seconds reporting Bernie winning

in Michigan. No analysis, she just simply said it was an upset. Then she immediately pivots to a recall petition for Snyder. Then a too long historical bit on George Wallace getting shot in 1972 and then winning the Michigan primary with a record turnout. Then a guest talking about how great the GOP turnout this year was. Then some stupid waste of time story about plane noise complaints at Reagan National. That was the whole show. Bernie was only mentioned after 35 minutes at the start of the show about the GOP race and endless stop Trump CRAP. I don't think Hillary's win in Mississippi was even mentioned.

Fucking liberal media.

I'm so incredibly disgusted with her at this point. What a disgrace. What a sell-out.

She's been annoying for a while but usually makes it up with some interesting takes and analysis. But after last night, I'm freaking done with her.

March 10, 2016

Indiana State Legislature pushes bill to further restrict abortion

This is pretty extreme:

http://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/2016/03/07/anti-discrimination-bill-abortions/81268752/

"An expansive and controversial bill pending in the Indiana House seeks to set more restrictions on abortion in the state — already one of the most restrictive in the nation.

The bill would restrict abortions based solely on a woman's motivation for terminating her pregnancy. And it also takes a stance against the controversial Planned Parenthood videos on the use of fetal tissue.

It would make Indiana the second state in the nation to make it illegal to abort a pregnancy because the fetus was diagnosed with Down syndrome or another disability. It also would prohibit abortions based on the sex or race of the fetus. And it could trigger a court challenge."

March 10, 2016

Indiana State Legislature pushes bill to further restrict abortion

This is pretty extreme:

http://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/2016/03/07/anti-discrimination-bill-abortions/81268752/

"An expansive and controversial bill pending in the Indiana House seeks to set more restrictions on abortion in the state — already one of the most restrictive in the nation.

The bill would restrict abortions based solely on a woman's motivation for terminating her pregnancy. And it also takes a stance against the controversial Planned Parenthood videos on the use of fetal tissue.

It would make Indiana the second state in the nation to make it illegal to abort a pregnancy because the fetus was diagnosed with Down syndrome or another disability. It also would prohibit abortions based on the sex or race of the fetus. And it could trigger a court challenge."

March 9, 2016

How accurate is polling?

A lot political polling still uses landlines to call potential voters. Some of the polling being so off in Michigan could be from Bernie supporters not using landlines.

This article discusses this-- a lot of such polls are not reliable:

http://www.wired.com/2016/03/sanders-michigan-win-shows-pollsters-bernie-blindspot/

But clearly there are other factors too. Primaries are harder to model than general elections.

March 9, 2016

A Master Class on Middle East Politics focusing on the Destruction of Libya and Role of Saudi Arabia

https://shadowproof.com/2016/03/06/podcast-vijay-prashad-libya-bombing/

A fantastic interview with Vijay Prasad. There is so much smart and insightful stuff here that doesn't get bogged down in idiotic discussions of terrorism.

March 9, 2016

Bernie got 110,000 more votes than Trump in Michigan-- the revolution is here

The mainstream media may not make a story-line out of this.

The Dem race in MI got 1.16M votes total, compared to 1.25M for the Repubs.

As of this post:

Trump got 481,296

Bernie got 590,396

http://www.nytimes.com/elections/results?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=b-lede-package-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news

March 8, 2016

Climate change is the biggest single issue of our time

which candidate is the one that treats it with the urgency it deserves?

March 6, 2016

I know this won't convince anyone to change their mind, but...

if there's anything that will keep Republicans in control of Congress, it is a Hillary presidency. I see no chance of the Dems taking back Congress if Hillary is elected, and we are screwed for another four years with the GOP in control of the agenda. With Bernie, he might be able to shake things up enough to switch the power balance, but I just see Hillary generating too much opposition.

I know Hillary supporters will say Bernie will drive the right nuts and even more desperate than Hillary. But at least with Bernie, people can see what is possible to accomplish with Dems in control-- a real progressive agenda. Hillary will just be a holding pattern.

Though frankly, the only thing really likely to get the Dems back in control of the House is a Cruz or Trump presidency, in the 2018 midterms.

March 5, 2016

"Financial Strip-Mining"-- how capitalism has ruined the US. Bernie gets it, does Hillary?

“It’s shameless financial strip-mining”: Les Leopold explains how the 1 percent killed the middle class
The "pro-business" model of capitalism is broken — and getting worse, author and activist Les Leopold tells Salon

http://www.salon.com/2016/03/05/its_shameless_financial_strip_mining_les_leopold_explains_how_the_1_percent_killed_the_middle_class/

March 5, 2016

Financial Strip-Mining-- how capitalism has really gone to hell and taken the country with it

http://www.salon.com/2016/03/05/its_shameless_financial_strip_mining_les_leopold_explains_how_the_1_percent_killed_the_middle_class/

“It’s shameless financial strip-mining”: Les Leopold explains how the 1 percent killed the middle class
The "pro-business" model of capitalism is broken — and getting worse, author and activist Les Leopold tells Salon.