Source: New York Times

Several Democratic strategists and pollsters said they now thought Mr. Sanders could win the Ohio primary — and perhaps Illinois and Missouri — after the senator performed unexpectedly well among independents and young people in Michigan and also beat Mrs. Clinton by more than 10 percentage points with white voters there, according to exit polls. Mr. Sanders also won support from about 30 percent of Michigan’s black voters, a larger share than in recent contests in the South, a sign that he might be able to stop Mrs. Clinton from winning the landslides she is aiming for in predominantly black neighborhoods in Chicago, Cleveland and St. Louis.

“After Michigan, Bernie can certainly win Ohio, and frankly you cannot write him off in any major urban metropolitan state anymore,” said Peter D. Hart, a veteran Democratic pollster. “He has hit a perfect dynamic that few of us expected: He is campaigning on issues like economic insecurity and inequality that are central in this election, he is not seen as overtly political, and he has an ability to contrast himself with every other candidate by being frank and authentic.”

Ohio, a bellwether swing state in presidential elections, is particularly crucial for Mr. Sanders because a victory could increase doubts about Mrs. Clinton’s vulnerabilities in a general election. His free trade argument has become an enviable weapon with blue-collar workers in Ohio and other Rust Belt states because his longtime opposition to trade pacts is a rare and clear policy difference with Mrs. Clinton. She has supported deals like the North American Free Trade Agreement and still argues that trade can benefit American workers.

“If Sanders wins Ohio, there is a new narrative for the next three months, and the nomination fight goes on to the California primary on June 7 in a way that no one ever predicted,” said Robert Shrum, a veteran political adviser to several Democratic presidential campaigns. “Ohio would give Sanders further legitimacy and the standing to go all the way to the convention and make the case to superdelegates there that he is better able to win in November.”

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/12/us/politics/bernie-sanders.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=b-lede-package-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news

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Finally some positive press.

I just heard John Dickerson say that on his show today:

Hillary Clinton
Donald Trump
Ted Cruz

Notice anybody missing?

Source: The Guardian

The state of Louisiana is the world capital of incarceration. It locks up more of its citizens than anywhere else on the globe – some 1,341 out of every 100,000 people.

That’s twice the US national average (716), nearly three times the per capita rate in Russia (475) and nine times that of the UK (148). It’s even substantially higher than North Korea’s (thought to be around 800).

Now the Pelican state is in the throes of a crisis that is certain to propel its already astronomical incarceration rate to new heights. Its public defender service, a network of state-funded lawyers that provides legal representation to poor Louisianans, is in meltdown, with most of its district offices set to cancel all new cases or close down entirely by next summer.

An assessment by the Louisiana public defender board obtained by the Guardian warns that by July of 2017, as many as 33 of the state’s 42 districts are likely to be so short of cash they will be forced to stop representing clients. Eleven of those districts may be forced to shut down by this October.

Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/mar/04/louisiana-public-defense-system-cash-flow-collapse

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We need to do some crowd funding to help the Louisiana Public Defenders Service. Does anyone know how to set it up? This is a tragedy.

Source: Reuters

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Ireland's ruling coalition was ousted by voters angry at the country's uneven recovery, results indicated on Saturday, leaving Prime Minister Enda Kenny facing the unpalatable prospect of trying to secure a deal with his biggest rival.

His government appeared to be the latest victim of European voters' growing antipathy to mainstream politics, hit by a backlash against years of austerity and a perception that Ireland's poor are not benefiting from the fastest economic growth in Europe.

Exit polls suggested the only viable option may be a problematic alliance of old rivals Fianna Fail and Kenny's Fine Gael - although even their combined support was set to fall below 50 percent of the vote for the first time.

If neither side is able to form a government, however, fresh elections would have to be called.

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/ireland-voters-oust-ruling-coalition-in-rejection-of-austerity_us_56d24099e4b0bf0dab32673b

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Establishment politics under attack across the globe.

Great Read!





http://www.huffingtonpost.com/earnest-harris/the-exposure-of-the-vast-_b_9329414.html

Great read.



http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/opinion/my-turn/2016/02/23/opinion-bernie-sanders-elected-mayor/80821236/

This report sure looks different from what gets covered on National TV. Very pleased.

http://www.localmemphis.com/news/local-news/democrats-rally-supporters-ahead-of-primaries

Paul Lander ‏@paul_lander 6h6 hours ago

Jeb Bush's campaign and Justice Scalia buried on same day, allowing the country to part ways with 2 guys who got George W Bush elected.

http://www.rgj.com/story/news/politics/2016/02/20/ralston-reports-harry-reid-culinary-union-bond-won-nevada-caucus-hillary-clinton/80685878/

The Machine Won This Round

[link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=7&v=C9voK2NSHnE|

I'm borrowing from Hollywood tonight but this clip reminds me so much of this election that I wanted to post it as a thread. LiberalElite posted a piece tonight about the Nevada Caucus where Jon Ralston said the machine won tonight.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1280122309


It immediately brought to mind the clip below and actually the entire Mr. Smith Goes to Washington movie. It's one of my favorite movies along with To Kill a Mockingbird. Whenever I get down in the dumps about politics I think about this movie and it helps remind me of what I'm fighting for. I dedicate it to all the Sanders supporters at DU tonight.

[link:|