Morality is not determined by the church you attend nor the faith you embrace. It is determined by the quality of your character and the positive impact you have on those you meet along your journey
Friday, June 17, 2016
Counter demands.
Seems reasonable to me.
In fact the super delegates will likely keep the DNC from ever having to face an election year with a candidate as deeply flawed as Donald Trump.
One person, one vote. This is still a democracy last time I checked, and your continuous derogatory posts are beyond annoying, 2:19 AM, we have crossed over to pathetic.
Thank you 2:19. 100% correct for pointing this out. I just wonder who the "OUR" is in the "OUR DEMANDS" of that meme. The establishment? It really seems that way--they want to make sure the rules are set so that DWS or her successors at the DNC can put any crony in that they want.
What Bernie Sanders has done is a GOOD THING. Why all the vitriol? Is Hillary so weak that anyone not forced to be in lock step is a threat to her? I don't think so. Apparently those people like Gryphen do.
As the number of unaffiliated voters grow, the people who will get through the nomination process will become more and more establishment shills. We'll end up with more weak candidates like Hillary--who is buddy-buddy with Wall Street, who voted for the Iraq War because it was politically expedient at the time, and who has somehow amassed a $45million fortune yet only has worked in the public sector and never had a base salary over $200k.
Is she better than Long-con Don? By a long shot. But she's dirty and the only hope for a better candidate in the future is via the rules that the "OUR" in the meme want to rewrite. Sad.
My problem with Hillary stems from the snuggling with GW et. al. If we wanted GW snuggling wouldn't we be repubs? It's inappropriate for a dem candidate to armpit around with the waterboarder, human rights stealer etc. That's why the contrast with Senator Sanders is so very stark to democrats.
Your comment section is worthless and sophomoric lately. Democratic candidates have no business hugging the person most responsible for eroding our constitutional rights. Yeah, true democrats notice and dislike this. Intensely.
'smatta you? Just Hillary kiss up comments allowed? Wimpy response. Seems liked the embedded candidate's unseasoned followers should be able to bear a little debate.
"Yer stupid; shaddup" or "No, yer stupid; shaddup". Is that the comment section vis-à-vis our GW approved/hugged democratic candidate. I get it. Say how about a little chip in your hand so GW's buddies can keep track of where you are at all times...what amount of calories are you eating anyway...per the good old boy's dream "for our future". I like that Sanders is saying "Wait a minute; let's slow this train down".
Closed primaries are critical. I read somewhere a few months ago that one thing the RNC is considering going forward is closed primaries.
When you consider that Bernie has taken money from Karl Rove and other nefarious characters, it does not take long to figure out what is going on here.
Bernie may not even be aware that Karl Rove 'supports' his revolution. He is, it is certain the he does know that the Rand Paulists libertarians are in his camp. Not sure that the anarchists provided more than rally disruptors on cue.
Poor Bernie (and Jane, pragmatic first lady might-have-been,2020 run? No, not likely.
A "Paulist" are the many supporters of Ron/Rand Paul for President. Ron ran in 2008. He wanted to legalize weed so all the libertarians were in his camp but he was running on the Republican ticket. Don't you remember him at the same convention where Sarah Palin was introduced?
Leverage, the one thing Bernie Sanders’ advisors and aides consistently point to when asked why, exactly, he’s formally staying in the Democratic primary race that he’s lost to Hillary Clinton.
But it's the one thing he’s been bleeding every day ever since he dropped California’s primary by a much wider-than-expected margin last week. Sanders’ summer was supposed to be all about building leverage for the Democratic convention, providing him with a better hand to play as he presses Clinton to accept his policy positions and party reform suggestions. Now, the people closest to him aren’t sure how exactly to get it back.
Sanders' highest-profile congressional endorsee, Nevada’s Lucy Flores, lost her primary bid on Tuesday despite Sanders' cash injection into her campaign.
I don't believe Karl Rove's contribution was anything other than millions on anti-Hillary ads from the get-go. Everyone said they would help Sanders. Guess everyone was wrong.
Super-Pacs are free to spend their money where they want to - it appears Rove spent some of his on anti-Hillary ads during the Dem primary, as is his right under the current screwed-up system. Accusing Bernie Sanders of collusion with Rove because both were working to defeat Clinton is just another example of the Sanders Derangement Syndrome that prevails here.
5:05 Because Bernie will not release his taxes, we will never know the truth, will we? To me, Bernie seems like the type who would collude with Karl Rove. I doubt I'm the only one who believes it.
I don't care about people being paid for speeches, no matter how much they make, but Bernie's been calling for a revolution, trying to run Hillary's campaign, etc. And he can't turn over his taxes? Why is that?
I certainly support eliminating caucuses. Older people like me avoid rowdy experiences so it would be unlikely that I would ever attend one (balance, hearing in a crowded place issues for me). I really appreciate being able to vote by absentee ballot anymore. Besides a presidential candidate should not be chosen by the loudest or rowdiest but by careful deliberation by each member of the political party.
I also have no problem with the "super delegate" system; those persons who have been Democratic Party leaders in each state should have a special say in what happens. This election season has been a perfect example.
I also believe that no one should be able to cross party lines for voting in a primary. Registration deadlines should be at least three months before the actual primary election, so "closed" primaries are another requirement for me. I do not think that "independent" (or, in my mind, lazy) voters should have a say in who either the Democratic or the Republican Party nominates.
After the Sanders' debacle, I also think that someone should have to be an active member of a political party for at least a period of YEARS (perhaps five or more) before being eligible to run for president on that party's ticket.
As the primary campaign progressed this year I was more and more aghast at the behavior of Sanders' supporters and of his failure (or refusal) to rein them in. So let's be adults from now on in choosing our Democratic nominee and avoid harassment and violence.
And I loathe the idea of protests and demonstrations at a political convention. This one is harder because I am also loathe to the stifling free speech. However, what some Sanders' supporters have been threatening (massive protests at the Democratic Party Convention) sound like mob tyranny to me. Those Sanders' supporter (none of them true Democrats) need to grow up. The mess in 1968 handed the election to Richard Nixon. Do they really want to "hand the election" to Donald Trump?
I agree with everything you say except your calling independent voters "lazy."
My early adult years, I was an active member of the Republican party. In the nineties, when I saw the social conservatives taking over the GOP, I left and registered as independent or "Declined to State" depending on which state I was living in at the time.
Last year, I realized it had been well over a decade since I'd last voted for a Republican, so I changed my party, officially, to Democrat.
During the nearly twenty years I was an independent, I never once felt entitled to take part in the party primaries. I never considered myself "lazy." I just couldn't commit to a party when I didn't believe either of the majors aligned with my beliefs.
I must admit that I've become a single issue voter. I cannot imagine ever voting Republican again because I fear the irreversible harm a GOP President's Supreme Court picks could do.
'''Registration deadlines should be at least three months before the actual primary election, so "closed" primaries are another requirement for me.''' ******************* NO NO NO, absolutely not. That would be disastrous. In California we make it very easy for people to participate in the voting process. And we are working all the time to see what we can do to make it convenient for voters to participate in the voting process, NOT make it harder. We even have online registration, and you will get your registration verification very swiftly.
That's the way we do it California, we are for the people.
I'm also an "older person" & wholeheartedly agree with Beaglemom. Those of us who have been around for quite a while have (hopefully) gained a degree of clarity about life in general & about politics in particular. I encourage younger folks to always keep an open mind because as you also age you'll find yourself thinking, "If I only knew then what I know now". Westiemom
The primary is not a state's election. It's not a general election. It's not California's election It's a party election.
And it's really pretty easy to register to vote in a primary. You just have to care enough about politics to make a decision to register. It's not a very high bar.
I'm all for same day registation for general elections. Everyone should have a say. I don't see why everyone should be able to have a say in a party election, or why it should be easy for those who wish to manipulate the process. Lucy
In Indiana one must register 30 days before the election, be it the primary or the general. If you voted in the primary you don't have to re register for the general.
WA state has a really messed up system. First they have a caucus that is not well attended at all, followed later by a primary where one's vote doesn't count! After participating in the caucus this year, I was very upset that the primary was not the one that counted for the voters. I will not participate in another caucus and I have shared my view on the WA state Democratic party system with the state leaders with no response at all. None expected, since the Party is not listening to the voters, only their inside decision makers.
Bernie still thinks he's relevant. His popularity (although not enough to ever win) has gone to his head. Since when does an INDEPENDENT get to dictate to the Democratic Party. Forgotaboutit. If his followers are so stupid that they would punish the Democrats on election day, then they will get what they deserve. Unfortunately, the rest of us will have to suffer a Trump presidency too.
Sander's followers who will not vote for any Democrat, but will only vote for Sanders are apparently not Democrats. A true Democrat will back the candidate who wins the primary. Period.
The Bernie Sanders political revolution just failed its first post-primary test
A House candidate backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders lost a congressional primary Tuesday night in Nevada, dealing the first blow to Sanders' plans for a post-primary revolution.
Lucy Flores - whom Sanders endorsed in Nevada's crowded 4th District primary and helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars - came in second by a 14-point margin.
She lost to Ruben Kihuen, who was backed by Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, an establishment figure in the Democratic Party.
A second Democrat, Jesse Sbaih, who endorsed Sanders' primary bid and ran as a so-called "Berniecrat," lost by an even wider 49-point margin in Nevada's neighboring 3rd District.
Closed primaries in all 50 is just good sense. Caucuses suppress the vote and open primaries allow for too many shenanigans.
Superdelegates are a necessary safeguard to prevent a Trump-like candidate.
Not allowing Independents to run on a Democratic ticket is probably a good idea to ensure that down-ticket Dems get the support they need from the top of the ticket.
Stopping harassment and violence is a no-brainer.
But...no protests at rallies and conventions? Who the fuck are we-- Republicans?? If you can't take criticism from inside the party, you'll never be able to successfully answer the criticism from outside the party. It might be annoying, but the alternative is ridiculous.
Senator Sanders looks and sounds like a poor loser. His speech last night intimating he's staying in the race for the nomination was simply ridiculous. He's taken what could have been political capital and made himself a caricature of what could have been. Closed primaries protect the party from being hijacked by the other side. What about that is difficult to understand? Should he not have run as an Independent then to be able to have his say about this, that and the other thing???? Ugh. He's making me crazy and about to be lumped into the group of people (in my mind) that include the likes of one Mrs. Todd Palin.
Hijacking the party by the other side, yes. I worked at our primary back in 2008. Indiana has an open primary so, unfortunately, in my county everyone is a Republican. :( You have to request a Democratic ballot or a Republican ballot so when one of these Republican voters request a Democratic ballot you know it's just to mess with the process. Anyway, several "dittoheads" came to vote and one was extremely enthusiastic to be working the "Operation Chaos" which is what Rush commanded all of his followers to do. So he was going to "stick it to Hillary" as he said rather loudly in the voting place. How is that a good thing? I guess the guy (looked like a fat, white, ginger racist) had no idea that he would be indirectly electing the "black guy". haha!
I disagree with the "NO PROTESTS AT RALLIES AND CONVENTIONS" part. Because that assumes that the candidate is NOT a demagogue. (like Trump) IF there were a populist, but evil, candidate (like Andy Griffith in "A Face In The Crowd") then wiser, less ignorant registered voters should be able to PEACEFULLY demonstrate against them.
Bernie Sanders: the upstart who pointed the way toward a political revolution https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jun/17/bernie-sanders-democratic-voters-political-revolution
I saw an earlier interview with Weaver and I knew that Bernie would not do the gracious thing and endorse Clinton. Instead, Sanders listed his followers' activities in his behalf (as if other candidates had no followers) and tried to throw DWS under the bus. How presidential is that? He has become a hostage taker of the Democratic Party, making demands and urging his people to remain firmly entrenched in the Bernie Myth.
Despite my support of Hillary going back years, I had respect for Bernie as a voice for progressives. Now, I have no respect for him and, if I lived in Vermont, I would be working very hard for the Democrat who will run against him in 2018.
Double ditto. Al Giordano is organizing against Bernie in VT on behalf of Democrats. People are donating from all over the country; Bernie has angered a lot of Democrats nationwide.
I have to admit I used to admire Bernie for his consistent stands, not one to blow with the wind....although the gun thing did not make sense. He voted that manufacturers can not be sued like every other corp. He is an Independent which the Dems graciously let run on their ticket.....how the hell does he get off making all these demands to a party he doesn't even belong to? For this revolution to be true he should have run as an Independent. Why didn't he? Seems he needed the recognition and support of which he wants to change now...bullshit. Bernie has become a legend in his own mind, he is just the flip side of Trump drowning in his own awesomeness. I can imagine that Clinton is just annoyed at this point...nothing is perfect but it's time to stop dreaming Bernie, you did what you set out to do.
I am appalled at all the people past and present supporting Sanders. His history is abominable - have your teen age daughters have lots of sex so they will not have breast cancer later in life, kicked out of the commune because he was so damned lazy they could not tolerate him, never had a job until age 31, ran as Independent all his political career until running for president and knew Independent status wouldn't bring him the prize, third partner, Jane, caused all those college students to lose their money and those ready to graduate stopped two months before graduation this year and she collected $200,000 when she sued the college - illegitimate son raised by Sanders girlfriend. What the hell does it take for people to dislike or turn against such worthless, arrogant, contentious people and look for someone with a history of working? Sheesh!
You really fucking hate Bernie don't you. I don't know what Hillary ever did to have you constatly attack and demean Bernie in her defense. Having Bernie in the race has pushed her to be more liberal and I think that is great.
Hate bernie? No. Annoyed. Displeased. Frustrated with. Irritated by. Disappointed. Embarrassed for. Disgusted. These are all accurate descriptions of my feelings for Bernie and I once felt inspired by him so these negatives he has earned and caused.
There is no hate for an elderly man who never got to be a rock star and now doesn't want to give up his 15 minutes of fame. Embarrassment for him as I would feel embarrassed for an elderly person who peed his pants in public. Jane on the other hand inspires disgust and mistrust. Her answer about it being okay she got a golden parachute when she was asked to resign from the university is no different than any other.
Cowardly of Sanders not to appear on the Senate floor. Is he going to vote along with the NRA/GOP against any control of these military-style weapons (weapons of mass destruction that they are) or against keeping guns away from those on terror- watch lists? Beaglemom
Aaah, does the truth hurt or does it just bern a bit. I see Bernie was too chicken to show up to his job in the senate where democrats were working hard for gun control measures or did the NRA just pay him to stay home.
Thee has taken the name of St Bernie in vain for the last time! Thee must now be stoned to death at one of his violent rallies, by the Bernie Bros. Queen Jane will officiate at the proceedings.
Yes, the old fart has gotten this ridiculous in his denial of obvious truths.
I guess that I agree with the "counter demands", including keeping the superdelegates. However, I would maybe make a change in that the superdelegates not declare who they plan on supporting until the national convention. It does tend to make the system look a bit "rigged" when they all come out for one particular candidate before the contest has even begun.
Agree, Kootchikoo. I've been for Hilkary all along, but I agree with much of what Bernie was saying at his rallies. Hillary happens to agree with a lot of it, too. She's just more realistic about how to get it done. I'm still glad he had the big microphone - he just misused it in the end, dissing both Hillary & the Democratic Party.
There are a few good articles (I especially like the one at DailyBeast) on why Bernie, a senator though he seems to have forgotten that job, couldn't be bothered to show up during the filibuster.
Almost all the senators did. I wish they all had, but of those who didn't show up I especially wish Bernie had. Cripes, he'd been in DC all day and evening the day before. He flew back to VT because he had a simulcast speech at one point the next day. There is no reason why he couldn't have just taken ten minutes to speak on the Senate floor and help out his colleagues, as well as show real love and concern for those in Orlando and for all the citizens of this country.
He just keeps on showing how full of himself he is. I am thrilled he's lost, and once he finally concedes I hope Hillary kicks that bastard to the curb in terms of him having any kind of position other than what he has as senator now and in terms of any giving in to meetings and the like. His voters have some legit concerns, but Bernie himself doesn't need to be included--no way does Hillary have to make him a visible part of anything she chooses to do when she considers his voters' concerns, and she should never fit him into her daily itinerary. Geez, I can see him now, standing outside the White House fence and grasping the bars and dying to get in there.
It's sad to see people or blog hosts portray themselves as progressives when the "progressive" they are backing is hardly more than a Rockefeller Republican...don't believe it then read progressive (really progressive) EJ Dionne's new book. And denigrating the only real progressive that keeps with 1960's-80's ideals is pathetic. I wonder if this comment will be edited again, Gryph. Really, time to act like an adult and be a liberal...look at all sides of an issue and make an informed decision about issues. A pro-choice conservative Democrat is just a big step back. Although much better than Trump.
One person/one vote would suggest Super Delegates would be eliminated. Why should a super delegate get to vote as a private person, and again as a super delegate to help push a candidate over the top of needed delegates?
If what Hillary says is true, that super delegates have never overridden the vote of the people, then why do super delegates exist? Isn't that the point, that they COULD over ride the vote of the people?
Super delegates votes should even be counted until the very end of the election process. When it is reported that one candidate has hundreds more delegates than another from the first primary due to super delegate support - well, that is putting your foot on the scale as to who is the leader in the race. How about all of those news stories about how Bernie can't catch up because of the super delegate count?
If super delegate remained, they should not be even mentioned until the very last primary/caucus has voted.
Your own daughter was a Bernie supporter until a week ago. Not very smart.
ReplyDeleteTwo separate people with two separate opinions. You got a problem with that 2:19?
DeleteYou ought to lay off of a young woman you don't even know. What's wrong with you?
DeleteOne person, one vote. This is still a democracy last time I checked, and your continuous derogatory posts are beyond annoying, 2:19 AM, we have crossed over to pathetic.
Delete@ 3:53, A bully's got to bully. It's what they do.
DeleteThank you 2:19. 100% correct for pointing this out. I just wonder who the "OUR" is in the "OUR DEMANDS" of that meme. The establishment? It really seems that way--they want to make sure the rules are set so that DWS or her successors at the DNC can put any crony in that they want.
DeleteWhat Bernie Sanders has done is a GOOD THING. Why all the vitriol? Is Hillary so weak that anyone not forced to be in lock step is a threat to her? I don't think so. Apparently those people like Gryphen do.
As the number of unaffiliated voters grow, the people who will get through the nomination process will become more and more establishment shills. We'll end up with more weak candidates like Hillary--who is buddy-buddy with Wall Street, who voted for the Iraq War because it was politically expedient at the time, and who has somehow amassed a $45million fortune yet only has worked in the public sector and never had a base salary over $200k.
Is she better than Long-con Don? By a long shot. But she's dirty and the only hope for a better candidate in the future is via the rules that the "OUR" in the meme want to rewrite. Sad.
8:20 - HRC is a million times smarter than you are. Bernie is like a bad boyfriend who refuses to break up.
DeleteMy problem with Hillary stems from the snuggling with GW et. al. If we wanted GW snuggling wouldn't we be repubs? It's inappropriate for a dem candidate to armpit around with the waterboarder, human rights stealer etc. That's why the contrast with Senator Sanders is so very stark to democrats.
DeleteYour comment section is worthless and sophomoric lately. Democratic candidates have no business hugging the person most responsible for eroding our constitutional rights. Yeah, true democrats notice and dislike this. Intensely.
Delete'smatta you? Just Hillary kiss up comments allowed? Wimpy response. Seems liked the embedded candidate's unseasoned followers should be able to bear a little debate.
DeleteAnyone who thinks a comments section on any blog allows for "debate" is still living in the aughts.
Delete"Yer stupid; shaddup" or "No, yer stupid; shaddup". Is that the comment section vis-à-vis our GW approved/hugged democratic candidate. I get it. Say how about a little chip in your hand so GW's buddies can keep track of where you are at all times...what amount of calories are you eating anyway...per the good old boy's dream "for our future". I like that Sanders is saying "Wait a minute; let's slow this train down".
DeleteClosed primaries are critical. I read somewhere a few months ago that one thing the RNC is considering going forward is closed primaries.
ReplyDeleteWhen you consider that Bernie has taken money from Karl Rove and other nefarious characters, it does not take long to figure out what is going on here.
Bernie may not even be aware that Karl Rove 'supports' his revolution. He is, it is certain the he does know that the Rand Paulists libertarians are in his camp. Not sure that the anarchists provided more than rally disruptors on cue.
DeletePoor Bernie (and Jane, pragmatic first lady might-have-been,2020 run? No, not likely.
dowl
@Anonymous 3:43 AM
DeleteWhat is a Paulist? lol
A "Paulist" are the many supporters of Ron/Rand Paul for President. Ron ran in 2008. He wanted to legalize weed so all the libertarians were in his camp but he was running on the Republican ticket. Don't you remember him at the same convention where Sarah Palin was introduced?
DeletePlease, no biblical jokes here.
DeleteI agree, closed primaries only. Why the hell should Republicans be allowed to choose the Democratic candidate?
ReplyDelete+1000. And I wrote to the DNC to say I support superdelegates.
DeleteLeverage, the one thing Bernie Sanders’ advisors and aides consistently point to when asked why, exactly, he’s formally staying in the Democratic primary race that he’s lost to Hillary Clinton.
ReplyDeleteBut it's the one thing he’s been bleeding every day ever since he dropped California’s primary by a much wider-than-expected margin last week. Sanders’ summer was supposed to be all about building leverage for the Democratic convention, providing him with a better hand to play as he presses Clinton to accept his policy positions and party reform suggestions. Now, the people closest to him aren’t sure how exactly to get it back.
http://www.politico.com/story/2016/06/sanders-loses-convention-leverage-224469#ixzz4BpwYdmAS
He's not very smart. All leverage was lost before his whomping in CA.
DeleteSanders' highest-profile congressional endorsee, Nevada’s Lucy Flores, lost her primary bid on Tuesday despite Sanders' cash injection into her campaign.
ReplyDeleteI just saw Jeff Weaver on Morning Joe say that Bernie Sanders is still running for President.
ReplyDeleteSo tell me again that he is not a delusional old man.
Somewhere in Vermont an old windmill is being attacked.
DeleteTHe old senile fool will still be running as Hillary is inaugurated.
Gryphen yesterday there were comments on IM about Karl Rove's $$$ being involved in Sanders' campaign. Do you know anything about that?
DeleteI don't believe Karl Rove's contribution was anything other than millions on anti-Hillary ads from the get-go. Everyone said they would help Sanders. Guess everyone was wrong.
DeleteSuper-Pacs are free to spend their money where they want to - it appears Rove spent some of his on anti-Hillary ads during the Dem primary, as is his right under the current screwed-up system. Accusing Bernie Sanders of collusion with Rove because both were working to defeat Clinton is just another example of the Sanders Derangement Syndrome that prevails here.
Delete5:05
DeleteBecause Bernie will not release his taxes, we will never know the truth, will we? To me, Bernie seems like the type who would collude with Karl Rove. I doubt I'm the only one who believes it.
6:32 - Agree! Let's see Bernie's campaign financials for May and June. Let's see the Sanders' taxes through the years. What are they hiding?
DeleteI don't care about people being paid for speeches, no matter how much they make, but Bernie's been calling for a revolution, trying to run Hillary's campaign, etc. And he can't turn over his taxes? Why is that?
DeleteI certainly support eliminating caucuses. Older people like me avoid rowdy experiences so it would be unlikely that I would ever attend one (balance, hearing in a crowded place issues for me). I really appreciate being able to vote by absentee ballot anymore. Besides a presidential candidate should not be chosen by the loudest or rowdiest but by careful deliberation by each member of the political party.
ReplyDeleteI also have no problem with the "super delegate" system; those persons who have been Democratic Party leaders in each state should have a special say in what happens. This election season has been a perfect example.
I also believe that no one should be able to cross party lines for voting in a primary. Registration deadlines should be at least three months before the actual primary election, so "closed" primaries are another requirement for me. I do not think that "independent" (or, in my mind, lazy) voters should have a say in who either the Democratic or the Republican Party nominates.
After the Sanders' debacle, I also think that someone should have to be an active member of a political party for at least a period of YEARS (perhaps five or more) before being eligible to run for president on that party's ticket.
As the primary campaign progressed this year I was more and more aghast at the behavior of Sanders' supporters and of his failure (or refusal) to rein them in. So let's be adults from now on in choosing our Democratic nominee and avoid harassment and violence.
And I loathe the idea of protests and demonstrations at a political convention. This one is harder because I am also loathe to the stifling free speech. However, what some Sanders' supporters have been threatening (massive protests at the Democratic Party Convention) sound like mob tyranny to me. Those Sanders' supporter (none of them true Democrats) need to grow up. The mess in 1968 handed the election to Richard Nixon. Do they really want to "hand the election" to Donald Trump?
I guess I agree with the list above!
Beaglemom
Spot on as always, Beaglemom!
Delete+1
DeleteI agree with everything you say except your calling independent voters "lazy."
DeleteMy early adult years, I was an active member of the Republican party. In the nineties, when I saw the social conservatives taking over the GOP, I left and registered as independent or "Declined to State" depending on which state I was living in at the time.
Last year, I realized it had been well over a decade since I'd last voted for a Republican, so I changed my party, officially, to Democrat.
During the nearly twenty years I was an independent, I never once felt entitled to take part in the party primaries. I never considered myself "lazy." I just couldn't commit to a party when I didn't believe either of the majors aligned with my beliefs.
I must admit that I've become a single issue voter. I cannot imagine ever voting Republican again because I fear the irreversible harm a GOP President's Supreme Court picks could do.
@Anonymous 4:17 AM
Delete'''Registration deadlines should be at least three months before the actual primary election, so "closed" primaries are another requirement for me.'''
*******************
NO NO NO, absolutely not. That would be disastrous.
In California we make it very easy for people to participate in the voting process. And we are working all the time to see what we can do to make it convenient for voters to participate in the voting process, NOT make it harder.
We even have online registration, and you will get your registration verification very swiftly.
That's the way we do it California, we are for the people.
I'm also an "older person" & wholeheartedly agree with Beaglemom. Those of us who have been around for quite a while have (hopefully) gained a degree of clarity about life in general & about politics in particular. I encourage younger folks to always keep an open mind because as you also age you'll find yourself thinking, "If I only knew then what I know now". Westiemom
DeleteThe primary is not a state's election. It's not a general election. It's not California's election It's a party election.
DeleteAnd it's really pretty easy to register to vote in a primary. You just have to care enough about politics to make a decision to register. It's not a very high bar.
I'm all for same day registation for general elections. Everyone should have a say. I don't see why everyone should be able to have a say in a party election, or why it should be easy for those who wish to manipulate the process.
Lucy
In Indiana one must register 30 days before the election, be it the primary or the general. If you voted in the primary you don't have to re register for the general.
DeleteWA state has a really messed up system. First they have a caucus that is not well attended at all, followed later by a primary where one's vote doesn't count! After participating in the caucus this year, I was very upset that the primary was not the one that counted for the voters. I will not participate in another caucus and I have shared my view on the WA state Democratic party system with the state leaders with no response at all. None expected, since the Party is not listening to the voters, only their inside decision makers.
DeleteBernie still thinks he's relevant. His popularity (although not enough to ever win) has gone to his head. Since when does an INDEPENDENT get to dictate to the Democratic Party. Forgotaboutit. If his followers are so stupid that they would punish the Democrats on election day, then they will get what they deserve. Unfortunately, the rest of us will have to suffer a Trump presidency too.
ReplyDelete@Anonymous 4:27 AM
DeleteSander's followers who will not vote for any Democrat, but will only vote for Sanders are apparently not Democrats. A true Democrat will back the candidate who wins the primary. Period.
THE BERNIE and JANE SANDERS CURSE
ReplyDeleteThe Bernie Sanders political revolution just failed its first post-primary test
A House candidate backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders lost a congressional primary Tuesday night in Nevada, dealing the first blow to Sanders' plans for a post-primary revolution.
Lucy Flores - whom Sanders endorsed in Nevada's crowded 4th District primary and helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars - came in second by a 14-point margin.
She lost to Ruben Kihuen, who was backed by Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, an establishment figure in the Democratic Party.
A second Democrat, Jesse Sbaih, who endorsed Sanders' primary bid and ran as a so-called "Berniecrat," lost by an even wider 49-point margin in Nevada's neighboring 3rd District.
http://www.businessinsider.com/the-bernie-sanders-political-revolution-just-failed-its-first-post-primary-test-2016-6
Only 200,000 watched his Yourube farewell so far. That's it. What a movement.
DeleteI think "entitled" is a better descriptor for Bernie than "deeply flawed."
ReplyDelete+ about a million!!!!!!
DeleteClosed primaries in all 50 is just good sense. Caucuses suppress the vote and open primaries allow for too many shenanigans.
ReplyDeleteSuperdelegates are a necessary safeguard to prevent a Trump-like candidate.
Not allowing Independents to run on a Democratic ticket is probably a good idea to ensure that down-ticket Dems get the support they need from the top of the ticket.
Stopping harassment and violence is a no-brainer.
But...no protests at rallies and conventions? Who the fuck are we-- Republicans?? If you can't take criticism from inside the party, you'll never be able to successfully answer the criticism from outside the party. It might be annoying, but the alternative is ridiculous.
I agree. I was with him until that last one.
Deletewhat exactly are they protecting?
Delete@Anonymous 5:40 AM
DeleteI agree with your entire comment. What you said is spot on.
ditto
DeleteLucy
Senator Sanders looks and sounds like a poor loser. His speech last night intimating he's staying in the race for the nomination was simply ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteHe's taken what could have been political capital and made himself a caricature of what could have been.
Closed primaries protect the party from being hijacked by the other side. What about that is difficult to understand?
Should he not have run as an Independent then to be able to have his say about this, that and the other thing????
Ugh. He's making me crazy and about to be lumped into the group of people (in my mind) that include the likes of one Mrs. Todd Palin.
Hijacking the party by the other side, yes. I worked at our primary back in 2008. Indiana has an open primary so, unfortunately, in my county everyone is a Republican. :( You have to request a Democratic ballot or a Republican ballot so when one of these Republican voters request a Democratic ballot you know it's just to mess with the process. Anyway, several "dittoheads" came to vote and one was extremely enthusiastic to be working the "Operation Chaos" which is what Rush commanded all of his followers to do. So he was going to "stick it to Hillary" as he said rather loudly in the voting place. How is that a good thing? I guess the guy (looked like a fat, white, ginger racist) had no idea that he would be indirectly electing the "black guy". haha!
DeleteI disagree with the
ReplyDelete"NO PROTESTS AT RALLIES AND CONVENTIONS"
part.
Because that assumes that the candidate is NOT a demagogue. (like Trump)
IF there were a populist, but evil, candidate (like Andy Griffith in "A Face In The Crowd")
then wiser, less ignorant registered voters should be able to PEACEFULLY demonstrate against them.
Far enough, Randall. Thanks.
DeleteBernie Sanders: the upstart who pointed the way toward a political revolution
ReplyDeletehttps://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jun/17/bernie-sanders-democratic-voters-political-revolution
"Bye Bye Bernie" sings Ann-Margret
DeleteI saw an earlier interview with Weaver and I knew that Bernie would not do the gracious thing and endorse Clinton. Instead, Sanders listed his followers' activities in his behalf (as if other candidates had no followers) and tried to throw DWS under the bus. How presidential is that? He has become a hostage taker of the Democratic Party, making demands and urging his people to remain firmly entrenched in the Bernie Myth.
ReplyDeleteDespite my support of Hillary going back years, I had respect for Bernie as a voice for progressives.
Now, I have no respect for him and, if I lived in Vermont, I would be working very hard for the Democrat who will run against him in 2018.
ditto to everything.
DeleteLucy
Double ditto. Al Giordano is organizing against Bernie in VT on behalf of Democrats. People are donating from all over the country; Bernie has angered a lot of Democrats nationwide.
DeleteI have to admit I used to admire Bernie for his consistent stands, not one to blow with the wind....although the gun thing did not make sense. He voted that manufacturers can not be sued like every other corp. He is an Independent which the Dems graciously let run on their ticket.....how the hell does he get off making all these demands to a party he doesn't even belong to? For this revolution to be true he should have run as an Independent. Why didn't he? Seems he needed the recognition and support of which he wants to change now...bullshit. Bernie has become a legend in his own mind, he is just the flip side of Trump drowning in his own awesomeness. I can imagine that Clinton is just annoyed at this point...nothing is perfect but it's time to stop dreaming Bernie, you did what you set out to do.
ReplyDeleteSharon 6:58 AM wrote: … drowning in his own awesomeness.
DeleteNice ….
I am appalled at all the people past and present supporting Sanders. His history is abominable - have your teen age daughters have lots of sex so they will not have breast cancer later in life, kicked out of the commune because he was so damned lazy they could not tolerate him, never had a job until age 31, ran as Independent all his political career until running for president and knew Independent status wouldn't bring him the prize, third partner, Jane, caused all those college students to lose their money and those ready to graduate stopped two months before graduation this year and she collected $200,000 when she sued the college - illegitimate son raised by Sanders girlfriend. What the hell does it take for people to dislike or turn against such worthless, arrogant, contentious people and look for someone with a history of working? Sheesh!
DeleteYou really fucking hate Bernie don't you. I don't know what Hillary ever did to have you constatly attack and demean Bernie in her defense. Having Bernie in the race has pushed her to be more liberal and I think that is great.
ReplyDeleteHow did Bernie push Hillary to be more liberal? By defending big dirty coal and the NRA?
DeleteAnonymous 6:58 AM wrote: You really fucking hate Bernie don't you.
DeleteIt's sad, how precariously balanced some people's minds seem to be … perceiving "disagrees with" or "disapproves of" as "fucking hates".
Hate bernie? No. Annoyed. Displeased. Frustrated with. Irritated by. Disappointed. Embarrassed for. Disgusted. These are all accurate descriptions of my feelings for Bernie and I once felt inspired by him so these negatives he has earned and caused.
DeleteThere is no hate for an elderly man who never got to be a rock star and now doesn't want to give up his 15 minutes of fame. Embarrassment for him as I would feel embarrassed for an elderly person who peed his pants in public. Jane on the other hand inspires disgust and mistrust. Her answer about it being okay she got a golden parachute when she was asked to resign from the university is no different than any other.
Bernie is far right on gun control--was not on the floor for the filibuster, either.
DeleteCowardly of Sanders not to appear on the Senate floor. Is he going to vote along with the NRA/GOP against any control of these military-style weapons (weapons of mass destruction that they are) or against keeping guns away from those on terror- watch lists?
DeleteBeaglemom
Comparing Sanders to Trump. You truly are mean. Go back to your shit gossip writing.
ReplyDeleteAaah, does the truth hurt or does it just bern a bit. I see Bernie was too chicken to show up to his job in the senate where democrats were working hard for gun control measures or did the NRA just pay him to stay home.
DeleteBernie is Nader 2.0.
Delete8:10, that is exactly what I was thinking the other day. Where the hell was Bernie?
DeleteThee has taken the name of St Bernie in vain for the last time! Thee must now be stoned to death at one of his violent rallies, by the Bernie Bros. Queen Jane will officiate at the proceedings.
ReplyDeleteYes, the old fart has gotten this ridiculous in his denial of obvious truths.
You exaggerate better than any good ole boy. Ridiculous indeed.
DeleteI guess that I agree with the "counter demands", including keeping the superdelegates. However, I would maybe make a change in that the superdelegates not declare who they plan on supporting until the national convention. It does tend to make the system look a bit "rigged" when they all come out for one particular candidate before the contest has even begun.
ReplyDeleteSo you want to tke away the super delegates constitutional rights to support the candidate of their choice?
DeleteAgree, Kootchikoo.
ReplyDeleteI've been for Hilkary all along, but I agree with much of what Bernie was saying at his rallies. Hillary happens to agree with a lot of it, too. She's just more realistic about how to get it done. I'm still glad he had the big microphone - he just misused it in the end, dissing both Hillary & the Democratic Party.
About an hour ago I saw one of Bernie's surrogates on MSNBC saying Bernie is still an "active candidate." Made me sick.
ReplyDeleteThere are a few good articles (I especially like the one at DailyBeast) on why Bernie, a senator though he seems to have forgotten that job, couldn't be bothered to show up during the filibuster.
ReplyDeleteAlmost all the senators did. I wish they all had, but of those who didn't show up I especially wish Bernie had. Cripes, he'd been in DC all day and evening the day before. He flew back to VT because he had a simulcast speech at one point the next day. There is no reason why he couldn't have just taken ten minutes to speak on the Senate floor and help out his colleagues, as well as show real love and concern for those in Orlando and for all the citizens of this country.
He just keeps on showing how full of himself he is. I am thrilled he's lost, and once he finally concedes I hope Hillary kicks that bastard to the curb in terms of him having any kind of position other than what he has as senator now and in terms of any giving in to meetings and the like. His voters have some legit concerns, but Bernie himself doesn't need to be included--no way does Hillary have to make him a visible part of anything she chooses to do when she considers his voters' concerns, and she should never fit him into her daily itinerary. Geez, I can see him now, standing outside the White House fence and grasping the bars and dying to get in there.
It's sad to see people or blog hosts portray themselves as progressives when the "progressive" they are backing is hardly more than a Rockefeller Republican...don't believe it then read progressive (really progressive) EJ Dionne's new book. And denigrating the only real progressive that keeps with 1960's-80's ideals is pathetic. I wonder if this comment will be edited again, Gryph. Really, time to act like an adult and be a liberal...look at all sides of an issue and make an informed decision about issues. A pro-choice conservative Democrat is just a big step back. Although much better than Trump.
ReplyDeleteOne person/one vote would suggest Super Delegates would be eliminated. Why should a super delegate get to vote as a private person, and again as a super delegate to help push a candidate over the top of needed delegates?
ReplyDeleteIf what Hillary says is true, that super delegates have never overridden the vote of the people, then why do super delegates exist? Isn't that the point, that they COULD over ride the vote of the people?
Super delegates votes should even be counted until the very end of the election process. When it is reported that one candidate has hundreds more delegates than another from the first primary due to super delegate support - well, that is putting your foot on the scale as to who is the leader in the race. How about all of those news stories about how Bernie can't catch up because of the super delegate count?
If super delegate remained, they should not be even mentioned until the very last primary/caucus has voted.