The Bishop and the Butterfly: Murder, Politics, and the End of the Jazz Age

    Au Pair of Dux

    By PeraclesPlease on Fri, 02/12/2016 - 2:46am |

    Voters in both parties are reflexively unhappy with the establishment, but Hillary's problems with voters are all about her.

    The best woman for the job is the one who's not running.

    The male candidate is a better feminist than the world-known established female advocate of women's causes.

    The best candidate to shake up Congress and get new programs through it is the one who's been in Congress for 30 years as a relative outsider with little to show for it.

    Millennials have moved on from feminism because they know most of the battles are already or will be won, but racism is an entrenched never-ending problem that will never be out of our system.

    The leading candidate should be more authentic and speak from the heart, but what she says proves she's a lying, conniving self-serving tool for the rich.

    The insurgent candidate's revolution is unlike anything that's ever come before, and is modeled on the grassroots efforts of Howard Dean, Barack Obama and Occupy Wall Street.

    There's too much money in politics, which is why it's great that our candidate is almost matching the other in fund-raising.

    Our candidate is the most electable because fewer people have heard of him and just need to get to know him (for that we need your donation - but not too much)

    The biggest issue is wage equality, which is why after 7 years of recovery when unemployment is down and wages are starting to rise we need a new approach.

    We need a fresh approach to deal with America's growing diversity, which is why a 74-year-old from a small almost white-only community steeped in 60's socialism is our man.

    We need to break up banks that are "too big to fail", but tax them hard to pay for our new programs.

    It's wrong to accuse us of just following the excitement - we're focused on issues. #FeelTheBern

    Endorsements from the establishment and celebrities don't matter - except the well-known black preacher-activist and an ex-head-of-NAACP venture capitalist and a rapper-record-label businessman named Mike known for his work with the decades old OutKast.

    There's only one honest candidate, despite his team looking through his opponent's campaign files, impersonating union workers to get access, and putting out ads implying a newspaper endorsement that actually went to his opponent.

    It's important to stick with the issues, rather than the candidate who supported Goldwater at 16 and shut down her predator husband's sexual conquests.

    We need to be more supportive of women - but these older professional and retired women who support Hillary just don't understand the issues of today.

    Our opponent doesn't have any support, and the polls show her lead is narrowing and we're persuading more supporters to switch.

    The South Carolina polls from last month are too old and don't show us gaining on Hillary, but polls matching candidates who may be still around for next November prove Bernie's the most electable (once they get to know him).

    Hillary gave 2 paid speeches to Goldman Sachs and gets asked about her "ties to money" constantly. Ted Cruz is married to a Goldman Sachs VP & regional head, and no one even mentions it.

    Trump calls Cruz a pussy, while Susan Sarandon tells Hillary it doesn't matter that she has one, it doesn't vote. Trump says Hillary got schlonged, while the NY Times says she helped her hubby score taint. And then Bernie says to keep it above the belt. Is this the year of Caitlyn Jenner or what? - totally confused identity.

    [add your own below, I'm off...]

    Comments

    Wow!

    Excellent


    by rmrd0000 on Fri, 02/12/2016 - 10:27am

    The Republicans despise Hillary, so we should put Bernie as our nominee because he will get all the GOP cross-over votes if somehow the lunatic Trump is their nominee.  This is why Republicans are trying so hard to get Bernie in...not because they fear running against HRC, but because they like that sweet old socialist so much.

    [ Really, PP; you covered the bases so well it was hard to come up with anything else. ]


    by CVille Dem on Fri, 02/12/2016 - 10:37am

    Let me give that a spin: the legacy establishment candidate is too divisive with too much baggage, so we need an inspiring new candidate who preaches the most divisive (to America) political philosophy of the last century to unite us.


    by PeraclesPlease on Fri, 02/12/2016 - 10:49am

    Good points but even I have to say that in the "Divisive Olympics" Trump and Cruz are tied for gold. 


    by CVille Dem on Fri, 02/12/2016 - 12:26pm

    You missed the memo - Democrats need to reach across the aisle, Republicans are allowed to bay at the moon. It's not a proper Democratic win unless 5 or 10 recalcitrant Republicans are dragged across the finish line too - otherwise it's a hollow victory. The Tea Party is allowed to accuse people of treason and threaten physical violence and secession from the US. Democrats are required to play nice to show they're not unpatriotic.


    by PeraclesPlease on Fri, 02/12/2016 - 12:37pm

    Can't add anything more, PP, except a big Amen. 

    But just wait. . .


    by Ramona on Fri, 02/12/2016 - 11:10am

    Has anyone else seen the popup ads for the most politically correct statement yet offered on a RoadKill T-shirt?

    Hillary

    For

    Prison

    2016

     


    by Peter (not verified) on Fri, 02/12/2016 - 1:21pm

    No.  Maybe we don't travel in the same circles.


    by Ramona on Fri, 02/12/2016 - 1:37pm

    Well done.

    I would vote for any dem over the bastards running as repubs!

    Funny, but on this cold, cold February date, that old man has not

    been subject to one breath of infamy, of naughtiness, of scandal!

    We all know that those in Vermont like to shoot birds of course!

    I suppose that by September, 'they' will find that Bernie used to subscribe to

    Playboy? hahahahahah

    ​


    by Richard Day on Fri, 02/12/2016 - 4:15pm

    This made my blood boil because of the unfairness and hypocrisy, which almost always goes unchallenged. Particularly in the WaPo - Slate - Salon - HuffPo echo chamber. Then I read through it, and it was brilliant.

    If only the mindless Twitter lackeys were as self-aware.


    by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 02/12/2016 - 6:19pm

    Bernie's pie-in-the-sky ideas would never pass Congress, unlike Hillary's serious progressive agenda.

    Bernie is too impractical and uncompromising. Hillary is a fighter who will kick Republican ass.

    Young voters are naive and stupid. Republicans' days are numbered because they don't appeal to young voters.

    Citizens United is corrupting our democracy and should be overturned. Just because Hillary takes corporate money doesn't mean she'll do what they want.

    Hillary will continue Obama's proud legacy of legislative accomplishments.


    by Michael Wolraich on Fri, 02/12/2016 - 6:39pm

    Agree.  So?


    by CVille Dem on Fri, 02/12/2016 - 9:31pm

    Nice try, but not tight enough. Maybe:

    Hillary will continue Obama's proud legacy of legislative near accomplishments.

    Republicans are doomed by not appealing to changing new voters, but Hillary's building a successful coalition that ignores young new voters.

    But most miss the mark.

    Citizens United was a ruling to defend the right of corporations to anonymously flood in attack money against Hillary, but Hillary's too in bed with corporations.

    Bernie represents the next generation, though hasn't proven himself with blacks and Hispanics, the core of the party and the fastest rising demographic.

    Even as an Independent Bernie's always been pretty much a Democrat, but if Hillary wins instead of holding our breath to vote for a corporate shill he should run as an Independent or we stay home.

    Hillary has the most foreign policy experience, including disasters in Libya,  Syria and Iraq ( and leading our subservience to Israel).

    Hillarys better at achievements through diplomatic negotiations, with her signal accomplishments of overthrowing Qaddafi, pushing to overthrow Assad and assassination of bin Laden.

    Bernie would rely on our allies to achieve peaceful Mideast goals, such as Russia which is using the latest cease fire to bomb the rebels and put Assad back in control.

     

     

     


    by PeraclesPlease on Sat, 02/13/2016 - 12:34am

    This is really good. 


    by tmccarthy0 on Fri, 02/12/2016 - 6:42pm

    Well done, PP!


    by Doctor Cleveland on Fri, 02/12/2016 - 8:38pm

    America's looking for a revolution, except for moderates and conservatives who make up the bulk of its electorate.

    We need to inspire the black, Hispanic and youth vote, but avoid engaging in unacceptable identity politics. Especially for old white people and women

    It's unacceptable to tell us how we should vote, but if you don't vote for our candidate you're old, out-of-touch and part of the problem.


    by PeraclesPlease on Sat, 02/13/2016 - 7:20am

     Hillary is damaged goods because she challenged and beat the opposition in a large diverse state but we're supporting the Senator from a tiny white state because his reputation for trust and sincerity has never been undermined by relentless insidious smears from a tag team of smart people in the press and Republican operatives.

    (Yours are much better, bravo)

    It's probably not well known that Sanders, a guy with New York values, once called a Vermont policeman a dumbass Canuck.

    E to Add. I think the most principled person is perhaps the most vulnerable to an outright smear.


    by Oxy Mora on Sat, 02/13/2016 - 8:45am

    Oxy, I think you meant to say that Wall Street bought HRC a Senate seat to better represent them.

     

     


    by Peter (not verified) on Sat, 02/13/2016 - 10:24pm

    The voters most concerned with adopting Single Payer health care is the generation least likely to be using any health care.

    Acceptance of women in politics is a done deal, though at <20% of legislature - about the same as 1993 - the US ranks 98th in the world, (& 24 states have never had a female governor)


    by PeraclesPlease on Sat, 02/13/2016 - 10:33am

    This is a great list.  How about: "Sanders is more electable than Clinton, which is why the Republicans are running ads against her." 

     


    by armchair guerrilla on Sat, 02/13/2016 - 9:14pm

    Wow, I love it when old dagbloggers reappear after many years. Welcome back, armchair! I just noticed that you commented on my Krugman thread. I'll go respond now.


    by Michael Wolraich on Sun, 02/14/2016 - 9:37am

    A candidate can't counter allegations that she's a tool of the establishment, dishonest, and a warmonger so supporters toss out a bunch of tissue-thin straw arguments in a desperate attempt to avoid discussing her record.


    by HSG on Sat, 02/13/2016 - 9:33pm

    What about his? What are Sanders accomplishments, exactly? Not his votes, opinions, floor speeches or otherwise since you'd likely expect the same of anyone in Congress representing a state as long as he.

    Warren was and is praised as a liberal/progressive because she started as a professor and built herself up through politics to get where she is because she never stopped pushing. Where was Bernie? How was he pushing outside of his comfort zone?

    The bottom line is simple when it comes to records, and the two candidates involved couldn't be more different. But it matters that they have both been involved in politics for a very long time ... and yet only one has a record of change. Of sticking her neck out no matter the risk or peril while Bernie made no waves beyond those created by grand and revolutionary speeches. Which until recently no one noticed. Why not?


    by barefooted on Sat, 02/13/2016 - 10:56pm

    Good one, Hal - insurgent candidat's supporters note he's  running the most positive above-the-belt gentlemanly campaign ever, unlike his tool of the establishment, dishonest, and warmonger opponent.


    by PeraclesPlease on Sun, 02/14/2016 - 1:02am

    Then again, maybe not.


    by barefooted on Sun, 02/14/2016 - 1:15am

    I don't think this is a big concern - every campaign has an issue with tracking donors plus those embarrassing ones. (Hillary had that one bundler on the lam). I don't think there's any indication his people are trying to get donors to give too much and it's just an issue of getting accounting up to the job


    by PeraclesPlease on Sun, 02/14/2016 - 1:42am

    I agree overall. I hope the Sanders campaign is more careful in the future and I'm sure they will be.

    I'm somewhat disturbed, however, by various issues that keep raising ugly heads. Jeff Weaver and Tad Devine are by no means new to their jobs, and they do them very well. I find myself wondering if their candidate's reputation and honest intention is being served well.


    by barefooted on Sun, 02/14/2016 - 1:59am

    Compared to Lee Atwater they're all way down in the nice guy range I'd think. Some elbows may be thrown, it's politics, but focus seems to be on positive organizing.


    by PeraclesPlease on Sun, 02/14/2016 - 2:39am

    If a defense begins with, "compared to Lee Atwater", I automatically disregard the rest.


    by barefooted on Sun, 02/14/2016 - 2:55am

    The Democratic primary process is rigged to favor the establishment, even though early caucuses might get 15% voter turnout (e.g. 8% to win), the first primary lets its 1/3 Independents vote in either contest, and the 2nd primary state has been won by upstarts like Jesse Jackson twice, Bill Clinton, John Edwards, Barack Obama, and in 1976 a paralyzed George Wallace.

    We're concerned which polls tell us who's ahead, but when none, a crazy wingnut Republican push-poll will do in its stead.

    Sanders supporters use 2 black activists alienated from the black community, Cornel West and Shaun King (also here), as examples that Sanders is making inroads with blacks.

    With 1% of primary votes cast in 2 liberal states, insurgent leader ahead 57%-43% but only by 4 delegates is already worrying about superdelegates.


    by PeraclesPlease on Mon, 02/15/2016 - 5:25pm