When Sanders was my opponent he focused like a laser beam on “class analysis,” in which “women’s issues” were essentially a distraction from more important issues. He urged voters not to vote for me just because I was a woman. That would be a “sexist position,” he declared.
Sanders has emerged as a more sophisticated and astute politician since those early days, and his message has more resonance.
I chose to post this on Hal's "Incurable Romantics" blog because, well ... if you read the link you might understand why. But my first instinct was to put it here. It's personal, wonky, thoughtful and full of perspective about and largely by, Hillary Clinton. The woman she's always been.
Any serious conversation on the polarization of American politics cannot ignore the drop in primary voters, though up to this point it mostly has. While the general elections decide whether conservatism or liberalism are dominant at the time, the primaries decide what conservatism and liberalism are.
Within the current discussion (aka Clinton attacks) going on about universal health care, the Sanders camp - and candidate - are referencing his 2013 Senate bill 1782 as a working basis for his eventual plan. Here is the summary, click below for full bill text. Of the multitude of things I find interesting, including that it has no co-sponsors to date, the push-back against Hillary for how she's portraying it as dismantling the entire current system ranks in the top five.
I don't read this as an older "hit piece", though I'm sure some will disagree. I think it's important to see a candidate as a whole person - is it debatable that Hillary has been picked apart over a large number of years? It's fair to look back on Bernie's path.
Gregg Field worked with the legendary singer for the last few years of Sinatra's professional career. In honor of Ol’ Blue Eyes’s 100th birthday, Field reflects back on both the good and the bad.
During the Republican debate last night, Donald Trump brought up President Dwight Eisenhower's "Operation Wetback" in the mid 1950's as a successful example of mass deportation of illegal Mexican immigrants. For obvious reasons, he didn't name the operation or mention the horrific ways it played out for, arguably, a million people.
The 'First In The South' Democratic Forum took place tonight in Rock Hill, SC at Winthrop University. Hosted by Rachel Maddow and broadcast on MSNBC, it was a well designed and visually effective chance to get a personal, less "stumped" look at the Democratic candidates. In order of appearance: Martin O'Malley, Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton. How did it go?
First, let's completely disregard Chris Matthews and his cohorts both before and briefly afterwards. Moving on ...
This is an exponential tragedy, and there is only one person at fault here: Officer Gliniewicz, the officer lovingly referred to as G.I. Joe. His family and his community bear no guilt here. They, too, are victims.
But there are others for whom that claim cannot be made. They are the people who from the beginning went further than any evidence would support in trying to link Gliniewicz’s death to so-called anti-police rhetoric and presidential politics.
It is fairly easy to understand Bernie Sanders. After all, he's barely changed his positions for decades, he still personally prefers to avoid getting personal (especially about himself), and he's proudly a self-proclaimed Independent Democratic Socialist. Since there isn't a Democratic Socialist Party, technically he's a registered Independent running for president on the Democratic ticket with a Democratic Socialist agenda. But he's Bernie, and it's the Democratic party, so one plus one equals two and a half when it comes to a Revolution.
Could you get by without the internet? Google? Word processing? GPS?
Most of us, when asked, would quickly and easily say sure, no problem, we'd adjust. But when was the last time you used (or saw) a telephone book or a map? Actually looked up reference material in a book? When did you last write something of length in longhand?
If you immediately reach for your phone before your feet touch the ground in the morning, hesitate. There will never be a reason or a way to discard the importance of technology - but it may be just as important to be able to survive it.
Webb and Chafee are gone; one too complaining and strident, the other just oddly weird.
O'Malley helped himself by being present and forceful, a friendly lefty who turned Baltimore mayoral issues into neighborhood crime control success.
Sanders held his own and then some - he stuck to his platform without being defensive, didn't buy into the moderator's desire for conflict and came across as genuine and compelling.
