July 16, 2015

Sanders' Vision for America (from his Portland, ME rally)

That is, a country where every worker is guaranteed paid family leave and at least two weeks of annual vacation; where the federal government provides Medicare for all — single-payer, in public-policy parlance — rather than Obamacare; where $15 is the minimum hourly wage; and where public colleges are tuition free. A country that leads the world in battling global warming, while spending $1 trillion over the next half-decade upgrading US infrastructure; one where corporate money has been banished from politics, and where banks too big to fail are broken up.

“We are the wealthiest country in the history of the world,” he said. “There is nothing, nothing, nothing that we cannot accomplish.”

https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2015/07/07/the-bernie-sanders-surge/llyoW0vCATBAQvsGqtKnyK/story.html


We are the wealthiest country in the world, but, as Bernie has also pointed out, all the wealth has been going to the wealthiest among us, which movement of money has accelerated since the DLC was founded.*

Your vote is your power--your only power, unless you believe that your Senators and Representative are changing their votes based on your emails and calls--and I sure hope you don't believe that.

Vote for what you believe in. Do not fall for political terrorism or submit to Party determinism.


*As you listen to politicians, be careful to differentiate between income inequality and wealth inequality. Apart from the minimum wage. the actions of employers, most of whom are in the private sector, pretty much determine the income of workers. The actions of government, however, have a great deal to do with wealth inequality. So, when a candidate speaks exclusively of income inequality, don't get too excited.

July 15, 2015

Bernie continues to gain steadily, though still trailing.

Poll: Hillary Clinton's lead shrinks among Democrats

By Nick Gass

7/15/15 9:46 AM EDT


Hillary Clinton is still leading the Democratic field for 2016, but her lead has shrunk in recent months, according to a Monmouth University poll out Wednesday, as independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders continues to make steady gains, despite trailing by a wide margin.

Among Democrats and those leaning toward the Democratic Party, Clinton picked up the support of 51 percent, down from 57 percent in June and 60 percent in April.

Sanders came in second with 17 percent, followed by former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley and former Virginia Sen. Jim Webb with 1 percent each. Lincoln Chafee, the former governor and senator from Rhode Island, registered no support.

If Vice President Joe Biden were to run, however, the results suggest that he would take some votes from Clinton. He has not announced his intentions, but poll respondents backed him with 13 percent, just behind Sanders.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2015/07/poll-hillary-clinton-lead-shrinking-democrats-120140.html#ixzz3fyyIrNuV

ETA: somewhat different numbers from a different poll about a week earlier:

On the Democratic side Hillary Clinton still has a dominant lead, but things are tightening up some in the way that they are in other places across the country. Clinton's at 55% to 20% for Bernie Sanders, 7% for Jim Webb, and 4% each for Lincoln Chafee and Martin O'Malley. Clinton's dropped from 62% to this 55% standing over the last month, while Sanders has made an almost corresponding lead from 14% to 20%. Webb's up 2 points from a month ago, and Chafee and O'Malley have stayed in place.

http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/main/bernie-sanders/

July 15, 2015

July 15 TODAY Bernie $15 Minimum Wage Money Bomb Day

To support Bernie and/or the $15 minimum wage and/or political campaigns owned by us, not billionaires, donate today. $1.50 or $15.15 or $!50.15 or, well, you get the idea.

Details in Omaha Steve's great post here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/128024928

July 15, 2015

The Senator from Vermont tries to tell the US Senate: We are not an aristocracy. (awesome video)

July 14, 2015

Stephen Lynch (D. Mass) says nominating Sanders means a Republican President.

Q: In terms of Hillary Clinton, does she have an excitement problem? How do you account for Bernie Sanders? What do you think about him and why do you think he’s gotten so much attention?

A: Well, I’ll tell you what, if Bernie Sanders is our nominee, we are going to have a Republican president and I’m not excited about that. So, so, I mean, that’s plain and simple. ... Bernie has worked on a couple of issues with me in Congress on post-reform. He’s a solid senator and a good man. But I know what the Republicans will do in the general election with regard to Bernie being proud of being a socialist candidate, things like that. They will have a field day with Bernie Sanders, and so I think Hillary Clinton is our best chance on the Democratic side. She’s got the whole package, she’s been there, she’s done that. You know, she was our secretary of state, she’s our most qualified candidate in some time.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10572660

Lynch is my Congressional Rep. He used to be seen as anti-gay and anti-choice while being very pro-labor When he ran against Markey for Kerry's seat, however, he was pro equal marriage ("Equal means equal," also mentioning a cousin who is gay) and pro-choice.

I have emailed his office on a prior occasion to object to his negative comments about Sanders. However, this is even worse than the comment I previously emailed him about. This is exactly the kind of comment that scares the left out of supporting Sanders. In fact, I have been having a dialogue with a Massachusetts friend about this very point just this past week. Loves Sanders, but is afraid of the McGovern myth. See this thread, including the replies: http://www.democraticunderground.com/12778825 Like so many, she'd never heard of the DLC, even though she is generally politically aware, but knows about "Wall Street.&quot

The implication is always that Hillary can and will win the general but Sanders cannot. I think Hillary can, and very well may, lose the general, if she is the nominee. I think Sanders has a better chance of winning the general than she does.

July 14, 2015

Organizing for Sanders events - Boston and East Boston, THIS evening and July 29 noon to one pm

https://www.facebook.com/events/851087941647986/

July 14, this evening, 7 pm Dewey Square (opposite South Station) (Hoping good weather holds!)

July 29, Lo Presti Park (East Boston waterfront) picnic noon to one

https://www.facebook.com/events/476403159191918/

Prosit.*


*Definition of PROSIT
—used to wish good health especially before drinking

Origin of PROSIT
German, from Latin prosit may it be beneficial, from prodesse to be useful — more at proud
First Known Use: 1846

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prosit

Often used in connection with Boston pub, Jacob Wirth's, founded in 1868

Only, please, if you are attending, sticking to water or soft drinks would be beneficial and useful.

Also posted in the Massachusetts group (but without the definition of prosit)

July 14, 2015

Organizing for Sanders events - Boston and East Boston, THIS evening and July 29 noon to one pm

https://www.facebook.com/events/851087941647986/

July 14, this evening, 7 pm Dewey Square (opposite South Station) (Hoping good weather holds!)

July 29, Lo Presti Park (East Boston waterfront) picnic noon to one

https://www.facebook.com/events/476403159191918/

Prosit.

July 12, 2015

reminder: Bernie sanders on Face the Nation on CBS today--on NOW in the Boston area

(Boehner speaking right now, Bernie up soon.)

Boehner lied and said Bernie ran for Congress as a Socialist. No, as an indie. Longest serving Indie in Congress, now serving as a Democrat.

July 11, 2015

Primary Memory Lane, 2006 edition:

2008?

http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/March-2006/2008-/


Early ‘Maybe’ From Obama Jolts ’08 Field

http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20061212_ej_dionne_jr_obama_might_bring_hillary_into_the_light


Obama's Profile Has Democrats Taking Notice Popular Senator Is Mentioned as 2008 Contender

http://www.washingtonpost.com/pb/archive/politics/2006/06/18/obamas-profile-has-democrats-taking-notice-span-classbankheadpopular-senator-is-mentioned-as-2008-contenderspan/b97ebef9-dc5e-4883-8414-78efd3a6c094/?resType=accessibility

July 10, 2015

Stay strong in your resolve.

The NYT, MSNBC and others have been bending over backwards to trivialize Sanders and, more recently, brainwash voters that his "surge" is unquestionably only a temporary flash in the pan.

Among the latest in a long series of blatant hit pieces from the once respectable and therefore once highly respected New York Times.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/09/upshot/why-bernie-sanderss-momentum-is-not-built-to-last.html?_r=0&abt=0002&abg=0

Do not allow these transparent attempts to create self-fulfilling prophesies discourage you or deter you.

It ain't over till the fat tenor or soprano sings. Or, as Yogi Berra observed, "It ain't over till it's over."

Stay strong in your resolve.

That is all.