Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Ferd Berfel
Ferd Berfel's Journal
Ferd Berfel's Journal
April 28, 2016
Hightower: Why Bernie Will, Should and Must Stay in the Race
by Jim Hightower
http://www.alternet.org/election-2016/why-bernie-will-should-and-must-stay-race
The Democratic race is closer than the mainstream media would like to admit.
Surprisingly, this week's prize for Stupidest Political Comment in the Presidential Race doesn't go to Donnie Trump or Ted Cruz. Rather, the honor goes to the clueless cognoscenti of conventional political wisdom. These pundits and professional campaign operatives have made a unilateral decision that Bernie Sanders must now quit the race for the Democratic nomination. Why? Because, they say, he can't win.
Actually, he already has. Sanders' vivid populist vision, unabashed idealism and big ideas for restoring America to its own people have jerked the presidential debate out of the hands of status quo corporatists, revitalized the class consciousness and relevance of the Democratic Party, energized millions of young people to get involved, and proven to the Democratic establishment that they don't have to sell out to big corporate donors to raise the money they need to run for office.
Bernie has substantively—even profoundly—changed American politics for the better, which is why he's gaining more and more support and keeps winning delegates. From the start, he said, "This campaign is not about me"—it's a chance for voters who have been disregarded and discarded to forge a new political revolution that will continue to grow beyond this election and create a true people's government.
April 28, 2016
The neo-Dems are simply the republican party
prior to its going insane and full blown racist. You can see evidence of this in the arguments made in support of the Corporate elite agenda, by the Hillarians here.
Bill swung heavily to the right 'forcing' Newt even farther to the right - just to keep up. The Republican party finally had to go off the deep end just to keep up with Bill (and now Obama). Remember (in the90's when it was amusing that Clinton was beating the Republicans to the (RW) punch? We'd say he was out republicaning the republicans - and laugh about it.
Clinton and the neo-Dems have simply taken up station on the former republican turf.
April 28, 2016
A fight over drug prices is entering a new phase.
A group of House Democrats is organizing an effort that could slow down an Obama administration plan to reduce drug prices, according to a letter obtained by The Huffington Post.
The Department of Health and Human Services is working toward finalizing a new rule that would experiment with ending the financial incentive doctors have for prescribing some extremely expensive medications. The rule has been well-received among some patient advocates, but congressional Democrats have been largely silent, while the pharmaceutical industry and medical community have waged an aggressive campaign to stop it.
The campaign is bearing fruit. The letter from House Democrats, according to Drew Hammill, a spokesman for House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.), was made necessary because Big Pharma and oncologist lobbyists had pushed many Democrats to the brink of signing a much more aggressive Republican letter. The letter expresses concerns with the proposed rule, but doesn’t call for it to be withdrawn.
--------------------------
The future under either a Clinton or Trump Admin is fucking Bleak. Either will be destructive to the average American.
If you liked Bills right wing agenda you'll love the Neo-Dems agenda under Hillary
House Democrats Push Back On Obama Plan To Cut Drug Prices
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/house-democrats-hhs-drug-prices_us_5720e639e4b0b49df6a9c93fA fight over drug prices is entering a new phase.
A group of House Democrats is organizing an effort that could slow down an Obama administration plan to reduce drug prices, according to a letter obtained by The Huffington Post.
The Department of Health and Human Services is working toward finalizing a new rule that would experiment with ending the financial incentive doctors have for prescribing some extremely expensive medications. The rule has been well-received among some patient advocates, but congressional Democrats have been largely silent, while the pharmaceutical industry and medical community have waged an aggressive campaign to stop it.
The campaign is bearing fruit. The letter from House Democrats, according to Drew Hammill, a spokesman for House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.), was made necessary because Big Pharma and oncologist lobbyists had pushed many Democrats to the brink of signing a much more aggressive Republican letter. The letter expresses concerns with the proposed rule, but doesn’t call for it to be withdrawn.
--------------------------
The future under either a Clinton or Trump Admin is fucking Bleak. Either will be destructive to the average American.
If you liked Bills right wing agenda you'll love the Neo-Dems agenda under Hillary
April 26, 2016
This video chronicles the Clintons' rise to power in the 1990s on a right-wing agenda; the Clinton Foundation's revolving door with Gulf state monarchies, corporations and the world's biggest financial institutions; and the establishment of the hyper-aggressive "Hillary Doctrine" while she was US secretary of state.
Video at Link..............
Digging deep into Hillary's connections to Wall Street, Abby Martin reveals how the Clintons' multi-million-dollar political machine operates.
This episode chronicles the Clintons' rise to power in the '90s on a right-wing agenda; the Clinton Foundation's revolving door with Gulf state monarchies, corporations and the world's biggest financial institutions; and the establishment of the hyper-aggressive "Hillary Doctrine" while secretary of state.
Learn the essential facts about the great danger she poses, and why she's the US Empire's choice for its next CEO.
Hillary Clinton's Business of Corporate Shilling and War-Making
http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/35790-hillary-clinton-s-business-of-corporate-shilling-and-war-makingThis video chronicles the Clintons' rise to power in the 1990s on a right-wing agenda; the Clinton Foundation's revolving door with Gulf state monarchies, corporations and the world's biggest financial institutions; and the establishment of the hyper-aggressive "Hillary Doctrine" while she was US secretary of state.
Video at Link..............
Digging deep into Hillary's connections to Wall Street, Abby Martin reveals how the Clintons' multi-million-dollar political machine operates.
This episode chronicles the Clintons' rise to power in the '90s on a right-wing agenda; the Clinton Foundation's revolving door with Gulf state monarchies, corporations and the world's biggest financial institutions; and the establishment of the hyper-aggressive "Hillary Doctrine" while secretary of state.
Learn the essential facts about the great danger she poses, and why she's the US Empire's choice for its next CEO.
April 26, 2016
The “money chase” slowly, imperceptibly influences the worldview of politicians. It influences who they think is important, what views they think are reputable.
Hillary Clinton’s heated defense of the money she has raised from Wall Street and other interests won’t cut it. Her protests contradict the basic case that virtually all Democrats and reformers have made for getting big money out of politics. It is vital that voters not be misled by them.
Normally, liberal politicians defend setting up super PACs, and collecting large sums from big donors, because while they pledge to curb the influence of the rich and corporations in our politics if elected, they can’t “unilaterally disarm.” Clinton repeats this argument, but it has less force against Bernie Sanders who not only has made the corrosive effect of big money contributions central to his campaign, but has demonstrated that it is possible to be competitive without setting up super PACs and without asking billionaires and millionaires for money. By funding his campaign with small donations raised online, Sanders has not only walked his talk, he’s stripped away the easy defense of “they all do it.”
In response, Clinton has put forth additional, but troublesome, arguments. She dismisses Sanders’ indictment of her funding ties as an unjustified attack on her character. She demands evidence of a specific vote or act that was done in return for a contribution. And she invokes the Obama defense: President Obama collected big bucks from Wall Street and yet went on to pass the most extensive banking reforms since the Great Depression.
Not Character, Common Sense
Few Democrats doubt that big money corrupts our politics.........
Clinton’s Defense of Big Money Won’t Cut It
http://www.commondreams.org/views/2016/04/25/clintons-defense-big-money-wont-cut-itThe “money chase” slowly, imperceptibly influences the worldview of politicians. It influences who they think is important, what views they think are reputable.
Hillary Clinton’s heated defense of the money she has raised from Wall Street and other interests won’t cut it. Her protests contradict the basic case that virtually all Democrats and reformers have made for getting big money out of politics. It is vital that voters not be misled by them.
Normally, liberal politicians defend setting up super PACs, and collecting large sums from big donors, because while they pledge to curb the influence of the rich and corporations in our politics if elected, they can’t “unilaterally disarm.” Clinton repeats this argument, but it has less force against Bernie Sanders who not only has made the corrosive effect of big money contributions central to his campaign, but has demonstrated that it is possible to be competitive without setting up super PACs and without asking billionaires and millionaires for money. By funding his campaign with small donations raised online, Sanders has not only walked his talk, he’s stripped away the easy defense of “they all do it.”
In response, Clinton has put forth additional, but troublesome, arguments. She dismisses Sanders’ indictment of her funding ties as an unjustified attack on her character. She demands evidence of a specific vote or act that was done in return for a contribution. And she invokes the Obama defense: President Obama collected big bucks from Wall Street and yet went on to pass the most extensive banking reforms since the Great Depression.
Not Character, Common Sense
Few Democrats doubt that big money corrupts our politics.........
April 26, 2016
When the deal is complete, two-thirds of the nation's high-speed Internet subscribers will be under the control of just two corporations, Charter and Comcast.
The Obama administration has given the green light for Charter Communications to complete its $90 billion takeover of two other major cable providers, a move which critics warn will grant the Internet giant "crushing monopoly power" to drive up prices and control bandwidth, with almost no accountability or competition.
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chairman Tom Wheeler on Monday circulated an order to approve Charter's acquisition of Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks.
The merger will combine the nation’s second-, third-, and sixth-largest cable-TV and Internet service providers (ISPs) and effectively place two-thirds of the nation's high-speed Internet subscribers under the authority of just two corporations, Charter and Comcast.
----------------------
By the 2020 Presidential election, it will be impossible to get information that is not approved by the fascist oligarchy - unless Bernie is President. Neither Clinton or any republican will even attempt to change this.
FCC Green Lights 'Crushing' Charter Cable Mega-Merger
http://www.commondreams.org/news/2016/04/26/fcc-green-lights-crushing-charter-cable-mega-mergerWhen the deal is complete, two-thirds of the nation's high-speed Internet subscribers will be under the control of just two corporations, Charter and Comcast.
The Obama administration has given the green light for Charter Communications to complete its $90 billion takeover of two other major cable providers, a move which critics warn will grant the Internet giant "crushing monopoly power" to drive up prices and control bandwidth, with almost no accountability or competition.
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chairman Tom Wheeler on Monday circulated an order to approve Charter's acquisition of Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks.
The merger will combine the nation’s second-, third-, and sixth-largest cable-TV and Internet service providers (ISPs) and effectively place two-thirds of the nation's high-speed Internet subscribers under the authority of just two corporations, Charter and Comcast.
----------------------
By the 2020 Presidential election, it will be impossible to get information that is not approved by the fascist oligarchy - unless Bernie is President. Neither Clinton or any republican will even attempt to change this.
April 26, 2016
"There’s a whole group of young people in America, across the board, all races ... who have just had it with our system."
Legendary investigative journalist Seymour Hersh weighs in on the foreign policy positions of the 2016 presidential candidates. "For me to say who I’m going to vote for and all that … I’m not a political leader, that’s not what I’m into," Hersh says. "But I will say this: Something that’s amazing is happening in this country, and for the first time, I do think it’s going to be very hard for a lot of the people who support Sanders to support Hillary Clinton. … There’s a whole group of young people in America, across the board, all races, etc., etc., who have just had it with our system."
Video at link............
-----------------------------------
...who have just had it with our system." meaning the Third Way neo-dem Status Quo platform will be a failure
Seymour Hersh on Sanders vs. Clinton: 'Something Amazing Is Happening in This Country'
http://www.alternet.org/election-2016/seymour-hersh-weighs-sanders-vs-clinton-something-amazing-happening-country"There’s a whole group of young people in America, across the board, all races ... who have just had it with our system."
Legendary investigative journalist Seymour Hersh weighs in on the foreign policy positions of the 2016 presidential candidates. "For me to say who I’m going to vote for and all that … I’m not a political leader, that’s not what I’m into," Hersh says. "But I will say this: Something that’s amazing is happening in this country, and for the first time, I do think it’s going to be very hard for a lot of the people who support Sanders to support Hillary Clinton. … There’s a whole group of young people in America, across the board, all races, etc., etc., who have just had it with our system."
Video at link............
-----------------------------------
...who have just had it with our system." meaning the Third Way neo-dem Status Quo platform will be a failure
April 26, 2016
Gutless Democrats Fear Fights: Why Triangulating Neoliberal Clintonites Back Big Business Over People
Progressives are right and Hillary Clinton is wrong on trade. So why do we run away from a winning hand?
As the Democratic primary heated up to the boiling point, one particular line of attack on Bernie Sanders had the distinctively Karl Rove-ian stench of attacking Sanders’ strength. Vox, Slate and AEI all bought the spin and struck the same theme: “If Bernie Sanders cares about poor people, how come he doesn’t want to trade with them?”
But even more than Rove, we can catch a distinctive whiff of Thatcherism here: There is no alternative; either we do trade on neoliberal terms or else we head back to caveman status. We can’t do things in a more equitable manner, we’re being told, even though history repeatedly shows that we can—replacing monarchy with democracy, abolishing slavery, getting rid of child labor, establishing equal rights for women. All these equalizing advances we’ve come to take for granted were unthinkable once: There was simply no alternative… or, again, so we were told.
Economist Dean Baker debunked the underlying argument on his “Beat the Press” blog as the attack on Sanders first appeared, and elaborated his critique more fully in a piece solicited by the Washington Post—which then declined to run it. Baker first noted that conventional economic theory calls for rich countries to run surpluses with developing countries—supplying the capital they need to develop—and that this pattern prevailed throughout most of the 1990s. “The United States had a modest trade deficit in these years, but Europe and Japan had large surpluses,” Baker recalled, but “This pattern was reversed in 1997 with the U.S.-I.M.F.’s bailout from the East Asian financial crisis.”
Why Triangulating Neoliberal Clintonites Back Big Business Over People
http://www.alternet.org/election-2016/gutless-democrats-fear-fights-why-triangulating-neoliberal-clintonites-back-bigGutless Democrats Fear Fights: Why Triangulating Neoliberal Clintonites Back Big Business Over People
Progressives are right and Hillary Clinton is wrong on trade. So why do we run away from a winning hand?
As the Democratic primary heated up to the boiling point, one particular line of attack on Bernie Sanders had the distinctively Karl Rove-ian stench of attacking Sanders’ strength. Vox, Slate and AEI all bought the spin and struck the same theme: “If Bernie Sanders cares about poor people, how come he doesn’t want to trade with them?”
But even more than Rove, we can catch a distinctive whiff of Thatcherism here: There is no alternative; either we do trade on neoliberal terms or else we head back to caveman status. We can’t do things in a more equitable manner, we’re being told, even though history repeatedly shows that we can—replacing monarchy with democracy, abolishing slavery, getting rid of child labor, establishing equal rights for women. All these equalizing advances we’ve come to take for granted were unthinkable once: There was simply no alternative… or, again, so we were told.
Economist Dean Baker debunked the underlying argument on his “Beat the Press” blog as the attack on Sanders first appeared, and elaborated his critique more fully in a piece solicited by the Washington Post—which then declined to run it. Baker first noted that conventional economic theory calls for rich countries to run surpluses with developing countries—supplying the capital they need to develop—and that this pattern prevailed throughout most of the 1990s. “The United States had a modest trade deficit in these years, but Europe and Japan had large surpluses,” Baker recalled, but “This pattern was reversed in 1997 with the U.S.-I.M.F.’s bailout from the East Asian financial crisis.”
April 25, 2016
"He's not moving a party to the left. He's moving a generation to the left," says pollster
Bernie Sanders is changing the face of American politics, a new poll from Harvard's Institute of Politics suggests.
According to the survey released Monday, Sanders remains the most popular presidential candidate for so-called millennials between the ages of 18-29, 54 percent of whom view him favorably, compared to 31 percent who harbor unfavorable views.
Just 37 percent of respondents say they see Sanders rival Hillary Clinton favorably, compared to 53 percent who do not.
More importantly, regardless of how Sanders fares in Tuesday's primaries, or in the race for the nomination overall, there's little doubt that the senator from Vermont is making a lasting impact, polling director John Della Volpe told the Washington Post on Monday.
"He's not moving a party to the left. He's moving a generation to the left," Della Volpe said of Sanders. "Whether or not he's winning or losing, it's really that he's impacting the way in which a generation—the largest generation in the history of America—thinks about politics."
--------------------------------
A Great Awakening!
This had to scare the shit out of the RW...in both parties!
Millennials Poll Shows Sanders' Revolution Reshaping US Electorate
http://www.commondreams.org/news/2016/04/25/millennials-poll-shows-sanders-revolution-reshaping-us-electorate"He's not moving a party to the left. He's moving a generation to the left," says pollster
Bernie Sanders is changing the face of American politics, a new poll from Harvard's Institute of Politics suggests.
According to the survey released Monday, Sanders remains the most popular presidential candidate for so-called millennials between the ages of 18-29, 54 percent of whom view him favorably, compared to 31 percent who harbor unfavorable views.
Just 37 percent of respondents say they see Sanders rival Hillary Clinton favorably, compared to 53 percent who do not.
More importantly, regardless of how Sanders fares in Tuesday's primaries, or in the race for the nomination overall, there's little doubt that the senator from Vermont is making a lasting impact, polling director John Della Volpe told the Washington Post on Monday.
"He's not moving a party to the left. He's moving a generation to the left," Della Volpe said of Sanders. "Whether or not he's winning or losing, it's really that he's impacting the way in which a generation—the largest generation in the history of America—thinks about politics."
--------------------------------
A Great Awakening!
This had to scare the shit out of the RW...in both parties!
April 25, 2016
Sanders continues to trounce Trump by double digits, 51 to 40 percent, according to the George Washington University survey
Though the media and political establishment have all but declared Hillary Clinton the official Democratic presidential candidate, new polling on Monday shows that Bernie Sanders continues to fare significantly better when matched against Republican frontrunner Donald Trump.
According to the latest George Washington (GW) University Battleground Poll, Clinton's lead over Trump has shrunk to 3 percentage points, with her besting the billionaire developer by just 46 to 43 percent nationally. What's more, the poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.
The RealClearPolitics average has the former secretary of state with a slightly higher lead (8.5 percent) over Trump.
Meanwhile, Sanders continues to trounce Trump by double digits: 51 to 40 percent in the GW poll, and 53 to 37.8 percent, according to RealClearPolitics.
Sanders Still Strongest Candidate as New Poll Shows Trump and Clinton in Near-Tie
http://www.commondreams.org/news/2016/04/25/sanders-still-strongest-candidate-new-poll-shows-trump-and-clinton-near-tieSanders continues to trounce Trump by double digits, 51 to 40 percent, according to the George Washington University survey
Though the media and political establishment have all but declared Hillary Clinton the official Democratic presidential candidate, new polling on Monday shows that Bernie Sanders continues to fare significantly better when matched against Republican frontrunner Donald Trump.
According to the latest George Washington (GW) University Battleground Poll, Clinton's lead over Trump has shrunk to 3 percentage points, with her besting the billionaire developer by just 46 to 43 percent nationally. What's more, the poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.
The RealClearPolitics average has the former secretary of state with a slightly higher lead (8.5 percent) over Trump.
Meanwhile, Sanders continues to trounce Trump by double digits: 51 to 40 percent in the GW poll, and 53 to 37.8 percent, according to RealClearPolitics.
Profile Information
Member since: Sat Jan 3, 2015, 12:39 PMNumber of posts: 3,687
