Koinos
Koinos's JournalBut the Democratic party has no obligation to let non-Democrats run as Democrats.
Or should we also allow "moderate" Republicans to run as Democrats? Why not let Greens and Libertarians run as Democrats too?
Where does the "trojan horse" movement stop? That's why I also oppose open primaries. Otherwise, we turn the "party system" into a "no-party" system.
People who belong to political parties have certain things in common. One thing they have in common is their commitment to work for the good of the party and all its members.
Someone who has bashed the Democratic party for thirty years has shown no such commitment.
I hate the game of golf. I think I will join a golf club and spend all my days and nights bashing the game of golf, critiquing members who play the game, complaining about the food, and openly questioning whether this club should be allowed to continue to exist. And I will also assert my right not to contribute financially to the club.
As I recall, the US constitution does not guarantee the right of any non-party member to run as a candidate in any party he or she chooses.
Sorry about the rant, but I believe that the Democratic party should be for Democratic candidates only.
The situation we find ourselves in, on the other hand, is that we have an anti-Democrat running as a Democrat. Nearly the entire party has been thrown under that candidate's bus.
"Women will be on Hillary Clinton’s vice president list" (Boston Globe)
Clinton wants “the best person to make the case to the American people,” her campaign chairman, John Podesta, told the Globe. “We’ll start with a broad list and then begin to narrow it. But there is no question that there will be women on that list,” he said, adding that staffers are still focused on clinching the primary.
http://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2016/04/20/women-will-clinton-list-what-about-elizabeth-warren/OkjhdprEAehh8y2wTW70tL/story.html
Very interesting thought...
What do you think?
Martin O’Malley Supporting Iowa Endorser in Run for Student Senate
http://whotv.com/2016/04/06/martin-omalley-supporting-iowa-endorser-in-run-for-student-senate/Kenia Calderon tweeted a video Wednesday of former presidential candidate Martin O’Malley endorsing Calderon as she runs for Equity and Inclusion Senator at Drake University.
“Hello, this is Martin O’Malley, encouraging you to vote for my friend Kenia for Equity and Inclusion Senator at Drake. #VoteKenia,” the Democrat said.
Calderon was a DREAMer (Maryland Dream Act) who had endorsed O'Malley on a blog in the Huffington Post:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kenia-calderon/why-i-support-martin-omal_b_8281806.html
He remembered.
Just received this postcard from Martin O'Malley
My wife said it brought a tear to her eye. I can tell you that I felt the same.
In a political year that was often dark and turbulent, you gave me the ability to fight for the country we carry in our hearts.
From day one, you and I understood that this was a tough fight against long odds. I hope -- notwithstanding the disappointment -- you take some satisfaction in knowing that we gave it our very best. And on important issues like climate change, immigration reform, economic justice, cities, criminal justice reform, comprehensive gun safety, compassion to refugees, and many others -- we did, in fact, lead and drive the debate.
None of this would have been possible without your generosity. Thank you for being my friend, and thank you for allowing me -- in the course of this tough fight -- to reflect the goodness, the integrity, and the courage of the people of the United States.
Sincerely,
Martin O'Malley
*If you would like to help the Governor retire his small amount of debt, visit martinomalley.com/contribute
Yep, we are going to send a small contribution his way. Even though he didn't "win," his presence in the race gave us more than he will ever know.
Guilty Pleasure Time
I was thinking of O'Malley this morning, and I haven't yet been able to see him and his band in person.
So I just ordered two O'Malley's March compact discs: "Celtic Fury" and "Wait for Me."
Too bad he was short on name recognition and money. He really belongs in the White House.
"The Rise of American Authoritarianism," by Amanda Taub
"A niche group of political scientists may have uncovered what's driving Donald Trump's ascent. What they found has implications that go well beyond 2016."
http://www.vox.com/2016/3/1/11127424/trump-authoritarianism
This is a rather long and thorough analysis of the latent authoritarian tendency in many Americans and how this tendency can be activated by threats, real or perceived.
It would be difficult to summarize this long article fairly, but here is an introductory excerpt:
MacWilliams studies authoritarianism — not actual dictators, but rather a psychological profile of individual voters that is characterized by a desire for order and a fear of outsiders. People who score high in authoritarianism, when they feel threatened, look for strong leaders who promise to take whatever action necessary to protect them from outsiders and prevent the changes they fear.
So MacWilliams naturally wondered if authoritarianism might correlate with support for Trump.
He polled a large sample of likely voters, looking for correlations between support for Trump and views that align with authoritarianism. What he found was astonishing: Not only did authoritarianism correlate, but it seemed to predict support for Trump more reliably than virtually any other indicator....
In my opinion, the greatest threat to democracy as a way of life -- not just a political arrangement, but as an attitude of mind -- is authoritarianism. Authoritarianism is stoked by fear, both rational and irrational, and it looks to a strong punitive leader who promises to use force to end threats by outsiders and persons "not like us." It seeks order and stability at all costs. It subscribes to a command-and-obey or "top down" or hierarchical mentality. This is directly opposed to a democratic or "horizontal" mentality, characterized by openmindness, cooperation, and respect for others as equals.
"A real liberal revolution starts with communities of color," by kos
Definitely worth a read, in the light of discussions about this issue on DU.
http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2016/3/2/1494621/-A-real-liberal-revolution-starts-with-communities-of-color
Excerpts:
And as the early state results make clear, that never happened....
1) You don’t try to impose your framing and issues on people who have different priorities....
2) You don’t become resentful of other groups when they don’t follow along. The ugliest part of this primary campaign has been the accusation that certain Democratic voters don’t matter, especially since those voters being dismissed are disproportionately brown and black....
3) Everyone is on the same page from the beginning. Related to the above, I cringe every time I see a white progressive demanding that black or Latino voters explain their support for Hillary Clinton. Do you not realize how horrible that looks, and how offensive that is, that white people are demanding that people of color justify their choices? It’s beyond cringe-inducing. It’s deeply disturbing....
4) You will be more effective. Bottom line, no white-dominated liberal movement will succeed when 40 percent of Democrats are people of color. And people of color will be reluctant to join a movement led by little-known whites. History has made us justifiably suspicious of the Great White Savior. So building from the ground up, with full inclusion of people of color in leadership, will allow for a broad-based coalition that can have the numbers to topple the system. Because you know what, screaming at people of color about the oligarchy and corrupt Clinton really isn’t doing anyone or any movement any favors.
So why am I harping on this? Because I want to build an effective movement, and the Sanders campaign didn’t prove to be an effective vehicle for it. Yet the goal is one worth pursuing, so we need that movement.
Tulsi Gabbard may not be entirely helpful for the Sanders campaign.
I think that Tulsi Gabbard might not be the best spokesperson for the Sanders campaign. I foresee potential problems for the Sanders campaign with what appears to be her association with an anti-Islamic Indian nationalist party (BJP). Religious persecution of Muslims in India is a major human rights problem.
See this Alternet article:
"The Curious Islamophobic Politics of Dem Congressmember Tulsi Gabbard"
http://www.alternet.org/civil-liberties/curious-islamophobic-politics-dem-congressmember-tulsi-gabbard
Excerpts:
Why did Gabbard work so hard to shield BJP abuses from congressional review? The answer lies in her base of supporters. The BJP draws on support from the large Indian expatriate community through an organization called the Overseas Friends of BJP. In August of last year, the group convened a large number of Indian American BJP supporters in Atlanta as part of an eight-city tour designed to prepare for Modi's first visit to the United States the following month.
O'Malley Working Hard to Get Progressives Elected, Endorses John Fetterman for U.S. Senate
I received this email today, in which Martin O'Malley endorses John Fetterman for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania:
I believe that our outdated and inhumane immigration laws no longer meet our economic needs, our national security imperatives, or most importantly, our values as a people.
I believe that we need to lead with the compassionate message and actions that have made us who we are: a nation of immigrants, bonded together by our diverse beliefs and traditions.
Immigration is what has made America, America.
And while much can be done by bold executive action, it is no substitute for Congressional action. We need leaders in Washington who will tirelessly stand up to the kind of hateful, misguided rhetoric we've seen thrown at the millions of New Americans and fight to forge consensus on an issue that has shaped this country.
I believe Braddock, Pennsylvania Mayor John Fetterman is that kind of leader, and that's why today, I am endorsing his campaign for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania. He really needs our help, so click here to join his progressive campaign.
As Mayor of Braddock, PA for more than ten years, he's taken on the kinds of issues that are now at the forefront of the American conscience: income inequality, green jobs, access to health care and gun violence, to name just a few.
But John's wife Gisele has a remarkable story that is so emblematic of our experience as a country, and the work on immigration that lies before us. Like so many before her, she came to this country with her family from Brazil in search of a better life — fleeing a violent and unstable situation.
Her family overstayed their visa, and for years, she lived in the shadows undocumented while her mother cleaned houses for twelve hours a day. And while Gisele would eventually obtain her green card, it shouldn't have been that hard.
When John is asked about what he thought of Gisele and her family staying here illegally, I love his response: "I’m so glad she did."
It's time we approached the issue of immigration with humanity and an understanding of how we have all been shaped by it, directly or indirectly. Once again, we must remember that the enduring symbol of our nation isn't the barbed wire fence — it's the Statue of Liberty.
Please join me in supporting John's bid for the U.S. Senate. We need more leaders in Washington ready to embrace immigration reform, rather than running away from it.
Thank you,
Martin O'Malley
As he has done before, O'Malley will work hard to get progressive Democrats elected in 2016. O'Malley supporters have every reason to be proud.
Governor Martin O'Malley's Accomplishments in Maryland Live On
Just one of many things that Martin O'Malley accomplished for Maryland:
Maryland Kicks Off Application Period For Offshore Wind Development
Then-Gov. Martin O’Malley first introduced the act in January 2013 – his third attempt at establishing offshore wind legislation in the state. His 2011 and 2012 versions of the act were first defeated by the Maryland General Assembly.
http://nawindpower.com/maryland-kicks-off-application-period-for-offshore-wind-development
The things he could do for this country, if only given the chance, are amazing.
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