Vidal
Vidal's JournalBernie Sanders, Joe Biden, Elizabeth Warren Top List of 2020 Candidates
Per the Washington Post Rankings.
Read the Top 15 List here:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/12/22/the-top-15-democratic-presidential-candidates-for-2020-ranked/?tid=pm_politics_pop&utm_term=.853ce39e4f55
Who is your favorite?
Mine is Elizabeth.
"Trump attorney falsely and ludicrously claims Mueller obtained emails illegally."
That is what the headlines SHOULD say.
All the emails were obtained LEGALLY but the MSM headlines make it seem like Mueller did something wrong which is very irresponsible reporting.
A reckless con man as president: LA Times burns Trump to the ground in brutal editorial
Source: Raw Story
Writing in the LA Times, author and human rights activist Ariel Dorfman took the American electorate to task for electing “a reckless con man as president,” adding the country is now facing a reckoning.
Dorfman admitted that he is tired of hearing about investigations into Russian collusion in the 2016 election of President Donald Trump when the focus should be on how in the hell did American voters let his election happen.
“What is it, in our American soul that allowed the Russians to be successful?” he asked.
“Those were not Russians voting in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, handing the election to the Republican candidate by a bit more than 80,000 votes. They were American men and women,” Dorfman wrote. “As were the 62,984,825 others who decided that such a troublesome, inflammatory figure expressed their desires and dreams. Trump could be impeached or resign, or his policies could simply implode under the weight of their malice, divisiveness and mendacity, and the country would still be defined and pressed by the same conditions and dread that enabled his rise.”
Read more: https://www.rawstory.com/2017/12/a-reckless-con-man-as-president-la-times-burns-trump-to-the-ground-in-brutal-editorial/
41 percent of white millennials voted for Trump
This article says it was because of racial resentment and they thought Trump would help them economically.
"A white millennial with a high school education and strong perception that whites are losing ground to other groups through no fault of their own was almost certainly a Trump voter."
Well, I think that has changed since the election. Many more millennials are against Trump now, as seen in Virginia and Alabama.
Interesting article.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2017/12/15/racial-resentment-is-why-41-percent-of-white-millennials-voted-for-trump-in-2016/?utm_term=.e7dfde5a3d5a
Many Indictments Have Been Issued But Not Made Public Yet
Dear Fellow DU'ers,
I wish everyone understood the difference between an indictment and a sealed indictment.
I wish everyone understood that it is likely (probable) that Mueller has already obtained dozens of sealed indictments, possibly including one against Donald Trump.
Here is the information you need to know:
1. An indictment is a formal accusation of a felony, issued by a grand jury based upon a proposed charge, witnesses' testimony and other evidence presented by the public prosecutor. In order to issue an indictment, the grand jury doesn't make a determination of guilt, but only the probability that a crime was committed, that the accused person did it and that he/she should be tried.
2. A sealed indictment is an indictment that has not yet been made public by the prosecutor. This can be done for a number of reasons. It may be unsealed, for example, once the named person is arrested or about to be arrested. (This is what happened with Manafort and Gates.)
The following is an example of a federal rule dealing with sealed indictments:
"The judge to whom an indictment is returned may direct that the indictment be kept secret until the defendant is in custody or has been released pending trial. The clerk must then seal the indictment, and no person may disclose the indictment’s existence except as necessary to issue or execute a warrant or summons."
Mueller's team does NOT leak, and that is why very few people know how many SEALED indictments have Already Been Issued.
I hope this clears up some confusion.
Democrats: Give rural voters a reason to trust and support the party
Source: The Hill
by: Richard Ojeda (D), a member of the West Virginia Senate, representing District 7, and a candidate for U.S. House of Representatives in West Virginia's 3rd Congressional District.
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"First, every candidate we support must connect with the people they will potentially represent. We need candidates who are deeply rooted in their communities, working-class people who understand the struggles their neighbors face. That is the future of the Democratic Party. In other words, we need to recruit and support candidates who “get it.” No more country club candidates with political connections and heavy bank accounts. We must look for leaders who have exhibited a lifetime of service to their communities and have proven that their intention is to help people.
Second, we have to put in the work. For years, Democrats have depended on heavily populated areas within their districts to carry them and have ignored rural communities. This is unacceptable. All Americans deserve to see, speak to and hear from our candidates. No county is insignificant, no community too small, and each person’s vote is important. I put at least 500 miles on my Jeep every weekend. Why? Because traveling around southern West Virginia to talk with people is worth my effort. I’m reminded of President Kennedy campaigning in Logan County in 1960. Standing on a kitchen chair, against a backdrop of the Appalachian mountains and surrounded by coal camp kids, he assured the people of West Virginia that he was on their side. He won the state with 61 percent of the vote.
Third, we must move away from elitism and a politics-as-usual perspective. Voters relate to someone who is genuine, someone they can trust. I hand out cards in my district that have my personal cell phone number on them. I encourage voters to call me with questions. When they call, they do not get a recording or a secretary, and if I am in a meeting or traveling, I always call them back. At our live, online town hall meetings no one filters or sorts the questions beforehand, and we do not screen people or turn them away. If you believe in something, be willing to explain it.
The people in my district work hard, as do working families across this great nation. If we Democrats get back to our roots of being the party for the people and by the people, we will win everywhere that hardworking people live – and it won’t take an opponent as dreadful as Roy Moore to pull it off. Rural voters are our base, and we must give them a reason to trust us again. They must know beyond doubt that we hear them, they are not forgotten and we are ready to fight for them and their families."
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Data: Republican Party ID drops after Trump election
Source: NBC News
Donald Trump’s presidential win was a boon for the Republican Party in Washington, consolidating the GOP’s control of the Oval Office, Senate and House of Representatives. But beyond the Beltway, poll data suggests the election has had the opposite effect on the party, pushing voters away.
From November 2016 to November 2017 there was a 5-point drop in the number of people who call themselves Republicans, from 42 percent to 37 percent, according to Gallup. In that same time, the number of people identifying as Democrats stayed flat at 44 percent.
Do the math and a 2-point edge for the Democrats in party identification, 44 percent to 42 percent, has been pushed to 7 points, 44 percent to 37 percent, in just one year. That’s getting up into the area that may be a concern for Republicans in the 2018 midterms, where a big swing in party allegiance could lead to a swing in House and Senate seats.
You can see the potential impact of party-switching numbers like those in this year’s Virginia governor’s race. The exit polls from that race compared to the 2013 election showed Republican affiliation was down 2 points, while Democratic affiliation was up 4 points.
Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/trumps-victory-1-year-later/data-republican-party-id-drops-after-trump-election-n828141
The decline in Republican Party identification occurs in all age groups, different education levels and most racial and ethnic groups. This shows it is a very widespread phenomenon.
One Answer From A GOP Senator Shows Democrats Have Republicans Pinned In A Sexual Misconduct Trap
Source: CNN
CNN's Jake Tapper asked Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL) if Democrats had a higher standard for sexual misconduct than Republicans. Shelby's answer revealed that Republicans are trapped because of Trump's Roy Moore endorsement.
Shelby said, “You will see all this play out. I believe whether you have a Republican, Democrat, independent, whatever you are, that you would not put up with the conduct, the bad conduct, from a Democrat or Republican. That is part of what will happen in the future. The Senate’s going to have to weigh, if Roy Moore wins, his fitness to serve in the United States Senate.”
Because Democrats took a painful stand on Al Franken, a man that they personally liked, politically, Republicans now have all sorts of problems. Republicans can’t claim that that they have a high standard for opposing sexual misconduct when they supported Trump after the Access Hollywood tape where he bragged about sexually assaulted. The party stuck by Trump after seventeen women came forward to accuse him of sexual assault.
Trump’s endorsement of Roy Moore has means that the Republican Pary is the party of pedophiles. The GOP’s lack of morality and win at all cost attitude is coming back to haunt them. Democrats have Republicans pinned down.
Read more: http://www.politicususa.com/2017/12/10/answer-gop-senators-shows-democrats-republicans-pinned-sexual-misconduct-trap.html
Roy Moore’s fate will be decided on Tuesday, but the looming dark cloud over the party are those 17 allegations against Trump. If Democrats win back the House or Senate, a congressional investigation of those allegations is coming.
If Republicans think they have problems due to Roy Moore, it’s about to get a whole lot worse.
Unlike Republicans, Democrats don’t turn a blind eye to sexual misconduct, and their principles are going to help them win elections in the years to come.
Now That Al Franken Is Gone, Democrats Need to Hold Hearings on Trump
Source: The Nation
By: Joan Walsh
They have the moral high ground; now they need to use it to create real accountability for both parties.
I would like to see Franken’s departure be not just another #MeToo moment but a long-delayed #TrumpToo moment. Now that Franken has left the building, why can’t the Democratic senators who’ve asked him to resign—an astonishing 35 out of 48 caucus members—now commit to holding hearings on Trump’s many sexual-abuse accusations? A Quinnipiac poll out Wednesday shows that 70 percent of Americans polled say they want Congress to investigate the allegations against Trump; only 25 percent are opposed. Given that Trump’s pathetic approval ratings normally show him with the backing of 35 to 40 percent of those polled, this means a significant number of Trump supporters also want these charges investigated.
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https://www.thenation.com/article/now-that-al-franken-is-gone-democrats-need-to-hold-hearings-on-trump/
Note to Democrats: Get over it and Move On
Please, if you want Dems to win in 2018 then let's move on from the Franken debacle and put it behind us.
We are facing an existential threat to our democracy.
We are facing the possibility of a Republican takeover that leads to fascism.
We must work to elect Dems in 2018.
Look to the future and get out the vote!
We have more important things to worry about right now.
For starters let's make sure Mueller is protected and can finish his work.
2018 can be a Blue Wave election if we make it happen.
Hang together so we don't hang separately.
