Ode to Joe Biden

By DU member Power 2 the People

Originally posted 4/2019

https://www.democraticunderground.com/128757243

If Trump is not removed from office by the Senate....

Or he doesn't step down, Biden will probably be getting my vote.

One thing we have been blessed with in this country is a continuing and peaceful transfer of power for the Presidency. It's huge and takes place as well as it does here in very few other places. Different parties? "Enemies"? Doesn't matter. One of the smoothest transfers we have ever seen was between the Obama and Bush administrations. It's just what we do, for the most part.

If Trump maintains power and loses the election I want Biden ready. He will be walking into a decimated Executive Branch and connected agencies. He probably won't be briefed as an incoming President should be. A lot is going to be missing.

I really don't like to be forced into voting this way and I hope I'm not. Biden is uniquely qualified to successfully pull of a transfer of power where the outgoing administration doesn't give a shit.

I'm not saying I won't be voting for Biden if someone else is in the WH.

My two cents. I'm sure I have change coming.

Having a personal moment, Biden decided to "Simonize it" in his "driveway".

That is how the Politico of today would headline this article.



The real quote. : “I have been in my bathing suit in my driveway and not only washed my Goodwood-green 1967 Corvette but also Simonized it.” Joe Biden

Short fun read from 2012.

Smile.

New York Times

Tampa Bay knows Trump's religious adviser too well

Let’s be honest. When it comes to religious conviction, President Donald Trump makes Vladimir Lenin look more observant than Pope Francis.

So should anyone be surprised that in his continuing efforts to woo America’s evangelical community, Trump has brought Florida-based television preacher Paula White into his administration to advise his Faith and Opportunity (emphasis on “Opportunity”) Initiative.

What would Jesus do? A well-timed forehead slap, perhaps?

Boo!!!

Don’t look behind you. It’s Single Payer!!!

How long have you been around? Remember when far more people accepted our candidates not being bold on LGBQT rights with the reason that it will lose the election? The fear of taking on the gun lobby in our party? The terror of campaigning on plans that would knowingly require serious tax increases and an increase to the scope of the government to implement?

The Party has gone through decades of trying to win over the middle by staying in the middle. Personally, I’m not sure it hasn’t worked for us. Enormous amounts of good has come out of it. Like it or not we are the country of rugged individualism. That’s the image. That’s the feel. Yet we have still slowly gone leftward since our inception.

The leaders we have elected have played ball within that framework, as activists have pushed to normalize a further left agenda onto the leaders. The things I mentioned above are becoming a thing of the past. We are seeing a change. Clinton running on one of the most progressive platforms in decades. Our Presidential candidates are talking about expanding the governments role in healthcare.

Single Payer has taken its spot at the highest level on the national stage. No, it won’t be implemented if we win the Presidency. What it is going to give us is a robust public option.

Public support for single payer is not there yet. Dirty secret, that’s pretty much how it works. Lol. But activist and supporters of single payer should take a bow. The conversation is real and has been elevated to top of politics.

I’m probably going to be voting for Biden. I’m not sure. I think Harris would be a great leader and Warren is also at the top of my list. Anyway, Warren is a rockstar and I’m really happy about what she is doing.

I really appreciate the ACA. It has some amazing aspects to it. I just don’t want to go to the table with a public option and end up restoring the full ACA. The only way a healthcare package is going to pass is if we have the numbers. That means the real negotiations are within the party. Democrats negotiating with democrats.

Saying “shhhh, don’t tell them or admit to our long term plans after we get a public option. It might hurt us” isn’t necessary. Considering most of our top candidates not supporting single payer have stated it’s a step in the direction of single payer, it’s a pretty deceptive tactic to be promoting.

Conversely, arguing that those not completely on board with single payer at this moment are somehow in the pocket of the insurance industry, a Republican, or callous people; is every bit as deceptive... among other things.

It’s the primaries an we are fighting ourselves. I get that it’s not going to be pretty. “I want to give more people affordable healthcare!” “Fuck you, I want to give everyone healthcare.” The battle is real. But the arguments in the previous two paragraphs should go away, IMO.

The conversation over single payer is here in a major way. Large percentages of our primary voters are backing single payer candidates. It’s a wonderful thing to watch a movement rise off the shoulders of activists.

This isn’t some kind of reactionary thing that’s happening because of how far right the republicans have gone. This has always been there for us. It was just being suppressed for awhile. Still is but it’s off life support.