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Showing posts from July, 2017

It's Not Just About The Money.

Nancy Pelosi is a fundraiser for the Democrats, and a darn good one . But considering that Hillary Clinton raised more money than Donald Trump and still lost the election, we should not equate "raising a lot of cash" with "winning elections." Yet, t hat is what appears to be happening . Wining elections will come when the Democrats show that they are fighting in Congress. The best (but not only) way to do this is introduce legislation that gives words and life to their message and values. I know, "What's the point if it doesn't pass in a GOP-controlled Congress?" The point is that: There is a record that Democrats advocated something; It could garnish enough attention to give them on TV, where that can control the narrative; They can go after Republicans for repeatedly shooting down their attempts to improve the lives of millions of Americans. The GOP got votes not because they just talked about repealing the ACA, but because that'

It Only Matters When It Affects Them Personally

Shorter Caitlyn Jenner: President Trump, you can bash immigrants, degrade women, insult minorities and chastise other religions, but when you ban transgendered people from serving in the military, that's crossing the line .

Messaging vs The Message

The Democratic Party's problem, in a nutshell, is that they believe their recent losses and the "sudden" lack of enthusiasm from their base and the "center" is due to poor articulation. They want to move on, and with a plan to win the middle again . To do this, they are being lead by the same Democratic Senator who said losing one Democratic voter from the urban areas to gain two Republican voters from the suburbs was ideal .   He's not exactly a fighter for the people . But I digress: the new better deal includes some things that might have helped Hillary Clinton win the damn election, as well as things designed to get the attention of dissatisfied Trump voters . Maybe it will give them just enough seats in the mid-terms to keep this tug-of-war with Republicans going, while both parties focus on things they agree on (like conducting war for profit). What it doesn't do is "wow." There's not much in this proposal that makes me th

In Politics, Status Quo Is God

Because Status Quo keeps those who make money in a place to keep making money. Because politicians are too lazy and/or scared to do actual research to make necessary changes. The ACA, aka Obamacare, is now status quo (as flawed as it is). But it is Status Quo, Republicans can't really change or repeal it . And Democrats aren't lifting a finger to improve it . Sure there are things like "voters" and "the will of the people," but those pale in comparison of Big Pharma, who is essentially accepting of this particular Status Quo. So much so they pretty much run the most Democratic, left-leaning state in the country . Remember when the GOP promised their voters that they'd outlaw abortion every election cycle, yet could never push it through Congress? Remember when Obama pushed for Single Payer as a candidate an was rewarded a Democrat-friendly Congress, only to essentially nationalize Mitt Romney's health care plan? Status Quo is their God

States With High War Casualties Tended to Lean Toward Donald Trump

The military is always an interesting demographic, particularly because it's changing . But also because those connected to the military (spouses, parents, children, friends) can be a good indicator of how people feel about things like war and global politics. Well, after two Bush wars and at least seven extended conflicts with Obama (a combination of Bush's wars, drone-lead assaults and other skirmishes involving troops), these people seem to bet tired of the whole thing. At least, that's how they may have voted. The Intercept has a story that supports the theory that President Trump won over voters connected to military casualties . It should be noted that while Hillary Clinton was marginalizing Black Lives Matter and calling Bernie Sanders supporter sexists, Trump was promising factory workers that they would keep their jobs and war survivors that conflicts would end. Now while the truth is ugly (namely that Clinton's disdain for those who opposed her was gen

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