Election 16: Donald Trumps wins Presidency. God Help us all!

[s0crates]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2016/01/29/black-lives-like-my-fathers-should-matter-in-america-thats-why-im-endorsing-bernie-sanders/

Black lives like my father’s should matter. That’s why I’m endorsing Bernie Sanders.

I want a leader who truly cares about justice for my family, for black people and for all Americans.

By Erica Garner

. . .

Black Americans — all Americans — need a leader with a record that speaks for itself. And to me, it’s clear. Of all the presidential candidates, Sen. Bernie Sanders is our strongest ally.

. . .

[s0crates]

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/i-support-bernie-sanders-not-stupid_b_9103152.html

Today, I read for maybe the 10,000th time an assertion that supporters of Bernie Sanders are unrealistic, that Bernie Sanders supporters will all be disappointed if they elect him because he won't be able to bring the change he's promising, that Bernie Sanders's policies will be "just another example of Democrats making promises they can't keep," and so on and so forth.

. . .

What I do expect, by electing Bernie Sanders, is to have an honest president whom Americans can trust at all times to be completely sincere, and who will work as hard as he can to represent the interests of the American people. By electing Bernie Sanders, I expect that the leader of our country will actually represent me and not just major corporations who are cutting him big checks. And no, I don't get the sense that Hillary Clinton possesses any of those qualities. Decidedly.

. . .

[88Comrade2000]

 

Saw that coloring book at BooksAMillion.

[s0crates]

http://chicago.suntimes.com/opinion/7/71/1289499/opinion-six-responses-bernie-sanders-skeptics

Opinion: Six responses to Bernie Sanders skeptics

WRITTEN BY ROBERT B. REICH POSTED: 01/29/2016, 05:46PM

1. “He’d never beat Trump or Cruz in a general election.”

Wrong. According to the latest polls, Bernie is the strongest Democratic candidate in the general election, defeating both Donald Trump and Ted Cruz in hypothetical matchups. (The latest RealClear Politics averages of all polls shows Bernie beating Trump by a larger margin than Hillary beats Trump, and Bernie beating Cruz while Hillary loses to Cruz.)

2. “He couldn’t get any of his ideas implemented because Congress would reject them.”

If both house of Congress remain in Republican hands, no Democrat will be able to get much legislation through Congress, and will have to rely instead on executive orders and regulations. But there’s a higher likelihood of kicking Republicans out if Bernie’s “political revolution” continues to surge around America, bringing with it millions of young people and other voters, and keeping them politically engaged.

3. “America would never elect a socialist.”

P-l-e-a-s-e. America’s most successful and beloved government programs are social insurance – Social Security and Medicare. A highway is a shared social expenditure, as is the military and public parks and schools. The problem is we now have excessive socialism for the rich (bailouts of Wall Street, subsidies for Big Ag and Big Pharma, monopolization by cable companies and giant health insurers, giant tax-deductible CEO pay packages) – all of which Bernie wants to end or prevent.

4. “His single-payer healthcare proposal would cost so much it would require raising taxes on the middle class.”

This is a duplicitous argument.

. . .

5. “His plan for paying for college with a tax on Wall Street trades would mean colleges would run by government rules.”

Baloney.

. . .

6. “He’s too old.”

Untrue.

. . .

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/why-bernie-sanders-is-win_b_9102988.html

Why Bernie Sanders Is Winning the Hearts and Minds of America

If you're lucky, once in your lifetime, maybe twice if you're really lucky, you'll get an opportunity to support a presidential candidate who speaks to your values on a very deep personal level. For me, that chance came the day Bernie Sanders announced his presidential campaign. My reason for supporting Bernie Sanders for president can be summed up in one word: authenticity.

U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) is the real deal and people feel it in their guts. We know he's on our side. A profile in political courage and integrity, Bernie Sanders is a patriot who has been fighting for economic and social justice all his life. Finally, we have a candidate who is not only willing, but eager, to take on Wall Street, the media elites and the corrupt political establishment. This is why I joined the political revolution on Day 1 and why millions of Americans from all political stripes are Feeling the Bern.

In a remarkable November speech at Georgetown University, Bernie Sanders passionately articulated the rationale for his candidacy by saying, "We need to develop a political movement which, once again, is prepared to take on and defeat a ruling class whose greed is destroying our nation." Sign me up.

. . .

[88Comrade2000]

He is blunt, to the point, and speaks the truth. In a world run by slick, focus-group tested politicians, Trump is a breath of fresh air. Voters thus far are reacting to that as mush as anything else. He speaks like someone you would talk politics with as a good bar.

If you look at any of the big issues the campaign has revolved around this far on the GOP side of the house.. Trumps brought them up first and often has had the most aggressive position on them..

Illegal Immigration.

Protecting the boarders

Infrastructure rebuilding

Keeping the homeland safe from Terrorism

Taking care of Vets

Other than infrastructure building, all those issues would've been brought during the coarse of a Republican campaign sans Trump.

 

 

Trump is a breath of hot air.  Yeah, he's saying what his supporters are really thinking.  Trump hasn't given real thought to the real impact of ideas.  Should he become president; his voters are going to rue the day, if Trump actually can pass his ideas.

 

 

 

Also, what really is his core idea?  Deal making.  He says he can make deals so that trade deals will favor us.  Really, is he going to personally be involved in every single detail.

 

Other than saying he can make deals to deal with this issue or that issue; he's no different.  He has taken different positions on every issue.  What FOX did to Ted and Marco; showing how they said one thing at one time and another thing later on;  the DEMS will have plenty of fodder.

 

Trump is P.T. Barnum and he has plenty of people buying his act.  We will find out, it it's enough to give him the Presidency. He's nothing more than a reality tv show  con-man to me.

 

 

I'd take the socialist Bernie Sanders over Trump any day.  While many do find Trump refreshing; I find him vulgar. He represents some of the worst tendencies of human beings.  That is the last person I want to be president.

[Predicto]

 

Trump is a breath of hot air.  Yeah, he's saying what his supporters are really thinking.  Trump hasn't given real thought to the real impact of ideas.  Should he become president; his voters are going to rue the day, if Trump actually can pass his ideas.

 

 

He doesn't have ideas.  He has slogans and braggadocio.  

 

Building a giant wall - paid for by Mexico - is not an "idea."  It's a comic book fantasy.    

[s0crates]

http://m.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/election-2016-iowa-caucus-snow-central-northern-plains-monday-night/55036213

Election 2016: Snowstorm to unfold as thousands gather for Iowa Caucuses

January 29, 2016; 6:34 PM

The 2016 Presidential Election season officially gets underway Monday evening, Feb. 1, with the Iowa Caucuses, and wintry weather may impact voter turnout.

. . .

[88Comrade2000]

He doesn't have ideas.  He has slogans and braggadocio.  

 

Building a giant wall - paid for by Mexico - is not an "idea."  It's a comic book fantasy.    

To him, it's an idea.   It's part of his solution to illegal immigration. Other part is deporting everyone but then letting them come back.

 

IDEA- Ban all Muslims from entering the country, until we figure it out.  If does that, don't see how he will get any Muslim country to help in fight terrorists.  They wouldn't even be allowed to come in to meet with him.

 

Yeah, their are slogans but for Trump- those are his ideas.

 

 

I remain convinced, he only got into the race to make sure some of the issues he cared about were discussed. Immigration- though he did have a different view before.  His big then, America was getting screwed on everything left and right.  The were getting a raw deal.   So he entered the race. I don't think he imagined he would've gotten this far.  He struck a nerve with angry voter and that is what is propelled him.  He spouts stuff from the top of head but hasn't really given any thought to what he says.  How would he really implement that.  What would be the impact?  He's just feeding his own ego.

Sadly, there's enough voters who are buying his **** that he could be president.  It's amazing reading some of the comments Trump supporters make in the comment section.

 

 

It's clear if not their vote, at least admiration, of some of the posters here.

[Going Commando]

I was listening to an editor for the National Review on NPR this morning and he noted that Trump was "light on policy." What a **** ass understatement. If the media wasn't so cowardly/trying to cover this election as a horserace, then they could use their status as opinion-makers and elites to end Trump's candidacy. Call a spade a spade. He's not light on policy. Ron Paul is light on policy. Trump is a god damn moron sloganeering to the profoundly uninformed. He's not even paying lip service to having policy ideas.

The coverage of Trump's candidacy as anything other than a farce has been nothing more than a spineless acquiescence to an argumentum ad populum. His candidacy has been a parody of Reagan straight out of a Mel Brooks or Mike Judge movie. He's been a wholly inappropriate candidate, a depressing and jarring realization of the failure of our education system to create an informed electorate, and a compelling argument against the strength/wisdom of pure democracy.

[visionary]

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/01/ted-cruz-iowa-ads-hit-marco-rubio-218419#ixzz3ygU4BUaq

Ad shift: Cruz moves to quash Rubio, not Trump

 

Ted Cruz has flipped his TV strategy heading into the crucial final weekend before the Iowa caucuses, rerouting money from negative ads that had been slamming Donald Trump to hit Marco Rubio instead.

 

The last-minute change is a sign that, even as both the Rubio and Cruz campaigns have publicly denied it, Rubio is increasingly a threat to Cruz in the state. The shift to anti-Rubio ads was first reported by The New York Times.

 

"When a candidate's being attacked, obviously someone's worried about you. So obviously Sen. Cruz is worried about my candidacy,” Rubio told reporters in Iowa on Friday.

 

Cruz is now running a rotation of at least four ads in Iowa’s final days, according to a person familiar with the buy. The first hits Rubio on immigration and features audio from Rush Limbaugh. It debuted on Thursday and contains 2010 tape of Rubio talking about amnesty that was also broadcast during Thursday night’s GOP debate.

 

The second labels Rubio “the Republican Obama” — and closes with an image of Rubio’s face made to appear as if in the iconic Obama poster.

 

The other two closing Cruz ads are a testimonial spot from Rep. Steve King, one of Cruz’s key endorsers in the state, and a minute-long spot touting the candidate as a “principled conservative fighter.”

 

For days, Cruz’s operation has tried to downplay any Rubio momentum in the state, with the goal of portraying the contest as a two-man, heavyweight bout between the Texas senator and New York businessman. They have told Iowa activists and Republicans repeatedly that a vote for anyone else is a wasted vote.

 

Only hours before the buy shift became apparent, Cruz campaign manager Jeff Roe had downplayed competition with Rubio for voters.

 

"You know we don’t overlap as much as people probably think,” Roe said at a Bloomberg breakfast. "When we look at our Venn diagram of the people that we share votes with, it’s much more overlap with Trump, it’s much more overlap with [ben] Carson, it’s much less overlap with Rubio.”

[PeterMP]

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/01/ted-cruz-iowa-ads-hit-marco-rubio-218419#ixzz3ygU4BUaq

 

"Only hours before the buy shift became apparent, Cruz campaign manager Jeff Roe had downplayed competition with Rubio for voters. "You know we don’t overlap as much as people probably think,” Roe said at a Bloomberg breakfast. "When we look at our Venn diagram of the people that we share votes with, it’s much more overlap with Trump, it’s much more overlap with [ben] Carson, it’s much less overlap with Rubio.”"

 

It is rarely about competing for voters in primary electrions.  It is largely about suppressing votes for the other person.  They might not think there is much an overlap of likely voters, but if they convince likely Rubio voters to stay home (or in this case to vote for somebody else), they can diminish his vote total, which in terms of a ranking would help Cruz.

[Dan T.]

 

You should spend more time reading the onion.  LOL .

Sometimes Ninja text is just too subtle.

[Renegade7]

I was listening to an editor for the National Review on NPR this morning and he noted that Trump was "light on policy." What a **** ass understatement. If the media wasn't so cowardly/trying to cover this election as a horserace, then they could use their status as opinion-makers and elites to end Trump's candidacy. Call a spade a spade. He's not light on policy. Ron Paul is light on policy. Trump is a god damn moron sloganeering to the profoundly uninformed. He's not even paying lip service to having policy ideas.

The coverage of Trump's candidacy as anything other than a farce has been nothing more than a spineless acquiescence to an argumentum ad populum. His candidacy has been a parody of Reagan straight out of a Mel Brooks or Mike Judge movie. He's been a wholly inappropriate candidate, a depressing and jarring realization of the failure of our education system to create an informed electorate, and a compelling argument against the strength/wisdom of pure democracy.

Strong words, though I do believe this will play out exactly the way its supposed to. I whole-heartedly agree that the media could've ended his campaign before it really started if they wanted to, but have chosen ratings instead for the most part. I say the most part because I'm watching to see how this thing between him and Fox News plays out.

[btfoom]

I was listening to an editor for the National Review on NPR this morning and he noted that Trump was "light on policy." What a **** ass understatement. If the media wasn't so cowardly/trying to cover this election as a horserace, then they could use their status as opinion-makers and elites to end Trump's candidacy. Call a spade a spade. He's not light on policy. Ron Paul is light on policy. Trump is a god damn moron sloganeering to the profoundly uninformed. He's not even paying lip service to having policy ideas.

The coverage of Trump's candidacy as anything other than a farce has been nothing more than a spineless acquiescence to an argumentum ad populum. His candidacy has been a parody of Reagan straight out of a Mel Brooks or Mike Judge movie. He's been a wholly inappropriate candidate, a depressing and jarring realization of the failure of our education system to create an informed electorate, and a compelling argument against the strength/wisdom of pure democracy.

Please tell me that you write for the Onion and this is one of your pieces.

 

It is very funny and just short of being completely FOS that it makes people believe that you mean everything you write.

 

I mean, nobody would really fall for this, especially anyone who would vote for Hillary.

 

Great satire writing.  It is almost like if Jon Stewart decided to stop being a Democratic shill for one show and was open and honest about how Democrats really run.  You should think about being an Onion reporter with this type of writing.  Nice Job!!!!

[Going Commando]

Please tell me that you write for the Onion and this is one of your pieces.

 

It is very funny and just short of being completely FOS that it makes people believe that you mean everything you write.

 

I mean, nobody would really fall for this, especially anyone who would vote for Hillary.

 

Great satire writing.  It is almost like if Jon Stewart decided to stop being a Democratic shill for one show and was open and honest about how Democrats really run.  You should think about being an Onion reporter with this type of writing.  Nice Job!!!!

What's to fall for? I meant exactly what I wrote. It was plainspoken. I wasn't being funny. What did you have trouble understanding?

[skinsmarydu]

Coming across like the kind of guy you would like to sit down and have a beer with is pretty much how we got George W Bush as our President.  

"Just look at that campfire...you guys are good.  Wanna help us eradddiccadicate terrorists?"

[RedskinsFan44]

You think that's more offensive than Cruz or Rubio trying to represent themselves as get hard on illegal immigration candidates when they proposed legislation which granted amnesty their first years in Washington? I mean Cruz was sent to Washington on that core issue and he flop flop'd his first year in office and now he's trying to say he didn't. Rubio had his own amnesty bill co-sponsored by Senator Shummer.

Hillary has the same thing going on... She's never made a decision in her life without first checking with her pollsters, and her record on the issue is irrelivent to what she can gain and loose in the present.

Both Bernie and Donald have huge flaws.. but what folks are finding refreshing from them is they both seem like straight shooters.. Bernie because he's a True Believer. Trump because it's just kinda who he is.

Cruz is a hard liner on immigration, he offered some poison pill amendments to the gang of eight legislation and voted against it in the end.  I'm not a Cruz supporter, and that is really irrelevant to the point I was making, that your claim that Trump does not "shirk" from the hard questions is bunk.

 

What is rounding up 12 million illegal immigrants and deporting them going to look like?  How much will that cost?  How will it affect our economy when that many laborers are eliminated?

To give more specific examples, when called out on his claim that he saw video of hundreds (thousands?) of Muslims were celebrating in NJ after the Twin Towers collapsed he responded by mocking a disabled journalist.  When asked a question about his attitude towards women by a female journalist (guaranteed to be the subject of political ads in the general) he responded by denigrating her journalistic credentials and calling her a bimbo, then using her as an excuse to shirk the final debate before the Iowa caucuses.

 

Trump is running a campaign based on promising the moon without specifics and insulting anyone who opposes him, not on answering policy questions. 

 

Add, list of Trump twitter insults: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/01/28/upshot/donald-trump-twitter-insults.html?smid=tw-nytimes&smtyp=cur&_r=0

[Sacks 'n' Stuff]

And some prefer to deal with reality

Why the hell would you want to do that?

[twa]

  Unions Lean Democratic, but Donald Trump Gets Members’ Attention

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/30/business/donald-trump-unions.html

 

 

In expressing her concern, Ms. Henry reflected a different form of anxiety that is weighing on some union leaders and Democratic operatives: their fear that Mr. Trump, if not effectively countered, may draw an unusually large number of union voters in a possible general election matchup. This could, in turn, bolster Republicans in swing states like Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, all of which President Obama won twice.

The source of the attraction to Mr. Trump, say union members and leaders, is manifold: the candidate’s unapologetically populist positions on certain economic issues, particularly trade; a frustration with the impotence of conventional politicians; and above all, a sense that he rejects the norms of Washington discourse.

[tshile]

Do we not all agree that Fox News has sway over the GOP supporters? That they get many of their talking points from them? Or has that changed recently? Maybe I'm behind and they've changed and those websites are much more influential?

 

I ask because of the idea that the media could have stopped Trump, but chose not to... Fox News has gone after Trump from the start. The recent pulling out of the debate did not come out of now here. They've been going at each other from the start. At one point early on Trump was gong to boycott all Fox News programs and appearances.

 

Don't get me wrong, I generally agree our news media has completely dropped any role in truly working to keep us informed. But I think the biggest conservative media pieces have been trying to kill the Trump Campaign. I don't listen to Hannity's radio program, but I know he has one that's popular and I know he's been against Trump from the start (I believe he's pro Cruz?)

 

OReilly seems to be the only host that gave Trump any sort of 'fair' treatment from the start (fair from Trump's point of view) and he's doing it for all of the candidates. Maybe Gutfeld too, but I doubt it was any serious support; he tends to embrace the absurd.

[Rskins06]

I listen to Hannity almost daily, along with "the five", and it seems they are softening their thoughts about Trump. Six months ago, everyone was waiting for the Donald to go away. But, he has struck a nerve with voters, and not just republicans either, he has support from independents and has support from some democrats as well. He is looked at as a problem solver and NOT an establishment candidate. If you really look at it, he is the ONLY candidate (worth mentioning) who is not part of the establishment (Dem or Rep). Who else running (again, besides Carson or Fiorina) can say they are TRULY an outsider?

I believe Trump is smart enough to surround himself with people who are extremely smart on Foreign policy, the economy, taxes, etc. I also don't believe he will separate Democrats from the table like Obama and both the House and Senate did with Republicans when first elected (I think that was a huge mistake). All we heard was basically we don't care what they think because we won. Had Obama truly reached across the table and worked with the republicans (as Bill Clinton did) I could envision this country in a far better place than it is today.

The government is at a standstill and will be unless a Republican is elected. Hate to say that but it is reality (actually I don't, I am a Conservative and will vote for whomever is the GOP nominee). Until we have people in office who truly care about this country more than they care about their own pockets or agendas, government is not going anywhere.

[Dan T.]

I haven't seen evidence yet that Trump is informed on any issues. Asked where he gets his military advice, Trump said he "watches the shows," presumably meaning the Saturday and Sunday talk shows. He clearly had no idea what the nuclear triad is, and when asked about it on follow up after that debate, referred to the nuclear arsenal as something that hasn't been used enough.

He pretty much stumbled upon the cornerstone of his campaign - immigration reform - because he was called out due to that throwaway line in his bizarre, rambling campaign kickoff speech about Mexican rapists coming across the border, just a dumb xenophobic statement to make no matter where you stand on illegal immigration.

He threw his cards in with the likes of Sheriff Joe Arapaio on Obama's birth certificate farce way after the only people truly pursuing that stupid conspiracy theory were the wing nuts and the delusional.

Given his propensity to lash out at the first sign of tough questioning or disagreement with him, I can't see him surrounding himself with anybody but sycophants and yes men.

I've yet hear him say anything of substance on any of the tough, complex issues we face.

[chipwhich]

I've yet hear him say anything of substance on any of the tough, complex issues we face.

 

I hear Hillary say a lot on every issue, problem is I have no idea what she will do on any issue because she changes her word vomit based on who she is speaking with, and she panders to every audience she meets.  That's not politicking but that southern draw she gets when talking to southern black folk is sexy as hell.

[skinsmarydu]

I've yet hear him say anything of substance on any of the tough, complex issues we face.

So say the rest of us thinkin' folk.

We'll be "winning again", and get sick of it.

We'll replace Obamacare with "something terrific".

What the **** is this man even talking about? Nothing that the average, hard-working, trying-to-be-solid person is!

[s0crates]

If you really look at it, he is the ONLY candidate (worth mentioning) who is not part of the establishment (Dem or Rep). Who else running (again, besides Carson or Fiorina) can say they are TRULY an outsider?

Depends what you mean by "establishment" I guess, but I'd argue Bernie is outside the establishment as well. He is an Independent, and he doesn't get his money from any of the big players in campaign finance.