Let me begin by emphasizing that I will definitely be a “blue no matter who” voter. (I would vote for a potted plant if the plant ended up being the Democratic nominee, because–as you know if you read yesterday’s post— the alternative is too horrible to contemplate.)
Let me also be clear that I tend to agree with many if not most of Bernie Sanders’ goals–national health care, support for working-class Americans, higher taxes on the rich. And I will cast my vote for him should he emerge as the nominee, although I do not believe he would win.
Bernie’s most devoted supporters insist that he will appeal to independents and energize the youth vote. Data on the preferences of self-described “independents” suggests that true independents are few and far between, and that those few prefer moderates; with respect to the predictions about turnout and young voters, New Hampshire–which he won by a whisker–may be instructive.
Even counting for the fact that in 2016 he was in a two-person race, the comparison with his smashing victory over Hillary Clinton (22 points and 60 percent of the vote) and, as of late Tuesday night, his less-than-2-point squeaker over Buttigieg, is notable. Sanders dominated the state in 2016, winning every county. Buttigieg and Klobuchar ripped holes through that map everywhere, turning color-coded maps from 2016 that showed a Sanders rout into a patchwork of colors.
Perhaps more important, Sanders overpromised and underdelivered. He has premised his campaign on nothing less than sparking a political revolution in which disaffected and first-time voters — especially young ones — pour into American politics to carry him to the White House. It didn’t happen in Iowa, and it didn’t happen in New Hampshire.
The percentage of young voters actually declined from 2016 to 2020 in New Hampshire, from 19 percent to 14 percent. Independents were a larger share of the electorate, but they did not break nearly as decisively for Sanders as they did in 2016. He received support from just 29 percent of self-described independents this time, as opposed to 73 percent (!) in 2016.
Together, Buttigieg and Klobuchar (who would have been considered leftwing in previous election years, but are now characterized as moderates) won just over 50% of the primary vote.
Perhaps the best analysis of why a Sanders nomination would be very risky was written by Jeffrey Isaacs, an eminent political science professor at Indiana University. Isaacs is philosophically close to Sanders, but he notes that the most likely immediate consequences of Bernie’s nomination would be the (strong) probability of a Trump re-election.
Isaacs sets out the probable consequences of a Sanders’ nomination for down-ticket candidates, and I encourage everyone to click through and read that analysis in its entirety, because it is sobering–not least because it is based upon actual data rather than devotees’ self-deception. But the most ominous evidence in the article is a long quotation from a Never Trump Republican who saw the opposition research the GOP had gathered in 2016, in case Bernie became the nominee then.
So what would have happened when Sanders hit a real opponent, someone who did not care about alienating the young college voters in his base? I have seen the opposition book assembled by Republicans for Sanders, and it was brutal. The Republicans would have torn him apart. . . Here are a few tastes of what was in store for Sanders, straight out of the Republican playbook: He thinks rape is A-OK. In 1972, when he was 31, Sanders wrote a fictitious essay in which he described a woman enjoying being raped by three men. Yes, there is an explanation for it — a long, complicated one, just like the one that would make clear why the Clinton emails story was nonsense. And we all know how well that worked out.
Then there’s the fact that Sanders was on unemployment until his mid-30s, and that he stole electricity from a neighbor after failing to pay his bills, and that he co-sponsored a bill to ship Vermont’s nuclear waste to a poor Hispanic community in Texas, where it could be dumped. You can just see the words “environmental racist” on Republican billboards. And if you can’t, I already did. They were in the Republican opposition research book as a proposal on how to frame the nuclear waste issue.
Also on the list: Sanders violated campaign finance laws, criticized Clinton for supporting the 1994 crime bill that he voted for, and he voted against the Amber Alert system. His pitch for universal health care would have been used against him too, since it was tried in his home state of Vermont and collapsed due to excessive costs. Worst of all, the Republicans also had video of Sanders at a 1985 rally thrown by the leftist Sandinista government in Nicaragua where half a million people chanted, “Here, there, everywhere/the Yankee will die,” while President Daniel Ortega condemned “state terrorism” by America. Sanders said, on camera, supporting the Sandinistas was “patriotic.”
The Republicans had at least four other damning Sanders videos (I don’t know what they showed), and the opposition research folder was almost 2-feet thick. (The section calling him a communist with connections to Castro alone would have cost him Florida.) In other words, the belief that Sanders would have walked into the White House based on polls taken before anyone really attacked him is a delusion built on a scaffolding of political ignorance.
Could Sanders still have won? Well, Trump won, so anything is possible. But Sanders supporters puffing up their chests as they arrogantly declare Trump would have definitely lost against their candidate deserve to be ignored.
It is striking to me how easily many of Sanders’s hard-core supporters dismiss these concerns.
Are all of these attacks fair? Of course not. But arguing that they would not be effective is delusional–and so is attributing malign motives to every Democrat who doesn’t want to take that chance.
Bernie has made a difference in American political life; he has moved the Overton Window left, and that is no small feat. His movement has made it easier for a less tarnished Democrat to win in 2020, and he deserves great credit for that. But if you read yesterday’s compendium of horror stories, you know that in 2020, nothing is more important than nominating someone who is most likely to eject Trump’s criminal cabal from the White House.
We can indulge in intra-party conflicts and conspiracy theories and reconstitute the famous Democratic circular firing squad once we’ve come together to do what is absolutely necessary to save America.
Thanks Shiela. This is an amazing blog yet again. I’m upset that the impeachment may have hurt Joe Biden more than Trump as some suggest , but I’m looking forward to Klobuchar gaining popularity. RunAmyRun is now my new slogan
It is not at all clear WHO to get behind at this stage. I hope it clears up soon. Blue no matter who for sure. But the who matters. Inspiration. Vision. Goals. It is all vague right now.
This is stunning analysis and information. My instincts told me Sanders couldn’t win, but this is real analysis. I can’t believe so many pundits are calling him the Democratic front-runner when clearly he is not, and lost so much ground in New Hampshire. And Republicans will no doubt do everything they can to get him the nomination!
I’ll be voting “blue no matter who” too. I’ve only narrowed the field in my own mind by deciding who I do not WANT to vote for and have no favorite among the remaining candidates at this time. By the time the process gets to Indiana it may well have already been decided for us anyway.
Bernie is really just a Trump whose policy ideas are closer to ones I might support. The fact that his supporters are just as much into the space of “if my candidate doesn’t win, then I’m going to take my marbles and go home” as they ever were is very concerning, and probably reflects the same basic problem.
I think the uncertainty expressed by Democrat voters might be a sign that Bloomberg could be the politician in the right place philosophically to squeeze the air out of the Trump windbag.
The “blue no matter who” has a caveat — anybody but the anti-blue-blood Bernie Sanders. MSNBC’s Chris Matthews and Chuck Todd, along with all of CNN, have been working overtime to reject Bernie Sanders.
Why?
Because of opposition research? LOL
All because the phony polls which placed Joe Biden as the most electable and front-running candidate flopped in real-time. It’s an all-out panic by the Oligarchy and the media conglomerates they own. The DNC even changed the rules for their favorite Oligarch, Mike Bloomberg, so that he could play in the debates.
By the way, Iowa’s Democratic Party Chair resigned yesterday over the Iowa fiasco, but the DNC played a significant role in choosing the app connected to Buttigieg and Biden. So, will the Donor approved Tom Perez also resign?
Let’s be honest, the “vote blue no matter who” was a con by moderates to get the support of progressives within the party. They tossed out Biden and assumed he would win hands down because he was Obama’s VP and wanted all the progressives to get behind him because he was the chosen one by DNC’s donors.
After two primaries, they are all panicking. The media mouthpieces could have used this opportunity to discuss how New Hampshire Republicans suppressed college student’s right to vote in the state, but that might energize the progressive base.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/dec/05/new-hampshire-2020-election-student-vote
And, many on this blog still think only the Republicans are targeted with propaganda. LOL
#WakeUP
#TurnOffMSNBC
We are all well aware of just how vital this November presidential election – or selection – has become since Trump was appointed by Republican state Electoral College members. We all have our reasons for our personal selections from the fortunately dwindling Democratic list of wannabes and most of us will “vote Blue no matter who” for self preservation.
BUT; we have Primary elections in this state in addition to president with Governor, Attorney General, House and Senate members and many local positions throughout Indiana we need to vote for on May 5, 2020. For those of you who are sick of me pushing the importance of state and local elections consider this; Mike Pence was a Catholic Democrat from a family who owned and deserted a string of gas stations for tax payers to demolish, worked as a radio host, became a Republican State Representative, somewhere along the way became a “born again Christian” then Governor of Indiana and now sits at Trump’s right hand as Vice President of the United States. Still think state and local elections are unimportant?
I have already been receiving flyers in the mail from Republican Senator Mike Crider; but who will be on the Democratic Primary Ballot and what are they promising. No idea about Democratic candidates or what they claim to be doing or will do for us.
I am supporting Joe Biden for the presidency due to his 8 years of experience in the White House, his honesty, his deeper knowledge of what Trump has destroyed within this government at its foundation and where to begin salvaging what is left. Don’t bother me with your arguments against him; I fully intend to “vote BLUE no matter who”. But I will concentrate on the Indiana Primary Election on May 5, 2020; we will not know who the Democratic presidential nominee is even then.
Unfortunately, I feel it won’t really matter who the Democratic candidate is…Trump will get reelected. His campaign recently raised 60 million dollars. The GOP has blocked 3 election security measures. Plus you have the massive social media element to spread disinformation… https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/03/the-2020-disinformation-war/605530/
While I hate to be “Debbie Downer” I truly feel it is out of our hands.
Excellent and timely blog post today…. In Rick Wilson’s latest book, “Running Against the Devil…”. he points out many similar statistics about voters and their choices. In case you didn’t know, Wilson is a former Republican strategist and campaign ad writer. YOu’ve probably seen him on talk shows. The MAIN theme he keeps beating on is that the “young” vote is statistically not the long pole in the tent. That pole belongs to us old folks, irrespective of affiliation and place on the political spectrum. If one looks at the data from New Hampshire, one sees this thesis confirmed.
The DNC is in desperate need of leadership at the top. In 2016 we saw Debbie Schultz manipulate the system to assure her pal Hillary got nominated. At that time, polls showed that Sanders would beat Trump by nearly 20 points. We all saw how well that worked out. Now, we have Tom Perez who seems not able to manage a keg party in a brewery. This ridiculously long debate process with its over-the-horizon line of candidates is wearing out the voters. No wonder there isn’t any real enthusiasm.
O.K. My choice is Amy Klobuchar. She is a moderate who is promoting policies that can actually get done. As Wilson also suggests, forget the boutique agenda of free college, overturning the electoral college, etc., etc. None of that is going to happen, so stop wasting time and resources pimping things that fly in formation with mom’s apple pie in the sky. This is a referendum about Donald Trump. Amy, I think, gives moderates and old-school Republicans a place to land. I hate to say it, but the Republican opposition research will skin Mayor Pete 24/7 and end up suppressing the vote – especially among African-Americans, a constituency the Democrats MUST have in volume. Elizabeth Warren is sputtering like last year’s July 4th sparklers. Too many plans that are not achievable. Too much fizz. She’ll be a terrific Sec. Treasury or Commerce.
Moreover, I also think Amy can develop long-enough coattails to bring the Senate back into Democratic hands. If the Senate isn’t flipped, Mitch McConnell will continue his one-man shit show against the American people and the Constitution. Bernie is yesterday’s news no matter Iowa or New Hampshire. Biden is beginning to circle the drain. Yes, he will win in South Carolina, but not by much. Bernie and his bots will fight to the end, but if he doesn’t pull a class card out of the deck and drag his children to the polls to vote for Amy, all will be lost.
Read Wilson’s books – his first is titled “Everything Trump Touches Dies”. Keep showing the loops of Trumpisms that spew from his sewer pipe. Use the A/V skills to pinch out his most egregious garbage from his “rallies” and put them on YouTube, FB, LinkedIn, etc. Keep pounding the somnolent masses with the lines and bits that disgust Atilla the Hun. It’s a referendum on Trump. If we fail to dump this wretch this time, we may not have a country to call our own.
Yesterday Chris Ruddy of Newsmax, guest of Erin Burnett on her show “Outfront” first labeled Bernie a Marxist and in the next sentence a communist. So the fascist smears have begun.
I’m actually really sick and tired of old white men deciding what gets done in the good old US of A. A Bernie supporter called me about a week ago and asked if I could be persuaded to back Bernie for the nomination and I told her no, citing this reason. 44 men have been President. 43 of them have been white and only a few have been as young as their forties when they became President.
Professor Isaacs was on the money in his article. Keep in mind that the Republicans are master marketers, while the Democrats could botch a campaign to sell Girl Scout Cookies. That little bit of oppo research is just a taste of what they would do to Sanders. They’re already sending out memes about his unemployment history.
We can also thank the Bern a bit for The Duck in the White House in the first place. 10+ M millennials and college students didn’t vote in 2016, no doubt many of them Berniecrats. In addition, about 5M voted for the Green and Libertarian parties. There is something in common there with the philosophy of “my way or the highway”. Listen to interviews with Bernie’s supporters today and many say they will stay home…
Todd, nice catch!
You have to admit this multi-faceted octopus tentacled approach by GOP is very well-thought-out! A little bit here, a little bit there, and a little more down the road, all adds up in combination. All these different agendas coming together for one purpose, just makes me laugh, SMH.
When I think about the media concocted “Demise of the GOP,” it seems to have been greatly exaggerated buy a festoon of personal and careless opinions, not to mention wishful thinking.
And, talking about Sanders OPPO,
You can best believe there are books on everyone. As a matter of fact, the famous Dossier was initially a Republican OPPO book on Trump.
And, lastly, one would have to really look at the Trump strategy and admit its brilliance in a way. He has been so scandalous, so overtly racist, so consistently schizophrenic, and so obviously narcissistic with godlike aspirations, there’s no OPPO that could damaged him, but he can paint others with the same OPPO and be very successful. Basically, deflecting his unethical and immoral/amoral manure spreader on everyone else but him.
And truly, it’s really unfortunate, how much the media have put their fingers on the scales of these primaries, when you throw polling out there that might suggest someone will not be successful, instead of letting the local populations decide, they are already calling a candidate “Loser” before the polls even open!
There really is not a shred of fair and balanced out there, LOL! So if that’s the case, how can anyone have any faith in the system whatsoever, and they wonder why there is so much apathy!
“By any other name a Rose is still a Rose” and the same goes for a pile of manure, doesn’t it?!?!
You don’t fight FASCISM with the ballot box. The only way is to discredit it with the TRUTH.
But first, you have the understand the rise of Nazism in Germany from after the end of W.W. I to around 1938, when the British buckled under. That’s our only advantage. The Germans weren’t so lucky.
It’s just a repeat performance. The only difference is that the present movement started in the churches, whereas in Germany it started on the streets. Big deal!
Of course the Corporate Owned Press opposes Bernie, they are tethered to Wall Street. The other night after NH results were being announced Chris Matthews became unhinged, implying Sanders’ rather tame version of democratic socialism could lead to public executions, like Castro.
HA, HA, all I could think about during Chris Matthew’s rant was some body call Animal Control this fellow needs to be darted with a tranquilizer. At one point Matthew’s seems to Check Yourself, before You Wreck Yourself, then with the approving silence of the other panelists, he wrecked himself. His visceral hatred of Bernie Sanders was revealed.
With Biden taking on water and the Corporate Powers in the DNC realizing Mayor Wine Cellar has no chance to defeat The Trumpet, Klobuchar is now being pushed forward to stop Bernie if that fails add Bloomberg. Bloomberg, who through some mystical, magic had the rules changed by the DNC so he could participate in the debate.
So the Democratic Party of Main Street the Party of the Working Class changes the rules so the Billionaire Bloomberg can participate in the debates. Must be the Money.
Opposition research dossier on Bernie?? No doubt, you think the GOP does not have dossiers on Amy, Biden, Mayor Wine Cellar and Warren. If the opposition research on Sanders is two feet thick, the opposition research dossier on The Trumpet should stretch to the moon.
One other point on Bernie in 2016 vs 2020 in NH he faced only one real opponent then, who underestimated him.
We’re dealing with a new strain of what has been called “the Hitler Virus.” It’s a virus of the mind. Like treating any other virus, you have to first discover the location of “Ground Zero.”
Just a little hint: It’s somewhere in the confines of Dallas County, Texas, U.S.A.
Reference: The Political Epidemiology Institute at http://www.StrategicPower.org.
Like most Democrats, I will vote for Ronald McDonald if he is our candidate, but we are in selection mode at the moment, and I disagree with some of my fellow contributors to this blog on just who it is we should select. My choice is a progressive without Bernie’s baggage, a woman whose only political sin was that she was a Republican as a young adult, but like Sheila, she saw the light and became a progressive Democrat. Her name is Elizabeth Warren. She has plans and plans to fund her plans (including a wealth tax approved by Piketty and Stiglitz) that will work for the betterment of all and their progeny, and as the world’s foremost expert on bankruptcy (expertise badly needed with Trump’s spending us into financial oblivion), she is my choice. So she’s a woman? So are a majority of the electorate, and I am not into government by chromosome. Further, I would be for her even if I somehow knew she would lose the nomination, and why? Because those who lose may have influenced the winner in ways we cannot yet know as the brawl with Trump matures via progressive arguments for change as opposed to Trump’s Bronze Age/Wall Street rebuttals are unmasked for what they are. I am sending her another check today.
Monotonous,
“Of course the Corporate Owned Press opposes Bernie, they are tethered to Wall Street.
You are absolutely right, but so are those who understand that he doesn’t have ” a chance in hell of winning.”
To repeat myself again. “You don’t defeat FASCISM at the ballot box.”
Couple things, respectfully.
Kurt, who Jeffrey cites, deals in wild histrionics among other characteristics that invalidate him as a serious person, and at the very least, he should be cited with a healthy dose of skepticism
Ideology is a matter of perspective: Pete’s donor-based triangulation to attack M4A, positions on campaign finance, and his pitch for austerity (which we know is in part responsible for creating an environment in which Trump and fascists around the world won) are defining neoliberal characteristics, not even left of center
This will surely be unpopular, and I am for the most part blue no matter who (with the likely exception of Bloomberg), but since we’re talking about records, let’s not forget about the devastating human toll as a result of the democratic party’s policies or lack thereof on war, environment, and poverty? I say this because I’m concerned that, just like in 2016, folks are again understating people’s fatigue of both parties, and that asking voters to trust the message of “vote blue no matter who” — without reconciling with our own abject failures while simultaneously attacking the candidate whose policies are wildly popular because they would actually make a difference in people’s lives — is what will truly depress turnout. This is the DNC’s election to lose, not Bernie’s
Gerald,
“My choice is a progressive without Bernie’s baggage, a woman whose only political sin was that she was a Republican as a young adult, but like Sheila, she saw the light and became a progressive Democrat. Her name is Elizabeth Warren.”
I agree with you, she would make the best candidate. But the system isn’t going to allow it. So at best, she’s only a FANTASY candidate.
Our only chance is to wake up to the political realities before it is too late. The Germans didn’t and it appears that we won’t either.
Professor Albert Einstein said, “You don’t fight Fascism with Democracy.” Is there anyone on this blog who thinks he or she is smarter than Professor Einstein, please speak-up before it is too late.
Derek,
“This is the DNC’s election to lose, not Bernie’s”
You’re absolutely right, it’s not Sanders but the DNC. They still have the smell from the days of Robert Strauss and Triangulation.
It’s clear that the advantage Trumpublicans have in any election is their willingness to blantently lie in any way beneficial to the cause of power for them. The power of corruption. The corruption of power.
This is the recipe from which all tyranny is created. What’s new here in the US is the effectiveness of social/entertainment media advertising/fake news/propaganda/brainwashing in training voters who are desperate for power to overlook the corruption that nobody even bothers to obscure anymore.
Marv – Fantasy candidates can be elected. Note the present occupant of the Oval Office. Lincoln, a new ex-Whig Republican who wound up winning only three out of eleven elections, was a fantasy candidate at one point in his career. We had a peanut farmer who was at one point a fantasy candidate. There will be the usual caveman political retorts to the election of a (horrors!) woman but I think her sex could also attract an unexpected bump in independent and Republican women who are in search of a Merkel or even a Thatcher. Enough to offset the male bias? I don’t know and don’t (philosophically) care since chromosome count and governing ability have nothing in common. So why not lead with our brilliant, feisty, progressive and virtually baggage-less Ace?
Rush lead the several decade insensitivity to lying training of those desperate for power by making up, with lies, offenses of various groups who stood democratically in the way of power. The blame game. He defined any information counter to his lies as lies by them. More blame game.
That led to to inevitable conclusion that any opposition lies so lying to push them out of the way is just street smart.
The rest is history and now Rush is ipso facto President.
Why isn’t anyone discussing Amy Klobuchar? Has anyone bothered to listen to her? She has sound ideas and programs. She also is a “steely-eyed missile (wo)man” when it comes to debates and anyone trying to intimidate her. She’s a LOT tougher than her outward appearance might suggest. Look at her Senate record. Look at the elections she’s won and how she won them.
Fantasy candidate? Nope. She’s the perfect choice, in my opinion, after the train wreck now in office.
Vernon,
You’re right. Klobuchar is the only one who makes any sense at all, at this point.
What makes the most sense to me is blue no matter who but Amy K would be a great choice. She has one leg in the old world which is what is going away whether or not anyone is comfortable with that, and the other leg in the new world that will replace it. She combines practical with evidence driven and honors the creators of all wealth, those who go to work every day, over the collectors of it. She would bring back the honor those of us who have experience on the other side of our borders have so greatly missed under Agent Orange and his crime family.
You know, Marv hits the nail on the head, and I definitely believe that at present, we really are at the point of no return.
Not only do I remember people talking about the demise of the GOP, but also when the older generation dies off, so will all of the bigotry, LOL, not quite!
With the surge in racial and ethnic bullying in diversified school districts, this lets you know that the youngest generation is being indoctrinated into a racist culture that has to be learned from someone.
During the time before the Nazi party grasped complete control over Germany, they were spewing their hatred and their perceived superiority. What ended up happening, is the mob mentality of following the leader. The leader reflects the population, or more than likely the population reflects the leader. After it was all said and done in Germany, the Germans complained that they were misled, when in actuality, they followed.
There is not one shred of difference between then and now, and if anybody does not believe that, just pull your head out of the sand and take a good whiff. The youngest of generations have already been corrupted, there is no erasing that fact, there are no redos, we have enabled racism, bigotry, and segregation, along with all of the demeaning properties that go with it, for another generational cycle which, I’m talking about not just a few years but many decades.
With the POTUS being unleashed, he is going full speed ahead with what he was doing before, quid pro quo in New York, just as was feared. It’s just sad and unfortunate, not only were the children corrupted, but the entire Senate followed the leader, they took on the Personna of a demented fascist sociopath. A microcosm of this is the evolution of Lindsey Graham, when he was following John McCain, he was a compassionate and thoughtful person that showed respect for the most part, now he’s just like a POTUS minni me. Now expand that across the spectrum, the population takes on the Personna of its leader!
You put in words my concerns, point by point. I really like Sanders. However, I do not think he would win against Trump for all the reasons you gave. Living here in the Midwest, we understand that many will never vote for a “socialist.” He has too many liabilities that WILL be exploited by the Trump regime and he is failing to enthuse new voters this time around.
Vernon – I agree regarding Amy Klobuchar. Hopefully, she will keep up her momentum.
John S.
“You know, Marv hits the nail on the head, and I definitely believe that at present, we really are at the point of no return.”
We sure see things eye to eye.
A good reason would be that my father was the best basketball player and, maybe, the best all-around [whites only] athlete of his generation. Being in that position, he could see most clearly the injustice that was occurring all around him to the African-American community in the late ’20s and ’30s.
That led him to stand-up in the early ’60s and break the longstanding color barrier in college football in the Deep South. No doubt my father had many faults, but he stood tall at an important moment in our political history when it really counted.
Sen. Klobochar lost me during the Kavanaugh confirmation hearing when she failed to respond to his personal attack on her, questioning her about “beers” when he knew good and well that her father was an alcoholic. She was almost dazed when he questioned her. If that exchange was indicative of her ability to handle attacks of any kind, personal or otherwise, I was not impressed. I doubt that Harris would have handled such questions so passively. All she had to do was firmly call him back to the questions put to him, not her.
I, too, am a “vote blue no matter who”. The smears from the right will be filled with vitriol and exaggerations. Statements made decades ago do not account for changes of perspective produced by years of living and acquired perspective that result. But that won’t matter to those who have no intention of doing anything ethical or fair.
ML has devolved into the nickname game used by DJT. Very off-putting and irritating as well as unnecessary to the discussion.
I read an article written by Mark Shields approximately a decade ago about Democrats that is worth consideration in this election cycle.
“Is that party spending time, energy and effort courting and welcoming converts, or is the party hunting down heretics within its ranks to banish them for lack of purity?”
I know that back in the day, Jewish Americans were the best basketball players on the planet. they were ridiculed and discriminated against getting into the professional basketball association. And if it wasn’t for the Jewish help, African Americans would not have been playing basketball in the professional ranks, at least not for a very long time.
The sad thing about all of this, when folks make an assumption, that the playing field is becoming level, you get slapped back into reality!
The great African civilizations of the world were decimated by warfare and interference in their form of government, monarchies and such, the Nubian kingdom of kush and the Carthage empire that rivaled Rome were the most well-known examples.
Jealousy and fear of those kingdoms superiority drove the eurasians to combine forces to destroy these civilizations.
after the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 CE, the Jews became a people’s without a country. And it basically has been that way even with the inception of Israel. It was really only the Jewish peoples that could relate to the African misery worldwide, and continue to do so.
The assault on Jewish Americans and African-Americans has not reached its crescendo yet, and I fear it is going to be devastating.
The genie has been let out of the bottle, and we all know how impossible it is to stuff it back inside. So, I guess it’s one of those strap-in moments! Because it’s going to be a wild ride.
I think the dynamic will change for the democratic race Super Tuesday. Bloomberg will be all in, and I think he knows how to fight. He has experience in running NYC as Mayor, independently wealthy and a pragmatic progressive. It’s imperative to take #3 out, and Bloomberg is the strongest candidate to do that.
John S.
I’m afraid you’re going to be right. There’s no will to resist other than worthless talk. In addition, there is no attempt to understand WHY this is all happening.