Blowin’ In The Wind

Racial unrest is raising its ugly head through ugly incidents.  Afro American men lost their life at the hands of police.  Police lost their lives as the butt of individual anger by other instances.  These events occurred within a week.  My view is our history has emblazoned major discomfort and distrust among our citizens by their phenotype or by where they live.  Answers do not stand with the police, but the marching orders have to come from ordinary people and their elected officials.  The language and emotions are not common enough at present to ease us all into confidence that our most cherished freedom is secured.  Freedom from harm.

On the political front, Mr. Trump is still trying to put together a coherent campaign.  So far because of extra parties(Green/Libertarian) he remains too close in the polls to his rival Hillary Clinton.

The biggest political show of the week was FBI Comey’s assessment of Secretary Clinton’s use of her email.  He called it “extremely careless”, but there was no criminal intent, and recommended no charges be brought.  The DOJ followed suit and brought no charges against her or any of her close staff.  For her part Ms. Clinton, via an interview on PBS, continued to call it a “mistake” to have used a private system.  GOP legislators strongly disagreed and the saga will continue on 2 fronts.  The IG Department of the State Department will look more closely if classified documents were improperly handled, now that the FBI is done.  The House Oversight Committee will ask the FBI if Ms. Clinton lied under oath when she said that none of her emails were marked classified when they were sent.  They also set their sights on her lawyers.  Director Comey said they did not have authority to handle government information.  Apparently the FBI’s scope of inquiry did not include these issues with the claim they would have to be asked to proceed on those fronts.

The Convention itself is shaping up with parties, protests, and rallies.  So more to come.

Onward, Doing It Together

Across the country state, by state Bernie groups and delegates are organizing to continue our quest for social, economic, and political justice.  The Clinton and Trump campaigns are mired in calling each other out along with their surrogates.  The conversation with the American people has been set aside by both camps.  Ms. Clinton was interviewed by the FBI, and she said she “welcomed it”.  No criminal activity IMO took place, but the height of stupidity prevailed on her part, added on by former President Clinton popping in for a “friendly chat” with AG Loretta Lynch just before it happened.  Totally unnecessary optics.

In the meantime Mr. Trump puts out an ad calling Ms. Clinton corrupt, but uses a 5 pointed message box with paper money in the background.  A indignant cry from media responded with a charge of antisemitism.  Unfortunate conversation box choice, but do not think Trump was making an anti Jewish statement.  His immediate family has Jewish members and HRC practices Methodism.  Just a screwup, and the self righteous condemnation will only solidify his votes.

Many intra-state and inter-state organizations for supporting Bernie’s agenda are taking shape, and more importantly communicating with each other.  There is already some 10 states or so that have reached out to each other.

The campaign wants to make sure all delegates show up.  Being there is 80% of the battle. The Platform Committee has some turns towards our campaign, the $15/hr MW, abolishing the death penalty were accepted.  They chickened out on fracking, single payer, and the TPP.  This battle is going to be won on the streets and ballot box.  SP gets a vote in Orlando.

I have to say Ms. Clinton may have won the Democratic nomination via Party stalwarts, but winning the hearts and minds of the general public is tough going.  When 3rd parties are added in, she is either tied with Trump or within the margin of error.  Both of these candidates are widely known, and yet neither commands a majority of the vote.  There may be a win for Ms. Clinton, but it will be by much less than a majority of the potential vote.  A sad state of affairs.

 

A Revolting Predicament

Donald Trump’s crassness is making him persona non grata where it counts, the delegates who were pledged to him.  The Huffington Post reports that “dozens” who are in that situation want the rules changed to allow these delegates to vote for someone else.  They do have that power if enough of them stand up to make it so.

If this happens, chaos will reign supreme at the Republic Convention in Cleveland.  It is worth mentioning it is a week before the Democratic Convention.  In that stew of disarray, John Kasich could become the nominee since Rubio and Cruz are not particularly favorites, and the Ohio Governor is the only one who has beaten Hillary where it can do some damage, namely Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida, and possibly Virginia.

Of course this heavy conjecture on my part.  Democratic Super Delegates’ loyalty  will be tested if someone like Governor Kasich becomes the nominee.  The horse race completely changes.  Granted Mr. Kasich wears his religion on his sleeve, and had to be stopped having his beliefs imposed on his own citizens at least twice by the courts and a public referendum.  He also worked as an local executive, Lehman Brothers, up until its ignominious end.  However he has favorability with the public, and in his home state. Democratic angst is sure to be released if that situation comes up.

The background noise, mostly unproven, is voter fraud in Democratic primaries, and issues hanging over the head of the Dem frontrunner.

               

 

It’s Falling in Line for Hillary Clinton, Sort Of

Bernie only took 2 small states on June 7th, and Hillary had comfortable margins in CA and NJ.  Bernie will still carry on until the last primary, Washington DC.  However after meeting with President Obama, the Prez endorsed HRC.  Later in the same evening Elizabeth Warren also backed Hillary Clinton.  However even though firm in their endorsement, there was high praise for Bernie as having strong values and his attraction to the young and independents.  There is this lingering wish that he was 20 years younger, and a lifelong Democrat.  However he would not have been who he is.  Always ahead in his thinking, but free of influence of loyalty oaths and outside wealthy donors.

On Sunday, June 12th, the NY Times columnist satirized the hour long meeting between Elizabeth Warren and Hillary Clinton.  The thrust from Maureen Dowd, a perennial critic of the Clintons, was their alliance is more perfunctory than deep.  For the 7th time or so my comment  was picked by the Times as their “best” selection.  You can click on the link for what I said, but generally reflects the thoughts above.

Embattled Bernie

The results are in from the 6 states holding primaries yesterday, and Bernie won 2 small ones, came close in 2, and lost substantially in 2 that he was depending on, namely CA and NJ.  Even with these reversals of fortune he wants to go on, hoping mostly to bring his populist views held onto by the young of this country to the Philadelphia Convention.

Pundits, commenters go back and forth whether he should outright concede or continue. To keep his followers together, I believe, he wants to go on to bring a different direction to this country’s politics, economics, and society.  Leaving things as they are means more suffering, and lost potential for too many.  I will not criticize one way or another. There is no way of predicting what is the best road to take.

   

If the Convention vote, as I believe it will, gives HRC the nomination, Bernie should show his support by introducing her.  He will be a good citizen, and make sure Donald Trump does not become President.  For her part Ms. Clinton should recognize she needs a working relationship with Congress, and state that she needs Bernie’s help itself plus getting back a majority in the Senate.  It is time to make everyone feel like a winner. It is more likely national reform will sit with the Legislative Branch than the Presidency.  I say this looking at wrong direction numbers coupled with Congress’s poor rating in many polls.

There is one more primary, Washington DC, but other than taking note of each candidates final numbers, it will not change circumstances.

The Last Phone Bank, Not the Last Hurrah

Last night 4 of us phone banked for Bernie into NJ, and at its end came to a reality that must be faced as reasoning human beings.  Bernie will not take the nomination, but, in our view as supporters, has achieved something far greater.

A movement has organized politically to right the injustices of our time. There are many that have to worked on at 3 levels—politically, socially, and economically.  The former takes place by putting people in positions whose main purpose is to work for their communities, expanding upward to include the whole nation.  The last two categories takes coalitions of like minded citizens to push those elected and not elected to understand that together we all prosper, but will continue to fail by sticking with old ideas and entrenched traditions that no longer apply in a modern world.

Today is voting day in CA, NM, Montana, ND, SD, and NJ.  How Bernie will fare in these will certainly determine how much he gets to say at the National Democratic Convention in July.  In the meantime the media is just itching to dive into the Clinton/Trump debacle since it is a juicier media event than the struggle for human progress.  The final vote takes place in Philadelphia, not in the states voting tomorrow, since Super Delegates do not cast their votes until July at the Philadelphia Arena.

Many, mostly Hillary supporters, want Bernie to quit, and go back on his word to go all the way until the real votes are counted.  Somehow they think Secretary Clinton’s chances are being damaged by waiting another month and a half.  That is not only ridiculous, but is not what is done in a democracy.  Ms. Clinton has relied on her husband, the Democratic established elected officials, and older women’s yearning to see the first elected woman President.  Little is said of any overarching message since Ms. Clinton has been very short on producing that.

For many, questions still remain about how she has and will handle issues in office.  The Iraq War vote, Libya, support of a no fly zone, an insufficient minimum wage, draconian immigration policy, weak health insurance reform, a tendency to be a Joanny-Come-Lately on social issues, all make for an unclear future under her Administration.

A satisfactory answer for her is “the American people have evolved” therefore my position has done the same.  This is not what modern leadership entails, meaning reforms that affect the minority of our down on their luck population will have to wait.  There is no “can do” vision to see that turning arounds lives resulting in positive ripples affecting everyone.

       

Doings Mass State Convention 6/4

California et al voting takes place in 2 days.  The polls teeter back and forth.  Bernie is drawing big crowds.

 

Secretary Clinton 2 days ago put forth what she called a “foreign policy speech” basically touting what she may have accomplished as SOS, but I’m not sure how to truly evaluate it. Most of her time was spent mocking and humiliating Donald Trump using his own words, and many felt it was effective.  The Donald answered back without specifics calling her “the worst Secretary of State in our history”.  He usually gets his facts wrong, and this is another statement of his that would land in the “pants on fire” category.

However it is not clear if this full throttle strategy  without mentioning a clear message of your own changed any votes.  If she is the nominee, you can bet we’ll never get to learning just what problems we face get solved.  There will be a 6 month food fight.

Some Bernie Delegates(about a dozen) met at the Olympia Restaurant in Lowell with some intending to go on afterwards to a State Convention Host Party.  We exchanged whatever information each of us had, but what to do at the Convention was not set in stone.  The only parts were supporting petitions to change the Super Delegate role, if any, for 2020.  The noon to 4pm phone bank for Bernie at the Lowell Teachers Office was also reemphasized.  Being somewhat tired I headed home instead of going to the fete for delegates, but apparently Lesley Phillips was hard at work putting together a resolution to deal with the Super Delegates, and getting some support from that gathering.

The next day before 7:30am I shared a ride with Shirley Slack, and the driver for the day, Carolyn Whiting, to attend the State Convention at the Tsongas Center in Lowell.  We signed in, and took our seats after inspecting various information tables set out around the top of the arena’s walkway.  The 5th Middlesex, that’s us, sat in the balcony just off of stage right.

This was an Agenda Convention with changes to the bylaws needing approval, and a series of resolutions for the delegates’ approval or disapproval.  Voice votes came first, and if contested followed with a show of hands for “Ay” or “Nay”.  Fifteen speakers preceded the votes, and each called for party unity, a verbal lashing of Donald Trump, or the successes of the Party.  Steve Tolman was particularly fiery, but none compared to the explosive energy Elizabeth Warren brought to the stage.  It was a half hour pummeling of Donald Trump, deservedly so, and the multitude loved it.

Next came Charter changes that all passed, essentially making it easier for candidates to run.  A resolution endorsing Single Payer to be part of the State Platform passed, and with the added sense to bring it to the National Platform Committee for inclusion on a national level.

The piece de resistance were resolutions to “thoroughly” review the role of Super Delegates, demonstrating that many did not think the present rendition was fair.  Of the three put forward, our own Lesley Phillips’s version got huge backing.  Congratulations Lesley!

The Convention adjourned, and a quarter mile walk to hear Elizabeth Warren speak on the rise of income inequality, and its causes.  In both of her speeches there were strong Bernie echoes.  Support for Bernie’s positions were sounded out further with quotes from the press stating ““I’m a superdelegate and I don’t believe in superdelegates.  I don’t think superdelegates ought to sway the election.” She remains uncommitted.

Elizabeth’s talk concluded around 2:20 pm, and workshops followed.  I attended the  “How to mobilize the Latino Voters” session.  Most reinforced my previous knowledge, but I was not aware of the actual statistics.  It was helpful.

From there it was homeward bound, and an after Chinese dinner horizontal action.  Some fun Bernie art below:

       

 

 

 

 

 

Bernie In California

Bernie arrived at half time at the Warriors/Thunder 7th playoff game with Golden State behind.  He sat down, greeted fans, and watched.  The Globe thinks he was a good luck charm because the Warriors won.  Bernie saw it differently.  “I like come from behind victories!”, he said.  At that moment he was ending his day as the happy tireless warrior.  Down to my toes I believe anyone who hears him, and yearns for change to make a better America, can not deny his appeal.

Meantime I traveled to Arlington on Memorial Day, not for a cookout, but to shout out for Bernie via a phone bank along with 9 other supporters.  They looked like the face of this country, almost all of us the children or grandchildren of immigrants.

They are aware of what happens when we stand together to unleash the potential of this nation.  They understand when we stick together, putting our best foot foot forward, we see the progress that is only a collective political will away.

So we continue to insist on a government “of the people, by the people, and for the people”.  No matter if it borders on near extinction these day, the citizens can still rise up, and revive a “new birth of freedom”.

 

 

We Came, We Saw, We Will Conquer

A crowd of Bernie Delegates gathered at Steve Camara’s beautiful summer retreat in Westport Point overlooking the Westport River.  We met to fashion strategy to win enough delegates to result in a win of a majority of the pledged delegates in NJ, Ca, Mt, N. Da, S. Da, NM, PR, VI, and DC.

The enthusiasm to make a stand for Bernie was high.  It crystallized into a unified plan with a definite message, who to target, who to do it to, and when to do what.  It  took shape over 4 prescribed hours, with extra sessions of schmoozing among the 25+ Bernie delegates.  It got done with expert facilitating by Bruce Taub, and Leslie Phillips.

              

 

There was some ante meeting input from Maryann Rutter, and Lind Pinti:

Also there is a great article at the Huffpost today that is very relevant to this from the Exec. Director of the National Nurses United — worth the read:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rose-ann-demoro/why-bernie-sanders-still_b_10154256.html

Possible Talking Points for Why Superdelegates Should Support Sanders

(1) The polls consistently show Sanders doing much better against Trump than Hillary in the general.

(2) Bernie is the most popular candidate of the 3, lowest unfavorables of any candidate in the race — and highest favorables; also he is the most popular Senator in the senate in their own state — and his supporters are very passionate in their support which translates into turnout.

(3) Due to voter suppression laws and measures that have gone into effect since the last presidential election resulting from the Supreme court decision that gutted the Voting Rights act, we must have a huge turnout to win in November.  Bernie will inspire record turnout as he does much better among youth, progressives and independents than Clinton, does better with whites and men than Clinton, does well with women, and Hispanics and increasingly is doing better and better with African Americans as they have gotten to know him and his record of working for civil rights since his college days.

(4) Bernie doesn’t have the Clinton baggage which is considerable for both Hill and Bill. (see new IG report on what the media is starting to call “emailgate,” that is a scathing assessment of Hillary’s judgment.) This now has legs and will likely grow (with or without indictment) and the Clinton Foundation revelations are just beginning. Trump will exploit every one of them and everyday we will hear about it!  For anyone who says this is just more of the VRWC that attacks the Clintons, remind them that despite a Republican congress bent on destroying Obama, we have had two terms with no Barack or Michelle scandals.  Remember no drama Obama — it can be done and that is how it would be with Bernie and Jane.

(5) Sanders will help heal and transform America and complete the Roosevelt agenda that he enumerated in his Economic Bill of Rights at the end of his last State of the Union speech in 1944. Bernie and Jane would be Franklin and Eleanor for the 21st century.

(6) Obama was a transitional presidency, Sanders would be transformational.

(7) Sanders is the best candidate to help heal planet Earth — as he has said, for social, economic racial and environmental justice — people are praying for him around the world including Tibetan monks praying to clear obstacles in his path.

(8) And let us not forget that if anyone will know how to steal an election from our fragile election machine apparatus, it will be the Trump Thug organization — there is no way that he will allow a woman to beat him.  The best defense we have against an attempted steal is a landslide size voter turnout which will only happen with Bernie.

AND

As demonstrated by this primary campaign, Bernie captures the following groups that Hillary doesn’t:

1) first-time voters:. In the NH primary, Bernie got 72% of newly registered voters, those voting for the first time

2) young voters:  in 2016, 17% of registered voters are under 30. This is up a full 3 percentage points from 2008.  In a few more years, ONE IN FIVE VOTERS will belong to the demographic!

3) voters not enrolled in a party (so-called “independent” voters):  Bernie bested Hillary wth this group, sometimes by double-digit percentage points, and can even pull voters away from Trump among these voters.  They will MAKE OR BREAK this election.

And amalgamating the two with the discussion in Steve’s living room, here is a draft conversation with a Ma Super Delegate:

Hello “Super Delegate X”  Glad to meet you.  My name is Dr. Donald Green.  I’m a retired Family Doc.  As an Alternate Bernie Sanders I represent CD6 .  I appreciate you have taken the time to listen to me.

Like you, we Bernie supporters want a Democrat in the White House, and will definitely work hard for down the line Democrats in governor seats, along with state and federal legislators.  There is no doubt both of us also want Federal Court appointees who understand our present times when interpreting the Constitution.  This are common objectives for all Democrats.

By now you know Bernie has a winning message and record.  Voters like him, trust him, and voted for him in spite of great political odds.  No one can deny the strong attraction of his brand of presidential leadership.  I know you have seen the polls that confirm this.  He is the overwhelming preference of election day voters when he is sized up against Donald Trump.

I understand you feel differently, but Bernie’s primary and caucus victories, and especially his momentum, can not be dismissed.  He brings new life and energy to our Party.  Young people, first time voters, and most importantly Independents, all by large winning margins against other contestants.  All Democrats want and must have this broad appeal to score a victory in November.

You have extraordinary power, plus you are free to decide who should be our nominee.  The vote you cast represents thousands.  By being appointed a Super Delegate, the choice of candidate, has to foremost represent your constituency.  It is also my view that it is not nation wide, since this is a state by state appointment, and is the same way votes are tallied in the General.

As a Commonwealth citizen, my vote has been set to be cast for Bernie by proportion.  It is only logical, and quite frankly fair to expect Super Delegates to do the same.  So I’m asking you to listen to the Democratic Voting Public, and consider support for the candidate with the broadest appeal, and by present polls, has the best chance to defeat Donald Trump. That candidate, not by say so, but the people’s say so, is Senator Bernie Sanders.

Thanks again for listening.  I appreciate you have a tough job.  I wish you the wisdom to do the right thing.

STOP TALKING AND LISTEN. ONLY ANSWER QUESTIONS, NOT THEIR OBJECTIONS.  

 

 

 

Pre Convention Doings

Political life in this election season is heating up with the weather.  The Philadelphia Convention will sizzle not just with the temperature, but also with the struggle to settle on what Democrats will stand for, and who deserves to lead those policies.  It looks like the Clinton Campaign and the DNC have seen the light to the extent of adequate representation on the Platform Committee by both campaigns.

In the midst of this the Clinton Campaign is having a hard time deciding whether to continue Bernie as a “non Democrat” or welcome him strongly into the Party.  Depending on the latter, this will determine the strength of unity between the two candidates.

In the meantime Mr. Trump has revoked his pledge to self finance his run, and is approaching the usual funders of Republicans.  It seems he must show one dose of reversing himself daily.  Maybe some day someone will analyze how he has attracted followers.

In preparation for the Convention, Massachusetts Bernie Delegates will assemble in Westport to bring a unified front to Philadelphia.  Reforming the primary system and influencing the Platform to be more clear in its progressive message.  Steve Camara has generously opened his summer home for a meeting place.  So far about 20 of us have RSVP’d for the event.

Two of us started phone banking into California.  Always hard to tell how much impact you are having.  It is always worth it to say you gave it the college try.  Voting in California is semi closed, in that only Dems and No Preference voters can participate.  For Dems it is a no brainer to vote, but NP voters have to submit a separate form to vote.  We were advised it was best to register as a Democrat because at the polls a NP voter may be made provisional, and not be counted.  Always something to interfere with the vote.