Turning Up the Heat or Feeling the Bern?

There is no doubt about it.  The Clinton Campaign, surrogates, and supporters want Bernie Sanders to go away.  Even the MSM are trying to push him out the door. They can’t wait to report on upcoming vapid nastiness between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.

There are two articles I read today, one from the Globe and another from the NY Times, attempting to push Senator Sanders off the stage.

From the Globe:

OPINON | JOHN SASSO

The values battle in the general election

From the Times:

ELECTION 2016

Sanders Isn’t Afraid to Harm Clinton’s Bid, Advisers Say

By PATRICK HEALY, YAMICHE ALCINDOR and JEREMY W. PETERS

Well it looks like all of the above will not get their wish. Bernie is staying in.

The first article suggests that Hillary Clinton has some hidden assets that have not been exposed to the public.  It was written by John Sasso whose forte is a behind the scenes character building or its opposite i.e. destroying an opponent’s reputation.  It depends on who hires him.  He has not been a rousing success with his work(Dukakis and Kerry), but Dems still hire him.  They usually do so when they think they are falling behind or have been unfairly presented by their opposition.  He has what he religiously calls a “trinity” of character traits that mark a winning candidate.  In his own words:

“The most salient variables are voter perceptions of three characteristics: a candidate’s personal political strength, voters’ trust in the depth and sincerity of the candidate’s convictions and, most importantly, whether the voters think that the candidate “cares” about people like them.”

It is always interesting language when operatives use the word “perception” instead of “possessing”.  In my mind it adds to the notion that things are made up.  He also thinks Donald Trump may be outclassing Hillary Clinton in public persona.  As a Clinton supporter himself, it is an odd way to promote someone for office.  He seems to be saying that Ms. Clinton really has these qualities, even if she hasn’t shown them for over 20 years.  This is not a winning strategy in my book.

The article from the Times is way out of context.  Bernie is talking about promoting his candidacy, and what it stands for, not trying to make it less likely if Clinton wins the Democratic nomination, she will lose the general election.  He has no such power.  Bernie also wants to reform future Democratic primaries, not this one.  There is work to be done there.

Fear has spread over the establishment and overly loyal Democratic Party members.  I know they want the race to be over, but they should heed Yogi Berra’s admonition:  “It’s not over til’ it’s over.”  They’re a bunch of nervous nellies.  If Hillary Clinton and the mainstay Democrats can’t put together an operation to defeat Donald Trump without over reliance on backhanded methods, Ms. Clinton is in trouble.  Bernie Sanders has nothing to do with it.

Feeling the Bern means being fired up with a set of proposals a candidate is making, not causing one to melt from them.  He is running for high office, and has a duty to show his disagreements with Secretary Clinton.  Her record is already widely known, his is not.  Therefore Bernie has every right and obligation to bring his considerable record to the electorate, especially where he differs from his opponent.

 

 

The Bernie Delegates Will Meet

The elected delegates either by the public or the State Committee will be meeting on May 28th.  Emails have been swirling around to organize a retreat to discuss our role at the Convention and beyond.   No agenda as yet, but political pros and organizers have swung into action.

Tonight is the Oregon and Kentucky Primaries.  The former has a ripple in that voters received ballots by mail, and get to deposit them at various locations in their city.  If you are not registered as a Democrat or new to voting, this takes a trip to the polls today.

There have been strong calls to have Bernie stop campaigning.  This is a democracy, not a country that anoints its leaders.  Besides his message should be implanted deeply into the American psyche.

Apparently there was a significant dust up at a Nevada delegate caucus where who legitimate attendees should be or not was in dispute.  It was not handled well by all sides.  Well tomorrow is another day.

 

 

 

What’s In A Name?

I participated in a conference call last night with about a hundred Bernie activists trying to organize a movement.  Its purpose is putting into action the platform that brought us all into Bernie’s campaign.  Julia Barnes, a former Bernie staffer, ran the session.  The first task was not so easy. Picking a name for the “political revolution”.

Four titles, 3 with the word “Revolution” in it, and a fourth “The New Paradigm” were turned down.

Our name should be something inviting to as many as possible.   The organization should attract voters from different backgrounds or even different political persuasions.  There is also the question if the goal is to be more of an activist think tank or perhaps some stronger political entity.

However the first order of business is that name thing.  Everyone was given the task to come up with an appropriate title for ourselves.

NEW YORK – JUNE 10: Kanye West attends Men.Style.Com’s 3rd annual Women of Fashion event at The New York Palace Hotel on June 10, 2009 in New York City. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images)

Cassian

I worked on it today.  Below are ideas from names from other organizations, Shirley Chisholm speeches, and Bernie’s ideas.

Alliance for Political Progress      Voter Power     People Progress   

Alliance for Political Rights    Government We Deserve    

Fulfill the Preamble   Rights Unlimited    Open the Door  

Winning the Future    Turn Over New Leaves     The Federation of Can Do Patriots

Federation of Can Do Citizens     Alliance To Secure Our Rights     Organize the Rage

Tan Power     Un-bought, Un-bossed Progress     A Country for All     Why Not?

Progress is Freedom from Harm     Stronger Nation     The Good Fight

Civil Disturbance     Our Land Too    Home for Patriots     Democracy for All

Alliance for the Advancement of Human Potential    Alliance for Bold Political Change

 Eating the Very First Oyster  Alliance       Can Do Nation     Coalition of Can Do Patriots

 Alliance for Progressive Voters

Do Polls Mean Anything? Plus Other Stuff.

It’s been quite a primary season along with maneuvering of candidates to send their most loyal delegates to the Convention as At Large, Pledged Officials, and Super Delegates.  I can only speak for Massachusetts, but there was heavy machinations at the Democratic State Committee meeting to elect Dems in the first 2 categories. Both national candidates had preferred delegates for the At Large seats, but the Clinton campaign only allowed those preferred to be At Large delegates. Others who had signed up to be selected were prevented from getting a vote.

On Bernie’s side others were permitted to run, but the preferential slate won.

I will be taking Amtrak to Philadelphia, signing up as a group, and sharing a hotel room with a fellow delegate.  I will be coming from my summer residence in Nantucket, but transportation is good enough to make things go smoothly. We will be staying at the Sheraton Society Hill.

Interesting poll out today  showing Bernie beats Trump in important swing states of Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Florida while Hillary’s margin is closer to Trump or loses in Ohio. Hard to know what moves Super Delegates, but it is something to think about as we march to the Convention and beyond.  It is apparent Bernie’s message resonates more strongly with the general population, while Hillary maintains strong with more traditional constituencies.

Ran phone bank number 13 last night from my home, but it was not pleasant. Either people hung up, or had their fill of many phone calls.  We were phoning voters in West Virginia.  We made it through 1 1/2 hours.

Finally, North Shore Bernie has been meeting weekly in Salem(Derby Joe’s) to fashion an ongoing movement to strengthen Bernie’s principles making them a political reality.  We are a work in progress.

 

Bernie Wins Indiana

Predicted by polls to lose by 6 to 8 points in the Hoosier State, Bernie wins by 5.  It is called too little too late, but the campaign’s influence builds to have a meaningful say at the Convention. There are some 9 more contests to go to build the case for a progressive agenda, no matter who wins.

It has been suggested that Bernie is causing Party disunity.  This usually comes from the periphery of HRC’s campaign, but it is an ugly blot on modern day politics. Some have suggested that Bernie should be isolated, and stripped of a well earned chairmanship if Dems retake the Senate.  In my view it will backfire, and put the Democratic Party in the business as usual category.  I hope this does not come to pass.  Party leaders must understand that a Party is a construct, not a person.  The platform is made, and individual candidates are supported who carry forward a platform, and convince voters to vote for it.

However we will put this aside and savor this victory. Bernie should have his day.

CNN projects Bernie Sanders as the winner of the Indiana primary.

 

 

 

Bumps On The Road

Bernie’s campaign is laying off some 200+ staff, and the media is portraying it as throwing in the towel.  Further investigation shows the opposite.  The “out of state” staff who work by phoning into other states are those being let go.  With only 10 states left to vote, concentration is changing to bolstering staff to win those primaries.  I am sure all these people understood they were “at will” employees serving a function no longer needed.  If Bernie through some new turn wins the nomination, they will be hired back.  This does not call for unhealthy speculation. Of course, those discharged with such unfortunate short notice, may feel dismayed, but, hopefully, they come to understand, this was a natural consequence of coming to an end stage of this campaign.  The idea is to finish well, and it sometimes means some painful steps.

It Started in July, 2015

Senator Bernie Sanders had announced his candidacy in May, and although I had signed on as a volunteer soon after, my efforts to get him elected had its start at a “Kickoff Party” on July, 29th(see above).

From here it was flyering, canvassing trips to NH, and phone banks. I intensified my commenting in the Globe and NY Times supporting Bernie.  Although many were tempted to use a low road to humiliate a candidate, I preferred a more positive route.

Finally I decided to become a delegate. That journey took me to emailing whoever would support my ambition, and to 18 Democratic Town Committees to ask for votes at the caucus to select Bernie delegates in Newburyport City Hall on April 9th.  The competition was fierce with 16 men running for 2 slots.  I did not make it as a full delegate, but was successful in winning as an Alternate Delegate.

On April 27th, all 8 delegates from CD6 met for dinner at Calistiri’s Restaurant in Danvers.  Greetings and information was exchanged.  I brought Asli, my daughter, who would like to be an At Large Candidate.  The selection by the State Committee takes place on May 7th.

In the meantime I’ve started thinking how to get to Philadelphia, and where I will stay.  I am also uncertain about the lay of the land in terms of where everything will take place.  Maybe I’ll find out by my next entry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Four Years Later

President Obama is winding down his eighth year in office, and history has repeated itself.  I am once more an Alternate Delegate from CD6 in Massachusetts.  Only this time there are two candidates, the one I support, Bernie Sanders, and Hillary Clinton.  My enthusiasm for Bernie Sanders is based on his stance on issues, and he has made incredible progress in bringing his message to the voting public.  In less than one year he has built a campaign staff, set up offices, and raised funds without resorting to any outside cash that has poisoned our politics for too long.

The issues:

1.  No outside money from large donors seeking non democratic influence.

2.  Single payer, Medicare For All health insurance, so your health and wallet are not at stake if you get sick.

3.  Income based on the true value of work, starting with a minimum wage of $15/hr, and true support of working people.

4.  Fight against those who wish harm to us and other nations, but no leap to regime change.

5.  Expand access to higher education, protect family income with paid family/sick leave, and remove undeserved income inequality for men and women.

6.  Tax reform so all are paying their fair share.

7.  Strengthen social rights of women, gay people, and the poor.

8.  Prison reform that reduces incarceration, and tries to help those arrested reenter civil society.

9.  Trade deals that put workers on same level worldwide with decent incomes and life necessities.

1o. Deal with Climate Change as a pressing problem to be fixed, and promote clean renewable energy sources.

 

So this is our guy who has a record of getting things done with the proper backing.  He has done this as an independent, but runs now as a Democrat to bring the kind of reform to “establishment politics” so long overlooked that it has taken on the patina of being the best we can do.  Nonsense.  Go Bernie.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Getting Back To Normal

 

 

 

The plane rides home went smoothly and was topped off by a 9 seater Cessna flight to Nantucket from Providence, RI.  Ayse had her head down the whole way but the flight was quite comfortable and with great views since we were flying low.  Back on the Island we picked up Molly, our Bischon, and unpacked and took a day or two to do nothing.  I am back commenting in the Globe and Times to counteract distorted views of the Convention and what was said.  Scott Brown in particular who chickened out of getting on stage had the nerve to misinterpret Elizabeth Warren’s message.  She advocated for a level playing field to help business not destroy it as some financial institutions have done to cause this deep recession.  If he had something to say he should have mounted the stage at his own Convention.  It was offered and he refused.  He states he supports the Romney/Ryan ticket but does not have the courage to face a national audience.  Aw stage fright.

I was excited to see C-Span has now put up its “hang out” interviews and I enjoyed reliving my Sept 6th appearance there.  Our host was Libby Casey from the C-Span staff, a real professional.  For those of you who would see what this was like, click here.

Fired Up, Ready To Go

Well if anyone thought the top billing, namely Joe Biden and Barack Obama along with their wives, were going to play a second fiddle it did not happen.  More on this below.  Since now there were only 19,000 seats instead of 70,000 entering the Time-Warner Arena took some more planning.  I started up at 4:30 pm with a small umbrella but the rain had held off.  Once inside the umbrella was put to the side and there it was to stay since on exit I just did not feel like walking a quarter mile through crowds to pick it up.  My ticket is an alternate credential and found a seat with old friends from the Reading Democratic Town Committee, Donna Corbett and David Rall now Virginia residents,  up in the balcony.  The view again was excellent.  Preliminary speeches with personal stories of people who overcame adversity or gained education with government programs.  I then received 2 surprise texts.  My wife is a non delegate was able to secure a ticket and had seated herself 2 sections away.  I went over and exchanged a happy moment.  She had come to see the President speak in the arena and lady luck made it happen.  This was only one stroke of luck.  The second text was from someone who was a delegate from the 6th CD and we arranged a rendezvous.  The idea was to exchange credentials so I could access the Convention floor.  So for 20 minutes I sat with fellow delegates in the Massachusetts section and heard Caroline Kennedy give her speech.  It is a different type of excitement to be on the floor.  My picture was taken to document I had reached VIP status, even if it was only for half an hour.  I left and paid the price of not hearing Jennifer Granholm while I tried to get back to the balcony and reverse the process of exchanging credentials.  Finally back in my seat each speaker reflected a few themes.  Government support of education, government’s role in restoring returning soldiers from war zones to civil life, and the need for community support in playing a significant part in reaching personal goals.  A personal review by Carl Lewis dramatically focused the current Republican voter ID laws as a slap in the face for those who had put their body on the line to gain voting rights.

If you want to see who spoke since it would be a long process to try and strain my memory what each said, but generally they needled Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan, spoke of broader opportunity, and the role of government in our lives.  The list and I think the speeches are available at the Convention website.  I know one thing though.  I can speak for everyone in that hall, “We’re fired up, Ready to go.”