March 30, 2016

Ms, Metcalf had no obligation as a Super Delegate to support Bernie Sanders.

SUPERDELEGATE
su·per·del·e·gate
ˈso͞opərˌdeləɡət/
nounUS
plural noun: super-delegates
(in the Democratic Party) an unelected delegate who is free to support any candidate for the presidential nomination at the party's national convention.

Kim Metcalfe is not an elected official.

March 30, 2016

When asked if she'd vote for HRC she said..

This approach worked so well for Ralph Nader. What did he ever accomplish except to help Bush be appointed President in 2000, So we ended up with 9/11, the Iraq War, and so many anti-progressive Supreme Court decisions. Elections have consequences. Where was the Great Revolution? Oh sure we had Occupy Wall Street, to what end? What did they accomplish?

Where are all these lefties during the mid-terms. Change starts from the bottom up. OWS would have been better off supporting progressives and getting them elected to local and state positions as assembly people, mayors, state reps, senators and congressmen and governors. That's where you effect change. But that's hard work. If and that's a big if, Bernie gets elected, without the senate and congress working with him NOTHING WILL CHANGE. He'll get the same stonewalling Obama faced for his 8 years.

Bernie is not a compromiser, as evidenced by all the bills he voted against that were 90% laws to help "We the People" but may have had an amendment he didn't like so he voted against.

Also in all his years in congress and the senate, he's introduced a ton of legislation, but only 3 bills were ever passed, 2 were for the naming of Post offices in Vt. So he hasn't really shown an ability to build consensus.

https://www.congress.gov/member/bernard-sanders/S000033?q=%7B%22sponsorship%22%3A%22sponsored%22%7D

So Susan Sarandon can call for Revolution all she wants. Didn't happen in 2000 and won't happen in 2016.

By the way, I will vote for Bernie if he is the nominee. Hopefully he'll make good decisions in nominating Supreme Court Justices.

February 17, 2016

Primary Schedule. Just think in less than 2 weeks after Super Tuesday (March 1st)

DU will lose many, many Bernie bugs and trolls. Their work will be done here and they will have failed.

Monday, February 1
Iowa caucus (results) 52 D, 30 R Closed

Tuesday, February 9
New Hampshire (results) 32 D, 23 R Mixed

Saturday, February 20
Nevada caucus (D) 43 Closed
South Carolina (R) 50 Open

Tuesday, February 23
Nevada caucus (R) 30 Closed

Saturday, February 27
South Carolina (D) 59 Open

Tuesday, March 1
(Super Tuesday)
Alabama 60 D, 50 R Open
Alaska caucus (R) 28 Closed
American Samoa caucus (D) 10 Open
Arkansas 37 D, 40 R Open
Colorado caucus 79 D, 37 R Closed
Democrats Abroad (Vote March 1 - 8) 17
Georgia 116 D, 76 R Open
Massachusetts 116 D, 42 R Mixed
Minnesota caucus 93 D, 38 R Open
North Dakota caucus (R) 28 Closed
Oklahoma 42 D, 43 R Closed
Tennessee 76 D, 58 R Open
Texas 252 D, 155 R Open
Vermont 26 D, 16 R Open
Virginia 110 D, 49 R Open
Wyoming caucus (R) 29 Closed

Saturday, March 5
Kansas caucus 37 D, 40 R Closed
Kentucky caucus (R) 45 Closed
Louisiana 58 D, 47 R Closed
Maine caucus (R) 23 Closed
Nebraska caucus (D) 30 Closed
Sunday, March 6 Maine caucus (D) 30 Closed
Puerto Rico (R) 23 Open

Tuesday, March 8
Hawaii caucus (R) 19 Closed
Idaho (R) 32 Closed
Michigan 148 D, 59 R Open
Mississippi 41 D, 40 R Open
Democrats Abroad 17 N/A

Saturday, March 12
Guam (R convention) 9 Closed
Northern Marianas caucus (D) 11 Closed
District of Columbia caucus (R) 19 Closed

Tuesday, March 15
Florida 246 D, 99 R Closed
Illinois 182 D, 69 R Open
Missouri 84 D, 52 R Open
North Carolina 121 D, 72 R Mixed
Northern Mariana Islands caucus (R) 9 Closed
Ohio 159 D, 66 R Mixed

http://www.uspresidentialelectionnews.com/2016-presidential-primary-schedule-calendar/#8XfM5uQUwoXOfQU9.99

February 11, 2016

Clinton's position on immigration. Not sure where you're getting your information.

America needs comprehensive immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship.

Hillary will:
Enact comprehensive immigration reform to create a pathway to citizenship, keep families together, and enable millions of workers to come out of the shadows.

End family detention and close private immigrant detention centers.

Defend President Obama’s executive actions to provide deportation relief for DREAMers and parents of Americans and lawful residents, and extend those actions to additional persons with sympathetic cases if Congress refuses to act.

“We have to finally and once and for all fix our immigration system – this is a family issue, it’s an economic issue too, but it is at heart a family issue. If we claim we are for family then we have to pull together and resolve the outstanding issues around our broken immigration system. The American people support comprehensive immigration reform not just because it’s the right thing to do—and it is—but because it will strengthen families, strengthen our economy, and strengthen our country. That’s why we can’t wait any longer, we can’t wait any longer for a path to full and equal citizenship.”
HILLARY CLINTON, MAY 5, 2015

https://www.hillaryclinton.com/issues/immigration-reform/




http://correctrecord.org/hillary-clinton-and-immigration/

February 11, 2016

The Case for Hillary

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/zachary-leven/the-case-for-hillary_b_9201778.html


THE BLOG
The Case for Hillary
02/10/2016 11:13 am ET

Zachary Leven

The case for Hillary Clinton is mostly a matter of rebutting the case against her. Once that's done, you're simply left with the most qualified candidate, and someone who is, by all reality-based measures, progressive (ranked the tenth most liberal senator). And just as important, someone who is capable of achieving results (I'll conclude with the case against Sanders, and there's a very, very strong case to make against him).

We'll start with this specific example, which I think is illustrative of the sorts of attacks we see made on Hillary. It begins with this video of an interview with Elizabeth Warren that's been making its rounds on the internet, you may have seen it:

t's worth watching, but I'll summarize. Warren tells a story about the bankruptcy bill initially supported by the Clinton administration in the 1990s. Warren wrote an op-ed opposing the bill on the grounds that it offered deadbeat dads a mechanism for cheating their ex-wives out of child support, along with a few other issues.

After the op-ed was published, Hillary phoned Warren requesting a meeting. They met in private, and Warren proceeded to educate Hillary on this issue. She said that Hillary was a "quick study" and really "got it." Hillary returned to Washington, and by all accounts, single-handedly turned around the administration's support of this legislation. When the bill reached Clinton's desk, he vetoed it.

"The case for Hillary Clinton is mostly a matter of rebutting the case against her. Once that's done, you're simply left with the most qualified candidate..."
So far, this is a glowing account -- everything you would want in a leader. She's engaged, she cares deeply about protecting people, she listens, she's smart, she takes action, and gets results. It's hard to imagine a Republican doing anything like this -- actually reading a newspaper, caring what other smart people have to say, listening to those people honestly and seriously, and then taking action out of compassion and empathy for those in need of help.

The second part of the interview is where it gets quite damning. According to Warren, First Lady Clinton became Senator Clinton of New York, and then things changed. The same bankruptcy bill came through congress, and this time Hillary voted for it. When Warren is asked what changed, she replies (paraphrasing), "Hillary started receiving all this money from Wall Street, and they became her constituency." Well, that would be a very dramatic transformation, indeed.

Now if you loathe Hillary Clinton, and are mostly interested in validating that worldview, then you can stop reading. You have what you need. You can go and post that video to Facebook and talk about how corrupt and horrible she is. But if you'd like to gain a broader understanding of things, continue on.

So what happened? Did Hillary vote for this bill because she became beholden to special interests on Wall Street? What excuse does she have? Here's her explanation in her own words:

Read More at link, long but excellent OP.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/zachary-leven/the-case-for-hillary_b_9201778.html

February 11, 2016

He may truly believe in what he is postulating, and God bless him for that.

But as a 25 year member of congress and the senate, he knows deep down in his heart how difficult or impossible it will be for him to get even a fraction of what he is promising accomplished. However, if he is lighting a fire under all these young people who have jumped on his bandwagon so that they will carry forward and vote for Democrats in the mid terms, and work for reforms in the years ahead, then mazel tov ! He has performed a great service to the progressive cause even if he's not the nominee.

December 31, 2015

You hit the nail on the head. DU has been infiltrated by hired GOP disruptors.

I don't doubt there are genuine fervent Bernie supporters, probably a lot from the OWS crowd. But the hate and venom against Hillary is so over the top it can only be GOP disruptors trying to drive a wedge between true Hillary and Bernie supporters. True progressives would not try to kill one of their own even if they are not as progressive as they would like in order to bolster their nominee. In the chance (a very big chance) Hillary may be the candidate, why would any progressive/liberal want to tear down their candidate before the convention. The GOP will have a fine time trying to do that during the general election. I just hate to see individuals from our own side giving them the ammunition.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/latest_polls/

Iowa Democratic Caucus....................Gravis.................Clinton 49, Sanders 31, O'Malley 10.......Clinton +18
New Hampshire Democratic Primary...... ARG.................Sanders 43, Clinton 46, O'Malley 3.........Clinton +3
S Carolina Democratic Primary...... CBS News/YouGov......Clinton 67, Sanders 31, O'Malley 2.........Clinton +36

The good news, we've only got 2 more months to deal with it. By March 5th many major primaries elections will be concluded and a clear front runner will emerge.


Date (all 2016) State

February

Monday, February 1 Iowa caucus
Tuesday, February 9 New Hampshire
Saturday, February 20 Nevada caucus (Dem) South Carolina (GOP)
Tuesday, February 23 Nevada caucus (GOP)
Saturday, February 27 South Carolina (Dem)

March

Tuesday, March 1(Super Tuesday)
Alabama
Alaska (GOP)
Arkansas
Colorado caucuses
Georgia
Massachusetts
Minnesota caucuses
Oklahoma
Tennessee
Texas
Vermont
Virginia

Saturday, March 5
Kansas caucus,
Kentucky (GOP caucus)
Louisiana
Nebraska (Dem caucus)

http://www.uspresidentialelectionnews.com/2016-presidential-primary-schedule-calendar/#spfjP8CB9jpgw5Ap.99

March 16, 2015

Look further than your own desire to get a left wing progressive in the White House

A Republican / RW president could have a disastrous impact on our country and our ideals for the next 100 years.

If Hillary is even a little left of center, she would be immensely better for the country and our causes than a Republican / RW president. Any Supreme Court and Federal Judgeship appointments, will have a lasting impact on generations.

The last 8 justices retired or died between the ages of 70-90.

Sandra Day O'Connor retired at 75
David Souter............retired at 70
John Paul Stevens.....retired at 90
William Rehnquist.........died at 81
lewis Powell............. retired at 80
Harry Blackmun.........retired at 86
Warren Burger..........retired at 79
Thurgood Marshall.....retired at 83

It's very possible there will be 4 vacancies either through death or retirement in the next 10 years (2 remaining of Obama's term, and 8 of new president(s)). If those next 8 years after Obama are followed by a Republican, we may as well bend over and kiss our asses goodbye. I would love to have a truly progressive president in the WH, (who is it by the way?), but I am also looking at the long term. Judgeship appointments have consequences.




Thanks to http://www.thegreenpapers.com/ for the chart.

October 21, 2013

Even with personal health ins, there are deductibles.

For a person with some type of personal health insurance, even getting annual check-ups, or preventative care it was an out of pocket cost before you hit you annual deductible limit. So for some people, paying out $2500-$5000 deductible for health care is even too much. One of the many good things that the ACA provides for is "free" preventative services. Free in the sense that all network insurance providers have to cover these services without charging a deductible or co-pay. I'm not sure a lot of people know or understand this benefit of the ACA.

Americans now can receive free preventive service through their private insurance plan without additional cost sharing such as copays or deductibles.

Free preventive services

All Marketplace plans and many other plans must cover the following list of preventive services without charging you a copayment or coinsurance. This is true even if you haven’t met your yearly deductible. This applies only when these services are delivered by a network provider.

1.Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm one-time screening for men of specified ages who have ever smoked
2.Alcohol Misuse screening and counseling
3.Aspirin use to prevent cardiovascular disease for men and women of certain ages
4.Blood Pressure screening for all adults
5.Cholesterol screening for adults of certain ages or at higher risk
6.Colorectal Cancer screening for adults over 50
7.Depression screening for adults
8.Diabetes (Type 2) screening for adults with high blood pressure
9.Diet counseling for adults at higher risk for chronic disease
10.HIV screening for everyone ages 15 to 65, and other ages at increased risk
11.Immunization vaccines for adults
•Hepatitis A
•Hepatitis B
•Herpes Zoster
•Human Papillomavirus
•Influenza (Flu Shot)
•Measles, Mumps, Rubella
•Meningococcal
•Pneumococcal
•Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis
•Varicella
12.Obesity screening and counseling for all adults
13.Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) prevention counseling for adults at higher risk
14.Syphilis screening for all adults at higher risk
15.Tobacco Use screening for all adults and cessation interventions for tobacco users

Comprehensive coverage for women’s preventive care

All Marketplace health plans and many other plans must cover the following list of preventive services for women without charging you a copayment or coinsurance. This is true even if you haven’t met your yearly deductible.

This applies only when these services are delivered by an in-network provider.

1.Anemia screening on a routine basis for pregnant women
2.Breast Cancer Genetic Test Counseling (BRCA) for women at higher risk for breast cancer
3.Breast Cancer Mammography screenings every 1 to 2 years for women over 40
4.Breast Cancer Chemoprevention counseling for women at higher risk
5.Breastfeeding comprehensive support and counseling from trained providers, and access to breastfeeding supplies, for pregnant and nursing women
6.Cervical Cancer screening for sexually active women
7.Chlamydia Infection screening for younger women and other women at higher risk
8.Contraception: Food and Drug Administration-approved contraceptive methods, sterilization procedures, and patient education and counseling, as prescribed by a health care provider for women with reproductive capacity (not including abortifacient drugs). This does not apply to health plans sponsored by certain exempt “religious employers.”
9.Domestic and interpersonal violence screening and counseling for all women
10.Folic Acid supplements for women who may become pregnant
11.Gestational diabetes screening for women 24 to 28 weeks pregnant and those at high risk of developing gestational diabetes
12.Gonorrhea screening for all women at higher risk
13.Hepatitis B screening for pregnant women at their first prenatal visit
14.HIV screening and counseling for sexually active women
15.Human Papillomavirus (HPV) DNA Test every 3 years for women with normal cytology results who are 30 or older
16.Osteoporosis screening for women over age 60 depending on risk factors
17.Rh Incompatibility screening for all pregnant women and follow-up testing for women at higher risk
18.Sexually Transmitted Infections counseling for sexually active women
19.Syphilis screening for all pregnant women or other women at increased risk
20.Tobacco Use screening and interventions for all women, and expanded counseling for pregnant tobacco users
21.Urinary tract or other infection screening for pregnant women
22.Well-woman visits to get recommended services for women under 65

https://www.healthcare.gov/what-are-my-preventive-care-benefits/#part=1

October 19, 2013

Not just Congressional seats, there is a need to focus on State Houses and state legislatures.

A Democratic federal government can legislate all they want, but if the Repugs hold governor seats and state legislatures, they pass their own laws. Look at the outlawing of "Legal Abortion", restrictive voting laws and purging of voter lists, rejection of federal subsidies for the ACA, removing any restrictions on gun ownership. These are issues that cannot be governed from Washington, but at the local level.

The DNC needs to work with all state wide democratic committees in the red states to organize them, get strong aggressive leadership, and identify viable candidates for state positions. We may win the wars (Presidential, Congress) but we are losing the battles at the state levels.