Playinghardball
Playinghardball's JournalI just voted for...
BERNIE SANDERS!!!!
I hate the DNC and will not vote Democratic in the General if Bernie is not on the ballot...
A new report from the Daily Caller News Foundation says that Persian Gulf states and their leaders..
...donated $100 million to HIllary and Bill Clinton's controversial Clinton Family Foundation. (AP)
Scandal: A new investigation reveals that Bill and Hillary Clinton took in at least $100 million from Middle East leaders. Can such a financially and ethically compromised candidate truly function as our nation’s leader?
The investigation by the Daily Caller News Foundation has uncovered a disturbing pattern of the Clintons’ raising money for the Clinton Foundation from regimes that have checkered records on human rights and that aren’t always operating in the best interests of the U.S. By the way, the $100 million we mentioned above doesn’t appear to include another $30 million given to the Clintons by two Mideast-based foundations and four billionaire Saudis.
All told, it’s a lot of money.
“These regimes are buying access,” Patrick Poole, a national security analyst who regularly writes for PJ Media, told the DCNF. “You’ve got the Saudis. You’ve got the Kuwaitis, Oman, Qatar and the UAE (United Arab Emirates). There are massive conflicts of interest. It’s beyond comprehension.”
Well, maybe not, given that Clinton, during her four-year tenure as secretary of state, used a clearly illegal private email server which is now under investigation by the FBI. Her open e-mail system likely was hacked by Chinese, Russian and perhaps other spy agencies, say cyberespionage experts. Such negligence would seem to disqualify her from ever holding a sensitive foreign policy post in the government again.
Meanwhile, former U.S. Attorney Joseph E. diGenova told the Caller that he believes the FBI has launched a second, possibly more serious investigation into possible political corruption involving the Clinton Foundation. This is potentially explosive, given that the Clintons seem to have run their charity in a way that lines their own pockets.
The question is an open one: Did the oil-rich Mideast nations give lavishly to the Clinton Foundation in an effort to influence future U.S. policy? And what about Bill Clinton’s business partnership with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai’s authoritarian ruler, from 2003 to 2008? Clinton took away some $15 million in “guaranteed payments” from the deal, his tax records show.
A picture of extraordinary greed is emerging from both Clintons in the years after they hold the highest posts in the U.S. government.
In just the past three years, after her stint as the nation’s top diplomat, Hillary Clinton spoke to dozens of deep-pocket firms on Wall Street, typically charging $250,000 a pop to hear her wit and wisdom — despite her bitter condemnations of Wall Street during her campaign.
All told, she took in an estimated $22 million from these speeches — an extraordinary amount, given the growing consensus among foreign-policy thinkers that Clinton was one of the worst secretaries of state ever.
So why would Arab potentates and Wall Street magnates alike pony up so much money for the Clintons? Is it because they believe so strongly in the philanthropic mission of the Clinton Family Foundation? Or is it that they hoped to have influence on a future Hillary Clinton presidency, which would of course feature First Gentleman Bill Clinton?
Remember, a Hillary Clinton presidency once looked like a sure thing. Now, given the growing possibility that she could be charged for criminal negligence for putting secret material on a private server, or perhaps even be charged with corruption, Clinton has far more serious problems than just getting elected. Her biggest problem may be staying out of prison.
http://www.investors.com/politics/editorials/hillarys-latest-scandal-she-and-bill-siphoned-100-mil-from-persian-gulf-leaders/
Sanders Can Still Win the Nomination Fair and Square
In 2008, Hillary Clinton defeated then-Senator Obama by over 40 points in the West Virginia primary. But in 2016, it was Bernie Sanders who won big over Clinton.
While Clinton still leads in both pledged delegates and the popular vote, she has not been able to mathematically eliminate the popular Senator from Vermont.
Prior to winning West Virginia, Sanders needed about 66 percent of the remaining pledged delegates in order to surpass Clinton in the pledged delegate category.
The odds are slim, but if Sanders can close the delegate gap with big wins in California, Oregon and New Jersey, he could successfully make the argument that super delegates should transfer their support over to him.
Can Sanders defy the odds and predictions and catch Clinton in pledged delegates? And even if he does, will the super delegates switch sides, as they did in 2008?
What do you think?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/brian-hanley/sanders-can-still-win-the_b_9897096.html
Democratic Convention Hosted by Republican Donors, Anti-Obamacare Lobbyists
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY’S 2012 platform pledged to “curb the influence of lobbyists and special interests.” But the 2016 convention in Philadelphia will be officially hosted by lobbyists and corporate executives, a number of whom are actively working to undermine progressive policies achieved by President Barack Obama, including health care reform and net neutrality.
Some of the members of the 2016 Democratic National Convention Host Committee, whose job is to organize the logistics and events for the convention, are hardly even Democratic Party stalwarts, given that many have donated and raised thousands of dollars for Republican presidential and congressional candidates this cycle.
The composition of the 15-member Host Committee may appear out of sync with the rhetoric of Democratic presidential candidates Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton, but the reality is that the party, in the form of the Democratic National Committee, has moved decisively to embrace the lobbying industry. In October 2015, DNC chair Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., reportedly huddled with dozens of lobbyists to plan the convention in Philadelphia, and provided the influence peddlers involved with a menu of offerings in exchange for donations. In February, news reports revealed that the DNC had quietly lifted the Obama-era ban on federal lobbyist donations to the party and convention committee.
Anna Adams-Sarthou, the communications director for the Philadelphia 2016 Host Committee, wrote in an email to The Intercept that she has “no concerns” about lobbyists participating in the effort, because “the Host Committee is a nonprofit entity that does not lobby.”
The Host Committee, however, is deeply involved in planning events for the delegates, fundraising, and handling media relations, among other responsibilities.
“Our Host Committee is made up a diverse group of civic leaders that have led efforts like this in the past, many of whom were integrally involved in the bid for Philadelphia to host the convention,” Adams-Sarthou wrote.
The Host Committee’s finance chair is Daniel Hilferty. In his day job, Hilferty is CEO of Independence Blue Cross, a health insurance giant that covers nine million people. In December, Hilferty became board chairman of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association of America, a trade group that lobbies for the insurance industry, and he serves on the board of directors of America’s Health Insurance Plan’s (AHIP), the insurance industry lobbying group that spearheaded the campaign against the Affordable Care Act. Lobby registration documents show the BCBS Association is actively supporting a number of Republican bills to roll back provisions of the ACA.
In an interview conducted late last year, Hilferty said he plans to make “sure to work closely at the congressional level, with the administration, with the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, to have input” into how the ACA is implemented under the next administration.
Hilferty has also donated heavily to Republicans this cycle, giving $10,000 to Prosperity for Pennsylvania, a Super PAC supporting the reelection of Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa.; $1,000 to the PAC supporting Sen. Orin Hatch, R-Utah; $1,000 to Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C.; $2,700 to Chris Christie’s presidential campaign; $25,300 to the NRCC, a GOP committee designed to re-elect House Republicans; and $2,700 to Jeb Bush. Hilferty also gave $2,700 to Hillary Clinton’s campaign.
More here: https://theintercept.com/2016/05/11/lobbyists-dnc-2016-convention/
Wasserman Schultz’s liberal challenger set to announce $1M haul
Tim Canova, the upstart liberal who’s challenging Democratic National Committee chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz for her congressional seat, is about to become a million-dollar candidate.
Fueled by small-dollar donors who give to Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, Canova said that, by the weekend, he’ll be on pace to have raised $1 million since he officially entered the race Jan. 7.
The source of the money is a point of pride for Canova, who was criticized last month by Wasserman Schultz for getting out-of-state donations.
“We have more donations in the State of Florida than Debbie Wasserman Schultz. This is a reflection that our progressive message is spreading here in South Florida,” Canova, who first announced his cash haul on WPLG Local 10 in Miami, told POLITICO Florida via email late Tuesday.
Wasserman Schultz’s campaign couldn’t be reached.
The surprising big-dollar Democratic primary between the party leader and the liberal political newcomer has transfixed political observers in Florida and Washington, and is widely seen as a proxy fight between Sanders and Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.
For months, Wasserman Schultz has fought a rearguard action against Sanders’ backers who claim she’s using her post as DNC chair to help Clinton, a charge the congresswoman denies.
In the congressional race, the association with Clinton isn’t likely a bad thing for Wasserman Schultz. Clinton beat Sanders by about 69-30 percent in South Florida’s 23d Congressional District.
Wasserman Schultz is seen as a formidable candidate by Democratic insiders, but some are starting to believe in Canova.
More here:http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/florida/2016/05/8598873/wasserman-schultzs-liberal-challenger-set-announce-1m-haul
Bernie Selfie from Stockton, California Rally...
https://i.reddituploads.com/8d4aa5d1e105484f8e2b408e02d762a2?fit=max&h=1536&w=1536&s=e7e8a9f62b482513a1b45ef9b90adbf8The latest Quinnipiac poll is everything we've been waiting for!
Sanders beats Trump EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.Florida:
Trump 42 vs. Clinton 43 - Clinton +1
Trump 42 vs. Sanders 44 - Sanders +2
Ohio:
Trump 43 vs. Clinton 39 - Trump +4
Trump 41 vs. Sanders 43 - Sanders +2
Pennsylvania:
Trump 42 vs. Clinton 43 - Clinton +1
Trump 41 vs. Sanders 47 - Sanders +6
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/latest_polls/
KING: Democrats, now is your last chance to change your mind about Hillary Clinton
I've said it many times, but it's a huge mistake to underestimate Donald Trump's candidacy. Three brand new polls in the swing states of Florida, Ohio, and Pennsylvania only prove this very point.
Donald Trump is up in Ohio against Hillary Clinton 43-39. This is disastrous.
In Florida and Pennsylvania, Clinton is barely clinging to a 43-42 lead in both states.
So, here I am again, sounding the alarm not only for Democrats, but for every single person in this country who wants to stop Donald Trump... you must vote for Bernie Sanders.
Where Clinton was down 4 points to Trump in Ohio, Bernie is up 2.
Where Clinton was just up by 1 point in Pennsylvania, Bernie is up 6.
Where Clinton was just up by 1 point in Florida, Bernie is up 2.
These polls were just released this morning, but they aren't a statistical anomaly. Bernie beats Trump by larger margins than Hillary Clinton in virtually every state and national poll released this entire year.
Of course the Democratic establishment will urge you to ignore these polls. "They are meaningless," they will say. Don't listen to them. They will march us all the way to defeat just like the Republican Party did with the 16 candidates who got gobsmacked by Donald Trump.
These polls were just released this morning, but they aren't a statistical anomaly. Bernie beats Trump by larger margins than Hillary Clinton in virtually every state and national poll released this entire year.
Of course the Democratic establishment will urge you to ignore these polls. "They are meaningless," they will say. Don't listen to them. They will march us all the way to defeat just like the Republican Party did with the 16 candidates who got gobsmacked by Donald Trump.
Do I think it's possible for Hillary Clinton to beat Trump? Of course it's possible, but the numbers are getting worse by the day.
Bernie Sanders still has a chance. If you want to beat Trump, he's our best chance.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/king-democrats-change-mind-hillary-article-1.2631326
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