Thomas Frank interviews Senator Bernie Sanders at Salon:
What I am telling you, as somebody who likes Obama and respects Obama, is that the key mistake that I believe he made, and it’s perfectly understandable, is he got into office, and he said, two years after he was in, “I’m gonna sit down and negotiate with the Republicans. I know I can’t get everything. We’ll work on some kind of compromise.” What he didn’t catch on to is that the Republicans had no intention of compromising with him and they have no intention of compromising at all. They have an agenda. It is an extreme right wing agenda backed by the Koch brothers and other billionaires, and the only way you defeat that right-wing agenda is when the American people rise up and demand real change. It can’t be done within the confines of Congress. It has to be part of a strong and active grassroots movement. Do you understand what I’m saying here?
Peter Van Buren, first published in Tomgram, "Apocalyse Now: Iraq edition":
If there is a summary lesson here, perhaps it’s that there is evidently no hole that can't be dug deeper. How could it be more obvious, after more than two decades of empty declarations of victory in Iraq, that genuine "success," however defined, is impossible? The only way to win is not to play.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg in The New Republic:
If there was one decision I would overrule, it would be Citizens United. I think the notion that we have all the democracy that money can buy strays so far from what our democracy is supposed to be.
From The SaintPetersBlog: "Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam took in $51,607 during the weeklong period, bringing his total to almost $2.67 million, reports show. Thad Hamilton, Putnam’s Democratic opponent, brought in $435 during the period, for an overall total of $20,323.
In the race for attorney general, incumbent Pam Bondi raised $10,750 Sept. 13-19, giving her an overall total of $1.91 million. Bondi spent $576,041 as of Sept. 19. Bondi faces … Democrat George Sheldon, who took in another $12,015 during the period, reporting overall contributions of $615,855."
What I am telling you, as somebody who likes Obama and respects Obama, is that the key mistake that I believe he made, and it’s perfectly understandable, is he got into office, and he said, two years after he was in, “I’m gonna sit down and negotiate with the Republicans. I know I can’t get everything. We’ll work on some kind of compromise.” What he didn’t catch on to is that the Republicans had no intention of compromising with him and they have no intention of compromising at all. They have an agenda. It is an extreme right wing agenda backed by the Koch brothers and other billionaires, and the only way you defeat that right-wing agenda is when the American people rise up and demand real change. It can’t be done within the confines of Congress. It has to be part of a strong and active grassroots movement. Do you understand what I’m saying here?
Peter Van Buren, first published in Tomgram, "Apocalyse Now: Iraq edition":
If there is a summary lesson here, perhaps it’s that there is evidently no hole that can't be dug deeper. How could it be more obvious, after more than two decades of empty declarations of victory in Iraq, that genuine "success," however defined, is impossible? The only way to win is not to play.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg in The New Republic:
If there was one decision I would overrule, it would be Citizens United. I think the notion that we have all the democracy that money can buy strays so far from what our democracy is supposed to be.
From The SaintPetersBlog: "Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam took in $51,607 during the weeklong period, bringing his total to almost $2.67 million, reports show. Thad Hamilton, Putnam’s Democratic opponent, brought in $435 during the period, for an overall total of $20,323.
In the race for attorney general, incumbent Pam Bondi raised $10,750 Sept. 13-19, giving her an overall total of $1.91 million. Bondi spent $576,041 as of Sept. 19. Bondi faces … Democrat George Sheldon, who took in another $12,015 during the period, reporting overall contributions of $615,855."
3 comments:
I think most American voters, whether Republican or Democrat, now see elected representatives and candidates for office are spending so much time raising money to compete, that governance is impossible. This nuclear arms race was put in motion, not by the Founding Fathers, but by the US Supreme Court. If Democrats maintain majority control of the US Senate, it will be the second election in a row where the brakeless campaign finance system has defeated GOP expectations. Perhaps with this evidence in hand, the GOP Congress will redress the wrongs of Citizens United. There is no aspect of governance in the United States that can be improved until corporate money is throttled back.
Several things we have learned. Huge amounts of money will not automatically win elections, voters determine who win elections, not money. The closer candidates are to their constituents, the greater their chance of winning. Some polls mean absolutely nothing and are not valid but are used to fool gullible candidates into believing they will win, thus spending even more money. There is a cottage industry that operates on election money. Massive amounts of money easily changes hands, and the services and products can be worthless and of no value. It has the feeling of some kind of scam on the contributors.
I agree with Bernie, it is time for a revolt by the people. We must stand up and demand real change. Corporate America and the 1% are out of control. Wake up America. There is only one way to regain our government by the people and for the people.
I am mad as HELL and I am not going to take it anymore ~ Howard Beale
Post a Comment