Discussion for article #242612
“What Republican are doing is so un-American, so outrageous. It is literally beyond belief,” Sanders said. “They’re political cowards and if they can’t face a free election, they should get another job.”
That pretty much sums them up.
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Amen, Bernie! Testify!
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This was a great forum! I watched on line (NBC programming always effs with my video, so there were more than a few times everything jolted, stilted, dragged, etc.) and I was impressed with the substance and depth. Light moments, of course, but overall it was really good. Rachel Maddow did a fantastic job. Thank you, Rachel!
I must say that I would be comfortable with any of the three sitting at the desk in the Oval Office, but I my takeaway here is Martin O’Malley made me wonder if at sometime in the future he won’t be back. I don’t think this is his time but I do think he’d make a great candidate.
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Cowards.
Period.
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There really is no other word or phrase to describe the Republicans’ actions today with regards to voting rights, gerrymandering, etc. Sanders is spot-on with this observation.
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Completely agree. That’s why I stated on the other chat, that he would be great as VP. That would position him for 2024, perfectly. I suppose one thing that could prevent that is if Rubio wins GOP nomination. Then, I can see a Latino man, like one of the Castro brothers, on HRC’s ticket to counter that. But, if it’s anyone else, get O’Malley on that ticket. He would destroy the GOP VP during a debate, that’s for sure.
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It’s true. The sad thing about gerrymandering is, Democrats won’t go after it, because they want to wield that power too, when it’s there turn. Gerrymandering is the biggest con pulled on the American voter. It’s technically illegal. Yet, it’s done all the time utilizing a loop hole. It’s a scam. Do you wonder where Dennis Kucinich went? His congressional seat was just dissolved because of gerrymandering. Poof! Just like that. Gone.
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Republicans
Bernie Sanders has been fighting for voting rights since the mid-50’s.
Years before it was considered “fashionable” and the right thing to do.
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I agree that, at least to a somewhat large degree, many Democrats don’t wish to rock the boat too much on this issue so as to have it available for themselves when their turn comes around … and the pendulum almost always swings back at some point. I like how California handled it. Now an independent committee comes up with redistricting every decade. Virginia, where I currently reside, is terribly gerrymandered. We’re a long way away from some decent reform.
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I missed Martin O’Malley, but caught about half of Bernie and most of Hillary. Bernie was classic Bernie – bold and forceful. And yes, the slam on Republicans for the political cowardice inherent in vote-suppressing was definitely one of the highlights. It’s a line he’s used in his stump speech for months, and it always gets huge applause. I’d say his weakest point (In the part I watched) was in response to the question about how to defeat ISIS. He stuck to his position (which I agree with) that U.S. should not have to lead this fight, should not have to be the one putting troops on the ground, that it should be other countries in the region stepping up to doing the heavy lifting – but he doesn’t seem to have a good answer when asked well, what if those other countries don’t step up, won’t do the heavy lifting…what then? Overall though, Bernie did great.
Hillary did great too. The highlight of her portion, in my opinion, was her response to the question about police violence. A very intelligent and nuanced discussion, but also emotionally powerful. Where she struggled a bit – and how could she not – was when pressed about her Wall Street and corporate funding. She gave the same old argument that many thousands of politicians before her have made, but which nobody, including them or her, really believes – she basically said that while she agrees that all this money pouring into politics buys influence, she personally is a person of such high integrity that she is immune and can take all the money in the world and not be influenced one bit… As in the first debate, she proudly noted that when the economy was falling apart, she went up to Wall Street and told them to “cut it out.” Seriously, that’s supposed to reassure people that she’s tough enough on Wall Street? What’s next, she breaks out the “strongly worded letter” that she sent them? Leaks that she “unfriended” them on Facebook?
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It’s really amazing when you look at it from an historical basis.
The Republicans have had to cater more and more to the Birchers, Fundies and fringe nuts as the demographics have changed and continue to do so.
Then they went to state and local on these same hot button issues like abortion, guns and “values” and gerrymandered the districts.
Now they need to play the last card in the deck and outright disenfranchise voters through whatever means necessary in order to cobble together any monstrosity that might win a national.
Toss in a ridiculous propaganda channel or two and slather a boatload of money on top and still they have nothing but a scary, dysfunctional, barely cohesive party to present to the nation.
None of this can hold; it’s just desperate last gasps which is why it’s all about GOTV.
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I really liked this post.
Kudos.
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That first pic you have, with the elephant and the ID’s…From what I understand, when Texas drew up their voter restriction law, they tried to make an NRA card an acceptable voter ID card. But, a student ID would not be acceptable. Last I checked, I believe it was shut down by a US District court. Then I lost track of it. So, I’m not sure if it’s been upheld by any other court. Either way, can you believe the set of brass balls it takes to do something like that? And then, so effortlessly, they lie and say it’s to prevent voter fraud. Which was something like %.0004 in 2012. Quite the epidemic. And, if memory serves, most of the %.0004 cases were Republicans trying to commit the voter fraud! That is some James Bond villains-type sadistic there. I would be impressed if they weren’t such scumbags.
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Bernie Sanders Slams GOP On Voting Rights: 'They’re Political Cowards!'
This.
Is why, independent of polling-- (D)s must have-- and give-- voice to–
the stark differences in the two parties in advance of the General Election.
jw1
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We’re fortunate.
That it’s happening in FF (FastForward) mode-- instead of Slo-Mo over the course of 2-3 more decades.
The ®s saw this coming. And give Tom Delay credit.
The ®-pols of his ilk and era did everything they thought necessary in 2000-2006 to create a fascist state-- in advance of the irrepressible demographic shifts-- and societal and moral progresses that were sure to come.
But the neocons screwed everything up so quickly-- and irreversibly-- that Hope & Change became more than a slogan in 2007. It became a social revolution of its’ own.
Once recognized (again too late)-- ®s turned to the astroturfed Tea Party to instill fear in centrist pols-- and loosed the nutcases onto Capitol Hill.
I say we’re fortunate.
In that it all happened-- and is unravelling in a timeframe that won’t allow this fervency to become a foundation for the GOP-- but a self-cannabalizing organism that will destroy the conservative brand-- long before it can become a lasting force and do the same to liberalism.
jw1
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Political cowards —
possibly
political criminals —
DEFINITELY
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Pen me the reply HRC should have given.
If you don’t think she’s thought this through and weighed the responses?
From the voters who might be considering her candidacy versus any Republican opponent?
Because at this point she’s overwhelmingly likely to be the (D) nominee.
She’s not trying to convince you and I-- IMHO.
I feel she’s already messaging to centrists and swing voters.
I think she has a much better feel for the political landscape in this race-- than in 2007-08-- where she was blindsided by the finest political orator of our time (and that speaks volumes considering how highly I hold Bill Clinton’s communicating skillset).
She seems to be using Bernie Sanders as her twin in a binary star system-- swinging each other in tighter and tighter orbits-- to make maximum effect of their policy similarities. Bernie is in rhythm with this strategy-- again IMO-- to give voice to liberal positions that he finds important-- and pull HRC from her centrism-- toward his progessivism/socialism.
They really need one another in this campaign-- and I’m loving the symbiosis.
jw1
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I felt very strongly that it was a damn shame O’Malley isn’t 8 years younger and running in 2024. I like him more and more every time I hear from him.
On a completely shallow note, I kept thinking about that damn kilt. A man in a kilt…
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This was my favorite moment tonight. Bernie Sanders saying, “It has never occurred to me as a candidate to figure out a way to deny the vote to people because they might vote against me.” One could tell what a low opinion he has of Republicans who undermine voting rights.
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