January 11, 2020

"Trump won because he was willing to say loudly what his supporters believed deeply; because, in his disdain for what politicians are supposed to be and do, he exuded authenticity; because he was hated..."

"... by the people his base found hateful; because he had an opponent who, in the minds of his supporters, epitomized corruption and self-dealing; and because he offered radical cures for a country he diagnosed as desperately ill. Despite being the oldest man ever elected president, he seemed (to his voters) fresh, true, bold, and sorely needed. So it is, and would be, with Sanders. Depth of conviction? Check. Contempt for conventional norms? Check. Opposed by all the right people? Check. Running against a 'crooked' opponent? Check. Commitment to drastic change? Check. Like Trump, too, he isn’t so much campaigning for office as he is leading a movement. People who join movements aren’t persuaded. They’re converted. Their depth of belief is motivating and infectious."

From "Of Course Bernie Can Win/To say Sanders is unelectable is indefensible" by Bret Stephens (NYT).

I'm giving this post my "the Sanders and Trump phenomenon" tag, and now, I've got to remind myself what got me started with that. Oh! I see I used it once. It was March 14, 2016:
Trump and Sanders represent a single phenomenon, no? It's a phenomenon that Hillary and the GOP establishment have a motivation to minimize, and portraying Trump as toxic (and Sanders a nice, but unrealistic old man) is a minimization device.

220 comments:

1 – 200 of 220   Newer›   Newest»
BarrySanders20 said...

The DNC had the superdelegates and people in power cheat to stop Bernie. The RNC had neither and could not stop Trump.

alanc709 said...

You can convince yourself of anything, if you try. That doesn't make it true. Trump won because his supporters saw that Trump meant the things he said. Trump doesn't exude authenticity- he simply says what he thinks, and acts on it. Bernie says what he thinks his supporters want to hear. Trump's followers support him because his supporters like what he says.

cacimbo said...

Bernie would be hurt by his hypocrisy in a general election. He says the word "rich" with disgust, yet now he owns three homes. That would be viewed as "rich" by the 35% of Americans who rent. After a quick internet search - looks like less than 10 million households own a second home, never mind a third.

Hari said...

Sanders isn't hated by Republicans. He's hated by Democrats.

Shouting Thomas said...

Trump won because his policies were sensible.

Bernie is a Soviet/Cuban style communist.

So, no, this stuff about style doesn’t fly at all. It isn’t about style. It’s about substance.

I am appalled that there is one person who would vote for the communist.

Michael K said...

Bernie talks a better game than he lives. Where does his money come from ?

AustinRoth said...

The difference is America, despite how the Left tries to brainwash us otherwise, is still over 50% center-right. Less than 25% consider themselves Leftists.

Bernie can, and I think will, win the Democratic nomination, as those are driven by political active people. But he cannot win the general election.

Anonymous said...

"People who join movements aren’t persuaded. They’re converted. Their depth of belief is motivating and infectious."

Both Trump and Sanders have "converts", but getting the convert vote isn't enough. You need the much larger numbers of "persuaded", and I'd bet a lot more of the "persuadable" can be (and are being) persuaded by Trump than can or will be persuaded by an old commie.

(Btw, Bernie: "nice man" - lol.)

Guildofcannonballs said...

Vapid stupidity for normal minds to spin their silly hamster wheels "thinking" about.

Still, this is better than "10 Reasons Why Trump is Hitler."

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Bernie is opposed to all the right people?

He is the very embodiment of all the wrong people.
He's a old commie with a big government paycheck. A paycheck with access that has made Bernie a millionaire. That makes Bernie the ultimate hypocrite.

Bernie's old slogan was to rail against "MILLIONAIRES AND BILLIONAIRES!"
YOUTUBE (google owned) even scrubbed the "millionaire" part for him.
Bernie now only rials against the dreaded billionaire.

Kevin said...

There is a chunk of America that likes Trump’s policies but not his personality.

Are these people voting for Bernie?

Shouting Thomas said...

I’m not opposed to Sanders being hypocritical about being a communist.

I’m opposed to transforming the U.S. into Venezuela.

Curious George said...

"...and Sanders a nice, but unrealistic old man..."

He comes off as a mean, crazy old man. Hasn't he been compared to Grandpa Simpson?

Yes, yes he has https://twitter.com/saragonzalestx/status/1156388161649594368?lang=en

Bernie in a general would be a dumpster fire.

Sebastian said...

"Opposed by all the right people? Check."

Huh? Does he have Chris Wray and Gina Haspel conspiring against him?

"Running against a 'crooked' opponent? Check."

Pray tell, did Trump take $500K for a Russian speech and >$100M in Russian money for his "foundation"?

"Like Trump, too, he isn’t so much campaigning for office as he is leading a movement."

Trump won a plurality of votes in the GOP primaries. Then Republicans voted for the Republican candidate, and a few O voters switched sides in swing states. Some movement.

Hari said...

It's indefensible to say that Sanders can't win, but it was totally defesable to have said that Trump couldn't win.

Guildofcannonballs said...

"The difference is America, despite how the Left tries to brainwash us otherwise, is still over 50% center-right. Less than 25% consider themselves Leftists."

Why give proggies potential subconscious credit for being half by using the word "Left?" I don't mind "center-right" as much but using "Left" or "Leftists" leaves the, obviously unintended, association with 50% of the country as left is half and right is the other half of your metaphor.

Piss on the French and their political categories. Use prog/proggie or statist for what you used to called Left, and normal or sane for what you used to call Right, although again the main thing is just never associate statist proggies with 50% of the country so if you can't break your Right habit no big whoop.

hawkeyedjb said...

Commies only like to live in a commie system if they think they're going to be the Head Commie in Charge. Bernie will still have his three houses, comrade. The rest of the rubes are in for a great shock.

Rory said...

"...because he was hated by the people his base found hateful"

I think that this is projection. I think many of Clinton's voters were taking a perverse satisfaction out of shoving down our throats after years of being told not to. Who hated Trump before the media machine got started?

Beasts of England said...

Bernie is unelectable in the 2020 general. Bernie could win twelve states, but that’s his electoral acme. Maybe some of these ‘elite’ columnists need to leave their lefty bubbles for a few minutes.

Bob Boyd said...

Pull your head out of your ass, Bret. Wash it off. Put some pants on. Take some deep breaths.
Don't get in a rush. There's plenty of time. Turn in a slow circle. Take in your new surroundings. Better? Good.
Okay, now tell us what you see.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

ot: Democrat party and Iranian propaganda use same talking points.

Larry J said...

Bernie’s life was one of failure until he entered politics. Even then, he hasn’t accomplished much as a politician. I think most people who actually work for a living won’t agree with what Sanders is selling.

Harsh Pencil said...

First I was certain Trump couldn't get the nomination. Then I was certain he couldn't beat herself. Now, I guess I'm certain that I should never, or almost never, be certain. Of course Bernie might win. Anything can happen.

Beasts of England said...

Larry David, on the other hand, could win twenty states.

Leland said...

Trump and Sanders represent a threat to the political machines. So does Steyer, Bloomberg, and others that have our will soon drop out. The success of Trump and Sanders is that they are better than other outsiders. Once they come to the top of the others, then they face a political class that has polled poorly for favorable performance for several decades now.

RNB said...

Stupidity level: 945 millikohns.

narciso said...

There is a rough parallel with corbyn, except he was part of the trotskyite wing of a major party in labour, momentum

Charlie said...

America is not going to elect a 78 year old cranky socialist with a bad heart. They're just not.

Bob Boyd said...

What we're really voting on.

Rusty said...


Blogger Leland said...
"Trump and Sanders represent a threat to the political machines. So does Steyer, Bloomberg"
Except that every one of those except Trump want to insure thatn the graft will continue. Only Trump, intentionally or not, has interrupted the flow of graft.

Bay Area Guy said...

Does Bret Stephens have creased flannel trousers like his #NeverTrumper pal David Brooks? They really should get a room.

Bernie is a Communist, who will get thumped in the general election.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Google wants Bernie.

The biggest mega-wealthy corporation in the world - wants Bernie.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Do the Russians want Bernie? Stay tuned. If they do - watch as the Russians transform back to the good guys.

Original Mike said...

I lost all respect for Bret Stephens when he defended Eason Jordan and his charge that US troops deliberately targeted journalists. Didn't surprise me in the least when he moved to the NYT.

Leland said...

I agree Rusty.

mockturtle said...

You know what would be the sensible thing for Dems to do? Concede this presidential election. Now. Before spending any more money and annoying the public any further with their lame ads and tedious debates. They know they will get roundly defeated this year regardless of their candidate. Please, just spare everyone the charade.

tim maguire said...

In 2016, Democrats and Republicans were both facing insurgencies that they desperately tried to beat back. Ironically, it was the Republican’s failure to stop Trump that led to their win. The Democrat’s success in stopping Sanders was key to their loss.

IMO, Sanders could have beaten Trump by splitting the “none of the above” vote. But by backing Hillary, Democrats gave the entire reformist block to the Republicans and so lost.

Conservachusetts said...

Stephens is “never Trump” but he isn’t “never Socialist Sanders”

John henry said...

How can anyone call Bernie "authentic"?

He has spent his entire career as an "independent", always loud and proud about not being a member of any party.

He still, to this day, claims not to be a Democrat.

Yet he is running under their banner.

Dishonest in the extreme.

John Henry

Gabriel said...

Bernie Sanders would not have the insiders back in--he's not a Swamp Creature. But the Soros-funded and Soros-minded would flock to him, and would provide him with a lot of the people he would need to govern. The Swamp Creatures would not fight very hard against the woke and would soon fall into line.

Narayanan said...

If Bernie wins nominated does he also get keys to the cheating machine?

Will Democratic still go extra for win?

Phil 314 said...

If Sanders were the Dem nominee that would take this conservative but non-Trump voter to clearly voting for Trump. We WILL NOT and CANNOT elect a Socialist.

Fernandinande said...

Bernie Laughs!

tcrosse said...

In 2016 Bernie in the primaries and Trump in the general were the Anybody-But-Hillary candidates. Absent Hillary who knows what would have happened.

Howard said...

Bernie Sanders had his chance. He's too old to stage a comeback

Beasts of England said...

’Concede this presidential election. Now.’

I think they have, hence impeachment.

Gabriel said...

Trump was the only Republican who could have beat Hillary Clinton. Hillary Clinton was the only Democrat then who could not have beaten Trump.

The reason is that they had both been in the public eye for so long that the American public already knew who they were and the media could not define them to suit themselves, as they did with Obama and McCain.

Next election all bets are off. Both the Democrat and the Republican will probably be people most Americans have never heard of, and they will let the media tell them what to think about them. It will hinge on what kind of media we have then. Right now most Americans are tuning out the mainstream media. If they don't regain the trust of the public, Americans will continue to decide based on their own thinking.

"BRZEZINSKI: Well, I think that the dangerous, you know, edges here are that he is trying to undermine the media and trying to make up his own facts. And it could be that while unemployment and the economy worsens, he could have undermined the messaging so much that he can actually control exactly what people think. And that, that is our job."

tim maguire said...

Bernie Sanders had his chance. He's too old to stage a comeback

Agreed. Bernie’s moment has come and gone. If Trump’s health and the US economy hold up, this election will be a formality. Trump will win in a landslide, outperforming his 2016 totals in all 50 states. (I’m not predicting he’ll win all 50, just that he'll do better in all 50).

narciso said...

I think obama had the demographic element, sanders is still a white male, the money seems to be going to buttigeg, deutsche and chase,

traditionalguy said...

Bernie's Army are the ascetics who want everyone to live so frugally that they are all equal. So it's a false religion. But instead of going to their own communes to practice it, they first want to destroy all enjoyment of unbelievers by self righteously confiscating their property. And of course that requires in a Secret Police to kill any resistance and to steal everything possible. But by then Bernie will die. And it will be Obama's Cadre finishing the job.

Ergo: resisting the Presidency of Donald J.Trump is a suicidal act.

Birkel said...

The big difference:
The policies Bernie is advocating have been tried many places and many times and always fail.

narciso said...

the big money, yes he reminds of Melvin belli, in that star trek episode, but we have to see if he can swing one caucus and at least one primary before anyone gets on board,

Otto said...

All BS. It's policies, policies,policies. And you know it Ann because you never address them. You are trying to con your readers and it is not pleasant.

Ken B said...

So now he admits Hillary was a crook?

Anyone who gets the nomination has a chance to win, because the world is unpredictable. Some though would have a lesser chance. I think Warren as close to unelectable as can be. Sanders is pretty unelectable during a boom. If the economy tanks though it’s different.

gilbar said...

brat stevens said, about President Trump...
Despite being the oldest man ever elected president, he seemed (to his voters) fresh, true, bold


So... Bernie (who is FIVE FUCKING YEARS OLDER THAN THE OLDEST MAN EVER ELECTED PRESIDENT;
could seem "fresh"???

brat, put the pipe down, you're fucking wasted!

Mark said...

What is it about NeverTrumpers that in their grasping the straws of hate they say the most idiotic things?

Sometimes the actual substance and fundamental principles that the wild crazy old guys espouse matters.

Mark said...

When accused of gross liberal bias, Ted Koppel would often respond that he and ABC news necessarily could not be biased because they were criticized by both right and left.

Michael K said...

This new Peter Schweizer book should be interesting.

I wonder if he has a Bernie chapter ? "Clinton Cash" was accurate.

Beyond the Biden revelations, Profiles in Corruption also contains chapters with breaking news on top progressive luminaries, including: Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Amy Klobuchar, Kamala Harris, Sherrod Brown, Eric Garcetti, and Cory Booker.

In a statement to Axios’s Mike Allen, the author described the book as “a sweeping, detailed look at how the leading figures of progressivism have leveraged the power of their positions.” The book reportedly took a year and a half to research.


This should end Biden's campaign. We'll see. And yes, there is a Bernie chapter.

rcocean said...

How surprising. Stephens is giving us "The conservative case for Bernie Sanders". Funny how all the "conservative" never-trumpers who went stark raving mad over Trump in 2016-2017, are now just A-OK with socialist Bernie getting elected. Its almost like their "conservatism" was just a pose, a cover for supporting Big Government, open borders, globalism, and meddling in the Middle East.

rcocean said...

The establishment was A-0K with Hillary in 2016, so why not Bernie in 2020. What's the difference? Do you really think Bernie is that different from Hillary on Policy? I think the Bernie Bros would be disappointed if Bernie ever gets elected. And people who wished that Hillary was a "Moderate" would've found out differently - had she been elected in 2016.

Francisco D said...

America is not going to elect a 78 year old cranky socialist with a bad heart. They're just not.

Crazy Bernie would get 48% of the vote running as a Democrat POTUS candidate because their propaganda arm (the Media) would make him into a benevolent change agent. When you factor in precincts that vote 110% Democrat along with ballot harvesting and dead voters, he may get to 50.1%

Maybe America didn't elect Bernie, but the system did.

We should not overstate opposition with Democrat party circles. He would staff his administration with the usual hacks and crooks. That would make everyone happy. Imagine the glowing articles in the NYT and WaPo.

rcocean said...

BTW, I can't think of anyone who understands Trump voters less than Burt - Mexican-Israeli American- Stephens. The Guy who calls them "Racist" about 1000 times, and who thinks native-born Americans suck and we need 200 million more immigrant supermen.

Lewis Wetzel said...

I don't believe that Stephens has anything useful or even particularly accurate to say about the current state of American politics.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Rachel told me Trump won because Russia tricked us.

narciso said...

it's rather striking how some factions are willing entertain suicide,

narciso said...

national suicide, he's the same one note Stalinist, who the soviets might have picked if they won the cold war, well probably he would have been liquidated early, they would have picked the swimmer for continuity sake,

Sam L. said...

"From "Of Course Bernie Can Win/To say Sanders is unelectable is indefensible" by Bret Stephens (NYT)." NYT: I despise, detest, and distrust the NYT (WaPoo, too.)

narciso said...

ventura, was a mere idiot, sanders dreams of the blood tide of revolution, he's for the green nude eel too, isn't he,

Tom T. said...

The difference is that Trump offers optimism for the future, mostly cheerfully. Bernie is entirely the opposite.

narciso said...

what were ventura's results, again, you can put schwartzenegger, also in that same category,

walter said...

He would be a great commander in chief. Remember how he surrendered his lectern/podium/speaky thing.
I'm sure the economy would react positively too.
Ber-nie! Ber-nie!

Pianoman said...

The Dems better be careful. If there's any hint of using superdelegates to tip the scales in favor of Biden, they risk losing the Bernie Bros. You might find them voting for Trump, just so that they can vote AGAINST Biden in the general.

Bernie is part of the general pushback against the ruling class. Trump, Brexit, Boris ... they're all part of the same global phenomenon.

rehajm said...

Shouting Thomas said...
Trump won because his policies were sensible.


Exactly. Trump's policies help humanity. Bernie's policies are shit. To justify saying Bernie can win because he's 'authentic' ignores the fact world history has told us Bernie's policies are shit and hurt people.

rehajm said...

The Dems better be careful. If there's any hint of using superdelegates to tip the scales in favor of Biden, they risk losing the Bernie Bros. You might find them voting for Trump, just so that they can vote AGAINST Biden in the general.

This is oft posited but I doubt it happens in any meaningful numbers...

AllenS said...

Jesse Ventura (James Janos) defeated Republican Norm Coleman and Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party Hubert H. (Skip) Humphrey. Neither men were well liked. Since it was a 3 way race Ventura got the most votes. It soon became obvious that he was in over his head. Nothing but a "flash in the pan".

AllenS said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
tcrosse said...

ventura, was a mere idiot

Maybe he was, but Skip Humphrey and Norm Coleman were worse. By that time plenty of voters were sick of both the DFL and IR.

narciso said...

yes they will fold like the Chicago black sox, who is this column for?

Matt said...

I don't know about Bernie supporters but my opinion is Trump's support is less about love for him and more about hatred for the left.

narciso said...

largely so, I see him as a blunt instrument, I'm not that terribly keen on the tariff's but ir seems to have yielded results, as with other elements,

Yancey Ward said...

Sanders can't win the nomination unless Warren drops out after New Hampshire. He really does need her 20% block, and even if she did drop out, he might not get their support since I suspect a good portion of Warren's support is gender based. And if the convention is brokered, he has no chance at all unless he is in first place in the delegate count.

MountainMan said...

Stumbled onto this blog a few days ago via a link from Glenn and find this young woman’s posts on such topics to be quite thoughtful and well-written. So I will just like to link to it because I agree 100% with her commentary and will save the time of having to write exactly the same thing myself.

It is hard to believe that the Democrats could be on the verge of nominating an avowed communist as their candidate but here we are. He will never be elected president.

Maillard Reactionary said...

I'd suggest a "willing suspension of disbelief" tag for this post.

Not to spoil Bret Stephens' fun, but a key difference between Trump's and Sanders' base of support is that Trump's is made of of everyone who feels like they've been left behind and pushed around by the ruling class snobs in DC, and Sanders' consists of a few communist cranks and the ignorant and stupid who think they can get something for nothing.

The former is a very substantial plurality of the electorate everywhere except in the big cities on the coasts, and the latter is much smaller.

Even the Democrat leadership, crazy as they are, know that nominating Bernie would result in a shellacking of galactic proportions next fall. Can you imagine the Trump campaign ads? There won't be a sentient human in the country who won't see the film of Bernie pounding shots with his bolshie friends in the late lamented USSR.

I for one would love to see this contest, though it might cause my schadenboner to suffer an aneurysm.

JAORE said...

The Bernie bros won't vote for Trump if Bernie is screwed again. But they may be convinced to stay home since the game is rigged.

Beasts of England said...

The DNC convention is only six months away, with no consensus candidate. The primaries will winnow the field, but the big four aren’t making any consolidating moves. Add in the big billionaire bucks of Tom and Mike, and it gets even hairier. All to say, it’s likely to be a Number 6 Dance in Milwaukee this summer. 🍿

Bruce Hayden said...

“A lot of Trump voters in the interior states are going to watch and see in the coming months if Trump is going to be led into taking us into more and more military conflicts throughout the world, or...”

I don’t think that you are watching very carefully. The rest of the world is a calmer and more peaceful place than it was in 2016. Saudi Arabia has done a big turnaround, essentially allying with Israel and Egypt to effect regional peace, instead of exporting their version of Wahhabi martyrdom. In the Middle East, that leaves Iran as the big troublemaker, and the droning of the Quds commander, along with some of his top aids, will likely go a long way to neutering that, along with the US sanctions that greatly curtail Iran’s ability to export terrorism and sectarian strife throughout the region. Trump has shown himself to be masterful in utilizing economic weapons, instead of military ones, against our enemies. Being essentially energy independent, much due to the fracking that the left hates so much, has freed us from being subservient to Middle East oil producing countries like SA and Iran.

Michael said...

But Trump is a happy warrior, while Bernie is a grumpy old man. Cf: BoJo vs. Jeremy Corbyn.

Pianoman said...

The Dems better be careful. If there's any hint of using superdelegates to tip the scales in favor of Biden, they risk losing the Bernie Bros. You might find them voting for Trump, just so that they can vote AGAINST Biden in the general.

This is oft posited but I doubt it happens in any meaningful numbers...

@rehajm, you're probably right. There would be Rage Votes, but most of the Bernie Bros would sit on their hands. Or vote 3rd party (protest vote).

I remember when I was a young Idealist, and I thought my single vote was Soooo Meaningful, and I'll Show Them A Thing Or Two. Most of the Bernie Bros that I know fall into this mindset. In 2016 they probably tossed a lot of votes towards Jill Stein.

But my general point is: the Dems are playing with fire, and they'd be better off allowing the primary process to be a fair one. If Sanders gets the nom, then let him be the sacrificial lamb in 2020 ... and then the Dems could maybe start the process of wresting back control of their party by kicking out the Leftists. Start with AOC.

donald said...

Sally Kohn! What the hell ever happened to her? Quick search...Not A whole helluva lot.

rehajm said...

But my general point is: the Dems are playing with fire, and they'd be better off allowing the primary process to be a fair one. If Sanders gets the nom, then let him be the sacrificial lamb in 2020

Hell, he might win. I've sworn off the primary process. There was that Republican pundit who blatantly proclaimed the primary process as a useless way for the electorate to feel engaged. I haven't found a reason to not believe him...

Paco Wové said...

"Remember how he surrendered his lectern/podium/speaky thing."

Yes, that was my personal favorite Bernie moment. Were he president, America would be a pushover for any enemy with enough Sassy Black Women.

SDaly said...

*Trump* is not the real object of the left's hatred. That hatred is, and always has been, for the type of people that vote for Trump. Hillary's "deplorables" gaffe expressed this. Trump was part of the elite club before he became the champion of the "deplorables."

Hating Trump is simply transference of the left's (and the never-Trump "conservatives'") hatred of a large segment of traditional American voters onto the guy who is standing up for that class. Conversely, those who support Trump see him as the only one willing to offer them protection against the leftist onslaught that was becoming increasingly apparent and expressly voiced by the left.

While Bernie may be authentic in his idiocy, he is in most respects just another lefties spouting economic nonsense that has led to the collapse of every country where it has been enacted. Unfortunately, that non-sense does tap into something deep in the psyche and a lot of people fall for it over and over again.

Bruce Hayden said...

I think that one big problem that Sanders faces is that overall, Trump has had a very successful Presidency so far. The economy has finally recovered from the eight year Obama recession, and we are seeing record low unemployment in almost all demographics, which is starting to drive higher wages. The message will be that voting for Sanders means unemployment, as he sacrifices the economic chances of middle America for the pot dreams of progressive wackos. The stock market has been on a tear since Trump’s election. That means that everyone’s prospective pensions are growing apace (my portfolio last year grew more than I ever made as a patent attorney). Electing Sanders would almost assuredly crash the stock market.

The post Obama boom has probably been short enough so far that most people remember the Obama malaise fairly well, and are not yet used to an economic boom. I do expect an economic crash over the next several years, simply because our economy is cyclical. Obama and the Democrats were able to extend the current cycle significantly by retarding economic growth for his term in office through their feckless, counterproductive economic policies. We are starting to see troubling signs in the economy. But I fully expect that the very likely upcoming recession can be delayed for the next ten months by the Trump Administration.

Another thing - ridiculous regulations are being rapidly rolled back. Regulations that required you to run your new dishwasher all night to approach doing the job dishwashers built a decade earlier could do in an hour. Etc. Bernie would, of course, move in the opposite direction, larding on more and more brain dead regulations, all in the name of fighting the Climate Change hoax. Worse for the country would probably be the ones aimed at destroying our new found energy independence by, for example, handcuffing fracking.

How does Sanders make the sell that we would be better off with more unemployment, lower stock prices, more invasive regulations, etc? If he actually walked the walk, instead of just talking the talk, he might have a chance. But a multimillionaire with three homes, and never a real job in private industry, who has essentially lived on the public dole as an elected official much of his adult life, who strongly sympathized with the Communist Soviet Union, etc, is going to have a hard time convincing the swing moderate voters that he would do a better job for them than Trump is doing.

Bob Boyd said...

@mountain man re; 10:55

bad link

SGT Ted said...

After the 2016 election, the few far left friends I have first blamed the DNC for shafting Bernie in the primaries. Then, they turned on the Bernie Bros for not rallying around Hitlery.

Bob Smith said...

One basic difference between Trumps supporters and Sanders.

Trump supporters say “Give me the opportunity and I’ll suppurt myself”

Sanders supporters say “Give me”

hstad said...

"...Like Trump, too, he [Sanders] isn’t so much campaigning for office as he is leading a movement..."

I can't believe this supposition? Trump led no movement, unless you count 'common sense' as a movement. Sanders, is an avowed Communist and Socialist. These are not movements, they are just a bunch of illiterate people who are anti-Capitalists. Now that's as close to a "movement" as Sanders will ever come.

Paco Wové said...

MountainMan:

Echoing what Bob Boyd says, that link you posted, which you agreed with 100%? It doesn't work.

donald said...

The whole concept of Donald Trump just whizzed right over ole Matt’s head.

AllenS said...

Yes, Bruce Hayden. However, I think that Trump has a good idea how to avoid the "very likely upcoming recession". First of all, Trump has only just started to remove those regulations which has held this country back for far too long.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

There is no doubt Bernie is part of the push back. but he's still a communist.

Wince said...

Bret Stephens said...
Opposed by all the right people? Check.

Althouse (previously) pointed out the distinction Stephens missed.

...portraying Trump as toxic (and Sanders a nice, but unrealistic old man) is a minimization device.

gilbar said...

Bruce Hayden said...
I think that one big problem that Sanders faces is that overall, Trump has had a very successful Presidency so far. The economy has finally recovered from the eight year Obama recession


have y'all heard the latest Pete ButtiEdge commercials?
He starts by saying that "people where" he's "from, don't judge the economy by the stock market; they judge it by their home." And! according to Pete,
People are lucky IF they have jobs, and
ANY 'raises' they've received haven't been enough to keep up with their health care

Democrat admakers apparently believe that that line will fly....
WHAT are they smoking?

Drago said...

Matt: "I don't know about Bernie supporters but my opinion is Trump's support is less about love for him and more about hatred for the left."

My opinion about Matt's ability to effectively analyze the current political scene is that Matt can be safely ignored.

narciso said...

one recalls the press was still harping about 'selected not elected' on September 11th, and there was some kerfluffle about bush sr, when the wall fell


https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/01/11/iran-protesters-take-streets-shooting-ukrainian-airliner/

rhhardin said...

Women's feelings vs men's analytic depth. Different movements.

MountainMan said...

Hmmm... link works just fine for me. Away right now but wii look at it again as soon as I can and re-post. Sorry.

gilbar said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
gilbar said...

Bob Smith said...
One basic difference between Trumps supporters and Sanders.
Trump supporters say “Give me the opportunity and I’ll suppurt myself”


remember 2010? remember back "funemployment" people didn't like it
I was going through my music, and i found this oldie:
I need a job
Well, I make my livin' by the sweat of my brow
Give me some work, and I'll work it out
All I need is a chance, and you will see
What I want is a J-O-B

I need a job, not a government plan
All I wanna do is work with my two hands
Gonna fire up the truck, head up to DC
Tell them S.O.B's I need a J-O-B

You were so concerned about my situation
That you packed up and went on vacation
When you were lyin' in the sand, did you think about me
Busted and broke without a J-O-B
That's right
I got a simple solution
To clear up this confusion
Fire 'em all, then they'll be
Screamin' like you and me
I need a job!



In the Immortal words, of SE Hinton; That Was THEN, This Is NOW

gadfly said...

The Sanders and Trump phenomenon begins and ends with their love for and an unbelievable lean toward Russia - but for different reasons altogether.

Sanders pants over Russia's modified version of socialism while Trump depends entirely on his interfacing with the Russian money laundry.

Milwaukie guy said...

I changed my registration from independent to Democrat so I could vote for my socialist mayor in the primary for a higher seat. So he leaves town.

I'm voting for Bernie!

Narayanan said...

Try this re: mountainman link

https://daysofsunshine.blog/author/saucysandpiper/

Browndog said...

What a crock-

Trump didn't offer "radical views" as to how to fix America.

He offered basic common sense. Not to mention a little something many try to ignore-

He was correct.

Don't try to lump Bernie and Trump together.

Bernie is a radical nutjob who's policy solutions are based on lies.

Chuck said...

I am trying to figure out if I disagree with any of this.

Yes, I have mostly contempt for Trump fans.

Yes, I have mostly contempt for Bernie fans.

And for that category of people who voted for Obama and then Trump, or the folks seen on all of those astonishing videos from 2016 saying, “Bernie is my guy but Trump is my Number 2,” contempt doesn’t quite do it. “Astonishment” is more like it. What do those people want? What are their policy preferences? What do they expect government to do, or not do? What is their basic level of understanding, of civic life and public affairs?

Francisco D said...

Sanders pants over Russia's modified version of socialism while Trump depends entirely on his interfacing with the Russian money laundry.

Any evidence to support your position, gadfly?

Or are you looking to take over for Chuckles while he recovers from his Friday night hangover?

Narayanan said...

Blogger gadfly said...

Trump depends entirely on his interfacing with the Russian money laundry.
____&&&&&+++++
Are you claiming Trump is the only one to interface

Michael K said...

Obama and the Democrats were able to extend the current cycle significantly by retarding economic growth for his term in office through their feckless, counterproductive economic policies.

Yes, we are seeing the recovery that would normally follow the 2008 panic had Obama not extended it by 8 years, At least he did not do a Roosevelt and extend it ten years.

Butkus51 said...

Kinda funny, 3 years of investigations, millions spent, hundreds if not thousands interviewed, all done by an apparently hostile FBI and nothing.............and many still believe in Santa Claus.

Its that hope thing.

Butkus51 said...

Kinda funny, 3 years of investigations, millions spent, hundreds if not thousands interviewed, all done by an apparently hostile FBI and nothing.............and many still believe in Santa Claus.

Its that hope thing.

narciso said...

there is certainly a non ideological axis, among a certain sort of Bernie supporters, who sans a proper alternative, voted for trump, the most militant are the black bloc we've seen run rampant in Berkeley, and Portland and other places,

Amadeus 48 said...

You know, Cezar Chavez won the presidency of Venezuela at least once, and apparently several times. That did nothing to improve his policies, and the wreck that you see followed.

As several people said above, the problem with Bernie is his policies, which constitute a loopy Marxism. The saving attribute of Trump is his policies, which turned the American bread machine into high gear.

There are lots of potential problems with Trump, but lots of real benefits, too. He has done a very good job in a particularly graceless way. I suppose that the analogies with Andrew Jackson are good. As I read about American history from 1800 to 1850, Jackson’s administration marked a turning point that launched the USA westward in a vital, dynamic, and brutal way (look out Native Americans!). Michigan history is marked from the beginning with the Jacksonian brand—all of the western USA represents his progeny.

The next 50 years may be the Age of Trump, but we may hit lots of bumps along the way. Jackson couldn’t spare us the Civil War. Roosevelt couldn’t spare us WWII and the Cold War. Reagan couldn’t spare us the re-emergence of Marxism. Trump has re-ignited America First.

Let’s see what happens.

Beasts of England said...

’Bernie is my guy but Trump is my Number 2’

I have to agree with you, Chuck - it’s doesn’t really compute. My only possible explanation is that they’re both viewed as outsiders.

narciso said...

it's arguable his protégé james polk, had a fair to do with the first, because of the expansion due to the Mexican War, one wonders if clay had been elected instead of polk how long would the frictions along the western frontier, and north of the 48th parallel would have held, he won because of the liberty candidate in 1844,

Drago said...

Butkus51: "Kinda funny, 3 years of investigations, millions spent, hundreds if not thousands interviewed, all done by an apparently hostile FBI and nothing.............and many still believe in Santa Claus.

Its that hope thing."

You sort of have to forgive gadfly since gadfly is clearly far far down the intelligence scale and some time back gadfly became very impressed with LLR-lefty Chuck's proud declaration that he was only here at Althouse blog to smear and lie about Trump and to drive a wedge between Althouse and her readers.

Just a couple of reasons for why LLR-lefty Chuck was banned.

So what we see now from gadfly is an even lower intellect (than Chuck's) simply doing the lying and smearing that LLR-lefty Chuck typically performs.

For instance, just in the last several days Qwinn has nailed LLR-lefty Chuck for so many lies it would make your head spin!!

Gadfly simply wants some of that Chuck-lying MoJo.

Maybe we should let them have this little respite of lies since everything else they've said in the last 4 years has gone completely ACME "KABOOM" right in their faces.....

.......or maybe we shouldn't!!

In any event, Bret Stephens has gone over the falls and he "ain't" never coming back.

Long after Trump is gone the 95% to 98% of the republican base is not going to forget who these FakeCon suck ups to the left were and their reputation and ability to impact public opinion at all will remain right about nil.

Nil.

Amadeus 48 said...

Agh! Hugo Chavez, not Cesar Chavez.

I abjectly apologize.

narciso said...

Santa Ana like a 19th century version of saddam was always going to cause trouble, but clay might have been less disposed to challenge him,

narciso said...

yes cesar was a much sharper figure, then Chavez, the wiley e coyote in a red beret (repurposed from dennis miller about saddam,) another impact of Jackson's tenure was his treasury secretary and future supreme court nominee, roger taney,

n.n said...

Science before prophecy. Market economies, not free trade nor single/central solutions (e.g. unfettered capitalism). Better deals, not deals that subordinate American and friends positions and interests. Conservation, not environmentalism. Clean, green, reliable energy solutions, not a Green blight. Self-defense, not social justice adventurism. Human rights, not reproductive rites for social and medical progress.

A veritable epiphany. Americans first. Not 1/2. Not color. Not blocs.

Clark said...

@MountainMan: Your link — https://wordpress.com/read/feeds/96480607/posts/2549297054 — redirects to this — https://wordpress.com/log-in?site=2549297054&redirect_to=%2Fread%2Ffeeds%2F96480607%2Fposts%2F2549297054.

It may work for anyone who is logged in on a Word Press account? If you want to help us find this, maybe you could copy a link from Glenn and paste it.

Ingachuck'stoothlessARM said...

is Bernie going to run as a Democrat or Independent**?
who controls the Dems?
If Bernie runs independent, will he have another heart attack?
where will all the support and $$ go then?

**or InDependsdent

exiledonmainstreet, green-eyed devil said...

Stephens thinks it's possible Bernie may win.

Stephens lives in Manhattan. That's why he thinks it's possible.

Ingachuck'stoothlessARM said...

Media/Derp state fake-news'd themselves out of the driver's seat

Trump's tweets are more accurate than the FISA applications

"Poe's Law" in full swing w/ CNN vs Babylon Bee

...Bee Best!!

exiledonmainstreet, green-eyed devil said...

Stephens thinks Bernie can win.

Stephens lives in Manhattan and works for the NY Times.

I'm sure Bernie's quite popular there.

Ingachuck'stoothlessARM said...

https://www.redstate.com/sister-toldjah/2020/01/09/babylon-bee-relentlessly-hammers-cnn-after-journalist-frets-higher-social-media-share-counts/

exhelodrvr1 said...

"I am trying to figure out if I disagree with any of this."

Haven't gotten your marching orders for the day yet?

Michael said...

You may not like Sanders, but for the majority of the under 40 crowd who see how they're screwed by debt and inflated housing prices, he offers A solution. You may not like that solution, but like Trump and the working class in 16, Sanders acknowledges legit greivences.

Jimmy said...

Sanders and his fellow communists are always angry. It is anger that results when 'they' know what is best for society. the people who resist being educated on what is best are simply scrum. Read the posts of our resident leftists. They think anyone not agreeing with them is stupid, and hopeless. or fascist or a knuckledragging white person.
socialism and communism is about creating the perfect world. People have to accept that. That certain people have to be killed, so that society as a whole can move forward.
The prefered method under Stalin was a bullet. Mao, Pol Pot, and others had their favorite method of reaching the perfect society.
In America, so far, the quest has led the left to ban free speech, promote abortion, especially among undesirables- banning the constitution.Banning everything from large soda's, dollar stores, and of course, guns.
Socialism, communism, leftist thought-always devolves into violent suppression of the natural rights of men and women.
Normal people are harrassed on the streets for wearing hats. beaten for peacefully demonstrating for the 'wrong' cause. screamed at in restaurants, airports etc. Outed and harrassed on social media. Lives ruined for being a deplorable or supporting one.

Like most normal people, I continue to enjoy my life. In America, it is still possible to do that.
But I still buy guns and ammunition, as do millions and millions of us deplorables. Because there is a point that is too far. and the old saying, 'beware the wrath of patient men' still holds true.
the left just cannot accept the fact that most of us just want to be left alone to live our lives. They just can't accept that fact, and it makes them so angry.

Bilwick said...

Anyone, including Trump, can reveal the stupidity and irrationality of Bernie's philosophy with a few simple questions. like, "Says who?" and "Can you prove that, logically?" That last one, in my experience, is almost a sure-fire State-cultist head exploder.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Some good people.

Clyde said...

If the American people are foolish enough to elect a Democrat, any Democrat, in 2020, they deserve the poverty and misery that would be coming their way. That goes double for Bernie. The Venezuelans elected Hugo Chavez, who promised them lots of free stuff and gave it to them until he ran out of other people's money. Bernie would be for America what Chavez was for Venezuela, in spades.

Clyde said...

If you like things like toilet paper, electricity, medicines and food, vote Trump and all other Republicans in 2020. If you're wondering what your pet would taste like, vote Democrat.

Clyde said...

Also, if you want to wipe your butt with worthless $100,000 bills with Barack Obama's picture on them, vote Democrat.

Clyde said...

BleachBit-and-Hammers said...



Bernie's old slogan was to rail against "MILLIONAIRES AND BILLIONAIRES!"
YOUTUBE (google owned) even scrubbed the "millionaire" part for him.
Bernie now only rials against the dreaded billionaire.


If Bernie is elected, we'll all become billionaires. The quadrillionaires will be the ones with money at that point. They have lots of billionaires in places like Venezuela and Zimbabwe.

SGT Ted said...

When Democrat win, they say it's because of their superior policies. When they lose they say it's because voters are stupid and not because their policies are proven failures.

Seeing Red said...

Via Rantburg:

New York State Senate Democrats have advanced a plan that will automatically register to vote all residents who apply for a driver’s licenses ‐ which now includes non-citizens and illegal aliens ‐ unless they "opt-out."

On Thursday, Senate Senate Democrats passed legislation that will automatically register all residents who obtain driver’s licenses through the New York Department of Motor Vehicles (DMVs). As of this year, illegal aliens are able to obtain driver’s licenses in New York, indicating that illegal aliens and non-citizens will only be excluded from the state voter rolls if they check the "opt-out" box before applying for a license.

New York Democrats pitched the legislation as an effort to "reduce the incidence of voter registration fraud and voting fraud," as well as to "prevent erroneous disfranchisement of eligible citizens, promote greater participation of eligible voters in elections..."

Drago said...

Seen elsewhere on twitter:

Democrats sue Iran for use of "Death To America" slogan for 2020 election.

Michael K said...

New York State Senate Democrats have advanced a plan that will automatically register to vote all residents who apply for a driver’s licenses

This nonsense is why we all have to get new "federal compliant" DLs to fly.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

I want people who cannot read English all over our roads. /

mockturtle said...

Per Sgt. Ted, When Democrat win, they say it's because of their superior policies. When they lose they say it's because voters are stupid and not because their policies are proven failures.

True. But I've been scratching my head trying to think of what the Democrat policies are. Other than promoting LBGTQ rights and keeping abortions legal and available, what actual policies do they have?

mockturtle said...

Impeaching Trump is obviously a goal but could hardly be defined as a policy.

MeatPopscicle1234 said...

So, from all these Warren posts, I'm beginning to detect a pattern... I think Althouse is desperately trying to find someone, anyone on the D side she can pull the lever and still maintain some remnant of a fig-leaf that her choice is a rational one...

I know its too far a bridge to hope that the events of the last 4 years might cause enough self-reflection to actually make her consider voting for Trump, but considering that if ANY Democrat is voted in as President before 2024, we can expect an immediate and extreme 180 reversal / over-correction that will make BO's tenure look tame in comparison...

At the very least, I would hope that AA could recognize that despite Trump's eccentricities and peccadilloes, he's done an amazing job as President (considering the vast array of forces against him from day 1) and that he will continue to due a good job when re-elected.

hombre said...

Bernie is a socialist. Socialism doesn’t work. Bernie is a government-made millionaire who has never worked. Trump is a private sector billionaire who has not grifted off the government. Bernie is dumb as a stump. Trump is, at the very least, clever.

One is not like the other.

Paul said...

Bernie ain't Trump... he can't hold a candle to what Trump has done in his life.

So don't try to make a socialist government apparatchik some kind of innovator. Bernie is not an innovator... he is a small fry communist.

mockturtle said...

Sanders is a career politician. This is what we don't want in the White House.

mockturtle said...

We should only elect people who have had real jobs in the real world. Preferably in the private sector.

Darkisland said...

In the past couple of days I've probably seen 5-6 stories about how the Dems are really mad with Sandy O'Casey (A/K/A AOC). There are several reasons including supporting primary challenges to incumbent dems.

The big one seems to be that she does not pay her "dues" to the party of $250,000/year. I think it is more if she gets a committee assignment. Sliding scale up from there, depending on committee and whether she would be chair. The dues are payable to the Democrat Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCS, pronounced "Dicks")

The Senate has a similar "Dues" system though I believe the amounts are higher. As far as I know, Bernie has never paid them. Nor should he, as officially "independent"

Why is nobody complaining about him on the Demmie ticket? I think they are scared shitless of the Bernie Bros. (Are there no Sanders Sisters? I never hear of them.)


John Henry

Pettifogger said...

Trump has always grated on me, but I voted for him and will do so again. That said, given that he won, I can't say that anyone can't win.

A lot of the statements above about why Bernie can't win appeal to my biases, but I'm no longer sure about such thimgs.

Qwinn said...

Democrats want to make President a guy who was kicked out of a hippie commune for being a lazy freeloader.

Seriously, how useless do you have to be for other hippies to find you intolerably useless?

And this is what the Democrats consider the cream of their crop.

It's amazing what controlling every venue of propaganda can do for your party.

Darkisland said...


Blogger Michael K said...

Yes, we are seeing the recovery that would normally follow the 2008 panic had Obama not extended it by 8 years, At least he did not do a Roosevelt and extend it ten years.

Or worse, drag us into a European war because he could not figure out anything else to try. If he could not resolve the depression at least he could get people's minds off of it.

John Henry

narciso said...




from where some of those memes proceed:

https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2020/01/the-week-in-pictures-smiting-our-enemies-edition.php

Sebastian said...

"Other than promoting LBGTQ rights and keeping abortions legal and available, what actual policies do they have?"

That may be enough for the Althouses of America. Forget the coup attempt. Forget the economy. Forget peace. Dem politics is all about the primacy of abortion.

"I think Althouse is desperately trying to find someone, anyone on the D side she can pull the lever and still maintain some remnant of a fig-leaf that her choice is a rational one"

Correct. Of course, Althouse has tremendous powers of rationalization, applied with unflinching certitude, so count on a few fig leaves appearing in the coming months. Say, something along the lines of, "we don't want chaos," or "it's important for Dems to take responsibility for x."

But it will be hard with Bernie, and a little self-humiliating with Slow Joe. So Warren (a fellow law professor! she has moved to the middle! she used to be a Republican so is no radical! -- Althouse will think of something) or Buttigieg (former military! so well spoken, so serious! neat and articulate, unlike uncouth Trump! first gay president! -- Althouse will think of something) are more promising.

Hey, Nate Silver, what are the chances Althouse will rationalize her vote on the basis of an actual set of policies to be pursued by one or the other candidate?

Crazy World said...

I was able to read your link Mountain Man, very good.

narciso said...

covers a bunch of threads,


https://www.steynonline.com/9980/the-non-power-of-love

narciso said...

without subhanda bhose fan chaikrabarti, she's lost, interesting I know the author of the breitbart piece, about Bernie, she is a Lebanese American screenwriter, who along with one other founded that support site for the huntress, a real populist, worn down by lawfare and the top men,

PaoloP said...

Seen from outside the USA, and of course my personal viewpoint, it's certainly true that both Trump and Sanders are politicians who don't belong firstly to the elite - I mean, the class (not so socially rigid in your country) of those who consider the management of power and information (culture, if you want) their "obvious" privilege and responsibility and who, consequently, see the well-being of their own class as the most important element of a good functioning society. Most Dems and GOPs have this bureau-aristocratic attitude, so common in every age.
Sanders, however, is only independent from the "system" (as they said in the 70s) because he's ideologically faithful to a vision which is even more statist than his colleagues' one - ideologues can always appeal to utopia and many liberals, evidently, have the same delusions (together with the fear to lose their privileged status).
Trump is really a phenomenon - I really think that, together with his obvious lack of finesse, he' surprisingly honest and confident in the classical American values: independence, individual freedom, personal responsibility, frankness, but also some boorishness and self-centeredness (which is not necessarily selfishness). All in all, a positive president, results are giving him credit, and sometimes he's very amusing.

narciso said...

hold my ale,

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1227124/labour-leadership-sir-keir-starmer-campaign-launch-manchester-jeremy-corbyn-manifesto

Maillard Reactionary said...

Michael re Sanders: "...Sanders acknowledges legit greivences." [sic]

Friend, those aren't "grievances", they're "choices". Nobody forced those losers to go to college and take Art History or Lesbian Street Theater instead of petroleum engineering, or applied math. Or welding, nursing, or truck driving, for that matter.

I hear that housing is pretty affordable in Texas, among other places.

Personally, I'm not interested in paying for their stupidity. They bought it, they own it.

The solution is: Shut up, make yourself useful, and get a job. Of course Bernie wouldn't think of that, he never had a job. Explain: How do you get fired from a commune? Bernie managed it.

Have a nice day.

daskol said...

Poor Brett Stephens, confusing the similarity in the phenomenon of Trump and Bernie’s elevation to a similarity in their chances to win in 2020. They both benefitted from a revulsion towards Hillary and the broader establishment. They both capitalized on the fact that neither major party had much to offer to Americans left behind bythe global economy. So yes, behind the success of each of them in 2016 is a populist wave. However Trump has been consistent with his message and plans, since really the 1980s, and has mostly followed through or visibly tried to follow through on his plans. Bernie dropped his lifelong opposition to mass immigration the moment the Dems demanded he do so, despite the fact that it’s a cornerstone of his platform, an essential aspect of his program in support of working Americans. He kowtowed to indentity politics power brokers around the same time, despite the conflict with his universalist socialist worldview. He’s sacrificed and risked nothing, not in his whole life and not in his quest for national fame and power, besides sacrificing his dignity and intellectual and moral consistency. But yeah, a lifetime backbench politico with nothing substantial on his resume besides winning office in Vermont is just like Trump. And an ideology, anger infused campaigner with an incoherent worldview is going to win because, we’ll, outsider. Stephens is not as smart as he thinks he is, and I don’t think there enough stupid Americans as he assumes.

Maillard Reactionary said...

Amadeus 48@ 1:04 PM: You will be pelted with a hail of dead grapes for this gaffe.

PaoloP said...

Of course, realpolitik figures such as the Clintons know very well that Sanders would be a disaster; unfortunately for them, their cynic embrace of postmodern radicalism has been a huge strategic error. Still not enough, but they paid for their arrogance.

Michael K said...

Phidippus, here, here.

Bernie is Mr Free Stuff with no idea how that works.

Maillard Reactionary said...

Sebastian @3:35 PM: Ouch. Harsh but true. Well stated.

Quaestor said...

4-dimensional check in Tehran tonight.

Michael K said...

Or worse, drag us into a European war because he could not figure out anything else to try.

I think he was Europhilic because he rode bicycles there as a boy. Excellent reason to go to war.

Wilson, on the other hand, had no reason at all.

Bob Smith said...

Donald Trump won because all over this country there are guys like me who had some guy from the public sector come in my business with their hand out. The customs inspector who wonders if your product is on sale “at the factory” . With a discount. Or the environmental guy who while overseeing removal of 120 sq feet of asbestos linoleum tile asks straight out for free stuff. It’s a long way from being about the Biden’s and Clinton’s and their high dollar grift.

donald said...

Chuck has contempt. And a vagina.

Jimmy said...

@bob smith . Very true. all of it. but you left out the part where the legal 'profession' aids and abets this corrupt process. The greed and corruption of the legal system is common knowledge among contractors, workers, and developers. incompetence and corruption in county and city and state governments has become common place. ditto for lawyers and judges. Both 'professions' are majority Democrat. Gosh, how surprising.

Maillard Reactionary said...

Sebastian: "Hey, Nate Silver, what are the chances Althouse will rationalize her vote on the basis of an actual set of policies to be pursued by one or the other candidate? "

No problem! He'll use science on it.

Prepare to be impressed.

Amadeus 48 said...

One observation about Althouse is that she thinks that we should focus on who we vote for much more more than we focus on who she votes for, and she provides an excellent forum for discussion to that end.

By the time we get to election day, all of the Dem candidates will have worn out their welcomes. Why? Because, as Althouse concluded about Trump in 2016, they are simply too weird. I project that Althouse herself will conclude that and either vote for Trump or sit it out. She says she hates the idea of sitting it out and will almost always vote for one of the two main candidates. There is a 66% chance that she votes for Trump.

Does anyone really think that Trump is weirder than Biden, Bloomberg, Warren, Sanders, Buttafuoco or whatever his name is, or any other candidate? What about Hillary? Nah. She has become REALLY weird. What about Michelle O? Never. Ask yourself whether Michelle O wants to leave her gilded and glamorous Hollywood life to deal with Congress. Never. She doesn’t like any of them.

Nope, the Dems are just too weird. Trump wins easily.

RBE said...

If the Democratic Party had nominated Hillary instead of Obama, she could have been a two term President while Obama, as VP, was waiting in the wings. Obama would now be President looking forward to a second term. Those of us who "woke up", got wise and fighting mad about the corruption of the DC and global swamp, R and D progressives and more during Obama's 2 terms would never have had the chance to see the light because the Clinton machine would have had the power to squash any controversy from coming to light. Thank God for the Democrats being greedy and running Obama instead of Hillary. The "Deplorables" who voted for Trump are the resistance against the destruction of the country. Trump has pulled back the curtain to reveal more corruption than I thought possible. I didn't think the Democrats in power could be any more vile but their behavior toward the killing of the terrorist proved me wrong!

Gk1 said...

Bernie had his chance and blew it. I can't imagine him getting to 48% without some cynical VP choice that liberals can get excited about voting for since it's doubtful Bernie would make it through his first term without having another heart attack.

You have to admit the fabled "smoke filled room" did a good job shitcanning Henry Wallace and choosing Truman since everyone knew FDR was at death's door. The dems would be better off going back to that system if they could.

Quaestor said...

Wilson, on the other hand, had no reason at all.

I disagree. The Zimmermann Telegram was stronger provocation for war than whatever triggered Russian mobilization in 1914. (There is still no consensus on the proximate cause of Tsar Nicholas' decision.)

A counterfactual history of the Great War without America joining the belligerents is of course purely conjectural, however, the strategic objective of the Operation Michael offensive (21 March to 5 April 1918) was to break the Entente before American troops could effectively intervene. The resultant wastage of resources and manpower left Imperial Germany with very little to resist the reinvigorated Entente. Assuming the United States remained neutral in 1918 the motivation for the expensive and futile Michael attack would have not existed. Given the robust nature of their fortifications in Belgium and the reserves of men and supplies not expended in the spring, it is quite likely that the German Empire could have held out until being toppled by a violent Communist revolution and influenza in the following winter.

BUMBLE BEE said...

Bernie is an unaccomplished swamp slug, but just a few fathoms deeper lurks Hillary. I'm seeing new Hillary bumper stickers around town. She moght just try it again. I shudder to think of what lies ahead for the children.

Ingachuck'stoothlessARM said...

She moght just try it again. I shudder to think of what lies ahead for the children.

...why do you think she always carries hot sauce in her purse?

Drago said...

The Iranians have just arrested the British Ambassador to Iran. An act of war comparable to attacking and invading an embassy.

If we are following the pattern established by the dems/left/LLR-left after the Iranian shootdown of a civilian airliner while not under attack by the US, then we are just 15 minutes away or so from democrats/LLR's adding that to the list impeachable offenses against Trump and the lefty media demanding Trump release the Ambassador from custody.

Iman said...

How much is that mullah on the lamppost?
The one with the scraggly beard
How much is that mullah on the lamppost?
The one that the Post called revered

narciso said...

she couldn't get nominated in the first place, suleimani orchestrated a similar stunt back in 2011, in Tehran,

MikeR said...

There is a slight difference between them. Trump has basically governed as a conservative. Sanders would basically govern as a communist.
The economy has done well under Trump. Sanders would literally wreck it.
Slight difference.

Skeptical Voter said...

I don't know what has happened to Bret Stephens. But these days the stuff he's peddling can usually be described by his initials. "B. S."

narciso said...

it's something in the water cooler, I don't think they drink from the same one, but still,

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

The idea of Mullahs controlling nations in this modern era is so freaking sad.

Die Mullahs die.

narciso said...

they don't really it's the revolutionary guard, who run the corporate interests, who launder the money through foreign banks, that they get from drug importation into Europe, remember operation Cassandra, the new guy is the head of disbursements, to the zahraa brigade in Africa, suleimani was more on the acquisitions side of the deal,

narciso said...


https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7876641/French-government-offers-scrap-plan-raise-pension-age.html

narciso said...

disbursements and enforcement


https://twitter.com/MPPregent/status/1214144984049471488?s=20

Maillard Reactionary said...

donald: "Chuck has contempt. And a vagina."

Does it smell like a candle?

Greg the class traitor said...

because he had an opponent who, in the minds of his supporters, epitomized corruption and self-dealing;

No, because in the minds of every even remotely honest American, Hillary Clinton "epitomized corruption and self-dealing". And therefore a lot of people because Trump voters, to oppose her

Greg the class traitor said...

BarrySanders20 said...
The DNC had the superdelegates and people in power cheat to stop Bernie. The RNC had neither and could not stop Trump.

No. The RNC had to chose between Cruz and Trump. They expected Cruz would win the election, and remake the Party as less kabuki, and more actually conservative, if he won the nomination.

They thought Trump would lose the election if he won the nomination, and thus not threaten their phoney baloney jobs.

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=better+to+lose+with+trump+than+to+win+with+cruz&t=opera&ia=web

So they backed Trump against Cruz. And people like Rubio stayed in long after it was clear they couldn't win (i.e. post-NH), in order to split the anti-Trump vote, and keep it from Cruz.

So now, they're getting 8 years of Trump, good and hard.

Oops!

Michael K said...

Assuming the United States remained neutral in 1918 the motivation for the expensive and futile Michael attack would have not existed. Given the robust nature of their fortifications in Belgium and the reserves of men and supplies not expended in the spring, it is quite likely that the German Empire could have held out until being toppled by a violent Communist revolution and influenza in the following winter.

The British blockade plus influenza defeated Germany. I have no argument against selling the British war material but we should have stayed out of the war. England should have stayed out, too , but that is a more complex argument.

Similarly, the Polish Guarantee of Chamberlain was an insane act. The British had no way to aid Poland. The French collapsed quickly,.

Greg the class traitor said...

Blogger tim maguire said...
In 2016, Democrats and Republicans were both facing insurgencies that they desperately tried to beat back. Ironically, it was the Republican’s failure to stop Trump that led to their win. The Democrat’s success in stopping Sanders was key to their loss.


1: The GOP's problem was that it faced two insurgencies.

The first was Ted Cruz, a conservative who actually wanted to end the kabuki and govern conservatively. he actually campaigned against the gasahol subsidies in Iowa, and still won the Caucus

The second was Trump.

The Establishment decided that Cruz was the bigger threat to them, because he had a movement of people who could put into position on taking office. People who would have disrupted all the Establishment's games.

So instead we got Trump, who's been perpetually hampered by left over Democrat personnel

2: Cruz would have beaten Hillary. But, unlike Trump, I don't think he would have flipped Jacksonian Democrats to the GOP. So, long term, the GOP may be far better off with Trump having won

Would Bernie have beaten Trump in 2016? I think yes. Because it took the truly wretched Hillary Clinton to lose to him

But I don't think any of the Democrats who could have beaten Trump in 2016, have a chance in 2020. Because in 2016 a vote for Trump was mostly a "I have no hope" protest vote

Now? Now voters have actual reasons to vote for Trump. His economic policies have worked, for all the people left behind by the Democrats. Which includes a lot of people who normally vote Democrat. See chart showing that the best wage raises in the Trump economy, have gone to industries that were paying the least

The poor are getting richer, while the rich get slightly better off. It's a much better result than the Obama economy rich get richer, everyone else gets screwed.

For the Left, "no one we know supports Trump", so they're positive they're going to win. And, as a consequence, they're letting their freak flag fly, so they'll have a mandate "when they win".

When they lose, which they're going to do because the American people aren't, yet, insane, the Left is going to go nuts. But the one thing they will refuse to grasp is that it is their own fault

Michael K said...

I doubt Cruz would have beaten Hillary, and for the reasons you mentioned. He would actually be a better Supreme mCourt Justice thna Senator and I hope Trump will appoint him to replace one of the male justices.

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