February 24, 2020

Things that are not actually "buried."


Bernie's competition is stunningly noncompetitive.

And as ever... people see what they want to see.

209 comments:

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Seeing Red said...

That’s because they want it, but can’t get elected on that platform yet.

rehajm said...

For certain Miami Dade and Broward will see them. Can you win Florida without them? Can you win the general without Florida?

tim in vermont said...

Two things:
The Democrats are a top/bottom against the middle coalition, which the top only entered because they assumed that they were driving the bus and could tax the middle to pay off the bottom and be left alone. Bernie is a genuine threat that the bottom might get hold of the steering wheel.

Two the left has always operated on the principle that they have no enemies to their left, which caused the Democrat MSM to either overlook Bernies hard left positions, or to find them charming.

Seeing Red said...

This is why Putin wanted Trump elected RUSSIA RUSSIA RUSSIA is hilarious for some of us who were born and spent at least 1/2 of our lives growing up during The Cold War.

We know who they are, don’t we, Chrissy Tingle down my leg? Your boss, Tip O)Neil. And Chappaquiddik Ted.

rehajm said...

I'm not sure it makes much difference elsewhere to those motivated to vote for a ham sandwich over Trump.

Leland said...

Indeed, it is not just journalism's job to bring these stories up when there are opposition candidates. Freedom of speech allows newspapers to remain silent on subjects whether we like it or not. We can call out hypocrisy if we choose.

Speaking of remaining silent, why isn't Sander's competition noting these arguments? If you ask why newspapers ignore them, then ask why the others on the debate stage are also ignoring these articles and not bringing them up? I suspect the answers are similar.

Bay Area Guy said...

Bernie hearts Fidel.

Viva la Revolucion!

tim in vermont said...

The pain of the never Trumpers, however, is a joy to watch. I might watch it from Bermuda, but still.

Gahrie said...

It's pretty telling when the Communists have to pretend that they aren't Communists.

mccullough said...

Bernie Sanders hates America.

He’s an angry asshole.

tim in vermont said...

Canada is going full Venezuela as we speak. They had their chance to throw out the drama teacher, but didn’t.

Seeing Red said...

Seriously, you want to vote for an ideology that caused American jeans to become hard currency?

Jeans were made in America then.

Limited blogger said...

Fidel owned 3 homes. Including one on the beach, he referred to as a 'camp'.

tim in vermont said...

Canada might have a Brexit of their own on their hands. The left can’t govern.

Seeing Red said...

Because it can’t happen here because we’re smarter? Laughs so hard sides split.

narciso said...

Well they buried would be commissar bruvik aspirations for Milwaukee, didn't they,

Marshall Rose said...

I'm not sure it makes much difference elsewhere to those motivated to vote for a ham sandwich over Trump.

No, it won't change any anti-Trump votes, what it will do though is scare off the squishy middle vote. That is where Sanders is weak, he will not inspire enough of middle America to vote for the crazy old man that yells at them on TV about how bad they are, and how they need to give up all of the stuff they have worked hard for in order to aupport a bunch of illegal aliens and spoiled snowflakes.

tim in vermont said...

Bernie’s dacha would be called a “camp” in Vermontese. It’s in a town with a lot of “fishing camps” but it’s a nice specimen of one. But if you drive your boat past his lake house and down the shore, you will see many houses that you might think a U.S. Senator would own, and you wouldn’t pick Bernie’s.

Seeing Red said...

Trump should offer a deal to Alberta.

I’ve mentioned this before but I’ll mention it again. I read an article a few years ago that it might be possible for Canada not to go through all the rigmarole of becoming a state because the original Articles of Confederation before the Constitution allowed it; they can join anytime they wanted.

Quite magnanimous of our founding fathers don’t you think?

Ralph L said...

After 3 years of Russia!!!, you'd think Sanders' competition wouldn't be afraid to go there against him. But I'll bet they all have embarrassing Castro bootlicking, or their staffs do.

J. Farmer said...

Because it can’t happen here because we’re smarter? Laughs so hard sides split.

What is "it?"

Peter said...

Bernie is a pretty hard-line Socialist. That’s not what we “want to see”. But what we *have* to see

Fernandinande said...

The best thing about Cuba is their automotive maintenance.

tim in vermont said...

Trudeau is Putin’s stooge. You think the vodka and caviar wasn’t flowing in Moscow when that oil sands project was canceled. It has long been a goal of Russian foreign policy, Hillary even admitted as much in one of her leaked speeches to CitiBank in Canada.

tim in vermont said...

Bernie could get along well with Trudeau though, seeing as how he is very likely Fidel’s bastard son.

Rory said...

What Kavanaugh claims resurfaced? Weren't the claims were all brand new?

Seeing Red said...

And kids today don’t understand recent history.

Seeing Red said...

-Because it can’t happen here because we’re smarter? Laughs so hard sides split.

What is "it?—

The usual endgame for that vile ideology, starvation, destruction and death.

Inga said...

“I'm not sure it makes much difference elsewhere to those motivated to vote for a ham sandwich over Trump.”

True. But that makes me ask, why did you people think that by putting someone like Trump in the Presidency, there wouldn’t be severe blowback? You know how you get more Sanders? By more Trump.

tim in vermont said...

"You know how you get more Sanders? By more Trump.”

Is this the new “Keep hope alive”? Or the new “No one knows what Mueller knows!” ?

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

Auntie Trump the sadist who enjoys other people's pain. Have you been to Canada lately? The wife and I did a three-week tour of the maritime Atlantic provinces. It's a wonderful country full of friendly and hard-working people who know how to enjoy good food good art and excellent recreation. The infrastructure is in great shape and it is very impressive because what's the population of California and the fact that their country is the second largest in the world that is quite an accomplishment. Why do you have to be so emotional about your position in politics? Your sense of scale and proportion is very distorted.

tim in vermont said...

Anyway, you keep hope alive there honeybunch.

Howard said...

What fucking hope? If Trump keeps up what he's doing now I don't think Sanders could even touch him. Especially since Trump and Putin have done the total judo move and have transferred the weight of the Russian hoax over to Bernie

Limited blogger said...

The left's dream seems to be "Bernie is like Trump in 2016"

No he's not.

Inga said...

“Canada is going full Venezuela as we speak. They had their chance to throw out the drama teacher, but didn’t.”

And why didn’t they? Because maybe, just maybe they LIKE the way their country is being run.

tim in vermont said...

"Auntie Trump the sadist who enjoys other people's pain. “

No, Aunty Trump is the friend who tells a friend when they are making a terrible mistake.

Inga said...

“Why do you have to be so emotional about your position in politics? Your sense of scale and proportion is very distorted.”

I think Tim is going through menopause.

tim in vermont said...

"Because maybe, just maybe they LIKE the way their country is being run.”

Yes, Montreal, Vancouver, and Toronto ramming their ‘progressive' values down the throats of the west who want none of it.

mccullough said...

People who praise Canada and Denmark and Norway are really just praising white ethno-nationalism.

Japan is a nice country too. Homogeneous. Doesn’t import third world people.

Seeing Red said...

Howard- they have a big land mass, they only have around 35 million people. And very tight immigration laws, I might add.

How well would they have done if they weren’t next to us?

Seriously I read an article years ago pointing out what the sugar lobby did to America. Lifesavers was the quintessential American candy yet it wasn’t made here because it got too expensive. they are made in Canada though. Now, arguably, that article was from the late 90s early 2000’s things could have changed because sugar lobby rules and rags renegotiated. Which is why we’re starting to get Coke with sugar. I don’t think we have to import it from Mexico anymore.

Chicago used to have 90 candy companies.

Limited blogger said...

CNBC host just blurted out that "...maybe Bernie Sanders will be GOOD for the stock market..."

This is a business channel, right?

tim in vermont said...

"I think Tim is going through menopause.”

This is how lefties think. On lefty gives an opinion based on prejudices and attempts at point scoring, and the second lefty takes that opinion as settled fact.

This is how the whole Russian collusion thing got started. Inga swallowed that hook line and sinker too, and still sticks by it.

Darrell said...

Cuba has the best medical care in the world. If you don't mind having your wounds cleaned with a rag from a dirty bucket.

Inga said...

“Yes, Montreal, Vancouver, and Toronto ramming their ‘progressive' values down the throats of the west who want none of it.”

As IF Tim knew what Canadians want. If they wanted what Tim thinks they wanted they wouldn’t have re-elected Trudeau. The entire maternal side of my family lives in Canada and they feel sorry for Americans here who have no Universal healthcare and have Trump, who is a laughing stock to them.

tim in vermont said...

We will see what happens in Canada. 7,000 jobs flushed down the toilet and Putin gets his wish. Per Hillary, Putin has been funding much of this anti oil sands activism. Which actually makes sense, since shutting down competing energy development is actually in Russia’s interests.

In that sense, Bernie No Frack Sanders is the perfect Russian stooge. But so is any Democrat, actually. They don’t need to pick.

Limited blogger said...

Watching the slow 'acceptance' and white washing of Bernie's positions.

Only good thing is this will take a Herculean effort from the MSM, and thus will reduce the full time Anti-Trump stuff a little.

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

It is curious when Big Media throws out a term like “long-buried” which raises the question, “by whom?.” By nobody, of course. It’s a trick question. The news isn’t “buried” at all, but ignored. The Left and it’s Media-DNC Complex really think that if they ignore certain stories (Fast and Furious, Hillary’s obstruction of justice, Bernie’s affection for the USSR, the roaring economy, blackface westing Democrats, Antifa, the worldwide record of socialist economic and environmental damage, how the Swamp enriches itself, Awan IT scandal, FBI malfeasance) then the rest of us will also pretend they don’t exist. And yes, the 30% of our population that is registered D will go along, but the rest of us have demonstrated we are keeping up on the news even if our own homegrown Media choose to ignore these things.

Temujin said...

That Canada looks great to a visiting American is no surprise. What you see of Canada was put together before Junior Trudeau was elected (twice). They are at the tipping point now of trying to keep it. Their economy is struggling. They are so very wrapped up in Wokeness that they've lost their mojo on moving forward. Toronto and Vancouver, both amazing and vibrant cities, have housing markets so overblown that they have to come crashing down...sooner rather than later. And when they do, it'll affect everyone.

Oh..and this. I spent the first 3rd of my life in Detroit. I used to see Canadians who needed surgery or specialized care come to our hospitals in Detroit. I first really noticed it in the 70s, then 80s (then I was gone from there.) But I know it still goes on. I have a friend in Canada whose dad needed hip surgery. Could not walk. He was in immense pain. He was on a wait list in Canada to have the work done. 6 months out.
He decided to have it done, right away, here in the US.

What's left of our healthcare system is still a foundation for the best in the world. Want to lose it all? Try asking someone who goes through the rigor and sacrifice of Med School to accept below market wages determined by a government employee (who just last year was greeting you at the DMV). This is Bernie's plan. No- he won't say that. Mostly because he doesn't give a damn about doctors and/or he doesn't really understand what will happen under his ideas.

Canada is a country of wonderful people who walk around wondering what's happening to their country. Sound familiar?

tim in vermont said...

I live on the Canadian border much of the year and talk to plenty of Canadians, and they have a much wider spectrum of opinion than you seem to know about. I once tried to complement a Canadian on their health care system at the Montreal airport, and a vein nearly popped out of his temple. I was just trying to be friendly.

Seeing Red said...

There’s also a good Mark Stein article from a few years ago talking about what Canada thought after our American revolution they thought we’d fail and they’d be the top dogs; they were wrong.

Hollywood is too expensive: film in Canada. Sugar prices too high? Move production to Canada.

I just visited two countries in which city of Chicago was almost half the country’s population. Add in the entire six County area and I live in an area bigger than each country.

J. Farmer said...

Howard- they have a big land mass, they only have around 35 million people. And very tight immigration laws, I might add.

Sadly, Canada is not immune from the same kind of ethnic masochism that affects large swathes of the Anglosphere. See Candace Malcolm's Losing True North: Justin Trudeau's Assault on Canadian Citizenship. For a more condensed version, see How Canada Got Immigration Wrong: A Reply to Jonathan Tepperman. Or for an even more condensed version see Trudeau's immigration approach brings us to a breaking point.

narciso said...

not really, except for joe kernan and occasionally Kramer,

tim in vermont said...

I wonder if they hadn’t witheld the job loss numbers until after the election whether Trudeau would have won. Before the election the number was like 5K and after the election suddenly it was something like 55K. One month apart. No skullduggery there! Anyway, Canada is making some stupid moves and this isn’t the Canada that built the St Lawrence Seaway.

DarkHelmet said...

Communism is not actually buried. It keeps coming back like a zombie. The Long March through institutions has been remarkably successful.

Sanders is a communist. Always has been. He used to be a communist who thought it was okay for you to own a rifle. Now he's a communist who thinks you shouldn't be able to own a rifle.

The older, more dangerous Bernie.

narciso said...

and no he's not fidel's illegitimate son, don't base his idiocy on that,

Mike Petrik said...

After the Revolution we will all have a dacha in Vermont!

Seeing Red said...

Howard doesn’t even have to go that far. As far as I am aware, each province posts wait times for surgery. If Howard was interested in finding out about national health care in Canada, he could read articles from the early 2000‘s. Many years ago I read a book by Larry Elder and in it he said that I think the population at the time was 20 million for Canada and they had a total of 13? MRI machines for the entire country. If Howard is really interested he will find articles written in the Canadian press on how dogs and cats we’re getting MRIs faster than humans.

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

James Taranto covered this phenomenon in his late great Best if the Web column. R candidates are continuously challenged by the DNC-Media and are forced to confront their opponents’ arguments. Lefties (even fake D party candidates like Bernie) are never asked tough questions or challenged by fellow travelers in their very staged and boring “debates,” which is why people are often shocked when during general elections the D candidate is challenged by tough questions or assertions by R candidates. If Bernie goes against Trump we will learn all manner of “new” or “long buried” facts about Bernie.

Want proof. Losing ground to Bernie Warren chooses to viciously attack... Bloomberg, the perceived R candidate in this scenario.

Howard said...

It's always Sturm und Drang with you people. You're living la vida soap opera.

Seeing Red said...

There is also a movie from the French Canadians I think around 1984 and it was a sons journey with his father while he was dying and they were going through the Canadian healthcare system. You know the one that’s single payer? That the Democrats love.

Leland said...

Buttigieg: "We're just a few votes from Sen. Sanders, whom I respect and whose ideals we share..."

I guess he's going for the VP role under Sanders, but he certainly isn't anti-socialist ABB Sanders option. Buttigieg is simply a younger version of Sanders.

Mid-Life Lawyer said...

I read the post and immediately thought that the reason the other candidates and/or the press is not making a big deal out of the hundreds of things about Bernie Sanders such as the cited example above is that they generally agree with Bernie's Communist Lite positions. The Democrats disagree on the degree in which they should reveal the truth of their position to the voters. Comrade Obama is/was very pragmatic in his revelations but his views, I believe, are very much in line with his fellow traveler, Bernie.

What I like about this blog and the commenters is that as I read through the comments, I am pleased to see that the majority of the readers see it about the same way I do. That is, they are normal people. It's comforting.

Nonapod said...

I'm of the opinion that America isn't really going to vote for someone like Bernie Sanders just yet. Things just aren't quite that bad at the moment. Baring something extreme like a full economic collapse due to covid-19 within the next 10 months or so, I don't believe that there's enough people who are miserable enough that they'd be ready to choose a fully out-and-proud Socialist who (as we see here) over the years has said made many positive noises about demonstrably horrible authoritarian communist regimes.

That said, it is very troubling to see the amount of support he clearly has, most notably among the young. It doesn't bode well for the future. As we all know, traditionally as the young become the middle-aged and acquire life experience, generally they tend to become more conservative rather than more liberal, moving away from more extreme postions of their youth. But I'm hesitant to just assume that that will continue to be the case. When I think of what can be done about it, I think a lot of regular conservatives have to work harder to be less dismissive and angry towards the young. We all have to be more persuasive. Part of that is not being insulting even when an interlocuter says something outrageous. Do you respond well to be insulted? Are you more or less likely to consider an argument if it contains an insult?

Limited blogger said...

Trump will destroy Bernie, and take the House along with it.

But I will prepare as if Bernie is outside my door with a box to collect my deodorant.

Scott Patton said...

It's all just part of the 1917 Project.

narciso said...

yes, buttigeg is maltese communist baby, warren schtick 'you didn't build that, was similar,


https://babalublog.com/2020/02/23/the-truth-about-literacy-in-cuba/

tim in vermont said...

"It's always Sturm und Drang with you people. You're living la vida soap opera.”

Yet you come here every day. You say you come for entertainment, to point and laugh, but when we point and laugh, it’s sadism, right? You come here for fellowship. We like to talk about stuff, you enjoy it too.

narciso said...

Anderson Vanderbilt, one time company intern didn't follow up, then again mike Wallace was nearly as blind 60 years ago,

tcrosse said...

There is also a movie from the French Canadians I think around 1984 and it was a sons journey with his father while he was dying and they were going through the Canadian healthcare system.

The Barbarian Invasions (2003) or, if you prefer, Les invasions barbares (original title).

tim in vermont said...

"and no he's not fidel's illegitimate son, don't base his idiocy on that,”

I would be interested in how you know that? Was his “father” that gay man who was about five foot 6? Was his mother a starfucker who has a famous picture of her coming out of the Rolling Stones limo with no bottom?

How can you possibly know that?

RichardJohnson said...

That is from the Burlington Free Press in its March 28,1989 issue (page 6): "Sanders Praises Imperfect Cuba."

"Sanders also spoke of the popularity of Cuban President Fidel Castro, whom he did not meet. 'The people we met there had an almost religious affection for him.' he said. 'The revolution there is far deeper and more profound than I understood it to be. It really is a revolution in terms of values.' "

If the Cuban people had "an almost religious affection for" Fidel Castro, then why didn't Fidel ever test that "almost religious affection" with free, open elections? Bernie doesn't speak Spanish, so he needed a translator, which in totalitarian Cuba was most likely a state-supplied translator. No one, in the presence of a state-supplied translator in a totalitarian regime like Cuba's, is going to give a candid opinion of Fidel or of the regime. Cubans will assume that any negative opinions expressed to the state-supplied translator will be reported to the government. If Bernie believed that citizens of a totalitarian state would give candid opinions in the presence of a state-supplied translator, he is a credulous fool or a true believer. (If Bernie didn't use a state-supplied translator, most of the Cubans interviewed would have assumed the state supplied the translator.)
Bernie"s crowing about "a revolution in terms of values" is an echo of Lenin's New Soviet Man, Che Guevara's New Marxist Man. Hugo Chavez said something similar. Which makes Bernie either a credulous fool, or a True Believer- or both.

Some of the Burlington Free Press article is quoted in The Daily Beast.When Bernie Sanders Thought Castro and the Sandinistas Could Teach America a Lesson.

Seeing Red said...

No Howard, we pay attention to history.

USSR 10s of millions
Pol Pot killing fields
VietNam
Cuba
Nicauragua
Bolivia
And how can we forget Chavez’ comment of him building “socialism for the 21st century.”

Even India.



Why do you think, Howard, it won’t end as the last 100 years of history has shown?

This group is neither the best nor the brightest and tech won’t save them from the end.

Well let me rephrase that. They’ll be rich enough to have their dockers in there three houses and fly around the world while the rest of us get scraps. I am not a serf.

Canadians are still under the Crown.


Free markets feed. Socialism kills.

Seeing Red said...

The timing is....coincidental. Senior wasn’t around...she was Cuba.... at some point.

narciso said...

fidel's kids are smarter, even his illegitmate ones, jesse Jackson back then was a guest of the dgi like Obama's pastor, jeremiah wright, and his other mentor, William ayers was trained there,

Browndog said...

He makes a great point...even for a NeverTrumper:

Rich Lowry
‏Verified account @RichLowry

A remarkable thing is that to fit in with the contemporary Democratic Party, Bernie Sanders didn’t have to move to the center, but to the *left*—on guns, on immigration, on identity politics

J. Farmer said...

As for the original topic: Zzzzzzzzzz

Defending and making excuses for autocratic regimes is an old American past time.

Michael K said...

Bernie doesn't speak Spanish, so he needed a translator, which in totalitarian Cuba was most likely a state-supplied translator.

My left wing daughter went to Cuba about 20 years ago through Mexico. She said she wanted to see if "Socialism works." Sadly for her, she speaks fluent Spanish and was there a week when she recognized that Cuba is a prison. She is still a lefty but knows that Cuba is not what Bernie says.

tim in vermont said...

I had a next door neighbor who was a Canadian citizen entitled to Canadian health care who was in an auto accident, which required a lot of treatments, she chose to be treated in US hospitals, for some reason. Probably because the insurance covered it and she got better care.

tim in vermont said...

I read a book on Hemingway’s life “he was a hero of the revolution” in Cuba, and one of the reasons he was so depressed was to see how the communism he had fought for his whole life had turned out in Cuba.

Fernandinande said...

I'm pretty sure the US still has the best headlines in the world:

"A Daredevil Flat Earther Died After Attempting To Launch Himself 5,000 Feet With A Homemade Rocket"

Gusty Winds said...

The Pubic Education System and Leftists on University Campuses are now seeing the fruition of their own “Stay-Puff Marshmallow Man” they created over the last 50 years. Especially the last thirty. For their own selfish Capitalist benefit, they indoctrinated and entire generation (or two) to swallow their left-wing, socialist, anti-American ideology. All while they reaped salaries and sabbaticals on campuses, summers off, and tax payer funded pensions.

Ahh….the brilliance, and the deceit. Although unethical, it is absolutely Capitalist overcharge for a bullshit product or service for profit and comfort, as long as you can sell it, and someone will buy it. Our education system has been selling our kids schwag-weed for generations.

Congratulations. But now…why the fear? Because the “educated” know Bernie is a con man. He cannot deliver anything he is promising, and if successful, he will bankrupt the ripe fruit that educators have fed on for decades.

Best is, and Chris Matthews accurately pointed this out after Bernie’s Nevada win, the young people that support Bernie have only been exposed to Capitalism AS DEBTORS - As it STUDENT LOAN DEBTORS. They have been coerced into borrowing billions of dollars for mediocre educations that hang over their heads for decades. The dirtiest of the deals was that it can’t be wiped out in Bankruptcy court.

And now they are full-fledged, uneducated socialists. Ignorant of history. Our “educators” have taught our children to believe Carbon is a pollutant, Communism wasn’t really that bad, and everything and everyone is racist and sexist; even their own families and communities.

Enjoy Bernie. You deserve him.

AZ Bob said...

And as ever... people see what they want to see.

Especially journalists.

narciso said...

I know consider the source same for Michael foot, in the uk, according to gordievsky,

Browndog said...

Vote for Bernie. It'll be fine.

Marianne Williamson has endorsed him. He's now protected from the dark forces, and it's nothing but love all the was down.

RichardJohnson said...

narciso:
"and no he's not fidel's illegitimate son, don't base his idiocy on that,”



Aunty Trump:
I would be interested in how you know that? Was his “father” that gay man who was about five foot 6? Was his mother a starfucker who has a famous picture of her coming out of the Rolling Stones limo with no bottom? How can you possibly know that?

No, Justin Trudeau is not Fidel Castro’s son.

Justin Trudeau was born on Dec. 25, 1971, to the late Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and his wife, Margaret.

Trudeau was born a little more than nine months after the marriage of his parents and more than four years before Margaret made a much-publicized first trip to Cuba and met Fidel Castro. Margaret was 22 when she married the 51-year-old prime minister and was the subject of intense media scrutiny. Experts say it would have been impossible for an earlier visit to Cuba to go unnoticed.


Say what you will about Fidel Castro, he was a decisive person. Justin Trudeau, by contrast, has done nothing about demonstrators blocking Canadian railways for two weeks but to ask for "patience." Had Fidel been faced with Cuban railways being blocked, within 24 hours he would have removed the demonstrators. Decisive Fidel. Indecisive Justin. Doesn't appear to be a "like father, like son" example.

tim in vermont said...

"fidel's kids are smarter, even his illegitmate ones,”

That’s funny, but it’s not proof of anything. Circumstantial evidence says that it’s Castro’s kid. Especially a note from Maggie to Castro that she was going to meet him at a hotel to offer him a "personal welcome on behalf of Canada."

narciso said...

https://observer.com/2018/02/new-report-reveals-jeremy-corbyn-was-a-communist-spy-in-1980s/

Michael K said...

Putin has been funding much of this anti oil sands activism. Which actually makes sense, since shutting down competing energy development is actually in Russia’s interests.

Russia and the Saudis were funding most of the pipeline protests under Obama. The same fake Indian who challenged the Kids from Covington was involved in the pipeline protests and made Vogue magazine. Another professional protestor.

Browndog said...

Trump needs to address the student loan crisis. Not sure what he's waiting for. It is the most important issue among younger voters, and cannot be ignored.

J. Farmer said...

I'm pretty sure the US still has the best headlines in the world:

"A Daredevil Flat Earther Died After Attempting To Launch Himself 5,000 Feet With A Homemade Rocket"


Ha. I still think the Brits might have an edge on us in that department. For what it's worth, Hughes' PR guy claims that the flat earth stuff was a publicity-seeking gimmick. It appears he was a garden-variety looney daredevil.

Browndog said...

That’s funny, but it’s not proof of anything. Circumstantial evidence says that it’s Castro’s kid. Especially a note from Maggie to Castro that she was going to meet him at a hotel to offer him a "personal welcome on behalf of Canada."

There's a photo of a young Castro and Trudeau at the same age. No objective person could say "no way that's Castro's kid".

William said...

The Democrats are remarkably tactful when it comes to bringing up each other's weak spots. No mention of Hunter Biden or Warren's DNA. The one exception was Mike Bloomberg. You can tell just by looking at Bloomberg that he believes in capitalism so no holds barred with that creep.

Nichevo said...

Aunty Trump said...
"Auntie Trump the sadist who enjoys other people's pain. “

No, Aunty Trump is the friend who tells a friend when they are making a terrible mistake.

Howie's just jelly cause you're stealing his act. What, aintcha got no sensayuma?

Howard said...

the Cuban love song to Hemingway

The afro Latin music of the 20th century is fantastic. I was made aware of it by watching the Buena Vista social club by that new German Cinema director wim wenders

Howard said...

I feel your pain, Nichevo.

Bushman of the Kohlrabi said...

CNBC host just blurted out that "...maybe Bernie Sanders will be GOOD for the stock market"

They're trying to stay one step ahead of the inevitable Krugman column predicting soaring markets if Bernie get elected.

William said...

Throughout history there have been peasant revolts and slave uprisings. They never have happy endings but they keep happening. Marxism gives a patina of rationality to these urges...The aristos and elite are arrogant. The bourgeoisie are smug. Everyone else is resentful. Sanders has a path to power if not a way towards prosperity.

Seeing Red said...

Awwww, just statistics.

Seeing Red said...

You should start reading babalu’s blog, Howard.

Greg the class traitor said...

Bernie's competition is stunningly noncompetitive.

Well, of course they are

Bernie says what they all believe, and what their idiot voters all believe.

The reason why Bloomberg was the only one attacking Bernie at the last debate was because Bloomberg is the only remaining "Democrat" candidate who supports capitalism over communism.

The rest of them just want to be the one on top lording it over the rest of us peasants

RichardJohnson said...

Aunty Trump:
That’s funny, but it’s not proof of anything. Circumstantial evidence says that it’s Castro’s kid. Especially a note from Maggie to Castro that she was going to meet him at a hotel to offer him a "personal welcome on behalf of Canada."

I make the conjecture that you posted this comment without reading the comment I posted which shows that is is unlikely that Margaret Trudeau was in Cuba during the time that she became pregnant with Justin. In fact, it appears that the first time she visited Cuba was in 1976. Justin Treadeau was born in 1971.

In addition, I have put the following into several search engines: "Margaret Trudeau," "personal welcome on behalf of Canada," and "Castro." Nothing came up to indicate that Margaret Trudeau wrote this to Fidel, let alone that she wrote such a note in 1971.

I consider both Fidel Castro and Justin Trudeau to be scoundrels. Nothing would please me more than to have proof that Fidel is Justin Trudeau's father. Nonetheless, timelines I have seen of when Margaret Trudeau was in Cuba make such a conjecture close to impossible. What documentary proof to you have of Margaret Trudeau and Fidel Castro both having been in either Cuba or both having been in Canada an estimated nine months before Justin Trudeau was born?

Yancey Ward said...

This week's debate should be interesting. Things to look for:

Bloomberg and Biden need to take each other out out, so Bloomberg should target the Biden family's grifting, particularly Hunter's no-show jobs paying millions, and Biden can go after Bloomberg the same material Warren used last week plus Bloomberg's China connections to deflect the Hunter stuff.

Warren and Sanders need to take each other out, but I suspect Warren knows her campaign is near the end regardless, so she might go after Bloomberg again to help Biden out.

Buttuvwxyz and Klobuchar are finished, but will probably resume their own battle from last week.

Yancey Ward said...

I don't know who Justin Trudeau's father is, but it isn't Pierre.

Yancey Ward said...

This stuff isn't going to hurt Sanders, I am sorry to say. It isn't like this stuff actually was buried- I have been aware of all of this for a long time. In fact, the media highlighting it now only makes Sanders stronger. The media have sold their credibility and have none left with which to take Sanders down.

Anonymous said...

It will be interesting trying to argue that Bernie's old statements matter when Trump's old actions and words have been dismissed.

If what Kavanaugh did 25 years ago doesn't matter, then why are we worried about Bernie ... other than blatant hypocrisy?

Seeing Red said...

Via Insty:

New York City's Democratic Socialist Party wants to eliminate charter schools, but that didn't stop party member Congresscritter Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez from boasting about getting her goddaughter into one. The New York Post's Jon Levine uncovered a 2017 Facebook video of the then-larval congresswoman boasting, "My goddaughter, I got her into a charter school like maybe a block or two down," while walking along Hunts Point Avenue in the Bronx.....

Browndog said...

Tom Steyer seems to be getting a substantial percentage of votes, and is completely ignored.

Greg the class traitor said...

Blogger rehajm said...
I'm not sure it makes much difference elsewhere to those motivated to vote for a ham sandwich over Trump.

That's nice. because that's about 15% of the population.

Suburban moms, OTOH, will crawl over broken glass to vote straight ticket GOP if you threaten to harm their kids health care.

Medicare for All takes away their premium health insurance and health care, and puts them in line with everyone else. They are going to vote against that with a rabid passion. They will vote against it for President, and, remembering ObamaCare, they'll vote GOP for the House and Senate to make sure that, no matter what, Bernie can't take away their company supplied health insurance

Francisco D said...

Bernie says what they all believe, and what their idiot voters all believe.

I wonder if young leftists see the obvious Democrat party corruption and phoniness as a reason to go for Bernie.

In that sense the Impeachment sham, Russia Collusion and the Kavanaugh hearings had as much effect on the Left as they did on moderates and conservatives. Those hoaxes only fooled the older life long Democrats.

Browndog said...

Yancey Ward said...

This stuff isn't going to hurt Sanders, I am sorry to say. It isn't like this stuff actually was buried- I have been aware of all of this for a long time. In fact, the media highlighting it now only makes Sanders stronger.


Agreed.

It reinforces how "consistent" Bernie has been throughout the years, which is a major selling point for the foolish ones.

Yancey Ward said...

Will Steyer be in this week's debate? He is polling well in South Carolina. Will have to check.

Browndog said...

Any candidate with an open borders policy is going to lose, no matter what else they bring to the table.

All other policies fail under open borders.

Greg the class traitor said...

Blogger Inga said...
“I'm not sure it makes much difference elsewhere to those motivated to vote for a ham sandwich over Trump.”

True. But that makes me ask, why did you people think that by putting someone like Trump in the Presidency, there wouldn’t be severe blowback? You know how you get more Sanders? By more Trump.


Works for us, Inga. Because Sanders is electoral poison for your side, and Trump is not electoral poison for ours.

The Left is evil garbage. Now, i'm hoping that Bloomberg steals the nomination from Bernie, then loses. Because that would make the Democrat Left go even more insane, and keep you lunatics out of power for another 8 years.

With Bernie as your nominee you will lose horribly, and have a chance to muffle the loonie Left enough to perhaps win in 2024.

But the cost of that is RBG, and perhaps Breyer, getting replaced by Trump.

Sebastian said...

"And as ever... people see what they want to see."

Like "pragmatic" Barry O.

Like Bernie just-like-Denmark Sanders.

Anyway, Althouse, inquiring minds want to know, do you think a little "tax on Wall Street speculation" will pay for Bernie's socialist proposals?

RichardJohnson said...

Mark
If what Kavanaugh did 25 years ago doesn't matter, then why are we worried about Bernie ... other than blatant hypocrisy?


Bernie made those statements on Cuba when he was 48. It is very well documented that he said them. Burlington Free Press. March 28,1989. page 6. What Kavanaugh allegedly did, he did when he was 16. Kid versus middle-aged adult. Most important, no one has corroborated any of the claims that Blasey Ford made.

If you can't tell the difference, that is your problem.



https://burlingtonfreepress.newspapers.com/image/201744480

curt said...

“ The best thing about Cuba is their automotive maintenance.”

You have no idea. Your average Cuban is not only an amazing auto mechanic, he is also a master plumber, mason, electrician and a pretty fair farmer. It’s not like he can afford to buy/hire the goods and services he needs to stay alive.

Sebastian said...

Slightly OT:

"If what Kavanaugh did 25 years ago doesn't matter"

It does matter, in this sense: the fact that CBF fabricated a tale without any support from any witnesses, without any verifiable assertions of fact as to time and place, produced in a way to create maximum havoc at minimal cost to her, serves as evidence of the despicable games progs play.

narayanan said...

https://time.com/4574009/donald-trump-sinclair-lewis-it-cant-happen-here/
___________
was supposed to be prophesy about Trump

will it resurface as prophesy about Sanders

RichardJohnson said...

Mark
If what Kavanaugh did 25 years ago doesn't matter, then why are we worried about Bernie ... other than blatant hypocrisy?

There were congressional hearings and national headlines on Blasey Ford's allegations about Kavanaugh. Are you suggesting that we also have congressional hearings and national headlines on Bernie's half-century of support for Latin American despots?

Greg the class traitor said...

Blogger Browndog said...
Tom Steyer seems to be getting a substantial percentage of votes, and is completely ignored.

Tom Steyer planted himself in NV, ignoring IA AND NH. Depending on how you score things, he either came in 6th (right behind Amy) with 9% of the vote, or in 5th (just ahead of Amy) with 4.6% of the vote.

In any event, I'd score him as "no impact"

Greg the class traitor said...

Blogger William said...
Throughout history there have been peasant revolts and slave uprisings. They never have happy endings but they keep happening. Marxism gives a patina of rationality to these urges...The aristos and elite are arrogant. The bourgeoisie are smug. Everyone else is resentful. Sanders has a path to power if not a way towards prosperity.


Um, no.

Trump WON on a peasant revolt in 2016. The peasants joined with the middle class against the aristos and "elite". That's the cause of the last three years of whining, it's the butthurt of those who were on the top, upset at being kicked out.

Sanders Is one of the Communist "uprisings", that would leave everyone but the inner Party cadre significantly worse off.

Happily, his uprising will get crushed

RichardJohnson said...

Some may believe that Bernie's support for Latin American despots is old news, that it ho longer reflects the "new Bernie" who informs us that Scandinavia is his model of "democratic socialism." However, the "new Bernie" is still supporting Latin American despots.After Evo Morales resigned the Presidency of Bolivia in November, Bernie Sanders called his resignation a "coup." Bernie made no mention of what precipitated Evo's resignation: Evo was caught committing massive electoral fraud. Bernie Sanders, others call it a coup, but never denounced Morales’ election fraud in Bolivia.

TrespassersW said...

Two quotes that seem to fit.

"Journalism is about covering important stories. With a pillow, until they stop moving."
--David Burge

"Modern journalism is all about deciding which facts the public shouldn't know because they might reflect badly on Democrats."
--Jim Treacher

Greg the class traitor said...

Browndog said...
Trump needs to address the student loan crisis.

He is.

The student loan crises is caused by too many people going to college. Trump's working to make it possibel for you to have a decent life without going to college.

Problem solved

Todd said...

Inga said...

True. But that makes me ask, why did you people think that by putting someone like Trump in the Presidency, there wouldn’t be severe blowback? You know how you get more Sanders? By more Trump.

2/24/20, 8:51 AM


Look at the vampire complaining about garlic! "We" got Trump cause the left wanted Hillary. Since the DNC stole the primary from Bernie to get Hillary her shot, the far left went all in on Burnie again this time.

This is ALL on the left, the rest of us have no ownership in your implosion. You all did this to yourselves by insisting on letting the Clintons or Obamas run your party.

You all are crying because half of the left wants Burnie because the other half has so screwed up education that the first half does not KNOW what horrors socialism brings.

Fix your own house though it is likely too late.

WE don't see Trump as any sort of problem and in fact want MORE Trump! He is currently the only cure for the deep state and for Dems/GOPe and he has earned another 4 years based on to-date performance.

J. Farmer said...

@RichardJohnson:

However, the "new Bernie" is still supporting Latin American despots

Who gives a shit about supporting despots? We do it every day in this country.

Narr said...

Seen and unseen, eh?

Seen: young semi-cute radical authoress on CSpan, whining that for hundreds of years Capitalism has been extracting and taking and never giving back!

Unseen: The capitalist system that allows well-fed, well-dressed, highly-credentialed crybabies to spend an evening in a comfortable bookstore babbling ignorant nonsense that will potentially be seen by many thousands of people, and possibly make money at it.

Seen: Allen's Midnight In Paris. A throwback to his earlier nebbish-centered movies, crossed with semi-sophisticated Francophilia; funny in parts, awful when Papa H starts tough-talking, good hammy performances (even by not a fave Wilson, and I always enjoy homegirl Kathy Bates) with characters like Dali, Picasso, the Fitzgeralds, the Impressionists.

Unseen: much point beyond pleasant nostalgic farce with a happy ending.

Narr
Warning: Contains the usual amount of R-bashing

Seeing Red said...

—Anyway, Althouse, inquiring minds want to know, do you think a little "tax on Wall Street speculation" will pay for Bernie's socialist proposals?—


AOC and Shitkowsky from Illinois want to tax your stock market gains every single year. If your stock goes up you have a profit you’re going to pay a tax. They also want to put that on houses. Fortunately my house is dropping in value.

walter said...

Buck Sexton
@BuckSexton
·
Feb 21
Even Bernie is like yeah, the elitist lib media, bunch of hacks and frauds, what can you do
Quote Tweet
Abby D. Phillip
@abbydphillip
· Feb 21
Sanders tells reporters he learned about Russian interference in his campaign about a month ago.

But asked why it came out now, Sanders points to the fact that the NV caucuses are a day away. And adds sarcastically, "Washington Post? Good friends."
Show this thread
Buck Sexton
@BuckSexton
·
Feb 21
Then again, let’s be honest: if you’re Putin, you probably do want to sit across the negotiating table from a guy who honeymooned in the Soviet Union, saw the breadlines- and came back saying only the nicest things about them

exiledonmainstreet, green-eyed devil said...

Back in the '80's, P.J. O'Rourke went on a tour of the USSR sponsored by The Nation and wrote a great satirical piece about his trip. That essay needs to be resurrected. The other people on the tour were elderly, crabby True Believers who, as O'Rourke noted, thought everything about the USSR was wonderful, but they still brought their own toilet paper. Bernie and the missus would have fit in just fine.

Seeing Red said...

Isnt that kind of a ummm lie? The person had to walk it back.

RichardJohnson said...

@RichardJohnson:However, the "new Bernie" is still supporting Latin American despots.

J. Farmer in reply... Who gives a shit about supporting despots? We do it every day in this country.

Are you informing us that YOU have no problem with supporting Latin American despots? Are you informing us that, like Bernie Sanders, YOU have no problem with massive vote fraud? (Maybe Bernie does have a problem with vote fraud, but he made no mention of Evo's massive vote fraud, which is rather disturbing.)Inquiring minds want to know.

J. Farmer said...

@exiledonmainstreet, green-eyed devil:

Back in the '80's, P.J. O'Rourke went on a tour of the USSR sponsored by The Nation and wrote a great satirical piece about his trip. That essay needs to be resurrected.

Yes, the essay was called "Ship of Fools" and was originally published in Harper's but was reprinted in O'Rourke's fantastic essay collection Republican Party Reptile, which also includes his single best essay, "How to Drive Fast on Drugs While Getting Your Wing-Wang Squeezed and Not Spill Your Drink."

J. Farmer said...

@RichardJohnson:

Are you informing us that YOU have no problem with supporting Latin American despots? Are you informing us that, like Bernie Sanders, YOU have no problem with massive vote fraud? (Maybe Bernie does have a problem with vote fraud, but he made no mention of Evo's massive vote fraud, which is rather disturbing.)Inquiring minds want to know.

No, I don't care about any of that stuff. I also don't care that we do business with Egypt, Saudi Arabia, or China. I care about America.

narciso said...


you like it's a lily white ruling class over a black majority,

what else can one infer

narciso said...


https://www.theblaze.com/news/sanders_full_blown_socialism

rcocean said...

So what? Dan Rather and Babs Walter used to rhapsodize about PRESIDENT Catro, and his free wonderful medical care.

rcocean said...

You're making the mistake of thinking Democrats know or care that someone is a Communist. They don't.

J. Farmer said...

you like it's a lily white ruling class over a black majority,

what else can one infer


What are you talking about?

Seeing Red said...

--"We" got Trump cause the left wanted Hillary. Since the DNC stole the primary from Bernie to get Hillary her shot, the far left went all in on Burnie again this time.

This is ALL on the left, the rest of us have no ownership in your implosion. You all did this to yourselves by insisting on letting the Clintons or Obamas run your party.--


This is hilarious. If Bubba had stepped down after im peach mint, Gore would have been prez.

If Evita and the DNC had just played fair, Bernie might actually have been president in 2016.

I sense a pattern.

Bay Area Guy said...

Since Bloomberg's epic flop at his opening night debate, Bernie is now 57% odds on favorite to win Dem nomination, while Bloomy has fallen to 22%. The ladies Warren and Amy K are hovering around 2% and 1%, respectively. Source .

What this means is epic -- Bloomy has to spend his next $500 Million attacking Bernie.

Should be fun.

narciso said...

Bloomberg seems to have the jeb fixation, he thinks going all out for affirmative action, will seal the deal, about as well as buttigeg and klobuchar's high school Spanish, did in Nevada.

RichardJohnson said...

J.Farmer
Who gives a shit about supporting despots? We do it every day in this country....No, I don't care about any of that stuff. I also don't care that we do business with Egypt, Saudi Arabia, or China. I care about America.

Yes, the United States deals with despotic,repulsive regimes, usually for reasons of Realpolitik. Most us hold our noses when thinking of Saudi Arabia, but countenance dealing with it in some manner because of its oil production- as have our Presidents, including Obama and Trump. Ditto countries like Egypt or China. Very few American politicians consider despotic regimes as models for the US to emulate. Bernie,by contrast, considers those despotic regimes to be a model for the United States. You may not consider that reason for concern, but I do. Sen. Bernie Sanders: We could learn a lot from Cuba. Or consider the absurd statement from his website in 2011 that claimed the American dream was more readily achieved in Chavista Venezuela than in the US."Whose the banana republic now?"

Michael K said...

WE don't see Trump as any sort of problem and in fact want MORE Trump! He is currently the only cure for the deep state and for Dems/GOPe and he has earned another 4 years based on to-date performance.

Exactly. The left has to fix its own roof. None of us give a shit if it leaks.

Jim at said...

No, it won't change any anti-Trump votes, what it will do though is scare off the squishy middle vote.

Yep. They'll either hold their noses and vote for Trump, or they'll stay home.

Not everybody spends their entire lives 24/7 wallowing in Trump hatred. Those that do deserve what they're likely going to get in November. Good and hard.

Bay Area Guy said...

Bloomy on Twitter (w/video):

Fidel Castro left a dark legacy of forced labor camps, religious repression, widespread poverty, firing squads, and the murder of thousands of his own people.

But sure, Bernie, let’s talk about his literacy program.


It's on, Baby!

tim in vermont said...

Sorry but I can’t furnish wrtten documentation of Maggie’s indiscretions, which are legendary. Could have taken place in NYC, wherever. And people like Trudeau have the power to have the internet scrubbed in a way that, say, authoritarian dicators like Donald Trump cannot.

Robert Cook said...

"--'We' got Trump cause the left wanted Hillary."

No one "left" wanted Hillary. The Democrats are not left. (Except in relation to the far-right Republican party.)

tim in vermont said...

Robert Cook, Texas sharpshooter.

Bilwick said...

"No one 'left' wanted Hillary. The Democrats are not left." Define "left." If it's a synonym for statism (see Erik von Keuhnnelt-Laddhin's classic LEFTISM) then today's Demnocrats cwertainly are left. I can't think of any prominent Dem who isn't. Red Diaper Barry, Red Diaper Petey, Grandpa Gulag, etc.

Although personally I think the whole Right-Left paradigm needs to be revised. Since the "right wing" of the French parlement, where the term originated, was the authoritarian wing, that label would certainly describe today's "liberals," socialists and other "New Tory" government humpers and State-fellators.

walter said...

It would be nice if Bloomie tenderizes Berno regarding socialism all the way up to the convention and beyond.
As Lizzie requested, he could run ads even if he's out of the running.

narciso said...


https://www.politico.com/news/2020/02/23/sanders-democratic-establishment-panic-mode-117065

walter said...

Cook is right. None of them are praising gulags...directly.

narciso said...

there is so animal, as I say you can't beat something with nothing, consider the segment from the editors in the jacobin, I think the parallel is more like Corbyn in the uk, with boris Johnson being a flawed instrument against,

Achilles said...

Mark said...

If what Kavanaugh did 25 years ago doesn't matter, then why are we worried about Bernie ... other than blatant hypocrisy?

That was not a position anyone took you dishonest piece of shit.

The position we took was we didn't believe a lying democrat who accused Kavanaugh of being a rapist.

Achilles said...

Bay Area Guy said...
Bloomy on Twitter (w/video):

Fidel Castro left a dark legacy of forced labor camps, religious repression, widespread poverty, firing squads, and the murder of thousands of his own people.

But sure, Bernie, let’s talk about his literacy program.

It's on, Baby!



Bloomberg is a fascist. But about this he is dead on and he is attacking it head on.

I wonder why Bloomberg came out so flat footed in the debate? Did he just underestimate it?

Just looking at the results of Bloomberg's actions without any other context I would say Bloomberg is trying to help Trump get reelected.

tim in vermont said...

Ana Navarro-Cárdenas@ananavarro

I was in 2nd Grade when Sandinistas came to power in Nicaragua. They adopted Cuban education model. The books/curriculum taught ideological indoctrination. Children had to recite communist, revolutionary, anti-American slogans. That’s how communist teach people to read and write.

tim in vermont said...

"If what Kavanaugh did 25 years ago doesn't matter, then why are we worried about Bernie .”

As I recall, that was pretty thoroughly investigated and non of her “corroborating witnesses” remember anything like it at all.

tim in vermont said...

It’s a fantasy that the entire Democrat electorate will march in lockstep behind Sanders.

J. Farmer said...

@Richard Johnson:

Most us hold our noses when thinking of Saudi Arabia, but countenance dealing with it in some manner because of its oil production- as have our Presidents, including Obama and Trump

Dancing with the Saudi king, saying that Mohammad Bin Salman is "doing a spectacular job" and is "a friend of mine," and assisting them with carrying out a brutal war in Yemen isn't holding our noses.

Bernie,by contrast, considers those despotic regimes to be a model for the United States. You may not consider that reason for concern, but I do. Sen. Bernie Sanders: We could learn a lot from Cuba.

From your link: "Cuba is a very poor country. It's economy is in very bad shape. It is an authoritarian society. Do I support their economic policies or their political policies? Of course I don't."

tim in vermont said...

You are reaching with your analogy, Farmer, and Sanders can play clown nose on, clown nose off all he wants, but he has a pretty long record of admiration for totalitarian communist regimes.

Drago said...

Cook: "No one "left" wanted Hillary. The Democrats are not left."

The bulk of the democrat party reps are not just "legt" but far left.

The rest will follow. The AOC-ination of the dems is inevitable.

Thats why Hillary and the DNC had to hack their own primary to ensure Hillary captured the nomination.

But the dems are absolutely now a leftist party.

And now we'll see what happens...

JaimeRoberto said...

Funny how some things resurface without anyone looking for them or pushing them to the surface. I guess they are just naturally buoyant.

walter said...

James O'Keefe
@JamesOKeefeIII
·
Feb 23
Gulags are good, say the Bernie Bros. Communism is great. The Soviet Union was great. The reason nothing happened to all these paid staffers is because @BernieSanders doesn’t take issue with anything they said.

FullMoon said...

This is why Putin wanted Trump elected RUSSIA RUSSIA RUSSIA is hilarious for some of us who were born and spent at least 1/2 of our lives growing up during The Cold War.
Yep, snowflakes crying about interference never ducked beneath grade school desk during A-bomb drill.

narciso said...


https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/nb/kyle-drennen/2020/02/24/nets-give-74-seconds-bernies-castro-love-34-minutes-trumpputin

narciso said...

and the press covered up the matter 'with a pillow until it stopped moving'

J. Farmer said...

@Aunty Trump:

You are reaching with your analogy, Farmer, and Sanders can play clown nose on, clown nose off all he wants, but he has a pretty long record of admiration for totalitarian communist regimes.

I do not deny Sanders' naivete, utopianism, or left-wing beliefs, none of which I share. But the "praise for dictators" stuff is pretty weak sauce. For decades the US has not only praised despotic rulers, we've aided them in attaining power, given them weapons, and assisted them in staying in power. When official "friends" commit human rights abuses, nobody really cares. Human rights is only invoked when they can be used as a cudgel against official "enemies."

Saudi Arabia is a theologically-legitimated absolute monarchy that uses imprisonment, torture, and execution against dissidents and providers support for Salafist jihadists. As the apocryphal quote goes, he "may be a son of a bitch, but he's our son of a bitch." It's the "our" that matters, not the "son of a bitch."

narciso said...

its a matter of degree, not kind.


https://legalinsurrection.com/2020/02/california-gov-newsom-doctors-should-be-able-to-write-prescriptions-for-housing/

Greg the class traitor said...

So, Farmer, tell us: who should we support, by action or inaction, in Saudi Arabia?

It's current despot? Or the anti-America Iranian despots who'd love to take over there?

Who should we support in Latin America? Communist despots who will destroy the countries and the people, or non-communist, non-leftist despots who might eventually make things better (see Pinochet & Chile)?

Supporting left wing despots is ALWAYS a choice of an "unnecessary evil". That's what Bernie does.

For someone who claims to be on America's side, you sure do seem to hate any action that actual helps or protects America.

It's amazing, how consistent you are on that front. It's almost like your "I'm pro America" comments are just as dishonest as David French claiming "I'm not a Democrat, or a Democrat supporter"

exiledonmainstreet, green-eyed devil said...

"Saudi Arabia is a theologically-legitimated absolute monarchy that uses imprisonment, torture, and execution against dissidents and providers support for Salafist jihadists"

Is Trump trying to impose that sort of regime here? Well, some would say yes, but that's because they are lunatics.

Sanders admires Communist regimes and would impose one here - if he could. As it is, he'd probably have to settle for wrecking the economy.

FullMoon said...

Bloomberg is running ads in California as if he is the nominee. Pretty good average -guy -makes -it -big-and-creates-jobs ads. More people see these ads than are aware of his poor debate performance.

Dems have to eliminate Bernie by hook or crook and make it appear legit. Bloomberg has to money and them democrats have always put money ahead of everything including honor, America, truth, and people.

As stated by others here, Bloomberg wants to be better than Trump in the history books and will hire the best people and spend whatever it takes.

Oh, and we have Tom Steyer running same old ad over and over and over-fot the extremists, climate change causes forest fires. He must have paid in advance.

J. Farmer said...

@Greg the class traitor:

So, Farmer, tell us: who should we support, by action or inaction, in Saudi Arabia?

It's current despot? Or the anti-America Iranian despots who'd love to take over there?


Russia and China maintain diplomatic and trade relations with all of the major powers in the middle east, including Turkey, Israel, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Iran. That is my model. Do business with both sides and stay out of their squabbles. Saudi Arabia has more than enough resources to protect itself from Iran, which has practically no ability to project significant military force outside its borders.

For someone who claims to be on America's side, you sure do seem to hate any action that actual helps or protects America.

Because trillions of dollars, thousands of American lives, and 20 years of being bogged down in one dumb regime change war after another has done so much to help America.

It's amazing, how consistent you are on that front. It's almost like your "I'm pro America" comments are just as dishonest as David French claiming "I'm not a Democrat, or a Democrat supporter"

Well, I've been advocating the Trumpist agenda (e.g. immigration restriction, opposition to "free" trade, and opposition to endless war) for the last 20 years, while the neocon-infected GOP was acting like Islamic terrorism was the gravest threat to the Republic, and was also supporting mass immigration and "free" trade deals. Tell me, Greg, what turned California permanently blue? What flipped Virginia blue? What is in the processing of turning Texas and Florida blue? Was it Islamic terrorism or immigration?

It's amazing, how consistent you are on that front. It's almost like your "I'm pro America" comments are just as dishonest as David French claiming "I'm not a Democrat, or a Democrat supporter"

It's almost as if "protecting America" is just some boilerplate bullshit used to sell regime change wars to credulous people like yourself.

J. Farmer said...

@exiledonmainstreet, green-eyed devil:

Sanders admires Communist regimes and would impose one here - if he could. As it is, he'd probably have to settle for wrecking the economy.

Again from the link Mr. Johnson posted above: "You don't have to praise everything about Fidel Castro. It's a dictatorship. It's a poor economy. We want changes. But have some good things been done in Cuba? Yes."

If that's exhibit A that Sanders wants to "impose [a communist regime] here," I stand by my assessment that it's pretty weak sauce. For one, no president has the power to impose such a regime here. Second, even if Sanders could wave a wand and automatically get his entire domestic agenda implemented, it still would not result in a "communist regime." His agenda is well within the scope of the mainstream social democratic parties of Western Europe.

Gk1 said...

It will be worth it to have Bernie run just so millions of americans can finally learn that Scandinavian countries have forsaken socialism years ago and are capitalist countries with high levels of taxation to support their generous welfare state. They will not have this pounded into their heads until the so-called media goes to work to scuttle Bernie's chances.

rcocean said...

"Tom Steyer seems to be getting a substantial percentage of votes, and is completely ignored."

That's because he's getting about 5% in the primaries/caucuses so far. Also, because he's a moron. He'll "kick Trump's ass on the economy". LOL!

rcocean said...

Bloomberg candidacy is an experiment in American democracy. Are D voters so Stupid they will vote for a man based on nothing more than TV, Interent and radio ads?

We'll see.

rcocean said...

BTW, Bloomberg used to be a Republican. Voted for Bush in 2004 and didn't support Obama till Nov 1st, 2012. In 2008 he bad mouthed Obama and McCain and talked of 3rd Party.

Why any D would vote for him, is beyond me, but then the D voters are stupid - and always have been.

donald said...

If what Kavanaugh did 25 years ago doesn't matter, then why are we worried about Bernie ... other than blatant hypocrisy?

There were congressional hearings and national headlines on Blasey Ford's allegations about Kavanaugh. Are you suggesting that we also have congressional hearings and national headlines on Bernie's half-century of support for Latin American despots?

Please, pretty please.

Robert Cook said...

"Bloomberg candidacy is an experiment in American democracy. Are D voters so Stupid they will vote for a man based on nothing more than TV, Interent and radio ads?"

Sure! They're Americans, aren't they?

Robert Cook said...

"It's almost as if 'protecting America' is just some boilerplate bullshit used to sell regime change wars to credulous people like yourself."

It's boilerplate bullshit meant to help funnel the people's treasure to every slimy, parasitic war-profiteer that can find their way into a Pentagon conference room to sell their tools of death and destruction. Americans who accept this as a good or necessary expenditure of our money are stupid beyond belief (or are somehow in on the take themselves).

Ken B said...

This is what Carville is saying. Trump WILL point this stuff out.

Ken B said...

Am I the only one who imagines Farmer watching Argo, complaining that those sneaky Canadian diplomats are lying to those nice mullahs, and mumbling that those bastard escapees should go back and show some respect? Because I dint think I can be the only one.

Mark said...

Donald, sure, why don't you schedule them after the Stormy Daniels hearing

narciso said...

Sanders is a target rich environment, i'm guessing his wife's corrupt college deal, was protected by a zampolit prosecutor like molly gaston,

Ken B said...

Farmer
Sanders is explicitly running against the first amendment. He praises regimes that censor. He indicates he will use executive orders to get stuff done. These are not difficult dots to connect.

Sebastian said...

"His agenda is well within the scope of the mainstream social democratic parties of Western Europe"

Farmer, no, we've been over this before.

Just as Bernie has no clue about Scandinavia, his agenda is not like that of European social democrats.

Example: his agenda is to pay for free stuff by taxing "Wall Street speculation."

As soon as he lays out an actual social democratic agenda, including tax policy and labor market policy, we'll pay attention. Otherwise, he remains what he has always been: a something-for-nothing American leftist.

And of course, his rhetoric is the tell: has he ever mentioned a single European social democrat in the way that he has happily discoursed on Castro, praised the Soviets, or touted Venezuela on his website as showing up the US as a banana republic?

Some of the most prominent European social democrats have been finance ministers of their respective countries--most strikingly, in Germany, model of fiscal rectitude. I can just imagine the disdain of, say, Helmut Schmidt for Bernie--and Helmut knew the loony left intimately.

effinayright said...

Inga said...
You know how you get more Sanders? By more Trump.
***********************

Funny, the Dem party pros don't see things your way. why? Because there's not a snowball's chance in Hell that Bernie can get anywhere near Trump's 2016 levels, plus the swing voters and blacks who have come over to Trump's side since then..

In other words, in Bernie's case, two times NOTHING is still NOTHING.

So...take another hit off that bong...and dream on.

J. Farmer said...

@Ken B:

Am I the only one who imagines Farmer watching Argo, complaining that those sneaky Canadian diplomats are lying to those nice mullahs, and mumbling that those bastard escapees should go back and show some respect? Because I dint think I can be the only one.

Yes, you are. Because you're a fucking idiot. Here's a novel idea. Quote something I actually say and tell me why it's wrong. This constant need to attack strawman about what you think I must believe instead of what I actually say should you be your first clue to how pathetically abysmal your position is.

Sanders is explicitly running against the first amendment.

How is he "explicitly running against the first amendment?"

effinayright said...

J. Farmer said:
Saudi Arabia has more than enough resources to protect itself from Iran, which has practically no ability to project significant military force outside its borders.
************

Really? What about Iran's funding of the Yemeni rebels at SA's southern border? What about the missile attacks on a Saudi oil refinery by those Houthi rebels?

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/14/world/middleeast/saudi-arabia-refineries-drone-attack.html

"Drone attacks claimed by Yemen’s Houthi rebels struck two key oil installations inside Saudi Arabia on Saturday, damaging facilities that process the vast majority of the country’s crude output and raising the risk of a disruption in world oil supplies.

The attacks immediately escalated tensions in the Persian Gulf amid a standoff between the United States and Iran, even as key questions remained unanswered — where the drones were launched from, and how the Houthis managed to hit facilities deep in Saudi territory, some 500 miles from Yemeni soil."
***************

So...should Saudi Arabia just hunker down and accept these Iranian attacks, like Israel often does when Hezbollah fires tens of rockets into its territory, or should they just fly cross the Persian Gulf aka the Arabian Gulf to pound the crap out of the Iranians, as Israel eventually does to Hezbollah?

If we're supposed to stay out of such "squabbles", as you put it, does that mean we will no longer supply the Saudis with aircraft and other military equipment? Do you expect them to manufacture such advanced stuff themselves?

Seems to me that unless we abandon them completely, we're involved in Gulf geopolitics whether we like it or not. Isolationism has never worked out for us.

J. Farmer said...

@Sebastian:

Just as Bernie has no clue about Scandinavia, his agenda is not like that of European social democrats.

This is the same sleight-of-hand I objected to during the last time we pursued this digression. Pointing out how Sanders' policies differ in some way from some other country's policies does not negate the comparison in general terms.

To paraphrase Whitman, yes these political movements are large, they contain multitudes. It's why I generally prefer to avoid opaque labels and talk in specifics. But obviously space, time, and attention span does not allow for such a level of specificity. But if we were to define the phrase I used earlier, "scope of the mainstream social democratic parties of Western Europe," I would say an eye towards redistribution and workers rights through high levels of taxation and a generous welfare state. Do you wish to take issue with that characterization?

J. Farmer said...

@wholelottasplainin':

Really? What about Iran's funding of the Yemeni rebels at SA's southern border? What about the missile attacks on a Saudi oil refinery by those Houthi rebels?

The Abqaiq–Khurais attack occurred in September 2019. Saudi Arabia initiated the war on Yemen in March 2015, 4 1/2 years earlier. And since that time Saudi Arabia has attempted to bomb and starve the Yemenis into submission. MBS impetuously launched the war expecting a quick victory but quickly got bogged down in a quagmire that he has yet been able to extricate himself from. The state goal of that intervention was to reinstall Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi to power. Hadi currently sits in house arrest in Riyadh. The Emiratis have since abandoned that goal.

If we're supposed to stay out of such "squabbles", as you put it, does that mean we will no longer supply the Saudis with aircraft and other military equipment? Do you expect them to manufacture such advanced stuff themselves?

Go back and reread that exact sentence that contained with the word "squabbles." Do business with both sides and stay out of their squabbles.

Seems to me that unless we abandon them completely, we're involved in Gulf geopolitics whether we like it or not. Isolationism has never worked out for us.

The US has never been "isolationist." That's just a dumb slur that gets thrown around anytime someone critiques America's incessant interventionism.


Seeing Red said...

Why do you believe what he says? Why do you think he’d stop there?

J. Farmer said...

@Seeing Red:

Why do you believe what he says?

Generally speaking, I believe in giving people's arguments the most charitable reading possible until they give you reason otherwise. And it's not as if Bernie Sanders is some kind of black box. He's been involved in politics for 40 years, including 30 in Congress. And in 40 years, the biggest evidence amassed against him thus far is a handful of statements, some dumb, some naive, and some attempting a nuanced observation of a big question. If that's the totality of the evidence that Sanders wants a totalitarian communist regime, then that evidence is laughably weak.

Why do you think he’d stop there?

Because in the US the president's power is fair constrained by a wide variety of institutional forces, including the legislature, the courts, the bureaucracy, and layers of government from federal to state to local.

Seeing Red said...

Yeah, and how’d that work for Obamacare?

There’s also those awful bills in the House the National AB5 and the immigration bill.

Bernie and his fellow travelers are just lining up their wish list.

Trump gets restrained by the courts. Bernie, not so much.

daskol said...

I'd rather see Bernie than Bloomberg as the Dem nominee for two reasons: Crazy Uncle Bernie hasn't got much of a constituency in this country beyond disgruntled lefties and low info youngsters, while Bloomberg is the avatar of globalism and has an enormous, if not broad, base of support in the elite of this country and the rest of the world. Also, Bernie is really fucking weird. People thought it couldn't get any weirder than Donald Trump winning a presidential election. In 2020, Trump is going to be the less weird candidate. The stars and stripes is the freak flag, and we are flying the motherfucker high. Marianne for VP!

Seeing Red said...

What’s interesting is just brushing aside the attempted coup for a fellow traveler.

Sebastian said...

"redistribution and workers rights through high levels of taxation and a generous welfare state"

I do object, for example because Bernie has yet to propose the sorts of taxes that actual social democrats actually support. Social democrats, many of them, tend to be honest about such things. Bernie is not.

"Pointing out how Sanders' policies differ in some way from some other country's policies does not negate the comparison in general terms." Of course, you can always make the comparison sufficiently "general" to get away with it, but if Bernie's proposals differ in essential ways from what all social democrats accept as a matter of course, the comparison fails.

And it's not sleight of hand, as it wasn't in our early discussion of the Bernie-wants-to-be-Denmark propaganda notion. It's simply pointing out that Bernie has no clue, nor does he care, about actual European social democracy, nor does he know how any welfare state there actually works, nor does he know the differences in, say, health policies that actual social democrats actually support (would he care that social democrats in a number of countries would reject "Medicare for All?) -- so no, his policies are not "well within the scope of the mainstream social democratic parties" in Europe.

In the German context, for example, Bernie would be a man of Die Linke, not the SPD. And channeling my inner Helmut Schmidt: Bernie is the kind of leftist fool and fellow traveler actual social democrats despised.

effinayright said...

@J.Farmer:

me: If we're supposed to stay out of such "squabbles", as you put it, does that mean we will no longer supply the Saudis with aircraft and other military equipment? Do you expect them to manufacture such advanced stuff themselves?

farmer: Go back and reread that exact sentence that contained with the word "squabbles." Do business with both sides and stay out of their squabbles.

me: Yeah, that's it! That's the way the Big Powers have always worked! NOT. What possible sense would it make to arm the Iranians AND the Saudis? Do you propose that we simply ignore our national interests outside the US? If WE don't hold our nose and protect "our friends the Saudis", and other nations lack the wherewithal to do so, are we supposed to sit on our thumbs?

me: Seems to me that unless we abandon them completely, we're involved in Gulf geopolitics whether we like it or not. Isolationism has never worked out for us.

Farmer: The US has never been "isolationist." That's just a dumb slur that gets thrown around anytime someone critiques America's incessant interventionism.

me: yet that is exactly what you are proposing. Just look at the dictionary definition:

Isolationism: a policy of remaining apart from the affairs or interests of other groups, especially the political affairs of other countries.

me: and of course what you propose is that the US withdraw from all mutual defense treaties, because de facto they involve choosing sides. Is that what you really want? If so, you are an isolationist to the bone.

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