Doug Shreffler for President?

Perhaps Hillary Clinton is, say, a bit too hard-edged on foreign policy, or Bernie Sanders doesn't completely inspire confidence.  Martin O'Malley has his good points, but is getting beaten in the "pundit election."  What is a person to do?

As I have in past elections I am offering a more complete list of candidates.  We must remember that in America virtually anyone can declare for President, though the Constitution does specify a few requirements.

On the list found at the link below you may consider Doug Shreffler and about a dozen candidates in the Democratic race for President.  Please just remember that as much as we may revile the major media, there can still be good reasons why certain individuals become noted and popular.


For your reference:
All the Democratic Candidates You Never Knew


Note:  Obviously, this is not my original research.  I can't say for sure these are absolutely all the Democratic candidates for President, as new ones may be popping up.  

Washington Post Reviews Second Democratic Debate

Catching Up on the News --

The Washington Post summary at the link below, despite being at various times, a bit too breezy (casual), is a pretty good review of what went on at the Second Democratic Debate.  It seems Martin O'Malley was the biggest winner in the sense he clearly brought forth some energetic curiosity from viewers (see graph there).

(Format asks you to click on post for more, including the hyperlink.)  


Washington Post on the Second Democratic Debate

Should Socialists Or Anyone Else Support Bernie Sanders?

The answer is complicated. 

The International Socialist Review has an interesting article on the matter.  It asks the question:  Should socialists support Bernie Sanders for President?   I highly recommend this article, no matter how one answers the question.  The article is thoughtful, well-researched with good statistics. 

This article reminds me of the relative limits of options currently available to those on the left.  As the article makes clear, Mr. Sanders is making a valuable contribution to the dialogue.  But as is also clear he is rather compromised. 

Hillary Clinton is in an even worse position, having supported welfare "deform" in the '90's, along with neoliberal policies right along. 

It is not just so clear from the article what a person on the left is supposed to do.  Clearly, doing anything -- such as supporting a Ralph Nader -- which would put a right-winger in the White House is unconscionable. 

The best one can hope for is what Sanders has been suggesting -- a national movement.  But whether he is the one to lead it is another question. 

We have a long ways to go in forming such a national movement.  We seem not even as far along as Spain's Podemos movement, which has itself suffered recently from certain compromises in order to gain elective office.

I urge readers to check into the fall issue of The International Socialist Review for good articles not only on the Sanders candidacy but other matters of great interest to workers everywhere.