Thinking Ahead: No Repeat of 2000

Salon has an article available on line advocating against a repeat of the Nader flirtation which helped assure a Bush theft of the election of 2000.  The article applies practical logic to the situation now in which there are voices on the left saying they won't vote for Hillary Clinton.

Electing a President is serious business.  It is also more complicated than many seem to realize.  Just ask all the candidates who have already fallen by the wayside:  Walker, Jindal, Chafee, Webb.  Even the sitting Vice-President of the United States felt he had waited too long to jump into the race.

It is true that electing a certain President doesn't matter as much as it should.  But this is very different from saying it doesn't matter at all.  The fact of the matter is it does matter a great deal, especially to those on the lower end of the economic ladder.

Speculation as to what Sanders supporters should do next year may seem premature.  But since they themselves seem to be engaging in it, that makes the subject current.  Such supporters should first continue to support the candidate of their choice for now.  But as they do so, they should consider carefully how much the country suffered under G. W. Bush, a man who lost the popular vote by a half a million votes, yet went one to embroil the country in two unproductive and hugely costly wars.

Note:  I am not linking to the Salon article due to my policy against profanity.  

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. 

Democrats Said to Be Energized

According to party leaders, Democrats have been energized by Tuesday night's debate.  We must wait to see how that energy will translate itself into action.  

Democrats' Turn in the Debate Spotlight

The so-called major Democratic candidates for President will appear in a televised debate tonight.  Of key interest is Hillary Clinton's new opposition to the Trans-Pacific trade deal.  This nefarious deal, negotiated in secret, clearly favors the convenience of the large trans-national companies at the expense of American workers.  Mrs. Clinton is of course right to oppose such an atrocious arrangement.  It will be interesting to hear more of what she has to say. 

Does Grammar Count?

Lincoln Chafee Supporters Best At Grammar:   USA Today

Does grammar count when it comes to being President?  Your blog author would say, definitely, yes. Changed grammar can change the very meaning of an important policy pronouncement.  Considering that the United States remains the pre-eminent nation on earth, holding a large arsenal of nuclear weapons and influencing everything from world economics to food supplies, the President's use of language is key.  

Of course, America has survived other poor grammarians (or non-grammarians) in the White House.  Reagan and both Bushes come quickly to mind.  But the country did suffer.  For poor grammar indicates poor or inattentive thought.  

It's a big subject and I'll leave the details to the experts.  For now, the following may be of interest.  

Grammar Counts

Michael Dukakis: The Voice of Wisdom. The Voice of Reason

Michael Dukakis, Courtesy Northeastern.edu

Although a year old, the interview linked to here has Michael Dukakis (remember him?) at his best.  Gov. Dukakis is open and fresh in this interview which covers the Democratic defeat in 2014 and the prospects for Hillary Clinton in 2016.  This interview was obviously conducted before the Sanders and O'Malley campaigns.  However, because of the quality of Mr. Dukakis' thoughts, I wanted to bring it to you.


Michael Dukakis on the 2016 Campaign

Martin O'Malley No Longer to Be Mocked for Views on ISIL

Another quick link as human tragedy rapidly unfolds 


Evidence for the correctness of Martin O'Malley's views on ISIL are becoming apparent.  The Atlantic monthly details the facts at the link below.

https://youtu.be/UKfYq24eWGg

Martin O'Malley Talks Some Sense on ISIL

C-SPAN's Road to the White House: Martin O'Malley

To view the Martin O'Malley announcement speech, please copy and paste the link material below into your browser.  The actual announcement comes approximately twenty minutes into the speech.
Gov. O'Malley is now the candidate of the position papers.  He is out-thinking everyone.  Here is where the campaign started:



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