All purpose news and politics thread part v: The quickening

[numberthirty]

Bernie says he’d bring “hope to rural America” and that would be his focus because “urban communities are doing just fine” (Video)

Opinions?

For starters, one should apparently be wondering if that is even what Sanders actually said...

From later on in the link...

Well, for the easy lay-up: he said the “many” before describing how urban communities are doing.
You chopped off the adjective because it undercut your point.

The reply from the person who seems to have posted the initial Tweet seemingly admitting to leaving out part of what Sanders actually said -

Mmm he also said his “focus” would be on rural communities. He didn’t say “some rural communities”. So, nice try with trying to check me on cutting off “many”.

[Zauriel]

Bernie says he’d bring “hope to rural America” and that would be his focus because “urban communities are doing just fine” (Video)

Opinions?

Bernie had better convince rural Americans to believe his promises. After all, some rural states are swing states including Wisconsin and Iowa. Iowa once voted for Obama and twice for Bill Clinton. Wisconsin voted for democratic presidential candidates since 1988 until 2016.

However, most of the rural states like Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Idaho and Utah haven't voted for a democratic candidate in a presidential election since 1964. Kentucky, Alabama and Mississippi are even redder than blood. West Virginia is so conservative that they make Texas look blue. In fact, out of 50 states + DC, West Virginia has the highest voting percentage for Trump. 68% of the West Virginia voted for Trump.

http://worldpopulationreview.com/sta...ults-by-state/

[BeastieRunner]

Fascism:

Alex Vindman and his twin brother Yevgeny, a National Security Council attorney, were fired and escorted off the White House grounds.

This should be headlines everywhere.

He is just beginning his revenge tour.

[Theleviathan]

Bernie had better convince rural Americans to believe his promises. After all, some rural states are swing states including Wisconsin and Iowa. Iowa once voted for Obama and twice for Bill Clinton. Wisconsin voted for democratic presidential candidates since 1988 until 2016.

However, most of the rural states like Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Idaho and Utah haven't voted for a democratic candidate in a presidential election since 1964. Kentucky, Alabama and Mississippi are even redder than blood. West Virginia is so conservative that they make Texas look blue. In fact, out of 50 states + DC, West Virginia has the highest voting percentage for Trump. 68% of the West Virginia voted for Trump.

http://worldpopulationreview.com/sta...ults-by-state/

If this was Joe Biden or Pete Buttigieg you would sing a different tune. Be consistent.

I think, politically speaking, this is a wise move by Bernie. I applaud this. But then, my views dont change based on what my Vermontian God says or does.

[Billy Batson]

"Is there any situation in which you could see yourself using American troops or cover action in a regime-change effort? If so, under what circumstances would you be willing to do that?"
Mr. Buttgieg did not answer this question.
"Is it appropriate for the United States to provide nonmilitary support for regime-change efforts, as the Trump administration did in Venezuela?
Mr. Buttgieg did not answer this question.
"Regarding possible future military action against Iran, is there any type of response that is off the table for you?"
Mr. Buttgieg did not answer this question.
"Would American troops be in Afghanistan at the end of your first term? If so, would you limit those trops' mission to counterterrorism and intelligence gathering?
Mr. Buttgieg did not answer this question.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/...gn-policy.html

lol

[numberthirty]

Ok.

So... Having watched the entirety of that forum on the New Hampshire Public Radio YouTube Channel(where I felt like the odds of someone having edited what Sanders said to reflect what they wanted him to have said were probably minimal...), Sanders pretty clearly says -

Many Urban Communities

So, yeah.

Just another Friday in folks trying to attack Sanders, and hoping no one will take a closer look at those attacks.

[Superbat]

Looks like Buttigieg might win Iowa. I wish Bernie wouldn't have made up that 6k figure. All it did was get his Bernie Bros worked up with zany conspiracy theories. I'm very disappointed with Warren's placement but this is just the beginning.

He didn't make anything up. He won the 1st count by over 6000 votes and the 2nd count by over 3000 in the popular vote.

[Superbat]

Bernie's endorsement of Joe Rogan cratered his support with black voters from 17% to 8%.

And I bet a lot of LGBTQ support went to Buttigieg. The Rogan disaster may have caused Sanders to lose in Iowa.

Sanders has twice the LGBTQ support Buttigeig has.

https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2020/02/...-lgbtq-voters/

[The Overlord]

Bernie's endorsement of Joe Rogan cratered his support with black voters from 17% to 8%.

And I bet a lot of LGBTQ support went to Buttigieg. The Rogan disaster may have caused Sanders to lose in Iowa.

So are you fine with Mayor Pete's record on racism in South Bend?

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/...h-bend-indiana

For all your hemming and hawing about Bernie's supposed racism and sexism (do you have real proof of this or just guilt by association) are ignoring the police killings of African Americans in South Bend under Mayor Pete's watch or do you have a double standard when it comes to this issue?

[Superbat]

Cynthia Nixon endorses Bernie Sanders

In 2016 I supported Hillary for President.

But this year, I’m all in for Bernie. His ideas are wildly popular, and he’s our best chance to beat Trump.

We can’t afford to nominate a candidate who will leave voters sitting at home, uninspired.

https://twitter.com/CynthiaNixon/sta...20326141403137

[Malvolio]

I still don't understand why so many people need to "feel inspired" to simply do their civic duty. When I was a kid, I went with my parents when they voted every year. Not just for Presidential elections, EVERY YEAR! My parents made clear to me that voting is a responsibility as well as a right. Don't abdicate that responsibility just because no candidate has "inspired" or "excited" you.

[The Overlord]

I still don't understand why so many people need to "feel inspired" to simply do their civic duty. When I was a kid, I went with my parents when they voted every year. Not just for Presidential elections, EVERY YEAR! My parents made clear to me that voting is a responsibility as well as a right. Don't abdicate that responsibility just because no candidate has "inspired" or "excited" you.

Because not all the voters will be like the people here who despise Trump and want to do everything to get him out of office, for a lot of voters you will have to make the case that the alternative is better than Trump, so whether its Biden, Bernie, Warren, Mayor Pete, etc not being Trump is not enough of a sales pitch, you tell people why their lives will be better if they chose one of the Dem nominees's over Trump.

So who has the best case? I think Sanders and then Warren can counter a lot of his points, but really what case has Mayor Pete or Biden made, besides not being Trump? Not being Trump is not enough of a case for those who are not emotionally invested in seeing Trump lose, you need a stronger case for the voters in between the Trump's base and those who rightly despise Trump.

[kidfresh512]

This should be headlines everywhere.

He is just beginning his revenge tour.

Exactly. This is another reason the Impeachment was important. People saw the credible, honorable testimony of Vindman. And now he's being summarily fired along with his brother on top of the scorn and abuse and attacks he was getting during the impeachment process.

If this doesn't encapsulate what we will get from an emboldened Trump in the second term.

He will feel like dictator in chief with a mandate to do whatever he wants if he isn't stopped.

It also has the effect of scaring off anyone else who has the bright idea to speak up if they are seeing something wrong.

Why go through what these witnesses did? Hire lawyers have your lives dug into be slandered on fox news and conservative radio. Death threats. Only too see the GOP say we don't care and let him off and then turn around and let him fire everyone he could.

[Zauriel]

Most of Trump's followers have never read the Constitution other than the Second Amendment. Trump is Trump. Unfortunately, he is going to do what he wants outside the limits of his constitutional authority instead of within the limits of his constitutional authority. The Senate will let him do as he pleases.

The POTUS' job is to enforce the laws, not make or interpret them. The Congress' job is to make the laws. The SCOTUS' job is to interpret the laws.

[aja_christopher]

I still don't understand why so many people need to "feel inspired" to simply do their civic duty. When I was a kid, I went with my parents when they voted every year. Not just for Presidential elections, EVERY YEAR! My parents made clear to me that voting is a responsibility as well as a right. Don't abdicate that responsibility just because no candidate has "inspired" or "excited" you.

He didn't "inspire" that many voters to show up for him last time around -- not even enough to win the primary.

And Iowa didn't have any overwhelming show of support either, from what I've read.

All of this talk of "inspiration" means nothing if you don't have the votes -- and winning record -- to back it up.

Progressive idealism is a great principle, but there's no proof that it wins national elections in America, much less works in practice.

I'll repeat my earlier point -- if you want to "inspire" the base of the Democratic party, you need to motivate African-American and other minority voters to get out to vote, since they are the most likely to vote Democratic if they show up at the voting booth.

Protect their voting rights -- which should be a priority regardless -- and give them a reason to show up at the polls.

A lot of this is like watching people try to dance around the obvious, when said tactic has proven itself time and time again with Democratic candidates.

With that in mind, all of you cheering for Biden to drop out -- be careful what you wish for.