All-purpose news and politics thread: Two Steps Beyond!

[Mister Mets]

Hillary Clinton has hired two staffers from her presidential campaign for her Resistance PAC.

https://www.buzzfeed.com/rubycramer/...71W#.vn9qvMEJN

I think there's a good chance she'll try again.

[numberthirty]

Perhaps this is timely... a Wonkette article that notes how there are people who claim to identify as Bernie Sanders supporters who are ratf***ing the Democratic Party by attacking rather impressive progressives like Kamala Harris, Kristin Gillibrand, and Nancy Pelosi. Usually by singling out one vote as "proof" they're not a true progressive, and often times even incorrectly stating how they voted.

Seems familiar, somehow.

Pelosi...

[PaulBullion]

Hillary Clinton has hired two staffers from her presidential campaign for her Resistance PAC.

https://www.buzzfeed.com/rubycramer/...71W#.vn9qvMEJN

I think there's a good chance she'll try again.

Awesome. She basically won last time, she'll win again. And this time the world is watching to make sure it won't be stolen away from her.

[Gray Lensman]

Hey, look! It's the "No True Scotsman progressives" we were talking about popping off on behalf of Bernie without posting any facts.

The most progressive Senators, rated:

Kamala Harris, who is getting attacked, is #2. HINT: Bernie is not #1.
Corey Booker, who was just shat upon, is #5. HINT: That's better than Bernie, too.
Kristen Gillibrand ranks at #13, which is only two spots behind Bernie, who's at #11.

Read it and weep, y'all.

Gillibrand actually started her senate career as the bluest of blue dogs - she even had a perfect rating from the NRA (as a state rep) when she took over the seat.

And Booker, with his vote to protect the pharma corporations bottom line may be doing more to undermine the ACA than some Republicans. It may only be one vote, but it's a big one and it personally affects me directly every time my wife or I need a medication refilled. He may claim it's for safety, but in practice he voted to keep the Epipen at $600.00 a pack and to protect Martin Shkreli's insane profiteering.

[numberthirty]

How is there common ground between that nonsense and anyone who is even remotely progressive.

If you want to talk about "Actual Facts", there they are. Right out of the woman's own mouth.

[numberthirty]

Awesome. She basically won last time, she'll win again. And this time the world is watching to make sure it won't be stolen away from her.

"Basically". That is an interesting way of putting it.

You either win or lose. Only two possibilities.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

I think Hillary will use that PAC to help whoever runs. I mean her age and all by 2020 will be a factor. I do think whoever runs will get her support. And this time folks will realize , we fucked up major and its best to vote someone in who actually is qualified and not an idiot.

[numberthirty]

One Person's Strawman . . . Who here is praising DWS compared to how many here have condemned her? Who was praising her in the article I posted?

Your opinion has been biased to the extreme from the beginning, and you probably believe that anyone who votes for a D on the ballot is 10% responsible for her regardless of whether they did/didn't give money to the DNC or actually voted for her.

If she is still a part of the party, exactly how strong has this "Condemnation" you are talking about been?

That is going to be an issue fore many folks, and rightly so.

[numberthirty]

I think Hillary will use that PAC to help whoever runs. I mean her age and all by 2020 will be a factor. I do think whoever runs will get her support. And this time folks will realize , we fucked up major and its best to vote someone in who actually is qualified and not an idiot.

While I won't usually race in to support HRC, she will be around the same age as the guy running for reelection(assuming things play out that way).

While I think it would be a mistake to let her get within a mile of the next presidential election, her age is certainly not the reason why.

[worstblogever]

Pelosi...

Again, one thing being used to hand-wave away all the evidence, without any context.

Nancy Pelosi is the 26th most progressive member of the House. Out of about 200 Democrats. And that's as a party leader.

But hey, she was suspected of insider trading in 2011, before the Stock Act was a thing, anyway. And sure, she voted for the Stock Act to end such practices... but what do the facts matter, when you're going "No True Scotsman"?

[Dalak]

And Booker, with his vote to protect the pharma corporations bottom line may be doing more to undermine the ACA than some Republicans. It may only be one vote, but it's a big one and it personally affects me directly every time my wife or I need a medication refilled. He may claim it's for safety, but in practice he voted to keep the Epipen at $600.00 a pack and to protect Martin Shkreli's insane profiteering.

There was a recent response to this that seems to have passed beneath the radar:

Well...for example....

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-me...-and-big-phar/

So, in other words, they voted against one measure for reasons, and then /everyone/ voted for another measure, which was also intended to lower drug prices. Republicans voted en masse against it, of course.

The vote wouldn’t actually implement ‘cheaper medicines’
There are a couple of issues with considering action against the measure to import drugs from Canada as a vote "against cheaper medicines."
The vote was more symbolic than substantive. It was an amendment to a Senate budget resolution, which is a non-binding measure that doesn’t get signed by the president or become law. Rather, they set a framework for committee chairs to work within when deciding how to spend money.
So the measures shouldn’t be oversold as direct action.
"Simply put, if adopted by the Senate, the amendment would not have required the United States to begin importing drugs from Canada -- period, full stop," said Jeff Giertz, communications director for Booker. "It would have added language into the budget resolution that would have advised the Senate to spend money in a way that would result in this." "Giertz said that Booker supported the same goals, but wanted to see a framework for ensuring the safety of imported drugs included in the amendment."

It’s important to know that every one of the 13 senators listed in the meme voted in favor of a separate amendment that did urge lower drug prices.
This other amendment effectively prevented the Senate from considering legislation that did not "as promised by (President-elect Donald Trump), lower drug prices, as certified by the Congressional Budget Office."
Like the other amendment, this did not pass -- it won only 47 votes in favor, with 51 against. But the fact that all 13 senators listed on the meme voted to support this amendment muddies the conclusion of the meme that they all "voted against cheaper medicines."

[Kevinroc]

If she is still a part of the party, exactly how strong has this "Condemnation" you are talking about been?

That is going to be an issue fore many folks, and rightly so.

I'm pretty sure Dennis Hastert is still a member of the Republican Party. So you're more incensed by DWS, and will not stop talking about her, than a child rapist.

[numberthirty]

But hey, she was suspected of insider trading in 2011, before the Stock Act was a thing, anyway. And sure, she voted for the Stock Act to end such practices... but what do the facts matter, when you're going "No True Scotsman"?

So...

You are saying clearly that since she voted for it after she benefited from that sort of thing, it's really not that big of a deal?

Those are "The Facts", to you?

[Dalak]

If she is still a part of the party, exactly how strong has this "Condemnation" you are talking about been?

That is going to be an issue fore many folks, and rightly so.

I know I'm not the only one to say she should be gone, and many others in this thread you've been reading forever have said she along with many of the old guard should be ditched to make room for new blood. If you think she's been praised here or defended then quote someone instead of implying we haven't done enough to condemn her.

Many issues are to-you rightly-so . . . like them Emails. I wonder who else is also hung up on them, so much so that they can't stop bringing them up months after they were beyond irrelevant. Oh Yeah! Trump.

Again, one thing being used to hand-wave away all the evidence, without any context.

Nancy Pelosi is the 26th most progressive member of the House. Out of about 200 Democrats. And that's as a party leader.

But hey, she was suspected of insider trading in 2011, before the Stock Act was a thing, anyway. And sure, she voted for the Stock Act to end such practices... but what do the facts matter, when you're going "No True Scotsman"?

They stopped mattering long ago, especially when certain Clintons got into politics.

[numberthirty]

I'm pretty sure Dennis Hastert is still a member of the Republican Party. So you're more incensed by DWS, and will not stop talking about her, than a child rapist.

The poster in question was not even close to talking about unity in the Republican party. That said, Hastert is a non-issue.

Obviously, you'd rather not talk about that a payday loan hired gun is still a part of The Democratic Party and that her still being a part is an issue for some folks.