Bernie Sanders For Gadfly

bernie-sandersWonkette said it best today, “Bernie Sanders has approximately zero percent chance of being elected president.” And yet I’m excited about him entering the race for the Democratic nomination for president, probably tomorrow.

Bernie will fractionally do to Hillary what the right wing of the Republican Party did to Mitt Romney… in the opposite direction.

Even though Sanders isn’t particularly well known outside Vermont (where he won his last Senatorial election with 71% of the vote, even against candidates from the Republicans, Marijuana Party and a guy named named Pete Moss!) his ideas are. He speaks to labor and the forgotten middle class. He rails against the moneyed and powerful (actually the powerfully moneyed).

Without Sanders in the race, Hillary Clinton could stake out her territory by being a centrist or even right-of-centrist candidate.

Mitt Romney was a reasonably middle-of-the-road governor in Massachusetts. He was for a lot of things there that he was forced to run against as the Republican candidate for president.

“What we have seen is that while the average person is working longer hours for lower wages, we have seen a huge increase in income and wealth inequality, which is now reaching obscene levels,” Sanders told the AP.

“This is a rigged economy, which works for the rich and the powerful, and is not working for ordinary Americans. … You know, this country just does not belong to a handful of billionaires.” – AP

Now things get interesting.

One Of The Most Disappointing Experiences Of My Adult Life

President Obama was everything the staunchest Republicans have claimed. Governor Romney, on the other hand, was poised, warm and aggressive. I didn’t want to watch (and 22 hours later still haven’t watched) a series of “told ya’ so” pronouncements. My TV has been off all day.

It is no surprise to anyone who reads this blog, I support President Obama. With that in mind I was primed for last night’s presidential debate.

It was one of the most disappointing experiences of my adult life!

Last night on Facebook I posted:

“I have muted the TV because sticking my fingers in my ears and humming seems childish.”

I didn’t say why. Did I have to?

President Obama was everything the staunchest Republicans have claimed. Governor Romney, on the other hand, was poised, warm and aggressive.

I didn’t want to watch (and 22 hours later still haven’t watched) a series of “told ya’ so” pronouncements. My TV has been off all day.

I have only now begun to read a few of the post mortems. There’s been a lot of soul searching. Why didn’t the president call Romney out on his policy reversals and what are characterized as lies? Why was President Obama so wimpy? Why?

There are two debates yet-to-come. I still believe the president’s roadmap is the better way to lead us out of our malaise. However, I’d be a fool not to admit those still undecided were shown a much more acceptable Romney last night.

It is possible the election was lost in this debate.

I Am Not Unhappy About Romney’s Choice

OK — three paragraphs in. Why am I elevating someone I’d never vote for and with whom I disagree so deeply? Ryan, finally, makes the conservative agenda understandable… and once their philosophy is understood I suspect many people will recoil.

If Congressman Ryan makes Governor Romney’s campaign attractive they deserve to win.

Congratulations to the Republican Party on picking Congressman Paul Ryan to be Mitt Romney’s running mate for Vice President. I’m not being facetious. This was a smart choice and he is a smart man.

If you’ve ever heard Congressman Ryan speak you know he’s bright and articulate. He passionately believes in the right-of-center philosophy he espouses. In this era of politicians who turn with the wind that’s remarkable as well as refreshing.

Conservatives are thrilled! Congressman Ryan hasn’t always been in lockstep, but he’s been consistent when it counts.

OK — three paragraphs in. Why am I elevating someone I’d never vote for and with whom I disagree so deeply? Ryan, finally, makes the conservative agenda understandable… and once their philosophy is understood I suspect many people will recoil.

If Congressman Ryan makes Governor Romney’s campaign attractive they deserve to win. Most likely conservatives will discover what Democrats have learned, America is a nation that wants to be governed from the center.

It’s about time for Americans to (hopefully) get a clear and well differentiated choice.

I Can’t Believe I’m Siding With Rush Limbaugh

A few days ago Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid spoke to the Huffington Post about presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s refusal to release more than a year’s tax returns and a call Reid claimed to have received from a Bain Capital investor.

“Harry, he didn’t pay any taxes for 10 years,” Reid recounted the person as saying.

“He didn’t pay taxes for 10 years! Now, do I know that that’s true? Well, I’m not certain,” said Reid. “But obviously he can’t release those tax returns. How would it look?

Reid is taking advantage of Romney’s refusal to release, but this is bull! As Jon Stewart pointed out last night, if you have to say “Now, do I know that that’s true,” it’s not true.

Today Rush Limbaugh piled on. There’s a small chorus of conservatives who’ve been calling on Preident Obama to release his college transcripts. Maybe he said he’s Kenyan? Maybe he had awful grades? Maybe… who knows. The president refuses.

“Somebody, I don’t know, said they went to school with Barack Obama at Harvard,” said Limbaugh. “And the guy told me that Obama got the lowest grades that any Harvard graduate ever got and that a bunch of professors gave him B’s and C’s when he didn’t even show up to class.”

Limbaugh said that the source hung up right after relating this information.

“Now, this guy from Harvard said lowest grades anybody ever got at Harvard and professors covered for him when he wasn’t even there,” Limbaugh continued. He said that he asked the source if there was any proof that could confirm the charge, but he was told that there was none.

“So, I am calling on Barack Obama to release his Harvard transcripts,” said Limbaugh. “Based on this – I got a call.”

“I don’t have to prove anything here,” Limbaugh continued. “The burden is on Obama. He’s the one that I’ve alleged got the worst grades in the history of Harvard.”

Touche! If Reid can say what he’s saying then Limbaugh can certainly do the same. It pains me, but what’s fair is fair.

I really don’t care about President Obama’s transcripts, but as I’ve blogged before I do want to see Governor Romney’s tax forms. I hope Harry Reid hasn’t made that less likely.

Santorum? Really?

I want Romney as the nominee because if President Obama loses I don’t want the winner to be a scary person. Which brings me to Rick Santorum.

It’s no secret to readers of my blog I’m politically liberal progressive. It probably is a surprise I’m hopeful the Republican nominee will be Mitt Romney. He’s the Republican who will present the biggest campaign challenge to President Obama.

I want Romney as the nominee because if President Obama loses I don’t want the winner to be a scary person. Which brings me to Rick Santorum.

He first came on my radar while he was serving in the Senate from Pennsylvania. He was pushing legislation to eviscerate the National Weather Service. The prevailing wisdom was this was some sort of gesture to State College, Pennsylvania’s AccuWeather.

Here are some of his political positions. Basically if he’s for something I’m probably against it.

Santorum is most likely unelectable. He is far more conservative and hawkish than the country as a whole. Still he went three-for-three in last night’s Minnesota, Missouri and Colorado caucuses!

How did Mitt Romney allow this to happen? Santorum didn’t just win, he annihilated Romney.

I am more confused by the state of Republican national politics than any other political issue I’ve ever followed. What are you conservatives thinking? Aren’t you interested in winning?

I’m A Political Junkie

Have the Republicans marginalized their chance in the general election by moving outside our nation’s norm? Could be. Or maybe it’s me who’s out-of-step?

I am a political junkie. I follow politics, but more importantly I usually enjoy following politics. That being said I’m sick of Iowa and ready to move on. In fact more ready to move on than see the results!

Rick Santorum helped me better understand my own angst by explaining today he supported Mitt Romney in 2008 because Romney was more conservative than John McCain. Of course Santorum is and all the other candidates now claim to be more conservative than Romney.

Wherever the Republican Party was four years ago it’s more conservative today.

Have the Republicans marginalized their chance in the general election by moving outside our nation’s norm? Could be. Or maybe it’s me who’s out-of-step?

I don’t like Romney. It has been said he looks like the guy who fired your dad.

I disapprove of the role of firms like Bain Capitol in our economy. It is Romney whose leadership at Bain helped shape that parasitic industry. He is very good at doing something most of us would find quite distasteful. In Bain’s game there are a few big winners and a lot of losers!

Dislike is one thing. A few of the candidates outright scare me.

I am obviously not the target audience for the candidates in Iowa.

This is not to say President Obama is the draw he was four years ago. Sure he walked into a horrific situation left by the previous administration, but it’s the other stuff that’s upsetting.

He gave telcos who spied on American citizens (aka – us!) retroactive immunity. The Patriot Act and other affronts to our liberty remain in place. The Bush era tax cuts remain for the wealthy. Guantanamo. Our continued presence in Iraq and Afghanistan. NDAA. It goes on.

Even with those weaknesses barring a “’68 Chicago” scene at the Democratic Convention I can’t imagine the Republicans winning.

Maybe I should follow my weather advice and avoid long range forecasting. It’s seldom right.

Roger Ailes Attempts to Not Reap What He Sowed

It is becoming clearer to those who fomented this conservative revolution that the party’s most faithful are too far to the right to nominate an electable candidate.

The conservative side of the Republican Party has come out of the closet over the past few years. Encouraged by Fox News and right wing talkers the Tea Party has emerged as a major force. Conservative purity has become the price of admission to Republican politics.

Far be it from me to dissuade anyone from their convictions. I don’t have to. The Republican establishment is doing it for me!

It is becoming clearer to those who fomented this conservative revolution that the party’s most faithful are too far to the right to nominate an electable candidate.

Hey, conservatives, I feel your pain. I was for Eugene McCarthy back in 1968. Mainstream Democrats thought he was too liberal and disappointed the base by nominating Hubert Humphrey who then lost to Richard Nixon.

What’s interesting to watch for me are the voices in the Republican party putting down Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul. Either of those two, or both, could outpoll Mitt Romney in Iowa and upset the apple cart.

Romney might not represent the passion of the Republican party faithful, but he’s acceptable to those traditionally with power. Winning with Romney is better than losing with a more conservative candidate. Oh, the humanity.

This week the conservative National Review (see above) made their opposition to Newt Gingrich perfectly clear. Others in the Republican establishment are doing the same to Ron Paul.

This is the kind of political cannibalism normally reserved for Democrats!

The election is still more than a year away. My interest is already piqued.