Time To Talk About Democrats!

[JackLuis]

With Trump on the run Never Trumpers on the attack, now is the time to talk about Democrats.

Joe the obvious choice of the DNC, what about the rest?

VP? Joe has committed to a woman, but which one? Today a trial ballon was released.

Spoiler alert? Kamala Harris outed as Biden’s VP pick — maybe

Joe Biden’s vice presidential pick has been one of Washington’s best kept secrets but a supposedly accidental news publication by Politico and Biden’s own teasingly displayed notes are raising expectations that the winner is Kamala Harris.

Speculation over the choice of VP is a parlor game played every four years in Washington, but this time the stakes are unusually high.

Biden, who is leading strongly in the polls against Republican President Donald Trump, has also upped the interest factor by declaring well in advance that he would only choose a woman. This will be just the third time in US history that a woman is chosen, even if both previous cases — Geraldine Ferraro in 1984 and Sarah Palin in 2008 — turned out to be on losing tickets.

On Tuesday, Biden said he would reveal his decision “in the first week in August.”

“I’ll let you know when I do,” he told journalists.

But what if he already has?

In his hand Tuesday was a piece of notepaper bearing the words “Kamala Harris.”

A casual leak? Or a way to put a firebrand on the shelf? Sidelining her to a place where she has no choice but to "yes Sir" Joe?

 

[KeithD]

The first entry under the Kamala heading on that note was something like "Do not hold grudges." That can be (is being) taken two ways--either as a plus note that she doesn't hold grudges (which requires a creative interpretation) or a note to himself not to hold a grudge against her for how she went after him in the primary debates. Other coverage of the selection process has noted that he is valuing the personal president/vp chemistry the highest in his pick (which would suggest Susan Rice, who he has long worked with closely).

The scuttlebutt is that the naming of a VP choice will unify the party and start the campaign push. I think it's as likely to disgruntle parts of the party no matter who he picks and is why he's held off for so long. There are pick possibilities that certainly would deflate me, not that they would affect supporting whoever it is. (My personal pick for the most good remains Elizabeth Warren.)

 

[JackLuis]

Liz would be good, but her age would be a problem. Liz for Majority leader of the Senate replacing Do Nothing Chuck would be good

I like Kamala for AG if Joe will turn her loose on the Trumpublicunts and other law breakers.

 

[KeithD]

I like Kamala for AG if Joe will turn her loose on the Trumpublicunts and other law breakers.

I suspect Biden would do a Gerry Ford and give most of those in the previous "administration" a pass to "heal the nation." I'd pin them all to the wall and drop them in prison cells to show that they went entirely too far--a second American Civil War--to destroy the nation and line their pockets. I'd make them examples that the nation never would forget.

(I might even have Internet discussion board posters looked in to to determine how many of them were Russian assets. )

 

[jaF0]

I like Kamala for AG

NO!!!!



I'd go with Preet Bahara.

 

[JackLuis]

NO!!!!



I'd go with Preet Bahara.

sure Just as long as he will hammer them down.?.?

 

[jaF0]

Didn't DonDon boot Preet?

Revenge can be sweet.

 

[magicalmoments]

I think I'd like to see Katie Porter as Attorney General. I think she believes in justice.

#USAisfucked

 

[ishtat]

I suspect Biden would do a Gerry Ford and give most of those in the previous "administration" a pass to "heal the nation." I'd pin them all to the wall and drop them in prison cells to show that they went entirely too far--a second American Civil War--to destroy the nation and line their pockets. I'd make them examples that the nation never would forget.
)

I would suggest a slight variation. A President who commits to following the rule of law and commits to not commenting on cases, not intervening in any way, nor pardoning anybody. Then appoint a lawyer as AG who is told to implement the law without fear or favour and let him/her get on with the job. The President should stay above the fray and let the law take its course.

Just one thing should be included in the AG's instructions. He should be required to have investigated the financial and tax dealings of anyone involved in the past 4 years administration. It is worth reminding ourselves that both Robert Meuller and the prosecutor for the Southern district of New York never had the authority to specifically investigate any of the Trump gang's financial or tax affairs. That is way way overdue.

 

[JackLuis]

Over 100 former Romney and McCain campaign staffers endorse Joe Biden

Dozens of staffers who worked for the presidential campaigns of Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) and the late Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) have come out in favor of Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden.

The New York Times reports that more than 100 former McCain staffers endorsed Biden on Thursday, headlined by longtime McCain speechwriter Mark Salter.

“We have different views of Joe Biden and the Democratic Party platform — most of us will disagree with a fair amount of it — but we all agree that getting Donald Trump out of office is clearly in the national interest,” Salter tells the Times.

“We know him to be a good man and honest man, and a reliable executive, legislator and policymaker,” Spangler said. “This is a time in our country where we desperately need someone like that. We need an adult in the room.”

Maybe not optimal, but better that an idiot!

 

[SevMax2]

It is noteworthy how few true statesmen are in either party. Or stateswomen, for that matter. Most are just machine politicians. Nothing more. I would count Tulsi Gabbard, Nina Turner, Mike Gravel, Bernie Sanders, Lawrence Lessig, Cornel West, and maybe a handful of others. Justin Amash, though I don't share his politics, is a statesman as well. Ron Paul is a statesman. His son, Rand, however, is most emphatically not. Dennis Kucinich is a statesman. Yang is arguably a statesman. Williamson as well is a stateswoman.

Most Never Trumpers are not, though arguably Mitt Romney is. His former running mate, Paul Ryan, is not. Certainly Mitch is not. Newt Gingrich could have been, but he chose to be a Trumpist shill instead. Colin Powell was one until he became a war criminal. Same with Obama and Biden. The moment that they became war criminals, they ceased to be statesmen. Sorry, I don't make the rules. I only enforce them.

Elizabeth Warren started out as a stateswoman, but then blew it by recently making false accusations against Bernie and whining about snake emojis after that. Not to mention that she should have run in 2016, not 2020. And she still has to own up for her fake ancestry deal, making it worse with her attempts to claim it still at a recent speech at a Native American convention.

Of the squad, the only one who qualifies as a stateswoman in my book is Rashida Tlaib. The others, not so much. AOC is just an actress landed the role of a lifetime. Pressley is an Establishment mole in the Squad. And Omar is certifiably insane, though she's had her excellent moments (I loved it when she grilled Elliot Abrams so forcefully).

McCarthy, Pelosi, Schumer...all shills and stooges for the neoliberal/neocon war criminal state. Definitely NOT statesmen or stateswomen. Ditto for Harris, a woman who has left a trail of victims that she tread upon to climb her way this far toward power. Personally, I consider her a psychopath.

I would call McCain one, though I don't care for his warmongering, just because when he was given the chance to really slander Obama at a campaign rally, he corrected one of his own supporters and risked losing her vote to defend Obama. Of course, his picking Palin trims off a point or two, though that's also Steve Schmidt's fault...and Schmdit is no statesman, or he wouldn't have slandered Tulsi to her face the way that he did.

McCain also co-authored a useful campaign finance law with Russ Feingold, even if it was gutted by Citizens United.

 

[KeithD]

I really don't understand your obsession with Tulsi Gabbard. As far as sticking pins in bags of shit at the moment, I'd lift Katie Porter as a stateswoman.

 

[SevMax2]

I mentioned her as one name in several, but I'm aware that she sacrificed her popularity with more partisan types for her principles. I don't expect those who are more attached to a party to get it, so I'm not surprised at your reaction. I don't give two figs about party loyalties. I'm a registered independent, having left the Democratic Party earlier this year after the Arizona primary, but refusing to go back to the GOP, since I'm (like Tulsi) to the left of both parties.

To me, nowadays, both parties are basically Tammany Hall all over again. Corrupt political machines that care more for power than any kind of principles. Oh, and the DNC puppet that was recruited to run against Tulsi in her own district (never got more than 26% in polling against her btw) has gotten sloppy since he no longer had to run against her. He even forgot his mask at a recent campaign rally. Just sayin'.

As the Dems merge with the Never Trumpers into one pro-corporate, warmongering party in the next few years, and the Trumpers become a small, alienated party to themselves, don't be shocked if a populist left-wing bloc takes up the voters abandoned by the Dems: working class of all races, family farmers, and small business.

 

[KeithD]

Just having principles and little ability to get anything done is just talk; it's not doing much of anything.

 

[ewwboss]

I'm fine with the parties splitting into 4 at some later date, but let's just all work together to get Trump and his ilk out of power right now. Say what you will about any of the other 3 factions (Traditional Republicans, Center Dems Far Left Dems) they are ALL better than the facist right wind mob that Trump controls. We must unite to save the country, then we can figure out a better way to govern when the dust settles. It's too important right now.

 

[SevMax2]

I'm fine with the parties splitting into 4 at some later date, but let's just all work together to get Trump and his ilk out of power right now. Say what you will about any of the other 3 factions (Traditional Republicans, Center Dems Far Left Dems) they are ALL better than the facist right wind mob that Trump controls. We must unite to save the country, then we can figure out a better way to govern when the dust settles. It's too important right now.

That's a given. Trump's gotta go.

 

[SevMax2]

For all the talk about getting things done, so rarely do the two major parties get anything done for the people at all...and when they do, it's for soundbites and a way to conceal giveaways to corporations.

 

[jaF0]

As I said on the AH:

The more I read some of these threads, the more I wish for Human Extinction.

 

[KeithD]

For all the talk about getting things done, so rarely do the two major parties get anything done for the people at all...and when they do, it's for soundbites and a way to conceal giveaways to corporations.

The Democratic-controlled House is pumping out helpful bills. If nothing's getting done, it isn't because they aren't trying. Bitching and moaning about how rotten politicians are and then expecting them to be white knights who are happy to have folks sitting in recliners, drinking their beer, and calling all of them pussies is its own form of lunacy.

 

[JackLuis]

The Democratic-controlled House is pumping out helpful bills. If nothing's getting done, it isn't because they aren't trying. Bitching and moaning about how rotten politicians are and then expecting them to be white knights who are happy to have folks sitting in recliners, drinking their beer, and calling all of them pussies is its own form of lunacy.

Fuck Keith, it's Moscow Mitch and not reclining beer drinkers. Get your facts straight.

 

[SevMax2]

The Democratic-controlled House is pumping out helpful bills. If nothing's getting done, it isn't because they aren't trying. Bitching and moaning about how rotten politicians are and then expecting them to be white knights who are happy to have folks sitting in recliners, drinking their beer, and calling all of them pussies is its own form of lunacy.

It's not unrealistic to expect them to get things more than just the incremental done. For instance, the very same session back from adjournment when they were handling the Post Office issue, Pelosi could have made another stab at COVID relief, but she flatly refused to do so.

Also, she's actively attacking progressive Senators like Ed Markey and helping corrupt corporate Dems like Richie Neal. She's become an enemy of the working class, not a friend or champion of it. Apparently, the only incumbents that she likes are those that toe the party line.

Honestly, both major parties are so corrupt now that they should be under RICO probes. Yes, I said both.

And for all of the talk about securing American elections, why no bills to that effect?

 

[SevMax2]

Fuck Keith, it's Moscow Mitch and not reclining beer drinkers. Get your facts straight.

Keith thinks that it's only the GOP's fault that Pelosi and Schumer aren't getting anything done. Nothing could be further from the truth. It's more likely their donors' fault...donors who give to both parties and dictated Obama's and Trump's cabinet choices to both men.

At this point, it takes a special kind of blind party loyalty and faith in it to still naively trust that Pelosi and Schumer have good intentions. They don't. They lost those good intentions along their path to Hell.

Which is a huge part of why I reject both parties nowadays. They're both like Tammany Hall...political machines, nothing more or less. Just like the Cook County machine and the Daley family.

 

[KeithD]

Keith thinks that it's only the GOP's fault that Pelosi and Schumer

Let's just stop asserting what Keith thinks, shall we?

 

[KeithD]

Fuck Keith, it's Moscow Mitch and not reclining beer drinkers. Get your facts straight.

It's not Moscow Mitch bitching on a porn discussion board.

 

[SevMax2]

Let's just stop asserting what Keith thinks, shall we?

Then kindly stop assuming things about me, too.