Trump honed incendiary style from National Rifle Assn.

For years the National Rifle Assn., led by Wayne LaPierre, has railed against a government that suppresses its people and denies them their constitutional rights. Of course, the opposition has always been designed to protect their precious 2nd Amendment, a part of the Constitution that should have been done away with or at least modified significantly. Something that obviously could never happen under a Donald Trump presidency or Republican controlled Congress.

A recent post on this subject pointed out how the emphasis on state elections will probably increase in the next four years, while pointing out the high amount of gun violence the U.S. suffers annually from too many guns. At one point Trump said, “I support the ban on assault weapons and I also support a slightly longer waiting period to purchase a gun.” The Trace article also said that during the election, "...Trump adopted an incendiary message that matched the NRA’s own."

When the NRA heard Trump's repeated rhetoric that the 2nd Amendment was sacred, something that must be protected at all costs, the decision was made to pump $30- million into ads that supported Trump. It started with 5-million NRA members, then picked a rural population the NRA has been appealing to for years, all ramrodded by the huge ad campaign both for Donald Trump and against Hillary Clinton. It worked. Trump was elected but can the NRA really depend on his fickle nature?




The fact is that almost all of the Republican hierarchy shunned Trump in the early stages, as well as further into the campaign. Special interest groups ignored him; do the Koch brothers come to mind? Even the conservative press was caught off guard by his zany antics. Sociologist Scott Melzer, author of the 2012 book "Gun Crusaders: The NRA’s Culture War," told The Trace:

"The gun group and its candidate speak to 'this white rural conservative population that feels left behind by economic shifts and cultural shifts. These changes pose a threat to their identity.'”

Wayne Lapierre wasn't able to beat Barack Obama but he was successful defeating Hillary Clinton. I continue to wonder how long a gullible American public will buy the NRA's bullshit. Meanwhile, it accepts 12,000+ gun deaths a
year, over 3,000 of them children. Thank you America.

Young vote helped elect Donald Trump

2016 election protesters

Obviously a nation is pissed with Donald Trump as the newly elected President. Protests are going on across the country, but one thing bothers me about the reports. Apparently the demonstrations include a lot of young people, which raises the question of where they were last Tuesday...when Trump was elected. The Atlantic reports:

A national exit poll suggests more young adults in 2016 than in 2012 “supported a third-party candidate, did not vote for a presidential candidate, or specifically chose not to answer this poll question,” according to the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE).

 Further, the article provides that 37% of ages 18 to 29 voted for Donald Trump. When you add that figure to those voting for third-party candidates plus those who didn't vote, the numbers become significant. A new DNC chair will be welcomed since Debbie Wasserman Schultz has allowed the Democratic Party to weaken to the point where everything from local councils to the presidency is now controlled by Republicans.

We are not so much a conservative nation as we are a nation controlled by conservatives. This did happen on Schultz's watch and now that she is gone and new blood is coming on--perhaps Keith Ellison--the new head must work vigorously to develop the youth, Hispanic and black vote. It took years for the GOP to lay the groundwork for their success and I am afraid it will take some time for the Democrats to catch up.

Rudy Giuliani called the protesters “spoiled crybabies.” Trump thinks they may not know him. The uprisings stretched all the way from Maryland to Oregon and several states in between and you can bet these "spoiled crybabies" knew exactly what they were doing and who it was about. Donald Trump as President is bad enough but looking forward to a GOP controlled Congress and overall Republican domination for the next few years really sucks.

Gun Control: With Trump emphasis shifts even more to states

NRA head, Wayne LaPierre

For years now a cowardly Congress, scared to death of Wayne LaPierre and the National Rifle Assn., has failed to act on reasonable gun control. Even the simplest steps like background checks, closing the gun show loophole and banning assault weapons. And now in comes Donald Trump with his open philosophy on guns, including a belief that there should be absolutely no limit on gun sales in America. With 112.6 guns per 100 residents already.

The gun situation in the U.S. can be defined in one word: obscene. The Washington Post reported:

"Homicides in the United States went up by more than 10 percent in 2015 over the year before, while violent crime increased by nearly 4 percent in the same period, according to new statistics released Monday by the FBI."

Translated into specifically gun-related violence, the Gun Violence Archive 2016 reports:

Total gun incidents-49,816
Number of deaths-12,860
Number of children to age 11 killed or injured-594
Mass shootings-342
Accidental shooting-1,846

In another report, you can see Donald Trump's position on nine issues in his own words. One in particular is laughable. Here's what he says about the national right to carry:

“The right of self-defense doesn’t stop at the end of your driveway … A driver’s license works in every state, so it’s common sense that a concealed carry permit should work in every state.”

Can you believe that kind of stupid reasoning? It's like saying a driver's license gives you the right to drive and your gun gives you the right to kill. Especially when you are talking about carrying an AR-15 assault rifle. Only a dedicated gun nut would espouse or believe this kind of bullshit. Or...a political candidate trying to get your vote.

Steve Bannon reconfirms Donald Trump extreme right plans

Kellyanne Conway

Steve Bannon is Donald Trump's new White House strategist, signaling the fact that he definitely has radical tendencies in mind for his administration. Bannon is the former president of Breitbart News, the ultra conservative publication so far to the right, its followers don't even recognize the other direction. Bloomberg News said: Steve Bannon, "is the most dangerous political operative in America. That's scary, considering his position in the new Trump administration.

Kellyanne Conway, Donald Trump's campaign manager, screamed foul, spouting off Bannon's credentials:

“He has got a Harvard business degree. He’s a Naval officer. He has success in entertainment. I don’t know if you’re aware of that. And he certainly was a Goldman Sachs managing partner. Brilliant tactician.”

I wonder if he was the "brilliant tactician" that almost brought Goldman Sachs down when it defrauded its customers in a hedge fund scandal, part of the George W. Bush financial disaster that almost brought the country down? But my concern is more with the fact that the Tea Party--remember them?--has endorsed not only Steve Bannon but also Reince Priebus, former head of the RNC and now Trump's Chief of Staff.

It's hard to see how the election of Donald Trump could get any more bizarre but it just did. Anyone want to predict what's next?

Real reason Donald Trump won

Is this reason for the low turnout?

All things considered, anger at Washington insiders, people didn't like Hillary Clinton, and on and on, the real reason Donald Trump won this election was the low turnout. Almost 5% less votes were cast in 2016 than 2012, and the latter was 3.7% less than 2008. The Bernie bunch let us down. The blacks let us down. And once again the Hispanics let us down. So in comes a stampeding group of Trump do willies who stumble through the process of electing...him.

A low turnout by lazy Democrats has always favored a Republican base, which at least rises to the occasion when it is important.

The outcome is that we are stuck with Donald Trump for the next four years--but maybe not says Michael Moore--as the President of the most powerful country in the world. More than scary, right? In case you are interested, this is the profile of the gang that elected your President. By "your," think you know what I'm talking about. Here is how Allen Clifton of Forward Progressive describes the supporters for the new President-elect:

1. They’re not very well-educated
2.They have delusional visions about how wealthy they might be
3. They really don’t know a damn thing about politics
4. They’re highly misinformed about nearly everything and extremely gullible
 5. They think they’re a whole lot smarter than what they actually are and tend to be extremely stubborn, if not outright arrogant

Now here is one I've never heard before, #2: They have delusional visions about how wealthy they might be. You mean even the dimmest of the Donald dimwits think they can do what he did? Take a million dollars from your father and turn it into four bankruptcies? Well, they would. And more power to them. But meanwhile we're stuck with, well you know what. But like I said earlier, maybe there is hope when Trump starts again with his bizarre antics.

Let me finish with a question. Can we surmise from the above plus other recent articles on Donald Trump's election; are his followers simply uneducated rednecks? Shades of the Tea Party.

Bernie Sanders: Stay healthy for 2020

Debbie Wasserman Schultz

Michael Moore and Allan Lichtman predicted Donald Trump won't survive a full four years as President. As encouraging as that is, we need a backup just in case for 2020. I read a comment yesterday on an Internet site covering the Trump demonstrations across the country. It said, eat right and get plenty of exercise, Bernie, for 2020. Not being anything close to a Constitutional Law expert, or even layman, not sure if he could fill in for an impeached Donald Trump.

I harken back to the unethical antics of Debbie Wasserman Schultz, disgraced former head of the Democratic National Committee, who repeatedly showed overwhelming favor for Hillary Clinton in the primaries. She was fired for her actions, things Bernie Sanders frequently exposed during the campaign, but only to the deaf ears of demented Democrats. Who, obviously, got what they deserved, Donald Trump.

Here's one such email from Brad Marshall suggesting that they use religion against a certain possible atheist with a Jewish heritage:

From:MARSHALL@dnc.org To: MirandaL@dnc.org, PaustenbachM@dnc.org, DaceyA@dnc.org Date: 2016-05-05 03:31 Subject: No shit

It might may no difference, but for KY and WVA can we get someone to ask his belief. Does he believe in a God. He had skated on saying he has a Jewish heritage. I think I read he is an atheist. This could make several points difference with my peeps. My Southern Baptist peeps would draw a big difference between a Jew and an atheist.

Marshall was chief financial officer of the DNC, who later tried to claim his message did not refer to Bernie Sanders. Bernie beat Donald Trump consistently in the polls leading up to Clinton's nomination. But the election results were a complete turnaround from what all the polls were predicting between Clinton and Trump. I would like to think this:

When Bernie Sanders lost the primaries, the force of his following was so let down and discouraged that the majority fractured completely away from the Democratic Party and with no direction or leadership either didn't vote at all or simply looking for change from the typical Washington insider, Hillary Clinton, they misguidedly voted for Donald Trump. This added to Trump's rural support put him over the top.

But, of course, we'll probably never know. 

There's hope-a duo of predictions for Donald Trump's resignation or impeachment

Allan Lichtman

Michael Moore was right when he predicted Donald Trump could win last July. But this is what he said on Huff Post re. Trump's staying power: “Here’s what’s going to happen, this is why we’re not going to have to suffer through four years of Donald J. Trump, because he has no ideology except the ideology of Donald J. Trump." What have we seen that the President-elect has either said or advocated that wasn't connected to the well-being of Donald Trump? Nothing.

Interestingly enough, Allan Lichtman, a history professor at American University in Washington, D.C., also forecasted the win. But, then, he has predicted nine consecutive presidential election results based on a model he created that consists of 13 factors. He doesn't believe in polls and kicks sand at all the data mining fanatics that depend entirely on numbers. At the same time. Lichtman also felt that Donald Trump would be impeached.

Nate Silver's 538 Blog, which has called several presidential elections correctly, picked Hillary Clinton for a win right up to Nov. 8, 71.4% to Trump's 28.6%. Others foresaw the actual outcome which you can see here. Allan Lichtman had 13 true false statements but Michael More decided based on just 5 reasons. They are:

 Midwest Math, or Welcome to Our Rust Belt Brexit; The Last Stand of the Angry White Man; The Hillary Problem; The Depressed Sanders Vote; and The Jesse Ventura Effect.

Each is an interesting look at election psychology, and you can read them here.

Could Donald Trump surprise us all and turn out to be a fine, upstanding President? But, with very limited thought, little chance.

Protesters against Donald Trump election everywhere

Donald Trump election protesters

Thousands hit the streets from San Francisco to Washington, DC, as well as Atlanta; Austin, Texas; Boston; Chicago; Denver; Philadelphia; Portland, Oregon; Seattle. And, it's not letting up, entering the fourth day of demonstrations. CNN reported, "One college student showed CNN a sign that said, 'I still can't believe I have to protest for civil rights.'" Is it fair to say that we have a relatively large proportion of the public unhappy with Donald Trump?

It's bad enough that we have a flawed election process where several people are chosen as electors by the two political parties--but not Independents--sometimes with no relationship to the will of the public. Electoral votes put George W. Bush in office in 2000, and Donald Trump in 2016. In both cases the popular vote elected Al Gore and Hillary Clinton. If you're interested an Electoral College explanation here, why we don't get rid of it here.

On the other hand, Donald Trump talked in extremes during his candidacy saying he would repeal Obamacare, put Hillary Clinton in jail, and send all of the illegals back home. Just to garner the votes of the racists, bigots and radicals in general. It worked. And he added a few others who voted simply for change. I would like to know the percentage of his supporters who voted blind, with no clue to the issues of the Trump campaign.

Had they looked, they still wouldn't have found any. And now these poor souls have learned that that their idol for change is already reversing himself on Obamacare, Hillary Clinton and immigration. One might wonder if these people will have the gumption to stand up to the man who is letting them down. I've said it before and will say it again, it is this kind of profile that rushes to the voting booth with their double-digit IQs, voting accordingly.

The election outcome protesters of the last few days knew the issues of their candidate, Hillary Clinton, and even though many had rather have had Bernie Sanders on the ticket, they voted in protest to keep Donald Trump out of the White House. It didn't work. Or rather it did, but the Electoral College undercut their efforts. Progressives have a lot to do to get this country back in shape.

Latino Chants of "¡Si se puede!" as Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio loses big

The Hispanic community of Arizona can rest easier after the decisive defeat of Sheriff Joe Arpaio in Tuesday's election, at least until January 20, 1917. I talked to one Latino as he finished grooming our yard, ready to ask him if he voted but he asked me first. I said, "Yes, did you?" His answer was a quick "Yes." I didn't ask him who he voted for but I'm betting as far as the Sheriff's race is concerned, it was probably Paul Penzone, Arpaio's opposition.

Don't know how my guy voted in the Presidential election either but Hispanics accounted for 11% of the total vote and favored Clinton by better than two to one. In 2008 Obama received 67% of the vote but the Latino turnout was only 9%. Once again this ethnic group did not step up to the plate. They also offered no help in the Arizona legislature where the stupid laws like the 2010 immigration bill that was eventually gutted.

I am more inclined to believe the white population of Arizona was finally fed up with Joe Arpaio, sick of the grandstanding to feed his ego, and at least $55 million in lawsuits against him and his department. And recently he was personally indicted on contempt of court charges he will have answer without his shield to back him up. Not sure what state's position will be on paying future legal bills. Knowing this state, anything is possible.

Hillary Clinton was supposed to ace the Hispanic vote but she barely held on to Obama's 2008 numbers. Either the Dems just aren't approaching the Latino community right, the latter just don't give a shit about their future, or it's all Hillary's fault. The future of the Democratic Party is significantly in question right now. Where are you Bernie?

World doesn't agree with U.S. election of President

Trump's supporters may be in ecstasy right now but the rest of the world is in a state of disbelief over the outcome of the election. Here's a quote from the Pew Research poll taken last June:

"In seven of 15 countries outside of the U.S. polled by Pew Research Center, Trump’s ratings are in the single digits. Large majorities in 11 of the countries have little or no confidence in the prospective Republican presidential nominee ability to manage international affairs. That includes 92 percent of Swedes, 89 percent of Germans and 82 percent of Japanese."

He's going to have to come out more than just running to overcome that; a sprint probably won't even do it. NBC News describes it as follows: "Disbelief, horror and downright mockery." And we have to live with these people as a nation unless we plan to become isolationists. You must take a look at the above underlined NBC News article and marvel over the front pages of newspapers worldwide.

As when Trump started his campaign, we are the laughing stock of the world...again.

Opinion to chill out over Trump only partially right

Timothy Stanley's headline, "Liberals, chill out about Trump victory," sounds comforting but he goes way too far. He's right about the courts holding Donald Trump in line and the fact that the 2018 election will certainly take into consideration how the President-elect fares in his first two years. And also the rights of the LGBT community. But he is dead wrong about him cutting taxes, repealing Obamacare, and his choice of Supreme Court justices.

Good God man, have you forgotten the disaster of the Geo. W. Bush fiasco, a fact that 20 million people are now covered by health care plans that weren't before the ACA? And for my money, we are only headed for some disastrous years with the addition of Trump's Court nominees. Conservatives won't admit it but the Citizens United decision has made a mockery of the election process and there is no way we will repeal that under Trump.

There is some contradiction to the above, considering that all of Hillary Clinton's massive ad buys in the millions didn't help her. But in the end it only proves that the Democrats nominated the wrong candidate. Most of us knew all along that it should have been Bernie Sanders.

Did 82% of Bernie Sanders supporters vote for Hillary Clinton?

I am not sure and here is why.

Everyone is saying a disgruntled "rural" population is what elected Donald Trump, one that claims they are always overlooked. But the question is, what is the "rural" population?

According to the U.S. Census Dept., "Rural encompasses all population, housing, and territory not included within an urban area." 

Further, "To qualify as an urban area, the territory identified according to criteria must encompass at least 2,500 people, at least 1,500 of which reside outside institutional group quarters."

My contention is that many of Bernie Sanders supporters came from the suburbs of urban areas like Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, San Francisco, and the list goes on. Are they mistakenly included in this rural identification and, if so, what are their numbers. My reasoning is that the farm population is only 2% of the total U.S., the rural population only 19%, but maybe it is only a matter of semantics.

It's one thing for 82% of Bernie's people to "say" they were going to vote for Clinton. The question is,did they? Remember, according to Politico, back in November, 71% of GOP insiders said ..."the polls understate Trump’s support because voters don’t want to admit to pollsters that they are backing the controversial Republican nominee." But when Democrats were asked this, only 26% agreed.

We may never know but one thing is for sure, 2016 will go down as they most bizarre election to ever take place in the U.S.

Bernie Sanders will be a thorn in Donald Trump's behind

Bernie Sanders

It isn't sour grapes since Bernie Sanders didn't have a chance at beating Donald Trump. Had he, he would have. It's just that Bernie recognizes and isn't afraid to verbalize his concerns about the potential of a Trump administration. One of the last major politicians to release a statement, this is what he said:

"Donald Trump tapped into the anger of a declining middle class that is sick and tired of establishment economics, establishment politics and the establishment media. People are tired of working longer hours for lower wages, of seeing decent paying jobs go to China and other low-wage countries, of billionaires not paying any federal income taxes and of not being able to afford a college education for their kids — all while the very rich become much richer."

I don't want to put words in his mouth, but it is almost as if the inference is that Donald Trump's rants of change may have picked up some of the Revolution's supporters when Bernie was beaten by Hillary Clinton. He added this to the above:

"To the degree that Mr. Trump is serious about pursuing policies that improve the lives of working families in this country, I and other progressives are prepared to work with him. To the degree that he pursues racist, sexist, xenophobic and anti-environmental policies, we will vigorously oppose him."

It is obvious that Bernie Sanders, The Revolution, and staunch Progressives will cautiously eye the movements of the President-elect. This blog will be devoted to that mandate in the future.

Hillary Clinton baggage lost the election for her

Thank God it's over and it's time for us Progressives to face the facts and regroup to make sure the Donald Trump administration doesn't wreak havoc. It will be hard with the WH and Congress in the control of the GOP.


Hillary Clinton carried the baggage that obviously defeated her on Nov. 8, spawning a situation we will have to live with for the next four years. Has everyone forgotten all the things Trump said over the period of the campaign? Things like:

"undocumented immigrants will be deported en masse, Arab Americans will be racially profiled and the United States will "bomb the s--- out of ISIS."

 There's more:

"In Trump's America, foreign Muslims will be banned from the US, Syrian refugees sent back to their war-torn country and free trade agreements torn to shreds. And, of course, the US will build a 'great wall' on the US-Mexico border, which Mexico will have to pay for."

And even more in the article underlined above. These are not Presidential comments and it is hopeful that the tone of the President-elect reported by Pres. Obama, in their personal conversation today, will prevail in Trump's governing of this country. I am not yet ready to predict a George W. Bush comeback but the next few months will determine that.

OMG! Donald Trump is President

Michael Moore

Michael Moore said it could happen. Donald Trump said it would happen. It did. He was elected President of the United States in a cliff-hanger that played out to the bitter end. My wife and I watched it but gave up in disgust at 2:30 AM ET. It was a classic example of how conservatives have taken over this country...again. I guess memories of the George W. Bush eight cataclysmic years have faded into the combination of I hate Obama and the establishment.

I didn't really want Clinton; Bernie Sanders would have suited me much more, and apparently the other progressives out there. Not certain, but would bet that many of Bernie's supporters voted for Trump because both stood for change, although the former's revolution makes tons more sense than whatever the Donald's idea of make America great again is. But now we have him and we must do the best with what the rural U.S. has given us.

I do think we have to give the man a chance even though thousands like me do not agree with anything he espouses. You can bet that Bernie sanders and Elizabeth Warren will form a duo of oversight for the Trump administration, with an eye on every move he makes. Considering the number of Republicans that failed to support the new President-elect, this should be a very interesting next few months in the Congress, considering its favorability rating is only 20%.

Hillary Clinton Issues: Equal Pay

"Fighting for equal pay."

Hillary Clinton

Hillary Clinton Issues: Overturn Citizens United

"We will do everything we can to overturn Citizens United."

Hillary Clinton

Hillary Clinton Issues: Health Care/ACA

"Stand up to Republican-led attacks on this landmark (health care) law—and build on its success to bring the promise of affordable health care to more people and make a ‘public option’ possible."

Hillary Clinton Issues: Immigration

"Pass comprehensive immigration reform with a path to citizenship that keeps families together."

Hillary Clinton Issues: College Tuition

ON COLLEGE TUITION

"For families making less than $125,000 a year, we will eliminate tuition" for in-state students at public colleges.

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Booze, fun and sobriety

WITHOUT THE LAMPSHADE-How I Learned to Love my Brown Martini has just been published and is available at Amazon.com. You can enjoy it in both Kindle and the paperback edition.

During the period covered in my new memoir of some crazy drinking days, my expectations were that I would not live past the age of fifty-five based on the amount of booze I drank and the number of cigarettes I smoked. When I shared this with friends and relatives, and they saw me in action, they agreed. Somehow I made it to eighty-four and decided I was meant to chronicle these hilarious years of inebriation. 

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Letter to the President on gun control

Barack Obama
The White House
Washington, D.C.

Dear Mr. President:

You have tried to stop gun violence on several occasions and I realize you have combated a GOP Congress that vowed from the beginning of your first term in office to stop any legislation you proposed. Any legislation. That in itself proves that you are dealing with a group of individuals that have put their ideologies, and I must sorrowfully say, Mr. President, their hate for you, before their country. You have always placed our country first and most of us appreciate that.

It seems to me that to deal with this kind of mentality you must prove to the American public, and those who would block this legislation, the nature of those who are against reasonable gun laws, those who put guns before the safety of innocent victims. I think the way to do this, and, it is my wife's idea by the way, is to lower all U.S. flags to half-mast at government facilities around the world and keep them there until Congress passes meaningful laws for gun control.

Then you, Mr. President, can be instrumental in convincing large and small business, plus individuals who fly the flag, to lower their flags to half-staff until Congress addresses and does something about gun violence. When American citizens realize the reason for doing this, and the fact that it is an on-going event, hopefully that will make them better comprehend the gun slaughter that takes place on American streets every day.

I thank you for your consideration, Mr. President, and my wife and I stand ready to help in any way we can in this matter.

Jack and Barbara Dunning
Cave Creek, AZ

Flags at half-mast until more gun control

Yesterday I introduced the concept of lowering all the flags to half-staff until the U.S. Congress addresses the problem of gun violence. On government facilities, private residences, commercial buildings, just anywhere that flies the American flag. Right through the evening hours,all the next day and on and on and on. Until we get acceptable gun legislation that will stop these mass gun killings and all the day to day bloodshed.

The Orlando LGBT club is only the latest of a string of mass murders by guns which already numbers 141 just in 2016. I read the comment just after the Florida devastation that from Sandy Hook (where 20 children age 6 were slaughtered with an assault rifle) to Orlando, the public's attitude toward more gun control has not changed measurably. They're still against it which is completely dumbfounding to me.

This can all be traced back to the cowards in Congress (Democrats and Republicans) who refuse to pass the reasonable gun control bills that would have saved many of the lives in those 141 mass shooting, and the day to day shootings on the streets. And this can be attributed to Congress' fear of retaliation from the National Rifle Assn. (NRA) and its head gun nut, Wayne LaPierre. Grown men who allow this sleaze bag to run their lives.

It's pathetic but if people woke up each day looking at flags everywhere at half-mast, after a while maybe this whole dilemma could be solved.

Think about it.

Here's an idea to make the gun control issue work

Fly the American flag at half-staff until Congress passes new gun control laws that will help curtail gun violence. This is not my idea. It is my wife's idea and she isn't even as close to the gun control movement as I am. But it is time that we realized the current loose gun laws and open availability of any kind of weapon that anyone wants is not working.

The National Rifle Assn.'s head, Wayne LaPierre, and his NRA minions can spout off their mouths all they want about the 2nd Amendment, but it is clear that their way has failed miserably. There have been 141 mass shootings in 2016. With 6,171 total deaths, 1,577 of them under the age of seventeen, 260 under eleven. If the American public can't understand this, there must be something wrong with their priorities.

So, how about lowering the flag to half-mast and leaving it there until we get some results on gun control legislation. I have researched this and it is legal to fly the flag at night as long as it is illuminated. The President can order this for government facilities but I am also talking about all those flags that are on display around the country, commercial and private, and around the world at other U.S. possessions. If we lead this movement here, maybe other countries hopefully will join in the cause and lower their flags to half-staff.

The purpose is to shame Congress into doing something about gun violence. So think about this over the weekend and follow my blog for more information. And please leave your comments that can be shared with others, particularly if your home or business agrees with the idea.

Bernie Sanders Sayings

Donald Trump

I think Donald Trump’s views on immigration and his slurring of the Latino community is not something that should be going on in the year 2015, and it’s to me an embarrassment for our country.

Why Clinton should not be Democratic nominee

Debbie Wasserman Schultz

Huff Post has come up with a list of a 10-point plan being executed by the Democratic Party to lose the 2016 Presidential election. I would like to cover them a couple at a time.

Number one: Assume that Donald Trump will be the Republican nominee, when it is clear he will not. There's some pretty good reasoning and not too shabby math in this conclusion but Trump, like Bernie Sanders, has had his share of surprises in this race that has kept the former in the lead and the latter in a very strong contender's position.

Number two: The Dems attempt to nominate the only one of the two Democratic candidates who is almost guaranteed to reunite the Republican Party. You think Mitch McConnell hates Barack Obama, there is nothing that will bring the GOP together quicker than its hatred of the Clintons. Huff Post says, "Hillary Clinton is one of the least popular major-party politicians in America, and her disapproval rating is not just sky-high among Republicans..."

We can thank Debbie Wasserman Schultz for the direction of the Democratic nominating process, something she has clearly steered to favor Hillary Clinton over Bernie Sanders. Sanders ratings against Trump and Cruz are better than Clinton's but due to Schultz' close ties with her and the fact that the Bern is an Independent, the DNC Chair is hell-bent on pushing him out of the race. 

Bernie Sanders Sayings

Do the elected officials in Washington stand with ordinary Americans - working families, children, the elderly, the poor - or will the extraordinary power of billionaire campaign contributors and Big Money prevail? The American people, by the millions, must send Congress the answer to that question.

Clinton campaign whines on and on and on...

Hillary Clinton had just won 58% of the New York Primary vote to Bernie Sanders 42% when the Clinton talking heads started grumbling over the fact that Bernie is not playing fair. Seems that at the time exit polls gleaned from respondents that 46% felt the Clinton campaign was more unfair, only 34% for Sanders. In added comments, "...66% of Democrats said the primary contest is 'energizing' the party," according to CNN.

Chief whiner, Jennifer Palmieri, Clinton's communications director, says that "...the Sanders campaign 'has been destructive' to that point that he is 'not productive to Democrats' and is 'not productive for the country.'" What she is really saying is that the Bern is an Independent, not a Democrat, and the fact that he has won so many primaries against Hillary is embarrassing the party. What she fails to mention is the fact that Bernie Sanders is consistently committed.

But the numbers are that Sanders won 106 delegates in New York to Clinton's 139 for a total of 1,199 pledged to 1,452 respectively. Clinton has 489 superdelegates to Sanders 41, a hefty lead that could be whittled down with the upcoming primaries. Bernie's position, and it is a reasonable one, is that superdelegates will start changing their mind if he continues strong in future primaries, starting with Connecticut on April 26.

Another superdelegate factor includes states whose delegates have voted for Clinton where Sanders was the choice of the popular vote. Sanders adviser Tad Devine said, referring to the Clinton campaign whining, "I hear what they're saying, but what they're saying is being refuted by the voters themselves." One thing is clear, Bernie Sanders has started a revolution that the American public has connected with, and it has upset the Democratic Party process.

Bernie Sanders Sayings

Here is what the practical impact of Citizens United means. What Citizens United means is that corporations call hundreds of millions of dollars into television ads, radio ads, and other forms of advertising to defeat those candidates who stand up and take them on.

Clinton favorability the pits and polls show it

The latest Huff Pollster national poll shows Bernie Sanders has shot northward to 45.4% while Hillary Clinton has gone south to 48.3%. She was at 52.2% on March 6, Bernie at 39.7%. And on April 9, Ipsos/Reuters found the Bern ahead at 49%, Clinton 48%. Go figure, because these differences prove that polling hasn't yet reached a scientific or technological level where it can't be challenged. But there is one poll that should be confusing to any Bernie Sanders supporter.

Favorability. How is it that Hillary Clinton with a net favorability rating of -24--higher than Ted Cruz at -23--is ahead in national polls when Bernie Sanders' net favorability is a +9? That's a spread of 32 points and a significant number which may turn  superdelegate heads even more toward the Bern, especially if he does well in New York. A lot of people don't like the candidate they vote for but do so because he or she is best qualified. Bernie is well liked and he's qualified.

I detest mentioning the name but a Republican candidate with the initials DT is a poll of another color. Since these pollsters are the same ones that do all the polls, you have to wonder if the whole thing is actually a colossal sham...or could it just be  the stupidity of the American conservative public?

Bernie Sanders Sayings

Let us wage a moral and political war against the billionaires and corporate leaders, on Wall Street and elsewhere, whose policies and greed are destroying the middle class of America.

Bernie Sanders withing 2 points of Clinton latest national poll

In a brand-new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, Bernie Sanders has romped to within two points of Hillary Clinton, 50% to 48%, on the eve of the New York Primary. Clinton has been favored in Gotham, but the Bern has steadily chipped away at that lead, reducing it from 48 points to only 6. The national 2 point lead is down from Clinton's 9 points a month ago. It is this brand of consistent momentum we have experienced from the beginning of Bernie's campaign.

What we have to consider is that we are in the second half of the primary races; every pledged delegate counts. Perhaps oversimplified, but indicative that we can't take even the smallest states that are left for granted like Connecticut, Delaware, Rhode Island or Indiana. A major win in these states, plus New York, Maryland and Pennsylvania, should help convince superdelegates who are supporting Clinton to take another look at what their constituency wants.

More important facts for Bernie Sanders: He leads 15 points among women (57 percent to 42 percent); Clinton's lead among minorities drops from 59 percent to 41 percent; Sanders leads among men by 17 points (58 percent to 41 percent), whites (53 percent to 44 percent) and those ages 18 to 49 (66 percent to 34 percent). These are all meaningful numbers and trends that, by experience, we can be assured will only improve the Bern's chances for the nomination.

George Clooney trashes money raised for Hillary Clinton

Would you pay $353,000 to sit at a table with George Clooney at a Hillary Clinton fundraiser? Even Clooney himself thought it was "ridiculous." This is his comment:

"It is an obscene amount of money, the Sanders campaign when they talk about it is absolutely right. It’s ridiculous that we have this kind of money in politics."

Bernie Sanders, of course, agrees, and has been pointing out this fact since he started his run for the Presidency, that big money owns politicians and why would the wealthy and large corporations contribute such enormous sums if they didn't expect something for it. George Clooney probably doesn't expect anything from Clinton, I suspect. After all, what could he need? My gut tells me, he is like most of the rest of us; he just doesn't want a Republican in the White House.

Bernie Sanders surges to within 6 points in New York

After a 48 point deficit in the New York Primary from only one month ago, the polls now show Bernie Sanders at 47% and Hillary Clinton 53%. This is the way it always happens, folks, and just keeps getting better. The Bern's team has set up an optimistic goal for 15,000 volunteers making two calls each in New York. You can volunteer here. Now keep in mind that he doesn't have to win, just pick up a sizable amount of delegates. So please do your part today. 

Bernie Sanders sayings

If we are serious about moving toward energy independence in a cost-effective way, we should invest in solar energy. If we are serious about cutting air and water pollution and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, we should invest in solar energy.

Bernie sander's track record going into Wisconsin Primary

As we approach the important Wisconsin primary tomorrow, below is a reminder of Bernie Sander's recent track record. These are not only wins, they are significant wins that should illustrate to the political community just how important this Progressive's candidacy is in the Presidential race. Wisconsin is the gateway to the New York Primary on Tuesday, April 19, followed by other big states like Pennsylvania, California and New Jersey. Here are the recent ones.

Democrats Abroad - 3/21
Bernie Sanders: 69% (9 delegates)
Hillary Clinton: 31% (4 delegates)

Idaho - 3/22
Bernie Sanders: 78% (17 delegates)
Hillary Clinton: 21% (5 delegates)

Utah - 3/22
Bernie Sanders: 79% (26 delegates)
Hillary Clinton: 20% (6 delegates)

Alaska - 3/26
Bernie Sanders: 82% (13 delegates)
Hillary Clinton: 18% (3 delegates)

Hawaii - 3/26
Bernie Sanders: 70% (17 delegates)
Hillary Clinton: 30% (8 delegates)

Washington - 3/26
Bernie Sanders: 73% (74 delegates)
Hillary Clinton: 27% (27 delegates)

The latest Wisconsin RealClearPolitics poll shows the Bern 2.2 points ahead of Clinton (47.5 to 45). Public Policy Polling has Bernie at 49%, Hillary at 43%. There are 86 pledged delegates in Wisconsin, 10 superdelegates. Should Bernie Sanders continue this succession of picking up the majority of delegates, it is doubtful that Hillary Clinton can arrive at a pledged majority before the convention without depending on superdelegates. 

Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio begs for money

Sheriff Joe Arpaio

A local newspaper (small conservative rag) in the Phoenix area has published an editorial--sounds like a desperate plea--from Joe Arpaio, known nationally as "America's toughest Sheriff." Arpaio is vain enough to think that Bernie Sanders has spent any amount of time even thinking about him, other than an afterthought from Bernie's wife, Jane's visit to tent city. She thinks the place is inhumane, and it is considering the 100+ summers we have here.

The inmates live in tents in the desert without any air conditioning and where the temperature has registered as high as 122 degrees in the past. I live in Phoenix and have witnessed Joe Arpaio's antics which include the harassment of the Hispanic community, for which the feds have him in court. Yes, big talking Joe is desperate for contributions because he knows that most of Arizona is fed up with him and will probably put him out to pasture. It'll be a good thing. 

Bernie Sanders surges again in Wisconsin

The latest polls now have Bernie Sanders at 49% in Wisconsin to Hillary Clinton's 43%.  There are 86 delegates to be had and the more votes the Bern gets, the more delegates. All you Wisconsin Progressives, and also those of you on the fence, put next Tuesday on your calendar and make sure to vote!

For those of you on the fence for Bernie Sanders...

The must-win Wisconsin primary is coming up next Tuesday and this state is an example of how people have come to know and believe in Bernie Sanders giving him the momentum he needs to win the Democratic primary. Once proudly liberal, the Koch Bros.-driven Scott Walker has brought the state to one marred by deteriorating job growth whose middle class has declined more than almost any other state in the nation. This according to Pew Research Center.

But help is on the way and the folks of Wisconsin seem ready to replace Walker's backward conservatism with a new Progressive Revolution. Bernie Sanders trailed Hillary Clinton by as much as 53 points back in October. Today a Marquette University Law School poll shows him ahead of Clinton by 4.3 points (49.2-44.9). That's an uncanny 57 percent surge in just six months. So, for those of you on the edge, come on over.

FLASH: Bernie Sanders raises biggest amount of dollars in March

Bernie Sanders has hit a new high in his campaign for fundraising in the month of March setting a record of $44 million raised. It came from more than 1.7 million individual contributions from working Americans; it was the most successful fundraising month of the campaign. The public is not only changing its view of the political landscape, it is slowly deciding to become a part of the Bern's Revolution.

Each month donations increase--he has beat Hillary Clinton and her PACs for the last three months. It is also showing in the polls where he jumped again recently to within six points of Clinton. If you are looking at the race an either undecided or not sure if Hillary Clinton is the right candidate, you can look at where Bernie stands on all the issues here. If that doesn't make up your mind, check out this selection of Bernie Sanders posts from my blog.

CNN reconfirms fact that media coverage is Trump selective

In an earlier post, "Shallow media concentrates on Donald Trump," I pointed out how, even with Bernie Sanders breaking records regularly, the coverage is slanted toward what give it the highest ratings and sells the most newspapers. That would be Donald Trump, the big mouth blowhard that,due to a group whose brains are starving for oxygen supports him. I took it further with another comparison, the headline describing an MSNBC interview with Susan Sarandon.  
But yesterday CNN made this statement: "If Donald Trump weren't dominating the coverage in this election, Bernie Sanders would be the big story." They say this as if they agree with the way the coverage of primaries is being handled, but certainly admitting that, in effect, they're all doing it. The Bern has been the big story since the beginning of the primaries and will continue to play the part until he wins the nomination in July, subsequently the White House.

Bernie Sanders keeps raising BIG bucks

Bernie Sanders has out raised Hillary Clinton several times with his $27.00 donors, which would lead one to believe that Clinton's Wall Street and big corporate sources aren't doing their jobs. Just last month the Bern raised an unbelievable $43.5 million from working people giving just a little bit each online. I know this math isn't perfect but consider this amount divided by $27 and you come up with 1.6 million plus donors. Just in one month.

For those who wonder why Sanders is staying in the race against supposed insurmountable odds against Clinton, this figure should answer any questions. There have been comparisons with the Obama/Clinton 2008 campaign but there are two distinct differences. One, Hillary Clinton is not of the stature Barack Obama was in 2008. Two, Clinton won surprise primaries then but had no where near the momentum in 2008 that Bernie has today. 

NRA uses children's fairy tales to further its violence campaign

Little Red Riding Hood

Just when we thought this organization was at the bottom of the barrel, the National Rifle Assn. (NRA) stoops to its lowest in the exploiting of children. They are rewriting fairy tales, like in Little Red riding Hood now sports a hunting rifle. She's on the way to granny's house to shoot the big bad wolf but when she arrives, finds out that her dear old grandmother has already armed herself with a shotgun. Perfectly designed for bedtime reading to kids.

The stories are written by Amelia Hamilton, a conservative blogger and children’s author. But this idiocy doesn't stop there; in the next series Hansel and Gretel arm themselves with guns, which this depraved author says now makes them, "...no longer helpless children lost in the woods." Can you imagine what these morons could do with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs?