Category Archives: Bernie Sanders
Caucus Clown Car at Senate Impeachment Trial
Senate impeachment trial hostages Sanders, Warren and Klobuchar face a dilemma. Closing arguments are tomorrow, but so are the Iowa Caucuses. And the final vote on whether to toss Trump is Wednesday.
More Caucus Chaos
And the Des Moines Register further complicated things by canceling the release of its “gold standard” poll Saturday night. Somebody left Pete Buttigieg out as a possible preferred candidate.
Meanwhile, back in Washington, the president delivers his State of the Union speech on Tuesday.
And, since the Senate voted 51-49 to block more impeachment trial witness testimony on Friday, Republicans now say they have the votes to acquit on Wednesday.
Trump’s Brief Inaugural Speech
Two things I liked about Trump’s inaugural speech. He only used the word “I” three times. And it was short – 16 minutes.
John Kass in the Chicago Tribune wrote, “This wasn’t a smooth-talking politician inviting us to climb aboard his fancy word ship for a voyage beyond the stars. He did not call upon the angels. Instead, he spoke in dark tones to the forgotten man.”
It was that beginning that was astonishing, his declaration of war on the establishment, especially as they all sat there with him, with former Presidents Carter and Bush and Clinton and Obama looking on, outgoing first lady Michelle Obama frowning, Hillary Clinton icy and distant.
Bush bobbed his head and smiled as if in pain. Bill Clinton’s eyes were two frozen blue grapes, locked in a thousand-yard stare. But what he was looking at inside his own head, I wouldn’t ever want to know.
Inaugural Speech
Kass, among others, called the speech Jacksonian. But large parts of it could have been given by Bernie Sanders, “Why go to war when we can use that money building freeways at home?”
As they stood together on the capitol steps, I was struck by Barack Obama’s elegance. Maybe it was the crease in his pants, but it stood in contrast to Trump’s, um, Trumpian appearance.
BBC (click image for link)
But Obama was no match for Melania.
Should be an interesting four years.
Big Government
In his 1996 State of the Union speech Bill Clinton signed the death certificate for the era of big government. He went on to challenge Congress to send him a welfare reform bill. Congress did just that and he signed it.
But Big Gov was Rasputin-like. According to the Cato Institute federal spending grew 60% during the George W. Bush years. Then in 2012 Barack Obama killed Clinton’s signature Welfare reform and Rasputin was back.
Hillary Clinton, pushed to the left by Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, campaigned to expand the Big Government command and control economy even further. But she lost.
Big Government RIP?
So Rasputin is dead again.
Now what’s this Donald Trump trillion dollar stimulus plan all about?
Ruling Class
Thomas Frank has a great little essay in the Guardian about how the ruling class works. The details are emerging from John Podesta’s WikiLeaks. He sits at the head of the ruling class and is asked for favors and jobs by other members of the elite group.
Ruling Class In-Group
CNN expelled Donna Brazile for slipping debate questions to classmate Hillary Clinton. Brazile is acting chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee. That’s because she replaced another classmate, Debbie Wasserman Schultz. Schultz didn’t work well with others – especially Bernie Sanders.
Bernie, like The Donald, isn’t part of the in-group.
Big Dog and That Girl
Debbie Wasserman Schultz
Debbie Wasserman Schultz was forced to step down as Democrat Party Chair. Hacked DNC emails revealed that she helped rig the primary election for Hillary. When she attempted to speak to the florida delegation she was booed off the stage .
That Girl
Meanwhile, the convention crowd couldn’t get enough of the Big Dog. Bill Clinton spun a yarn about that girl with the frizzy blonde hair and big glasses. There was no mention of “that woman” as Maureen Dowd was quick to point out.
Bill and Hillary would go on to the White House, the Senate, a seat as Secretary of State, and millions in speaking fees.
