Monday, February 29, 2016

Super Tuesday Eve


It was a telling moment to be sure, probably an historic one: There stood Lindsey Graham, a real-live, honest-to-goodness, card-carrying, right-wing Republican senator - FROM THE SOUTH! -  up there on the rostrum, television cameras grinding away (or whatever noise it is that television cameras make these days), telling an audience of true believers that their party - his party - has gone "bat-shit crazy". It was an event that will be worth noting in ten years time, when historians sit down to write the autopsy of the Grand Old Party. There's no getting around the fact that the hours are ticking away; no debating what cannot be rationally debated. If this were a movie it would be a comedy so dark that it would make Dr. Strangelove seem like Winnie the Pooh. 

Of course, given my sick, twisted sense of the absurd, this completely idiotic political season is an unparalleled delight. I remember four years ago saying on this site that Campaign 2012 was a monumental year for political craziness. At the time, I was saying out loud that it could never again get as weird as it was then. I was mistaken, of course. 2016 has proven to be a landmark year in history of electoral insanity. So help me, I'll never again underestimate the capability of the American voter to lower the bar even further. And to think: 2020 is only four years away. I can't wait!

"Strange days indeed. Most peculiar, Mama!"

Dr. Winston O'Boogie
`
Barring a miracle, Donald Trump is going to run away with the Super Tuesday primary tomorrow. We're months past the point where we could hope the silly bastard would say something -  ANYTHING - so flagrantly outrageous that he would deep-six his candidacy overnight. T'aint gonna happen, Bubba!. The more this guy steps in it, the higher his stock rises with your typical Republican primary voter - at least in the South and Midwest

I never thought for a millisecond that the Donald believes one/tenth of the jibberish he habitually spews out on a daily basis. Say what you want about Trump, we at least need to concede that he is smart enough to know that, in order to win the GOP nomination these days, it is essential that a candidate steamroll across this diseased land saying a lot of mind-fuckingly stupid things. In this respect, the man has performed brilliantly. He understands H.L. Mencken's classic observation that "no one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public". Indeed.

I've got some good news and some bad news for you....

GOOD NEWS:  
After tomorrow night, the Ted Cruz campaign will be deader than James A. Garfield on a bad day.

BAD NEWS:
After tomorrow night, the Ted Cruz campaign will be deader than James A. Garfield on a bad day.

Let's face some serious facts here, folks: For sheer comedy, it doesn't get much better than old Ted - it really doesn't! The difference between him and Joe McCarthy is that, sixty years after his death, McCarthy only looks comical in hindsight; at the time he scared the shit out of most thinking Americans. Teddy Boy, on the other hand, is the Buster Keaton of unintentional comedians, right up there with Sarah Palin and anyone named "Bush". He really should be given the Mark Twain Prize.

I get such a kick out of Ted. It's not just his arrogance or his obnoxious demeanor that give me such a fit of uncontrollable giggles; it's in the way he takes himself soooo seriously. When he is forced to cash in his chips in a few days, it's hard to envision him endorsing any of his former opponents for the BIG PRIZE. A third party uprising? Don't put it past him. 

I sometimes get the suspicion that Ted Cruz is an espionage agent for the Democrats, assigned by Debbie Wasserman Schultz to go undercover and inflict as much destruction on the Republicans as is humanly possible to do. It would only stand to reason because he is doing a lot of serious damage - and doing it quite handily. Is it any wonder that his most of his right wing colleagues in the House and Senate can't stand him? If Cruz loses his home state of Texas tomorrow (and in this unpredictable atmosphere anything can happen) it's all over for him. Who wants do bet that he declares a victory in spite of an overwhelming defeat on Uber Tuesday? I'll say it again: I get such a kick out of Ted.

As for Marco Rubio, it is obvious to me that he's in over his poor little head. That's not to imply that he's an idiot - or, at least, he's not a complete idiot. Of all of the Republican contenders in this political season, he's the least nauseating. That is what is known as "damning with faint praise". The fact is that if Marco somehow - miraculously - found his way into the Oval Office, there's is no doubt that I would lose a lot of sleep, but at least I would find time for a quick catnap now and then. That's not the case as far as any of the others are concerned. None of these nitwits are qualified for the office of president of the United States. We'll deserve everything that happens to us if we're naive enough to go down this road again. Somehow, I'm fairly confident that we won't. Call me a "cockeyed optimist". The fact of the matter is that I'm too old to pull up stakes and go into exile. Given the worst-case-scenario, I'll be forced to rough it out with the rest of you.

Did you ever dream you would live to see a day when so huge a segment of the American electorate would lose all sense of reality? 

I hate to end this one on such a downer, but it needs to be acknowledged: By the looks of things (at this point in time anyway), Bernie Sanders is going to get stomped badly on Super Tuesday, and Hillary Clinton will be the next nominee of the Democratic Party. I say this with no joy whatsoever; Hillary is a terrible candidate. If you don't understand that yet, it will become painfully obvious soon enough. Although it would have been a sweet thing to follow the first African American president with the first woman, she's not quite the woman a lot of progressives had in mind. If she is the nominee, I'll be voting for her on Election Day, but I won't be overjoyed about it. Or maybe I won't vote at all. It's been that kind of year.

What am I thinking? PRESIDENT TRUMP??? I'll vote.

Optimism aside, Bernie has too many obstacles to overcome. Baring some unforeseen scandal (you never know with Ms. Clinton) his candidacy is entering its final hours. If that is, in fact, the case, let's always be grateful to him for performing the valuable service of forcing Hillary to move herself a bit to the left. For that alone he deserves our thanks. That being said, as long as he remains in the race he'll still have my support.  Don't be discouraged by the poll numbers. If you were planning on voting for Bernie in your state's primary, get the hell out there and show him that you still believe. Keep on feelin' the Bern, baby!

In the meantime, let's continue to revel in the spectacle of this incredibly hilarious clown car show while it lasts. Come to think about it, 2020 is gonna seem like an eternity.

Happy Leap Year!

Tom Degan
Goshen, NY

CORRECTION 3/1/16, 9:30 AM: When I first published this piece yesterday morning, I incorrectly stated that most polls had Cruz losing his home state of Texas. A wee bit of further research this morning informs me that, in fact, all polls have him winning. 

I made a mistake. So sue me.

SUGGESTED READING:

The Life and Death of Lenin
by Robert Payne

I picked this one up in a used bookstore in Montgomery, NY recently. Although out of print (written in 1964), You can find it easily enough on ebay. Vladimir Lenin was the ruthless architect of the 1917 revolution that shook the world. An interesting read.

39 Comments:

At 11:25 AM, Blogger Mozart1220 said...

When Lindsey Gragham calls you "batshit" You have truely reached legendary status.

TREASONOUS would be a better word for it. GOP congress directly ignoring the constitution and even conservative voters are starting to get angry.

Then there is Clucky, who probably doesn't even know it's happening. He's to worried about skin color and gender.

 
At 1:42 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

YOU TEXANS ARE SCREWY LOOSE IN THE HEAD. MY DAUGHTER WAS BORN THERE, AND I LIVED FROM EL PASO TO BEAUMONT. WAY TO SELFISHY PROUD. MAYBE WHEN TRUMP BECOMES PRESIDENT HE WILL BUILD A WALL AROUND TEXAS AND MAKE THEM PAY FOR IT.

 
At 2:01 PM, Blogger Unknown said...

"worried about skin color and gender"

Project much Mozart?

 
At 2:56 PM, Blogger Unknown said...

This comment has been removed by the author.

 
At 2:57 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I agree completely. Personally, I will continue to volunteer for Bernie, but the pressure to get out will be enormous unless he has a decent showing. Mathematically, he could still have a chance. All the Democratic primaries award delegates proportionally. Realistically, Hillary would have to be indicted for Bernie to get a crack at the Don.


I hate to speak ill of the democratic frontrunner, but Hillary Clinton inspires like burnt toast. If you are hungry enough, you'll eat it, but you won't like it. I also think the subtle ways in which the Democratic Party has greased the wheels for the inevitable Ms. Clinton, along with the tacit cooperation of many media outlets, will haunt the Democratic Party for the next generation. Half of the young voters who flocked to the Sanders campaign will be become ghosts in the general election. The Democratic Party, for whom turnout is already low, will sag even lower

 
At 3:04 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm still savoring this tasty tidbit from ChuckJustTheFactsSoreLoserMorre:

But still , I find it funny how the Democrats have no one running for their nomination under the age of 70, only rich white people, one of which is a crony Captialist liar, the other a socialist who black voters don't support. So the only road to victory for them is to attack the GOP, reverting to a plea for votes based on the concept that we aren't as bad as the other guy plus we will give you a lot of kinda far stuff.

Wait... So in Chuck's world, "Captialists" (his spelling, not mine) are the bad guys? Chuck is attacking HRC from the left! Chuck! You hate Captialism??? Are you a socialist?? And you hate rich white people?? People like Romney and McCain? I think McCain forgot how many houses he owns and Romney has elevators so his cars don't have to drive up and down stairs. Chuck! Are you a commie racist for not wanting a rich white person as president? And "the only road to victory" is to attack the GOP? Well yeah, isn't that how presidential campaigns work? You criticize the policies of the other side?

Oh no, wait I'm wrong. In GOP campaigns, you criticize spray tans and tiny hands and "I think he peed his pants!" like Rubio.

And neither Bernie nor Hillary has promised me any "far" stuff. Not sure what you're trying to say.

This country must be moving to the left if our RightWing troll Chuck is yelling "You rich white old capitalists!" Chuck is starting to sound like an old lefty! Probably downloading some old Bob Dylan records right now. Maybe "Blonde On Blonde" ...no, wait. My mistake. He's downloading Blonde on Blonde, but it's not Dylan music.

 
At 4:34 PM, Blogger Mozart1220 said...

Clucky can't even remember his recent obsession with "diversity"

As for young Dem voters, they may be apathetic in mid term elections, but this is not a mid term election, and even conservatives are pissed off at the current GOP congress.

 
At 5:15 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

"....it is essential that a candidate steamroll across this diseased land saying a lot of mind-fuckingly stupid things." You mean like "Hope and Change"? Never trust career politicians like dubyah, Cruz, Rubio, Obozo, Hitlery, Bolshevik bernie,etc. (Even Trump is in a way a career politician--his only saving grace is he doesn't need the money politics gets you). Career politicians learn early on that "working is for dumbass's"--much easier to pontificate. Look at Bernie...failed at everything except a mouthpiece. BTW: Your BIG BIG warning sign: Were they formerly an attorney? If yes, understand that they learned just enough of the law to skirt-it and not tell the truth.

 
At 5:19 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Don't laugh too loudly at Trump. You may be addressing him as Mr. President, particularly if the Democrats choose wrong (and it looks as if they will) and nominate Mrs. Clinton, who shows consistenly bad judgment in everything.

 
At 5:58 PM, Blogger Lydia said...

"The fact of the matter is that I'm too old to pull up stakes and go into exile."
Alas, that is true for me and a source of sorrow.
This is a marvelous post, Tom. It must be comforting to have the talent to put these impressions and observations in words. I walk around the house wringing my hands! So glad you are there to speak for me.

 
At 6:05 PM, Anonymous John said...

"The fact of the matter is that I'm too old to pull up stakes and go into exile."

...lucky you feel this way. How would you get to another planet?

 
At 7:10 PM, Blogger Rain Trueax said...

I've often had years where no candidate thrills me, but this is the worst of the lot for how I feel. I agree Bernie probably can't get it, but he'll have my vote in the primary-- even though a lot of what he has for a platform is loosely thought out. Still, he's on the right track. I didn't like Hillary before the primaries began, but when she attacked Bernie on guns and pulled in Sandy Hook, she proved again that she has no moral principles and the thought of her in the White House with power scares me but not as much as any of the right wing choices. Rubio is not a moderate option, not with his desire to block abortion even for a twelve year old raped by her father. Making abortion again illegal won't end it. It will just thrust women into back alleys. Making gays unable to marry won't stop their relationships, it'll just try to deny them respect and benefits. Denying global climate change won't alter what's happening. It will just protect the $$$ for a few more years and let the poor suffer for the coming catastrophes while the rich feel they can protect themselves. There is nothing the right wing stands for that doesn't depress me; so I'll vote for Hillary... holding my nose.

 
At 11:32 PM, Blogger Mozart1220 said...

And to date, NO ONE can give an example of one specific plan Trump himself has proposed.

No conservative will address the contempt their party has shown for the constitution

Cluckie will obsess on the difference between "Progressive" and "Liberal"

 
At 12:07 AM, Anonymous John said...

We can't really gauge how Bernie is doing yet as the media stands against him. Think about it. He cannot run with the PAC money - that is cancerous to his campaign. The networks have no interest in someone who will not be able to spend the really big money on advertisements, infomercials....

Unfortunately, this pre-primary negativity also has a negative effect on voters.

Someone had pointed out Hillary would need to get indicted. But also recall that Tom pointed out that this election cycle is bringing record wierdness. At this point, I would not be too surprised if Hillary brought herself down through some freakish event like careless handling of classified material. Although if Trump was arrested for some despicable incident like stiffing a male prostitute, his base would surely grow. Who knows, maybe he'll get co-endorsements from Al Sharptin and Dave Duke?

 
At 12:09 AM, Anonymous John said...

"careless handling of classified material"

just kidding...

 
At 7:17 AM, Blogger Mozart1220 said...

Conservatives shitting on the constitution.

Cluckie has gone silent.

 
At 8:10 AM, Blogger Jefferson's Guardian said...

Tom Degan: "Although it would have been a sweet thing to follow the first African American president with the first woman, she's not quite the woman a lot of progressives had in mind. I'll be voting for her on Election Day, but I won't be overjoyed about it."

Seems like awful sophomoric reasons to vote for the leader of a nation, but your rationale falls in step with your same justifications for electing the previous one. Your reasons, first, were race. Now they're gender. Hmm...

If your motive is strictly to make history, why not vote for a progressive? (I almost wrote "real progressive", but thought better of it. Hillary Clinton isn't even close. She wears the Democratic label, but the Democratic Party isn't the Democratic Party of 40 or 50 years ago. You know that, and I know that. So you have to see my curiosity as to why you continue to chase these phantoms.)

Tom, if you need a woman in the White House, over all other priorities, why not support a real progressive (see, I'm comfortable using the adjective now) such as Jill Stein? Another question: Why do you believe a continuation of the same failed policies of at least the last 40 years is going to turn out any differently for the vast majority of citizens this time around? Isn't it time to start giving this question some thought?

 
At 12:13 PM, Blogger Unknown said...

JG,

I agree with the theme of your statement "Seems like awful sophomoric reasons to vote for the leader of a nation, but your rationale falls in step with your same justifications for electing the previous one. Your reasons, first, were race. Now they're gender. Hmm...

If your motive is strictly to make history, why not vote for a progressive?"

Because, while we don't see eye to eye on the President being progressive or conservative, as we do not agree on what our country's problems are, we recognize the resulting election of another "moderate" does not provide for the solutions to those problems.

What I find interesting is a progressive would only vote for a moderate if they held liberal views, just as a conservative would only vote for a moderate if they held conservative views. I would use Rain Trueax's most latest post as an example. Call it the "political litmus test" if you will.

This is why I have rooted for Sanders to win the nomination and hopefully having to run against a Reagan style conservative. No moderation, just the two opposite ends of the political spectrum that would put an end to the is America conservative or progressive debate. (Discounting the losing side claiming the other side had to cheat to win. Can you say poor loser, a.k.a. Mozart?) After 4 years a better measurement could be taken of the results and the voters could then determine if the results met the campaign promises.

Anyway, well said!

 
At 2:49 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

This is why I have rooted for Sanders to win the nomination and hopefully having to run against a Reagan style conservative. No moderation, just the two opposite ends of the political spectrum that would put an end to the is America conservative or progressive debate.

Well, your GOP front runner has been called a "liberal democrat" by Rubio and Cruz, because of his positions on the social safety net, etc.

And yet Trump is your front runner. So if your republican primary voters love a "liberal" like Trump, is that debate over?

 
At 3:07 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Here's Rubio calling Trump a liberal:

"Trump proudly champions Planned Parenthood. He refuses to stand by Israel against the forces of terror. And Trump thinks the individual mandate — the foundation of the massive government expansion called Obamacare — is actually a good thing."

And yet Trump is leading in the GOP polls! Are republican primary voters liberal? Or are they just stupid?

 
At 3:48 PM, Blogger Mozart1220 said...

Cluckie can clearly copy and paste, but STILL won't answer a simple questin, like

WHAT HAVE CONSERVATIVES DONE FOR THE POOR AND MIDDLE CLASS THE LAST 40 YEARS?

You'd think that would be easy if they had done ANYTHING.

He's also silent abut the TREASON comitted by his GOP heroes since 2009 ( not to mention his messiah, Reagan, who sold arms to an enemy nation)

And then he refuses to acknowledge what is obvious to the rest of us, INCLUDING the GOP. CONSERVATIVES CANNOT WIN A NATIONAL ELECTION WITHOUT CHEATING. That was proven in 2000 and 2004, and further proven by contiued gerrymandering and disenfranchising LEGAL voters that don't agree with them.

Notice how he never presents facts to refute?

 
At 4:01 PM, Blogger Ellis D., Esq. said...

I will not be voting for Clinton. She is bad news, a very uncool professional politician. I would happily vote for Bernie but in this rigged system he has little chance of getting the nomination. So what to do ?? JG suggests Jill Stein which is a very rational suggestion. However we live in an irrational ( at best ) society so in reality voting for a real progressive could very well result in a real fascist being elected. No, not Clinton !! TRUMP !! Saving grace would be he is sure to do something he will be impeached for so I'd be more concerned about his VP choice. That said, it appears the prospect of real meaningful positive change will be at least another presidential term away ( at best ). I hope in 2020 there is still something left to try to change. I think these upcoming years are going to unfortunately get very ugly. I hope I'm wrong but the shit will someday hit the fan. Checkout Robert Reich's piece in AlterNet about the GOP screwing themselves. I have mixed feelings about Reich but this article is a good one !!

 
At 6:24 PM, Blogger Mozart1220 said...

If Hillary gets the Dem nomination and you don't vote for her, you are essentially voting for Trump.

Stop letting right wing propaganda turn you away from Hillry. It's exactly whet the GOP wants. I LOVE Sanders, and will vote for him, but if he doesn't get nominated ANYONE but a Republican!

We've already seen what damage they do while in power and they want to do MORE.

 
At 7:09 PM, Blogger Unknown said...

Mozart
the
Mouse,

You need to beg me if you expect me to answer you. Have you forgotten?
You know how too beg, just like you did to get a date for the prom, just like you did to be included in playground games, just like you do today at you double wide home in Iowa.

You want me to answer you Mouse, you gotta beg me.
Can you say cheese for us Mouse?
LOL

"ANYONE but a Republican"
This boils down your simple rodent like brain in 4 short words.

 
At 7:33 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Chuck, your comments sound increasingly unhinged. Are you okay? We're seriously concerned about you.

 
At 7:36 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Chuck, your comments sound like a GOP debate. Or a Trump rally.

Have you made peace with your front runner? Have you reached the "acceptance" phase yet?

 
At 7:44 PM, Blogger Unknown said...

Do the “super-predator” remarks H. Clinton made in the 1990s in support of a tough federal crime bill make her a racist?
What difference does it make now, dim witted people who say "ANYONE but a Republican" will still vote for her.
JG,

Maybe this article explains what you and I were discussing?

The incredible shrinking Democratic Party
By Thomas Lifson

Predictions of doom for the Republican Party are all the rage in the media, but the real story of this election cycle (so far) is the collapse of Democrat turnout. Some of this is no doubt due to the difficulty in generating enthusiasm after more than 7 years of foreign policy disasters and historically low economic growth under Obama. Another factor is the sheer unappealing nature of Hillary Clinton. Bernie Sanders is the sole person in the party capable of generating excitement, playing to the far left wing and youth after freebies (and so badly educated by the leftist educational establishment that they do not understand the disaster that socialism brings). But even Bernie’s enthusiastic crowds may be driving away more moderate Democrats.

Two analysts, Michael Barone (here and here) and the Huffington Post’s Zach Carter, have pulled together what ought to scare the pantsuit off Hillary. (OK, sorry, that’s an image that won’t go away quickly enough.)

Consider the South Carolina Dem Primary. Barone:

Many commentators have noticed that blacks constituted a higher percentage of South Carolina Democratic voters this year, 65 percent according to the exit poll, than they did in 2008, 55 percent. But this represents not a surge of blacks into the electorate, but rather the fact that black turnout declined by only 18 percent, whereas white turnout fell nearly in half, by 44 percent.

A 44% decline in support from the largest ethnic group in the country by far is yuuuge.

Carter agrees:

Democrats in 2016 are only getting about two-thirds of the primary votes that they received eight years ago.

Republican turnout in the South Carolina primary, by contrast, was up more than 70 percent from 2008.

South Carolina's turnout numbers are not an anomaly. They're consistent with other primaries to date. Republicans are psyched. Democrats are demoralized.

Presidential elections increasingly hinge on each party's ability to turn out the faithful. There simply are not many truly independent voters who cast their ballots for different parties in different cycles. A big chunk of voters who identify as independents do so not because they cherish a moderate middle ground between two parties, but because they see their own party as insufficiently committed to its ideological principles. In this era, lousy primary turnout spells big trouble for the general election.

The poor Democratic turnout figures are not an indictment of Clinton alone. Maybe the DNC's decision to bury the party's debates on weekends and holidays helped Republicans generate more early enthusiasm with primetime coverage. And part of Sanders' pitch, of course, is his insistence that progressive energy will bring out high numbers of enthusiastic voters that an old party insider just can't compete with. It's a good pitch. But so far, it isn't happening.

 
At 10:37 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

CP says:
March 1, 2016 at 7:31 pm

The current incarnation of the GOP is extremely toxic

It’s like a convention of every bad thing in American history. The Old Southern mentality that gave us slavery and then segregation meets the Yankee robber baron mentality of the Gilded Age meets the puritan looniness that gave us Prohibition meets the crazed militarism of your Andrew Jacksons and Teddy Roosevelts.

 
At 10:47 PM, Blogger Mozart1220 said...

And after all that nonsense, STILL no word about the GOP Senate shitting on the constitution because they consider the President 3/5 of a person.

And the front runner for the GOP nomination has the full throated support of the Ku Klux Klan. (or is it the other way around if you catch my drift?)

Just another sad, desparate attempt at deflection, from the king of distractions and cowardly duck and cover. All you did was copy and paste from some batshit uber right wing blog. Again, have you EVER had an ORIGINAL thought? Oh, I almost forgot your little "begging" comments. I don't need you to answer anymore precious, your silence spoke volumes.

(sigh) Did we REALLY expect anything more?


BTW. I never went to my Prom. My band was making $2500 to play at someone else's. My girlfriend was there with me, having more fun than she would have had standing around acting like we liked all the kids who peaked in high school. You know the type. The ones who owned the world in High School and now are rebuilding lawnmowers in a small town trailer park. Probably just like you do.

Meanwhile I'm married to my HS sweetheart, our house is paid off, and we enjoy life very much. All of it for free too. Thanks for paying your taxes. ;)


 
At 1:02 AM, Blogger Unknown said...

Yawn Mozart. Who cares?

 
At 1:32 AM, Blogger Mozart1220 said...

Just sayin, Cluckie, your boys in congress are in violation of article II section II of the US Constitution. This after comitting TREASON (at least sedition) by accepting bribes from a foreign leader to undermine a peaceful treaty with a third country.

You have religious fruitloops in high paying government jobs, putting their religion in front of their oath of office. (kim Davis)

You have nutbags running around killing people over one fake video and another that doesn't even exist. (When is Carly indicted as an accessory to murder?)

Your favorite for President looks like Hitler and Mussolini had a threeway with an Orangutan. Not to mention he got a big wet sloppy kiss from the Ku Klux Klan...

And all you have is "Who cares"?

You really are a conservative aren't you?







 
At 6:54 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Watching Trump start to move to the center in preparation for the general election is like when the velociraptors learned how to open doors.

lolgop

 
At 10:16 AM, Blogger Unknown said...

What 85 years of Democratic rule produces.

By Mary Wisniewski

CHICAGO (Reuters) - "Predominantly African-American neighborhoods in Chicago have seen poverty rise and services diminish even as the nation's third largest city has become less racially segregated, according to a study released on Wednesday.

While Chicago has become more racially balanced over the decades with more neighborhoods showing no majority populations, black areas are seeing economic stagnation or decline, according to the study by the Chicago Urban League, which promotes progress for blacks.

"This is not a situation that's getting better. This is a situation that's getting worse," said Stephanie Bechteler, director of research and evaluation for the Chicago Urban League. "We must put forth time and effort to make a change."

Despite the progress on racial integration, Bechteler said the city has a long way to go. She noted that the Brookings Institution late last year found that Chicago remained the third most segregated city in the United States behind Milwaukee and New York City.

Chicago saw protests following the release last November of a video showing a white police officer shooting and killing a black teenager. The officer was fired and charged with murder, but this incident and other police shootings have raised tensions in the city's black community.

In the first two months of 2016, Chicago has had 95 murders, mostly in black neighborhoods, Chicago Police said. That is the highest rate since 1997, the Chicago Tribune found.

The Chicago Urban League found that mostly black areas have lost health clinics, social service agencies and other areas of support in recent years.

The study, which relied on findings and interviews from more than two dozen Chicago housing and transportation advocacy groups, found that predominantly black parts of the city were harder hit by the housing market collapse and slower to recover.

While home sale prices in Chicago overall lost 5 percent of their value between 2005 and 2013, homes in primarily African-American neighborhoods lost 25 percent to 71 percent of their value.

The study also found a lack of affordable housing in mainly black areas. For example, about three-quarters of renters in the troubled mostly black neighborhood of West Englewood spend 30 percent or more of their income on rent. In the city overall, only slightly more than half spend that much.

Northern U.S. cities became segregated following the migration of black workers from the south to get manufacturing jobs in the early 20th century. Restrictive covenants that prohibited property owners from selling or renting to blacks, government policies and other forms of discrimination created segregation patterns that still persist, the study said."

Is it no wonder that when Hillary says she wants to "make America whole again" voters ask themselves, "what has she been doing the past 15 years, if not turning America into a hole?"

"ANYONE but a Republican" and we see the results. Find one city that has had nothing but GOP mayors for the past 85 years with the same problems and decline of those who have Democrat mayors.

Wonder why those cheating Republicans haven't figured out how to STEAL Chicago elections from the wonderful well meaning successful policy driven Democrats? Isn't that the only way the GOP can win?

 
At 10:26 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...


TUESDAY, MARCH 1, 2016

'This Party Does Not Prey on People's Prejudices': Paul Ryan's Convenient Amnesia about the Republican Party's Racist 'Southern Strategy'

Today, House Speaker Paul Ryan said in response to Donald Trump's KKK fumble that:

"If a person wants to be the nominee of the Republican Party, there can be no evasion and no games. They must reject any group or cause that is built on bigotry. This party does not prey on people's prejudices."

I guess Paul Ryan has chosen to forget Lee Atwater, mentor to Karl Rove, and architect of the Republican Party's "Southern Strategy" dictate that:

You start out in 1954 by saying, “N****r, n****r, n****r.” By 1968 you can’t say “n****r”—that hurts you, backfires. So you say stuff like, uh, forced busing, states’ rights, and all that stuff, and you’re getting so abstract. Now, you’re talking about cutting taxes, and all these things you’re talking about are totally economic things and a byproduct of them is, blacks get hurt worse than whites.… “We want to cut this,” is much more abstract than even the busing thing, uh, and a hell of a lot more abstract than “N****r, n****r.”

Conservatism and racism are now fully the same thing in America. Republican elites are upset at Donald Trump not because of what he believes, but rather because he is so bold as to honestly communicate the racism and other types of bigotry that motivate the GOP's voters, media, and leadership.

Is Paul Ryan an unapologetic liar, ignorant, a racist, all three, or something else?

http://www.chaunceydevega.com/2016/03/this-party-does-not-prey-on-peoples.html

 
At 11:29 AM, Blogger Unknown said...

When faced with the failures of their policy's, when their record shows how they do not not, can not deliver their promises, what do liberal progressive socialists democrats do?
They play the race card. It's all they got.

"ANYONE but a Republican"

 
At 11:54 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Playing the race card? You mean if I mention that David Duke ran for public office in the '90s as a republican? Or that Duke endorses the front runner of your republican party?

So you posted an article by Mary Wisniewski. This was after you criticized HRC as a "crony captialist" (your spelling). Have you seen Wisniewski's resume?

Deputy Editor, BankThink * Fintech Reporter, American Banker
SourceMedia
November 2015 – Present (5 months)
*Deputy Editor of BankThink, American Banker's blog about ideas, trends, and other developments in the financial services industry


"Chuck" you're twisting yourself into such odd shapes trying to make your desperate points. You should be happy! From what I see, the republican base is more excited than it's been in years! Your front runner is making history!

 
At 4:33 PM, Blogger Yiskah said...

This is why I am still a member of the Democratic Party. Because I want to be able to vote in the primary! If this is the only place I'll be able to vote for Bernie, so be it and they still have voted for Bernie Sanders! Maybe then I'll become the independent that I feel like I already am :-)

 
At 4:42 PM, Blogger Yiskah said...

This is why I am still a member of the Democratic Party. Because I want to be able to vote in the primary! If this is the only place I'll be able to vote for Bernie, so be it and they still have voted for Bernie Sanders! Maybe then I'll become the independent that I feel like I already am :-)

 
At 9:56 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Tom
If you're interested in how Australia views the US elections have a look at this broadcast on our national broadcaster.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/programs/planet-america/
Regards
Den

 

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