Politics and Prose: Jonathan Martin Interviewing Denis Leary- ‘Why We Don’t Suck’

Source: Politics and Prose

Source: This piece was originally posted at The Daily Review

I haven’t read Denis Leary’s book so I can’t get you any real analysis of it whatsoever. But I was alive, conscience, and in America, for the entire time in 2016. Except when I wasn’t sleeping, which is any longer than the average American sleeps. And I can tell you about Suck Bowl 2016 (which is what I call the Donald Trump-Hillary Clinton presidential election) and why it was the worst presidential election we’ve ever seen.

I voted for Hillary Clinton for president and would do again million straight times, if her opponent is Donald Trump or anyone else who is as unqualified to even be a back benching member of the House of Representatives, let alone President of the United States. Ot is as immature, thin skinned, unread, lacking in intelligence, knowledge, and curiosity about how the U.S. Government works, narcissistic, dishonest, as a Donald Trump or anyone else with those same characteristics. That are the only reasons why I voted for her.

Not because I’m a fan of Hillary Clinton. I basically see her as a well-meaning intelligent person, who wants to do a good job. And if it wasn’t for this Thanksgiving grocery shopping list of reasons why I don’t like her, I could vote for her because I believe in her and believe she would do a great job. We’re talking about a major presidential nominee who has been thinking about being President of the United States, at least since she was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2001, and yet didn’t seem to have any vision of why she should be President and what her campaign was about. Other than that she’s a well-educated, rich yuppie New Yorker, who is also a feminist and a Democrat. Which is why the rich cool people should vote for her. And that she’s also a woman and would be the worst female President of the United States. Well, most of the rich cool people did vote for Hillary and she still lost states that no Democrat has lost since 1988. Pennsylvania and Michigan.

So you have the baggage of Hillary Clinton. Well some of the baggage. How about her lack of candor and genuineness and ability to make a statement that doesn’t sound like it was poll tested or that some who works for her told her to say. Which killed her in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio, probably Florida as well, states where she was heavily favored going in. What those voters saw in Donald Trump was at least someone who seems to say what he thinks, at least at the time. Even if he changes his position five minutes later after hearing what Breitbart or some other Far-Right publication or organization thinks about it. But Trump came off as real and says what’s on his mind. Instead of someone who seems to say whatever the polls are telling him are popular at the time.

This is why I call the 2016 presidential election Suck Bowl 2016. Perhaps the the two worst presidential candidates you could imagine running against each other. One, who might be a good public servant, but who is a horrible politician at least in the sense that she lacks any ability to communicate a vision for the country and what her presidency would be like and why people should vote for her. Against a natural politician at least in the sense of someone who can bring voters behind him and be able to speak to them. But who is a horrible public servant simply because he doesn’t believe in public service. His idea of service is serving himself. And some people are still wondering why Americans at least say they hate American politics and don’t like American politicians.

Politics and Prose: Jonathan Martin Interviewing Denis Leary- “Why We Don’t Suck”

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The Daily Conversation: Bernie vs Hillary On The Issues

Bernie Sanders vs Hillary Clinton

Source: This piece was originally posted at The Daily Review

The differences between Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton? Well which Hillary Clinton are you talking about. 2000, 2002, 2006, 2008, hopefully not as Secretary of State. Don’t want 2016 to be about Libya for her, assuming she is the Democratic nominee for president. I actually like the 2015-16 Hillary quite a bit. She’s even now in favor of legalizing marijuana at least at the state level. Has publicly admitted that the Iraq War was a mistake, even if she privately knew that in 2006.

The 2015-16 Hillary looks like the Pragmatic Progressive. But I still prefer the Progressive With Results from Martin O’Malley. And if he can ever get a non-relative to endorse him for president and give his campaign money, he might still make a run for the Democratic nomination. Because he’s already accomplished as Governor of Maryland what Bernie and Hillary say they want to do, but have never actually accomplished anything.

With Bernie Sanders, like him, dislike him, hate him, love him, terrified of him and would never want to let him see your wallet and financial information for fear that all of your money would suddenly disappear after Uncle Sam takes what he wants from you, you have to at least respect him. Because here’s a real-life politician not a made up Hollywood politician, but a real-life human being and politician at the same time, (which might be a newsflash for a lot of Americans) who actually knows what he believes and says what he thinks. For the most part.

I mean free college, free health care, free health insurance, I think he’s at least smart enough to know that people will have to pay for all of their new government services and that of course they won’t be free. These will not be Christmas presents from their rich Uncle Bernie. But their Socialist Uncle Sam, or Bernie, who’ll have new taxes to pay for these services. Two guarantees in life, death and taxes, at least in America. And taxes are bills that Americans have to pay to get the free government services. Free government services is like trying to take a bath with dirt and playing football in the bathtub. It simply doesn’t exist for anyone whose a taxpayer.

Hillary Clinton vs Bernie Sanders, to me at least looks like Bill Clinton vs George McGovern, or Jerry Brown, from back in Jerry’s hippie radical days in the 1960s and early 70s. Hard to imagine that once Bernie after he finally picks a number by how much he wants to expand the Federal Government in size and in money, assuming that ever happens, that he could beat Hillary anywhere outside of New England and San Francisco. And perhaps just Vermont and San Francisco. Too bad for Bernie that New York City is not a state, because maybe he could beat Hillary there.

Because Americans and even Democrats, are learning that to create all the new big government that Senator Sanders wants to create, the rich won’t pay for all of that. Their money will be in other countries even before some committee in Congress like Ways and Means, or Finance, looks at his proposals. So of course the middle class Americans will get stuck with the tax bills for all of these new programs. Hillary, is already scoring against Bernie in the debates on this. About whose going to pay to being Sweden to America. Hillary can say, “I have friends in Congress both in the Senate and House who I’ve worked with on these issues in both parties. And we can work together on these issues.” With Bernie it will an all or nothing approach that will die in Congress faster than a constitutional amendment to repeal both the first and second amendments.
The Daily Conversation: Bernie Sanders vs Hillary Clinton on The Issues

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Caleb Rojas Castillo: Hillary Clinton on Good Morning America, 1998

Source:Caleb Rojas Castillo– U.S. First Lady Hillary R. Clinton, on ABC’s Good Morning America, in 1998.

Source:The New Democrat 

“First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton gives an interview on ABC’s “Good Morning America”, facing tough personal questions.

January 28, 1998. (A day after the famous “Today show” interview)”

From Caleb Rojas Castillo

Lisa McRee, hosting ABC’s Good Morning America. Gee, there’s a blast from the past. She co-hosted that show, what two weeks. I guess when your network’s overnight newscast gets better ratings than your morning show, that’s a clue that you might need to change your morning crew. Diane Sawyer, saved Good Morning America and perhaps is the reason why that show is a strong competitor with The Today Show. Or at least while Diane was hosting GMA.

Hillary Clinton, is either the most gullible person on the planet: and would take the word of a known compulsive liar, when the liar says that fire is cold and water is dry and it snows in South Florida in July, or she’s just a bad liar herself. I mean, to say she believed her husband, who just happens to be Bill Clinton, perhaps better known as Wild Bill and Slick Willy, when he told her that allegations about Monica Lewinsky were false, is hard to believe. I mean, Bill is her husband and it’s not like they have a long distance marriage and do not know what is going on in the other’s life. They’ve shared a bed at this point for over twenty years. Well, they shared that bed when Bill wasn’t with one of his girlfriends.

When you’re a fly in hot water and you can actually swim, I know a little tough to consider, you get yourself out of the water and fly away. That is what Hillary is trying to do here. Lisa McRee, wants to talk about Lewinsky. Hillary, would rather talking about the color of a brick wall, or how often someone should clean their garbage cans. Or how come the Chicago Cubs, haven’t won a World Series in a hundred years, or the price of Arkansas dirt, then talk about her husband’s latest affairs. So of course she’s going to try to change the subject from Lewinsky and try to talk about her husband’s political agenda. Outside of saving his ass in the White House. And that is exactly what she tried to do here.

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PBS: Video: NewsHour: Brooks and Marcus on Recording The Police, Hillary Clinton’s Campaign Launch

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This post was originally posted at The New Democrat on WordPress

As far as cameras for police officers, I think it is commonsense. And would be a great way and perhaps the only way to separate the abusive and bad cops who go too far and as a result innocent people die, even if it is by accident, from the good police officers. Who do their jobs very well regardless of where they’re working and the community they work with. Because they know they’re being watched and can’t afford big obvious mistakes. And as far as cameras being too intrusive, that is part of being a law enforcement officer. They’re public servants and deserve to be held accountable like everyone else.

As far as Hillary Clinton for president, still early in 2015 and I’m already tired of talking about it. And I’m a Democrat, but I agree with David Brooks that there’s a market for a Center-Left, perhaps not Far-Left, but certainly a Center-Left Democrat to emerge and become Hillary’s alternative. To at the very least bring Hillary out of her closet and force her to run a real campaign. And let Democrats and other voters in to what a Hillary Clinton presidency and administration would look like and where she is on the issues. And can she bring in enough of the Far-Left of the party to win the general election. While still holding Center-Left Democrats and Independents.

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The McLaughlin Group: Video: Martin O’Malley vs. Hillary Clinton

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This post was originally posted at The New Democrat on WordPress

As far as Martin O’Malley beating Hillary Clinton next year, no one is expecting him to do that. But plenty of upsets have happened inside of the Democratic Party during presidential years in the past. And all the Democratic nominees coming out of nowhere were all serious intelligent candidates, who were successful in their current and previous jobs. Who were great politicians and communicators, who very likable and spoke very well to the Democratic base. Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. All current or former President’s of the United States. Martin O’Malley is just as good as a politician as Jimmy Carter at least and perhaps Barack Obama.

As far as the NCAA. Why should just student athletes not be able to earn money while at college either though their field or outside of their field? Why should athletes suffer, while law students, medical students and everyone else are not only allowed to work their way through college, but earn money while at college. And a lot of these athletes come from lower-middle class to low-income families. Where their parents can’t afford to pay for their cost of living and send them money while they’re at college. They don’t have to worry about their schooling, but they have to be able to pay their other bills while their at school.

As far as Carly Fiorina, she is less accomplished than Mitt Romney as a politician. Which is sort of the death knell for a potential serious presidential candidate. Had she defeated Senator Barbara Boxer in 2010, then maybe she would be a serious candidate right now. Because she could say that she’s one statewide in one of the bluest states in the country. And now has foreign policy experience on the Foreign Relations Committee or Armed Services Committee. She has business experience and was a successful business executive and everything else. But that didn’t happen and now she looks like someone who is just trying to get any big job and get her name in the public eye.

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PBS: NewsHour- David Brooks & EJ Dionne on Ground Troops Debate

Source: This piece was originally posted at The New Democrat

When was the last time that Congress had big bipartisan votes on anything? Both the House and Senate overwhelmingly voting in favor of President Obama getting America involved in Syria and Iraq to defeat ISIS or ISIL, depending on how you define what Secretary of State John Kerry calls, “The Enemy of Islam”. The so-called Islamic group that wants to occupy the Levantine region of Arabia that includes both Iraq and Syria.

As far as Hillary Clinton in Iowa. I think it is pretty likely that Hillary Clinton will run for President in 2016 and perhaps will announce by the spring of 2015. Otherwise she doesn’t have much business being at Senator Tom Harkin’s political event last weekend. But as David Brooks and EJ Dionne pointed out, she won’t have an easy ride to the Democratic nomination. She’ll get pushed by both center and further Left Democrats to take hard stands on key issues in order to win the nomination.

As far as the battle for the U.S. Senate. Yeah Kansas is good news for Democrats this week. Because it means a popular Center-Left leaning Independent will be the main challenger to a very unpopular Republican Senator Pat Roberts in November. But as I’ve been talking about for months now, Kansas is not the only problem and thing that could keep Republicans from winning back the Senate in November. They are still defending Georgia and Kentucky where the Democratic challengers are running very strong. Tied in Kentucky against Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. Senate Republicans will may have to hold all three of these states in order to win back the Senate.

PBS: NewsHour- Brooks & Dionne On The Ground Troop Debate

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The Young Turks: Cenk Uygur & Anna Kasparien- “The Establishment Should Fear Elizabeth Warren”

House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi

Source: The Young Turks: Cenk Uygur & Ana Kasparian- The Establishment Should Fear Elizabeth Warren

What are the real political differences between Senator Barack Obama from 2005 to late 2008 and Senator Elizabeth Warren now? They both used and use great rhetoric in the sense that they know how to move their bases and the progressive wing (if you want to call it that) of the Democratic Party. But if you look at their voting records in the Senate they were and are both with their leadership in the Senate that would put them with center-left of the party. But certainly not leftist radical Green Party Progressive Caucus types the Dennis Kucinich and Ralph Nader types that The Young Turks tend to follow and love.

I don’t know if Senator Warren is going to run for president or not and what I’ve seen from her so far doesn’t give me much to vote for. Long on rhetoric and short on policy, but keep in mind U.S. Senator is not only her first experience in Congress, but in public office in general at least as an elected official and she’s only been on the job for eighteen months.

But the only people that should fear the Senator if she runs for president are the Hillary Clinton establishment Democrats. Because if Senator Warren does run she’ll take real stances and force Hillary Clinton to officially go on the record on things that she would rather keep a big secret at least until the general election in 2016.

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PBS: Video: NewsHour: Shields and Brooks on Bob McDonnell, Income Inequality and Hillary Clinton

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This post was originally posted at The New Democrat on Blogger

The so-called income inequality issue or what I prefer to call it the education gap that leads to the income gap, has to do with professional skills or the lack of them. People at the top or even upper middle class tend to be well-educated and the people at the bottom not so much. I would love to see an official statistic about the percentage of minimum wage or low-wage workers who even have high school diplomas. And I bet it is much lower than people even making fifty-thousand dollars a year who are not collecting public assistance at all.

The Bob McDonnell story is funny in a way just because of how stupid Governor McDonnell was. Just to be involved in something like this. He was the governor of one of the biggest states in the union that both parties try to win during the presidential election. A successful governor who was on course to a promising national political career. One of maybe two Republicans who has both the respect of the Far-Right and the mainstream economically oriented Center-Right. And that is all gone for him even if he doesn’t end up in prison.

Hillary Clinton will get a challenge from at least one Center-Left Democrat in 2016. The party wants that and quite frankly she needs that to get her out of this, “I’m going to be the first female President of the United States and I’m the most electable Democrat. Therefore I don’t have to offer a national agenda for the country and have strong positions on any of the key issues mode.” Which is where she is right now and that won’t get her to the White House. If the GOP puts up a real challenger.

Bad Job Bob

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The McLaughlin Group: Video: National Security Surveillance and Hillary Clinton 2016

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This post was originally posted at The New Democrat on Blogger

I covered this last night but President Obama essentially gave the speech that he had to give. And I believe the speech that he wanted to that he and his administration are aware of the concerns that. Americans have over their privacy at it relates to the surveillance reports that the NSA and other agencies. Cover but that he and his National Security Council are going forward in doing what they believe they need. To do to protect the country and will try to find a way that better protects our privacy.

Benghazi is only big news to Republicans and others who do not like Hillary Clinton. And she’ll find Democrats and I’m one of them who do not like her that much as a presidential candidate. Because she’s too safe, too centrist, not Liberal enough for me and a lot of other Democrats. And other reasons I’ll spare you for now but the only real threat she has to not being elected President of the United States. In about three years other than not running for president. Still a possibility comes from her center-left in the Democratic Party real Liberal Democrats who want to move in a clear direction.

One thing I agree with Bob Gates on is that Richard Nixon is our strangest president in at least. Modern times let’s say since TV has been with us since the late 1940s. But like a lot of other president’s he’s someone who looks better as history moves along because of his. Success’s in foreign policy and even making energy independence and putting Welfare reform and broader health care reform. On the national agenda even though he failed get to major legislation passed in those areas.

Here’s an example of bad Bipartisanship. What is going on in Congress right now with Iran. For the first time in thirty-five years America has a chance. To get a real diplomatic agreement with the Islamic Republic of Iran over their nuclear weapons program. With a chance later on of reaching an agreement that may lead to both countries opening up a dialog. That could lead to the countries back to diplomatic relations with each other and officially talking to each other again. Having a formal relationship with each other that would include international trade. And Congressional Democrats and Republicans for political reasons and what they are trying to do with new sanctions. Would end that possibility.

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PBS: Video: NewsHour: Brooks and Marcus on President Obama’s Surveillance Reforms, Benghazi

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This post was originally posted at The New Democrat on Blogger

The speech on national intelligence that President Obama gave, was almost a speech that he had to give because of the political situation with so many Americans on both the Left and Right. Worried about government spying on them especially innocent civilians. And with the Obama Administration being caught spying on people and the country starting to look like a National Security State. And less like a Liberal Democracy.

The way Hillary Clinton get’s beat in 2016 if she get’s beat at all and right now she’s the favorite both to win the Democratic nomination for president and the presidency itself, but the way she’s get’s beat is from a strong center-left Liberal Democrat, no one on the Far-Left can beat her whether it’s Bernie Sanders or Dennis Kucinich, but someone like Brian Schweitzer or Martin O’Malley. One a former governor and the current Governor of Maryland in Martin O’Malley. Because they both have solid liberal credentials unlike Hillary. Both would be liked by young voters. Not so much Hillary who looks like an establishment inside Washington politician politically. And both would be able to raise a lot of money.

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