Thursday, May 14, 2020

Race for the White House Update


-- Anybody else watch "Bernie Blackout" last night?


Bernie missed it; he was doing a town hall on climate.


Some people are wishing he'd been busy doing something else.

The Senate on (Wednesday) took up a key bill to reauthorize domestic surveillance programs while making changes to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, with several substantial amendments on the line. One of the amendments, introduced by Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden and Republican Sen. Steve Daines, would have required authorities to obtain a warrant to access internet users’ search histories and browsing information. Uh, yes, pass that??

The amendment, however, met an extremely Senate grave: It “failed” with 59 yeas to 37 nays, one short of the 60-vote threshold it needed to overcome the streamlined vestigial filibuster. The splits didn’t fall neatly along partisan lines: 24 Republicans voted for it, while 10 Democrats voted against it. (Would you like to see the names of the Democrats who voted against it? Their names are: Tom Carper, Bob Casey, Dianne Feinstein, Maggie Hassan, Doug Jones, Tim Kaine, Joe Manchin, Jeanne Shaheen, Mark Warner, and Sheldon Whitehouse.)

But where was Democratic Sen. Patty Murray, ranking member of the HELP Committee and assistant Democratic leader, or Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent who caucuses with the Democrats and also constantly comes in second place for the Democrats’ presidential nomination?

Murray, a spokeswoman told me after the vote, was “flying back to D.C. from Washington state today. She isn’t in quarantine; she’s just been working remotely.” An aide confirmed separately to Politico that Murray would have supported the Wyden–Daines amendment had she been there.


Bernie is, as usual, getting more of the blame here than he deserves.  But that's his lot in life.  He's not going to be able to please anybody at the rate he's going.

Former Vice President Joe Biden and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders on Wednesday named the co-chairs and members of their joint task forces meant to shore up Democratic Party unity ahead of November’s general election.

The announcement follows through on a pledge the two men made last month — when Sanders, the runner-up in the Democratic presidential primary, endorsed Biden, the party’s presumptive nominee — to establish working groups to advise the Biden campaign on six key policy areas: climate change, criminal justice reform, economy, education, health care, and immigration.


Neither is AOC.  Click the link if you don't already know.  It's hard to be a revolutionary who wins; becoming part of the establishment you fought against.  (Some would say Fidel Castro was able to pull it off, but as we know he killed a lot of people in order to stay in power.  That's a digression.)

Our progressive idols also aren't mentioning the obvious shortcomings of the presumptive nominee, and we can only hope that has a underlying agenda: to make a case for Sanders, as the candidate with the second-most delegates, to be the party's choice.  Fat chance.  Let's briefly rehash.


-- What Should Be Bad Enough to Make Politically Savvy People Abandon Joe Biden?

-- Trump vs. Biden is the 2020 election nightmare women like me warned America about

-- This poll number shows something very important about the Tara Reade allegation

If you read those first two, you'll understand what Cillizza at CNN is referring to in the third.

-- Voters Sour on Biden as Reade Allegations Find Higher Platform

Some early polling shows strength for Biden.  Some doesn't.  If you needed a reminder NOT to put any faith in polls this cycle, there you go.  Same goes for consultants.


These are the kind of folks -- please don't pick nits between political advisers and lobbyists, FFS -- that are being bailed out by Nancy Pelosi in the latest corona-stimulus bill, and if that isn't enough to prove the Jackass Party is irredeemable, then maybe this is.

The minute Old Joe gets his running mate chosen for him, the powers that be will put him out to pasture.  Today my money is going on Kamala.  This shades-of-1944 business is why the DNC wants to move their convention online.  No protests for the cameras.

-- So where does that leave those of us in the #NeverBiden #NeverTrump caucus?  Same as it ever was.  Larry Sabato says so, after all.  With some extra motivation to have it better in four years.

He makes a logical case but it's not what I am seeing or sensing.  Twitter doesn't translate well to real life either, however.  So there's just too much uncertainty, especially with the variable of COVID-19's effects still to be factored.

-- Does Trump (or Jared Kushner) actually entertain thoughts of postponing or canceling the November election?  I would be more inclined to believe that the Mango Megalomaniac would simply be unable to process losing to Biden (if that happened, which IMO, today, is not likely) and refuse to vacate the office or the White House or something.  Talk about your constitutional crises.

On the other hand, there will be lots more machinations like this, and Ken Paxton's latest, that are designed to not simply obstruct and suppress the vote but to cast doubt on the legitimacy of the outcome, enough so to give a few kooks with guns a bit of impetus to "defend freedumb" or such.

-- I am really impressed with Howie Hawkins' running mate, Angela Walker.


-- And I like that Mark Charles is calling out the MSM for ignoring his campaign.

Posted by at No comments:

Tuesday, May 12, 2020

TexProgBlog Wrangle II

This edition of the best of the left of, about, and from around the Great State was composed entirely without duress from any murder hornets.



Beyond Bones would also like to put your mind at ease about those fearsome flying insects.

With some updates to yesterday's Wrangle ...



Here are some of the latest COVID-19 developments:



And some Texas business news that doesn't mention oil companies or Shelley Luther.


Odessa's police department objected to patriots protesting for freedom with their firearms visible, so they sent SWAT to break up an anti-coronavirus shutdown rally at a bar in that city.



Dan Solomon at Texas Monthly hands out some awards for coronavirus performance, and Paul Basaldua at The Rivard Report shows how recovered COVID-19 patients can help others by donating their plasma.

And a couple of updates from the Lege.


And some posts to mark Mothers Day -- Mother Earth specifically.


The Wild and Scenic Film Festival is one of the year’s most exciting film events. We always look forward to it. Living here in the city, we can learn about, explore, and vicariously adventure all over our wild world.
Locally presented by the Bayou Land Conservancy -- and sponsored by Save Buffalo Bayou (among others) -- this year’s film event has gone online, like so many other events.  [...] All you have to do is sign up for the Bayou Land Conservancy’s newsletter, which you would want to do anyway, and they’ll send you a link to watch the films.
Among this year’s winners is the Texas-produced The River and the Wall, in the category of Most Inspiring Adventure Film.



Allen Young at The Rag Blog examines Planet of the Humans, the climate crisis film produced by Michael Moore, which has received some scathing reviews from climate activists.

Two old adages are perfect for analyzing the controversial new environmental documentary film, Planet of the Humans.
One saying is, “Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good.”
The other is, “Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.”


In his Earth Day post three weeks ago, David Collins -- the Texas Green Party's US Senate nominee -- also had some thoughts about the movie.

Another Wrangle in the books with some lighter fare.

Paradise in Hell brings us an important butt-shaking legal update.

Posted by at No comments:

Monday, May 11, 2020

The Weekly Wrangle *updates

This installment of the weekly Texas Progressive Alliance blog roundup opens once again with the crimes against humanity committed by our governor.


Schadenfreude enthusiasts were able to take some consolation in Abbott's self-own later in the week.


Dos Centavos tells about his hometown's battle with COVID-19, and how their experience with Greg Abbott isn't much different than that of big city leaders.  Scott Braddock chronicled Abbott's various power moves during the crisis, and Lisa Gray, in her HouChron column Gray Matters, interviewed Braddock about the "full-on culture war" that Abbott and others are leading over COVID-19.

In a surprising development over the weekend, Harris County Clerk (and elections administrator) Diane Trautman announced her resignation, effective at the end of the month.


In Congressional candidate follies, Kuff adds Chip Roy to the active roster of death squad enthusiasts.  Kim Olson, in the Democratic runoff in TX24, draws more unfavorable media attention, this time for her tenure at the Dallas ISD.

The SD14 special election has seen some late scratches and adds to the field.

Austin attorney Adam Loewy announced he would not seek the seat vacated by former Sen. Kirk Watson. Austin physician Jeffrey Ridgeway established a campaign committee for the race. Rep. Eddie Rodriguez (D-Austin); former Lago Vista council member Pat Dixon, as a Libertarian; and Austin attorney Waller Burns II, as an independent, have filed for the July 14 special election. Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt has announced for the seat, triggering the constitutional resign-to-run provision. Former Austin council member Don Zimmerman is considering the race, and Austin council member Greg Casar recently announced he would not ...



A recent poll from The Dallas Morning News and the University of Texas at Tyler shows Republican incumbent Sen. John Cornyn has a solid lead over two Democratic challengers in the Texas race for Senate. MJ Hegar of Cedar Park and Royce West of Dallas will meet in a July runoff election. But Cornyn’s lead isn’t insurmountable.

Bob Garrett, Austin bureau chief for The News, told Texas Standard Friday that both Democrats trail Cornyn in the poll by “low double-digits.”

“In November matchups, Cornyn [beats] Hegar by 13 points and West by 11,” Garrett said.

Between the two Democrats, Hegar leads West among several demographics: white voters, independent voters who lean Democratic and seniors. Hegar has also raised more money than West, and has been endorsed by Texas Cong. Veronica Escobar and former presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg.

But West leads among black and young voters. Prominent Democrats have also endorsed him, including former DNC chair Howard Dean, and West's challenger in the March primary, Cristina Tzintzún Ramirez. The race also seems to be much closer in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, where West is from.

“West seems to have a few pockets of strength,” Garrett said.

The pandemic has made it hard for both candidates to campaign since they aren’t holding public events. But that doesn’t mean they don’t have an opportunity to beat Cornyn, since a large portion of the Texas electorate – 34% – are undecided, Garrett said.


Update:


With the latest on the race for the White House, PDiddie at Brains and Eggs had Trump's visit to a mask factory where the background music was "Live and Let Die", Bernie Sanders being reinstated to the New York primary ballot, Jesse Ventura declaring he would not be a Green candidate for president, and several Libertarian and other minor party presidential candidate developments.

Socratic Gadfly blogged twice about the Jesse Ventura nuttery.  He first mentioned how much this shows Jesse is Just.Another.Politician.™   In a follow-up, he wanted to see exactly what was in the "letter of interest" that Jesse's minions sent to the Greens and who signed it, as the GPUS risks looking like Just.Another.Political.Party™.

Billionaries Mark Cuban and Elon Musk had differing reactions to the COVID-19 lockdown/restart.


More on the Proud Boys' legal troubles.


And the Sinclair media group, which owns a large number of television stations across the state, set a dubious record last week.


With a wrap to this first edition of the Wrangle, let's drive out to the end of the universe, aka River Oaks, for a cup of coffee.  There's still one Starbucks left out there.


There will be several environmental blog posts and Tweets as a commemoration to Mother Earth, and some lighter news items and late-breaking developments in the next edition of the Wrangle, later today or tomorrow morning!
Posted by at No comments:

Sunday, May 10, 2020

Sunday 'Treated Worse than Lincoln, Mom' Funnies


Kroger will discontinue "hero" pay for front-line employees on May 17
Posted by at No comments:

Wednesday, May 06, 2020

Race for the White House Update: Live and Let Die


As Jimmy Kimmel observed, it's difficult to think of a better metaphor for the president's response to the pandemic than that.

-- Andrew Yang's lawsuit  was successful, and as a result Bernie Sanders is back on the June 23rd New York primary ballot.


I don't take this to mean any more than it is.  I do not anticipate Sanders re-entering the race for the nomination even if Sleepy Old Joe Biden withdraws or becomes "officially" incapacitated.  With so many of Bernie's former campaign staff having moved on -- to start Super PACs, with Nina Turner having joined the Movement for a Peoples Party and Briahna Joy Gray's full break with him -- I just don't see him getting the band back together.

If Biden has to check out ...


... then Tom Perez, the rest of the DNC, the superdelegates, et.al. are going to pick the nominee, and not the delegates at this summer's convention.  About that: it's 'On, Wisconsin'.


And while some Bidenites present convoluted logic for continuing to support him even when they believe he should drop out, all this speculation places tight focus on his choice for running mate.  The betting odds would seem to favor Elizabeth Warren and Kamala Harris, but I'm still of the view that Amy Klobuchar or Gretchen Whitmer is ultimately his (or perhaps I should say, Anita Dunn and Jill Biden's) pick.  I discount Stacey Abrams for a variety of factors that I'll mention if I'm wrong and she winds up on the ticket.

Warren's replacement in the Senate (short-term; there was early gaming-out about this) would be a Republican.  And the last time Massachusetts held a Senate special election, Scott Brown won it.  Kamala energizes African American women voters, which may help in the South, but passing her over is perhaps a greater electoral danger than selecting her would be a strength.  Amy and Gretchen are ideologically and geographically the most compatible with Biden, as well as helping him swing the Midwestern states.

Otherwise my thoughts align with Perry Bacon's, who sees the Democratic Party strongly controlled by neoliberals, conservative Dems, former moderate Republicans, and #NeverTrump-ers.


-- That just ain't gonna be my party any more.  So with respect to the front-running third party for progressives, there were several breaking news items this week.


David Collins, the Texas Green Party's US Senate nominee, telegraphed this, and for my part I could not find any evidence that Ventura was publicly supporting Medicare for All -- despite him cracking on Mike Bloomberg for not doing so, back when MoneyBags was still in the primary -- during his "waters-testing" period, and this Tweet appears to reveal his hypocrisy regarding that.


Jesse can't afford an Obamacare policy?

Meanwhile, Howie Hawkins picked a running mate yesterday.


Walker was the vice presidential nominee of the Socialist Party USA in 2016, and ran as an independent on a Black Lives Matter platform for sheriff of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin in 2014.  Should Ventura actively campaign for this ticket, it could be an exciting fall season.

-- Justin Amash could also cause some trouble in November, as Geoffrey Skelley and Julia Azari write in FiveThirtyEight.com, but as posted in the last White House Update, it's not clear whether that trouble will be Trump's or Biden's.  In other Libertarian news, the party put off their national conclave, scheduled for later this month.

(Last Saturday, May 2nd), the Libertarian National Committee voted to:
  1. Invoke the “impossibility” clause in its convention contract with the JW Marriott in Austin, Texas; and
  2. Postpone the 2020 Libertarian National Convention to a place to be determined, and an opening date no later than July 15; and
  3. Adjourn their e-meeting to (this coming) Saturday to consider options for that move.

Thomas Knapp, the author there, has more thoughts at the embedded link.

-- A former Lib contender has repositioned.

New Hampshire state Representative Max Abramson, who previously sought the Libertarian Party’s 2020 presidential nomination before withdrawing in March, has decided to seek the presidential nomination of the Veterans Party of America.  Abramson broke the news last Tuesday on his campaign blog.  Last month Abramson told IPR that two different political parties had contacted him about running for their presidential nominations.  He did not specify which ones at the time.

According to Abramson, the Veterans Party of America is in the process of organizing for November on a platform of “restoring the Constitution and bringing the troops home.”  It plans to hold its national convention May 17 online.

The Veterans Party of America was founded in 2014.  In 2016, it ran reliability engineer Chris Keniston for president.  He appeared on the ballot only in Colorado and Mississippi and received 7,251 votes. ...

Although the party, which describes itself as “centrist,” is concerned with veterans’ issues, being a veteran is not a requirement for membership.

More about Abramson at the top link.

-- Trump will have a little competition from his right; the Constitution Party nominated former coal magnate Don Blankenship to be its presidential candidate last week.

Blankenship, 70, was the CEO of Massey, a coal mining company, from 2000 until 2010.  During his tenure, the 2010 Upper Big Branch Mine disaster killed 29 people in West Virginia. Blankenship blames the disaster on the negligence of officials from the Mine Safety and Health Administration.  The federal investigation that followed the disaster led to the prosecution of Blankenship.  At the criminal trial, the jury rejected three felony charges but found him guilty of conspiring to violate federal mine safety laws, a misdemeanor with a prison sentence of one year.  The prosecutors were later found to have committed reckless misconduct due to their failure to disclose witness memoranda. Blankenship continues to maintain his innocence and decided to run for West Virginia’s U.S. Senate seat after leaving prison in 2017.

During the three-man 2018 campaign for the Republican nomination, at least 105 media outlets and individuals falsely described Blankenship as a “felon” and/or “convicted felon.”  Blankenship alleges the coverage implied his responsibility for the deaths in the mine disaster and cost him the election.  He sued for defamation and the case is currently going to trial.  After losing the primary, Blankenship joined the Constitution Party and attempted to run as the Constitution Party nominee for the seat but was denied ballot access.

Blankenship announced his intention to seek the Constitution Party presidential nomination in October 2019.  During his campaign he sought to out-Trump Trump, meaning he wanted to present himself as a better reflection of the President Donald Trump’s moment than Trump himself.  This included a populist platform of restrictive immigration and protectionist trade policies.

Ahead of the national convention, Blankenship participated in a few presidential debates and won the non-binding primary in Missouri.  He also won the binding primary in Idaho that effectively left him as the nominee of the unaffiliated Idaho Constitution Party.

Blankenship’s running mate, William Mohr, is from the Michigan Taxpayers Party, the Constitution Party affiliate in Michigan.  He ran on the party line for state legislature in 2012 and 2014, receiving 3 percent and 2.3 percent, respectively, in those elections.

According to the April 2020 print edition of Ballot Access News, the Constitution Party is currently on the ballot in Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Utah, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.


May do another electoral map next week as all these things settle out a bit.
Posted by at No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)