Selecting Tim Kaine as VP aids Progressive Efforts

Since the pre-leak of the announcement there’s been lots of discussion of how progressive Tim Kaine is or isn’t, some of it emanating from the Berniacs, however much is also coming from the usual anti-Hillary camps. You know them, those edge forces who are going to vote Jill Stein or people masquerading as social libertarians but who really land on the tribal nationalist right if you lift their mask.

Their usual approach to the argument is through concern trolling (e.g. “Does Hillary really support LGBT causes enough? etc.)These same forces helped Barrack overcome Hillary through some pretty insidious campaigns when she ran the first time with the thought in mind that Obama couldn’t possibly win. That backfired big time, but here they are trying again.

So here is my take:

Because Financial and Banking regulations are crafted or blocked in the Senate, taking Tim out of that picture while leaving Booker, Sanders, and Warren in place to lead the efforts is really a stealth progressive move. Whether intentional or not removing Kaine pulls someone who wants to deregulate for Capital 1, or whatever the argument is, totally out of the picture. If progressives really want to aid the cause they can stop kvetching about this move and start lobbying Virginia’s governor to appoint a true progressive to back fill Kaine.

See my original post at LGF

Jon Stewart Takes Over the Late Show to Rant About GOP and Fox News Trump Contortions

Jon Stewart Takes Over the Late Show to Rant About GOP and Fox News Trump Contortions

a few of the topics covered:

The Republican convention, Donald Trump, Fox News, the GOP, Jon Stewart, republican gymnastics, the Roger Ailes resignation, Sean Hannity, The Late Show, twists, teleprompters, Ivanka, narcissists, blue collar billionaires & how that’s not a thing, elitism, who’s a Christian, Religion, PopeX immigration

Who to Vote For in Kansas

If you are like me then you are sick and tired of seeing jobs flee the state, our schools and roads running down, our health care choices diminishing while costs go up, and more budget deficits ballooning in the future. We need a reasonable tax revenue to secure the health of our citizens, the future of business in our state, and the future of our children.  However Governor Brownback and the zealots behind him have a pretty devil may care view about everything but tax breaks for big businesses that seem to wheedle more advantage out of our bewildered legislators at every opportunity while failing to pay their fair share.

The real dilemma faced by voters in this primary election is how the heck do you tell the moderate candidates from the laissez-faire zealots backing Brownback, especially since the zealots are trying to lay it all off on Brownback and pretend they are moderate now? The good news is that the Mainstream Coalition has created a list of endorsements to help you weed through the candidates in your area. I’m including it below or you can visit this link:

2016 MainPAC Primary Election Endorsements

Kansas Senate Endorsed Candidate(s)

2

Francisco (D)
Richey (R)
Marci Francisco (D)*

3

Holland (D)
Van Mereren (R)
Tom Holland (D)*

4

Haley (D) David Haley (D)*

5

Hutton (D)
Terrien (D)
Fitzgerald (R)
Bill Hutton (D)

6

Pettey (D) Pat Pettey (D)*

7

England (D)
Bollier (R)
Barbara Bollier (R)*

8

McGuire (D)
Denning (R)
Don McGuire (D)

9

Morrow (D)
Lynn (R)
Chris Morrow (D)

10

Hiatt (D)
Pitcher-Cook (R)
Vicki Hiatt (D)

11

Fannen (D)
Skubal (R)
Melcher (R)
Skip Fannen (D)
John Skubal (R)

19

Hensley (D)
Haney (R)
Anthony Hensley (D)*

21

Czerniewski (D)
Heley (D)
Smith (R)
Sykes (R)
Logan Heley (D)
Dinah Sykes (R)

23

Kerfoot (D)
Olson (R)
Spencer Kerfoot (D)

37

King (D)
Baumgardner (R)
n/a
Kansas House Endorsed Candidate(s)

8

Chociej (D)
Markley (R)
McPherson (R)
Patty Markley (R)

10

Wilson (D) John Wilson (D)*

14

Ring (D)
Esau (R)
Gabel (R)
Merlin Ring (D)
Leesa Gabel (R)

15

McCorkle (D)
Davis (R)
Dostal (R)
Palcic (R)
R. Paul McCorkle (D)
Kim Palcic (R)

16

Holscher (D)
Grosserode (R)
Cindy Holscher (D)

17

Stoll (D)
Cox (R)
Hildabrand (R)
Helen Stoll (D)
Tom Cox (R)

18

Neighbor (D)
Jenkins (R)
Cindy Neighbor (D)

19

Meitl (D)
Clayton (R)
Stephanie Clayton (R)*

20

McQueeny (D)
Bruchman (R)
Kessinger (R)
Christopher McQueeny (D)
Jan Kessinger (R)

21

Stogsdill (D)
Hughes (R)
Melton (R)
Jerry Stogsdill (D)
Dorothy Hughes (R)

22

Lusk (D) Nancy Lusk (D)*

23

Versola (D)
Gallagher (R)
Linda Gallagher (R)*

24

Ousley (D)
Johnson (R)
Jarrod Ousley (D)*

25

McCann (D)
Rooker (R)
Melissa Rooker (R)*

26

Tiffany (D)
Campbell (R)
Cheron Tiffany (D)

27

Miller (D)
Harmon (R)
Tarwater (R)
n/a

28

Koesten (R)
Lunn (R)
Joy Koesten (R)

29

Parker (D)
Todd (R)
Brett Parker (D)

30

Graham (D)
Dingwerth (R)
Powell (R)
Darla Graham (D)

31

Ruiz (D) Louis Ruiz (D)*

32

Curtis (D) Pam Curtis (D)*

33

Burroughs (D) Tom Burroughs (D)*

34

Winn (D) Valdenia Winn (D)*

35

Lampkin (D)
Henderson (D)
n/a

36

Wolfe Moore (D)
Thomas (D)
Braun (R)
Kathy Wolfe Moore (D)*

37

Frownfelter (D) n/a

38

Fonkert (D)
Dove (R)
Lucas (R)
Templin (R)
Mike Folkert (D)
Mitra Templin (R)

39

Lawson (D)
Brim (R)
Macheers (R)
Donohoe (R)
Angeliina Lawson (D)
Shelee Brim (R)

42

Reed (D)
Karlskint (R)
O’Brien (R)
Kara Reed (D)

43

Roberts (R)
Sutton (R)
Donald Roberts (R)

44

Ballard (D)
Davis (D)
Lindsey (R)
Barbara Ballard (D)*

45

Maines (D)
Pierce (R)
Sloan (R)
Tom Sloan (R)*

46

Highberger (D) Dennis “Boog” Highberger (D)*

48

Ackerson (D)
Kleeb (R)
Sandy Ackerson (D)

49

Hunt (D)
Schwab (R)
Darnell Hunt (D)

54

Hansen (D)
Corbet (R)
Renae Hansen (D)

78

Darby (D)
Clayton (R)
Ryckman (R)
Jason Darby (D)

121

Graff (D)
Kiegerl (R)
Jason Graff (D)
State Bd of Education Endorsed Candidate(s)

2

Cindric (D)
Roberts (R)
Chris Cindric (D)

4

Mah (D)
Mollenkamp (R)
Ann Mah (D)

6

Horst (R) Deena Horst (R)*

8

Busch (R) n/a

10

McNiece (R) Jim McNiece (R)*
JOCO Commission Endorsed Candidate(s)

2

Allen n/a

3

Hodge
Klika
Steve Klika*

6

Brown
Toplikar
n/a
U.S. Congress Endorsed Candidate(s)

2

Potter (D)
Jenkins (R)
Britani Potter (D)

3

Marselus (D)
McLaughlin (D)
Sidie (D)
Goode (R)
Yoder (R)
Jay Sidie (D)

Printable PDF Table

Bernie Sanders Endorses HRC

Today Bernie Sanders gave a full-throated, unreserved endorsement to Hillary, here’s a transcript of the final segment:

In these stressful times for our country, this election must be about bringing our people together, not dividing us up. While Donald Trump is busy insulting Mexicans, Muslims, women, African Americans and veterans, Hillary Clinton understands that our diversity is one of our greatest strengths. Yes. We become stronger when black and white, Latino, Asian American, Native American – all of us – stand together. Yes. We become stronger when men and women, young and old, gay and straight, native born and immigrant fight to rid this country of all forms of bigotry.

It is no secret that Hillary Clinton and I disagree on a number of issues. That’s what this campaign has been about. That’s what democracy is about. But I am happy to tell you that at the Democratic Platform Committee which ended Sunday night in Orlando, there was a significant coming together between the two campaigns and we produced, by far, the most progressive platform in the history of the Democratic Party. Our job now is to see that platform implemented by a Democratic Senate, a Democratic House and a Hillary Clinton president – and I am going to do everything I can to make that happen.

I have known Hillary Clinton for 25 years. I remember her as a great first lady who broke precedent in terms of the role that a first lady was supposed to play as she helped lead the fight for universal health care. I served with her in the United States Senate and know her as a fierce advocate for the rights of children.

Hillary Clinton will make an outstanding president and I am proud to stand with her here today.

You can read the full text of his speech here:
Boston Globe transcript of Bernie Sander’s endorsement speech.

Donald Trump Praises Saddam Hussein’s Approach to Terrorism — Again

While the GOP loves them some authoritarian dictators, I hope this Jack Bauer extra-judicial approach to terrorism doesn’t resonate with the public beyond the small circle of committed idiots that Trump has already cultivated. When he says things like this he’s stating that he gives not a single shit for human rights, that he can magically determine who is and isn’t a terrorist, and that he can then pretend that the constitution does not exist for them. I mean – Fuck reading them their rights before you torture them amiright? Trump’s just like Jack, he knows when someone is lying, when someone’s bad, when someone’s good, he’s just that intuitive…

Saddam Hussein was a monster, murdering and torturing the citizenry of his country on whims and hearsay. (see here, an article on his practices before the GOP got us into the war in Iraq.)

Donald Trump is against our civic institutions, hates our legal practices, despises our American essence, and he loathes our very culture. If there is a such thing as a civic religion in this nation, then Trump and his cohorts in the GOP have formed a heretical cult to destroy that very thing. Indeed, the Republican leadership might as well go to our National Archives, march into the rotunda, break the bullet proof glass and then piss in unison on our constitution; because their presidential candidate is rhetorically doing that every single day with every speech he makes and every breath he takes.

RALEIGH, N.C. — Donald Trump praised former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein Tuesday night, allowing that he was a “really bad guy” but had redeeming qualities when it came to his handling of terrorists.

Trump lauded the former U.S. adversary for how “well” he killed terrorists, recalling that he “didn’t read them the rights, they didn’t talk. They were terrorists, over.” Now, Trump assessed, “Iraq is Harvard for terrorism. You want to be a terrorist, you go to Iraq.”

Hillary Clinton’s campaign seized the opportunity to once more paint Trump has unfit for office. “Donald Trump’s praise for brutal strongmen seemingly knows no bounds,” Senior Policy Advisor Jake Sullivan said in an emailed statement. “Trump’s cavalier compliments for brutal dictators, and the twisted lessons he seems to have learned from their history, again demonstrate how dangerous he would be as commander-in-chief and how unworthy he is of the office he seeks.”

More: Donald Trump Praises Saddam Hussein’s Approach to Terrorism — Again – NBC News