If you Support Bernie, Vote Hillary

Let me preface this by saying I am a Bernie Sanders supporter. I was a Bernie Sanders Delegate to the Democratic National Convention. If you're a regular reader of this blog, you saw my posts, and photos from Philadelphia. I sat up in the almost nosebleed section way to the left of the stage with the other California Bernie delegates, who waved signs and chanted and some of whom walked out in protest after Hillary secured the nomination, the night that Bernie, in fact, nominated her.

I would like nothing better than to write in Bernie Sanders on my ballot, but I won't do it, not even in safe California.  Why? Because for Bernie to succeed in the Senate, for any of the hard-fought planks of the Democratic Platform so many of my fellow delegates helped craft, and to keep this Revolution going, we must elect Hillary Clinton as the next President of the United States and we must do it overwhelmingly.

And for the record, I waved my No More Wars sign and chanted as loudly as the others did when Leon Panetta spoke in glowing terms of the raid that killed Osama Bin Laden; and when Hillary herself reprised the same theme. And I waved my Ban Fracking and No TPP signs when Kaine and Jerry Brown spoke. I felt it was important to protest and to send a message. But I felt and feel it was and is just as important to support our candidates, both Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton, as Democrats and as the bulwark against a Trump victory, and even more critically, a Trump movement of fear, racism, misogyny, climate change denial, and so much more that will only grow stronger and more hateful in the face of weak Hillary victory.

We can't afford to let that happen. 

The Clinton nomination wasn't a surprise to anyone who had been paying attention, but it didn't stop the loyalists from calling foul. There were, after all, leaked emails from some DNC staffers who seemed set on doing everything they could to make sure Bernie did not get the nomination. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the chair, was rightly forced to resign on the eve of the Convention because of it. 

But now, the only way for our progressive values and the Bernie Sanders campaign to be more than a footnote of history, and to defeat the venom of Trump is to hand Hillary a landslide victory. No, the Donald will never stop his poisonous rants and inciting violence and hatred among his followers, but if she gets a humongous popular vote on Election Day, it might dim the momentum of whatever evil deed he plans for after the election, claiming it was "rigged, so rigged" and that he's the rightful Commander in Chief and she is a pretender to the throne.

She needs to have a large popular vote to show she can govern without a split citizenry; she must win the trust of vast numbers of American voters to govern effectively. And she must win decisively to create a tidal wave of down ballot votes for Democratic candidates in Red States and Districts.

Writing in Bernie Sanders or voting Third Party not only diminishes her influence and her credibility in the White House, it hinders any progress on progressive issues. It casts a pall on the legitimacy of any strides attempted to be made by Democrats. It emboldens the Republican obstructionists in the House and Senate. We live in a divided nation. One thing the Donald's toxic campaign has shown us is just how far we are away from a truly just and equal society. Why then would we even further divide our nation, by splitting ourselves, supposed the rational, humane, environmentally and socially conscious ones, into splinter groups each wedded to our own form of purity and self-righteousness? Now is not the time for dissension in the ranks of the left. As Michael Moore says in his brilliant new movie Michael Moore in Trumpland, "Hate Hillary, but force yourself to vote for her anyway."

I have been called out by my fellow delegates. I've been labeled a "Troll" and a "Hill-bot" for listening to Bernie Sanders when he said we need Hillary Clinton in the White House. But, here's how I see it. The ones who have betrayed their progressive values, who have turned their back on their (our) candidate Bernie Sanders are the ones now urging a vote for Jill Stein or a write-in vote for Bernie they know is nothing but a protest vote. A protest of a system we all know is far from perfect. So I do understand their anger, their disappointment and their protest. But I also believe Bernie when he says "Now is not the time for a protest vote." By turning their backs on Bernie now, by abandoning the Democratic Party (yes I know many of them were never Democrats to begin with, just played one to get to the Convention), is to ignore the real strides made in this revolutionary, historical campaign that netted Bernie Sanders more than 1800 delegates to the Democratic National Convention. And yes, I am very proud to have been one of them.

I was and am proud of the platform Bernie helped fashion with the hard work done by many of these same delegates who now gloat over Hillary's emails, while virtually ignoring Trump's sex scandals, hatred and ugly greed. No, now is not the time for a protest vote. Now is the time to be united. Then keep the movement alive on November 9th and beyond. Do it for Bernie.

Let's not throw our precious vote away.

Too Many "October Surprises" to keep Track of

Update: All this to do has to do with serial sexter Anthony Wiener. See  http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/29/us/politics/fbi-hillary-clinton-email.html  Remember him? And the server they were on, apparently was his. What this has to do with Hillary I don't know, except Wiener's wife, Huma Abedin, works for Hillary. Anthony looks like a small time perv compared to the Donald, the "Groper in Chief."

First it was emails, then it was Trump's gloating about sexually assaulting women, then accusations of "voter fraud" now back to the emails. Deja vu all over again?

Such reputable outsets as Mother Jones and NPR are reporting James Comey's new investigation into whether or not  some emails found on another device held by another person might be relevant.
This is being done, said Comey " to determine whether they contain classified information, as well as to assess their importance to our investigation."


What it is we don't know. No one does and Comey has not said. So why is it being reported as though it is some major new revelation. Trump of course is gloating; Fox News is salivating.

Comey Letter:

11 days until Election Day. I wonder how all this came about so conveniently at this time? As the Donald said about revelations of his own slimy behavior with women. "Lies, all lies," said the Donald, threatening to sue the women who accused him of sexual assault.





Why then is he so willing to assume the worst about the FBI simply doing their due diligence by looking at what these emails may contain?

Do we even have to ask?

What next, Flying Monkeys?

Going from Bernie to Trump, Really?

In the 60's we talked about "heightening the contradictions," that if things got so bad in America, that they would have to take a turn for the better, that people would wake up from their Cold War stuper and slap themselves upside the head, saying "I coulda had a revolution!"

Then we little radicals would run in and claim our rightful places in the new government, after the old one crumbled from it's own weight, and would be hailed as conquering heroes, while still being under thirty.

Remember "Never trust anyone over thirty"? Now we are all over thirty, way over and we can look back on that time with a little it of reality and historical perspective

As a Bernie Sanders delegate who proudly case my vote for the most progressive, the only true progressive in the running this year, at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, I am living in a kind of deja vu. Shades of the 60's and Eugene McCarthy (although i was not "clean for Gene" back then, because I thought that was a rather condescending and demeaning phrase, assuming all young people were dirty and had to be cleaned up before they could go on the stump). We did not get the progressive candidate of our choice, but we did get a lot accomplished. Instead of taking credit for a job well done, instead of listening to Bernie Sanders when he urges us to vote for Hillary, when he even nominated her, some of his delegates are pushing Jill Stein, the Green Party candidate, who doesn't have a chance. Or worse, openly rooting for a Trump victory, because that will pave the way for a truly progressive president to emerge and win, next time.

Now, before you jump all over me and say I sold out, then or now, look at the parallels. In 1968, we had a choice between Richard "I am not a crook" Nixon and Hubert Humphrey. Humphrey had been a civil rights leader in his day. But these days he was looking just liberal, maybe a warmonger, certainly the establishment. Tricky Dick was a liar and a thief and sleazeball paranoiac, but we decided in our youthful wisdom that they were just the same, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum.
 

We marched in rallies when Humphrey came to town and chanted "Dump the Hump!" We didn't vote. (To be fair to my young self, I couldn't vote, as the voting age was 21 and I had just turned 20 that year). We got Nixon and the rest, as they say, is History. Ok, it would have been history one way or the other. But my point is we thought let them vote for Nixon; things will surely change. I bet some people even said what some Bernie Sanders supporters now say, If Nixon (Trump) is elected, we'll be setting the stage for a really progressive president next time." Fast forward past Cambodia, Kent State, Watergate, impeachment, resignation. Gerald Ford. 1975. The Vietnam War finally ends.

Then we do get Jimmy Carter, the earnest peanut farmer, one of the best I think, but weak as a president and vulnerable to an October surprise, paving the way to Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush. Finally Clinton, not the most progressive, but a Democrat; then George W. Bush, warmonger extreme and village idiot. Which brings us to Obama. And now, you say Trump will lead to a truly progressive era. The best we've been able to do is fight like crazy to clean up the mess left behind.

Been there, tried that. Bernie Sanders himself, who was also there and so is a part of living history some of his own supporters who now spout off on Facebook, should pay attention to. Am i in love with Hillary Clinton? I am not. Is she the lesser of two evils? She may well be. But do you really want to take a chance with racism, mysogeny, anti-immigration policies, anti-labor, and all that goes with Trump's vision of "Making America great again," as a social experiment you hope will turn out ok in the end.

If you won't listen to Bernie, pick up a damn book. Go on the History Channel. Google the last nearly fifty years and tell yourself how great it is to live in this post-Nixon time, when all is peace and love. Because, wait for it, the contradictions were heightened.

Magical thinking my friends. Accept reality, accept the very real victories we have earned with more than 1800 Bernie Sanders delegates in Philadelphia, with the most progressive and forward -looking platform the democratic Party has had in years, if ever, with Hillary invoking Bernie's name and policies. Don't see it as co-optation; see it as a chance. Don't squander it. That is the way to a truly progressive future, maybe even in your lifetimes.

Vote!

Donald Trump's Evil Twin

"It wasn't me, ok? I can't believe you people, loyal Trumpanistas, could ever believe that I would do any of those horrible, horrible things to women. I love the women, you know that right. No one loves the women more than me. And I mean that in a totally respectful way.

"It was my evil twin. There I said it. I have an evil twin. No really, you think I'm making it up, right? You think 'there he goes again' excusing away some really despicable behavior.

"How do you think it makes me feel to have this evil twin stalking me all the time, pretending to be me, doing these really really bad things? I have never, never, put my hands, and they are good hands, really strong, and not small; he's the one with the small hands, mine are perfectly formed, really great hands, never put these hands up any woman's skirt.

"Imagine the burden I suffer under. I build a real estate empire, and he goes and gambles it all away. Bankruptcies? Me? Never! It was him, What a loser. So now I am being honest with you. I have tried to cover iup for that loser, but no more!

"Make that guy take a drug test! Make him get his fake orange hair tested too, and his fake orange face also. I mean, does anyone really think a real American man like me has fake anything? That guy is an imposter, and he has got to go. Worse than crooked Hillary.

"I'm the good guy. I love the women, I love the Mexicans (in the right places, like busing tables and picking lettuce and selling tacos.  Did I tell you how much I love taco trucks? Love them!)

"And I love the Muslims too, great people, the Muslims, they've got no fashion sense, but what are ya going to do? I am not prejudiced against the Muslims. And did I tell you how much I love the blacks? Salt of the earth, those blacks.

"So, I'm the one wronged here, and I am going to get rid of that evil twin right now. You are going to see a new Donald Trump at the next debate, I mean the real Donald Trump, just wait.

"And if crooked Hillary says one negative thing about me, I can sue her lying ass for libel, because it wasn't me. It was him, and she better get that straight right now!"

Donald Trump's Locker Room

Satire alert; hope you like it.

Deep under Trump Tower in New York, Donald Trump entered his private locker room from the sauna, his big belly heaving over the skimpy towel. He began to sniff eagerly, like a hound dog seeking out a treed raccoon.

"Do I smell sweat socks?" he asked of Putin, just pulling up his girdle.

"Not mine, you don't" Vlad said, giving a delicate sniff of his own. "Must be Howard Stern's.

Howard sauntered over, hair all disheveled and breathing heavily. "I think it's my pits Donald. Here." He held up a hairy armpit, which caused Donald to draw back just the slightest bit.

"Pussy!" accused Howard, while Putin sniggered.

"Who you calling pussy, you dickhead!" Donald retorted, his orange face turning beet red.

"Don't give yourself a coronary," Vlad said, examining his pecs in the locker room mirror. "We need someone to wipe down these mirrors. They're all steamed up."

"Get Kelly Ann," said Trump, opening his own locker, where his climate controlled stem proof mirror hung from the door. He proceeded to pull out various sprays, lotions and potions, and applying them liberally to his hair.

"What is that anyway?" Howard Stern said, coming up behind Donald. "A dead wombat?"

"Why you Kike bastard!" Are you stalking me?"

"Calm down," Vlad implored the two men. "It's just locker room banter Donald. Don't get your panties in a twist."

"You know I can bomb the pants right offa you anytime I want Vlad, so cool your jets. My bombs are the best, by the by the way. So good." He sniffed heavily again. "Gym socks in here somewhere. Who's that hiding under the bench over there? Hey you with the smelly feet!"

"Sorry sir," said the meek smallish man wearing a Trump for Dictator tee shirt in day glow orange. "I'm the janitor. I can only afford one pair of socks, and the laundromat in my building is defective. I thought since you were all for the people, and helping us little guys, maybe you could spare a pair or two. My athlete's foot makes it really hard to keep the job."

"My good man," said Trump, beckoning the little fellow to him. "You may be small in stature, but you are great in political capital. And I do have a thing for stinky feet you know. So real."

"Then you'll help me?" asked the man, hardly able to believe his good fortune.

"I didn't say that. But I might be able to give you a part in my next TV ad, which I will fund myself. I'm rich, you know, so rich. And I love the little guy. No one loves the little guy as much as I do. Almost as much as the women. And not a word out of you two bozos or it's Siberia for both of you, he said, menacingly to Putin and Stern.

"What happened to your hair anyway Howard? You been wrestling alligators or something?"

"Ha! I was mobbed on the way in here by a bunch of liberal pinkos with protest signs. They assaulted me!"

"Did you call the cops?"

"Nah, they were all girl scouts, trying to sell me cookies, in between the smackdown. They are a tough bunch."

"I'd like a cookie. Did you get any?"

"Not cookies," said Howard, meaningfully."

"Hey, that's great locker room banter, don't you think Vlad and..." he turned to the diminutive janitor "What's your name, anyway? You look familiar. Do I know you"

"It's John Kasich; I used to be, you know, a Republican candidate. "But after my humiliating loss, I had to take any job I could."

"Can you clean the steam off this mirror?" Vlad gestured Kasich over.

"I guess so, but I sure could use those socks, Mr. Trump."

"When you make an ad for me, then we'll see about the socks."

"I'm not sure about that ad, Mr. Trump. I know I'm poor and deperate, but my wife would kill me."

"Your wife?!" Donald grew outrageous. "Get yourself another one. Clean socks. That will do the trick. But first the ad."

With that, he turned back to primping, his bowl full of jelly tummy bobbing along to the spritzers of hair product he kept applying as Kasich pleaded with Vlad for some clean socks in exchange for clearing the mirror. Howard Stern turned off his mic and scooted off to air the tape on his next show.

Trump and Putin: the Dream Ticket

A little borrowed levity from Michael Lerner, written by another Rabbi with a good sense of humor and outrage. Enjoy:

[A bit of humor in light of the latest revelations about a presidential candidate whose disgusting attitude toward women is no laughing matter! This is a selection from a fuller piece written by my Jewish Renewal rabbinic colleague Elliot Ginsburg who teaches Jewish Studies at the U. of Michigan, Ann Arbor-- Warm regards to all. Rabbi Michael Lerner rabbilerner.tikkun@gmail.com]  Trump Exes Pence and taps Putin as new Veepster (unedited transcript) Breaking News:  And here to deliver the news is our undercover reporter, known gnomically as Trump L’ie. (Or do you say, Trump L’Oy?)...His voice has been digitally altered lest he be publicly fingered and outed…and force-fed with well-meaning gluten. Thanks Pritchard. I’m here streaming undercover at the Tsibl Tower, deep in the heart of Gruzya and have we got a hot scoop for you.  [Full voice, stentorian]: As we all know, pressure has been mounting over the past 36 hours for Donald J. Trump to withdraw from the Presidential race in the wake of the Excess Hollywood tape scandal. We have it on reliable source that Trump is planning his counter-offensive, preemptively removing Mike Pence from the ticket for his “half-baked, on-the-fence support” and “his longish fingers which make me look bad.” And here’s the gobsmacker: The Donald’s allegedly replacing “Weak-Mike Pence” with “a strong leader” with downright stubby digits, Vladimir Putin—who would simultaneously retain his position as pre-eminent Russian leader. This unprecedented decision came about in a hush-hush confab in the Alaska compound of travel-show host Sarah “Litwack” Palin (or do you say, Poiln?). Palin has been serving as Trump’s unofficial advisor on World Affairs and Birth Control. (In that order. First the Affairs and then the Birth Control.) Campaign Insiders Newt Gingrinch and Chris Crispie (code-name Creme)—Trump’s Weight-Watcher sponsors—were also in tow. Looking through Sarah’s famous window, Trump reportedly grew agitated before growing glassy eyed and waxing prophetic: “I see London, I see France, I see no future under Pence….In fact, I see the future and it is Rootin’ Tootin’ Vladimir Fuckin-Putin rearing his head (and heading u-know-who’s pantsuited rear) as my Veep. If Crooked Hillary launches a Putin Riot, we boink the protesters, and make America really great again. Vladimir Putin, initials Vee-Pee, will be my sidekick and hobnobber, my bouncer- in-chief. We give half-baked Pence the heave-ho, the hobnailed boot, and bring on Putin-Boots. Or as I call him, Vlad the Impaler. Did you see the size of that man’s hands? Smaller than mine. Newt interrupts (gassy): Er, one problem, Donald. He’s not exactly American or even Murican. That’s against the Second Amendment—even if Scalia were still alive and kicking—as I’ve noted in my learned books. Trump: No problem. We give Putin special status as native-born, like the rigged system did for John McCain who was born in Panama, or that Mexican, Mitt Romney. Where was the damn wall when we fuckin’ needed it? Crispie: No Donald. You can’t make Putin American until after you assume rule and expand the Second Amendment by executive fiat. Trump: Unless. Unless...I've been pullin' your legs, guys. Damn it, Sarah, you tell ‘em: Sarah: You betcha. And aren’t we all looking swell in our sensiband expando-slacks?! So, I got this doohickey from Breitbart this morning…. Trump (interrupting). Wrong. It was technically last night, Alaska time, in the wee hours my time, while I was tooting up a storm or maybe tweeting. It’s Vladimir Fuckingovich Putin’s secret goddam birth-certificate. The long-form. Says right here, he’s really from... get this, that swing state, Florida. Crispie: no shit Gingrinch: you sure it’s real… Trump: it’s a real hack...really real. Could have been the Russians, or maybe Jina or maybe it’s from my 400 pound twin brother sitting on a bed somewhere. But it’s real...I can smell, and taste, and rub its yuge reality. See, born in Florida. St. Petersberg, to be exact. Gingrich: shit... Trump: Yup, da man’s from St. Petersburg. Right here, in black and white. Fucking St Pete. I love Florida. I own half of Florida. I have many buildings there. We could make Del-a-Mar the new White House! Build a dacha for Putin behind. So, in with Putin, out with Fencey-Pence. We got this baby in the Gucci bag. A round of Trump Steaks for the house! (Pauses to spray hair) Liar liar yo’ Pence be fired! Sarah (martial in tone): Newt and Chris, you take care of Reince and Ryan. I’ll neutralize Pence with some fractured syntax. We’ll all need new hats: Maybe “Make America-n-Russia great again.” Something with faux fur ear-flaps. And maybe some sexy caribou antlers for huntin’ season. Gingrinch: Yeah, but what’s in it for Putin? Trump: He keeps his Russian post. And we give him an American beach-head: West Palm Beach, Miami Beach and Boynton Beach. And a sexy byatch, the one from Days of our Lives. Did you see her legs? And maybe if he pushes back real hard, Brighton Beach. Crispie: And remember, I have a bridge I could sell him real cheap. He’s got the dough. As they say, Crimea pays. Trump: Fellows, fellows...leave it to the Donald to close the deal. I tell you. Vlad’s got the hots for me. Believe me. No one has greater hots for me than him. I’m one star he can’t resist. For starters, we can go horseback riding. He without his shirt and me without my Pence. I’ll dismount. I’ll remount. We’ll rub noses. I’ll suck his toots, get him all hot and buttered, and, the piece de no-resistance, grab him by his Putin. Trump for the Win! Chris and Newt: Yessss! Score one for the Donald. Trump: Sarah, pack my extra-long tie and my rack of tic-tacs... [ Now, he has something to say in tonight's debate!]

How to get free publicity for your campaign without committing a scandal

There are a number of ways to get free publicity for your campaign. Make a public blunder, have some "private" embarrassing moments go public, but if you want good publicity, it's not so easy. The press isn't going to take notice of your campaign beyond the usual short blurb they give every candidate. They might cover a debate or two if the issues are juicy, but short of punching your opponent in the nose, it's hard to get reporters to cover you.

So you need to do it yourself. There are a few ways of do it yourself press. One is the oped. If there is a newsworthy issue in your campaign, and the press hasn't picked up on it, write an oped piece that focuses on the issue and real solutions. This needs to be something other than a puff piece bout your own campaign.  Another person might write about the issue and why you'd be the right person to solve it. They would likely invite your opponent to have someone send in an article on his/her behalf as well.

Another way is to start your own blog, but that's a lot of work, and online publication just don't reach voters that well, despite the proliferation of social media sites dedicated to politics. In fact, that's one of the problems, there are so many, people tend to ignore them in favor of cute cat videos.

The simplest is to have people send in short letters to the editor. These can be written by one person and signed by others. Issues can be split up, so that one person writes about how you are the best candidate to fill potholes, while another writes about your talent at bringing people together. Still others can discuss the differences between you and your opponent and what makes you the most ft for the job.

 

Letters are a good way to convey your message to a number of people (at least the newspaper reading people, and remember, many read the paper online, so you are reaching them as well), and it is one section of the paper people do read. Your letter may well get some responses from your opponent's camp or people who may be passionate about whatever issues are on the line.

These can come in at various intervals, so that they don't bunch up on an editor's desk. Here are a few guidelines for a successful Letters to the Editor campaign.

1. Keep them short. 200 words are so is the optimal length. Much longer and you risk editing and possibly losing your main point to a pair of scissors.

2. Proofread carefully. Spelling is important, good grammar and punctuation also count. If you are speaking on a candidate's behalf, you want to come across as articulate and well informed.

3. Make sure they are truthful. do not make things up, or exaggerate your abilities. Don't make your opponent sound like an ogre unless he/she truly is one, and still, pick your words wisely.

4. Be prepared to write follow up or response letters if you get attacked by others, or if others write letters that cast you in a negative light.

Follow those easy rules and you'll get your name in the paper and maybe find some new volunteers to help with the campaign too, when they see how many enthusiastic supporters you already have.

Here is some "Brain food" to snack on while composing your letters:

KAMUT UDON NOODLES WITH KALE & AVOCADO

(Avocado is said to help with blood flow to the brain for clarity of thought.)
Time: less than 20 minutes
Servings: 2
8-oz package kamut udon noodles
2 tablespoons avocado oil (or grape seed oil)
1 tomato, chopped
3/4 bunch of lacinato kale, cut into long thin strips
3 carrots – peeled and sliced/grated
a handful of mushrooms, white or brown – finely sliced
generous drizzle of organic soy sauce/tamari, to taste
a few sprinkles of crushed red pepper flakes
dash of salt
squirt of honey
1 avocado, peeled and sliced – garnish
squeeze of fresh lime juice
In a pot of boiling water, cook kamut udon noodles as per package instructions until al dente, usually 8 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water.
Pour noodles back into pot with heat on low to medium. Then add kale, carrots, tomatoes, mushrooms, tamari, honey, red pepper flakes and avocado oil. Heat gently, stir until steaming and kale has softened, 2-3 minutes.
Garnish with thick slices of avocado and squeeze of lime juice. Dig in!