Time to Rally Around Trump Against Selective Prosecution under Ridiculous Espionage Act

Trump Prosecution Is Not Credible

Commentary

Whether you love Donald Trump or despise him as a fascist lunatic, the selective prosecution of Donald Trump under the Espionage Act should be opposed. (See Special Counsel Jack Smith, U.S. Department of Justice.)

The Espionage Act cannot be enforced impartially, for the the Espionage Act is tyrannical caprice meant to punish or silence perceived enemies of the state. 

Since World War I, the Espionage Act was used just twice up to the Obama administration which used the Act with "unprecedented vigor, prosecuting more people under that law for leaking sensitive information to the public than all previous administrations combined," (AP).

In modern times, only the Nixon administration in its infamous prosecution of Daniel Ellsberg and Anthony Russo dared use this despicable device, until Obama, Trump and then Biden used the Act with apparent glee to control information and stop the press from reporting on administration abuses, outside of spying cases.

Hillary Clinton, David Petraeus, Sandy Berger and Joe Biden have all all skated despite often acting in spectacular fashion, but liberal establishment wants Trump, no matter the cost.

Enough. Deliver massage to Biden administration: You go through with this sick indictment, you lose political support.
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I urge folks to read Scott Horton's piece on spotting politcal prosecutions. From Scott Horton, Harper's  Magazine, Feb. 2008; link follows.

Several red flags with current indictment.

Identity of the Subject. Is the subject an opposition political figure of some sort?

Nature of the Charges. Espionage Act, a ridiculous tool of oppression, brought back from life by Democrat administrations.

Timing and Circumstances of Criminal Investigations and Charges. Timing coincides with effort to stop Trump from running and winning in 2024.

Circumstances of Investigation; Arrest and Detention; Media Dealings. When political figures are involved, has an intrusive investigations been conducted? That is, does the investigation appear geared to disrupting the political figure’s work, for instance, as a parliamentarian or local official?

State Secrecy. Was state secrecy invoked in any aspect of the case? Yes.

Parallel Public Campaigns. Consider carefully whether the prosecution tracks any political campaign which is being run by the Government or the Government party? Yes.

Media Coverage. Particularly where the media is controlled or manipulated by the state (this includes almost every country in the region) or aligns itself with the political party which holds the prosecutorial power, consider carefully the tone and tenor of the media coverage. Ahh, yes.
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See also Glenn Greenwald, Political Prosecution: Trump Indictment Upends Decades of Lax Classified Docs Precedent and What Is the Espionage Act? A Brief & Repressive History.

Bernie Sanders Still Towering over Pack in Democratic Pres Campaign

Bernie Sanders won the debate, opine the Wall Street Journal and the progressive The Nation.

It's an assessment secretly shared by the liberal establishment media, and Democratic Party mucks who loathe Bernie, such as CNN. Bernie is setting the agenda and politcal message in 2020.

"Nothing will change unless we have the guts to take on Wall Street, the insurance industry, the pharmaceutical industry, the military-industrial complex, and the fossil fuel industry," said Bernie Sanders at the debate.

The nerve.

Of course that a few huge interests control Congress and are looking out for themselves has been the overwhelming sentiment of the American people for a long time.

Even the lunatic in the White House knew how to tap into this sentiment, a capacity that eluded Hillary Clinton and her party that can't shoot straight.

No matter that Hillary Clinton screwed up the slam dunk known as the 2016 presidential election that installed Republican Party acolytes for years to come on the Supreme Court, no matter how many times Rachel Maddow whores herself out to the Democratic Party, Bernie Sanders is head and shoulders above the rest of the pack.

Polls still show Bernie would crush Trump in an general election match-up, a fact that must be erased from the political culture, (RealClear Politics).

Don't look for MSNBC to report this fact in the coming months, even when Bernie overtakes Biden in general election match-ups.

The liberal media knows all about Bernie's ascendancy, indicated at RealClear Politics.

To the extent, the Democratic Party continues to feed at the trough of the insurance, pharmaceutical, fossil-fuel, and the military industries' money, expect the stop-Bernie movement to become more hysterical, defamatory and desperate.

And Rachel Maddow, Chuck Todd and Sean Hannity can be counted on to do their worst.

Bernie Sanders Is Coming to Wisconsin to Save Win Against Scott Walker

Bernie Sanders is coming to Milwaukee on Oct 22 to
rally for voting rights in a community targeted by
Republicans with imprisonment, killing and poverty.

Madison, Wisconsin — After eight years of voter obstruction imposed by Gov. Scott Walker (R) and Republicans, voter turnout in downtown Milwaukee remains a X-factor, likely determining Wisconsin's next governor.

Contributing factors to recent declining Milwaukee turnout include a malfunctioning voting rights community.

The big question is, as early voting picks up, whether progressives can lift and carry the milquetoast Tony Evers (D) to victory.

Bernie Sanders is in town soon to help.

Put an event in your calendar! 🗓️ October 22@BernieSanders is coming to WI for a #EarlyVoting rally with @tammybaldwin @Tony4WI @TheOtherMandela @Gwen4Congress & @IronStache!

RSVP: https://t.co/LYzXNoanK8

— Democratic Party WI (@WisDems) October 10, 2018

Even Tony Evers' campaign concedes voter turnout is critical:

It all comes down to turnout.

With less than one month until Election Day, now is the time to take action! The best way to counter Scott Walker’s attacks, mobilize voters, and take our state back this November is to get involved ➡️ https://t.co/P3HKPJcaEg https://t.co/7poGGObBLS

— Tony Evers (@Tony4WI) October 10, 2018

Ocasio-Cortez Points Way to Progressive Victory in Midwest, as Clintonites Balk

Fox News has joined the Hillary Clinton faction of the
Democratic Party in warning about Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez'
policy positions, (shown above). Isn't there a place where
Clinton and other deadenders can go to fuck off and die?

Corpratist Dems Trying to Throw Cold Water on Ocasio-Cortez

Madison, Wisconsin — U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Illinois) is a Clintonite acting in the tradition of other corporatist Dems who gave us the lunatic in the White House.

Thank you again for that, Hillary Clinton supporters.

Ever-desperate to halt progressive politics, in the week following Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez' wipe-out of a corrupt Democratic House incumbent, Duckworth offers a less-than-rigorous analysis concluding the entire Midwest will reject people-based politics because Ocasio-Cortez is "too far to the left," (The Hill).

Another Clintonite, Nancy Pelosi, preceded Duckworth's perils of political wisdom

Writes Emily Birnbaum:

Duckworth’s comments echoed those of Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who said people should not get 'carried away' over Ocasio-Cortez’s nomination.

What are Ocasio-Cortez' objectionable policy positions, all of which are available on Ocasio-Cortez' website, about which Pelosi and Duckworth warn us? Pelosi and Duckworth don't say.

But Ocasio-Cortez offers 15 detailed issue positions, so witness the horror and gasp: Medicare For All, Housing As a Human Right, A Peace Economy,  A Federal Jobs Guarantee, Gun Control / Assault Weapons Ban, Criminal Justice Reform, End Private Prisons, Immigration Justice / Abolish ICE, Solidarity with Puerto Rico, Mobilizing Against Climate Change, Clean Campaign Finance, Higher Education for All, Women's Rights, Support LGBTQIA+Support Seniors, Curb Wall Street Gambling: Restore Glass Steagall.

Duckworth did not specifically mention Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania which Pelosi and Duckworth's candidate, Hillary Clinton, lost in 2016 in the epic failure that gave the White House to Donald Trump; worth mentioning again because corporatists are not so big on recent history.

I think corporatist Democrats like losing. It's the only explanation for their action trying to take down a rare shining of light on the political horizon.
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If I were a Republican strategist running against Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin), I would saturate the airwaves with ads pointing out Baldwin is a longtime Clinton supporter along with each and every member of Wisconsin Democratic congressional delegation, (538.com).

Speaking of Wisconsin, Randy Bryce, the progressive who looks to replace outgoing House Speaker Paul Ryan (R), offers a realtime test of the Duckworth-Pelosi hypothesis.

Asked about Ocasio-Cortez on UpFront with Mike Gousha, Bryce was unequivocal in his praise of Ocasio-Cortez. Reports The Capital Times:

That was a successful example of an 'everyday, working people' running for political office, said Randy Bryce. ... It’s an example he hopes to repeat.

'That’s what everyday candidates are trying to do, we’re trying to get that enthusiasm, get people to the polls,' he said. 'We’re one of them, we understand the struggles of everyday people.'

Bryce is going to win the Democratic Party nomination and the general election in November.

Ocasio-Cortez was quick to knock down the Clintonite nonsense as well:

With respect to the Senator, strong, clear advocacy for working class Americans isn’t just for the Bronx.

Sen. Sanders won:
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Kansas
- Nebraska
- Wisconsin
- Indiana

We then lost several of those states in the general. What’s the plan to prevent a repeat? https://t.co/99K08qr7SH

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Ocasio2018) July 1, 2018

Back to present-day Wisconsin.

In the Democratic Party Primary race for governor, the same mopes who have demonstrated feckless disregard are now trying to torpedo the most fervent reformer of police-state Wisconsin.

I'll say it again: I think some Democrats like losing.

Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez likes winning.

I won a nearly impossible race with:

- Not taking💰from corporate lobbyists
- Spending time with people that “experts” say don’t vote
- Sticking to a bold, ambitious working-class agenda
- A majority-volunteer team

Sometimes, the right thing to do *is* the winning thing to do. pic.twitter.com/1fq9nbMJAS

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Ocasio2018) July 2, 2018

National Democratic Party Looks to Sabotage Blue Wave — Targets Progressives, Sanders and New Voters

Democratic Party opposition to Bernie Sanders is
bizarre, and like Hillary Clinton is a disease from
which there is no cure.

Madison, Wisconsin — Lessons learned for the Democratic Party's 2016 elections for 2018 appear to include 'engineer Hillary Clinton clones, and attack Bernie Sanders and progressives.'

This is not a winning strategy.

In Texas, national Democrats are backing an anti-worker Republican, Joseph Kopser, against a popular ex-math teacher and grassroots activist, Mary Wilson, in the May 22 primary election, (Jilani, The Intercept).

If it seems crazy for national Democrats to be backing Republicans in a Democratic primaries, we should consider it's not much crazier than rigging the 2016 Democratic Primary for Hillary Clinton who promptly lost to the lunatic now in the White House.

Hillary Clinton trumpeted her amassed superdelegates in August 2015, telling Democratic Primary voters the race is over, (Halperin, Epstein, Aug. 28, 2015; (BloombergPolitics)), months before the Iowa Caucuses and 11 months before the July 2016 Democratic Party Presidential Convention.

In New York, Hillary Clinton this weekend has endorsed the odious Andrew Cuomo against Cynthia Nixon, endorsed by Our Revolution, in the Sept 13 primary election.

National Democrats are pushing a message progressives must be stopped at the party primary level.

Yesterday, NBC's Meet the Press featured a long interview with Bernie Sanders, reported on by Cameron Cawthorne in the Washington Free Beacon.

Sanders was interviewed by Chuck Dodd who ask about the progressive-Democratic Party divide:

'What do you say to national Democrats who say be careful of this nominating folks who are too progressive.'

'I think that they are wrong, and I think they are misreading where the American people are at,' Sanders said. 'You know, Chuck, many of the issues that I campaigned on two years ago—issues like Medicare for All, raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour, taking on the pharmaceutical industry, making public colleges and universities tuition free, legalizing marijuana—a few years ago those were seen as radical, fringy ideas.'

Sanders, who caucuses with the Democrats in the Senate, claimed that a majority of the American people now support those ideas, including an 'overwhelming percentage of Democrats.'

'I think what candidates all over the country are now beginning to understand is that it is more important to reach out to the people in your community, working people, the middle class, lower-income people, rather than just worry about what wealthy campaign contributors want you to say,' Sanders said.

'I think that's not only good public policy; I think that's good politics, and I think many of those candidates will win, because you are going to see voter turnout go up and a level of excitement that conservative Democrats don't raise,' Sanders added.

The DCCC has come under scrutiny from progressives and even more centrist Democrats during the 2018 election cycle for meddling in Democratic primaries across the country and choosing establishment Democrats for their 'Red to Blue' program. The organization has also come under fire for pressuring progressive candidates to drop out of highly contested races.

In particular, the DCCC targeted Texas Democratic congressional candidate Laura Moser by publishing opposition research against her on its website. While the DCCC received backlash from members of the media and Democratic activists, including former Obama administration staffers, the group stood by its strategy. That strategy backfired in March when Moser qualified for a May 22 primary runoff.

No messages from national Democrats saying, 'you know what? Bernie Sanders is right and we should listen.'

From Meet the Press:

ICYMI: @SenSanders joins #MTP to discuss "electability" for progressive candidates in 2018 and why he thinks they encourage voter turnout. https://t.co/GNj8blk9Bg

— Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) May 21, 2018

See the video of Bernie Sanders at Meet the Press here.

Transcript of Bernie Sanders May 20, 208 appearance on Meet the Press here.

DNC's Chair Sounds Positively Soviet

The New Democratic Party

DNC-Clinton Alliance Spells Doom

Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Florida) has solidified her personal commitment to running an already corporatized political party like an old Soviet Union commissar.

Reports Lisa Hagen from The Hill: "DNC Chair "Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) said if it was her decision, she would scrap open primaries and only allow voters registered as Democrats to participate in primaries.

"'I believe that the party's nominee should be chosen — this is Debbie Wasserman Schultz's opinion — that the party's nominee should be chosen by members of the party,' the Florida Democrat said during an interview with 'MSNBC Live' on Monday, according to The Washington Examiner,, [Anna Giaritelli]." See also Bloomberg Politics and U.S. Uncut.

Wonder how Wasserman Schultz' stated position plays with Wisconsin Democrats and Wisconsin's historical commitment to an open primary, first enacted by Robert M. La Follette in 1904 as a progressive Republican, (Wisconsin Historical Society).

In late March President Obama personally endorsed Wasserman Schultz against her progressive primary challenger, Tim Canova, (The Intercept).

Bernie Sanders has made clear he intends to contest the nomination of Hillary Clinton whom Wasserman Schultz has attempted to engineer as the Democratic Party nominee for the presidency.

Listening to Wasserman Schultz, it is easy to understand why.

Yesterday a poll showed Clinton losing to Donald Trump in a general election match-up, (Rasmussen Reports), though the predictive power of polls in May is weak.

Still, a Clinton nomination would depress turn-out sufficiently so Clinton's wished-for grand bargain with House Republicans is necessary, Clinton would say.

We need Bernie Sanders, and one hopes he fights until even the mopes at the Democratic Party see the folly of Hillary Clinton and her intended destruction of the FDR-Ike-LBJ-enacted social insurance, and Clinton's neo-con foreign policy.

If you live in Wisconsin, Myron Buchholz is fighting an entrenched Clintonesque jobs-killing New Democrat in Wisconsin's third congressional district.

Go Bernie Sanders and Myron Buchholz.

Hillary Clinton on Marriage Equality Is Indecent

If Hillary Clinton speaks, take out your BS meter.

"I believe marriage is not just a bond but a sacred bond between a man and a woman. I have had occasion in my life to defend marriage, to stand up for marriage, to believe in the hard work and challenge of marriage. So I take umbrage at anyone who might suggest that those of us who worry about amending the Constitution are less committed to the sanctity of marriage, or to the fundamental bedrock principle that it exists between a man and a woman, going back into the midst of history as one of the founding, foundational institutions of history and humanity and civilization, and that its primary, principal role during those millennia has been the raising and socializing of children for the society into which they are to become adults."
—Hillary Clinton in 2004 on marriage equity

Oh, but Hillary must have changed her mind.

Hillary Clinton Adopts Citizens United in Defense of Her Wall Street Millions

Hillary Clinton was paid $2.9 Million from 12 speeches
to huge banks, (Zaid, Jilani, The Intercept). Money for
nothing, assures Hillary Clinton.

Hillary Clinton declined again last night to release her transcripts for talks to Wall Street for which Clinton was paid $2.9 million.

In fact in last night's debate Clinton refused to acknowledge the question posed twice by CNN's Dana Bash, who limited her question to the mere $100,000s for which Clinton was paid by Goldman Sachs.

CNN's DANA BASH: Secretary Clinton, if I may, Senator Sanders keeping bringing up the speeches that you gave to Goldman Sachs. So I'd like to ask you, so you've said that you don't want to release the transcripts, until everybody does it, but if there's nothing in those speeches that you think would change voters' minds, why not just release the transcripts and put this whole issue to bed?

CLINTON: You know, let's set the same standard for everybody. When everybody does it, OK, I will do it ... .

SANDERS: Well, let me respond. Secretary Clinton, you just heard her, everybody else does it, she'll do it. I will do it.
(APPLAUSE)
I am going to release all of the transcripts of the speeches that I gave on Wall Street behind closed doors, not for $225,000, not for $2,000, not for two cents. There were no speeches. ... (CNN Transcript of Democratic Debate)
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Now, as Glenn Greenwald notes: The "key argument of the right-wing justices in Citizens United has now become the key argument of the Clinton campaign and its media supporters to justify her personal and political receipt of millions upon millions of dollars in corporate money: 'Expenditures, including those made by corporations, do not give rise to corruption or the appearance of corruption' — at least when the candidate in question is Hillary Clinton," (The Intercept).

In other developments, Michael Hudson, Bill Black and Jaisal Noor have an exclusive at Countpunch revealing why Bernie Sanders is right about breaking up the banks, and the New York Daily News is a sham.

Country Will Lose If Insiders Coronate Hillary Clinton Against Wish of Voters

Being elected to Congress can be a heady thing.

It's also inherently corrupting, and the monetary and political inducements can make almost anyone defame, smear and do almost anything.

Witness John Lewis who acting for Hillary Clinton swiftboated Bernie Sanders. John Lewis should be ashamed of himself, but Congress has a way of deflating the capacity for shame.

Lewis infamously insinuated 1960s civil rights worker Bernie Sanders was not a civil rights worker. He did this in service to Hillary Clinton.

See Douglas Williams at In These Times for an important rejoinder.

Writes Williams in his open letter to Lewis:

The movement that you, my grandmother, Senator Sanders and countless thousands were a part of was the largest grassroots movement for social, political and economic change that this country has ever seen. It was a movement that was bigger than any one participant in it; a movement that, at its best, was unapologetically radical and driven by the Black working class. We should live every moment in awe and praise of all of those people and not sweep them under the rug when it is politically expedient.

Hillary Clinton ain’t worth that. Not to me, and not to millions of others ...

Our country, our democracy are also not worth that.

A Koch brothers Congress and a rightwing president await America should voters go along with Hillary Clinton, the sell-outs, and the smug sycophants that brought Hillary Clinton victory in the New Hampshire primary, overruling the voters who gave Bernie Sanders a voters' victory, 151,584 votes to 95,252 votes, (60% to 38 %), (WMUR).

A Hillary Clinton-Democratic National Committee (DNC) scheme is attempting to rig the Democratic Party election for the nomination to the presidency, a foolish enterprise that will not escape the notice of voters and the Republican Party.

If Clinton and the DNC succeed, the Democratic Party will have blown a historic opportunity for the benefit of Hillary Clinton's ego to tragic consequence.

The nation will not be the same, and insiders will enjoy their inducements safe in the knowledge their futures are acceptable even if the great majority of American citizens will suffer.

If you believe this is hyperbole, I suggest you look at the state of Wisconsin for insight into what the nation would look like under Republican, One Party rule.

Bernie for Democracy; Trump for Racism and Birtherism

This is the golden age of political journalism, fortuitous as we are able to witness the slow-motion downfall of American democracy and efforts to save it.

All in with Chris Hayes, The Rachel Maddow Show (TRMS) and The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell feature a murderers' row of political analysis.

Yesterday is typical.

Amid the same traitor-terrorist-treason-socialist dictator rhetoric (joined in by Hillary Clinton's SuperPAC this accelerated election cycle) as the last presidential election comes two polar opposite on the mantel of simple decency: Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump.

Sanders and Trump meeting in the general election is a distinct possibility as Clinton has again misread the election. This is not a 'change' election, it's a 'we're-sick-of your-shit' election.

TRMS and Sanders

Bernie Sanders offers a compelling defense of government for the people and by the people on TRMS in an exclusive interview.

Sanders excoriates the American rightwing accusing conservatives of 'a concerted attack against every major public institution.'

Video below.

Lawrence O'Donnell Show and Trump's Birtherism Comes Back

At the Lawrence O'Donnell show a piece features Donald Trump resorting to birtherism again yesterday in an extemporaneous, unscripted question-and-answer event in Rochester, New Hampshire. (Second video below)

Trump said before the very first question at the Rochester event, "This man, I like this guy," referring to the questioner.

The questioner said, "We have a problem in this country, it’s called Muslims. Our current President is one. We know he’s not even an American."

Trump responded, "We need this question," and laughed.

"We have [Muslim] training camps growing where when they want to kill us. That's my question, when can we get rid of it," the questioner asked Trump.

No problem.

Responding to the question, Trump said, "We're going to be looking at a lot of different things. A lot of people are saying that and a lot of people are saying that bad things are happening out there. We're going to be looking at that and plenty of other things."

Somehow I really didn't expect Trump to call the guy a nut-job, racist, and an indecent human being. If there were ever time for Trump's insults, it was at this event in Rochester New Hampshire. (Tuohy, New Hampshire Union Leader)

McCain

O'Donnell noted a similar occurrence in 2008 and contrasted Trump's response with the response by Sen. John McCain who shot down a bigoted question in a similar setting when a woman said to McCain, "I don't trust Obama. I have read about him. He's an Arab." (another bad thing, to this woman's mind)

Reports CBS News in October 2008:

McCain shook his head in disagreement, and said:
'No, ma'am. He's a decent, family man, citizen that I just happen to have disagreements with (him) on fundamental issues and that's what this campaign is all about.'

O'Donnell's segment featured an interview with Trump’s Iowa campaign co-chair, Tana Goertz, who proceeded to melt under O'Donnell's questioning.

Trump's campaign released a statement to O'Donnell reading, "Christians need support in this country. Their religious liberty is at stake."

Incredible, no it's America today.

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Bernie Sanders Interviewed on TRMS

Lawrence O'Donnell Show and Trump's Birtherism Comes Back

Hours from GOP Clown Debate, 'I Despise Hillary Clinton' Lies in Wait

It's part of the political culture in Wisconsin that the talent assembled to investigate and ultimately force the resignation of Richard Nixon was well-represented by Wisconsin.

Rep. Kastenmeier, Dixon and Doar among others, and for history—Stanley I. Kutler.

Not widely known is the fact that Hillary Clinton served as an ambitious young attorney on the House Judiciary Committee. Lots of urban legends about Hillary, crap.

But what's not crap is that Clinton then as now was self-entitled, egotistical and slimy.

So, it is no surprise that one of Clinton's Super Pacs comes out negative in September, but it is disappointing.

The big story of this campaign is not Trump, or the "self-reinforcing cycles of negative media attention and declining poll numbers" of Clinton. (Silver, 538.com)

The story will be a clash of Clinton v. Democratic voters and voters' preference. (Easley, Politicususa)

Look, the email story is a non-story, media garbage.

But for Clinton to red-bait and trash the 'other' as her organization is doing to Bernie Sanders reveals all you to know about Clinton.

One: A confident candidate does not go negative in September.

Two: A decent candidate does not go sleazy-negative ever.

Expect more crap from Hillary earlier and lower in a manner that will make the 2007-08 primary look like a love-in.

I Would Not Vote for Hillary Clinton If I Were Paid

Hillary Goes Negative on Sanders

Clinton's Super Pac is now hitting Bernie Sanders with this campaign's first GOPish-general election innuendo comparing Sanders to foreign, alien leaders most Americans don't know anything about.

Clinton pulled the same crap with President Obama during the 2007-08 primary, using appeals to racism that are expected from Republicans, but not Democrats.

Even if Hillary Clinton becomes the nominee, she's out of this voter's consideration.

Hit the bricks, Clinton; you're done, as far I know.

Scott Walker's Campaign Is Faltering, Policy Lightweight Is Scaring GOP

Scott Walker

There is an unspoken rule in Scott Walker's campaign and gubernatorial office: No town hall-style events where Walker has to answer unscripted questions and think on his feet.

Like the iconic feather by Garry Trudeau savaging former Vice President Dan Quayle (1989-1993), Scott Walker's brand as a lightweight is penetrating the nation just one month after Walker declared his candidacy for the presidency.

Bake in the fact that Scott Walker's criminal scheme illegally coordinating fundraising is on track in the federal court system, Walker's incredible destruction of his own home state, and you have a fatally wounded candidate, [no matter how much dark money the Koch brothers and other billionaires dump into the electoral system].

Scott Walker's retort: Using a tweet to appeal to the Iowa GOP Caucus crowd amid falling poll numbers: 'Hillary Clinton has liberal, academic friends!'

On that point, Walker is right. Hillary does have well-educated, successful and socially conscious friends, and they worked their butts off to their parents' delight and pride.

But this does not sit well with the radical evangelical Scott Walker who feels academic and professional attainment are elitist defects to be avoided, hence, Walker's perverse efforts to wage war on the University of Wisconsin System.

After Walker's candidacy collapses from sheer lack of policy knowledge and intellect, rightwing welfare and unspent campaign funds await.

Americans—They Don't Know

The Intercept has a piece on "the full-scale political disengagement of a substantial chunk of the American population"

It's not pretty. But the data does explain the ascendency of Scott Walker and assorted lunatics to elected office.

Writes Glenn Greenwald:

The data on American political apathy is rather consistent, and stunning. Begin with the fact that even in presidential election years, 40 to 50 percent of the voting-age public simply chooses [to] not participate in the voting process at all, while two-thirds chooses not to vote in midterm elections.

Even more striking is what they do and do not know. An Annenberg Public Policy Center poll from last September found that only 36 percent of Americans can name the three branches of government, and only 38 percent know the GOP controls the House. The Center’s 2011 poll 'found just 15 percent of Americans could correctly identify the chief justice of the United States, John Roberts, while 27 percent knew Randy Jackson was a judge on American Idol.'

A 2010 Findlaw.com poll found that almost two-thirds of Americans — 65 percent — were incapable of naming even a single member of the U.S. Supreme Court. A 2010 Pew poll discovered that 41 percent of Americans are unable to name the current vice president of the U.S; in other words, [John] Oliver could just as easily (if not more easily) compile a video of Times Square visitors looking stumped when asked if they knew who Joe Biden, or Antonin Scalia, is.

As 2016 approaches, any voter not believing in the consequences of who is running Congress or the presidency is foolish to a degree worthy of harsh derision.

Look at what Scott Walker and the Republicans have done to Wisconsin.

I still recall the thoughts of the young, 20-something black man at a Madison neighborhood center on the day before the 2014 general election that reelected Scott Walker.

I asked him his thoughts on the Wisconsin governor's race. His response: I'm not voting, "they're all crooks," is revealing, revealing of ignorance and foolish political disengagement.

No, Mary Burke (Scott Walker's opponent) is not a crook. And she surely would not have taken a wrecking ball to the University of Wisconsin System, K-12 public schools, the DNR, community control, one can go on.

Fact is Burke ended up spending over $5 million of her own money on the election. Doesn't sound like a crook to me, no matter how often this site has castigated her ineffective communications team.

It needs to be said, this kid like so many across Wisconsin is foolish and knows virtually nothing about public policy.

Hillary Clinton's convincing the electorate in 2016 to engage, specifically the demographics represented by this kid, will determine if America is to become a plutocracy. Plutocracy, look it up, kid.

McCain Taking His Hits Now

Clinton: 'No way. No how. No McCain.'

"No way, no how, no McCain"

This is what we tuned in to see. The speakers are staying away from making the conversation about national security (such discussions rarely elicit rational discourse in the American political culture), but McCain is being defined now as what he is.

MSNBC's Rachel Maddow: "Anybody who could be persuaded would be persuaded by (Hillary's) speech...She nailed it."


As for Wisconsin's people, Doyle and Baldwin draw raves as an inspirational Baldwin goes wonkish, and a wonkish Doyle gets inspirational.

Landmark Supreme Court Win for Liberty Points Way for Dem Victory in November

Update: CCR Produces Analysis of Landmark Supreme Court Decision

via mal contends
The Supreme Court decision (in Boumediene v. Bush /Al Odah v. United States) is a historic affirmation of the principle of habeas corpus (in Latin, "you shall have the body"), and a rejection of the acclaimed right of the tyrant, George W. Bush in this instance, to imprison another with no sound recourse for the accused; in these cases, the detained prisoners at the U.S. base at Guantánamo.

Habeas corpus refers simply to the right of the accused to go before an impartial judge and challenge the rationale behind the denial of his/her liberty.

"One of the oldest and most basic legal protections, habeas corpus affords the incarcerated the right to stand before a judge and confront the charges presented against him or her. The Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) has been sending habeas counsel to represent the prisoners at the base since winning the first Guantánamo case, Rasul v. Bush, in 2004, and applauds today’s decision," reads CCR's press release.

That's a modest statement.

It's fitting that CCR, an organization that grew out the civil rights movement— specifically Arthur Kinoy and the Kunstler brothers (nigga-loving Jews as they were known back then, and let's never forget, in the 1960s by the southern states' white power structures) and 1,000s more heroes of liberty whose names history will not record—researched and argued this landmark victory for liberty.

It is also sobering, as a NYT editorial notes today, that "... habeas hangs by a single vote in the Supreme Court of the United States—a reminder that the composition of the court could depend on the outcome of this year’s presidential election. The ruling is a major victory for civil liberties—but a timely reminder of how fragile they are."

Sobering, yes, but also inspiring of optimism for the coming November rejection of the Bush-Cheney-McCain crowd.

Barack Obama who is for the moment underperforming with white women will undoubtedly improve his standing as the campaign crystallizes how dangerous an instrument the Supreme Court has become to the cause of liberty, specifically women's liberty.

Lose any one of the five-member majority, and replace him/her with a Scalia/Roberts/Alito/Thomas clone, as John McCain has promised to do were he elected, and the right of a woman to choose will vanish. MAKE NO MISTAKE.

The decades-old victory by the feminist movement (to which Hillary Clinton and many of her supporters can proudly lay claim) for women to have the simple power over their own bodies means nothing to the hateful ideology that is prepared to eradicate the centuries-old habeas corpus rights.

Thus, look for Hillary's supporters to move decisively to Obama's camp as the repercussions of a John McCain win become clear and unity beats back the forces of hate and tyranny. Obama should be thinking about Hillary as a Supreme Court appointment for when he wins this fall.

Obama Campaign Ought to Run a Cabinet-in-waiting

The antipathy for Hillary Clinton points to a problem with having her on the ticket looking to win independents, building on Obama’s appeal to men and attracting evangelicals.

So broaden the ticket.

Why not a ticket that includes say John Edwards for AG, Hillary for Secretary of State (or a promised SC seat), Chuck Hagel for Secretary of Defense and so on—a Cabinet-in-waiting offering real change and a huge coalition?

For a campaign like Obama’s that has broken many political traditions, a unity-promoting idea like a proposed Cabinet ticket would have broad appeal.

Combine such a proposed Cabinet with a broad set of reforms, and the change message would appear unstoppable.

Meeting Racism Head-on

Update: And speaking of Islam, Was Muhammed REALLY a man of peace? Human Events is on this faster than you can say 'Islamofascism'

Second-hand, I heard an anecdote last week about some typical rural, white Georgia residents.

As reported to me, said one resident: "A lot of people like Obama. I love Obama, but it’s too bad he’s a Muslim, he’ll never get elected. "

McClatchy had a piece Thursday on the same sentiment: Where did the Web rumors about Obama come from?

Writes Matt Stearns:

Some things about Barack Obama rub some voters the wrong way.

"We don't need a Muslim," said Jannay Smith, a retiree from Kokomo,
Ind. "Who's to say if he gets in there what he'll do?"

Added Steve Shallenberger, a Kokomo electrician: "He's just calling himself a Christian because he knows that's what we in Indiana want to hear."

Then there's Sherry Richey, also from Kokomo: "He wouldn't put his hand on the Bible; he wanted the Quran. He won't put his hand over his heart during the anthem or say the Pledge of Allegiance. He's too un-American."

All of these slurs on Obama are categorically untrue.

But, Stearns notes, this has not prevented the slurs from being pushed on the Internet, nor has it prevented campaigns from appealing to the racism and ignorance that still exists, worrying some astute analysts.

Writes Stearns:

E-mails falsely claiming that Obama is a Muslim, that he took the oath of office on a Quran and that he refuses to take the Pledge of Allegiance have stormed inboxes. A newer e-mail has a picture, allegedly of Obama posing with his African family, with the title 'Say Hi to the next potential first family.'

I received an e-mail like this myself last year, from a decent American, and the e-mail is despicable (published below).

The fact is racism exists, but this time we are not going to run from it, and John McCain will do his worst. The following e-mail is repulsive, then again so is John McCain's appeal to fear and ignorance.

Date: Thu, 27 Dec 2007 08:20:53 -0800 (PST)

Subject: Why Obama wants to be President of the US...

Very interesting and something that should be considered in your choice. If you do not ever forward anything else, please forward this to all your contacts...this is very scarey to think of what lies ahead of us here in our own United States .... better heed this and pray about it and share it.

We checked this out on " snopes.com". It is factual. Check for yourself. Who is Barack Obama? Probable U. S. presidential candidate, Barack Hussein Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, to Barack Hussein Obama, Sr., a black MUSLIM from Nyangoma-Kogel , Kenya and Ann Dunham, a white ATHIEST from Wichita , Kansas ..

Obama's parents met at the University of Hawaii . When Obama was two years old, his parents divorced. His father returned to Kenya . His mother then married Lolo Soetoro, a RADICAL Muslim from Indonesia.?

When Obama was! 6 years old, the family relocated to Indonesia . Obama attended a MUSLIM school in Jakarta He also spent two years in a Catholic school. Obama takes great care to conceal the fact that he is a Muslim. He is quick to point out that, "He was once a Muslim, but that he also attended Catholic school."

Obama's political handlers are attempting to make it appear that?

Obama's introduction to Islam came via his father, and that this influence was temporary at best. In reality, the senior Obama returned to Kenya soon after the divorce, and never again had any direct influence over his son's education. Lolo Soetoro, the second husband of Obama's mother, Ann Dunham, introduced his stepson to Islam. Obama was enrolled in a Wahabi school in Jakarta Wahabism is the RADICAL teaching that is followed by the Muslim terrorists who are now waging Jihad against the western world.

Since it is politically expedient to be a CHRISTIAN when seeking major public office in the United States , Barack Hussein Obama has joined the United Church of Christ in an attempt to downplay his Muslim background.

ALSO, keep in mind that when he was sworn into office he DID NOT use the Holy Bible , but instead the Koran. Let us all remain alert concerning Obama's expected presidential candidacy.

The Muslims have said they plan on destroying the US from the inside out, what better way to start than at the highest level - through the President of the United States , one of their own!!!! Please forward to everyone you know. Would you want this man leading our country?...... NOT ME!!!

Even NBC's Russert Says It's Over, But Not Hillary ... Yet

Update III: David Plouffe: An Update on the Race for Delegates, Obama Needs 36 Percent of Remaining Delegates to Win Nomination [Those Obama elitists are sooo into math.]

Update II: Hillary doesn't say it's over. This morning's press release: As West Virginia Takes Center Stage, Clinton Campaign Ramps Up Statewide Get Out The Vote Effort

Update: It's All Over Now, Baby Blue by John Judis, a big Clinton supporter -

Even the major networks are admitting it's over.

From AmericaBlog: Russert: "It's over for Hillary. She just lost the nomination."
That's a big step for the pretend-to-know-nothings on broadcast TV, next thing you know, maybe we'll have a campaign about substantive issues.

Maybe we'll hear the refrain of questions that were posed to Jesse Jackson in 1988 and Jerry Brown in 1992 when they overstayed their welcome from the talking heads in the Democratic primary: What do you want?

John Aravosis at AmericaBlog:

NBC declares Hillary the winner, barely, in Indiana. Hillary may get one delegate more than Obama in Indiana. Chuck Todd says Obama will get 13 more delegates than Hillary tonight, and that wipes out the 12 delegates more than him that she got in Pennsylvania. Obama now has a pledged delegate lead of over 160, he's got a popular vote lead of over 700,000, per Todd.

There is simply no path to victory for Hillary. Now she's just screwing around and hurting the party. Look at what Chuck Todd just said, again - even with Michigan and Florida, she has lost ...

Russert's quote in response to the question "Did it just end tonight?" from Olbermann:

(Russert): 'We now know who the democratic nominee is going to be and no one is going to dispute it.'

This is it. The media finally turned on her. It's over. It's finally freaking over. I say this because the race was over 2 months ago. But the media kept it alive by pretending as though Hillary had a chance, when they knew she didn't.

But, their pretending permitted her to keep going with a straight face. Now that the media is turning on her, she's going to have an impossible time continuing. If she continues to run the only question she will be asked from now on is 'you've lost, why are you still in this race?' There is nothing she can do now. Yes, she can stay in the race, says she's not quitting until the convention in August. But now that the media has turned on her, good luck with that.

Hillary Cannot Win Democratic Nomination

Just some good news to start the week, that in a sense, is not news: Hillary Clinton cannot win the Democratic nomination.

See Timothy Noah at: Hillary Clinton, Fairy Princess. Stop pretending she has a plausible chance to win the nomination? Obama will win the nomination.

So all those friends and progressives who have refrained from tossing 10-point weights into their TV sets and plasma screens have no reason to fear.

Have a good week, (it's going to hit 70 in Wisconsin), and let's celebrate her demise and Obama's coming nomination.

As noted at the top of Daily Kos, of the remaining 682 delegates left, Obama needs just 286 delegates to win the nomination. That's some 42 percent.

By the way, isn't the Rev. John Hagee whose endorsement John McCain sought and obtained a whack?