The Democratic Debate - Hillary Clinton continued...

The USA is 70 percent consumption. When people are doing bad it is bad for everyone.

The Death Penalty - The vast majority of cases come out of state litigation that apply capital punishment too often. There are heinous cases such as Khalid Sheiekh Mohammad and Timothy McVeigh. 

Hillary Clinton asks why is the suspension and explusion rate in schools higher for African American students? She also suspects the parents are doing well as evidenced by subsidized lunch programs now greater than 50 percent.

She questions the racial deaths in the country.
 
Vice President? Not fair Rachel. "Whoever I name will really be hurt in the Republican Party....There are Republicans I can pick, just none of them."

Hush Puppies - "Eating Hush Puppies and wearing Hush Puppies."

Hawk?  The next President will face many of the same issues as President Obama faces today. "I will not rule out force, but, it should be the last resort and not the first."

Constitutional Amendment for same sex marriage - I explored it privately, but, if the public debate was incorrect I take responsibility for that. "The Law of the Land." What really needs to be addressed now is how a person can be married on Saturday and fired from their jobs on Monday.

What is the efficacy of the Democratic Party when it is obviously failing in blue cities? "Keep fighting for it." It is not completed when the bill is finally passed.

Bill and Hill - "I was practicing law and chairing the board for the Children's Defense Fund...and I had a full plate of serious things I wanted to do....It was not until 1988 that I began reaching into politics..." "That hair do was a permanent and I have such straight hair...it took three times to get the curl."

My opinoin. Hillary Clinton is vital to the future of the Democratic Party. She is a leader. She seeks answers to questions not asked yet. That is a leader with insight that others have not exhibited. Her answers more often than not surprise me, which means she has already thought through issues of our time. I think that is important. That is her nature.  She cares about people and she cares about the country.

The Democratic Debate - Hillary Clinton

Arkansas years - She and her family always consider the state a big part of their lives.

Has the time of meaningful change passed? Secretary Clinton - Children Defense Fund based in South Carolina - President Obama is not given enough credit for his administration accomplishes - "How do we have a new New Deal?" - Take a hard look at what is happening across the country with big issues realizing our communities of color are being left behind. Also middle age White Americans of low income are dying far earlier than their parents. "Begin to turn around some of the very difficult conditions are facing."

Special interests get what they want even when the rest of the country is not - Wall Street - "I represented New York...and there is a lot to New York City beyond Wall Street." She has been able to represent all the people. She went to Wall Street and told them they were causing problems for average Americans. People rightfully believe the deck is stacked against them. The Koch brothers are some of the biggest deck stackers to be found and they are not part of Wall Street. They are protecting their own interests. Voters and citizens have to help me carry this forward by voting.

Tech industry rivals money with power and influence - Until recently the Tech Industry didn't pay attention to Washington because of their invention priorities. Tammy Baldwin bill to stop the revolving door. 

 Wednesday, July 15, 2015

VIDEO: #RevolvingDoor press conference (click here)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On the 5^th anniversary of the U.S. Senate passing Dodd-Frank, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin and House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Ranking Member Elijah Cummings introduced the Financial Services Conflict of Interest Act, which will enhance the integrity of our financial regulatory system by mitigating the effects of the revolving door between industry and government. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Brian Schatz (D-HI) have signed on as original cosponsors of the Senate legislation. 

Continued next entry.

The Democratic Debate - Senator Sanders

An avowed socialist. Within his own definition.

Vermont is 98 percent Caucasian. The issues that impact SC are the same as the people of Vermont. Higher education, the working poor. The people want a government that represents all of us and not simply one with the interest of millionairs.

African American Voters don't know Senator Sanders enough to carry their vote. He states he has a strong record on civil rights in Senate votes. He has the economic and social justice agenda now and once the word is out he will carry the African American vote. South Carolina's Governor is denying expanded health care to the poor. Unemployment and Underemployment is 51 percent for the young people in the African American community. He believes in education and employment instead of jails.

How do you get American companies to provide benefits? We have to end our disastrous trade policies and create jobs in the USA. Bad trade agreements lead as the cause for unemployment in the USA. 13 million jobs are generated in infrastructure and a bill is important and funding by bring monies of American companies back to the country.

Keystone - no, Tax on carbon - yes, end drilling public lands for fossil fuels. The Republicans are rejecting science  when it comes to climate change. 

ISIS (Daesh) - I listened to a Bush/Cheney administration regarding Iraq and voted no. To invade Iraq is the worst foreign policy decision in US history. The key to ending the terrorists in the Middle East lies in having domestic militarizes for the countries involved. Taking on ISIS is a global issue.

Syria - Senator Sanders does not support a war that which there is no end.

Afghanistan - 911 the country experienced a terrible tragedy. The Taliban refused to bring him to justice and it was important the USA goes in to get him.

Hillary Clinton - Media drives Senator Sander's nuts because of all the 'gotcha stuff.'  He does not attack other people and the debate on issues is far more important. "Establish politics and economics" cannot solve the problems we have today. The US political system is corrupt because of Citizens' United. I do not have a SuperPAC. He walks the walk and not just Talk the Walk. We are the grassroots and taking on big money.

Dream job if you could not be politician - President of CNN;  There would be radical change. Technology has made obsolete - paper books. I agree, I don't enjoy electronic books. So, if someone wants to insure I won't read their ideas, definitely put it on electronic books only. I LOVE LIBRARIES. That is a definite. All the buzzers - miss peace and quiet. Do you curse? - Not on this show. What is the biggest public misconception - I am grumpy, too serious, but, I have seven beautiful grandchildren that are the job of my life.

Racial motivated shooter in Charleston, gun due to loophole in background checks. Seantor Sanders states 1988 ran for US Congress in three way race. "It is wrong ... to be buying assault weapons to kill human beings." He wants radical change in mental health because there are Americans in our society ready to commit suicide and murder. "We are going to keep guns out of the hands who should not have them." He believes he can unite the 60 to 70 percent of the American people that are disgusted with the mass killings in the USA. Unloaded guns can be put into baggage compartment in a plane. Hunters. Trains need to adopt a policy of securing weapons no different than planes. Gun control advocates may not get everything they want. The people who want missile launcher in their backyard won't get that either. But, we can come together as a people to end the violence.

There is a real crisis in the USA and 18 year olds and older is registered to vote. The Republicans are political cowards. State laws voter rights have been rolled back more than in any part of history. Senator Sanders states, the Democratic Party needs to be a 50 state party and not selective. It is why they have lost the South. Senator Sanders wants to ask the question of people, "Why are you voting against your own best interest?"

"The billionaire class in the USA is destroying American." 

"Veteran's Day is coming up, by the way...and am proud of being a member of the Veteran's Committee." I can work with Republicans to achieve the best health care coverage for veterans. We need a political revolution that is defined as millions of Americans need to stand up and be involved.

A Bernie Sanders nomination for President would bring out more and more people at rallies and get involved. We need to expand voter turnout, in the South and all over the country.

What is Sanders as a young organizer thinking? There were African American young people were seriously suffering physical assault by segregationists. "Stop segregated housing at the University of Chicago." 

Senator Sanders is magnificent. His morality is unquestioned.   

The Democratic Debate - Governor O'Malley

Governor O'Malley is correct, sort of, in reminding people who the Democratic Party is in their lives. The Democratic Party is on the side of the Middle Class when they look for citizen rights and the right to a living wage. He wants the Democrats to populate the state legislatures. That is a great idea and the best place for young Democrats to get started.  

The Kentucky Governor election is more interesting to the potential for Democrats to return their majorities.

We see, again, (click here) the nightmare scenario I've warned about for so many years: a U.S. election where all of the pre-election polls suggest Candidate X is set to win, but Candidate Y ends up winning by a huge margin instead and nobody even bothers to verify that the computer tabulated results accurately reflect the intent of the voters....

...As detailed on today's program with my guest Karoli Kuns of Crooks And Liars, there are a number of reasons to question the reported results. Among them, as Kuns points out today at C&L, the Democrats running in the down ballot races --- for Secretary of State, Attorney General (Conway's current job) and even state Auditor --- each reportedly received tens of thousands more votes than Conway did at the top of the ticket!

Bev Harris, of BlackBoxVoting.org, described the higher vote totals in the down ballot races as a "significant anomaly". She tells me that, at least until more records are requested and examined, the KY-Gov's race "has to be looked at as a questionable outcome, particularly because of the discrepancies in the down ballot races. More votes in those races and not at the top...that just doesn't happen."...

The question in Kentucky is; did voters recorded in the down ballot 'opt out' for the Governor's race? I find that interesting and perhaps Kentucky is a far different lesson for Democrats looking to 2016.

Did Governor O'Malley carry out his Progressive Agenda to quickly without bringing those in Maryland along? 

It depends on the issue. If he was asking for a space launch to the Moon ASAP, then I'd say yes. But, if he was asking to improve the health care of those in Maryland, then the answer is no. Why? Because the health care issues had been oppressed for so long it needed dire attention in realizing people were dying even when they had health care insurance. The industry was pushing the profitability of their company and NOT responsibility to it's members.

I like the "Kilt" answer. He is an important member of the Democratic Party. I think he defends his Governor's administration well. I also believe he is a valuable participant in this Presidential campaign. He is an staunch supporter of optimism. That is important. The future requires optimism.

He is correct, war requires at least two characteristics, soldiers and funding. If the two aren't there the outcomes will be deleterious to the country. He is also correct in that intelligence should have brevity in deciding how best to conduct the national security with early intervention that might add up to a greater diplomatic effort.

"We are best in the world, when we act on our principles."

Viability - Mayor of Baltimore was a signature style of Governor O'Malley.

I agree with the former Governor; the old ideologies of the past are a huge mistake. The employment participation rate is a reality check. Do we want to return to the limitation of the economy of the 1950s or the 1960s? I don't think so.

Socialism - ? Senator Sanders was trying to primary someone other than President Obama ? 

Senator Sanders has been an asset to the Democrats and I think I'd leave it there. I thank him for his voting record and support of most of the agenda of the Democrats in the Congress. He is a great guy.  

Governor O'Malley is a great American. There is no doubt about it and dedication from the time he was a young person interested in politics. He is of good character and great optimism. That is important. 

continued... 

I am not sure why the political right wing seems to value the Employment Participation Rate over the Unemployment Rate. Could it be politics.

Definition of the "Participation Rate" in employment (click here for video)

A measure of the active portion of an economy's labor force. The participation rate refers to the number of people who are either employed or are actively looking for work. The number of people who are no longer actively searching for work would not be included in the participation rate. During an economic recession, many workers often get discouraged and stop looking for employment, as a result, the participation rate decreases.

Breaking Down the Participation Rate

The participation rate is an important metric to note when looking at unemployment data because unemployment figures reflect the number of people who are looking for jobs but are unable to secure employment.  The participation rate is important in analyzing the unemployment rate. Those who have no interest in working are not included in the participation rate but are included in the unemployment rate. An aging population can have both a positive and negative effect on the participation rate, through retirement and new people entering the workforce. The participation rate and unemployment data should be observed in tandem to give a better understanding of the overall employment status....

The focus is ill conceived. To the left is the current 'trend' in employment participation. The sad aspect of this graph is the "Baby Boomer" generation is falling out of the work force. The Baby Boomers would have entered the work force starting in 1965.

When looking at the history of the employment participation rate, it is best to realize the AGES of the citizens not participating in 2015. The 2008 Global Economic Collapse occurred as the Baby Boomers were coming into retirement age.

The economic collapse helped to stimulate retirement as the 60 somethings when they faced loss of their jobs. There is going to be a higher participation rate in 2015 than 1965 because of the new generations. But, it should not be completely alarming there is a lower participation rate after 2008 because the Boomers are retiring. The youngest of this generation will be 50 years old this year. 

The idea there are employable citizens currently that have given up is going to be accurate, but, not to the extent a political right wing wants to claim it to be so. 

Chinese oligarchs participating in American elections.

November 3, 2015
By Daniel Stevens

Today, Campaign for Accountability (CfA) (click here) asked the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and the Federal Election Commission to investigate Sheldon Adelson and the Las Vegas Sands Corporation's (LVS) ties to Chinese organized crime in its Macau operations and determine whether illegally laundered foreign funds are making their way into the campaign coffers of American politicians.
Internal company documents show that LVS maintains a business relationship with a Cheung Chi Tai, identified as the leader of a triad – a Chinese organized crime ring – by the Senate committee in the early 1990s.  LVS also has a relationship with Ng Lap Seng, a Chinese billionaire currently facing criminal charges in the Southern District of New York.  Mr. Ng is described in a report commissioned by LVS as a member of a triad and as controlling prostitution in Macau. 
CfA Executive Director Anne Weismann stated, "Sheldon Adelson is one of the largest if not the largest political donor in history.  Federal authorities have long been concerned about the reach of the tentacles of Chinese organized crime.  If triad money is winding up in the campaign coffers of U.S. politicians through Mr. Adelson's contributions, the American people deserve to know it."...

July 7, 2013
By Hannah Dreier

 Las Vegas Sands Chairman and CEO Sheldon Adelson, second right, and his wife, Miriam Ochsorn, right, look at a model of the Sands Cotai Central resort during a news conference in Macau on Wednesday, April 12, 2012 to announce the launch of the $4.4-billion complex in Macau, a special administrative region of China. Photo by The Associated Press.
 
...The center of the gambling world (click here) has shifted 16 time zones away to a tiny spit of land on the southern tip of East Asia.
An hour’s ferry ride from Hong Kong and an afternoon flight from half the world’s population, Macau is the only place in China where casino gambling is legal.
Each month, 2.5 million tourists flood the glitzy boomtown to try their luck in neon-drenched casinos that collect more winnings than the entire U.S. gambling industry. The exploding ranks of the Chinese nouveau riche sip tea and speak in hushed tones as they play at baccarat, a fast-moving game where gamblers are dealt two cards and predict whether they will beat the banker.
The textile factories that stood shoulder to shoulder with small-time gambling halls as recently as the early 2000s have given way to hulking American-run enterprises larger than anything found in the states. The gangs, prostitutes and money-launderers that once operated openly in this town half the size of Manhattan have at least receded from public eye.
“It was a swamp,” said Sheldon Adelson, CEO of Las Vegas Sands, as he looked back on his early, risky venture in the forgotten colonial outpost.
“They wanted to change the face of Macau from the gambling dens to that of conventions and resorts,” he added during recent testimony, flashing a jack-o-lantern grin and boasting that it would have taken a genius to imagine the profits that he could reap there....

The Keystone XL Pipeline was never symbol. That is propaganda.

I thank President Obama and Secretary of State Kerry. The Keystone XL Pipeline was never viable as a source of oil for the USA.

The decision was NEVER up to TransCanada.

What does it take to get the FACTS through a pathetic media that panders for political viewership. 

The Alberta Tar Sands is the most carbon intensive fuel on Earth next to the burning of Peat. The FACTS are all there. 

It is not a litmus test of the environmental community. This is ridiculous. Completely. 

When does the propaganda stop?