Category: Politics and Government

Now It Begins – Keep Your Eye on the Prize

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This Week the Iowa Caucuses Start the Election Season. Let’s Keep Some Factors in Mind

 

And So, It Begins

About the time you read this, the Iowa caucuses will be history. In the matter of a few hours some campaigns will be exuberant, some will be relieved, some will face hard reality. So, too, is it for we who are supporters and voters. Things will happen quickly from here on out. New Hampshire is only days away, followed by South Carolina and Nevada. The last five rounds of debates will come just as Super Tuesday is upon us.

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And Then There is Joe

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The Former Vice President Holds a Lead, but its Tenuous. Is He “The One?”

 

Joe Biden has been a major presence in this campaign, from the beginning – even before he declared his candidacy. Once he did declare, he went immediately to the top of the polls. He still leads in most polls. Slam dunk, right? Not so fast, there.

Yea, Joe

Biden is seen by a lot of Americans as the most electable candidate, the most likely to beat Trump. A lot of people are comfortable with him as a person.

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Hear Those Footsteps? It’s Mike Bloomberg Stalking the Field

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The Former Mayor of NYC Takes a Different Strategy – and It Might Work

 

Like all candidates, Mike Bloomberg is a complicated fellow. There is much to like, much to be nervous about.

Adding Up Pros and Cons

Some factors look familiar. Do we need another white guy candidate? Do we need another almost octogenarian? Is there any advantage or disadvantage in being the second Jewish candidate? How many billionaires do we want as candidates this time around? Can the father of Stop and Frisk, only now apologized for (and rather weakly at that) rally minority and liberal base voters?

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What About Bernie Sanders? Can We? Should We?

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Few Candidates Have as Complex a Relationship with the Party and Voters as Does Sanders

 

Bernie Sanders is an Interesting Fellow, to Put It Mildly

One can easily, and justifiably, admire his consistency and determination. If there is much difference between this campaign and the one he ran in 2016, it escapes me. Going further back, Sanders has been true to his beliefs over a very long time. No one could doubt his sincerity or commitment.

In many ways, he has helped shape the national dialogue on more than a few issues in a good direction.

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Let’s Talk About Amy Klobuchar

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The Second Sleeper is Awakening

 

OK, I have to admit – I am feeling a bit prescient.

A good year ago, I was saying that Pete Buttigieg was likely to be the sleeper candidate that surprised everyone. Not many others were saying that then, but they surely are now. In the last few months, I have been saying that Amy Klobuchare might well be the next, and possibly last, sleeper to come alive. On Monday, the NY Times endorsed her for President (along with Elizabeth Warren – their first ever dual endorsement).

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Elizabeth Warren? We Have Good News and Bad News

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The Senator from Massachusetts Brings a Lot to the Table – Not All of It Good

A Good Early Start in Washington

I confess to having been something of an Elizabeth Warren fan for quite a while. Her performance in bringing the Consumer Protection Agency into being was nothing short of heroic. She clearly knew her stuff. She would have been a great first Director and should have been. Those about to be regulated were in mortal terror of her. When she decided to run for the US Senate, it seemed a long shot at best,

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Why You Should Get Over Mayor Pete’s Youth

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Buttigieg’s Judgement and Articulation Are Exceptional Enough to Deserve Consideration

No, I am not going to tell you who to vote for. You are big boys and girls – you can figure that out yourself. But for a few upcoming posts, I am going to highlight strengths some candidates may not be getting credit for. I will also point out some weaknesses in some candidates that we ignore at great peril. Let us start with the former Mayor of South Bend, IN.

What Makes Us Nervous?

I can understand people being nervous about so young a person running for President.

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This is The Trump That Was Always at Risk

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It’s Not Hard to Make the Case for Killing Soleimani.  Even Easier to Cite How Wrongly This Was Carried Out.

 I really wanted to talk about something other than politics today

I had a nice blog on something completely different ready to offer you. But the real world does intervene, doesn’t it? Many will be speaking out on this over the next few days, but this one is just too important to let slide, so I too am joining the parade. This is The Mother of Unintended Consequences and Poor Execution. The price will be steep in many corners.

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What Did We Find Useful Last Year? Where are We Headed Next Year?

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It’s the End of One Year, the Beginning of Another. What Do We See in Each Direction?

I have bad news and good news. The bad news, of a sort, is that this is a pretty long post. BUT WAIT. The good news is that it is made up of a lot of very short snippets and links. Trust me – it’s an easy read from which you can pick and choose where you may wish to linger. It’s my hope you will find some nooks and crannies you would like to revisit or think about anew.

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What?! You’re Not Writing About Impeachment and the Senate?

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That’s right. There is a LOT to sort out, by several key people. Let’s give it a little time.

 

Take a Deep Breath

Like many of you, I watched the impeachment. I listened to Republicans in Congress and watched McConnell and Graham pontificate. I reached for my computer. Boy, was I ready to vent some steam!

But a cooler head prevailed. A lot is as bad as I could ever imagine. I cannot imagine a great abdication of responsibility than McConnell has in mind. However, much is at play on so many levels.

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