Bernie Leaves the Race

I don’t know anything about that, but I had less stress when Obama was in office and then after the dotard got into office, all my stress shot up, so by your reasoning… if we’re blaming such things on a president, such things should be sky high… oh wait! People don’t have to kill themselves because the dotard is doing it for them. Sorry, greenfist, but I’m just not buying it. The dotard is more of a murderer or cause of murder than President Obama ever was. The dotard has been cause of death for thousands of people and before he’s done it might be millions. Let’s hope not, but it might be. That said, if the COVID-19 happened on President Obama’s watch, we wouldn’t be seeing this much sickness and death. The man even protected us from Ebola and that has an even higher death rate than COVID-19. However, the dotard is now in charge and he did nothing, despite warnings. He destroyed the CDC’s pandemic response force, like the idiot he is and didn’t care how many people died. He doesn’t care if people die from anything. They can die in cages (Latino immigrants) or die of drowning from an illness. He doesn’t care, just as long as he doesn’t get it and die. All he cares about is himself and money.

That said, IMHO, there is nothing that President Obama did that was anywhere near as horrific that the dotard has done or is doing. President Obama did not destroy the U.S. like the dotard is doing and he tried not to allow thousands or millions of people to die, if he could help it. Of course, President Obama is a genius in comparison to the dotard who needs to be dragged out of office, along with is cronies.

2. Obstruct, obstruct, obstruct. And blame everything on Trump, including the virus.
I put more blame on McConnell, but he and Trump support each other in their obstruction efforts.

This is when I started noticing the guy.

I remember when he included “those who don’t have a belief system” (not an exact quote) in a speech. He was the first in a long time to do that.

Don’t forget what he ran on- Si, Se puede. Yes, we can.

Green,

Joe will move us back to combatting rather than encouraging AGW.

He wants relief for college debt and free education in community colleges AND for all who are not wealthy enough to afford private colleges.

He will follow science not some stupid gut reaction that serves a certain someone’s desire for re-election in addressing crises like the one we are in now.

He wants to further develop our social safety nets that will protect us not only in times of crisis but all of the time.

He is pro-worker and pro union.

He will have a decent immigration policy, not an inhumane one.

He will repair the relationships with our allies that our current DOTUS has made a shambles of.

I imagine I could go to his website and find a dozen more, but those are off the top of my head.

https://time.com/5820113/bernie-sanders-endorses-joe-biden/

Bernie says his endorsement is “to make certain that we defeat somebody who I believe … is the most dangerous president in the modern history of this country.”

Joe expresses his admiration of Bernie, they discuss some of their policy agreements and disagreements. Watch the 23 minute video. The two guys admire each other. Joe said that he needs Bernie not only to win the upcoming election, but also to govern.

 

Thanks for that long exposition on the truth of things, Lausten. Normally I don’t like long posts, even though I on rare occasions do some myself.

But there is more to add:

The White House’s National Security Council, the Pentagon’s Joint Staff and the Defense Intelligence Agency were all briefed on the impacts of the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, China, as early as late November…

from https://www.forbes.com/sites/mattperez/2020/04/08/report-us-intelligence-officials-warned-about-coronavirus-in-wuhan-in-late-november/#3f6e60aaa1eb

There were multiple other warnings directly to the T rump in January and February. But his priority was a booming stock market.

 

 

Obama had speech’s that will be remembered with admiration as history proceeds. T rump will have speeches that are laughed at derisively.

Do you want to know Obama’s legacy? JJust look at every action T rump has taken to wipe out every good thing Obama did.

This union may never be perfect, but generation after generation has shown that it can always be perfected. And today, whenever I find myself feeling doubtful or cynical about this possibility, what gives me the most hope is the next generation — the young people whose attitudes and beliefs and openness to change have already made history…

by TimB (Just kidding. That is from an Obama speech.)

 

I don’t think it was the next generation. Many Millennials want Bernie. I think the boomers, with some X’ers outnumbered the Millennials.

I’m not sure what or who’s ideology you are talking about. I was a Bernie supporter, as were my millennial sons and their friends. So I have no idea what you are talking about. I’m an X’er on the Millennial side.

Well, we’re not for privatization or deregulating. Bernie wasn’t even for that and if you think he was, then you weren’t listening to what he said or what he had on his campaign website.

Progressive Dems are AGAINST profitizing social programs and the military. Giving tax money to private schools, and private prisons, and private militias like the infamous Blackwater, is an abomination.

And Obama did all sorts of regulations for the environment and for consumer protection. Just about all of them have been undone by the T rump.

As far as “globalization”, what’s so bad about getting along with the rest of the world? Not Nationalistic enough for you?

So Green, these “Neoliberal ideologues” of which you speak, I don’t think you are referring to the current Dem Party. Maybe in the days of Bill Clinton. Is he one of your Neo Liberals? That’s not very “Neo” if you ask me. Nowadays, the Dem Party is a bit under half inclined to Bernie Sanders positions/ideology. The rest are still clearly to the left of the recent Obama/Biden years, including Joe Biden.

@greenfist IF that is true (research needs to be done) then Obama was not a progressive Dem. There are corporate Dems and progressive Dems. Corporate Dems are as said, for large corporation and more like Repugs (Warren has admitted, in the past, she is a corporate Dem.), so I was surprised she was pushing an agenda similar to Bernie’s, because Bernie is admittedly a Democratic Socialist. Now Biden, I do believe without a doubt that he is a Corporate Dem.

Now that Bernie is out, Democratic Socialists of America U.S.A. is asking “now what?” I don’t want to vote for Biden, but I do not want the dotard to have another 4 more years in office because he will destroy the U.S. and we will be slaves to the institution.

 

@mriana So what’s wrong with Obama, especially in light of if he were still prez we wouldn’t be having these issues with COVID-19 that we do under that stupid dotard? Obama did a great job in that respect and in other respects, IMO.
@greenfist
What is Obama’s legacy Mriana?</blockquote>
Greenfist sums it up.  Wonderful, you did a great job of guarding barn, but to left the f'n door open when you were finished.  But we're supposed to give him the metal for doing a decent job.  I know that's snotty sounding, sooooooooooorrrrrrrrrrrryyyy.

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Oh yeah, doing nothing and losing our Supreme Court Justice  - I mean like why didn't Obama and his team have the wherewithal to get pissed and take it to the people.

Instead of that, it was the same old boilerplate campaign blah blah and begging for money messages that were sent out that year, same as it ever was - <strong>why not share a few facts and some emotion laced lessons about the way the Republicans where attacking democracy in this country.  Rigging district boundaries, and educating people about Republican goals of stacking our American Courts with extremely right wing ideologues rather than serious judges.  Why not warn people about the growing Republican fanaticism that was build on a house of fabricated lies - out and out disconnected from history and physical reality history - and proudly so.  Dirty Trick was the Republican ticket to winning and Clinton and clinton and Obama all played along with that script - ignorantly but the results were the same.  </strong>

<strong> Why not encourage, heck inform and instigate a rally in front of the Capital Building - draw the f'ing line in sand and explain to your grassroots, why they needed to show up!!!!   But nothing nothing nothing but self congratulatory smugness.</strong>  That's the problem with Obama - yes he's among the best - so you can line up example after example of his greatness - but none of it makes up for those profound failures !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   {before that clinton/gore - don't get me going on that one.}   Being a serious life long Democrat and attentive thoughtful spectator it has been like being strapped into an electric chair.

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From looking at the history, Obama won some battles but some of us are pissed because he lost the war.  Same as Mr.Clinton the slime ball,  if excellent politician and president.  Makes the failings of both so much the worse.

They both failed to get Democrats elected back into the White House.  They failed to consolidate winnings and vigorously move ahead in educating, impassioning, engaging their grassroots core.  To few came out, and even less had anything inspiring to say - and all seem okay with it.

Everyone has such a thin skin these days that learning, or teaching, seems impossible - everyone wants a f'n ribbon, even though - look around folks allowing terrorist to waltz through, ignoring a fast spreading novel virus.  None of that had to happen, and so long as we are so dependent on feel-good we'll keep losing.

Oh, my wife did have me listen to Obama’s speech today (?). He is a silk tongued devil. It would be nice to see him get out start doing something constructive.

{Oh another reason I’m irritated with Obama is his organize is impotent so far as messaging, sponge cake stuff. Let’s see if the current environment changes that. Would love to hear them saying something that people can work with. }

Mriana, lets hope Bernie remains engaged. I hope Democratic bosses give Bernie some real respect, so that he works double hard to explain reality to his people and bring them along. It’s like we don’t want every politician to be like Bernie, or every supporter to be like me, but lordie knows there need to be a few of us pain in the asses around.

Then after the election it’s going to be folks like Bernie and his p’d off followers to keep the pressure on the Democrats to follow through - at least that’s how it worked in my American Civics lessons. An informed and engaged electorate and all that apple pie moonshine.

We need each other to keep ourselves honest!
Progressive, or Corporate? Hmmm? Seems to me, Obama could never have achieved what he did, had he not made certain understandings, without which he could never have received the nod from the Democratic Corporate Oligarchs (read deep pockets with their own interests.). I think his record supports that he was no progressive, but in this day and age, hanging on the status quo ain't the worst on can do.

On the other side, I wonder if we’ll hear Republican commercials asking that classic question. Are you better off today, than you were four years ago?

I’m still not sure what you’re talking about because 1. you gave no sources and 2. you sound like a Repug yammering on about things that aren’t quite right. 3. President Obama is hardly a silk tongue devil. Superstitious much?

 

A lot of people including some on this thread, seem to think that Democracy is easy. Your guy gets the Presidency and suddenly he needs to perform like a benevolent dictator and get everything good in place and remove everything bad. And if the other powers in the Democracy get in the way of that, and inhibit it and undermine it, make it impossible then the chosen President is a pathetic failure.

Get a grip. In a Democracy, (and this is especially clear in a 2 party system) the struggle never ends. (Iow, the war does not end). There are competing interests, always. Rarely can one side do even most of what they want. BECAUSE THE POWER IN A DEMOCRACY DOES NOT ALL LIE IN THE HANDS OF ONE LEADER. You want a benevolent dictator? So we get T rump. He is trying damn hard to be a dictator. I don’t know how benevolent he is.

Barack Hussein Obama II (quotes below are from the link at the end)

He entered office in 2009 to fight the 2008 financial crisis. He immediately launched the ambitious Affordable Care Act, despite the backlash. His administration continued battling the Tea Party Republicans after they gained a Congressional majority in the 2010 mid-term elections.

Despite these challenges, Obama accomplished many great things by the time his term ended in January 2017. Here are the top 14 in chronological order.

1. Ended the 2008 Recession
In February 2009, Congress approved Obama’s economic stimulus package that was estimated at the time to cost $787 billion. It cut taxes, extended unemployment benefits, and funded public works projects. The recession ended in June 2009 when GDP growth turned positive.

2. Modernized the Auto Industry
Obama bailed out the U.S. auto industry in early 2009. The federal government oversaw the restructuring in exchange for loans and working capital of General Motors and Chrysler, saving more than 4 million jobs. It forced the companies to become more fuel-efficient and much more globally competitive.

3. Received the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize
On October 9, 2009, Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize. The Committee lauded “his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.” He withdrew troops from Iraq in 2011. He reduced the U.S. nuclear warhead stockpile by 24%.

4. Reformed Health Care
On March 23, 2010, the Affordable Care Act revolutionized healthcare, in part by creating a program that offered insurance to people with pre-existing conditions who had been shut out of the insurance system. By 2014, the economy benefited from having 88% of the population covered by some type of health insurance.

The greater number of people receiving preventive care reduced the number of expensive visits to emergency rooms, slowing the rise of health care costs for everyone.

Why did health care need to be reformed? Rising costs threatened to take over the entire federal budget.

(President Donald Trump promised to “repeal and replace” Obamacare. By eliminating the mandate and reinstituting “skinny plans” that don’t cover a slew of expensive illnesses, he is weakening Obamacare even without formal repeal.)

5. Regulated the Big Banks !
In July 2010, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act improved regulation of eight systems that led to the financial crisis. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau reduced harmful practices of credit cards and mortgages. The Financial Stability Oversight Council regulated hedge funds and banks that became too big to fail. The “Volcker Rule” banned banks from risking losses with their depositors’ money.
Dodd-Frank clarified which agencies regulated which banks, stopping banks from cherry-picking their regulators.

Dodd-Frank directed the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. These regulated the riskiest derivatives, like credit default swaps and commodities futures. Dodd-Frank also asked the SEC to recommend how the credit rating agencies, like Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s, could be improved.

6. 2010 Tax Cuts
In December 2010, Obama and Congress agreed upon additional stimulus in the form of an $858 billion tax cut. It had three main components: an extension of the Bush tax cuts, a $56 billion extension of unemployment benefits, and a 2% reduction in workers’ payroll taxes. Businesses received tax cuts for capital improvements and research and development tax credits. The estate tax was exempted (up to $5 million), and there were additional credits for college tuition and children.

7. Eliminated bin Laden Threat and Withdrew Troops from Iraq
On May 1, 2011, Navy SEALs attacked the al-Qaida leader’s compound in Pakistan and eliminated Osama bin Laden. Later that year, Obama withdrew troops from the Iraq War. Three years later, renewed threats from ISIS meant troops had to return. The Sunni-Shiite split within Islam means there may always be wars in the Middle East.

8. Raised Fuel Efficiency Standards
On August 28, 2012, the Obama administration announced new fuel efficiency standards. He required cars and light trucks obtain 54.5 MPG by 2025. That would reduce oil consumption by 12 billion barrels, saving drivers $1.7 trillion. It would also reduce the damage of climate change by lowering greenhouse gases.32

(The Trump administration promised to roll back these standards.)

9. Won 2012 Presidential Re-election
On November 6, 2012, Obama won a second term. Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney promised to repeal Obamacare and Dodd-Frank. Voters were not sure about eliminating health benefits and regulations against big banks.

10. Reduced Carbon Emissions
Obama announced carbon reduction regulations in 2015. He enacted the Clean Power Plan in 2015. It reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 32% from 2005 levels by 2030. It did this by setting carbon reduction goals for the nation’s power plants. To comply, power plants agreed to create 30% more renewable energy generation by 2030. It encourages carbon emissions trading by allowing states that emit less than the carbon cap to trade their surplus to states that emit more than the cap.

(In June 2019, the Trump administration’s Environmental Protection Agency killed the Clean Power Plan and replaced it with the more lenient Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) rule.)

11. Nuclear Agreement With Iran !
On July 14, 2015, Obama brokered a nuclear peace agreement with Iran. Formally called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), it required Iran to have only sufficient enriched uranium for its energy needs, but not enough to build a bomb. JCPOA also instituted inspection requirements. In return, the United Nations lifted the economic sanctions it imposed in relation to Iran’s nuclear program. (Trump withdrew the U.S. from the deal in May 2018, contending it did not go far enough.)

12. World’s Largest Trade Agreement
On October 4, 2015, Obama’s team negotiated the Trans-Pacific Partnership. It would have replaced NAFTA as the world’s largest free-trade agreement. It would have removed tariffs between the United States and 11 other countries that border the Pacific Ocean. (On January 23, 2017, Trump withdrew the United States from the agreement.) The other countries are planning to continue the agreement anyway. Japan and the European Union are negotiating their own agreement.

Obama launched negotiations on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership between the United States and the European Union.

(Obama’s term ended before negotiations on the TTIP could be finalized. It would have been bigger than the TPP. President Trump has not made much progress on the TTIP.)

13. International Climate Change Agreement
On December 12, 2015, Obama and more than 190 other countries announced the Paris Climate Agreement. Countries agreed to reduce carbon emissions and increase carbon trading. The goal is to limit global warming to 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial temperatures. Developed countries will contribute $100 billion a year to assist emerging markets. They bear the brunt of damage from climate change. They face increased typhoons, rising sea levels, and more severe droughts.

On October 5, 2016, enough countries ratified the agreement that it went into effect. At the 2016 G20 meeting, China and the United States agreed to ratify the agreement. These two countries are the world’s largest emitters of greenhouse gases. (On June 1, 2017, Trump announced the U.S. withdrawal from the agreement.)

14. Job Creation
Obama’s policies put more than 10 million people to work from the depths of the recession to the end of his term. That’s because unemployment continued to rise even after the recession ended in July. It takes a few months of economic growth before businesses are confident enough to begin hiring again.

https://www.thebalance.com/what-has-obama-done-11-major-accomplishments-3306158#other-accomplishments

And I add, Obama (being only POTUS and NOT a benevolent dictator) did not choose the 2016 Dem Nominee. The voters did. And the voters eventually chose T rump. Obama did not do that. But T rump was able to mobilize the underlying zenophobia and bigotry that is always present, previously it was more latent, in the USA. So yes Obama failed us in one big way: He was a black man in the USA.

Obama’s “silver tongue” as you so discounting-ly call it, helped him get elected twice and helped him get done the things he could.

I miss the days when our POTUS could put words together in an inspiring way.