April 22, 2016


News and Views


http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/04/22/london-mayor-boris-johnson-slams-obama-as-part-kenyan-hypocrite.html

London Mayor Boris Johnson Slams Obama as ‘Part-Kenyan’ Hypocrite
BLOODY MAD NICO HINES
04.22.16 8:05 AM ET

In a bitter denunciation of the president, the Conservative politician has revived claims that Obama's African heritage makes him anti-British.


LONDON — President Obama is back in Europe today but there are no crowds awaiting his arrival. Indeed the greeting from some of his hosts is nakedly hostile.


Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, welcomed him to the city with a fiery broadside describing Obama as “incoherent,” “inconsistent” and “downright hypocritical.”

In a phrase that evoked racist jibes in the United States, Johnson described him as “the part-Kenyan president” in an op-ed in Britain's best-selling Sun newspaper.

Johnson also repeating the oft-cited, but factually dubious claim, that Obama ordered the removal of a bust of Winston Churchill from the Oval Office.

Johnson, a Conservative member of parliament and one of the favorites to become Britain's next prime minister, suggested Obama may have been motivated to remove the statuette because of an “ancestral dislike of the British empire.”

As prime minister, Churchill had sent British troops to quell an uprising against the British in Kenya.

Dinesh D’Souza was denounced as a racist for making a similar point in his 2010 book The Roots of Obama’s Rage.

“Obama views Muslims who are fighting against America in Iraq and Afghanistan as freedom fighters, somewhat akin to Indians or Kenyans fighting to push out their British colonial occupier.”

Johnson was unloading on Obama because he is furious that the U.S. president has intervened in the upcoming referendum on whether Britain should remain part of the European Union.

Ever since the referendum was announced, Obama has quietly indicated that he feels Britain is better off inside the EU. That suggestion turned into outright campaigning when he published an article in The Telegraph newspaper calling on British voters to stay in surprisingly passionate terms.

“I will say, with the candour of a friend, that the outcome of your decision is a matter of deep interest to the United States. The tens of thousands of Americans who rest in Europe’s cemeteries are a silent testament to just how intertwined our prosperity and security truly are,” he wrote.

He argued that Britain’s influence has been amplified by its membership of the European Union, helping to secure agreements on trade, climate change and even the recent deal with Iran.

. . . . .

Obama remains popular in Britain so it’s no surprise that the out campaign is desperate to dismiss Obama’s intervention. Despite the passion of the out campaign, most opinion polls suggest Britain will narrowly vote to remain part of the EU.

Nigel Farage, the leader of the U.K. Independence Party, told Obama to “Butt out.”

Former Labour minister Kate Hoey claimed Obama’s intervention was “insulting” and “patronizing.”

Johnson, who is by far the most high-profile member of the out campaign, accused Obama of hypocrisy, claiming that Washington would never countenance a deal that diluted U.S. sovereignty.

“The US guards its democracy with more hysterical jealousy than any other country on earth,” he wrote.

For the United States to tell us in the UK that we must surrender control of so much of our democracy—it is a breathtaking example of the principle of do-as-I-say-but-not-as-I-do. It is incoherent. It is inconsistent, and yes it is downright hypocritical.”

. . . .
Obama is unlikely to be too disappointed to miss out on tea and crumpets with the mayor, however, as he will be having lunch with the Queen to celebrate her 90th birthday, and then hold meetings with Prime Minister Cameron before dinner at Kensington Palace hosted by The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (William and Kate) and Prince Harry on Friday night.



London Mayor Boris Johnson is very similar in his personality and appeal in Britain to our Donald Trump. He does have a strong following among the Right, especially on the EU issue, but also on unadulterated racial language, calling blacks “pickaninnies” and “watermelon smiles.” Like Trump, when that produced outrage, he declared that it was a joke and was “taken out of context.” For excerpts from his biography and political career, see Wikipedia below.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boris_Johnson

Boris Johnson
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mayor Boris Johnson

Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (born 19 June 1964) is a British politician, popular historian and journalist who has served as Mayor of London since 2008 and as Member of Parliament (MP) for Uxbridge and South Ruislip since 2015. Johnson previously served as the MP for Henley from 2001 until 2008. A member of the Conservative Party, Johnson considers himself a One Nation Conservative and has been described as a libertarian due to his association with both economically liberal and culturally liberal policies.

Born in New York City to upper class English parents, Johnson was educated at the European School of Brussels, Ashdown House School, and Eton College. He read Classics at Balliol College, Oxford, where he was a member of the Bullingdon Club and was elected President of the Oxford Union in 1986. Beginning his career in journalism at The Times, he later became The Daily Telegraph's Brussels correspondent, with his articles exerting a strong influence on growing Eurosceptic sentiment among the British right-wing. He became assistant editor from 1994 to 1999 before taking the editorship of The Spectator from 1999 to 2005. Joining the Conservatives, he was elected to the House of Commons as MP for Henley in 2001. Making regular television appearances as well as continuing with his journalism and book writing, Johnson became one of the most conspicuous politicians in the country.

. . . .

Johnson is a controversial figure in British politics and journalism.[1][2] Supporters have praised him as an entertaining, humorous, and popular figure with appeal beyond traditional Conservative voters. Critics have accused him of laziness and dishonesty, using racist and homophobic language, and elitism. The author of various books, he is also the subject of several biographies and a number of fictionalised portrayals.

. . . . In reference to his cosmopolitan ancestry, Johnson has described himself as a "one-man melting pot"—with a combination of Muslims, Jews, and Christians as great-grandparents.[18] The journalist Toby Young has described Johnson's background as being "lower-upper-middle class".[19] . . . He and his siblings were encouraged to engage in high-brow activities from a young age,[30] with high achievement also being highly valued; Johnson's earliest recorded ambition was to be "world king".[31] . . . .

At the university he associated primarily with Old Etonians and joined the Old Etonian-dominated Bullingdon Club, an upper-class drinking society known for its acts of local vandalism and for wrecking restaurants before paying for the damage.[60][61] According to Johnson biographer Sonia Purnell, he was "now ensconced in a closeted upper-class world of entitlement and wealth" quite dissimilar from his upper middle-class upbringing.[62]. . . . Having specialised in the study of ancient literature and classical philosophy, Johnson graduated from Balliol College with an upper second-class degree.[75][76] He was deeply unhappy that he did not receive a first, losing sleep over the issue.[77] . . . .

In spring 1989, Johnson was appointed to the newspaper's Brussels bureau, where he was assigned to report on the events surrounding the European Commission.[90] There, he established himself as one of the few Eurosceptic journalists based in the city, becoming a particularly vehement critic of the Commission President Jacques Delors.[91] Many of his fellow journalists based in the city were critical of his reports, feeling that they were often dishonest and contained untruths designed to discredit the Commission,[92] with John Palmer of The Guardian stating that "as a journalist he is thoroughly irresponsible, making up stories."[93] Johnson biographer Andrew Gimson believed that these articles led to him becoming "one of [Euroscepticism's] most famous exponents",[89] while according to Purnell, "he helped to take [Euroscepticism] out of the hands of its traditional proponents from the Left, such as veteran Labour MPs Tony Benn and Peter Shore, and make it an attractive and emotionally resonant cause for the Right."[94] Conservative Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher described Johnson as her favourite journalist on the basis of these articles.[95] However, Thatcher's successor John Major was annoyed by Johnson and spent much time attempting to refute his claims, unsuccessfully appealing to Hastings to control him.[96] . . . . His writings have also been cited as a key influence on the emergence of the right-wing Eurosceptic United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) in the early 1990s.[94]
. . . .

Johnson's column would also be criticised in some quarters for exhibiting bigotry and prejudice. In one 2002 column he used the words "piccannies", and "watermelon smiles" when referring to Africans, also championing European colonialism in Uganda;[106][107][108] he allegedly also used the term while visiting Uganda to Swedish UNICEF workers and their black driver in 2003.[109] Elsewhere, he used homophobic terminology when referring to gay men as "tank-topped bumboys" further stating that it was "appalling" that the Labour government of Prime Minister Tony Blair were repealing Section 28, a piece of Conservative legislation that was intended to prevent the "promotion" of homosexuality, particularly with regard to children,[110] saying "We don't want our children being taught some rubbish about homosexual marriage being the same as normal marriage",[111] describing same-sex marriage as "a ludicrous parody of the real thing".[112] In his book Friends, Voters, Countrymen, Johnson also said "If gay marriage was OK ... then I saw no reason in principle why a union should not be consecrated between three men, as well as two men; or indeed three men and a dog".[113] . . . .

Mayor of London
2008 election

Livingstone's campaign focused on portraying Johnson as an upper-class toff who was out of touch with the lives of most Londoners, also alleging that he was a bigot, as evidenced by racist and homophobic language that he had used in his Telegraph column; Johnson responded that these quotes had been taken out of context and had been meant in a satirical manner.[196] This situation was exacerbated when the far right British National Party (BNP) urged its supporters to give their second preference votes to Johnson; he responded that "I utterly and unreservedly condemn the BNP".[197][198] Controversy was also generated when Johnson admitted that while a student he had used cannabis and cocaine.[199]



http://www.cbsnews.com/news/virginia-governor-terry-mcauliffe-restores-voting-rights-to-200000-felons/

Virginia governor Terry McAuliffe restores voting rights to 200,000 felons
AP April 22, 2016, 12:33 PM

Photograph -- prison cell, jail, prison bars, cage, incarceration, jailhouse CBS NEWS


RICHMOND, VA. More than 200,000 convicted felons will be eligible to vote and run for public office in Virginia under a sweeping executive order announced Friday by Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe.

McAuliffe said his actions would help undo Virginia's long history of trying to suppress the black vote.

He said he was certain he had the legal authority for the massive extension of voting rights, adding that he'd consulted with legal and constitutional experts, including Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring.

Martin O'Malley calls for constitutional amendment on voting rights

"Too often in both our distant and recent history, politicians have used their authority to restrict people's ability to participate in our democracy," McAuliffe said in a statement. "Today we are reversing that disturbing trend and restoring the rights of more than 200,000 of our fellow Virginians who work, raise families and pay taxes in every corner of our Commonwealth."

The governor's action means that every Virginia felon who has completed their sentence and finished any supervised release, parole or probation requirements as of April 22 will be able to vote, run for public office, serve on a jury and become a notary public. The administration estimates that about 206,000 people will be impacted.

McAuliffe has made the restoration of rights of former convicts a priority of his administration. Before Friday's order, the administration had restored the rights of more than 18,000 felons, which officials said is more than the past seven governors combined.

The Washington-DC based Sentencing Project estimates that nearly 6 million Americans are barred from voting because of laws impacting former felons. Maine and Vermont are the only states that don't restrict the voting rights of convicted felons.

Such policies disproportionately impact African Americans, the group says. Virginia is among three states where more than one in five black adults have lost their voting rights, according to a recent Sentencing Project report.



"He said he was certain he had the legal authority for the massive extension of voting rights, adding that he'd consulted with legal and constitutional experts, including Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring. Martin O'Malley calls for constitutional amendment on voting rights …. Today we are reversing that disturbing trend and restoring the rights of more than 200,000 of our fellow Virginians who work, raise families and pay taxes in every corner of our Commonwealth." The governor's action means that every Virginia felon who has completed their sentence and finished any supervised release, parole or probation requirements as of April 22 will be able to vote, run for public office, serve on a jury and become a notary public. The administration estimates that about 206,000 people will be impacted. …. The Washington-DC based Sentencing Project estimates that nearly 6 million Americans are barred from voting because of laws impacting former felons. Maine and Vermont are the only states that don't restrict the voting rights of convicted felons. Such policies disproportionately impact African Americans, the group says. Virginia is among three states where more than one in five black adults have lost their voting rights, according to a recent Sentencing Project report.”


In “the good old days” of the Jim Crow laws, there were several different ways of preventing blacks from voting. That’s where the “grandfather clause” and the literacy test come from. My state of Florida has a law like this, but I didn’t expect ALL states except Maine and Vermont to be on the list. I’m glad that the Sentencing Project exists. Like the ACLU and the Southern Poverty Law Center, these non-profits which truly do support and promote a fair and ethical society are as much help as Congressional committees, or more. There’s no Right Wing politics involved.


http://www.cbsnews.com/news/obama-north-carolina-transgender-bathroom-law-should-be-overturned/

Obama says he disagrees with transgender bathroom law
By REENA FLORES CBS NEWS
April 22, 2016, 1:21 PM

Photograph -- U.S. President Barack Obama speaks during a news conference British Prime Minister David Cameron following their meeting at 10 Downing Street in London, Britain April 22, 2016. REUTERS
Play VIDEO -- North Carolina gets blowback from anti-gay law


President Obama waded into North Carolina state politics Friday, even as he visited the United Kingdom for official meetings and to celebrate Queen Elizabeth's 90th birthday.

During a press conference in London, the president came out forcefully against the state's transgender bathroom law, saying the legislation was "wrong" and should be "overturned."

"The people of North Carolina and Mississippi are wonderful people. They are hospitable people. They are beautiful states," Mr. Obama told reporters Friday. "I also think that the laws that have been passed there are wrong. And should be overturned."

The president attributed the anti-LGBT law in North Carolina -- which stops local governments from passing anti-discrimination rules and requires transgender students to use bathrooms assigned to their biological sex at birth -- as "in part" a response to politics and also to "some emotions that are generated by people."

"Some of whom are good people," he qualified. "But I just disagree with them."

"When it comes to respecting the equal rights of all people, regardless of sexual orientation, whether they're transgender or gay or lesbian -- although I respect their different viewpoints -- I think it's very important for us not to send signals that anybody is treated differently," the president said.

Prime Minister David Cameron also weighed in on the debate, which has roiled U.S. presidential politics in recent days.

The laws, Cameron noted, were "a matter for their own legislatures" to decide. But he added that laws should be used "to end discrimination, rather than try to enhance it."

During the press conference, President Obama also commemorated the passing of Prince.

"I loved Prince because he put out great music and he was a great performer," he said. While he didn't "know him well," the president praised the late pop musician as "extraordinary and creative."

The president added that, prior to his meetings Friday with British officials, he and his staff took a moment out of the day and listened to two Prince hits: "Purple Rain" and "Delirious."


"The people of North Carolina and Mississippi are wonderful people. They are hospitable people. They are beautiful states," Mr. Obama told reporters Friday. "I also think that the laws that have been passed there are wrong. And should be overturned." …. The laws, Cameron noted, were "a matter for their own legislatures" to decide. But he added that laws should be used "to end discrimination, rather than try to enhance it."


The nature of the NC law especially offends me – prohibiting cities or counties from making their own local pro-LGBT laws. That is not in the spirit of democracy and is repressive of individual freedom. Prime Minister Cameron’s comment that the goal of enhancing discrimination is wrong, is encouraging to me. The strength of Right Wing politics in Britain unnerves me, as it does here. Britain was our stronghold in WWII against Nazi sympathies, and we mustn’t go backward in that direction now.


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/richard-brodsky/ber-llary-merging-hillary_b_9756652.html

THE BLOG
Ber-llary: Merging Hillary and Bernie
Richard Brodsky, Senior Fellow, Demos
04/22/2016 07:41 am ET | Updated 9 hours ago

Photograph -- Clinton and Sanders shake hands, CARLO ALLEGRI / REUTERS


Hillary’s victory in New York was big and important. She reminded us of what we like about her, and actually connected with people. She effectively focused attention on what she did well as a Senator and a candidate. She put it together smartly, but there’s a “Thank you Bernie” needed as well.

Bernie’s primary campaign has saved Hillary. She’s been tested, she’s moved, she’s finally getting her legs under her, all because of Bernie and his minions. The minor hoo-hah about Bernie’s attacks will disappear. What will stay is his powerful ability to define both the politics and policies of 2016. He’s leading a movement, not just running for a job.

Bernie took the insights and the cri de couer of Occupy Wall Street and gave them structure and political stature. Sort of like what FDR did with Norman Thomas, Bella Abzug did with Betty Freidan, and Obama with Dr. King and Malcom X. It’s a traditional American dynamic and refreshes the body politic every time.

There’s a dark side to the politics of 2016 that underscores the danger that both Hillary and Bernie face. Trump is a serious threat in November. He’s not a right-wing ideologue, selling supply-side snake oil. His economic populism on trade, out-sourcing, taxing hedge funds, and maintaining Social Security and Medicare enrages the Kochs, Cruz, Fox News and the Conservative Establishment. But it resonates with voters who are focused on their economic condition. The outrageous language and ideas about immigration, punishing women, gender and orientation equality and the like are likely to drag him down in the end. But on the battlefield of the economy, he’s a tough nut to crack.

Bernie’s movement has the muscle, breadth and economic ideas to counter-punch Trump effectively. Will they?

Bernie will try, no doubt. He understands that no good can come out of baying at the moon after the convention. His foot soldiers, not so much. For the aged among us, we remember the consequences of abandoning Hubert Humphrey in the 1968 campaign against Nixon, and the Nader effect on 2000’s Bush-Gore contest. Something has to be done to avoid a third debacle.

Imagine the consequences for peace, prosperity and justice of President Trump. Even so, it will be hard to scare the Berners into supporting Hillary. The responsibility is on her by word and deed to welcome the movement into her campaign. Symbols will matter. Ideas will matter. She can’t win without the energy and votes that support Bernie.

She needs to do more than a pro forma welcome the losing camp into the fold. It’s hard to predict the mechanics of a Bernie-Hillary merger. Offering the Veep spot, keynote speeches, lots of joint campaigning are all necessary, but not sufficient. We’ll need a little magic as well.

There are Clinton camp forces that will advise her to do little, the same forces that gave us Bob Rubin and repeal of Glass-Steagall. Hillary has to figure this one out for herself and move decisively and smartly to keep the progressives together. Not easy. Possible. Necessary.



“Bernie’s primary campaign has saved Hillary. She’s been tested, she’s moved, she’s finally getting her legs under her, all because of Bernie and his minions. The minor hoo-hah about Bernie’s attacks will disappear. What will stay is his powerful ability to define both the politics and policies of 2016. He’s leading a movement, not just running for a job. …. His economic populism on trade, out-sourcing, taxing hedge funds, and maintaining Social Security and Medicare enrages the Kochs, Cruz, Fox News and the Conservative Establishment. But it resonates with voters who are focused on their economic condition. The outrageous language and ideas about immigration, punishing women, gender and orientation equality and the like are likely to drag him down in the end. But on the battlefield of the economy, he’s a tough nut to crack. Bernie took the insights and the cri de couer of Occupy Wall Street and gave them structure and political stature. …. His economic populism on trade, out-sourcing, taxing hedge funds, and maintaining Social Security and Medicare enrages the Kochs, Cruz, Fox News and the Conservative Establishment. But it resonates with voters who are focused on their economic condition. The outrageous language and ideas about immigration, punishing women, gender and orientation equality and the like are likely to drag him down in the end. But on the battlefield of the economy, he’s a tough nut to crack.”


I can’t deny that Trump has “the common touch,” like Bill Clinton, but unlike Clinton he is not really for the poor whites who flock to him. He made another of his shocking statements just a few weeks ago, “I love the poorly educated.” That was part of a series of comments which included other levels of education as well. The only reason he loves the poorly educated is because they tend to be slaves to “conservative” religion, class structure, gender issues and racist ideas, and he “talks the talk” freely wherever he goes. He even has them giving a Hitler-like salute to him. What they don’t seem to care about is the obvious fact that he does NOT “walk the walk,” so to me he’s clearly a fraud. I do hope enough Republicans of a better turn of mind will do whatever they have to, in order to prevent his nomination. If they don’t we may, come November, have a war between Dems and Republicans with American democracy being the loser.



http://www.cbsnews.com/news/meet-the-democratic-women-fighting-for-sanders/

Meet the Democratic women fighting for Sanders
By KYLIE ATWOOD CBS NEWS
April 22, 2016, 5:50 AM

Photograph -- ap380470530696.jpg, Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., right, waves to supporters after being introduced by Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hi., during a campaign rally in Kissimmee, Fla., Thursday, March 10, 2016. PHELAN M. EBENHACK, AP
Related: Hillary Clinton leads Bernie Sanders in new Maryland poll
Play VIDEO -- Hillary Clinton gives victory speech in New York


Hillary Clinton is already closer than anyone in history to being the nation's first woman president. But that doesn't mean all female Democratic officeholders are on her side.

Two of Bernie Sanders' biggest surrogates on the campaign trail are Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, who is campaigning for him in Pennsylvania on Friday, and former Ohio State Sen. Nina Turner. And they say going against the Clinton grain has not been easy.

Turner distinctly remembers what happened a few days after she publicly endorsed Sanders. She was set to be the keynote speaker at Planned Parenthood event. The organization, which has now endorsed Hillary Clinton, was still unaffiliated with either campaign. Yet when she arrived folks who organized the fundraiser told her that they were working to "ease tensions" in order to make sure she was treated with respect.

Turner was confused by what they meant. She soon found out.

"After all we have done for you," one white Ohio woman said to Turner, an African American, after the event. The woman, Turner recalled, had a deadly look in her eyes, irate that Turner had not endorsed Clinton.

Earlier that day, Turner had explained that Sanders was her pick for president because she was attracted to his message, style and strong beliefs. She did not mention his gender.

"The irony [is] that women who want choice over their bodies don't think that I should have a choice in the candidate I support," Turner says. "I proceeded to let her know that I didn't care about her disappointment."

And the pushback she got that day, Turner says, was not an isolated incident: "Those who believed I should have stayed with the status quo were quite nasty."

Ohio democratic donors, who helped Turner propel forward her past campaigns, have called her up to say that she is making a mistake. She is worried that they will not back her if she decides to run for statewide office in the future.

"For someone to say to me you are not doing yourself a favor, it is a threat," Turner says, noting that the Clintons have a reputation for revenge.

Not every Democratic female Sanders backer, in office or previously in office, is worried about fundraising -- but they all have their own stories of pushback from fellow women.

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, one of two female members of Congress to endorse Sanders, has also faced criticism. She had been in Washington for less than three years, as a Congresswoman for Hawaii and a Vice Chair of the Democratic National Committee, when she says she felt a need to get off the sidelines.

"From that position, I was getting increasingly frustrated," Gabbard says, reflecting on her position as vice chair of the DNC, which she says tried to prevent her from making an endorsement. So she resigned.

"People said, 'watch out, there will be consequences,'" Gabbard says, adding that she has no regrets about the endorsement.

Tara Mosely-Samples, a Sanders supporter and Councilwoman from Akron, Ohio, recalls that after endorsing Sanders the establishment shunned her by not inviting her to the Ohio black legislative caucus in Columbus. Other democrats from Ohio told her she was "meant to be supporting the woman."

"I said, 'would you support Sarah Palin?' I am not going to support somebody just because they are a woman," Samples recalls.

Gabbard and Turner, both defecting from the Democratic establishment, have different reasons for backing Sanders. Gabbard, an Army veteran, says Sanders stands out because he understands the cost of war as opposed to the more-hawkish Clinton.

"This is not about politics," Gabbard explains, who presses the fact that many of her friends and colleagues have supported her decision. "This is about the reality of war."

Gabbard made that pitch in an ad for Sanders before the Hawaii primary where ended up beating Clinton 69-30 percent.

"I felt a sense of duty and I could not in good conscious stay back here in beautiful Hawaii and watch my brothers and sisters in uniform go off into combat," Gabbard says as she tears up in the ad. "These are people, friends who we never forget and who we strive to honor every day that we are blessed to live and breathe. Bernie Sanders voted against the Iraq War."

Turner, meanwhile, said it is Sanders' "righteous indignation" that attracted her to his campaign. Before endorsing the Vermont senator, Turner says she spent time going back and studying his history. She listened to his speeches from the '70s and '80s where he focused in on the same issues that he is talking about on the campaign trail today: income and wealth inequality.

"He didn't have to stand up for civil rights," Turner says of the days that he advocated for gays and lesbians, and African Americans. "But he did."

Many Democratic female officeholders have rallied behind Clinton. Rep. Claire McCaskill got out in front as a Clinton supporter in 2013 -- before Clinton even entered the race, saying it is important to "start early." Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand later hopped on board as well.

"I am so excited to support Hillary, not simply because she is a woman with the qualities, values, and experience we need to lead our nation, but because I know she will fight for all of us," Gillibrand said.

The only Clinton female holdout in the Senate is Elizabeth Warren. She has not endorsed Sanders or Clinton but has said that she is "still cheering Bernie on."

Madeline Albright, the first female secretary of state, has said that having a female president would be the real revolution -- and had to walk back some comments she made while campaigning for Clinton in New Hampshire in January.

"We can tell our story of how we climbed the ladder, and a lot of you younger women think it's done," Ms. Albright said of the broader fight for women's equality. "It's not done. There's a special place in hell for women who don't help each other!"

That criticism does not rest well with the Sanders supporters.

"It was so insulting to Democratic women," says former Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton, who stumped for Sanders in the lead-up to the WI primary after co-chairing Clinton's Wisconsin campaign in 2008. "We don't need to push young women away. What we need to do is embrace these young women who are coming at it in their own way in their own time."

Lawton, the president and CEO of Americans for Campaign Reform, says she got out of politics because of influence money was having on the process. She had planned to stay publicly neutral in the primary, but says Gabbard's endorsement gave her the courage to step up for Sanders.

"Not that I had anything to lose like she did," Lawton says, explaining that Gabbard's relationship with the Democratic establishment was scarred by backing Sanders.

"Unless the Democratic Party establishment has has the wisdom to embrace the people and agenda of Bernie Sanders, it will be difficult to move back into a position where they would hold [Gabbard] aloft."



"After all we have done for you," one white Ohio woman said to Turner, an African American, after the event. The woman, Turner recalled, had a deadly look in her eyes, irate that Turner had not endorsed Clinton. Earlier that day, Turner had explained that Sanders was her pick for president because she was attracted to his message, style and strong beliefs. She did not mention his gender. "The irony [is] that women who want choice over their bodies don't think that I should have a choice in the candidate I support," Turner says. "I proceeded to let her know that I didn't care about her disappointment." …. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, one of two female members of Congress to endorse Sanders, has also faced criticism. She had been in Washington for less than three years, as a Congresswoman for Hawaii and a Vice Chair of the Democratic National Committee, when she says she felt a need to get off the sidelines. "From that position, I was getting increasingly frustrated," Gabbard says, reflecting on her position as vice chair of the DNC, which she says tried to prevent her from making an endorsement. So she resigned. …. Turner, meanwhile, said it is Sanders' "righteous indignation" that attracted her to his campaign. Before endorsing the Vermont senator, Turner says she spent time going back and studying his history. She listened to his speeches from the '70s and '80s where he focused in on the same issues that he is talking about on the campaign trail today: income and wealth inequality. "He didn't have to stand up for civil rights," Turner says of the days that he advocated for gays and lesbians, and African Americans. "But he did."


“Tara Mosely-Samples, a Sanders supporter and Councilwoman from Akron, Ohio, recalls that after endorsing Sanders the establishment shunned her by not inviting her to the Ohio black legislative caucus in Columbus. Other democrats from Ohio told her she was "meant to be supporting the woman." One of the greatest weaknesses of the African American community in my view is that too often they don’t break out of the pack and pursue individual goals and personal decisions as much as whites do. That means crucial personal choices as well as political choices. In the news I saw a month or so ago a leading African American minister sitting down with Sanders over a meal to talk, apparently as a representative for the black community. Shortly after that, within days and seemingly as a direct result of it, a black bloc emerged in support of Hillary.

It is clear to me that Sanders has the most helpful platform for all non-wealthy people in the US, as Ms. Turner said above. I would like to know what were the many things that Hillary did for “them.” The Ohio white woman’s use of the phrase “after everything we did for you…” sounds a lot like the “you people” phrase that used to so enrage blacks.

Turner, apparently, was not impressed by what sounded like a threat and an implication that she had no right as a black person to choose Sanders over Clinton. As she explained, she listened to his speeches from the '70s and '80s where he focused in on the same issues that he is talking about on the campaign trail today: income and wealth inequality. "He didn't have to stand up for civil rights," Turner says of the days that he advocated for gays and lesbians, and African Americans. "But he did." Several news articles showed pictures of Sanders as a young man in Civil Rights marches. He just hadn’t said much about it “lately.” As a result, a group of young black people from BLM confronted him in his speech about it. He quickly corrected the record.

I will also mention this for what it’s worth. Could Hillary’s campaign have made some donations to black causes just to get their support? I certainly hope not; because I want to feel okay about voting for her in November if Sanders fails to get the nomination, which it appears is becoming too likely. It does look as if Wall Street and, from what I hear, the Koch brothers as well have bought enough Democrats to strongly affect their political stands.


http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/22/politics/bill-nye-the-science-guy-climate-change/index.html

Bill Nye 'the Science Guy' gets political
By Deena Zaru, CNN
Updated 1:39 PM ET, Fri April 22, 2016

Photograph -- Sarah Palin rips Bill Nye over climate change 01:02
Video: Creationist debates Bill Nye on evolution 03:42

New York (CNN)On the eve of Earth Day, environmental activist Bill Nye told CNN that while everybody is more aware of climate change "than ever before," we still have a long way to go.

The science educator and engineer, who became an icon on his 1990s hit show "Bill Nye the Science Guy," criticized the Republican presidential candidates and the fossil fuel industry for not acknowledging the deleterious effects of climate change.

"There's still a very strong contingent of people who are in denial about climate change," Nye said. "And if you don't believe me, look at the the [sic] three people currently running for president of the world's most influential country who are ... climate change deniers," Nye said, referring to the three Republican presidential candidates: Donald Trump, Ted Cruz and John Kasich.

Kasich, the Ohio governor, did say climate change is occurring and humans contribute to it, but said the Environmental Protection Agency should not regulate emissions.

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Meanwhile, the Texas senator and the billionaire mogul disagree with the vast majority of scientists who say the earth is getting warmer and human activity has contributed to the heating climate.

Trump, who has been outspoken on the issue on Twitter, once claimed "The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive."

The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 6, 2012

"Climate change is a conspiracy of scientists to enable China to take jobs? Dude, really?" Nye responded, slamming Trump's comment as a "lazy-thinking" conspiracy theory.

"If only there were 60 people we could just track down who are responsible for everything being screwed up that would be great, but that's not how it is," Nye said. "The world's getting warmer because there's 7.3 billion people tying to live the way we live in the developed world ... by continuing to burn fossil fuels."

Weighing in on the spat between Democratic candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, in which Sanders accused the Clinton campaign of taking money from the fossil fuel industry, Nye said that although he is not familiar with the finances of either campaign, everyone burns fossil fuels.

A Washington Post-ABC News poll, conducted ahead of the 2015 United Nations Conference on Climate Change in Paris, found that climate change continues to divide Democrats and Republicans.

The survey found that more than eight in 10 Democrats say global warming is a serious problem and 65% want the federal government to intervene. Meanwhile, nearly six in 10 Republicans say it is not a serious problem and less than a quarter polled support government action to tackle it.

"I think it's a partisan issue, if I understand it, because the conservatives have decided to embrace money from the fossil fuel industry," Nye said.

But Nye, who recently authored the book, "Unstoppable: Harnessing Science to Change the World," predicted that shifting demographics will eventually force politicians to acknowledge climate change and address it.

"Don't be surprised after the conservatives or the Republicans pick somebody, that person will say that he or maybe even she accepts the reality of climate change and wants to do something about it," Nye said. "And the reason he would do that is that they need millennial voters."

Many of those millennials grew up watching "Bill Nye the Science Guy," which ran from 1993-1998 and won 19 Emmy Awards during its five-season run.

"I love science. I love using science to solve problems and make things and I was born in the U.S. to two veterans of World War II," Nye said. "I am naturally patriotic -- I can't help it -- so I want the U.S. to lead the world in addressing climate change."

Nye is still passionate about sharing his enthusiasm for science with America's youth and is doing so as the CEO of the Planetary Society.

"What we do at the Planetary society is get people excited about outer space," Nye said. "We want everyone in the world to know the cosmos and our place within it."



"There's still a very strong contingent of people who are in denial about climate change," Nye said. "And if you don't believe me, look at the the [sic] three people currently running for president of the world's most influential country who are ... climate change deniers," Kasich, the Ohio governor, did say climate change is occurring and humans contribute to it, but said the Environmental Protection Agency should not regulate emissions. …. "If only there were 60 people we could just track down who are responsible for everything being screwed up that would be great, but that's not how it is," Nye said. "The world's getting warmer because there's 7.3 billion people tying [sic] to live the way we live in the developed world ... by continuing to burn fossil fuels." …. A Washington Post-ABC News poll, conducted ahead of the 2015 United Nations Conference on Climate Change in Paris, found that climate change continues to divide Democrats and Republicans. The survey found that more than eight in 10 Democrats say global warming is a serious problem and 65% want the federal government to intervene. Meanwhile, nearly six in 10 Republicans say it is not a serious problem and less than a quarter polled support government action to tackle it. …. "Don't be surprised after the conservatives or the Republicans pick somebody, that person will say that he or maybe even she accepts the reality of climate change and wants to do something about it," Nye said. "And the reason he would do that is that they need millennial voters."


They need millennial voters. Too many politicians don’t have opinions. They have “talking points.” There just isn’t anything that is ethically clean, these days, if there ever was. It used to be standard practice for political candidates to openly go out on the streets and buy votes, often with liquor. A Washington Post article from 2012 describes several different ways in which such bribery is carried out to this day.

Nye said that Kasich does not deny mankind has some effect on climate change, but he doesn’t think there should be any government regulations on the matter. Curse words to a Democrat are MFSOB and GD, but to Republicans it’s Taxes and Regulations. How like a Republican, and why I won’t vote for one, even if he is a Moderate?

Trump, on the other hand has created his own conspiracy theory. The uneducated whites just love those. "The Chinese did it" to gain market competitiveness. I do hope that Republicans will someday come humbly up to the altar and confess the sin of lying about climate change in order to continue receiving big money from the oil and coal industries. Of course, by that point, half of the human population and all of the wildlife on the earth will be dead. That’s an exaggeration, but not an inaccurate description of the trend of the situation.