2020 Presidential Election

[kittygrrl]

Originally Posted by WheatToast

People have opinions they deserve to express--but when the premise is based on horseshit that is wholly inaccurate, shall we refrain from correcting the record lest we hurt someone's little feelers? We are entitled to our own opinions, but not our own facts.
Politics is a rough business and a rough topic.
Mollycoddling is for kids and old people.

agreed we're not entitled to our own facts..nevertheless the infection is invading the democratic base..it's like the plague, it doesn't discriminate

[C0LLETTE]

Originally Posted by WheatToast

People have opinions they deserve to express--but when the premise is based on horseshit that is wholly inaccurate, shall we refrain from correcting the record lest we hurt someone's little feelers? We are entitled to our own opinions, but not our own facts.
Politics is a rough business and a rough topic.
Mollycoddling is for kids and old people.

What patronising muddled poppycock!

Am I to understand from this that you are tough and can handle the rough business/topic of politics while I, an old woman, am to be sidelined, mollycoddled and lumped in with kids? My "little feelers" are definitely hurt.

[charley]

In rereading some of the above posts, I confess that I was so busy prior to retiring that I really hadn't been following in detail what was happening re: American politics; and, so when Trump won the election a few years ago, I was somewhat surprised, to say the least. However, life is a learning process, and since that surprise and rereading posts here, and being online and chatting (elsewhere), and even though participating here in this thread and others, I was not expecting to learn anything of import, but I have to say thanks everyone for your input. It wasn't what I had expected, but learning is always discovery. And, I now think I understand why Trump won his election.

[Martina]

https://jacobinmag.com/2019/01/eliza...m-progressives

I certainly prefer Bernie to Warren. These differences are very real, but what a relief it would be to have Warren over other more conservative Dems if Bernie doesn't run or does not fare well in the primaries.

[dark_crystal]

Harris announced today! I think she would be a good nominee. I was watching some videos of her and she’s very sharp

[MsTinkerbelly]

Originally Posted by dark_crystal

Harris announced today! I think she would be a good nominee. I was watching some videos of her and she’s very sharp

I’m a big fan of Kamala Harris, both for her work as the AG of California, and as a Senator from California.

Things are getting exciting!

[homoe]

Originally Posted by dark_crystal

Harris announced today! I think she would be a good nominee. I was watching some videos of her and she’s very sharp

I loved watching her grill some of those bastards who appeared before her and the committee on the hill especially Kavanaugh! She not only tough, she's also nobody's fool as well!

[dark_crystal]

Here is where Harris is going to have problems (i don't endorse this magazine, but wanted to show what will come out):

Kamala Harris’ New Book Tries to Massage Her Record as a Prosecutor, But the Facts Aren’t Pretty

As California Attorney General, Harris' office continued to display indifference toward concerns of misconduct. In March 2015, the California A.G. appealed the dismissal of a child molestation case after a Kern County prosecutor falsified an interview transcript to add an incriminating confession.

Harris' office, citing state court precedent, tried to argue that the prosecutor's action "was certainly conscience shocking in the sense that it involved false testimony by a prosecutor in a formal criminal proceeding. But it did not involve 'brutal and … offensive' conduct employed to obtain a conviction." In other words, the defendant's false confession wasn't beaten out of him, and therefore didn't violate his constitutional rights. The appeals court disagreed and threw out the conviction.

In another 2015 case, Baca v. Adams, Harris' office opposed a post-conviction appeal by a defendant who was sentenced after the prosecutor in his case lied to the jury about whether an informant received compensation for his testimony. A state court found the prosecutor's testimony was "sheer fantasy," but declined to overturn the conviction.

As attorney general of California, Harris challenged the release of a man who had been exonerated by the Innocence Project and had his conviction overturned. Harris argued that Daniel Larsen, who spent 13 years in prison for the crime of possessing a concealed knife, had not produced evidence of his innocence fast enough. A federal judge overturned his conviction after finding that Larsen had shown he was innocent, that the cops testifying at his trial weren't credible, and that his attorney, since disbarred, was constitutionally ineffective because he had failed to call any witnesses.

When the Supreme Court decided that California's overcrowded prisons represented cruel and unusual punishment, Attorney General Harris fought a ruling ordering California to release some of its prisoners. Harris claims she had to fight the ruling for Gov. Jerry Brown. "I have a client, and I don't get to choose my client," she said. But the attorney general in California is an independent, elected position, not an appointee serving at the governor's pleasure.

In October of 2016, just before she faced voters in her Senate bid, Harris spearheaded the arrest of current and former Backpage executives on charges of pimping and conspiracy, under the (ultimately unsuccessful) theory that providing an open online platform for user-generated content made them responsible for any illegal activity committed by users who connected through the site. Federal law explicitly says otherwise—something Harris certainly knew, as she had petitioned Congress a few years earlier to change the law so that she and other prosecutors could target Backpage (and its deep assets) through state criminal justice systems. What's more, myriad federal courts have affirmed that prosecutions like the one Harris attempted are illegal.

A Sacramento County Superior Court rejected Harris' case against Backpage, ruling that "Congress did not wish to hold liable online publishers for the action of publishing third party speech and it is for Congress, not this court, to revisit." Undeterred, Harris—as one of her final acts as California's top prosecutor—filed nearly identical charges against Backpage in another California court, a move the First Amendment Lawyers' Association called "a gross abuse of prosecutorial discretion" and part of Harris' pattern of disrespecting due process and constitutional rights.

Meanwhile, an actual underage sex-trafficking scandal implicated dozens of police officers and other local authorities throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Oakland went through two police chiefs trying to address it, with a third doing only questionably better. People were pleading for the state to step in and oversee an independent investigation, since local governments seemed more motivated to quash a PR nightmare than punish public officials. Harris and her office refused to intervene.

[Martina]

Tulsi Gabbard. I don't know much about her, but she was a Bernie supporters.

https://www-m.cnn.com/2019/01/11/pol...www.cnn.com%2F

[homoe]

..

I watched Harris this morning (Friday) on Morning Joe and she has NOT decided yet, but she said she'll be making a decision soon!

[Martina]

Julian Castro now --

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/...o-texas-speech

[dark_crystal]

Originally Posted by Martina

Julian Castro now --

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/...o-texas-speech

There was a big turnout with a lot of energy at the announcement event. The article shows him on record with support for Medicare for all and raising taxes on the wealthy. Do not know about free college or student debt relief. Strong on social justice and compassionate borders.

We could do worse. Could he win?

[Martina]

I don't know. Turn out and energy are what it takes.

I noticed The Real Bernie Sanders FB group renamed itself Real Bernie Sanders / Tulsi Gabbard Activists.

[dark_crystal]

Twitter is already coming for Castro on DASP (Distressed Asset Stabilization Program)

[ksrainbow]

I am currently watching/learning/listening and researching every one who declare they are a 2020 presidential candidate.

For those who are currently in an elected position: their past/current/new future voting habits on issues will be insightful.

For those who are not: I am hopeful there is a past and current fact-based source for me to be informed.

Ks-

[homoe]

Originally Posted by ksrainbow

I am currently watching/learning/listening and researching every one who declare they are a 2020 presidential candidate.

For those who are currently in an elected position: their past/current/new future voting habits on issues will be insightful.

For those who are not: I am hopeful there is a past and current fact-based source for me to be informed.

Ks-

[homoe]

Originally Posted by ksrainbow

I am currently watching/learning/listening and researching every one who declare they are a 2020 presidential candidate.

For those who are currently in an elected position: their past/current/new future voting habits on issues will be insightful.

For those who are not: I am hopeful there is a past and current fact-based source for me to be informed.

Ks-

Likewise I'm doing the same.However, I have a long memory and I will NEVER forget, forgive, nor support any of those women who voted to confirm Brett Kavanaugh!

[ksrainbow]

Originally Posted by homoe

Likewise I'm doing the same.However, I have a long memory and I will NEVER forget, forgive, nor support any of those women who voted to confirm Brett Kavanaugh!

How they voted is definitely one item I will pay close attention too as well!

Ks-

[C0LLETTE]

Go whole hog or go home.

If Bill De Blasio declares, support and vote for him.

[MsTinkerbelly]

Originally Posted by C0LLETTE

Go whole hog or go home.

If Bill De Blasio declares, support and vote for him.

I’m lazy this morning and don’t want to do my own research (yet), what do you think makes De Blasio stand out as a possible President?