I retain the belief that the motivations of Bernie Sanders’ voters – a fair society with decent pay, healthcare, working conditions, immigration justice and the ultra wealthy paying their share – will not be affected today by the massive media hype of the right wingers coalescing around the corrupt and inept Joe Biden. I therefore expect that in 24 hours Bernie will be well down the path to becoming the Democratic nominee.
I should like to believe that the leaked DNC emails of four years ago will yet have a vital effect. By exposing the way Hillary and the DNC rigged the primaries and cheated Bernie out of the nomination last time, they have already made people far more alert for procedural cheating this time. That background will also make it far tougher for the right to mobilise unelected superdelegates to undemocratically prevent Bernie from getting the nomination. It is not a good look to cheat him again. If people did not know about the hidden cheating last time, fixing the Convention would be a simpler sell.
I maintain the hope that the novel coronavirus will prove less virulent and less potent than generally feared. If I am wrong, the USA will shortly experience the massive difference in ability to control an epidemic when ordinary people are not covered by an adequate public health service. Similarly, we in the UK will understand that the Tory policy of running the NHS at 99% capacity as a norm is ridiculously improvident; the expense of carrying a substantial spare capacity for emergencies ought to be part of any decent planning, a principle which has been scandalously neglected.
Here is an interesting irony for you. Almost everybody on the left in the UK, and certainly anybody who has expressed the slightest concern at the appalling repression of the Palestinian people, has been slurred and falsely abused as an anti-semite these past four years. Yet every friend of mine who has been falsely slurred as an anti-semite is, like me, rooting strongly for Bernie Sanders to become the first Jewish President of the United States. Meanwhile the Guardian, which in the UK has led the charge against the left with an average of over 8 articles a week in 2019 accusing left wing figures or the left in general of anti-semitism, is pulling out all the stops to prevent Bernie becoming the first Jewish President of the United States.
The Guardian has rebranded as Joe Biden News. When Kath Viner became Editor it targeted the Clintonite identity politics right for its much needed online revenue increase. Last night its US Politics livestream ran 16 straight items gushing about Joe Biden, his rallies and his endorsements from Buttigeig, Klobuchar and a stream of other irrelevant right wing figures.
Today’s Guardian Online Front Page: The Guardian is Rebranding as Joe Biden News
I am personally pleased that the right has finally settled on the hopeless Biden as its standard bearer. I wonder if we will now be allowed to ask why Burisma paid Hunter Biden $850,000 to be non-executive director of a Ukrainian gas company which he never even visited? It is a fine example of the complete departure of rationality from political life that, even when appalling corruption is laced with geopolitical implications touching on issues of war and peace, you are not allowed to point out the stinking mess without being labeled as a supporter of Trump.
Finally, after the Russiagate 2 “Bernie is a Russian Puppet” effort fell rather flat, those united US intelligence agencies are still attacking with a message which scarcely pretends to be anything other than an attempt to damage Sanders by gross libel and insinuation. The curious involvement of Pompeo and Barr in this tells us one thing fairly plainly. Trump would much prefer to face Biden than face Sanders. He is of course right. If the Democrat establishment block Sanders in favour of another bought and paid for Wall Street puppet, they will end up with Trump until 2024 – and then Ivanka.
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I was aware of that. Perhaps I should have headed my comment with this quote
“I maintain the hope that the novel coronavirus will prove less virulent and less potent than generally feared. If I am wrong, the USA will shortly experience the massive difference in ability to control an epidemic when ordinary people are not covered by an adequate public health service. “
Craig: Swallowing the Trump flounder whole again?
Barisma my ass. Better focus on your domestic troubles. Boris’ success is your own Donald Jesus Trump Zeitgeist.
“It is a fine example of the complete departure of rationality from political life that, even when appalling corruption is laced with geopolitical implications touching on issues of war and peace, you are not allowed to point out the stinking mess without being labeled as a supporter of Trump.”
I would say Craig dealt with your point fairly comprehensively there. Republicans are the party of ‘law and order’ only so long as it’s not their men doing the asset stripping, yeah?
Craig’s principles, pure and snow like, are as pronounced as the severed nose on his face.
2 thumbs, 4 fingers and peyote?
Здравствуйте
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Moderation?
Very Putinesque..
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All I said was ‘hello’ in Russian ffs. 🙂
Добрый вечер 🙂 Просто посмотрела значение этой татуировки. Это забавно. 6 пальцев и психоактивные вещества 🙂
“Gonzo journalism is a style of journalism that is written without claims of objectivity, often including the reporter as part of the story via a first-person narrative. ” (c) Wiki
Вы журналист этого направления?
@ Tatyana March 3, 2020 at 18:31
Hunter S. Thompson is generally accepted as the creator of gonzo journalism.
He is also said to have filmed a boy being sadistically sexually abused, then murdered, in a snuff movie at Bohemian Grove.
It is also claimed he ‘committed suicide’, however it is highly likely he was ‘suicided’, because he seemed to have realised the error of his ways, and was writing a book exposing White House sexual abuse of children. The manuscript was never found, though many people knew of its existence, It may even have included his own role in the abuse.
The fix has been in for a long time. It has been played out slowly to preserve #TheAppearanceOfDemocracy
From Caitlin Johnston
“Dems Converge Around Dementia-Addled Warmonger Ahead Of Super Tuesday”
‘Back in January, well before the Democratic primary race had taken on its current composition, independent journalist Ruth Ann Oskolkoff reported that a source had heard from high-level Democratic Party insiders that they were planning to install Joe Biden as the party’s nominee, and to smear Bernie Sanders as a Russian asset’
‘“On January 20, 2020 at 8:20 p.m. PDT I received a communication from a reliable source,” Oskolkoff wrote. “This person had interactions earlier that evening with high level party members and associates of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) who said that they have now selected Biden as the Democratic Party nominee, with Warren as the VP. They also said the plan is to smear Bernie as a Russian asset.”’
https://medium.com/@caityjohnstone/dems-converge-around-dementia-addled-warmonger-ahead-of-super-tuesday-37f510044d15
bernie went all in on the trump is putin’s puppet fairytale. anybody with half a brain could have told him his buddies would use it on him next time round.
that’s the single position he has that really bothers me zoot. but otoh he doesn’t seem warlike toward russia, and he can learn. i hope he installs gabbard as sec of state or defense, if he wins.
that would be great, unfortunately she’s another who hillary and co have smeared as a russian asset.
“…unfortunately she’s another who hillary and co have smeared as a russian asset….”
Practically a requirement nowadays for honest candidates.
**Snaffled from rms** (stallman.org)
2 March 2020 (Rather destroying the party)
Most of the Democratic Party’s “superdelegates”, those who will vote at the convention but are not selected by voters, seem to want to block Sanders from running at any cost — even the destruction of the Democratic Party
Some “moderate” Democrats openly tell the public to like it or lump it, if that happens.
*DNC Superdelegate Promoting Brokered Convention Is a Significant GOP Donor, Health Care [business] Lobbyist.*
Internal democracy left the Democrars a long time ago. Why is anybody still interested in them?
Pyrhhic victories are for those least disappointed in democratic republics, and most envious of power in the abstract.
In other words, it’s the hope, rather than a sustainable path to support the unelectable like Sanders and then sip your whine slowly to keep it sweet.
I suspect Craig and minions who applauded the split vote that brought us the Iraq debacle were championing Ralph Nader.
the iraq debacle was fully supported by the democrats. i suspect you know that. fdr won 4 terms. sanders is an fdr democrat. he is electable.
wise words. time to give electable hillary another try?
for ben i think it might be. he doesn’t seem aware that clinton owned the dnc in 2016.
You seem to be forgetting that she got more votes than Trump….their problem lies in fptp and the college electoral system
the whole world knew which swing states were going to decide it. she lost them all.
The only way for third parties to become credible competitors for power is for enough people to start voting for them.
When you vote for what you don’t believe in, that’s when you throw your vote away.
To play the lesser evil card one party has to be less evil than the other. The DNC, Hillary and co. have stated their enthusiasm for more more Iraq style dabacles.
It’s a kind of mental relief game. We pretend that, Sanders, if elected would lead to a better society than if Trump wins again. Just like we pretended that Corbyn if elected, would have been able to change our God-awful society. So awful are things that, childlike, we indulge in these fantasies to feel better.
The reality is that pseudo-progressives like Corbyn and Sanders are only relatively progressive and, when push comes to shove, they reveal their actual reactionary natures. Hence Corbyn’s support for Trident, the market; his silence, when it mattered over Assange, his adoption of the wholly-flawed anti-Semitism definition, his failure to stand up for Chris Williamson, Jackie Walker, Ken Livingston et al. Similarly, Sanders’ “socialism” is as near to actual socialism as Jack Straw’s policies and voting record. He betrayed his voters the last time when, clearly shafted by Clinton and the DNC, he then endorsed the murderous bitch.
So, whilst voting for Corbyn and Sanders may make one feel better, you’re kidding yourself that, if actually elected, they’d follow progressive policies. Even if the powers that be were prepared to allow such policies, which they’re not. Elections will change nothing but personalities. So dream on.
you’re kidding yourself if you think this concerted right wing action against sanders is a mirage. you’re kidding yourself if you think the housing crisis, the income inequality crisis, and the healthcare crisis will not be addressed by sanders. your concern sounds like trolling.
Ingwe
Absolutely right.
As my old Granddad used to say:
“Same toffee, just a different wrapper.”
Isn’t it better to actually find that out rather than make assumptions
Sky
He got his call-up paper on Christmas Eve, 1939.
‘State enslavement.’
100 years of ‘democracy’ not enough?
One thing his (and millions of others) service did, was give us our NHS.
When war was looming The Beveridge Report was the sweetener – so:
“Give us the tools, and we’ll do the job.” was the workers’ reply to the government; they didn’t want pay rises again like in 1919, that were soon inflated away, and some, by the 20’s. Something permanent, that would be there for their children and grandchildren, was needed.
Prior to this, the owners’ refrain had always been (their attitude to free healthcare)
“If health was a thing that money could buy, the rich would live and the poor would die.”
Voting? They’d be fobbing you off today, yet, if you relied on that.
so why are the powerful bothering to try and stop him?
trying isn’t a strong enough verb, a full scale attack on sanders, propping up the dementia addled biden. they don’t have anybody else, all the other dinos have fallen by the wayside. if you want to see a fake progressive, try the right winger warren.
i know, as will be proven when she refuses to endorse bernie (again)
Perhaps they have agreed to loose this one and are putting up a no hope candidate, so as to keep Bernie out this time round. The motive could be more to do with their own control of the Democrats than of America, but they don’t see that they are going to destroy the Democrats.
Of course Ingwe. But I think it is missing the point. Right now the battle is between ultra-nutcase and pseudo-decent. When the ultra-nutcase is vanquished, you then stand a better chance of moving the pseudo-decent toward the almost-okay.
@ Ingwe March 3, 2020 at 18:54
The PTB knew damn well that Corbyn meant business with his progressive Left policies, which is why they threw the book, and the kitchen sink, at him. The thousands of mainly young new voters who joined the Labour Party because of him knew it too.
The whole country was shafted with the MSM and Fifth Column ‘New Labour’ smears, foreign interference and voting fraud which donated the General Election to the Bullingdon Bozo.
We’ll never know unless we fight for him or ourselves or the ideas we share, right now.
@Paul Barbara March 3 at 20:08-I don’t doubt that Corbyn wanted all the progressive policies that he advocated and which, as you point out, led to thousands of young voters joining the Labour Party. And he may well have intended to put them into place had he been elected. The problem was that it was his abandonment of those who shared his professed beliefs when pressured by his Parliamentary colleagues that betrayed his ideals. Faced with a choice of standing and fighting with working people, including those thousands of young voters for socialist beliefs chosen by members or seeking the support of Labour MPs and the media, he chose the latter. He disregarded his electoral base and accepted bad policies.
He knew he would never get the support of the media but instead of accepting this and following his mandate, he abandoned nearly everything that gave him popularity.
And in answer to J at 22:06-we do know. Sanders is as ready to abandon his principles as he was last time. When he endorsed Clinton with all the awfulness she stood for.
@ Ingwe March 3, 2020 at 23:49
I too was very disappointed with his giving way before the anti-Semite allegations.
The Fifth Columnist Bliarite and Zio elements within and associated with the Labour Party, not to mention the MSM and foreign lobbyists, were and remain very powerful.
It is certainly good to see the support for a decent person like Bernie after decades of Americans being made so sick with their gun festishes, their addiction to fantasies of economic growth, their blatant racism, their sabotage of healthcare, their colonialist invasions, and their anti-socialist pathologies.
But I suspect that relentless abuse campaigns, similar to those seen in the UK, will soon begin gradually to undermine the support he has.
Meanwhile, I’m not sure if I should continue to be astonished by the complete failure of leadership on the part of the Tories. They seem to have always a free pass for all the times that they shit on the public, squander public money, ruin the economy. What kind of ignoramus or asshole do you have to be to mark Tory on your ballot? Seriously. You’d think that after Thatcher, there should have been a tacit ‘never again’ attitude. But no, the brainless British love their facists and love to lick the shit-trodden boot that steps on them.
Sadder still, though, is the situation for Labour. In December, I said it was the end of this party, and that has certainly proven true. They will put forward a phony neoliberal with a slick hairdo and another phony who claims outwardly to be for equality of opportunity but is a blatant elitist wanting to use education to maintain disgusting class hierarchies.
Well it would be Tulsi Gabbard who would get my vote as a dynamic, anti-war candidate who would bring hope to the younger generation that international problems can be resolved without the need to engage in endless warmongering. Whatever his strengths Sanders is still a an old crusty like Biden and Trump and he would serve the cause better by putting his weight behind Tulsi as someone who can break the current crusty mould. Why not a Gabbard – Sanders ticket in that order enabling experience to support the more promising if politically less experienced partner? Sanders would command my respect even more if he did this than continue in his arguably quixotic efforts to secure the presidential power for himself.
Right!
It takes a young person’s health to battle Deep state.
Looks like it could be Super Biden Tuesday, which doesn’t have a nice a ring to it as Bernie.
“The former vice president Joe Biden now leads with 36 percent support nationally.”
“The former vice president meanwhile received a slew of last minute endorsements on Monday from Klobuchar, Buttigieg, Beto O’Rourke and former Senate majority leader Harry Reid as the party’s moderate wing comes together to try to block a Sanders .”
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-election/super-tuesday-live-results-polls-states-2020-trump-biden-sanders-voting-latest-a9370971.html
Centrists of a feather flock together. They say Bernie is too polarizing , as if Trump isn’t.
The problem for the DNC establishment will be if Biden loses heavily to Trump and they go backwards in the House and Senate. They’ll be all out of hiding places. To throw it away in 2016 is one thing – blaming Russia provided a means of avoiding any introspection. To lose again looks like profound incompetence and being out of touch.
“Centrists of a feather flock together. They say Bernie is too polarizing , as if Trump isn’t.”
As if Biden isn’t. The Democrat’s normal coalition is now forever split. The left aren’t going to accept Biden as the “lesser evil” because he’s not.
The Russia thing was to draw attention away from DNC vote rigging against Bernie at the convention.
Bernie must be worth something if these people don’t like him so much.
Republicofscotland wrote:
> “The former vice president meanwhile received a slew of last minute endorsements on Monday from Klobuchar, Buttigieg, Beto O’Rourke and former Senate majority leader Harry Reid as the party’s moderate wing comes together to try to block a Sanders . . .”
A great Caitlin Johnstone’s tweet on this yesterday:
“I’ve had my criticisms of @PeteButtigieg, but he advanced some innovative ideas and as the first openly hey if you’re still reading this the US government is working to legalize the practice of extraditing and imprisoning journalists for exposing its war crimes, free Assange.”
Caitlin Johnstone — Twitter — Mar 2, 2020
https://twitter.com/caitoz/status/1234277519613812736
Good one, Caitlin… Well, at least Bernie Sanders wrote on Julian’s 18-count superseding indictment:
“Let me be clear: it is a disturbing attack on the First Amendment for the Trump administration to decide who is or is not a reporter for the purposes of a criminal prosecution. Donald Trump must obey the Constitution, which protects the publication of news about our government.”
— Bernie Sanders, U.S. Senator and presidential candidate, May 24, 2019
https://twitter.com/SenSanders/status/1132021213717512193
See also:
‘Whoa,’ Says Edward Snowden as Sanders Vows to End Prosecution of Whistleblowers Under Espionage Act — Common Dreams — October 23, 2019
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/10/23/whoa-says-edward-snowden-sanders-vows-end-prosecution-whistleblowers-under-espionage
It just shows how voters are not very well-informed. Bernie’s policies are nothing the US hasn’t seen before and benefitted from. If voters knew that.history they would be unswayed by the slurs against Sanders and unconvinced by Biden. If they knew that even if Sanders was a full-on Commie that he couldn’t take over the US as a communist dictator they would.be unswayed there too.
Agreed. If Biden wins it’s in the bag for Trump. Biden has shown signs of age related dementia,he’s triggered easily and has called voters ‘fat’, ‘damned liars’ and challenged them to fights over questions about Hunter Biden’s activities in Ukraine. He called one young woman a dog-faced pony soldier when she questioned his electability, and his creepy ‘touchy-feely’ antics with kids are enough to make people’s skin crawl. Youtube seem to be hiding one particular video, titled ‘Creepy Uncle Joe’ from Paul Joseph Watson, 2.6m views nevertheless. If it went viral it could destroy his whole campaign.
If the corona virus kills hundreds of thousands or more of Americans and the economy collapses, it may become impossible for Trump to be re-elected, even against Biden.
But why would they opt for someone like Biden? His often incoherent rambling, outright lies and forgetfulness hardly inspire confidence. All Trump will need to do in the Presidential debate(s) is mention Hunter Biden to trigger him. Many think Biden’s next home should be a rest home, not the White House.
So far the death toll in the US isn’t even in double figures so that’s a pretty big ‘if’. Most likely in a couple of months, the coronavirus will be all but forgotten about like most of the other scares the rich and powerful whip up to control us plebs.
Maybe the Ifranian cabinet and MPs should embark on a worldwide diplomatic mission to bring happiness and bedrest or worse to those who are currently ignoring voters for the sake of the deep state, business as usual/war.
At least it would hit the right echelons for once.
@ Goose March 3, 2020 at 20:47
Thanks for that video link – I found it on Yandex, possibly available on other sites.
I seem to recall seeing it previously, but glad you pointed it out.
So many high American officials, including Presidents, have been gross child abusers in the MK-Ultra CIA program – Epstein on steroids.
Dear Mr Murray,Many people here un Argentine feel grateful for all you are doing to get Julian’s Freedom. On february’21st we brought a letter to the UK Embassy in Buenos Aires,asking for Julian’s fredoom.The letter was signed by people from Argentine,Uruguay and Chile,most Friends of Facebook Libertad Assange.I share your hope about Bernie Sanders.I would want to contribute with some money but let me tell you that económic situación is not easy in Argentine.But we’ll considere this .Remaining kindly yours.Love for Julián,his family,his lawyers and those who are claiming for justice there in England.
> …with decent pay…
This timid reformist gradualism puzzles me. The aim is a planned economy with profit playing no role, right? So why not abolish money? Tough to make cash profits from the workers if there’s no cash any more!
It’s been done before, e.g. in anarchist parts of Spain in the 1930s. Democratic Kampuchea abolished money too, no timidity there. It’s true they’re not considered heroes now, but isn’t that just the capitalist press for you? Show some boldness, comrades!
The banksters have been pushing for a cashless economy.
@ Robert Jenkinson March 3, 2020 at 21:17
It’s on the cards, and will literally come about. But the workers will be the losers; they will be paid, and get their benefits, and pay for everything, on plastic cards. So much easier to control the masses that way, and to track transactions for taxing purposes. From one of the horses’ mouthes (Nick Rockefeller). as exposed by Aaron Russo (I had to go to Yandex to find it, as YouTube has removed it – it used to be freely available, but YouTube has realised it’s significance): https://yandex.com/video/preview/?filmId=134849547415250038&text=Aaron%20Russo%3A%20historic%20interview%20youtube&noreask=1&path=wizard&parent-reqid=1583302721470088-910029688185567038900141-vla1-0259&redircnt=1583302727.1
[ Formerly known as ‘Anon1’ ]
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Dear Craig
I love your blog as it is totally conter-intuitive.
Justin Assange – really appreciate what you do here. I personally think he is very guilty and also think he has crossed a line l. But everyone is entitled to a fair trial. Please keep up the good work!
Scottish Independence- dude you were an ambassador. Why do you hate the UK & NI so much?
I dislike your politics but appreciate your views
Gurka the Mercenary wrote:
> Justin Assange – really appreciate what you do here. I personally think he is very guilty and also think he has crossed a line l. But everyone is entitled to a fair trial. Please keep up the good work!
Guilty of what?
Revealing war crimes and corruption that had been covered up by illegal classification?
In this case, The New York Times, The Guardian, Der Spiegel, El País, Al Jazeera, Le Monde… are guilty as well, because they did exactly the same.
Tribunals in both the UK (Judge Bartlett, London, December 12, 2017) and the US (Judge Koeltl, New York, July 30, 2019) have already recognized WikiLeaks as a media organization that, as many other media organizations such as The New York Times, publishes information of public interest leaked by whistleblowers. That is to say, leaks from insiders with legal access to the information who feel the duty to uncover crimes and corruption.
“. . . the First Amendment interest in the publication of matters of the highest public concern. . . . This type of information is plainly of the type entitled to the strongest protection that the First Amendment offers. . . . the documents were of public importance. Therefore, the First Amendment protects the publication . . .”
— Judge John G. Koeltl, July 30, 2019
DNC lawsuit against WikiLeaks dismissed in major free press victory — Defend WikiKeaks — Aug 3, 2019
https://defend.wikileaks.org/2019/08/03/dnc-lawsuit-dismissed/
According to the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ): “Journalism is not a crime, Julian Assange must be released.” They are insisting on this, like many other media organizations.
“Anthony Bellanger, IFJ General Secretary, declared: ‘Julian Assange has therefore not committed any crime. His only crime was to denounce the misdeeds and atrocities of others! Atrocities committed in Iraq and Afghanistan.’”
Brussels: Journalism is not a crime, Julian Assange must be released — International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) — 14 November 2019
https://www.ifj.org/media-centre/news/detail/category/future-of-journalism/article/brussels-journalism-is-not-a-crime-julian-assange-must-be-released.html
With respect Gurka, I suggest that when you turn 13, you start to do a bit more reading.
Gurka, in case you’ve just come out of your Rip van Winkle slumber, the Swedes dropped their investigations into the rape allegations against Julian Assange for the third time.
Further to Paul Barbara
March 3, 2020 at 11:11 Re Greg Palast..
Here is an insightful interview with Greg on Going Underground –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJx5Hyuq8Qw
They can’t use the judaeophobia play on Bernie as on Jezza so they are going for him being a commie!
Is being a communist even a criminal act in USA?
He’s a much better campaigner than Corbyn, there again…who isn’t.
But Sanders, like Corbyn lacks endorsements, and the party hierarchy are making it pretty obvious they are against him and out to stop him.
Tbh, he’d probably be better running as an independent with Tulsi as his running mate , if he’s cheated out of this by the DNC establishment closing ranks. He’s shown he can raise a war chest to fight a campaign and gather big rallies . A three way debate with Sanders, Biden and Trump and his chances of outshining both would be high.
Every genuine report (non msm) from all of Corbyns campaigns showed people genuinely surprised and supportive of his message snd approachibility.
But good of you to ignore my question on the gauntlet being unleashed upon Bernie
Anyone catch former (Bill) Clinton campaign Strategist James Carville’s bizarro TV ramblings when Sanders won big in Nevada, claiming Putin was tonight celebrating? Russia and Putin, are undoubtedly the bogeyman of choice for establishment types to smear opponents with.
Carville’s theory, based on alleged ‘ top secret intel’ was that Putin wanted Sanders to win because…wait for it… Putin knew Sanders would lose to Trump (who Putin really wants to win) got that? The DNC is losing its mind with its paranoia and second-guessing about what Putin wants. The Russians are probably bemused about all this BS, were it not so serious, when people actually believe this crap.
Sanders has had to fight these evidence free assertions ( all ‘top secret’ of course), amplified in the centrist backing media ,and it’s hurt his campaign.
Your misreading of events outside your cultural bubble are revealing.
No one actually thinks the dildo Rasputin wants anything other than chaos to cover his serial rape of voting legitimacy and self-rule.
If possible, he has even more a dicktator than Donald Jesus Trump. Yet you foster a plethora of angst, apparently to assist his endeavors.
Just once I would like to hear a discouraging word about Russia from Progressives, locked into their Soviet bias.
Soviet bias? Still back in the Cold War?
What makes you think its over…?
They still carp over Yeltsins treatment by the West.
Thats what happens when you partake in stronger strains, Ben, you start hallucinating about the good ol days under McCarthy’s commie hunters.
Just as the Stasi and its shanhaied/blackmailed east Grrmans, these thugs actually believe they are doing a good patriotic duty to America, when they are led by owl worshipping f..knuts. Repent….
I’d wager if everything Russia does, was laid out openly and compared against that which the CIA does in terms of foreign interference, Americans would collectively gulp and apologise to Russia.
Whataboutery is weak Earl Grey, useful idiot.
https://www.newsweek.com/russia-meddling-u-k-election-real-problem-gullible-voters-social-media-disinformation-1476699
Whataboutery is a good thing.
The US spends 10x as much as Russia does on defence. It’s similar story in all other areas too. The US budgets and numbers employed in various agencies and activities dwarfs all other nations put together. The US makes other countries look like amateurs at the interference game too then they’ve got economic sanctions and other methods of disruption. It’s better to be a critic of Russia than the US, even for US’s supposed friends and allies. I’d imagine European leaders are more terrified of upsetting the US thabn any other country beacuse of the US’s reach.
They’re financial pikers now but you attribute their slowdown to choice.
Jeezus you people are dense.
Lack of money , not ambition?
Everyone knows the so-called interference was grossly exaggerated. Billions were spent by Trump and Clinton on profession campaigns, and few hundred crappy social media efforts by Russians are said to have swung the election?
Clinton and her centrist establishment backers couldn’t handle the grim reality that they’d lost to someone like Trump.
Clinton blamed everyone but herself.
Dont change the subject with your Soviet Whataboutery. I haven’t mentioned Hillary once but your obsessive/compulsions exert control over your admissions of guilt on Soviet bias.
Tbh , I wish Putin would step down so the US Democrats and our western media elites (incl. The Guardian) would have to find another bogeyman who threatens ‘ our freedom’ to obsess over, maybe Xi Jinping can fill the ‘meddling in our elections’ claim western politicians seem to need to explain away their unpopularity?
‘Soviet bias’
You think the plutocracy that is modern day Russia resembles the Soviet era?
Geez, what year do you think it is, 1970?
@ Goose March 3, 2020 at 23:03
Well, the PTB do too, but the mass of Russian people don’t.
Goose, its a wind up.
I stopped reading at “pikers” due to the accepted meaning of the word in the UK. This debate about Russia ended for me there.
But the general tone Craig’s post and the concern people have expressed about the bias of the BBC was made real for me this morning watching their upbeat news reports about Biden in comparison to the more dour coverage about Sanders, even when the evidence of our eyes and ears showed the crowds gathered for Sanders were larger and more enthusiatic than those for Biden.
We will only have to put up with this mess until November, when we will get to know who our new overlord will be.
Pete
The Saunders coverage is rather reminiscent of that of Corbyn. Centrism, whatever that is, is what the BBC and the Guardian like now.
Goose,
When USA insists on describing itself as the beacon of democracy for all the humankind – don’t you find it reasonable that all the humankind should have its vote in this elections then? 🙂
Well, invariably the US wants the UK to be its partner in any military endeavour, so of course, we here in the UK are interested in who wins the US presidency.
Less hawkish = good, in my book.
I fear if Trump wins he’ll be encouraged by hawks to launch a war on Iran. Biden would be less inclined. Whereas Sanders would almost certainly resist and try to revert to the terms of the JCPOA
@ Tatyana March 3, 2020 at 22:36
I reckon the Russians would mainly vote for Tulsi, along with most other progressive decent folk worldwide, with Bernie her running mate.
Even with the obvious short comings of the NHS, compared to the US we are VERY lucky not to have their system …yet.
The US probably have a lot more cases then is officially recognised, working low waged will not be able to afford to be diagnosed, the US will probably be hit hard by the coronavirus.
A US resident racked up a $3,200 hospital bill for suspected coronavirus treatment, and his insurance only covered part of it. Here’s how the costs broke down.
https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-treatment-medical-bill-hospital-costs-2020-3?r=US&IR=T
Indeed.
The NHS is something we’d really miss if it ceased to exist. Many would have to sell their homes just to pay various costs. We’ve got family relatives who live in N. America and talking to them, they simply can’t believe what is provided at no cost, they are literally in a state of disbelief.
Craig, I think you’re absolutely right about the emails 4 years ago. God bless those who exposed it.
I strongly suspect you’re right about Coronavirus. The incentives are abysmal to get tested, seek care. When contemplating a high $$$ bill: well, come to think of it, I’m sure it’s just the flu. Begins nervously seeking out (cheap) folk and homeopathic remedies… Many will choose seeking professional care, but what percentage across a country of millions will balk? Much, much higher than in countries that enjoy a right to healthcare.
There is profound reluctance to condemn the Oligarchy for election diddling….because….WHATABOUTERY
BTW: WHATABOUTERY is a typical, standard and mainstream CONSERVATIVE tactic.
Question: if Hillary had beaten Trump do you think there would have been any investigation into election meddling?
My guess is we’d have never had any of this ‘collusion’ talk’, which upon hitting a brick wall, later focused on some rather crap, unpersuasive social media stuff linked to Russian accounts.
Absolutely Trump/Boris are your guys
They’re not actually.
I’d prefer Sanders to win the nomination and I do think he could beat Trump as long as the DNC gets behind him. Many US voters, as far as I can tell, desperately want the worries around soaring medical & healthcare costs removed and a system like those in European countries introduced.
So you say. Why should anyone believe you as you foment the very narrative that elected Trump/Boris?
I don’t ‘foment’ anything, except perhaps in your imagination.
I just express an opinion. You can reject it, that’s your choice.
You have no credibility.
Does that compute?
You’re posting on CM’s blog to a limited, broadly like-minded audience. Who would come here to try to ‘foment’ anything?
Suppose someone wanted to influence opinion (which I don’t btw), they’d post on much bigger platforms.
Use a bit of logic, if you’re capable of doing so?
Echo chamber much?
Seeking approval is a purely human instinct..
Behaving like a dick certainly won’t get you any approval.
The DNC will never get behind him for the same reason that the Red Tories, Centrists and Establishment Media (BBC etc) never got behind labour and chose to attack Mr Corbyn instead. There Can Be No Alternative to the current economic model. It isn’t allowed.
Nixon coined it…Ratfuckers operated, and operate under cover of legitimacy, for the purpose of controlling their environment [the Hunter Thompson definition for ‘politics ‘] .no different from today.
If it ain’t broke, dont fix it.
Chaos and confusion is the chosen domain for these ratfuckers. They thrive on angst from social upheaval for the sole purpose of keeping their perverted notion of order.
It’s a sick fucking World and you’re privileged to be a part of it. Crack open a 24-pack and enjoy the rest of the ride. Ain’t it a hoot? 🙂
‘Ben’ is a refugee from the Squonk blog which Alan shut down as he became fed up with the bickering. Best to ignore him.
As usual your facts are muddled. Squonk just wanted the virus as the topic, and it’s his blog so voila!
Much as I share your view of Bernie as the preferred candidate, there ain’t no way that Americans are gonna elect a 78 year old socialist with a dodgy ticker. And if Trump has dirt on Biden and he has to use it further down the road, another four years of Uncle Donald are assured.
If it is Biden vs Trump, many people will understandably be pissed off with the poor choice put before them in November. You’ll have media morons claiming the lack of enthusiasm is due to ‘Russia stoking division and disillusionment with the candidates and system’.
When in reality, they’re really shitty candidates in a country with so many vastly more able individuals to choose from.
I’m hoping Bernie gets the nomination and wins the presidency but at the same time I am not counting the chickens before they have hatched. Bernie has never taken the DNC to task for their betrayal and he even campaigned vociferously for Clinton even after the fiasco was revealed. He’s also a fervent Russiagater and China demonizer and his foreign policy positions are quite mainstream.
As Obama, Trump and even Corbyn habe shown…it is that putting all one’s hope in a day saving political ‘superman’ candidate is a fool’s errand. There is no guarantee that they will be elected…and even if they are, their actions might not match their pre-election rhetoric.
We no longer live in democracies. Keep that in mind before putting your hope in a saviour figure who will very likely disappoint or get thwarted by the political/media establishment before he even has the opportunity to do so.
Take the Baalbek route and just pour scorn on anybody who dares to stand up against the uninhibited rule of the rich.
The ‘candidates’ are mostly over 70, $millionaires/billionaires and past/ present/future warmongers. What a sick system. I pity the Americans.
Save your pity for home. Sanders is left of any figure likely to be in the next shadow cabinet, no matter what age they happen to be.
One of the many ways in which the USA now resembles the old USSR.
It must be great fun being a Guardian journalist these days,
“Please miss Viner yes miss please miss who do we hate today?”
“You hate the evil woman-groper Donald Trump.”
“Please miss yes miss please miss who do we love today?”
“You love the evil woman-groper Joe Biden.”
“Thank you miss please miss yes miss.”
https://www.theguardian.com/gnm-press-office/2019/mar/14/the-guardian-us-appoints-michael-balabanov-as-senior-vice-president-of-sales
Guardian Online viewing –
36.98% down 5.84% United Kingdom
22.77% up 6.78% United States
7.16% up 14.08% Australia
4.15% up 9.65% Canada
2.53% up 8.69% Germany
https://www.similarweb.com/website/theguardian.com#overview
Hello Craig,
Well, hate to break it to you but your wishful thinking about the Sanders vs Biden primary has proved wrong: Biden made massive gains on Super Tuesday, and Sanders losing in 8 states. From the WSWS.org website to wit-
‘Former Vice President Joe Biden won the majority of the “Super Tuesday” states yesterday, capturing eight of the 14 states outright—Alabama, Arkansas, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Virginia.’
I’m totally with you in hoping for a Bernie Sanders victory and nomination. The thing is, Sanders is fighting the entire corrupt DNC establishment and its billionaire capitalist backers–not to mention its corporate media propaganda bullhorn (like the insufferable Grawn you mention, or CNN, MSNBC, FOX et al) which never misses a chance to smear, degrade and put down Sanders. Just like they rigged it 2016 for Clinton, they will rig 2020 for Biden.
Put it this way: there is no way in hell that a banana republic military police state wage slave plantation like the USA will ever allow a progressive person who wants to make the USA a better place for working class Americans to win. Being American, I’ve been through too many prez elections over the past half century to expect otherwise. I’ve had my hopes for someone like Sanders winning crushed too many times in the past. I’m amazed anybody still pays attention to these farcical sham “elections” in USA any more: who cares? Rest assured, the capitalist plutocrats and the will always cheat, bribe and bullshit their man into first place 🙁
There is a bigger problem here and that’s that we’re now going to get months and months of will-he-won’t-he, and in nearly a year’s time Trump will probably still be President and all that time that could have been spent examining the real issues will have been squandered.
While everyone is getting their hopes up, following the circus and being divided against each other, the real business of the United States goes on without proper accountability or space in the media to address the issues.
We had something very similar in the UK with 18 months of the Brexit circus and the possibility of Corbyn winning an election. In the end, almost the entire time was wasted and we landed us back at square one last December.
Woo Hoo, big win last night for the DNC. Their man is back from the dead (unless your measuring brain activity).
Faced with the proposition; beat Trump with Sanders or loose to Trump with Biden, they would reply with ner a moment’s hesitation “We want Biden”.
Nancy Pelosi graduated in 1962 with a Bachelors of Arts in political science (political science now there’s an oxymoron). A political hack all her life, her current salary (and highest remuneration ever attained) is $193k. Her net wealth is $16m. Now that’s a lot of fat brown envelopes.
In 2014, the Centre for Responsive Politics (?), an apparently non partisan outfit, estimated her wealth at $101,273,023, making her the 8th richest member of Congress. ‘Wealthypersons.com’ estimates her wealth, as of March 2020, at $140,000,000. She was in the news recently for being worth at least $100,000,000. A lot of envelopes indeed. Apparently it’s all down to shrewd investment…
US idiots who have never got over sacking their monarch ultimately appointed an apolitical faux tv emperor. So why would they elect Bernie, someone who ‘does’ politics and isn’t ex-military, house aristocracy, holywood or disneyland? Spectacular NRA sponsored ‘shoot yourself in the foot’ election.
Friends of the Foetus in the room of many religions ain’t voting Bernie and shouldn’t be underestimated (notably amongst older black voters. . Whereas Sleep Joe is known to be soft on abortion..
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/27/us/politics/joe-biden-abortion-hyde-amendment.html
I suspect the Guardian has secretly appointed Titania McGrath as editor.
“He had one senator support him. Nobody likes him. Nobody wants to work with him. He got nothing done. He was a career politician. It’s all just baloney, and I feel so bad that people got sucked into it.”Nobody likes him. Nobody wants to work with him. … It’s all just baloney,” the 2016 Democratic presidential nominee says.
Hillary Clinton gives Bernie Sanders a reference.
“The broken heart. You think you will die, but you just keep living, day after day after terrible day.” Miss Havisham, Great Expectations.