The Elephant in the Room… or should I say election.

By Rebellious Renee, Trail Mix Contributor

Watching the debates or reading about this presidential campaign, one might think that George W. Bush’s presidency never happened.  There is almost no mention of him anywhere.  His policies failed and are still being felt by this country.  He inherited a budget surplus and left office with a deficit.  He de-emphasized government organizations such as FEMA and allowed New Orleans to drown.  He went into Iraq before finishing with Afghanistan and left a quagmire…  and with many more terrorists in the Middle East.  He pushed for greater financial de-regulation which resulted in a collapsed economy.

And what is the Republican response to the above.  Either no mention of his name or whispers that he wasn’t “conservative” enough.  Or worse, such as trying to blame the financial collapse on Obama.  Instead of a little introspection, the GOP wants to double down on Bush mistakes.  I shudder to think of what will happen to this country if a Republican wins the presidency.

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oldseahag
8 years ago

I am confused, officially.  no transparency with something as simple as his party affiliation.

http://feelthebern.org/who-is-bernie-sanders/

“Indeed, even though he’s not a member of the Democratic Party, Bernie’s work over the years has led to his appointment to leadership positions on Senate committees and subcommittees.”

Listed as independent on wiki

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

Political party
Independent
(1979-present)[1][2]

https://berniesanders.com/about/

meet the press evcn said he was an independent this am.

then from the candidate himself

“I am a democrat now”

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2015/11/08/bernie-sanders-i-am-a-democrat-now/

 

craigcrawford
8 years ago

Thanks for the contribution Renee — reminder to contributors: please send me an email when you post, so that I can move it out of the pending bin.

whskyjack
8 years ago

Brought forward from previous thread. Sea In Missouri you just register, the only time you declare party affiliation is in the primary where you tell the poll worker what ballot you want.  So it often depends on which election you wanted to participate. When I lived in the Ozarks (republican cause Lincoln won the war) the primary tended to decide the election and It was Republican local and Democrat state wide( this has changed in the last 30 years) So it depended on who I wantd to see elected. A county official then I was a Republican  for that election.… Read more »

craigcrawford
8 years ago

Another housekeeping thing: We have to limit links in a single comment for spam protection. 5 or more links send a comment to the holding pin until I notice it. Oldsea I just moved one of yours that got held to the top of this thread. (So great to see you on here again!)

craigcrawford
8 years ago

One more thing: while I continue searching for a Quote/Reply button like we used to have, you can create a link to someone else’s comment by clicking on the date/time stamp underneath their screen name and get the url for that comment

sjwny
8 years ago

Well now. That last Thread was interesting. The video seemed more like an experiment on psychology than anything else, quite frankly. Kinda felt like a lab rat. Now pass the cheese…

John Kasich was endorsed by the NY Times. What exactly CAN he do with it? Kiss of death?

One thing the HRC/Bernie battle does is make me appreciate Joe Biden even more. He should be made an “Ambassador” for, of & to the Democratic Party after his term is up. Perfect for a role desperately needed.

W’s Reign of Error had one positive effect: it highlighted the importance of Supreme Court appointments.

 

whskyjack
8 years ago

Renee

What has become obvious is that the Bush name is toxic even among Republicans. Poor Jeb all the money in the world and he can’t get above single digits.

Jack

whskyjack
8 years ago

Something I noticed is that instead of just copying the text, my quoted material also posted any link in the article. Looks like that was what caught Sea’s post. That is something that I’ve never had to deal with when commenting.

Jack

oldseahag
8 years ago

sorry craig!!!  can you enlighten us as to whether he is now an enrolled dem or an independent with “an agreement”?

yes, jack that did happen, technology just keeps rolling along..

oldseahag
8 years ago

good post renee- who’d a guessed when we were in the middle of the bush era…..  thought it would never end, but looks like it has!

Jamie44
8 years ago

Whiskey Jack

You throw in “Cause Lincoln Won the War” and immediately, Brother John Prine starts singing.

craigcrawford
8 years ago

No prob Sea, wish I didn’t have to have silly rules like that but I err on the side of stopping spam any way I can.

About Bernie’s status I always thought there would be a challenge at the DNC or state party committees but I don’t know of any.

Blue Bronc
8 years ago

It is a very dirty elephant that the Republicans do not want to talk about.  Nine years post out the door for him, and it is like yesterday.  I think all the clowns in the clown car are so far right or off the page compared to Bush version 2 that they have no reason to talk about him.  The only mention of the guy is when some writer comes up with the story that Bush version 3 “MIGHT” bring him back on the trail.  I know he did that in Colorado a few weeks ago, probably as a trial… Read more »

patd
8 years ago

“I know the rules pertaining to what happens in voting places in NH.” renee, that’s why I called you an expert.  what are the rules in new Hampshire about a candidate getting placed as a democrat (or repub) on the ballot?  doesn’t he have to sign something that says/swears he is of that party?  does he have to show proof of affiliation or merely proof he’s himself?  or does the elections official just take his word for it? one issue is perjury if he signed a gov’t doc swearing he is something he is not. but someone surely would have said something by now if… Read more »

whskyjack
8 years ago

Jamie

one of my favorite songs.

So I stole the phrase because it so accurately describes voting patterns in border states like MO and KY.

Jack

Blue Bronc
8 years ago

Ballotpedia for Colorado

Although Colorado caucuses are soon, I have not heard of a challenge to Sanders, I-VT, running in the Democratic side of things.  It is possible the Republicans will jump in, but unless they are as dumb as a governor who quit in Alaska, they will just let Bernie bern through the Dems campl

Ballotpedia is a good resource.

blueINdallas
8 years ago

Well, if Hillary mentions W, then the fact that she voted to go into Iraq gets brought up.  A point which Bernie does bring up. If you want more poor, foreign policy decisions and support for Wall Street, the Hill’s yer candidate. BTW, just because someone doesn’t support Hillary doesn’t make them a so-called Democrat. Pointing out what she has done is not Clinton-bashing, it’s just facts. I happen to view some of her actions negatively.  If you liked her vote on the Iraq war and her ties to Wall Street, that’s your choice. W’jack – You got Rubio exactly… Read more »

tony
tony
8 years ago

Iraq Resolution Wikipedia “The resolution “supported” and “encouraged” diplomatic efforts by President George W Bush to “strictly enforce through the U.N. Security Council all relevant Security Council resolutions regarding Iraq” and “obtain prompt and decisive action by the Security Council to ensure that Iraq abandons its strategy of delay, evasion, and noncompliance and promptly and strictly complies with all relevant Security Council resolutions regarding Iraq.” The resolution authorized President Bush to use the Armed Forces of the United States “as he determines to be necessary and appropriate” in order to “defend the national security of the United States against the continuing threat posed by Iraq; and enforce… Read more »

blueINdallas
8 years ago

Wow! That mailer Cruz sent to Iowans with their voting records, trying to make it look like an official document.  Sleazy.

How is that kind of thing going to shame or intimidate someone into going out to caucus for him?

 

MadMustard
8 years ago

That’s a great read, RR!  They must think that their last attempt ended in defeat because Mitt’s conservatism was just simply too soft. By comparison, the opinions of the top of this current crop makes GWB look like a Teddy Bear. Double-down on Dubya seems to be the new calculus. Gone is the pretense of ‘compassionate’ conservatism and the neocons’ utopian vision that we will be greeted as liberators. How quaint is that?  By most of their pronouncements, January 21, 2017 will commence with carpet-bombing and a mad scramble for a new national health care system… to name just a few. And,… Read more »

Jamie44
8 years ago

I know we will all may be binge watching the Iowa returns tomorrow but for those who want a lighter fare, hop on over to my place to play movie music of importance to you:  Jamie’s Place For Stuff

tony
tony
8 years ago

George Soros donates $8 million to boost Hillary
The billionaire financier had dialed back his political giving after his failed 2004 effort to oust George W. Bush.
By Kenneth P Vogel
http://www.politico.com/story/2016/01/hillary-clinton-george-soros-218494

Pogo
8 years ago

Nice post Renee.  The prospect of Bush-like policies is the threat regardless of the name of the pugn nominee.  I haven’t heard any pugn who sounds like his or Carly’s policies will be less conservative than Shrub’s were, except perhaps Kasich. But the talk on the ground in Ohio has drifted further and further rightward under his leadership,  so I don’t view even him as a relatively safe pugn alternative.   Unless any pugn who lucks into the presidency goes right they will be eaten alive by the house crazies. It will ultimately be the same choice we always seem… Read more »

patd
8 years ago
patd
8 years ago

John Oliver talks to Jimmy about weird donations when Last Week Tonight started a fake church and explains how he snuck into Russia for a controversial interview.

patd
8 years ago

renee, okay so you are not an expert but am sure you know nh better than I do.

yep, state rules and regs are usually much different than and on different issues as local.  surely there must be as equally stringent rules on id-ing a candidate and how to get on a ballot in which box as there are on id-ing a voter and how many voting booths must be available.

Blonde Wino
8 years ago

Good morning…weather alert woke us as a high wind warning is in effect.  The air is heaving, but I have taken down the chimes and mobile art.   It is an exciting week where politics and football merge into a cluster of disbelief, disappointment and despair.  There can only be one winner. A quote from the Celebrity President —   Your Carolina team is sort of a hot team. And the quarterback’s doing great. I very much have always liked Peyton Manning. He’s a very good guy. I know him. And he’s a very, very good guy. So I have… Read more »

patd
8 years ago

unlike all the tv clips I’ve seen this morning which cut off the last line and in doing so makes her sound more egocentric than necessary,  the guardian quotes her in toto:

“I hope you will caucus for me. I hope you will fight for me,” she implored. “I will fight for you.”

tony
tony
8 years ago

Iowa Caucuses, Voter Anger Drove Cycle By Taylor Marsh THE IOWA CAUCUSES are finally here so it’s fitting to remember what I wrote about Donald Trump http://www.taylormarsh.com/2016/02/iowa-caucuses-voter-anger-drove-cycle/over five months ago. There is nothing more American than the life of Donald Trump, warts, ugliness, insults and politically incorrectness, and the belief that each of us can have the same success. He is the ugly American, with his barbs, loutishness, and childish insults, but he is also the successful American who has beat the system to rise to the oligarchy, the ultimate position of power in U.S. Corporate America. Someone who has played the system… Read more »

tony
tony
8 years ago

Iowa’s Black Caucusgoers by Charles Blow “The Clintons seem to intuitively understand the value of retail politics, particularly when doing outreach to marginalized groups. I can’t tell you how many stories I’ve heard from black people about the time that one of the Clintons — most often Bill Clinton — spoke at or showed up at an event important to the black community. This means something. It adds to an aura of familiarity that doesn’t extend to Sanders. For instance, on Saturday, the second and final day of the “I’ll Make Me a World in Iowa” annual festival, billed as… Read more »

patd
8 years ago

how will weather affect the caucus turn out as iowans brace for blizzards Iowa caucus meetings for Democrats and Republicans are set to begin at 7 p.m. (8 p.m. ET) Monday. Official tallies could be wrapped up between 10 and 11 p.m. (11 p.m. and midnight ET). At the same time, about 3 million people in the region — from Nebraska to Iowa to Minnesota — will be under the gun for a blizzard watch. The watch starts for the southwestern corner of Iowa at 6 p.m. (7 p.m. ET) Monday, CNN meteorologist Rachel Aissen said. Northwestern Iowa’s blizzard watch begins… Read more »

patd
8 years ago

wonkette:
In an enormously surprising turn of events, a woman fired by Donald Trump’s Iowa campaign organization has filed a gender discrimination complaint against the Trump campaign, accusing it of paying men more than women for the same job. Frankly, we’re astonished. We’d have assumed the Trumpoids were far more likely to be hit with a sexual harassment complaint, which just goes to show that Iowa politics is full of surprises.
 

whskyjack
8 years ago

Pat

Given that Bernie spent the weekend working eastern Iowa hard, The track of the storm may benefit him. But then it is Iowa in the winter and you would have to get deep snow before they would notice. No snowmagedon, just Iowa in the winter.

Jack

patd
8 years ago

meanwhile, back in floriduh

Carl Hiaasen: Fantasy sports bet on the Legislature

highlights

Companies contribute to pols, pols do their bidding

A case study in how to game a polluted political system

Spreading tons of money around Tallahassee pays off

oldseahag
8 years ago

renee- wearing your beautiful scarf for luck today!

set up my hillary twitter acct., can’t keep up with those that have thousands, but will do what i can.

Jamie44
8 years ago

Blue,

I added the video for “There’s A Light” for you.

 

oldseahag
8 years ago

great letter of support for hill by mary steenbergen – my apologies if already posted
Voting with your Head and Heart

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mary-steenburgen/voting-with-your-head–yo_b_9104038.html

 

 

Pogo
8 years ago

What I’m seeing suggests it won’t be all that cold (barely below freezing) and won’t snow until after the caucuses are over, except maybe in the SW corner of the state.  These are people who are used to dealing with harsh winters – this should seem like Spring to them. Old folks may stay home because of the warnings, but young folks will stay home because that is what they do. Besides, Superstore, Telenova, The Bachelor, X-files and Supergirl are on tonight.

patd
8 years ago

craigcrawford
8 years ago

New Thread, by Blue Bronc