This may cheer you up:
On Tuesday, in competitive primaries from New Jersey to Iowa to California, voters chose bold progressive Democrats over more conservative and corporate Democrats, handing big victories to the “Elizabeth Warren wing†of the Democratic Party.
Indeed, it was Progressive Super Tuesday. And it is the latest chapter in a larger story we’ve seen play out in American politics since the Wall Street economic wreck.
There’s a rising economic populist tide in America, sweeping into office leaders like Senator Warren, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, and a growing bloc of progressives in Congress.
Ed Kilgore is more cautious. I do think that the days when a milquetoast like Evan Bayh could be taken seriously as a political contender are so over. And, seriously, I do hope a progressive/populist contender for the Dem presidential nomination emerges soon. I fear a Hillary Clinton Administration could set us back.
IMO, it comes down to the notion that people will vote for a real Democrat if said Democrat is bold and articulate enough to be out there with what they really belive in. Finally, after a couple decades of conservative incompetence and Blue Meanies, the Elizabeth Warren Democrats are finally starting to appear. I’ve been waiting ever since George McGovern lost in ’72.
There will be a lot of electrons spilt over Hillary Clinton. I see her less as setting us back, and more as the 800 pound doorstop the Republicans will trip over, a backstop if you will. Of course it would be preferable to get newer blood, even if you discount her age – which was a factor for McCain back when he ran, and they’re roughly contemporaries. She has a tin ear for politics, and would certainly produce some cringeworthy moments. But she’s taken so much crap from the right wing over the years, that she’s not going to be silent about it like BHO.
I’m not exactly a Hillary fan – but, she’s a known and time-tested “brand.”
I, too, would prefer someone much more liberal/progressive running.
But, at the expense of a Cruz/Paul/Ryan/Rubio/Romney 3.0/or Bush III victory, I’ll support and work for her, as hard as I did for Obama, in ’08.
What I’d like to see her do if she does run, is pick a true liberal/progressive as her VP.
Unfortunately, she’ll probably pick someone who’s more appealing to the Murckin’ Heartland – like Schweitzer (even though he’s been very critical of her recently), or someone like that.
We’ll see.
Hilary isn’t perfect. Are you? But just imagine, the most powerful leader on Earth a WOMAN!! Never thought I’d live so long as to see the day come when OUR president is a woman! Heaven grant her strength and wisdom.
buddhacrone — We elected a black president, and for the past six years almost the entire Left has bellyached that he’s not the liberal Jesus we wanted. I’d love to live to see a woman President, but Hillary Clinton is arguably even less progressive and more “corporate” than Barack Obama. Electing her would mean a few days of “hooray! We have a woman President!” Followed by four to eight years of “damn, when will Washington stop toadying up to corporatism?” If she’s the nominee I’ll support her, but I will do so with a heavy heart knowing that she’s almost certainly going to set back the economic populism the nation needs.
buddhacrone,
“But just imagine, the most powerful leader on Earth a WOMAN!!”
I’m getting my John Lennon album out, as I write! 🙂
I’m a year older than Hillary. The last thing I would want is a job as demanding as President of the United States at this age and older. However, if it is something, she thinks she can do, I guess she should. I would support her because as we all know the alternative will be much worse.
“If she’s the nominee I’ll support her, but I will do so with a heavy heart knowing that she’s almost certainly going to set back the economic populism the nation needs.”
I agree.
But imagine how much worse the alternative would be?
Sometimes, the “lesser of two evils,” is truly, “the lesser of two evils.”
Especially when one of those evils has a demonstrated track record of cruelty, war, poverty, and “fail!”
gulag — how many years of “lesser of two evils” can the nation survive? At what point are we choosing between a quick death or a slow one?
I know, maha.
I know…
I’m 56, and I’ve watched this nation’s rapid decline from a first row seat – as have you.
The problem is, that the word “liberal” has successfully been turned into a 4-letter word by the conservatives – and the MSM has devoured that talking point, and fully digested it!
In a perfect world, I’d want a ticket with Elizabeth Warren and Sherrod Brown – with either one at the head of the ticket. Actually, preferably, Warren, because we’ve had 43 white men, and finally, 1 black man.
But we don’t live in a perfect world.
If it’s Hillary Clinton/Brian Schweitzer ticket, it’ll still mean a slower death than a Cruz/Paul/Ryan/Bush etc., ticket.
I don’t have long to go.
Hopefully, in the near future, the kids can pick-up where our generation failed.
FSM knows, I’ve done my share of protesting, and organizing, and GOTV, and whatever…
But, since “Liberalism’s” name has been tainted, and any goals and objectives described by the conservatives, and swallowed by the MSM, as being “Socialist/Fascist/Communist/Utopian,” I feel like I’ve spent my life farting into a hurricane.
Believe me when I say this – and I think you do – I want a REAL LIBERAL/PROGRESSIVE for President, with a majority of liberal/progressive Congress.
But there are still too many old white FOX viewers, Rush listeners, and Drudge/WaPo Op-ed readers out there, for that to happen.
Fascism is rearing its ugly head, not only here, but in a lot of countries – Russia, Ukraine, France, the UK, to name a few.
We have to do what we can to stem the tide here.
And, if it’s a benevolent Corporatist like Hillary, who’s a stop-gap, well, I’d prefer her to the gruesome alternatives.
I’ll take slow incremental change, as opposed to Theocratic Fascism.
At least as I’m dying, I can dream of a better country, and world, for my niece and nephew.
To make my long-@$$ed word-turd above, shorter:
As I lay dying, I’ll hope that, at the worst, the kids will grow old in the America I grew up in:
Far from perfect, but a “CAN DO!”, “strive-for-the-best,” nation – and not the miserable collection of far too many racist, misogynistic, xenophobic, homophobic, Theocratic/Fascistic/Corporatist douche-canoe’s, that we are today.
The Democrats could resurrect Ilse Koch run her as a candidate, and I’d vote for her before I’d vote for any of the degenerate sycophants that the Repugs put up against her.
Whoever the Dem’s field as a candidate it still has to be weighed against the opposition. By the looks of potential GOP contenders it doesn’t look like there’s a candidate who can clinch a sure victory.. Marco Rubio?, Ted Cruz ? Rand Paul? Chris Christie?.. I guess as human being we’re all flawed to some degree, but names listed above represent characters who are seriously flawed and don’t even come close to serious consideration.
Maha, I’m glad you spoke up against the belief some have that All Will Be Good When An XX Chromosome Occupies the Oval Office.
I’ve met a few people who are still completely thrilled that a Black Man made it, and who don’t care about anything else.
I’ll hope that, at the worst, the kids will grow old in the America I grew up in:
Far from perfect, but a “CAN DO!â€, “strive-for-the-best,†nation – and not the miserable collection of far too many racist, misogynistic, xenophobic, homophobic, Theocratic/Fascistic/Corporatist douche-canoe’s, that we are today.
That would be a cool tombstone epitath. Thinking about it.
Hillary Clinton isn’t that much older than I am, and in my experience that generation of Women Who Made It In a Man’s World did so by emulating The Guys, to a large extent. In a crunch their first ingrained reaction often is to prove they can be butch. My suspicions are that under stress, HRC may be more comfortable moving Right than Left, or being more hawkish than dovish, so that she can’t be accused of governing like a girl. When Bill was President a lot of his policy decisions were based on proving he wasn’t some candy-ass liberal. In the 1990s this was politically savvy but didn’t make for good policy.
The “American exceptionalism” that Chris Matthews natters about makes me sick. What obligation to be our better selves does that phrase imply? None. It merely credits an accident of biology and one’s own particular notion of what one deserves.
I totally agree with you Maha. I only hope the younger generations can find a solution to these problems before it is too late. I think the future of America depends wholly on them, now.
That’s a good point, Maha.. It might be wishful thinking on my part but I have a sense that Hillary has been in the arena long enough and has enough battle scars to not be cowed by criticism. I think she knows the game well enough to stand on her own and not be the good little girl to safeguard her image.
I know with the Iraq war she went with the crowd, but I don’t know if she was true to her convictions or just being politically expedient. Again, I have a sense that Hillary is going to be her own person.. and again, maybe I’m seeing things that aren’t there, but I’d be willing to take a chance on her. If Hillary did get the nomination and elected it would be a major psychological and actual defeat for the Repugs. It would destroy their whole concept of what it takes to hold on to political power. I assume women would benefit greatly by being elevated in political stature. a force to be reckoned with.
A lot is going to depend on what happens in the next two congressional elections. In 2016 I think that’s going to be at least as important as who is elected president. If it’s any Democrat, we already know what’s going to happen if the Republicans control either house of Congress: nothing. On the other hand, if it’s Clinton, then the best case would be to have a Democratic House and a 60+ majority in the Senate. Then the Democrats in Congress would have a chance to push for truly progressive measures whether she likes it or not. In the Senate, for instance, Elizabeth Warren would finally have an opportunity to do something big.
Stephen,
From your fingers, to the FSM’s ears!!!