…& another one [DOT 3/3/20]

3/3/20 SplinterRIP 28

…yup…just in time to throw out all that furious calculating the pundits were up to to factor in the boys calling it quits Amy went & pulled the ripcord

Klobuchar Is Ending Her Presidential Bid; Plans to Endorse Biden

…sure is handy if your name rhymes with hidin’

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2020/super-tuesday-03-02

…& say what you will about Liz & Bernie…but between the fact that she’s just bursting with those plans of hers & he’s been banging those drums of his for longer than a good few of this year’s voters have been alive it’s really only Joe & Mayor Stop’n’Frisk that are really doing much of that

…& the hunt for Hunter’s misdeeds may be chasing snipe but the sniping it spawns is real & that’s the ground that Metastasized Atrocities Grifting Americans staked out in its dreams…the old boy ain’t too quick on his feet these days & with the sheer amount of bullshit & mud that’s going to be slung about by the Gerontologically Overextended Psychodramatists over the next few months…well…I don’t know as he’s all that certain to be the last man standing

[…however much the idea of Bernie being a bridge too far for the DNC might be comprehensible to me on the grounds of adding extra weight to the boulder they have to shove up over the wall of resistance the Republicans in both Houses will make it their full-time jobs to erect no matter who might replace president hold-my-beer]

…I’m gonna go ahead & say I think it would be flat out fucking stupid to give the orange asshole the fight he’s been so desperately begging for…which I guess implies a degree of judgement on my part regarding the judgement of these ex-candidates when it comes to handing out endorsements

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2020/mar/02/pete-buttigieg-joe-biden-mike-bloomberg-bernie-sanders-super-tuesday-live-updates

…& I know that there do appear to legitimately be an impressive number of people who have somehow preserved sufficient optimism to genuinely want to see Bernie get to make a go of it…hell, part of me would like to see that even…but reading Manny’s post “On Voting” yesterday made me realize that when I think about it, it may be a version of the “electability calculus” that had me leaning towards Liz from the off?

…not to oversimplify or reduce a complex & nuanced debate down to the intellectual level of Clucker Failson or Sore’n’Inanity (or whatever the fuck those assholes answer to) but the fight I’d like to think a majority even the Electoral College can’t ignore are principally concerned with is the one to unseat Mango Unchained…& of all the ways that could stack up the one he is least prepared (or, I’d argue, equipped) to fight is the one against Liz?

…so I guess that might be a fair chunk of why I hope today throws some delegates her way because Bernie finally getting a run at the brass ring only to discover that the US electorate is more scared of socialism than it is of women…would fucking suck

…as…to go back to the hidin’ thing for a second…would president loadsamoney

How Bloomberg Buys the Silence of Unhappy Employees

[…normally the top of the head is the bit that gets cut off…but…eh, who needs to see more of that guy, anyway?]

…& since technically it’s comedy & I know I could use a laugh…& on account of being pretty sure it’s less well-known stateside than in the sort of places I frequented when it aired…ladies & gentlemen, I give you…loadsamoney

recession…what recession?

…but…speaking of money & people who throw a good bit of it about with considerable abandon given the opportunity

The spreading coronavirus could hamper global growth. Investors are hoping central banks will step in to offset the damage.

…just…do all concerned a favor & don’t get your “points” mixed up with your “percent”s anywhere our Meg can hear you, okay…the way things seem to be going around here she’s hands down your best bet for a chance not to hear me banging on about whatever most recently wound me up while you’re trying to drink your coffee so if I were any of you I’d be doing my best to stay on her good side

https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/stock-points-meaning/

…it’s a bit like the delegate thing…sure 53* is a lot closer to 60** than 8*** is…but when the bar is set at 1,991…60 isn’t as much closer as it might at first appear…although who knows where today might lead?

[pre-super-tuesday delegate counts *Biden **Bernie ***Liz (aka Final Girl?)

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28 Comments

  2. Speaking as someone who has already cast their vote for Warren, here’s my current concern about the race: Now that Pete and Amy have dropped out just before Super Tuesday (and considering the shenanigans the DNC pulled four years ago, I’m not above thinking this was based on pressure by the Party, because why would you do this now), this leaves Biden, Bloomie, Sanders and Warren. If Bloomie sucks as hard as I expect him to today, he may drop out. If Warren has a decently strong showing, she may stay in. This would in effect create the inverse of the situation that has been generally benefiting Bernie: vote splitting. Warren and Sanders could very well split their support and give Biden a way to slip into the nomination. So, if Bloomie drops out, then I honestly hope that Warren does too. If Bloomie stays in, then Warren should stay in for as long as she deems fit–or until Bloomie drops out. The stakes are simply too high, and I’m willing to put my personal feelings aside for the possibility of nominating an actual liberal instead of another Republican in Democrat’s clothing. Not only because I’m not wild about Uncle Joe in the White House, but particularly because I think Joe Biden is precisely who Trump wants to run against because he can just replay 2016 all over again.

    • …that sounds pretty reasonable for the most part…I think what rubs me the wrong way about it is that I don’t think I’ve found anything in the campaign from any of the candidates that’s really shifted me from the reasons I thought Warren was the best option overall at the outset & to some extent the degree to which she’s not had the traction of even Pete has been a depressing thing to behold in the sense that it plays into very much the calculus you outline & after Biden Bernie is undoubtedly the next favorite option from the perspective of the other side?

      …that’s how it seems to me, in any case…all other things being equal it ought not to be possible to have a democrat lose (again) against the least qualified incumbent in the history of the post but I’m not seeing where – as a serving president – the better position would be held by either of them over her

      …sure Joe’s “got things done” in his time & all but she migrated from one party to the other which has to come with some insights into how a segment of the population might be induced to make a few steps in that direction

      …we know that a disappointing amount of women ostensibly in Warren’s demographic (white women of means) couldn’t bring themselves to vote for Hillary & that overall the Overton window has been towed to the right for decades so I get the allure of picking the dude furthest to the left in an effort to maximise the leverage exerted to correct that

      …but much as I think Biden is the guy Dolt45 considers an easy lay up…I think they’re pretty confident that Bernie induces inertia where momentum is required both pre & post election

      …I don’t think swapping Warren in solves all of those problems but I think she gives both sets less traction…or would, were people inclined to see their way to seeing things that way…which is sadly a thing I’m less hopeful about than I’d like?

    • There is a lot of evidence to suggest people don’t vote strictly ideologically, and I wouldn’t be surprised to find out after today that Warren got most of Pete and Amy’s would-be voters. Conversely, Bernie’s people tend to be unshakable, so I’m not sure she’s the threat to progressivism people are making her out to be. Also, out of 2000 delegates, Bernie and Biden have about 110 together. It can still be her game if she does well today (not saying she will, but that I’m irritated that this is framed as a centrist Biden vs. progressive Bernie and nothing else).

      • …the thing (well, a thing anyway) is that it seems (again to me YMMV & that sort of thing) that people with a different first pick who are still ultimately willing to vote D on the day have less far to travel to transfer their alleigences to her than between a different pairing…particularly at this juncture

        …to me that seems to hold for most metrics that aren’t ideological except for the obvious “but she’s a girl” thing?

        mind you, if the way things seemed to me had much meaningful influence on proceedings I’m pretty sure I’d already be looking at a different picture…so eh, what do I know…

  3. It’s true, it does make me nuts when I see a headline that says “Dow has biggest gain in history” when what they mean is biggest POINT gain. Yesterday’s almost 1,300 point gain didn’t even crack the top 20 for percent gains. Just clarify the difference and I won’t go apoplectic.
    The Fed decided to cut rates this morning, so we’ll see how this props everything up for now. Even a dead cat bounces once in a while.
    https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/03/economy/federal-reserve-rate-cut/index.html

  4. I’m so annoyed at thee people trying to deny that this wasn’t some sort of coordinated effort on behalf of the establishment. I mean, Pete WON Iowa. Out of nearly 2000 delegates, he was only behind Biden by like 30. And he drops out two days before Super fucking Tuesday. That’s suspicious as fuck man – did you ever want to be president, Pete? Do I want Pete? No. Am I annoyed that the centrists all got together and decided they needed to focus on beating Bernie? YEP.

    • …it really is hard not to see the whole thing as a sort of cascade function designed not to allow for certain outcomes…which itself is hard not to see as a diliberate misapplication of the principles the party takes its name from

      …I don’t know which I find harder to swallow…that the current mess is so bad that I’d take business-as-usual over more-of-this-shit…or that the D primary race is looking very much like business-as-usual when it had a likely unprecedented shot at changing the game?

        • …per John C down below I’d hope if it came to that Uncle Sam-Joe would be a thing?

          …Biden’s not my guy…but I’d take that hit less hard than him losing if he’s the nominee that isn’t dotardus j dotage

          …at that point beggars can’t be choosers…& I am not above begging not to endure another 4yrs of accelerated clusterfuckery

          • I really don’t want to see a Biden presidency but it would be extremely helpful to have someone in office who at least, in theory, needed to listen to the concerns of the left rather than purposefully make them mad to score points (like Trump). Whether Biden knows it or not, he needs us. I hope, then, that we could expect to see SOME bowing to pressure were he in office…

    • I was there for their last major tornado outbreak in the mid-90’s. The first time there was a touchdown in downtown Nashville in recorded history. It was a mess. Just squall line after squall line of tornadoes, over and over again.

  6. I believe like most here, I lean in the same direction politically. This cycle seems and is so different now because of the person and his minions that are currently in the white house and administration.

    Previous election cycles were viewed as a chance to get “our” person in the white house but because of the actions and words of the administration and those that support him, there is a sense of desperation, of pending doom and even dread that becomes more powerful as the field of candidates is winnowed/culled down.

    My biggest fear is people not supporting a candidate regardless of who they are because “they are not the one they want” , thus Trump and his minions stay and do more damage to the country and it’s psyche.

    I always remember these 63 million vs 66 million voters, not a big difference in numbers but whoever stays home or votes the other way creates definitely a big differences in ideas, decency, respect and policies and really doesn’t have reason to complain as loudly as they do.

    • “I always remember these 63 million vs 66 million voters, not a big difference in numbers but whoever stays home or votes the other way creates definitely a big differences in ideas, decency, respect and policies and really doesn’t have reason to complain as loudly as they do.”

      You have to keep in mind that a significant chunk of the voters who stayed home in 2016 were black, and that they stayed home for two major reasons: 1. they didn’t like Clinton, and 2. they could not overcome their distaste for Clinton enough to bring themselves to face the very real voter suppression/oppression obstacles that they knew they had to face.

      The lesson is twofold. First, nominate someone that the people actually want–not the Party. Second, we have to elect as many state governments with D majorities as possible to dismantle the obstacles that get in the way of voters, particularly black voters.

    • “My biggest fear is people not supporting a candidate regardless of who they are”

      Me, too. My preference has always been Warren. I’m still slightly hopeful, and even more hopeful that the final candidate will pick her as VP, setting her up for a successful run later.

      But I’ve got a kid. She needs a planet to live on. She needs to be able to live in a non-fascist, non-totalitarian dystopia where she has no value because she’s female. And I’m really starting to fear that’s what’s going to happen if that orange scumbag gets re-elected. This isn’t an intellectual exercise. People are dying, at borders and in cages and from coronaviruses and at the hands of white supremacists and in front of the barrels of assault weapons in the hands of gibbering madmen or other ‘very fine people.’

      Whatever my opinion of Bloomberg (the worst) and Biden (the second worst), at least if elected they will slow the carnage. And maybe preserve some of the country and give us a chance to take it back. If Trump wins again, we may never see another free election. Don’t think the shitweasels that conspire with him aren’t planning to try just that.

      We may get dealt a shitty candidate, but literally no one running for the Democratic nomination is worse that Trump. No one.

  7. Excellent Kimmel interview with Warren (I found it over on Huffpo). The first part is cutting, smart, and a hoot.

    But the part after she starts talking about the selfies, and the mom of the little girl…

    THAT is why I’m SOOOOOOOOOO frustrated right now, and honestly just angry & sad,that the damn majority of the American press has been fucking “horserace-ing” this whole campaign season, and just covering *The Dramz!*

    If even a QUARTER of legit news sites had been covering Warren *this way,* rather than just Kimmel, Colbert, et. al, I feel like we’d be seeing a VERY different campaign, with Warren in a strong & legit position to win the race & blast THE SHIT out of Trump’s lies.

    Instead, we get “she’s boooooooring,” or “it’s like being lectured by a schoolteacher,” or “But *HIS PENIS* (whoever’s it is) is our only chance!!!”(because sexism).

    And I’m SO TIRED of it.

    Warren is the ONLY candidate still in the race who has ACTUALLY drawn up plans for what she wants to do, rather than just having mostly vague ideas.

    Admittedly, I’ve been #teamWarren since Obama tried to have *her* be the head of the CFPB, years ago. And,yeah, she used to be a Republican.

    But as someone who’s been on the edge of poverty my whole life, and who’s busting my ass to *try* to eventually get OUT of the sludge and into a secure life, it’s just heartbreaking to see a candidate who *gets it* but who is so constantly & consistently ignored, in favor of men who–let’s be honest here–haven’t ever grasped, and who WILL never really grasp what it’s *really* like to be poor in America, and how literally exhausting it can be.

    I GET that Bernie’s “thing” is *Economic Equality*

    But his plans AREN’T fully formed, from what I’ve ever been able to determine, with clear, concrete, “This ____ is how we get from _____ to ______. First we will ______,then when _____ happens, we will ______.”

    He’s like SO many of the dudes & younger idealistic women in my college classes. GREAT ideas, but with ZERO *concrete* plans to be able to carry them out.

    I want someone who *thinks about and plans* for the logistics of their ideas. Rather than just assuming that “Things will work out.”

    Because,ffs, I’m TIRED of having to be in the crowd who always has to pick up the damn slack when those “ideas” “need some more time/energy/work.”

    And, frankly, I’m LUCKY. I *have* a place to live. I *have* actually GOOD insurance (I AM the rare weirdo who loves her health insurance, because things I need ARE covered, AND my insurance tries do do more things than just “insurance” to keep folks healthy, too)

    But, I am SO SICK of mediocre men being lifted up time & time again, while smart women are ignored.

    And the second half of this (admittedly long!) interview, where you can HEAR the emotion & see the caring teacher in Warren literally made me cry.

    Because THIS is what I want, dammit!!!

    A GOOD person & hard worker, who PLANS for contingencies & adversarial outcomes.

    NOT someone who thinks, “Oh, We’ll get to that!”

    Because, know what?

    Shit comes up, and we NEVER DO “get to that.”

    Unless there was already a plan to deal with it.

    And–as Liz explained, with the constituents who are sick or who have crippling debt, there are TOO damn many folks in this country who *can’t* just wait around patiently. Because some will LITERALLY die while they have to wait.

    And in a country with *this many* BILLIONAIRES,that is ENTIRELY fucked up.

    We HAVE the money. We HAVE the resources. But there are currently no plans, just a corrupt, broken oligarchic system & a current kakistocracy.

    And I hate that.

    • This Twitter thread. The whole thing. This is why I’ve stanned for so long. I’ve been on the team Warren bus since before she ran for senate.

      • I haven’t been on twitter much lately (too busy😉), but, YESSSSSS!!!
        This is also what put me firmly on #TeamWarren.

        She’s just.so.good at breaking the hard stuff down.

        She’s a GREAT explainer, and she makes the tricky concepts understandable.

        And I do kinda wonder if some of the lack of decent coverage is that too many well-off folks have vested interests in the majority of folks *not* understanding?🤨

    • Never has a commenter’s picture been more appropriate for the content that they’re commenting on.

      “Hail Hydra, indeed!” (Even though I know that *isn’t* what the comic is for/about!😉💖

      It just says SOOOOOOO much about Bloomberg’s thought processes.

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