That was a pretty standard debate.

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 25, 2020:

I agree that Steyer and Klobuchar will drop out soon. Maybe Biden too if he doesn't win SC or finishes out of the top three on Super Tue..

Now don't have a hissy fit!

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 25, 2020:

Very scared kitty....

In SC, Buttigieg faces black voters wary of a gay candidate

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 25, 2020:

Most black people go to church. Of those churches they attend, usually Baptist, those churches tend to not be accepting of gays. Hence, Pete's problem with black voters...

[youtu.be] felons let loose by donating money to trump

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 25, 2020:

Crooks have to stick together....

Bernie Sanders is trying to make some subtle arguments with his recent comments about Fidel Castro.

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 24, 2020:

Quite true. If your message requires subtlety, you are out of luck with most Americans who didn't attend college. If they didn't pick up understanding of subtlety thru education, they sure as hell won't get it from watching our mass media's entertainment choices.....Only about a quarter of Americans ever attend college.

NPR's attempted takedown of Bernie Sanders: Free of facts, high on "mainstream" spin | Salon.com

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 24, 2020:

Ever since the 1990s, when NPR began accepting corporate "underwriting" (read: advertising) for its programming, its content became more and more corporate in its slant on news and politics. Nowadays its content is just as pro-corporate as the major networks, Fox News, CNN, or MSNBC. The only difference is how NPR continues to play to its niche audience of highly-educated, cultural hipsters and lovers of nostalgia like Live From Here. Like MSNBC, NPR substitutes liberal views on culture and identity politics for any liberal or lefty views on economics or class warfare, which its centrist Dem listeners are happy to accept as being sufficiently left wing for them, since the listeners of both networks tend to be comfortable members of the top 10% classes. They are fine with the economic status quo...

Bernie2020 Winter Hat

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 24, 2020:

I wear Bernie buttons and a Bernie baseball cap regularly, even in the conservative Repub Christian city I live in. My attitude is bring it on if they want to comment negatively on it. I enjoy rattling them...

I miss church.

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 24, 2020:

For us non-believers, it's pretty much Unitarian or nothing if what you desire is a formal church to attend. Myself, I used to attend Unitarian churches regularly, but in the last decade or so, I have found both of the local ones to be fairly uninspiring in both the music, sermons, and the rest of the church services. So nowadays, the main purpose they serve for me is having a place to hold my memorial service whenever that time may come....

The New Rules of the Game - Chris Hedges

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 24, 2020:

I like the last paragraph of the essay, where it says that the corporate media will openly show its bias in how it attacks Bernie, along with the Dem Party showing its true colors also against Bernie. It's high time we had open warfare for all the masses to clearly see who is on their side and who isn't. I only hope the masses are paying attention to this rare opportunity for simple and easy political education on how the real game of politics is played these days.

This is worth a listen. I have copied it from the Progressie and Socialist group here. [youtu.be]

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 24, 2020:

I appreciate Moore's endorsement of Bernie and the surrogate work he's done in this campaign, but it's sad to see that Moore has been reduced from making popular movies and even once having popular network TV shows to now having just a podcast. I guess most of it has to do with media censorship, but the rest of it has to do with him becoming irrelevant in many ways from the current political game.

WOW...So true!!!

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 24, 2020:

This cat looks like a cranky old recluse...A cynical middle-aged curmudgeon...The really narrow pupils in the eyes are usually the sign of a cat that is very angry...

Bernie's message has always been consistent.

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 23, 2020:

True. And because he keeps hammering on issues rather than on personalities in his speeches, it becomes kind of repetitious and boring to some people. But it least it is clearly authentic and sincere, rather than slick or smarmy. That is his strength.

Borrowed this from a friend on Facebook.

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 23, 2020:

Very sensible..

Why the rush to proclaim Bernie the nominee?

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 23, 2020:

I agree that it's premature. We'll know a lot more after Super Tuesday and we see who drops out after that.

Who will win the next election . Trump or Sanders ?

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 23, 2020:

Whoa there.. It's a little bit early for that kind of predicting. Maybe later, if Bernie officially has the nomination. Right now it's too early to even know how much, if any, support Bernie would get from the Dem Party or see how much the media is going to go against him as a nominee. I will know a lot more by this summer.

Small town residents threaten to sue their own kids’ financially strapped school over a rainbow ...

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 23, 2020:

As Forrest Gump used to say, " Stupid (and in this case, bigoted) is as stupid does"... Man, I hate rednecks.. And of course, the feeling is mutual...

Is it wrong for an overweight guy to have high standards in relationships?

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 23, 2020:

We are all entitled to have whatever standards we choose regarding who we will date. The ? is whether your standards are realistic in allowing you to have any success in finding someone where there is mutual attraction without some sort of transactional situation like a sugar daddy/sugar baby arrangement. I am not at all implying that is what you are after, it's just that those sort of arrangements are the most common situation in which one person brings a much more attractive appearance to the table than the man involved. All I can say is good luck...

Tonight, Bernie Sanders became the first candidate in history of either party to win the popular ...

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 23, 2020:

When you see how relatively little energy the other campaigns have compared to Bernie's, it really blows out of the water the whole "electability" argument that the establishment throws out against Bernie. Why else would the party want to nominate someone who has only a fraction of the energy, passion, and ground game of his campaign? The answer, of course, has to be that they don't like his policies and independence and thus, would rather lose than see him win the general.

Who has been the most influential Atheist/Agnostic famous person for you?

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 23, 2020:

Rod Serling-creator of the TV series The Twilight Zone.

Watching Petey giving his lame excuse of a concession speech.

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 22, 2020:

You are so right about Petey! As Dean Wormer said in the movie Animal House, " I really hate that guy.." I am getting hopeful that Pete has no chance of being the nominee and his only hope is being the VP pick of a centrist if the party screws Bernie again...

Good Evening Everyone.

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 22, 2020:

How do you feel so far on how Bernie appears to be easily winning Nevada?

Taxpayers Will Pay for $12 Billion in Aid to Farmers to Cover Losses Caused by Trump's Tariffs

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 22, 2020:

Hypocrites who say they hate socialism, at least when it goes to help someone else who is not their kind...

Dick Van Dyke Endorses Bernie Sanders for President - YouTube

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 22, 2020:

That is a great commercial. Since Van Dyke is well known and liked by older people, I really hope this commercial helps Bernie with that age group of voters. I also know that Van Dyke has struggled with alcoholism for his whole life and that is something many voters can relate to and hopefully admire Van Dyke for...

Things NOT to put on your profile 3 times widow - WLTM guy into wild mushrooms - Object marriage...

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 22, 2020:

All of those lines are funny and sure losers in the dating game..

Koo Koo Kachoo...

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 22, 2020:

Some of you are too young to get it. It's generational. You were either around when the song Come Together came out or you weren't.....

Here Are The Billionaires Funding The Democratic Presidential Candidates

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 21, 2020:

No surprises there. Bernie is the only one who can't be bought...

I’m afraid what’s going to happen is Bernie is going to go into the convention with a ...

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 21, 2020:

I fear you are right. If they screw Bernie out of the nomination again, I am sure the nominee will lose to Trump, and also that the split in the party would cause it to finally blow up, which might be a good thing in the long run. We need to finally have a party that represents workers and the 99% instead of the duopoly.

Okay folks, time to weigh in, your opinion is needed and appreciated.

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 21, 2020:

I think the whole list of communist accusations against Bernie amount to a lot of red-baiting and standard guilt by association tactics. Bernie is no more communist than FDR was, in fact his policies are nothing but a modern New Deal. Which are more than overdue with the amount of inequality now at the same level as it was during the 1920s before Great Depression, along with the fact that the Dem Party has refused to fight class warfare against the rich since the late 1980s, so I think the masses deserve to finally have a nominee fighting on their behalf here in 2020. BTW, I blocked St.-Sinner a while back, so I can't read the post in your link...

People watching in the surgery waiting room of a hospital is fascinatingly sad.

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 20, 2020:

I don't like playing cards. I would rather bring a book or two and pass the time reading if things have moved past the point of conversing anymore with companions. I find reading to be very relaxing...

If you think you are safe with these emerging 5G networks think again!!! Please take the time to ...

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 20, 2020:

Is this saying the microwave energy from cellphones is harmful to our bodies and/or brains?

This is my gang, L to R: Einstein (Steiner), Cookie, Monkey and Pixie.

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 20, 2020:

Looks like the cats liked the dog.

These are my 3.

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 20, 2020:

All cute gingers..

Last night's debate was the closest I've seen to a political version of a WWE Smackdown.

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 20, 2020:

I agree with all your comments. Liz Warren's initial attack on Bloomberg was breathtaking and very effective. I am interested in seeing what her next poll numbers are.

"The biggest political obstacle today to independent working-class political action—not just in ...

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 19, 2020:

Which is why I reject the bullshit of centrist Dems who try to shame, bully, and blame me for not supporting their corporate Dems against Trump. I would rather vote my conscience than be complicit in helping them continue to move the Dem party to the right. I'll be damned, figuratively, before I will vote for Repub Bloomberg over Trump this time, instead of voting Green again.

Trump Grants Clemency To 11, Including Michael Milken And Rod Blagojevich

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 19, 2020:

Birds of a feather, ie. fellow crooks, look out for each other....

While I have no interest in Bloomberg as a potential nominee, I'm glad he made it to the stage for ...

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 19, 2020:

I find it the height of irony that the DNC is so determined to stop Bernie that they are openly trying to force a Repub, who is not that different from Trump, on us as the nominee. It shows how unbelievably corrupt the party has become. I blame both the DNC and Bloomberg himself, as he is trying to buy both the nomination and the presidency. If he succeeds, we will, in the long run, be just as fucked as we are with Trump...

Trump is not the problem! Views from a home schooled (Christian), hayseed woman who grew up in a ...

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 18, 2020:

I had a confrontation today while I was using the treadmill in my community's fitness room. A woman like this person, a Christian hick, got upset when I made a comment about a news story concerning an arrogant rich kid that got arrested for drunken boating and then, after lipping off to the arresting officer and then even standing up in the boat as he was being taken back to land, fell out of the boat and drowned. The case had previously gotten tons of news coverage and the story today was an update on the arresting officer's latest status. I said maybe the kid should have thought twice before getting drunk on the boat and then lipping off to the officer, which led to his arrest and the officer making mistakes in how he got a life jacket for the kid and secured him on the boat. The woman who was exercising while I was in the room started carrying on about "the liberal media" and how" I had no right to say what I did since I didn't know the kid and wasn't there", etc. I told her I will say and think what I want and that I pay the same monthly dues to the homeowner's association as her, so she could button it up and stop talking to me like she was my parent. That ended it and I felt pretty good about telling off this hick simpleton.... After reading the article, I will at least give Tara Westover some credit that she became educated and evolved from being an ignorant, bigoted hick. She is correct that nowadays most of the conflict between Repubs and Democrats is over class divide as well as tribalism over cultural issues like race, abortion, gender issues and sexual orientation, etc. Westover is now educated enough to realize this. But the woman I argued with today, I kind of doubt that. I doubt she ever got past high school and probably gets all her info from Fox News and her conservative Christian church. So she is more like the old Tara Westover, ignorant and thoroughly brainwashed.... I suppose I should have more empathy for people like my neighbor, but on the other hand, I am tired of their bigotry and stupidity that is dragging down our public policy and ruining my state in Iowa. I also have reason to believe that this neighbor is not hurting economically either. She is retired and living somewhere in the lower middle class, or she wouldn't be living here....

[aol.

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 18, 2020:

At least she wasn't batshit crazy enough to get turned on by the guy robbing a bank. I heard about a woman on WE's Love After Lockup that began dating an inmate that robbed banks. She supposedly said she was turned on by the thought of him robbing banks. It takes all kinds, I guess....

Politics Question. How will you vote...and WHY?

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 18, 2020:

I will vote for any of the Dem candidates if they are the nominee, with the exception of Bloomberg. I will not be forced to choose between two Repubs who are practically the same, with Bloomberg being a somewhat better behaved version of Trump. People need to realize we still need to have some standards in who deserves our vote....

About a country named ameriKKKa.

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 17, 2020:

You must not have got the memo from Trumpers and also conservatives back in the Vietnam War era, "America-Love it or leave it".. I never bought into it then and I don't now either...

Oliver, my very own Grumpy Cat.

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 17, 2020:

He does look like the new Grumpy, but so cute.

Does anyone here prefer a communist government over a capitalist one?

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 16, 2020:

That is a false choice. I would prefer a socialist country over a capitalist one, but in reality almost every country's economy is a mix of socialism and capitalism, including the US. A country's economic system is determined by the government, but your ? would be better phrased by asking which economic system you prefer.

What might really be the out come? Will be be prepared or stay in a stooper?

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 16, 2020:

That pretty well sums it up. The establishment and leadership of the Dems is part of the 1% and preventing socialism and a wealth tax mean way more to them than winning a prez election. Plus, Bernie would not help them keep getting richer with favors and corruption between them and lobbyists. I esp. like the way the cartoon calls out Mayor Pete for his endless platitudes and generalities....

Rolling Stones fired trump!!! Kieth Richards pulled a knife on trump to get him away from them!!!...

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 15, 2020:

Sounds about right. When you are dealing with a bully, you have to play hardball....

Bloomberg-Clinton 2020

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 15, 2020:

That pairing would be a sure loss in the general. Too many people, including me, hate Hillary and would not vote for her. Bloomberg would never seriously consider her as a running mate.

Politics Question. How will you vote...and WHY?

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 14, 2020:

You need to finish the text of your first poll option. Looks like it got cut off when you were typing it. "If my candidate is NOT selected in the primary..........."? What was supposed to follow that?

Nevada Democratic Party to use Google custom calculator to tally caucus results [thehill.com]

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 14, 2020:

After what happened in Iowa, what could possibly go wrong? Maybe this time the DNC will take over the vote counting from the beginning, so they can screw Bernie without waiting for days to release the "corrected" results....

Here's a report on sharp practice by a dating website - Dating.com [bbc.com]

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 14, 2020:

Sounds like the American dating sites, where you can technically get a free or very low cost membership for a trial period, but in reality, it's useless because either you can't read the messages people send you, or they can't read yours that you send. It all amounts to sort of a bait and switch. The truth is, you can't get a useful dating site membership, in most cases, unless you pay a fee of at least $20 a month or so.

TELL US IF YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH THE FOLLOWING QUOTE, AND WHY.

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 14, 2020:

Sounds about right. It also explains everything about how the Dem leaders and establishment would rather lose again to Trump than let Bernie become prez. Because as long as Trump or some centrist Dem is prez, the establishment in both parties can go on with business as usual, enjoying their power and trading favors so they can both get rich from politics....

My contribution to V day 😂 Hey , could had be worse !!!🦇🦇🦇 [youtu.be]

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 13, 2020:

Unfortunately the dating site Settle is too close to the truth...

[youtube.com]

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 13, 2020:

A great discussion of how much the corporate media these days is pure propaganda for the neoliberals and the ruling class, regardless of which corporate party they cheerlead for, as well as laying out how the whole stop Bernie movement works.

“Study: 80% of Americans Believe Political Correctness Is a Problem” [google.

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 13, 2020:

I think there is some truth to this, but at the same time, I think an equally big reason people voted for Trump was anger and exhaustion with the Dem party for continuing to shove identity politics and PC down their throats instead of offering them a candidate that was on their side economically and who spoke to their justified anger about being left behind in a rigged economy. Seems like the Dem leaders and establishment don't want to address the latter issues or change their approach from neoliberalism. Instead they would rather bash and try to stop Bernie....

Christian Publisher Claims, Falsely, That Bernie Sanders is “Really an Atheist” | Beth ...

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 12, 2020:

My guess is that Bernie is an atheist, but he would never admit it, nor do I blame him for that. His identification as a democratic socialist is enough of a challenge for him without adding to it the label of atheist.

My awful election scenario..

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 12, 2020:

My fear is Bloomberg getting the Dem nomination and the Dem establishment then telling me I have to support their Republican against Trump. What is the point of choosing between two Repubs when my own politics are socialist? I am tired of being told to hold my nose....I will probably vote Green if they choose Bloomberg.

Good Evening Everyone! Been watchng coverage of the NH primary of MSNBC and saw someone I knew from...

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 12, 2020:

I wish Bloomberg would just take his billions and run against Trump as a Repub, staying out of the Dem race. If he gets the nomination, I will be tempted to vote third party again. Why end up voting between two Repubs??

Letters From An American

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 11, 2020:

The Dems and the corporate media are doing the same thing regarding Bernie, spouting out the narrative that he can't win and will drag the party down to defeat on the lower ends of the ticket if he is nominated. They want his supporters to give up and stay home, or at least cave in and support anyone the establishment picks who won't change the status quo.

[youtube.com]

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 10, 2020:

Trust me, the moderates and their backers in the party leadership and establishment, will never run out of excuses with which to not back Bernie as the nominee. Same with the corporate media..

Pete Buttigieg Faces Backlash After Speech At Tea Party Event Resurfaces Online: 'He's Done.

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 10, 2020:

I would like to see this get a lot of play in the corporate media, because it would finish him as a candidate, but it won't happen because now that Biden is failing, the corporate media are now backing Pete and Bloomberg as the candidates to stop Bernie. So, Pete will get away with his past...

Wuhan faced with a 2nd Virus: Christians are distributing facemasks on the streets of Wuhan as an ...

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 9, 2020:

All is fair, at least to most people, when it comes to marketing any kind of product...

Did anyone watch last night's Democratic debate? Any opinions? Observations?

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 8, 2020:

I think Biden's campaign is starting to be in trouble and that Mayor Pete and Bloomberg are the new hopes of the centrists and party leaders who want to stop Bernie. I thought Klobuchar did well, but I expect she will drop out after she finishes out of the first tier again with New Hampshire. If Biden does not do well here or in Nevada, he may well drop out after SC. Warren did not do well and seemed to be gone for much of the debate. The moderators ignored her a lot. Bernie did as well as he usually does and it seemed to be a battle between him and Mayor Pete most of the time. Steyer said a lot of intelligent things and did well, but I don't think he will ever have a chance, same with Yang. I am waiting for more to drop out and watching where their support moves to after they drop out.

Most Ag members are probably not aware of the news from France? [leftvoice.org]

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 7, 2020:

The American media would never report something like this because it might give the American peasants bad ideas like general strikes here. I have long been wanting to see American socialists finally try to organize general strikes to try and end corporate rule here, but it'll never happen. Americans are too cowed and scared. The rest are apathetic with their video games and smartphones...

a cold/flu remedy that worked quickly for me.

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 7, 2020:

Sounds like as good a reason as any to drink....

Do you think it’s possible to have a life partner if she is Christian and you are an Atheist??

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 7, 2020:

It really depends, on how tolerant and open-minded each of you are as well as how extreme or passionate each of you are in your respective beliefs or lack of. Each pair of individuals is different.

The scammers have been busy today my phone has rung several times.

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 6, 2020:

I've been getting them too lately. It's always a recording saying I have been charged $200 to my credit card for computer maintainence services.

I see the Republican snowflakes are whining about Pelosi tearing up Trump's speech.

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 6, 2020:

Pelosi showed far more self control than I would have, but that's why I would never run for office and don't do any type of diplomacy in my personal life. I tell it like it is and if people don't like it they can fuck off....

What do you make of the Iowa caucus clusterfvck?

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 6, 2020:

The initial problem was incompetence and poor planning, but after that, esp. once the DNC got involved, I think the delays in the release of results past the first 24 hours after the caucuses were more about sinister stuff, like the party wanting to control the narrative of who won and got the media bounce from it. At that point, I think it became about releasing the results selectively to show only the precincts they wanted to that would give them the winner they wanted, Mayor Pete, rather than Bernie... Fortunately, they couldn't prevent the news getting out clearly that Biden did really poorly...

Duo funny .

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 6, 2020:

Cats love to curl up in boxes or bags..

Surprise! Surprise! (not!) 47 guilty, 53 not guilty in vote 2 Vote 1 hardly any different.

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 5, 2020:

I think that line was by Judge Roy Bean, who said something like, " We'll give him a first class trial followed by a first class hanging"...We're talking about a quote from the old west and cowboy days...

See: factcheck.org/stateoftheunion

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 5, 2020:

With Trump the lies are so numerous and constant, that it's past the point of fact-checking, plus most people who like him on personality and support him do not and will not ever care or be swayed by whether he lies or not. I saw the same thing in the 80s with Reagan. They are fools and they cannot be reasoned with. Like Reagan, we are experiencing a dark time that won't pass, even temporarily, until he is gone.

I have copied the concluding comments from the article linked below.

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 5, 2020:

Bernie is the only candidate who is trying to address the real problems, rather than the usual identity politics, that led to Trump. Besides the fact that I think he's the only one who could beat Trump, the fact is that even if one of the other candidates somehow beat Trump, it would be a replay of Obama with more neoliberalism and feel-good identity politics that would give us someone even worse than Trump in 4-8 years after the voters realized they'd been conned again, as they did after Obama...

I would like to know how many of you would vote against someone soley due to their open religious ...

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 5, 2020:

It depends on how strongly religious they are and how rigid they are in their religious beliefs.

Video shows Iowa caucus-goer trying to change her vote after learning Pete Buttigieg is gay

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 5, 2020:

It's infuriating the people who are that ignorant (how could she be unaware that Pete was gay, when it's one of his main selling points in his campaign?) are allowed to vote at all. Her bigotry is a separate issue that disgusts me as well, but it should not be disqualifying from voting.

The 2020 Iowa caucuses

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 5, 2020:

Call me paranoid, but I feel that part of this was not just incompetence and poor planning, but was also a deliberate effort to make sure Bernie didn't get a clear win on Mon. night that would have helped him in NH. In other words, it was to blunt the media effect that he would have gotten with a win on Mon. night. By Wed., with all the other stories in the news cycle by then, the winner won't really get much bounce or benefit from winning Iowa. The Iowa Dem party was afraid Bernie would win and were holding back the results after the FU because of that, otherwise they would have released the results sooner after verifying the paper trail.

Off to Washington!

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 5, 2020:

Not all of us Midwesterners are ignorant bumpkins, but a lot are....

What an ignorant President.

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 3, 2020:

To people like him from the coasts, we are all just part of flyover land, which they don't give a damn about. They are proud and willful about their ignorance regarding the middle of the country.

How much longer will we have to endure minority rule in this country?

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 1, 2020:

Update: After years of trying from time to time to get on air as a caller to C-Span's Washington Journal, today I manged to get on air as a caller to C-Span during a program on the Iowa Caucuses. I got to speak uninterrupted for about two minutes and made most of the comments I have made on this thread. I consider it a personal triumph. Wow, I am almost speechless about a new development here in Iowa. The Des Moines Register, the statewide newspaper that has a highly respected polling service, just announced that they are cancelling the final Iowa Poll which was to be released tonite about the prez numbers here, because of "problems with respondents which might have corrupted the accuracy of the poll". Sounds very fishy and vague to me. The Register endorsed Warren, BTW, and my guess, paranoid or not because of the Bernie blackout which we have all seen as a documented fact, is that Bernie won the final poll and they didn't want him to get a boost from it. This is the first time that an Iowa Poll was ever cancelled.....

The Electoral College, the Senate, & other ways our democracy is rigged - Vox

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 1, 2020:

I don't know about the relocation idea, but it's very obvious that the coasts, as well as urban areas of America vote Dem and the rural areas all vote Repub. Whether the representation of those respective areas is fair and balanced probably depends on which party you support and whether it helps or hurts them in getting power at the federal level. I do know that as rural America continues to depopulate, the Senate as a body and the presidential elections will be the only parts where rural America is over represented..

IS THE TIME NOW? [youtu.be]

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 1, 2020:

Great speech! It really lays out how what really matters is class and economic inequality, not bullshit identity politics that are used to divide us by centrist Dems and Repubs...

How much longer will we have to endure minority rule in this country?

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 1, 2020:

Sad to say, I don't think peaceful revolution is possible in the US, like it might be in Europe. The 1% has the military and police firmly on their side, as we saw with the Occupy movement about ten years ago. Also, I don't think the American public is ever going to be ready to get out in the streets and raise hell like the Europeans. They are too selfish, lazy, beaten down and atomized to come together. Even if they did, the military and police have many toys to use against them, like water cannons, heat lazers, noise weapons, etc. that they have already tested on protesters and are itching to use. I don't care how many gun-loving rednecks and militia types there are in the US, they will be no match for the military and police with their weapons, communication networks, and numbers. I really doubt the military and police here would stand down in favor of the protesters like they did in the last days of the Soviet Union. That is what would be necessary for peaceful revolution to happen thru elections. I promise that if Americans were close to electing a true government for workers and the people, rather than the rich and corporations, at the federal level, prez and congress, the PTB would cancel elections, declare martial law, and impose the crackdown. It would be Tiannamen Square all over again here in America.

Sanders receives most campaign contributions from active duty military.

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 1, 2020:

I suspect the reason Bernie gets so many contributions from active military is because they know he is against continuing the endless wars in the Middle East for oil and empire as well as his record on advocating for veterans benefits. They also know he is the least likely candidate to start wars that are stupid or unnecessary. Call me a cynic or an elitist, but I doubt most active duty military are deep or critical enough thinkers to support him due to his policies on student debt or working for economic equality to provide the poor and working class with better options than the military....

How much longer will we have to endure minority rule in this country?

TomMcGiverin comments on Feb 1, 2020:

Unfortunately, my money would be on fascist dictatorship, which is what we are already close to with Trump. Bernie would mean going the other way, at least for a while. The problem with electing another centrist, corporatist defender of the status quo like Obama, Hillary, Biden, Warren, etc., is that settling for the status quo is what gave us Trump, because it allowed him as a lying demogage to appeal to the anger of working class whites who know they are being screwed by the status quo of neoliberalism. If we elect a centrist Dem we will pay for it in 4-8 years with a Repub who is even worse than Trump. As long as the Dems keep nominating centrist defenders of the status quo in trade and economics and taxes, we will see the voters ping ponging every 4-8 years between the parties for prez while meanwhile the voting participation keeps getting lower as more voters drop out, seeing the two parties as too similar on what really affects people: War, taxes, economics, trade, etc. Identity politics as substitute for real differences between the parties can only fool people for so long in getting them to vote for prez or get interested in prez politics...

Manufactured Perception

TomMcGiverin comments on Jan 30, 2020:

Reminds me of the Overton Window and Chomsky's Manufacturing Consent. Dems need to grow a pair and also wise up about labels. Repubs are going to call them socialists and far left no matter what positions they take, so quit being cowardly and acting like pussies for fear of being labeled...

A question for republicans; At what point do you jump ship or do go all the way down with it?

TomMcGiverin comments on Jan 29, 2020:

In modern times, the Dems are not nearly as partisan and disciplined as the Repubs. What has changed since Nixon is that the Repubs now have no shame and are so partisan and disciplined that it doesn't matter how guilty Trump is or how much evidence there is against him, his party members in congress will never admit Trump is wrong or guilty of anything. The last Repubs that would be honest about those things were Jeff Flake, who left congress, and John McCain, who died several years ago. Nobody else in the Repub party has that kind of courage or integrity.

Good Afternoon Everyone! Spent the day driving around the huge hills of Syracuse and some not so ...

TomMcGiverin comments on Jan 29, 2020:

Personally, I can't stand Jimmy Buffet, his music, or the whole Parrothead thing, but then again, I'm a terminally serious person most of the time...

Soooooo true....

TomMcGiverin comments on Jan 29, 2020:

That's because when you settle for being a rat in the race or the hamster on the wheel, you will always be in that state.

Coronavirus is a punishment from God: Conservative Christian TV Host Rick Wiles claims that the ...

TomMcGiverin comments on Jan 29, 2020:

Same bullshit as the Christian propaganda back in the 1980s that AIDS was a punishment from God for gays gaining more rights and acceptance in America.

So.

TomMcGiverin comments on Jan 29, 2020:

I normally will not vote in a general election for any corporatist, war-mongering Neoliberal centrist that the Dem party tries to shove down my throat. So I usually vote Green on the prez part of the ballot. This time, because of how dangerous Trump is, I will vote Dem for prez no matter what. But we already know that, despite all the years the Dem establishment has been telling progressives like me that we must support the nominee, no matter who it is, Obama and Hillary have already said they will not support Bernie if he is the nominee and will actually campaign against him in the general election campaign. Is that hypocritical or what? It tells me that all these years the centrist have really meant, support the nominee as long as its a centrist corporatist that is acceptable to the party leaders and establishment, not support the nominee no matter what, period. That is why I hope the Dem party blows up if they screw Bernie again...

The hypocrisy of those church pastors.

TomMcGiverin comments on Jan 29, 2020:

I can already visualize the Arby's commercial playing on this story, " Arby's... We have the meat".....

Reasons Not To Vote For Joe Biden: • He opposed Busing as a means to fight segregation.

TomMcGiverin comments on Jan 28, 2020:

Bernie or bust! Also, I and other progressives (code for socialists) are really fucking sick of this double standard when it comes to being forced to support the Dem nominee no matter who it is. We get this demand from the centrist, corporate part of the party every election cycle no matter how corrupt or damaged the nominee ends up being, yet, at the same time, people like Hillary and Obama have already come out and said that if Bernie is the nominee they will not support him and will work against him. Fucking hypocrites....

CAMPAIGN 2020: Michael Moore rallies for Bernie Sanders, urging voters to 'take a risk' in election...

TomMcGiverin comments on Jan 27, 2020:

Thanks for posting this. The speech, I believe, was at the city auditorium in Ames, Iowa. I used to live there and saw a couple concerts in that room. I heard the place was packed and overflowed, had a couple thousand people in cold, slick icy weather. To be fair and accurate, I, like Moore, voted for Obama in 2008, because he gave me hope of better than we had with W. But, like Moore, I quickly realized once Obama was elected, he was just another sellout, corporate warmonger. Moore was very critical of Obama during most of his presidency, and I kind of wish Moore had been honest enough to admit that in his speech here. Obama was, at the time of the election in 2008, a risk or bold choice for prez based on identity politics and its own standards of electability, but, as it turned out, he was a very safe, status quo choice when it came to what the ruling class wanted out of a prez. We should all remember those things and that history when we evaluate Bernie, both on how he has a very long and clear record of being on the right side of issues and history in favor of the 99% and equality, unlike Obama and Warren, who did and do not have long records on the right side of issues, but instead were good at saying whatever they thought people wanted to hear so those voters could project their own wishes onto those two candidates, only to be conned and later realize they had been conned. Same thing with Trump, for that matter. It's also important to remember how Bill Clinton was a safe choice back in 1992 and he turned out to be a sellout corporatist who signed NAFTA and ended welfare rights, among other sins. Identity politics is all bullshit anyway, to begin with. It's a way to distract from the real issues of class warfare, climate change, and endless war, among other things. Sadly, most Americans are too shallow and lazy to focus instead on the real issues rather than fall for identity politics and get conned by the pols, like Mayor Pete and Warren, in particular, that use identity politics as their main appeal to voters. Because of the Dem party's addiction to identity politics and the corruption of almost all their presidential candidates, I have usually voted Green in presidential elections, but this time will vote for the Dem candidate no matter who, since Trump is really that dangerous.

At our city’s Reframe Film Festival this past weekend, there were at least 4 movies that I saw all...

TomMcGiverin comments on Jan 27, 2020:

We can have real democracy or we can have rule by corporations and the rich. We can't have both..

I met a promising-sounding one for lunch today.

TomMcGiverin comments on Jan 24, 2020:

Sorry that happened to you. In my mind, you are entirely in the right and this person misrepresented themselves to you. If they hadn't, no doubt you would have spared yourself the drive and the expense of the lunch. Try to see it as practice and a learning experience which will make you more wary and avoid this happening in the future.

I'm watching the start of trumps impeachment trial I'm struck by the conversation about will ...

TomMcGiverin comments on Jan 21, 2020:

You sound hopelessly naive...

The world needs more of this!

TomMcGiverin comments on Jan 21, 2020:

Does sound more like a pet/owner or guardian relationship than two soulmates..

The speech MLK Jr. gave the night before he was assassinated. [facebook.com]

TomMcGiverin comments on Jan 20, 2020:

Bernie Sanders is the only pol I have seen in recent decades with even a fraction of the courage of MLK in speaking truth to power. Sadly, even he doesn't have the guts to oppose the MIC like King did, as he knows it would not only get him thrown out of office, but also killed.

The speech MLK Jr. gave the night before he was assassinated. [facebook.com]

TomMcGiverin comments on Jan 20, 2020:

Maybe it's just me feeling blue today or the fact that I live in a 97% white state here in Iowa. Or maybe because I grew up in much more hopeful and inspiring times regarding civil rights, but it seems today like the MLK holiday has run its course, sort of like Labor Day, and there is no longer any specialness or meaning to it like the old days. Here in Iowa, the only holiday aspects of it are the schools being closed and no postal services. All the banks are still open, as are all the businesses, except maybe for the few black owned businesses. When I look on the TV today, even there there appears to be little in the way of programming that draws attention to the holiday. Maybe one could say that in present day America, as far as race relations, with the fraud of Obama becoming prez and turning out to be some sort of moderate black Republican followed by Trump turning out to be an openly racist user of racial division, there no longer seems to be any point of looking back on MLK for pride and inspiration or hope, since both parties have now reached Mission Accomplished in destroying any hope of the Beloved Community that King was proposing.....

Bill Maher focuses on the problem if the Republican Party and not to accept the leveling approaches ...

TomMcGiverin comments on Jan 20, 2020:

Both parties are the problem, but the Repubs are somewhat more hostile to the masses and are more open about their hostility. Those are about the only differences.

File under "my cat is weird"... (Jasper, yet again)

TomMcGiverin comments on Jan 20, 2020:

Jasper has such unusual markings on his otherwise white fur.

You know it!

TomMcGiverin comments on Jan 20, 2020:

Like most of us, cats are creatures of habit....

"Homelessness, hunger and shame: poverty is rampant in the richest country in the world.

TomMcGiverin comments on Jan 19, 2020:

When you are living paycheck to paycheck, as most American peasants are, all it takes is one, or at most two, bad breaks, and you are on the road to homelessness....