Thanks for the endorsement but I'm too old and know it. I'm encouraging just what you are saying. I'd like to see real choices in the Democratic primaries. Then we'd see if Biden had the support to really win again.
What you write about deadlines and such is true. But what is also true is that Biden could very well lose to Trump and that would be a monumental disaster.
Hi Dave, I have little or no influence on labor unions except for educational programs which are not about elections. I am writing what I write because I'm scared to death that Trump will win. Thanks for your kind words about Runaway Inequality.
A few years ago, actually pre-Covid, I organized a community meeting and showed your video based on Runaway Inequality. Many said that they'd like to work much harder to support union s9 we did it again the following year. And it actually looks like unionism is gaining some traction.
Run or quit? Of course, Joe shouldn't run, but not one feasible candidate has done so and time is short. So, who is thinking about it? Joe Manchin. OMG. That would surely drive many Dems to vote for the Clean and Green candidate, assuring Trump's victory.
But Joe Biden will say he's no quitter. And he will run on a solid record, especially economic performance and support for renewable energy and carbon capture efforts. There's even talk of dramatically cutting fossil fuel subsidies.
So, Les, given your influence with labor, you would better serve democracy and the Democratic Party by throwing your support to Joe Biden.
Thank you for your ongoing campaign to reduce inequality.
The “willful disregard of grass roots democracy within the Democratic Party”? I must have missed where they took a vote of all Democrats and the majority resoundingly rejected Biden. Where is this supposed consensus that is being so grievously ignored?
Also, those bullet points actually diminish your case rather effectively.
It all comes down to this:: Biden cares WAY WAY WAY WAY moire about murdering children born into a concentration camp than he does about any single democratic policy priority, He cares more about assisting Bibi commit fascism in Israel than preventing Trump from rolling out fascism here.
All of this was obvious for decades. I guarantee that if you put a bunch of unattributed positions he's supported over the years 80% of people would suppose he was a republican.
But the point is moot. "This is a nation of inconsistencies. The Puritans fleeing from oppression became oppressors. We fought England for our liberty and put chains on four million of blacks. We wiped out slavery and our tariff laws and national banks began a system of white wage slavery worse than the first. Wall Street owns the country. It is no longer a government of the people, by the people, and for the people, but a government of Wall Street, by Wall Street, and for Wall Street. The great common people of this country are slaves, and monopoly is the master. The West and South are bound and prostrate before the manufacturing East. Money rules, and our Vice-President is a London banker 1. Our laws are the output of a system which clothes rascals in robes and honesty in rags. The [political] parties lie to us and the political speakers mislead us. We were told two years ago to go to work and raise a big crop, that was all we needed. We went to work and plowed and planted; the rains fell, the sun shone, nature smiled, and we raised the big crop that they told us to; and what came of it? Eight-cent corn, ten-cent oats, two-cent beef and no price at all for butter and eggs—that's what came of it. The politicians said we suffered from overproduction. Overproduction, when 10,000 little children, so statistics tell us, starve to death every year in the United States, and over 100,000 shopgirls in New York are forced to sell their virtue for the bread their niggardly wages deny them... We want money, land and transportation. We want the abolition of the National Banks, and we want the power to make loans direct from the government. We want the foreclosure system wiped out...
We will stand by our homes and stay by our fireside by force if necessary, and we will not pay our debts to the loan-shark companies until the government pays its debts to us. The people are at bay; let the bloodhounds of money who dogged us thus far beware. - Speech by Mary Elizabeth Lease (circa 1890) Nothing ever changes.
But it is far too late because we have the stupidest people ever born winning ":Nobel" prizes in economics for their work on climate change, recommending a max transition temperature of 3-6oC based on published scientific lit that high school students could have easily debunked with Math that had gone out of fashion around Newton's time. https://profstevekeen.substack.com/p/neoclassical-economics-and-the-demise
Meanwhile, the electoral calendar and its filing deadlines prove yet another hurdle, making it challenging for any would-be candidate to get on the ballot in all 50 states.
The deadlines to qualify for the presidential primary ballot in states like Alabama, Arkansas, Michigan, Nevada and South Carolina have already passed, meaning any late entrant will have already lost the opportunity to win delegates in those states.
The difficulty of meeting each state’s requirements varies and the hurdles often involve complex signature-gathering efforts that take time, resources and a well-trained staff.
When Biden won in 2020 people were already worried about his age. Thump campaigned on the idea that Biden was low energy (& hiding in his basement.) Biden won, but if Dems thought he shouldn’t run for a second term, THAT was the time to start promoting “possible successors.”
IMO those who rail against Biden now are against the idea of a woman of color in the VP slot.
We had a primary in 2020. Out of a long list, the only candidates with any name recognition and /or generated real interest were Biden & Sanders. Now there’s NO one else.
The last 2 times we let the Democratic “rank & file” (super delegates?) choose the candidate they chose Hillary in 2016 & rallied behind Biden in 2020. At this time THERE IS NO ONE ELSE that would meet your criteria (& win.)
Wow! You need a movement to believe in like the Populists of the 1890s. Me too. Happy New Year.
Thanks for the endorsement but I'm too old and know it. I'm encouraging just what you are saying. I'd like to see real choices in the Democratic primaries. Then we'd see if Biden had the support to really win again.
What you write about deadlines and such is true. But what is also true is that Biden could very well lose to Trump and that would be a monumental disaster.
Hi Dave, I have little or no influence on labor unions except for educational programs which are not about elections. I am writing what I write because I'm scared to death that Trump will win. Thanks for your kind words about Runaway Inequality.
Dear Les,
A few years ago, actually pre-Covid, I organized a community meeting and showed your video based on Runaway Inequality. Many said that they'd like to work much harder to support union s9 we did it again the following year. And it actually looks like unionism is gaining some traction.
Run or quit? Of course, Joe shouldn't run, but not one feasible candidate has done so and time is short. So, who is thinking about it? Joe Manchin. OMG. That would surely drive many Dems to vote for the Clean and Green candidate, assuring Trump's victory.
But Joe Biden will say he's no quitter. And he will run on a solid record, especially economic performance and support for renewable energy and carbon capture efforts. There's even talk of dramatically cutting fossil fuel subsidies.
So, Les, given your influence with labor, you would better serve democracy and the Democratic Party by throwing your support to Joe Biden.
Thank you for your ongoing campaign to reduce inequality.
Dave S.
The “willful disregard of grass roots democracy within the Democratic Party”? I must have missed where they took a vote of all Democrats and the majority resoundingly rejected Biden. Where is this supposed consensus that is being so grievously ignored?
Also, those bullet points actually diminish your case rather effectively.
Here’s an idea: Maybe Les should run!
Oh, wait...
It all comes down to this:: Biden cares WAY WAY WAY WAY moire about murdering children born into a concentration camp than he does about any single democratic policy priority, He cares more about assisting Bibi commit fascism in Israel than preventing Trump from rolling out fascism here.
All of this was obvious for decades. I guarantee that if you put a bunch of unattributed positions he's supported over the years 80% of people would suppose he was a republican.
But the point is moot. "This is a nation of inconsistencies. The Puritans fleeing from oppression became oppressors. We fought England for our liberty and put chains on four million of blacks. We wiped out slavery and our tariff laws and national banks began a system of white wage slavery worse than the first. Wall Street owns the country. It is no longer a government of the people, by the people, and for the people, but a government of Wall Street, by Wall Street, and for Wall Street. The great common people of this country are slaves, and monopoly is the master. The West and South are bound and prostrate before the manufacturing East. Money rules, and our Vice-President is a London banker 1. Our laws are the output of a system which clothes rascals in robes and honesty in rags. The [political] parties lie to us and the political speakers mislead us. We were told two years ago to go to work and raise a big crop, that was all we needed. We went to work and plowed and planted; the rains fell, the sun shone, nature smiled, and we raised the big crop that they told us to; and what came of it? Eight-cent corn, ten-cent oats, two-cent beef and no price at all for butter and eggs—that's what came of it. The politicians said we suffered from overproduction. Overproduction, when 10,000 little children, so statistics tell us, starve to death every year in the United States, and over 100,000 shopgirls in New York are forced to sell their virtue for the bread their niggardly wages deny them... We want money, land and transportation. We want the abolition of the National Banks, and we want the power to make loans direct from the government. We want the foreclosure system wiped out...
We will stand by our homes and stay by our fireside by force if necessary, and we will not pay our debts to the loan-shark companies until the government pays its debts to us. The people are at bay; let the bloodhounds of money who dogged us thus far beware. - Speech by Mary Elizabeth Lease (circa 1890) Nothing ever changes.
https://www.historyisaweapon.com/defcon1/marylease.html
But it is far too late because we have the stupidest people ever born winning ":Nobel" prizes in economics for their work on climate change, recommending a max transition temperature of 3-6oC based on published scientific lit that high school students could have easily debunked with Math that had gone out of fashion around Newton's time. https://profstevekeen.substack.com/p/neoclassical-economics-and-the-demise
From the WaPo:
Meanwhile, the electoral calendar and its filing deadlines prove yet another hurdle, making it challenging for any would-be candidate to get on the ballot in all 50 states.
The deadlines to qualify for the presidential primary ballot in states like Alabama, Arkansas, Michigan, Nevada and South Carolina have already passed, meaning any late entrant will have already lost the opportunity to win delegates in those states.
The difficulty of meeting each state’s requirements varies and the hurdles often involve complex signature-gathering efforts that take time, resources and a well-trained staff.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/11/19/biden-campaign-democrats-anxiety-trump/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
When Biden won in 2020 people were already worried about his age. Thump campaigned on the idea that Biden was low energy (& hiding in his basement.) Biden won, but if Dems thought he shouldn’t run for a second term, THAT was the time to start promoting “possible successors.”
IMO those who rail against Biden now are against the idea of a woman of color in the VP slot.
Jimmy Carter is 99.
Biden will be more than fine.
We had a primary in 2020. Out of a long list, the only candidates with any name recognition and /or generated real interest were Biden & Sanders. Now there’s NO one else.
The last 2 times we let the Democratic “rank & file” (super delegates?) choose the candidate they chose Hillary in 2016 & rallied behind Biden in 2020. At this time THERE IS NO ONE ELSE that would meet your criteria (& win.)