Margaret Kimberley – Who’s the Fascist?

The U.S. public loves fascists; they elect them, constantly. Donald Trump, who “says he would raise the minimum wage and stop the endless efforts at regime change,” is called a fascist by some. But Hillary Clinton “is happy to bomb Libya or Syria or any other country,” and played a major role in mass Black incarceration. Barack Obama is the …

Charles Derber and Yale Magrass – Trump Card: The Bully Who Exposes Our Bully Nation

Donald Trump’s flagrant bullying — much denounced even by the Republican Party establishment, with both President Bushes refusing to endorse him — is no sign that he will lose the presidential nomination or election. The dirty secret is that GOP leaders secretly admire and envy his power as a bully. Worse, Trump’s bullying resonates not only with his hardcore supporters, but also …

Carey Wedler – Silent Majority: 55% Of Americans Want Independent To Run Against Trump, Clinton

It’s happening! According to a new poll, Americans have finally maxed out their tolerance for “lesser evils” in presidential politics. The survey, published by independent research firm, Data Targeting, found a majority of Americans now want an independent candidate to take on Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump — two of the most disliked candidates in recent history. Researchers for the poll, …

Thomas Frank – Why Hillary Clinton’s 90s nostalgia is so dangerous

Donald Trump’s campaign to “Make America Great Again” is one big, flatulent exercise in delusional nostalgia, as so many have noted. Given the likely outcome of the American presidential contest, however, it is Hillary Clinton’s delusional nostalgia that may ultimately prove more harmful for the country. Campaigning in Kentucky recently, she promised that, should she be elected, she would task former president …

Dylan Matthews – I asked 5 fascism experts whether Donald Trump is a fascist. Here’s what they said.

Whatever else can be said about Donald Trump, he is fiercely individualistic. Indeed, a major part of his appeal comes from the fact that he’s untethered to any movement or party or even financial interests besides himself. The Republican establishment hates him. He has no affiliated politicians at other levels of government. He runs no party organization or really any …

Neal Gabler – Why Hating the Media Could Make the Difference in November

As the political pundits keep reminding us, this might be called the “hate” election. Both major parties’ presumptive nominees, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, have historically high net unfavorable ratings – so high that voters are said to be casting their ballots against a candidate rather than in favor of one. The question seems to be: Whom do you hate …

John Whitehead – Just Shut Up and Vote: The Futility of Representative Government in an Age of Robber Barons

Despite the fact that we’ve been burned before, most Americans continue to allow themselves to be bamboozled into casting their votes for one candidate or another, believing that this time they mean what they say, this time they really care about the citizenry, this time will be different. Of course, it never turns out differently. We are as easily discarded the day after the elections as we were wantonly …

Smart Show (goharrison) with Cary Harrison – 01.18.16

Simon Rosenberg-NDN.org on Clinton-Sanders Debate

NDN – New Democrat Network.Simon Rosenberg is President and founder of NDN, a leading, center-left think tank in Washington, DC. Rosenberg, a veteran of two presidential campaigns, including the 1992 Clinton War Room, got his start as a writer and producer in network television. He is a leading political thinker and commentator with a unique ability to identify important trends and decipher changes transforming American politics well before others.

ndn.org