Saturday, April 30, 2016

STILL FEELING THE BERN?

Still drawing the crowds ---but for how long?
        Bernie Sanders is still drawing large crowds, but how long will that last?
        Three factors might result in a decline in those numbers. College classes will be over soon. It will be interesting to see what happens when the students are dispersed for the summer.
        The second factor is the decreasing viability of the Sanders campaign, as people begin to accept the reality that there is realistically no chance of his winning the nomination. Will he be able to maintain the same level of enthusiasm?
        Senator Sanders has raised a remarkable amount of money and spent far more than his Democratic opponent, but still another reality is that people are not inclined to support a loser. At some point Senator Sanders and his surrogates will have to stop pretending he has a chance. How will that impact his fundraising efforts?
         The pundits have offered many projections regarding the Democratic race for delegates.
For another recent analysis that appears to be fairly objective click on the link below:
         https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/a-sanders-comeback-would-be-unprecedented/

Friday, April 22, 2016

IS BERNIE FEEELING THE BURN?

Image result for bernie sanders photos
Is Bernie feeling the burn?
         I have been on a long hiatus, having to attend to other priorities. I'm sorry about that, as there have been things to write about every day.
        But I had to take a moment to call attention to Robin Alperstein's recent article that is causing quite a stir on social media. Its title is reason enough for Senator Sanders' followers to hurl their Bernie bombs at the author. But truly open-minded or undecided voters will find it quite revealing.
         It's a lengthy piece but well worth the reading, because it is the most comprehensive critique of Bernie Sanders I have yet seen. Whether or not one agrees with the author, one needs to give serious attention to what she has to say.
          Senator Sanders' record has received very little scrutiny and his ideas and claims have not been  vigorously critiqued thus far in the campaign. He has been given a pretty smooth ride by the media. He has been rightfully commended for attracting huge turnouts at his rallies and for energizing the younger generation and engaging many new voters in the political process.
          But does he have the bearing and the personality to be President, or the political skills and  proven record to work with a divided Congress to achieve his objectives? Before you answer,
click on the link below and read Alperstein's entire article, then decide for yourself.
  https://medium.com/@robinalperstein/on-becoming-anti-bernie-ee87943ae699?curator=MediaREDEF#.h715619a