Maybeeeeee

I was born in 1955, and in my lifetime, the pundits assured us that the American people would never elect John Kennedy, because he was a Catholic.  After a devastating loss in the California governors race against Pat Brown, we were all told that Richard Nixon's political career was over.  He was no longer electable.  Jimmy Carter, a one term Governor from Georgia, was a political joke.  Another southern Governor, Bill Clinton, was a womanizer, somewhat shady, and after a disastrous keynote address  at the previous Democratic Convention, one of the seven dwarfs, and was dog meat against a popular sitting President.  And let's not forget how we were all assured that America wasn't ready for a black President, and that Barack Obama was nothing but a speed bump on the road to a John McCain victory.

I'm not predicting that Donald Trump or Bernie Sanders will be the next President.  Quite frankly, my feeling is that Donnie will probably go third party and guarantee a Democratic victory.  As for Bernie, I think he's got a shot in a week field, (And yes, I do include Hilary in that.) though it's unlikely.  The point is, the American electorate doesn't always follow the advice of the talking class.

Save Me From Myself

I sometimes listen to the Thom Hartmann show on the radio. On Fridays he has as his quest in the first hour Senator Bernie Sanders, the liberal independent from Vermont. It never fails. At some point during the hour a listener will call in and ask about the filibuster system and whether it can be changed so that the Republican minority can't block everything it disagrees with. Sanders will then explain about the importance of respecting the opinions of the minority and about how it isn't democratic if the majority can ride rough shod over the minority. Too, someone will call and ask about a liberal solution for some pressing problem. "In my opinion that doesn't go far enough," Sanders will reply. "But, they are (Fill in the blank with whatever special interest is being discussed.) just too powerful. There is nothing we can do."
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It seems to me that the House is passing liberal legislation that then goes to the Senate where liberal Democrats don't have the spine to stand up for what they profess to support. Then when President Obama steps in and salvages whatever he can from the mess that's been made, those same liberal Democrats criticize him for selling out. "Oh please Mr. President, save me from myself," they cry. How pathetic.