Welcome once again to a $27-group / The Political Revolution open thread — a weekly place where you can sit back, relax, enjoy some inspiring quotes and good music, and (most importantly) spend time gazing at a picture or two of foresterbob’s cat Noble Fur.
Once again I’m short on time, so let’s get down to it!
Picking a title quote tonight was hard, as there were a number of tempting choices. But I decided to go with this one:
The problems we face go much deeper than what one person or one election can fix.
Our campaign is about building a movement of people to take on the powerful forces of greed, racism and authoritarianism.
That is how we will not only defeat Trump but create an America for all.
~ Bernie Sanders
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Some other quoteworthy things Bernie Sanders said this week include:
The MeToo movement demands real action from Congress to stop sexual harassment and abuse.
That's why I'm co-sponsoring groundbreaking new legislation, to finally end mandatory arbitration and expand civil rights protections to domestic workers, interns, and contract workers.
~ Bernie Sanders
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The bigotry of the Trump administration is shameful. Our job must be to stand with the transgender community, repeal this hateful policy [barring transgender people from serving in the US military], and fight against discrimination wherever it appears.
~ Bernie Sanders
I’m running for president to restore the promise that every child, regardless of his or her background, has a right to a high-quality public education. When we are in the White House we will oppose the DeVos-style privatization of our nation’s schools.
~ Bernie Sanders
A full-employment economy is not a radical idea. A federal job guarantee will lower the crime rate, improve mental health, and create a stronger sense of community. It will create a much healthier and happier America.
~ Bernie Sanders
The trade union movement is the last line of defense against a corporate agenda that not only wants tax breaks for billionaires but wants to privatize Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. We must strengthen unions and bargaining rights of workers everywhere.
~ Bernie Sanders
Medicare for all. College for all. A Green New Deal. Real criminal justice and immigration reform. A $15 minimum wage. These are no longer radical ideas. Our movement is stronger than ever and together we will turn those ideas into reality.
~ Bernie Sanders
We must recognize climate change for what it is: an international crisis that threatens humanity.
We must also see this moment as an opportunity: we can create millions of jobs and revitalize our economy by passing a Green New Deal.
~ Bernie Sanders
Elizabeth Warren also said a lot of quoteworthy things this past week. Such as:
Donald Trump's cruel immigration policies are filling detention centers, many of which are run by private companies that are raking in taxpayer dollars. Some of the conditions are appalling and there's zero accountability. ICE needs to own up to this and fix it — now.
~ Elizabeth Warren
Congress passed a bipartisan bill to stop US support for Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen. Donald Trump has just vetoed it. We can’t keep writing the Saudis blank checks. It's time to end our complicity in this humanitarian crisis.
~ Elizabeth Warren
Over the last 60 years, corporations have paid less and less in taxes, while working families foot the bill for critical government services. This tax day, it’s time to ask who this country works for.
Corporations spent millions of dollars and sent armies of lobbyists to push for the GOP Tax Scam. The result? A tax code so full of loopholes that dozens of giant companies paid nothing on tax day.
That means if you paid one dollar in taxes on tax day, you paid more than Amazon, Chevron, and Eli Lilly – combined.
When giant corporations contribute nothing while hard-working families pay their fair share, that’s a rigged system.
~ Elizabeth Warren
We can’t ignore a president’s repeated efforts to obstruct an investigation into his own disloyal behavior. The House should initiate impeachment proceedings against the President of the United States.
~ Elizabeth Warren
She has a bit more to say on that subject in this video:
The Mueller report lays out facts showing that a hostile foreign government attacked our 2016 election to help Donald Trump and Donald Trump welcomed that help. Once elected, Donald Trump obstructed the investigation into that attack.
Mueller put the next step in the hands of Congress: “Congress has authority to prohibit a President’s corrupt use of his authority in order to protect the integrity of the administration of justice.” The correct process for exercising that authority is impeachment.
To ignore a President’s repeated efforts to obstruct an investigation into his own disloyal behavior would inflict great and lasting damage on this country, and it would suggest that both the current and future Presidents would be free to abuse their power in similar ways.
The severity of this misconduct demands that elected officials in both parties set aside political considerations and do their constitutional duty. That means the House should initiate impeachment proceedings against the President of the United States.
~ Elizabeth Warren
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Of course, none of those quotes is the most important thing Warren said this past week...
But we’ll get to that quote a bit later. First let’s look at what a few other people had to say.
Everything outlined in the Mueller Report is further proof of what I’ve been saying for a long time: it’s Time to Impeach.
The first step? The House Judiciary Committee launching an investigation into whether Trump committed impeachable offenses.
~ Rashida Tlaib
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It is clear Congress and the American people must hear from Special Counsel Robert Mueller in person to better understand his findings. We are now requesting Mueller to appear before the House Judiciary Committee as soon as possible.
~ Jerry Nadler
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Mueller’s report is clear in pointing to Congress’ responsibility in investigating obstruction of justice by the President.
It is our job as outlined in Article 1, Sec 2, Clause 5 of the US Constitution.
As such, I’ll be signing onto Rashida Tlaib’s impeachment resolution.
While I understand the political reality of the Senate and election considerations, upon reading this DOJ report, which explicitly names Congress in determining obstruction, I cannot see a reason for us to abdicate from our constitutionally mandated responsibility to investigate.
Many know I take no pleasure in discussions of impeachment. I didn’t campaign on it, and rarely discuss it unprompted.
We all prefer working on our priorities: pushing Medicare for All, tackling student loans, and a Green New Deal.
But the report puts this squarely on our doorstep.
~ Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
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Impeachment is part of our constitutional responsibility. We have an obligation to investigate whether the President committed impeachable offenses, including:
- Obstruction of justice
- Violating the Emoluments Clause
- Collusion
- Abuse of power
~ Ilhan Omar
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Listen to Elizabeth Warren saying it’s time to impeach.
Listen to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib calling for an Impeachment inquiry.
This is the the sound of Congress coming to life and finally pushing back against a lawless and imperial presidency.
~ John Nichols
(Or, as Rashida Tlaib memorably said back on January 4th: “… impeach the motherfucker”.)
Paul Krugman has an interesting editorial in a recent New York Times:
It doesn’t appear to be behind their usual paywall, so I’ll let you read it for yourselves. But here’s Krugman’s summary of what he’s saying:
Today's column tries, among other things, to make the point that Republicans are way to the right of the public on economic issues, and even most Democrats may be a bit to the right.
But in that case, why are Republicans politically competitive? Because of identity politics – white identity politics. Modern Democrats aren't willing to cater to the significant number of racist big-government supporters; Republicans are.
I keep coming back to this chart
which shows voters' political orientation on social versus economic issues. There are a lot more voters on the left than the right.
What this suggests among other things is that Dems should welcome Republican attacks on "socialism" and all that. If the debate actually ends up being about economics, Democrats have the upper hand.
~ Paul Krugman
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Oh, my — more Omar!
This country was founded on the ideas of justice, of liberty, of the pursuit of happiness. But these core beliefs are under threat. Each and every day. We are under threat by an administration that would rather cage children than pass comprehensive immigration reform.
An administration that would rather give billionaires tax breaks than provide a little cushion for working people. An administration that would rather attack fellow Americans who are transgender and wear our country’s uniform than fight for equality and opportunity for all.
I did not run for Congress to be silent. I did not run for Congress to sit on the sidelines. I ran because I believed it was time to restore moral clarity and courage to Congress. To fight and to defend our democracy.
No one person – no matter how corrupt, inept, or vicious – can threaten my unwavering love for America. I stand undeterred to continue fighting for equal opportunity in our pursuit of happiness for all Americans.
Thank you for standing with me – against an administration that ran on banning Muslims from this country – to fight for the America we all deserve.
~ Ilhan Omar
Trump and the Republican Party are working to divide us because they know that when we come together and stand unified, their power is jeopardized. But it won’t work. We are building an inclusive grassroots movement that will fight for policies that will actually help people.
~ Ilhan Omar
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About 15 million children live in families with incomes below the poverty line in our country. Instead of giving tax breaks to corporations and the wealthiest amongst us, let’s invest in the future and end childhood poverty.
~ Ilhan Omar
The wealthiest of our country have accumulated their wealth through a system that keeps people in poverty, and we have to stand up to it. On Tax Day, let us recommit ourselves to fighting for a more just economy for every American.
~ Ilhan Omar
The war on drugs has disproportionately impacted people of color and black Americans. Between 2001 - 2010, black individuals were nearly four times more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession than white individuals despite nearly equal usage rates.
Now as we are moving toward the legalization of cannabis, we have to make sure that restorative justice is at the center of the process. That’s why I’m fighting to legalize recreational cannabis nationwide, expunge records, and seek amnesty for those incarcerated for cannabis-related offenses.
I am a proud co-sponsor of Congresswoman Barbara Lee’s Marijuana Justice Act. This bill would end the prohibition of cannabis on the federal level with a focus on restorative justice by investing in communities that have been torn apart by the war on drugs.
The only way to repair the harm caused in communities across the country is to end the war on drugs, and repair the damage by intentionally investing in education, housing, healthcare, and employment.
~ Ilhan Omar
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And on that same topic:
Nearly 7 in 10 Americans—and a majority of both Republicans and Democrats—support marijuana legalization.
The American people agree. It is time our federal government listens. We must end the criminalization of marijuana in this country.
~ Bernie Sanders
In my view, it is long past time that we in the United States end the federal prohibition on marijuana. Now is the time to decriminalize marijuana and expunge criminal records associated with the drug.
~ Bernie Sanders
And on a different subject:
President Trump announced today [April 10] an executive order curtailing states' legal authority under the Clean Water Act. This is an unprecedented assault on the right and obligation of every state to protect their waters and their communities.
No amount of politicking will change the facts — states have full authority under the Clean Water Act to protect our waters and our people. Washington state won't allow this or any presidential administration to block us from exercising our authority lawfully and effectively.
We stand with governors and attorneys general across the country in opposing this dangerous attack on our environment and our families’ right to clean water. We'll challenge any attempt by the administration to illegally constrain the state of Washington’s authority to protect our natural resources.
~ Jay Inslee
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Lots more quotes I’d like to include tonight, but I’m running way short on time and space…
All right, here’s one I have to include:
Here are a few quick quotes:.
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As the richest country in history we shouldn't have millions in poverty.
~ Bernie Sanders
Some politicians still say a $15 minimum wage is "too radical."
Here's what's radical: in the wealthiest country in the world 40 million people live in poverty and 40% of our people can't afford basic needs.
That's unacceptable, and it's why we must guarantee a living wage.
~ Bernie Sanders
We are a nation of immigrants. I am proud to be the son of an immigrant. We must establish a humane immigration policy that stops the demonization and criminalization of communities of color and keeps families together while we push for comprehensive immigration reform.
~ Bernie Sanders
What do these corporations have in common?
- Amazon
- Chevron
- Deere
- Delta
- Duke Energy
- Eli Lilly
- Gannett
- General Motors
- Goodyear
- Honeywell
- JetBlue
- Kinder Morgan
- MGM Resorts
- Netflix
- Prudential Financial
- Whirlpool
Answer: they all paid nothing in federal income taxes.
~ Bernie Sanders
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I mentioned up above that I hadn’t yet posted Elizabeth Warren’s most important quote of the week.
Well, this one is important… It’s from Time magazine’s collection of the 100 most important people of 2019:
The year 2008 was a reckoning. While millions of Americans lost their livelihoods to Wall Street’s greed, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez lost her dad to lung cancer, and her family fell off a financial cliff. She watched as our government bailed out Wall Street while it ignored families like hers. She learned the hard way that in America today, Washington protects the powerful while leaving hardworking people behind.
Her commitment to putting power in the hands of the people is forged in fire. Coming from a family in crisis and graduating from school with a mountain of debt, she fought back against a rigged system and emerged as a fearless leader in a movement committed to demonstrating what an economy, a planet and a government that works for everyone should look like.
A year ago, she was taking orders across a bar. Today, millions are taking cues from her. She reminds all of us that even while greed and corruption slow our progress, even while armies of lobbyists swarm Washington, in our democracy, true power still rests with the people. And she’s just getting started.
~ Elizabeth Warren
but that’s not the most important Elizabeth Warren quote of the week either! That quote coming up, but first I know you’ll want at least one more Noble fur picture:
All right, here you go, Elizabeth Warren’s quote of the week:
“The World Needs Fewer Cersei Lannisters.”
~ Elizabeth Warren
I have absolutely no idea what that means!
But for those of you who are familiar with something called “Game of Thrones” here’s a link to the article by that title which Elizabeth Warren wrote recently.
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