"That's how it goes......"

Senator Bernie Sanders has done what had to be done, in current circumstances, to try to ensure that he and others representing his views will be at the table when important policy decisions are being made. If, by some circumstance that turns out not to be the case, the fact that Sanders ran in this primary, did well, kept his word - hard as that must have been for him, says far more about Senator Sanders than it does about the legion of his sell-out former supporters. They have been cruelly denigrating him, after his endorsement of Hillary Clinton, during past days. So...they now say they are determined to vote for the Green Party's Jill Stein. She can't win, the Party isn't on every state's ballot. Even if, through some amazing circumstance, she had the possibility of a win - would she be allowed to? Really? The same thing, or something far worse, would in all likelihood, happen to Ms Stein as has happened to Bernie : "not allowed".

If only more voters had supported Bernie Sanders, made the primary into an uncontrollable landslide, that could have changed things - made the "not allowed" into "try and stop it now!" The voters didn't do that though...too many remained too blind, or misguided by others, to recognise a good thing when it was right under their noses!

The fault is not in Bernie, the fault is in the USA's culture of fearing anything resembling socialism, and in being duped by neo-liberalism under the label "Democratic". Bernie Sanders' policies hardly resemble socialism anyway, as any expert would confirm. There's paranoia in the USA, paranoia so deep, handed down from McCarthyism and still, in 2016, too many remain unable to see past it.

There has been no proper left-wing politics in the USA for too long. The powers that be prefer it to remain that way, and will make it their business to see that it does. It'll take several more elections, some catastrophic out-turns and drastic events before the truth finally dawns.

The best, fairest and sanest piece, about Senator Sanders, I read at the weekend is by William Rivers Pitt at Smirking Chimp:
The Long Victory of Bernie Sanders


Not forgetting that it's Music Monday:

Everybody knows that the dice are loaded
Everybody rolls with their fingers crossed
Everybody knows the war is over
Everybody knows the good guys lost
Everybody knows the fight was fixed
The poor stay poor, the rich get rich
That's how it goes
Everybody knows.......

(From Everybody Knows by Leonard Cohen)

Sung by Don Henley

Lastly, primarily...

Last primary of the season is being held today: Washington DC, the nation's capital - there's something about the first being last in the New Testament if I remember rightly - US primaries were not even a tiny speck in the far off distance when those words were uttered though. Bernie Sanders will compete, but sadly it'll be a lost cause for him, the game has been called - not exactly by the name I shall call the US election game.

What's to say about Washington DC? What have I written before - surely I've scribbled some words about the capital over almost 10 years of blogging?

There's this snippet from a mixed bag blog post, but the link therein is no longer live.

A fascinating piece and super photographs by Michael Simpson, describes how Freemasonry and astrology were involved in the building of Washington DC. Their input can be traced, easily. : Esoteric & Masonic Symbolism In Washington D.C.

On the same broad topic, there's a book on sale at Amazon, The Secret Architecture of Our Nation's Capital: The Masons and the Building of Washington, D.C, by by David Ovason
In the publicity blurb for the book:

Today, there are more than twenty complete zodiacs in Washington, D.C., each one pointing to an extraordinary mystery. David Ovason, who has studied these astrological devices for ten years, now reveals why they have been placed in such abundance in the center of our nation's capital and explains their interconnections. His richly illustrated text tells the story of how Washington, from its foundation in 1791, was linked with the zodiac, with the meaning of certain stars, and with a hidden cosmological symbolism that he uncovers here for the first time.

Fascinating and thoroughly researched, The Secret Architecture of Our Nation 's Capital is an engrossing book that raises provocative questions and otters complex insights into the meanings behind the mysterious symbols in Washington.

There's this website too, on the same topic, and others scattered around the net.

The same mixed-bag blog post mentioned above has this too, on ever mysterious Freemasonry:

From Thomas Paine's essay on The Origins of Free-Masonry published in New York, 1818:

Masonry (as I shall show from the customs, ceremonies, hieroglyphics, and chronology of Masonry) is derived and is the remains of the religion of the ancient Druids; who, like the Magi of Persia and the Priests of Heliopolis in Egypt, were Priests of the Sun. They paid worship to this great luminary, as the great visible agent of a great invisible first cause whom they styled " Time without limits."
.........In Masonry many of the ceremonies of the Druids are preserved in their original state, at least without any parody. With them the Sun is still the Sun; and his image, in the form of the sun is the great emblematical ornament of Masonic Lodges and Masonic dresses..............Free Masons Hall, in Great Queen-street, Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London, is a magnificent building, and cost upwards of 12,000 pounds sterling. Smith, in speaking of this building, says (page 152,) "The roof of this magnificent Hall is in all probability the highest piece of finished architecture in Europe. In the center of this roof, a most resplendent Sun is represented in burnished gold, surrounded with the twelve signs of the Zodiac, with their respective characters........................ The Masons, in order to protect themselves from the persecution of the Christian church, have always spoken in a mystical manner of the figure of the Sun in their Lodges, or, like the astronomer Lalande, who is a Mason, been silent upon the subject.

None of which relates to today's voting in DC. I hope Bernie comes away from the season's last primary with some additional delegates to add to his haul, to add weight to his declared intention of trying to effect changes in the Democrats' platform and general agenda at the Convention in July.

There's this, rather more relevant to today's voting, it's from a 2013 post:

Washington DC has been described as a city of dichotomies:

Washington was a city of dichotomies, contrasts, and striking inequalities. It was the capital of a major democracy that lacked local democracy. It was a citadel of power whose residents lacked power. It was a city with an excess of multimillion dollar office buildings and a shortage of housing. It was a city that was wealthier than most in which a sizable minority lives in great poverty. It had a 70 percent black population but the major decisions were still made by whites. It was a city in which the American dream and the American tragedy passed each other on the street and did not speak. It was, finally, a city that had suffered a form of deprivation known primarily to the poor and the imprisoned, a psychological deprivation born of the constant suppression and denial of one's identity, worth, or purpose by those in control. Washington to those in power was not a place but a hall to rent. The people of Washington were the custodian staff. And the renters were as likely to visit the world in which this staff lived as a parishioner is to inspect the boiler room of the church. The purpose of Washington's community was to serve not to be.
POCKET PARADIGMS
FROM THE WRITINGS OF SAM SMITH.

Are we there yet? Almost !

Primary season is almost over, at last! Today voters in New Jersey, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana and California will declare their preferences. At the weekend primary voters in the Virgin Islands and in Puerto Rico had their say, Hillary Clinton was winner in each case making Bernie's already tough task that much more difficult. In Washington D.C. Democrats will vote on 14 June - that is the finishing post! There'll then be a break of several weeks before parties' conventions in July, when nominees will be officially chosen. There'll not be much of a break in media coverage in the meantime though, nor of parties' wranglings, attempting to bring their people into line.

I'll be watching for any shenanigans from MSNBC this evening - such as declaring Hillary Clinton the Democratic nominee hours before California votes are counted - before voters there have even finished voting - see videos below.






It's going to be a nail-biting evening for me, hoping that Bernie Sanders continues to add to his delegate haul and list of "states won". California, with its large number of delegates, is going to be a major focus of attention. I'd be especially happy also if my favourite state to visit, New Mexico, would give Bernie a win. I don't hold out much hope for a Bernie win in New Jersey but the rest may be, as they say, "in play".

P.S. ~ For John Laurits' latest rousing piece of writing do read his

"Bern the vote & #Stay in Line".

Something up their sleeves?

There was an interesting speculative piece at Counterpunch yesterday:
Plan B Is Not Bernie by Jim Kavanagh.
It begins:

I admit: It’s all speculation.

On April 4th, I wrote on Facebook: “My prediction: the next President of the United States will be someone who is not yet in the race. (e.g., Possible alternative Dem ticket: Joe Biden and Elizabeth Warren.) How crazy am I?”

This wasn’t just a wild guess. It was based on a few considered convictions.

And ends:

It’s almost certain that Hillary Clinton will be the nominee of the Democratic Party and the next President of the United States. But if, perchance, she gets derailed by a deus ex machina like the FBI, you can bet that the Democratic Party will have a Plan B, and it won’t be Bernie Sanders. It will be an attempt to stop Bernie Sanders. Perhaps it is just a coincidence that a Joe Biden-Elizabeth Warren ticket gets mentioned in the national press the day after Hillary’s Chief of Staff walks out of an FBI interrogation. Or is someone floating a balloon?

Would Bernie ever bite? Maybe not, but if the day comes, it’s some dish like this that the Democratic Party will try to serve.

A bit of speculation does provide flavour to an election season that is becoming all too predictable in the available too-and-fro argument and insults online and in media generally. Mr Kavanagh's whole piece is well worth a read.

Primarily...Kentucky and Oregon

 Primaries today - aqua; already held - cream.

Voters in Kentucky and Oregon cast primary votes today.

I know nothing about Oregon, other than that one of my husband's grandsons now lives there.

Kentucky - we've driven through the state, with overnight stays there on two occasions, when travelling home from visiting husband's younger son in Ohio. My impression of Kentucky, both times was good. On the first occasion (2007) I recall stopping off in La Grange at an Irish pub/restaurant for a snack, late afternoon. The menu was unusual and very tempting. We ate some delicious rissoles - vegetarian and full of all manner of unexpected textures and flavours - went down well with a glass of Guinness ! On the second occasion (2013) we spent a day and night in Paducah, an arty sort of town we both liked a lot, and intend to re-visit one day. A TV series Justified we've much enjoyed, part via DVD part Netflix, is set in Harlan County, Kentucky.
There's even a song (at the link) about Harlan.

Do good for Bernie, please Kentucky!



And, please Oregon - ditto!

Primarily ...West Virginia

  Dem.Primaries held - cream. Primary today -West Virginia- aqua

West Virginia voters do the primary deed today, in Nebraska Republicans only are still to vote.


West Virginia - that name always brings to mind yet another song of John Denver (yesterday's post featured three of 'em). What the heck... here's another for good measure:

West Virginia's is an open primary which will award 37 delegates. Another win would give Bernie further reason to continue his campaign, following his victory in Indiana last Tuesday; he is polling slightly ahead of Hillary Clinton in West Virginia at the time of typing.

The state relies heavily on coal mining, an industry which is nearing its last days if strong action to slow down climate change is to be taken.

The state is noted for its mountains and rolling hills, its historically significant logging and coal mining industries, and its political and labor history. It is one of the most densely karstic areas in the world, making it a choice area for recreational caving and scientific research (Wiki - link above)

The coal industry issue could go against Bernie or Hillary almost equally - though it does appear that the demographics of the state favour Bernie, if earlier patterns are repeated. West Virginia has only a tiny percentage of African American voters, a pattern which, in past primaries has helped Bernie.

Two to the Dozen!

Yesterday, 30 April, was the 12th anniversary of the day Anyjazz and I were wed. As is our habit we intend to celebrate with a wee trip. Date of departure has been changed more than once, due to adverse weather forecasts. Anyway - come what may, the blog will be on hold for a few days.

Another of husband's photographs, taken in a junk store recently, made it to Flickr's "Explore" section during the week:



Caption: "Past Time - If I could keep time in a bucket"

Which prompts me to recall the Jim Croce song - and how appropriate for our wedding anniversary!

"Time In A Bottle"

If I could save time in a bottle
The first thing that I'd like to do
Is to save every day till eternity passes away
Just to spend them with you

If I could make days last forever
If words could make wishes come true
I'd save every day like a treasure and then
Again, I would spend them with you..................

This song from the 1980s kept popping into my head the other day. It's by Labi Siffre, and was about Apartheid in South Africa (Wikipedia). The lyrics could also be seen as relevant to any struggle, and I hope Labi Siffre would not object to my seeing it as relevant to the campaign of Bernie Sanders, now reaching a high point of struggle against Sec. Clinton and the DNC in the primaries still to be held. There'll be one on Tuesday in Indiana.

GO BERNIE! The higher they build their barriers the stronger you'll become....

Inevitability or a Numbers Game ?

John Laurits (who is also an astrologer, according to links on his website) has invited his readers to "feel totally free to reproduce this article, re-post, re-use, re-cycle, or whatever, in whole or in part — credit would be lovely but, ultimately, I don’t really care! Do as ye will! Peace!" I'm doing just that - and thank you John! Comments are many at the website - linked in the article's title, below. Some commenters attempt to argue with John's findings. He politely and graciously responds to most of them.

Can Sanders do it? Or is Clinton truly inevitable?

Bernie Sanders has vowed to fight relentlessly for the 2016 Democratic Party’s nomination up to the convention and, despite the apparent consensus of the media’s talking heads that the campaign is a lost cause, he has held fast to his claim that there is a “narrow path to victory.” I am reminded of Galadriel’s ominous words of advice, in the Fellowship of the Ring: The quest stands upon the edge of a knife — stray but a little, and it will fail… ÷

It has even become something of a weekly occurrence for Hillary Clinton and her Wallstreet-backed campaign to imply, insinuate, or flat-out demand that Sanders withdraw his bid for the nomination — they are growing increasingly indignant about the fact that Sanders is trying to win. Which brings us to the heart of the issue — can Bernie Sanders–can we–win the delegates needed for the nomination?

The answer to this question is as simple as it is misleading — No. No, my friends, we cannot. And yet–! And yet, neither can Hillary Clinton — and I am going to show you what the media is willfully hiding from you. I am going to show you why, using the one thing that even the media can’t hide: Math.
Why Clinton Will Not Secure the Nomination, According to Math

According to the Green Papers, Clinton stands (today, April 28th) with 1,664 pledged delegates, while Sanders has gathered 1,371. The amount of delegates needed to secure the nomination is 2,383 and, if you’ll pardon me for my use of arithmetic, I will now demonstrate why that number is hopelessly out of reach for the Clinton campaign.†

Hillary needs 719 more delegates to reach 2,383 because:

2,383 – 1,664 = 719

Now, the pledged delegates that are available to grab in the remaining states all-together amount to 1,016 and in order to attain that blessed number, Clinton will have to win an average of 70.7% of the remaining states. This is because:

719 ÷ 1,016 = 0.707677 or approximately 71%

You might be thinking that 71% is not such an unattainable number for Hillary and her powerful Wallstreet backers — you might be thinking that but you’d be betting against longer odds than would be wise. You see, of the 1,016 delegates remaining, 475 of those delegates are to be won in California, alone — California, which has a semi-open primary. California, where Clinton is polling at a mere 49%. California, where Clinton’s support has been declining as the Sanders Campaign gains visibility and momentum. California — the ace that Sanders, as much as the media, have concealed up his sleeve.

It is no secret that Sanders, a previously invisible independent senator from the tiny state of Vermont, consistently climbs in the polls as he begins to campaign in the weeks before each state has had its primary. You don’t have to take my word for it — check the poll-histories for yourself or read this.

Because Bernie Sanders performs at his absolute best in open primaries and because he consistently rises in the polls, while Clinton consistently falls, it is extremely unlikely that Clinton will perform better than 49 points, let alone win the contest. Let’s do some more math:

Of the 475 delegates available in California on June 7th, lets say Hillary takes 49% of those (even though she will almost certainly take less). That would give her 232.75 delegates, which we’ll round up to an even 234.

475 x 0.49 = 232.75

Next, let’s add that to her current total of 1,664, bringing her up to 1,897. Now, she needs an additional 486 delegates to reach the magic number of 2,383, right? Let’s find out how many delegates Clinton would have to win in the remaining states (besides California, of course).

Of the 541 delegates left, once the 475 CA delegates have been subtracted from the 1,016 delegate total, Clinton is going to have to win almost 90% of the remaining non-California delegates! This is because, when you divide the number of delegates that Clinton needs after California by the number of delegates remaining after California, you get 0.898 or 89%, rounded down:

486 ÷ 541 = 0.898 or 89.8%

Now, how likely does that sound? It’s not likely in Oregon, a fairly progressive state that shares its general attitudes with Washington, a state that Sanders won with about 70% of the vote. It’s not likely in West Virginia, either, where Sanders is currently leading in the polls. Nor is it likely in Indiana where Sanders and Clinton are almost neck-and-neck, which votes on May 3rd. That nomination is feeling a lot further away now, isn’t it?

Okay, okay — maybe you’re thinking, “John, I think you’re being unfair, Clinton could certainly win California.” To which I would reply: I admire your optimism, my friend — and since you’re so optimistic, let’s run those numbers again — but this time, let’s assume that Clinton, for whatever reason, defies the consistent trends that have prevailed over the entire primary season. Let’s say, she jumps up 11% now, winning the California primary with 60% of the vote. So:

475 x 0.6 = 285

Now, add the 285 delegates to Clinton’s current total:

285 + 1,664 = 1,949

But:

2,383 – 1,949 = 434

So, Clinton will still need to scrape up 434 delegates somewhere other than California, some how. Which means — Hold on, first we have to figure out how much of the remaining delegates she’ll have to win:

434 ÷ 541 = .802218 or 80%

Wow! Even if Clinton actually wins California with 60% to Sanders with 40%, she will still have to secure about 80% of the remaining vote! Again, this certainly doesn’t seem likely in Oregon, West Virginia, or Indiana, which means the actual percentage would climb each time she failed to take 80% of a state! Now, are you starting to see why I am saying that Clinton will not be securing the nomination before the convention?
Part Two: Why Sanders Will Win, According to Math

If you’ve found yourself thinking, “Well, Sanders won’t secure the nomination, either!” You are almost 100% right! Well, 99.6% right, anyway. Because, if we take Sanders’ current delegate total of 1,371, subtract that from the magic 2,383, then divide that by the remaining available delegates, we get 0.996, see:

2,383 – 1,371 = 1,012

1,012 ÷ 1,016 = 0.996 or 99.6%

Therefore, Sanders would have to secure a whopping 99.6% victory in all remaining states to secure the nomination! I think this may be one of the few things that both Berners and Clintonistas could agree on: that that is impossible. But to those of you that are thinking, “John! This is terrible” or “Haha! Take that, Sanders!” I would reply: You are both wrong. Mostly. Let me explain:

First off, let’s acknowledge that the math seems to prohibit both candidates from securing the nomination before the convention — so what does this mean? This means that, since Sanders will not give up before the convention, there will almost certainly be a “contested convention.”

“Um… But John…” you may be saying, “Won’t Hillary still be miles ahead of Sanders in votes at the convention?”

To which I would reply: I’m glad you asked, my paid Hillary-supporter friend! Allow me to demonstrate how that will also not be the case, no matter what the media would have you believe. Follow me!

Since neither of them will be securing the 2,383 needed for the nomination, let’s take a look at another number that has been hiding in plain sight for far too long. I’d like you to meet the number, 4,051. That’s the number of total pledged delegates that are available from all 50 states, plus DC, US territories, and the Democrats abroad. As it should be obvious, a majority of these delegates would be 2,026 because:

4,051 ÷ 2 = 2,025.5

At the convention, this number is going to matter more than the unattainable 2,383 delegates that no one will have. That being the case, let’s take a look at what Bernie Sanders would have to do to get there. If Sanders won 60% of the remaining contests (and remember how 475 of 1,016 are in California, where Sanders will do well), then the numbers at the convention would look like this:

1,016 x .60 = 609.6

Round that to 610 and add it to Sanders current total of 1,371, then divide that by the total delegate count, 4,051:

610 + 1,371 = 1,981

1,981 ÷ 4,051 = .489 or 48.9%

So, in the scenario where Sanders takes about 60% of the remaining vote, we’re essentially looking at a 49 to 51% vote total at the convention — not so bad, eh? And that’s easily within Sanders’ reach, if we do well in California (which we almost certainly will). Let’s look at what happens if he takes 70% (just like he did last time we went to the West/Left Coast):

1,016 x .70 = 711.2, round it down to 711, then:

711 + 1,371 = 2,082

2,082 ÷ 4,051 = 0.513 or 51.3%

If Sanders took 70%, the convention would look like 51.3 to 48.7%, in favor of Sanders! But 70%, while possible, is a bit of a stretch — the new magic number, for Sanders anyway, is actually 64.4% of the remaining states, which would mean winning 655 of the 1,016 remaining delegates, pushing his total up to 2,026, the bare majority of delegates, leaving Clinton one delegate behind at 2,025.

Now, does Sanders winning 64.4% sound too far-fetched? Not particularly, especially when we consider his advantages on the Left Coast, in California’s 475 delegate semi-open primary. An uphill climb, though? Certainly. Remember, though: it is all but certain that Clinton will not secure the nomination, while Sanders supporters are going to be pouring into Philadelphia for the convention by the tens of thousands. Even if Bernie fell short by a few points, we’re still essentially looking at a tie. And that’s when all hell is going to break loose.

Things are going to become very interesting if we have a near-tie at the convention to be decided by the super-delegates.

Things are going to become very interesting when they look back at the many states that are still crying out for a re-vote, states fraught with “voting irregularities,” polling station closures, and voter roll purges — all states which Clinton won and all states which so far have not received justice.

Things are going to become very interesting when the DNC and the super-delegates realize that Sanders, unlike the Wallstreet-backed Clinton-Machine, will bring in not only millions of independent voters that were unable to vote in the primaries, but even defecting Republican votes, sealing the GOP’s utter defeat in November.

Things are going to become very interesting when, while they are thinking about all of these things, they are doing so to the earth-shaking, thunderous chants of “Sanders! Sanders!” from his tens of thousands of supporters outside, who have time-and-again proven their ability to rally by the tens of thousands — do you think that we won’t do the same at the convention?

And finally, things are going to become very, very interesting when the super-delegates and the DNC are forced to choose, publicly, whether to hand the nomination to Clinton and watch the millions of independents walk away, along with millions of former-democrat Sanders-supporters, basically handing the general election to the neo-fascists Trump or Cruz — or, to hand it to Sanders, a leader who will have the support, not only of the entire Democratic Party, but of millions of Independents, Green Party voters, and — yes, indeed — even Republicans defecting from the extremist GOP. That will be the most interesting part, I think. I’ll see you all in Philadelphia.

In Solidarity,
John Laurits

P.S. Please feel totally free to reproduce this article, re-post, re-use, re-cycle, or whatever, in whole or in part — credit would be lovely but, ultimately, I don’t really care! Do as ye will! Peace!

#SeeYouInPhilly

†I have not counted the so-called “super-delegates” because they do not vote until the convention, which you might not know because of the media’s disgustingly corrupt attempt to warp the public’s perception of the election.

*All numbers pulled from the Green Papers, today 4/28/2016, at: http://www.thegreenpapers.com/P16/D-PU.phtml

Part 2 of John Laurits' article is HERE.

Primarily.....

The people of Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island are voting in primaries today. As things stand at present, halfway through the primary process, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are the clear leading candidates for Democrats and Republicans.

Enough Republicans, at least, have been brave enough - even in the face of severe criticism of their choice, often well-deserved - to elect for change from the same old establishment politics. On the Democrat side there are still too many people satisfied with what they've had in President Obama, and wish to continue along that road. These people cannot, or will not consider that this country is being held hostage by corporations, plutocrats, war hawks, oligarchy - call 'em whatever one wishes. Electing Bernie Sanders might not be the solution, no single person ever could be, he realises this too, but his nomination would be one step forward in the long road needed to reach a fairer, more just state of affairs in the USA.

Bernie winning the nomination, though not 100% out of the question, has become much less likely after his loss in New York. That does not mean that supporters should abandon him in primaries to come - not if they ever believed in his vision for a better future for all the people of the USA. The closer Bernie Sanders can keep the race the better, to enable him to put his case, at the Democratic Convention, that some of his policies must become part of the party's platform. He needs to get as many delegates into the convention as possible, to use as leverage there.

Opening paragraphs from an inspiring piece
by Robert C. Koehler:
The New Enlightenment

What remains endlessly hinted at about the 2016 presidential race, but not fully articulated, is that something enormous — bigger than politics, bigger than America itself, perhaps — is trembling and kicking just below the surface, struggling to emerge.

I have a name to suggest for this hypothetical phenomenon: the New Enlightenment. Nothing less than that seems adequate.

There are millions of midwives at the ready — angry, despairing citizens — desperately hoping to assist in the birthing process . . . by being part of the Bernie Sanders campaign. I say this with full cognizance of the flawed, compromised nature of politics in general and the Democratic Party in particular. The political process is a stew of money and competing interests, power, compromise, cynicism and secret deals. But that’s not all it is.

It’s also the opening to our collective future. A failure to acknowledge this leaves the process in the hands of those who think they own it.

Ac-cent-tchu-ate The Positive !

Tomorrow will bring another clutch of primaries.

Fair Game: Why Bernie Should Keep Going
by John Atcheson
"Sanders’ run was never about him," writes Atcheson. "It was about trying to seize the country back from the Oligarchy, and giving it to
the people."

Commenter "DL T88":
EXACTLY. This is OUR campaign and movement that is being sidelined and lied about in the media. It is the PEOPLE Hillary is running against -- not just Bernie.

Another commenter ("atelios") at Common Dreams has compiled a map showing Clinton's and Sanders' primary wins county by county, with this message:

Yesterday I spent all day working on a graphic I put together, from the graphic results I have been following over at Huffington Post (I took a plain map of USA I found on Internet, and then took each state's results map and sized/rotated that to fit on the USA map). See I noticed that Bernie kept winning lots of counties even though he wasn't always winning the eventual vote total. But it just makes him look like his popularity is sweeping the country. Go check out this graphic and decide who you think deserves to represent the entire country in the White House. And share it with anyone you care to. I'll try to update it as the primary races continue...

If the nomination was based on amount of land area won by the candidates, I think Bernie Sanders would win by a landslide! Too bad mother nature can't vote. .........atelios

Click on image for larger version. Blue = Sanders, green = Clinton

It's Music Monday, and it's the anniversary of the birthday of
Ella Fitzgerald. She has some wise words to share with any deflated Bernie supporters out there:

Updating 2008 - rhyming but not repeating

As we wait, on tenterhooks, for results of the New York primary later today, I've decided to play around with an old post of mine from early 2008 during that election season, adjusting the detail - just for fun. The post was titled:
Spirit of Idealism in the USA:

It's fascinating to observe the patterns and passions erupting, from a variety of perspectives, during this long election season in the USA. The conundrum I puzzle over a lot these days: sidereal versus tropical zodiac, nags me regularly as I browse news articles.

There's an interesting phenomenon occurring in the USA now. On first thought it seemed to me to be classic Uranus in Aquarius Aries, tropically, but in the sidereal zodiac, Uranus is now in tropical Pisces. Sidereally Neptune is in Aquarius.

"Change", a keyword of Uranus and Aquarius, is the buzzword of the moment here. American youth has suddenly become avidly interested in politics, passionately supporting their almost messianic hero, presidential candidate Barack Obama, Bernie Sanders, whose message encapsulates Aquarian ideals.

The movement towards Aquarian ideals isn't only for the youth of the USA. Those left unmoved by Obama's oratory and celebrity endorsements Bernie Sanders' proposals are enthusiastically supporting an equally determined Hillary Clinton, who passionately demands very little change from the way the country has been run for the last 7 years. Even the old-fashioned Republican party has taken a wee step towards more Aquarian thinking by supporting being shocked by the unexpected in the form of Donald Trump John McCain, who, though still something of an egomaniac warrior, is considerably ever so slightly more humanitarian (Aquarian) in his views on a scant few fronts than his party would traditionally have been.

Uranus in sidereal Aquarius Pisces initially seems like an odd good fit, but because we currently have Neptune in tropical sidereal Aquarius and Uranus in tropical sidereal Pisces, the two planets are in what astrologers call "mutual reception", each is in the home sign of the other. Astrologer Robert Wilkinson says (here) that mutual reception "is a very strong influence. It is as though the two planets feed each other, and grow stronger, for good or ill, in their ability to dominate those affairs in the chart." Using the sidereal tropical zodiac, Neptune currently lies in Capricorn Pisces, mutual reception with Uranus in Aries is absent.

It's not a clear-cut choice to decide which fits the situation better, sidereal or tropical zodiac. It could be argued that Uranus in sidereal Aquarius tropical Aries is a good match for events in the USA, it could also be proposed that Neptune's influence is involved from its home sign, Pisces. In a paragraph above I used the word "messianic" quite automatically, and only later, when searching for information in my astrology books, noticed that Grant Lewi, when describing Neptune in Aquarius in his book "Astrology for the Millions" said
"There is a tendency to messianic feelings of social and economic reconstruction, perhaps an inclination towards dubious methods of accomplishing worthwhile goals (an "end justifies the means attitude")".

Rosa Brooks' article "A National Mood Swing", in the Los Angeles Times discusses the current phenomenon (see here)
In conclusion, she writes: [my deletions and additions for 2016]

"It’s far too soon to say if the newfound spirit of idealism that’s sending voters (including many independents) to the Democratic primaries in record numbers will endure, paving the way for an era of energized new social movements and reforms. But I’d bet that we really have turned a page. On the Republican side too, there’s a palpable desire for a candidate who doesn’t fit into a rigid ideological box, one who can tap into and reflect our best instincts instead of our most craven fears.

Whether the idealistic yearning for change endures probably has little to do with who wins and who loses the Democratic nomination (or even the White House). Losses can galvanize social movements just as much as victories, and whoever wins the White House will be president of an America different from the one that greeted Bush’s inaugurations in 2001 and 2005 [ added: or Obama's in 2009 and 2013] It will be a more hopeful, less partisan nation, one united in its rueful awareness of the ways former Bush presidencies went wrong, a nation [hopefully] more ready to pull its socks up and get to work to put things right."

Conclusion: Tropical zodiac may describe this particular situation more exactly than sidereal, depending on one's viewpoint, but sidereal would still describe it well enough.

Astrology aside, the hope in the hearts of everyone is surely that the phenomenon occurring here [among young voters] survives the election, then grows and blossoms, so the world and the planet itself will benefit.

Pondering Wyoming

Wyoming's Democratic Party caucus takes place today.
I don't know much about the state. We visited just the eastern edge of it during a trip in September 2009:




Snip:

We next ventured into Wyoming, the state line isn't too far from Deadwood. We sought and found Devil's Tower, famous for its appearance in the movie "Close Encounters of the Third Kind".

Before I had any idea that I could ever be living in a place where Wyoming was a possibility to visit, at least travelling by land, I had formed an idea about the state which may or may not be a fair one. It was based on a song from my favourite Elton John CD, Songs From the West Coast, a song titled American Triangle. The song tells of a very nasty incident in Wyoming in the late 1990s:

From Wikipedia

Matthew Wayne "Matt" Shepard (December 1, 1976 – October 12, 1998) was an American student at the University of Wyoming who was beaten, tortured, and left to die near Laramie, Wyoming on the night of October 6, 1998, and died six days later at Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins, Colorado, on October 12, from severe head injuries.

[Matthew was gay]

The song mentions the state's name, and that mention remained in my memory very clearly:

On a more pleasant note, we've recently enjoyed two seasons of a TV series (via Netflix) set in Wyoming: Longmire. The series has given me a much better view of Wyoming.

I hope Wyoming voters will be kind to Bernie today!


UPDATE

THANK YOU WYOMING!

 Bernie Sanders 56 - Hillary Clinton 44

[Image - hat-tip to DaveZ at Crooks & Liars]

Thank you Wisconsin!

Senator Bernie Sanders won the Wisconsin primary by around 13 points! Thank you Wisconsin! Congratulations to Senator Sanders! A supercilious sniff to the Clinton campaign:

(By Victor Morton - The Washington Times - Tuesday, April 5, 2016)

The Hillary Clinton campaign has “lost patience” and will start going after Sen. Bernard Sanders much harder and hoping to destroy his campaign, CNN reported Tuesday night.

In a report after Mrs. Clinton’s latest defeat at the hands of the Vermont socialist, reporter Jeff Zeleny said the Clinton campaign has decided that party unity can come later.

TSK!!!

I was a fan of Bernie Sanders long before his current presidential campaign began.

There's a post dated December 210 which also quotes from an earlier, 2008, post about the good Senator:

Senator Bernie Sanders - Independent Socialist

Primarily in April..."We Open in" Wisconsin

Our April primary calendar, borrowing from Kiss Me Kate, musical version of Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew. I've adjusted a song from that show about a travelling band of players/entertainers. What else is our own travelling band of politicians? A video version of the original song follows.

We open in Venice Wisconsin
We next play Verona Wyoming
Then on to Cremona New York
Lotsa laughs in Cremona in New York City,
Our next jump is Parma Delaware
That dopey, mopey menace,
Then Mantua, then Padua Connecticut, then Maryland
Then we open again, where? In Pennsylvania and Rhode Island.

So...primaries and travelling players trundle on, all the while pundits, columnists, bloggers and commenters becoming ever more decidedly partisan. That was to be expected, in any election year, but especially in 2016, with two candidates opposing the establishments of their chosen parties. Not only do we have the usual Democrat versus Republican election game being played (prematurely, because we're still in primary mode), we have Hillary versus Bernie, and Trump versus Cruz (and/or Kasich or A. N. Other).

I have only memories of the 2008, 2012 and this election seasons (+ mid-terms), so have not wide experience from which to compare 2016 with long-gone election seasons. The internet has been a great cyber playground available in all US elections of my own experience, with increasing importance as years have passed. This is a good thing, a very good thing, because it unites groups of supporters, aids candidates, highlights untruths - but there's always a dark side.

My own internet reading this time has been confined to websites known for being, at least left-leaning if not exactly progresssive (some might call themselves progressive, but they're truly not and have proved it this time). Feuding between Hillary's and Bernie's supporters, including genuine and planted commenters, has become more unpleasant by the day. This is a side effect of Bernie Sanders' campaign's unexpectedly strong showing. Not much more than a year ago it was expected that Hillary Clinton would be a shoo-in for the Democrats: it was "her turn", "she is a female, the glass ceiling of the US presidency should be broken - it's past time"... etc. When that kind of propadanda began to show cracks, bad feeling began to erupt first from one side, then from the other.

Something I've discovered more clearly this time is which websites and blogs are truly progressive, i.e. they support Bernie Sanders. They are few. The rest are either overtly or covertly supporting Clinton and openly or snidely damping down potential Bernie support from readers. Columnists, and some bloggers, I've respected and enjoyed reading in the past now have been mentally given black marks, never again to be trusted. Yep - I'm as partisan as the next person - in the privacy of my own mind and my own blog.

As commenter "Newton Finn", under a piece at Alternet at the weekend wrote:

[we]have come to the realization that many of these comfortable liberal - primarily concerned with personal or social issues instead of hardcore economic ones - are not comrades in the struggle but rather share the mindset of what Marx called the petite bourgeoisie. Moving forward with a true democratic revolution that fundamentally alters status quo concepts and structures necessarily entails leaving these third-way liberals behind, shaking the dust off our feet, and instead reaching out to the exploited and increasingly desperate working class, so many of whom have lined up behind Trump because the left has often ignored them and looked down on them. There is no better voice to listen to in this regard than that of the late great Joe Bageant.

The 2010 piece at the link is a very, very good read by the way.

I'm conscious of the fact that my support for Bernie has lost me at least two former commenters, two I could ill-afford to lose in this Facebook infested world - yet that's the way it has to be. I couldn't feel right sitting on the fence on such an important issue.

All that remains to be said today: GO BERNIE!

Primarily...on we go, while I wander back & forward in time

Democratic primary caucuses are taking place today in Washington State, Alaska and Hawaii. Caucus states tend to be Bernie-friendly, so I'm hoping for happy-making results tonight!

Digging around in my archives, this from August of 2008 reminded me of how I felt back then. Nothing much has changed:

Last week I sent off my voter registration application to the State authority, and await the return of a Voter Identification Card for use when I cast my first ever vote in the USA at the General Election in November (2008).

I registered myself as "No Party", unable to conscientiously relate to what I've seen from either party during past months. "No Party" satisfies my Aquarian hankering for freedom and innate obtuseness in any case. Until the primary elections kicked off I always assumed that when I became eligible to vote there was absolutely no question but that I'd join the Democrats. It came as a surprise to me that when the opportunity at last arose, I felt quite unable to do so.

Although I've been here nigh on 4 years, I'm still obviously not translating British political labels into American accurately, or perhaps there is no precise translation. Back in England when US elections were reported on TV and radio I could often be heard asking for a reminder as to which equated to Labour - Republican (symbol the elephant) or Democrat (symbol the donkey). I just couldn't get my head around it. To me Republican sounded more revolutionary and therefore more like Britain's Labour party, the party of "ordinary people", as against the aristocracy and wealthy land owning classes (and those who aspire to, or have delusions of belonging to those groups). The Democrats are the nearest thing to UK's Labour Party I guess, but they aren't extreme enough, I can't really tell "who they are". I'm not sure they know themselves exactly who they are at present, come to that.

I used to describe myself as a European style socialist, but the word socialist here in the USA is almost a dirty word. I think many people equate it with communism. I've learned to keep my mouth shut and my keyboard clamped on that score!

Astrologer C.E.O. Carter said in his "Encyclopedia of Psychological Astrology" (first published 1924 in Britain) that "Socialism is one of the manifestations of the Uranian Age, it being an attempt - whether or not a happy one is, of course, beside the point - to realise fraternity and justice. In this it is distinct from the Pisces methods which had been in vogue before, i.e. private philanthropy in the form of foundations, institutions, and alms."

Dear Mr Carter lived in a different era, of course. I wonder what he'd make of the corporatism which we see taking over now? Private philanthropy may still exist in isolated local areas, but on the whole, philanthropy has gone out of fashion in favour of greed. Never has there been more need for "fraternity and justice" - but when will The Uranian Age begin again? I think Mr Carter was referring to the time when Uranus transited its own sign of Aquarius in the early 20th century, from around 1912 to 1920. Uranus has visited Aquarius again since then, a fact which I have engraved on my heart because of what went on then in my life (1995 to 2003). There was no great uprising of socialism as far as I recall - in the USA it was the opposite in fact.

The People will have to wait for the real Age of Aquarius to dawn, before things really start to change. According to the experts it may not dawn in the lifetime of anyone alive now, or even in the lifetimes of their grandchildren...nor even their grandchildren's grandchildren.

In the absence of fraternity and justice until the New Dawning, it would be nice if we could simply have a bit of philanthropy back.

Absent the dawning of the Age of Aquarius, we could at least acknowledge the fact that a herald of "fraternity and justice" is among us right now in Bernie Sanders. He has been ignored, dismissed, ridiculed by Republicans, establishment Democrats and mass media, but gradually has gained respect from some of those who hadn't been aware of his views previously. For me, personally, he's the candidate I've been waiting for.

I'll go out on a limb to say that, however unlikely it might seem, at this point, for Bernie to achieve the presidency, if he were to do so, he would become the most beloved president in anyone's lifetime. That is my deepest feeling about him. If that were to be proved merely a dream, well then, he still should go down in history as a true herald of things to come - at some point in the future when the stars align for The People more strongly and clearly than they do right now. Some of The People, on both sides of the political divide (supporters of Bernie, and those of Donald Trump) may be ultra-sensitive and feeling an advance pull of Saturn's entry into revolutionary Aquarius in late 2020, and an even more advanced pull of Pluto's entry into Aquarius in the Spring of 2023.

Primarily - morning after a disappointing night for Bernie. Standing by: Turn of the Century Radical

What I didn't want to believe would happen, has happened.  It has been proved that Bernie is too good for this place, this nation!    They don't know a good thing when it's put right under their noses.

I'll continue to support him to the end of his run, whenever that turns out to be.  If he continues to hold Hillary Clinton to tight races in more states, he will, perhaps, gain some foothold in being able to have a say in future policies.
So....

Edited and expanded re-run of an archived post.

Emma Goldman was born on 27 June 1869 in Kovno, Lithuania, then part of the Russian Empire. She emigrated to the USA, with her sister, in 1885 and found employment in a New York clothing factory. Soon after her arrival in the states an uprising of workers in Chicago resulted in the execution of four anarchists, who came to be known as "The Haymarket Martyrs".

They had been prominent trade union activists leading the struggle for an eight-hour day. Framed for a bombing, the authorities hoped that this would scare off the emerging trade union movement, especially its anarchist component. The international outcry which followed these executions on trumped up charges helped to shape Emma's radical and anarchist ideals, which lasted throughout her long life..............

Emma Goldman was a formidable public speaker and a prolific writer. Her whole life was devoted to struggle and she was controversial even within the radical and anarchist movement itself. She was one of the first radicals to address the issue of homosexuality, she was a fighter for women's rights, and she advocated the virtues of free love. These ideas were viewed with suspicion by those who placed their faith in the cure-all solution of economic class warfare and they were denounced by many of her contemporaries as "bourgeois inspired" at best.

To mainstream Americans, Emma was known as a demonic "dynamite eating anarchist". She toured the States, agitating and lecturing everywhere she went. She was hounded for much of her life by FBI agents and was imprisoned in 1893, 1901, 1916, 1918, 1919, and 1921 on charges ranging from incitement to riot to advocating the use of birth control to opposition to World War 1.

A self proclaimed anarchist, Leon Czolgosz, assassinated President William McKinley in 1901 and this event unleashed a massive wave of anti-anarchist hysteria throughout the States. Emma was blamed for his action and was forced into hiding for a time. She was deported from the United States, Holland, France, and was denied entry to many other countries. None of this daunted her, she began publishing 'Mother Earth' magazine in 1906 and was very active in the No-Conscription League. (Link)

Emma Goldman died in 1940, and though exiled for many years, her body was allowed back into the USA for burial in Chicago, not far from the graves of the "Haymarket Martyrs".

Entire books have been written about the life of Ms Goldman, it's impossible to cover it sensibly in a brief blog post, but there's enough information in the extract above to get an idea of one side of this lady's character. Another side of her personality emerges through a cache of her letters to a lover. These were mentioned in a 1992 article in the Los Angeles Times:

All About Emma : Letters... by JOHN BOUDREAU |

Snips:

But despite her reputation as a firebrand, the real Goldman also was a woman tormented by jealousy and doubt, the collection shows. Through her prolific letters, readers come to see the feisty revolutionary who espoused the eight-hour workday, contraceptives and "free love" but who was haunted by depression and anguish over her blatantly promiscuous longtime lover, Dr. Ben Reitman.

.....the letters were very jealous. She said his letters to her were like a narcotic: They made her heart beat faster, but they put her brain to sleep. And she had these terrible moments of feeling her life was not meaningful.

Falk adds: "A lot of people think they know her, or else they've never heard of her. It's fascinating for people to see she was just like anyone else."

Here's her natal chart set for 12 noon. Astrodatabank has a 3pm time of birth, but it is categorised as "DD" - dirty data, and unreliable. That time puts her natal Moon in mid-Aquarius with Scorpio rising. I'll rely on a 12 noon chart to note some interesting factors.



Most significant of all is rebel planet Uranus conjunct Venus, part of a cluster of personal planets in Cancer. Cancer isn't the first sign that springs to mind when considering a radical and anarchist whose life's work consisted of fighting the system, the status quo. When Uranus is closely involved though, Cancer's homely cuddly sentimentality goes out the window. Her natal Moon would have been in Aquarius whatever time she was born, and more likely than not in scratchy aspect to either her Sun/Mercury or Venus/Uranus in Cancer. Aquarius and Cancer are not best pals of the zodiac, any aspect between them is going to be scratchy at best, accounting for her less than typically Cancerian nature, at least as portrayed to the public.
However, her private letters, mentioned in the article linked above, expose another side of her nature, more aligned with what's typically thought of as Cancerian: clingy, needy, sentimental, in stark contrast to the Aquarian independence of her natal Moon.

Mars in Virgo on one side and Jupiter in Taurus on the other form harmonious sextiles to Uranus/Venus. Saturn in Sagittarius could well form a sextile to Moon which then links Moon and Saturn via two quincunx aspects to Uranus, forming a Yod. Astrologers consider that the "energies" of the sextiled planets emerge via the qualities of the planet at the apex of the Yod, in this case, what could seem more appropriate : Moon (inner self) and Saturn (career) emerging through Uranus (rebellion)?

Primarily - here we go again!

This Tuesday's primaries, held on the date ancient Romans called The Ides of March, date of the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 BC. The death of Caesar made the Ides of March a turning point in Roman history, as one of the events that marked the transition from the historical period known as the Roman Republic to the Roman Empire. Let's not go there!

The states voting today are coloured pale mauve on the map below: Florida, Ohio, Illinois, North Carolina and Missouri.

Dunno what to say anymore, except "GO GET 'EM BERNIE!" Paul Edwards' piece at The Smirking Chimp this weekend is a good read - for Bernie supporters.
Two snips:

Even after Michigan, and unsavory Republican Neocons jumping ship to back Hillary over “Little Parts” Trump, the Dem Power Trust sticks to its lack of principle, to nominate a reliable corporate tool come Hell or high water.

And that’s what they’ll get. There’s a delicious parallel existing in politics now that might blow both wings of the Bankers’ Party up for good. As Repugs are trying to wrest their ethically moribund Party away from their foremost candidate, Dems are bent on making their rank and file swallow a slab of stale Marie Antoinette-style cake that it’s gagging at and rejecting.

One Party is mad to disengage from a candidate that may destroy it; and the other is wild to crown one that could have exactly the same effect on it.

It would all be great fun to follow if the long-term fate of the country we live in were not so horrifyingly at risk, but it is.......................................

You Criminal Syndicates have had it your way for generations. You’ve kept us ignorant, mesmerized and baffled, by lying and deceiving us, manipulating our fear and anger, and misdirecting them at bogus targets that never threatened us, and never mattered. You’ve kept us from the justice, domestic tranquillity, general welfare, and blessings of liberty our Constitution promised us. No more!

You have, at long last, as a reward for your exploitation and betrayal, lost our trust and our respect, and you will never regain it. You may hang on in some form, gutted and discredited, but know that you are no use to us now, or in the future. We expect nothing from you, and we want no more to do with you. If you doubt us, watch what happens. You’re about to find out.

I don't pray these days, but I send a heartfelt request the universe to please, please, protect Bernie and his people from here on. There is a whiff of madness in the air.

Primarily today...

Another smattering of primaries today - states coloured pale green on the map:

Michigan's result is going to be interesting. Flint's terrible poisoned water situation will be at the forefront of voters' minds. Hillary Clinton is ahead in the polls there currently, but with a tighter margin than was the case a few days ago. In Sunday evening's Democratic debate in Flint, which we watched in full, I thought both candidates gave an impressive performance.

Bernie's wins in Kansas, Nebraska and Maine over the weekend have been encouraging to his supporters, myself included. He still has a steep uphill task delegate-wise, but states still to vote are likely to be more Bernie-friendly than some already primaried southern states where, for some strange reason, he's been less enthusiastically received, especially among African American groups.

Later today there'll be a solar eclipse, in Pisces, at around 18 degrees.

There are lots of astrological writings on the topic around the net, I've picked this piece from the many for a link. The astrologer, Clarissa, at Viva Combusta (cute blog name!) currently lives here in Oklahoma.

Real Time Astrology: New Moon Solar Eclipse Supermoon in Pisces March 8, 2016

There's a selection of other good stuff accessible from the sidebar there too.

Primarily...

Before this weekend's out results of another group of primaries/caucuses will be known:

(Hat-tip HERE for list. Click on it for clearer view)


On we go, all the while with mainstream media journalists, pundits and commentary trying to dampen the enthusiasm of Bernie Sanders' supporters by declaring already that, for us the "game" is already lost, Hillary Clinton will be the nominee for US Democrats. In fact, nothing is over, but it will be difficult for Bernie to completely overtake Hillary. The "race" could end in a virtual tie, with Hillary Clinton failing to obtain the necessary number of delegates for an all-out win, meaning that negotiations will have to take place. Delegates, delegates!

Bernie's campaign was always going to be difficult, running as he is against the Clinton's combined juggernaut: combination of Hillary, Bill, the partisan DNC, the bought and paid for corporate media. Anything that's worth a damn is always difficult.

Main-streamers, owned by corporations, have their list of instructions. Subtle manipulation of minds comes high on that list. No matter who a person supports in this election, or in respect of any matter at all, it's helpful to keep this in mind when reading, watching, listening to anything online, in newspapers, on TV or radio.

If a majority of people in the USA turn out to be not yet ready, for whatever reason, for a serious attempt at common sense reform of the rigged systems - electoral, financial and otherwise - then that's their choice. They will be ready sometime later, but perhaps too late to effect meaningful change.

An uplifting piece by Gaius Publius this morning at The Smirking Chimp:
http://www.smirkingchimp.com/thread/gaius-publius/66291/clinton-will-build-her-biggest-lead-on-march-15-sanders-will-erode-it-after-that



On a lighter note, but still relating to the primaries:

The character Donald Trump keeps bringing to my mind is one created by the brilliantly funny Douglas Adams in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy:
Zaphod Beeblebrox, once President of the Galaxy. Though minus one head, The Donald is a dead ringer for The Zaphod! ~

"One of the major difficulties Trillian experienced in her relationship with Zaphod was learning to distinguish between him pretending to be stupid just to get people off their guard, pretending to be stupid because he couldn't be bothered to think and wanted someone else to do it for him, pretending to be outrageously stupid to hide the fact that he actually didn’t understand what was going on, and really being genuinely stupid. He was renowned for being amazingly clever and quite clearly was so—but not all the time, which obviously worried him, hence, the act. He preferred people to be puzzled rather than contemptuous."