THE PRIMARIES, THE CONVENTIONS, THE ELECTION

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

I thought this was interesting about the upcoming primaries and the varying rules from state to state.

New York's Closed Primary Could Be Bernie Sanders' Achilles' Heel
by ALEX SEITZ-WALD

http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-...

Source: NBCnews

[Jill]

It it truly confusing as to how each state handles the primary process. For some unknown reason I thought everyone did it in the same manner or at least close to the same manner but it isn't even close. Candidates pick up delegates even if they may come in last and those who come in second may get almost as many delegates as the popular vote winner. And the "super delegate" system used by the Democrats reeks of machine politics. I think this is the reason that some voters don't bother because they feel that it is meaningless. Sometimes democracy can be a very complex system.

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

Yes it is.

Very true on the delegate counts.

Remember that the super delegates usually go with the popular consensus - they honestly have - remember they were for Hilary in 2008 and then went with Obama. There is really no way that I can see that Bernie can catch up with Hilary or Cruz with Trump but you never know.

Possibly a chance for Cruz because of the Republican machinations. I think Bernie's on the ground campaign in New York started too late - it was already over for him to gain an independent influx.

[Stuart]

Superdelegates were put in place after the 1980 election to make it harder for non-establishment candidates to win after George McGovern (who had helped write the previous rules) and Jimmy Carter secured the 1972 and 1976 nominations. They indeed have never overturned the will of the majority of the pledged delegates however and indeed helped Obama in 2008 by giving him needed credibility in his campaign against Clinton.

If Republicans had superdelegates, Trump wouldn't have a chance.

[Jill]

Thanks for additional information, Stuart.

I don't think Trump stands a chance as it is unless he gets 1,237. The Republicans are in a pickle and I'm afraid the convention could be very ugly indeed.

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

Stuart wrote: "Superdelegates were put in place after the 1980 election to make it harder for non-establishment candidates to win after George McGovern (who had helped write the previous rules) and Jimmy Carter s..."

Very true Stuart

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

The Republican convention will be ugly if the top vote getter is snubbed for a party fave

[Jill]

I would be interested in other folks' opinions of why Bernie Sanders is so appealing to the younger voter. It is amazing seeing all those 20 year olds cheering him like a rock star. Do they understand his political stance or do they just find him endearing, like a feisty grand dad?

[Lorna, Assisting Moderator (T) - SCOTUS - Civil Rights]

Jill, what an interesting question you pose. I must admit that I have been surprised and amazed at the Sanders candidacy. First I must say that I applaud the fact that he has inspired such large numbers of young people to be so involved in politics but I am weary of his message that I have heard for 30+ years in the Senate with little results. I am watching a rally in NYC right now where he has thousands of supporters cheering him on. As the New York Times showed, he doesn't have an idea when asked how to implement his ideas. I think he is appealing to the better angels of out nature - as President Obama stated recently, it is easy to want the "bright shiny object."

[Jill]

I agree with your comments, Lorna. There just is no way that his ideas can be implemented (let alone, accepted) but there is something appealing about him and a lot of people are "feeling the Bern". I think he has made his point, which may be all he wanted to do..........get voters thinking about something or someone new, not the same old hack, machine politics. He has succeeded there.....I like the man for his spunk although I can't agree with his politics.

[Lorna, Assisting Moderator (T) - SCOTUS - Civil Rights]

Thanks Jill, I'm glad I'm not alone out there in the wilderness not feeling the Bern.

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

There are a lot of group members who are "feeling the bern" - I am not one of them but then again - maybe I expect folks to have a plan on how they are going to get from a to b and how much it is going to cost.

I think he is appealing to the younger set because of the "freebies" he is promising.

I agree more should be done for regular Americans and for Americans like you and I versus corporate America and lobbyists who work for them. However, his approach is rather simplistic and I don't think he is able to answer any of the tough questions.

Again, I would prefer him over let us say - Cruz - but I am not sure if he is moderate enough to get anything done with Congress given his stance on major issues. And I am deathly afraid of him and one Republican candidate when it comes to foreign affairs and military matters.

I am not sure we have a bumper crop this year. But everybody will have their favorite I am sure.

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

Going down memory lane

I thought everybody would enjoy this one - Bernie Sanders when he was mayor in 1988 of Burlington, Vermont and beside his name is (socialist) - he has hair - and his views do not seem to have changed.

Enjoy - for those folks out there who are for him:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KL8Bp...

Hillary Clinton in 1979 - very well spoken even in 1979 when Bill Clinton was the youngest governor in the nation.

https://youtu.be/bg_sEZg7-rk

In January 1993 with Hillary Clinton - just before packing to move into the White House

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idEUZ...

NBC News - Hillary: America's First Lady (June 1993)
Josh Burdock (6 months later and in the White House)

https://youtu.be/NRCxMlx5dYI

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

More going down Memory Lane

Donald Trump in 1988 on Oprah

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEPs1...

Ted Cruz in high school - a person who obviously was not a high school friend released this: (obviously just a young immature high school kid at the time)

https://youtu.be/qQPF1xY9SXk

However Ted Cruz's former college roommate is not so happy:
https://youtu.be/tuFBfjWXy98

Gov. John Kasich: Ted Cruz is 'Sen. Smear'

https://youtu.be/DWdyLUSb7x8


John Kasich and his first wife Mary Lee Griffith were married from 1975-1980.

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

New York Primaries Today - the Contenders


Sanders, Trump, Clinton, Cruz, Katich
Love the photo

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

The votes are in - New York Primary - Clinton and Trump

[Alice]

I remember Kennedy and Nixon in their debate years ago and Kennedy was excellent, intelligent and the Cabinet he chose was "the best and the brightest". But today, years from 1960, we are faced with candidates on both sides who are lack luster at best. The world is a different place from 1904 and 1960, too. We have engaged in wars where we were not on a good side, we opposed Middle Eastern dictators only to have their nations thrown into chaos after their deaths, and we have a national debt that needs to be reduced but no one of the candidates really addresses that. Am I worried about the present primary season? Yes, I wonder if the US is headed on a downward course.

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

They were Alice and they were very loyal to JFK too. Many of them are.

It is interesting to me in remembering primaries of the past that the candidates reflect the issues that the voters bring up as important - right now we are talking about our immigration problem, dearth of jobs, corporation thumbing their noses at the population and government and not paying their taxes or what they should pay, cost of education, breaking up of the banks (Sanders), bad trade deals, Obamacare (everybody is fairly happy with the fact that pre-existing conditions are covered but this seems to be the mantra of the Republicans). The democrats thanks to Bernie Sanders are focusing on the cost of education, break up of the banks, and the corporate greed. The Republicans thanks to Trump are talking about immigration, the wall, bad trade deals, corporations not doing their fair share for the American worker,

These outliers (Sanders and Trump) are stretching the conversation no matter if you like them or not. Very simply in the same way that Ross Perot forced the candidates to talk about the national debt and then we did something about it and we had a surplus when Clinton left office. However when George W came to office he tanked the country and increased the national debt so much that I wonder who can fix this. When he left after two wars - one which was totally unnecessary and is the cause I think of ISIS taking hold in the Middle East - the next President faced a country going into depression - through the team that was brought together - that bullet was dodged and there has been some improvement but not as dramatic as I feel you are looking for.

Will the next president be able to build upon the progress that we have made or will they take us further into debt? That is the problem we are facing now with our candidates and nobody is talking about the national debt? Maybe we need to have someone like a Ross Perot bring back the charts. They were very effective.

Alice, I do understand where you are coming from.

[Bryan]

Jill wrote: "It it truly confusing as to how each state handles the primary process. For some unknown reason I thought everyone did it in the same manner or at least close to the same manner but it isn't even c..."

Jill: the Constitution covers how a president is elected, but not nominated. So, it has been a state-driven thing. This is why things have been different.

The Dems also changed the rules a lot over the last 40 years.

[Dave]

One of the best - and certainly funniest - explanations of the primary system comes from John Oliver. Seriously, I learned more about the system from this clip than all the newspapers and news magazines I read.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_S2G8...

[Jill]

Hysterical, Dave. But Oliver actually does clarify a system that borders on being ludicrous. Plus I loved his reference to Donald Trump as "a walking brush fire". Thanks for that video. I hope everybody watches it.

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

Very funny

[Teri]

2016 Presidential Debate Schedule

Website: 2016 Election Central | 2016 Presidential Debates

Monday, September 26, 2016
First presidential debate
Moderator: Lester Holt, Anchor, NBC Nightly News
Location: Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY

Tuesday, October 4, 2016
Vice presidential debate
Moderator: Elaine Quijano, Anchor, CBSN and Correspondent, CBS News
Location: Longwood University, Farmville, VA

Sunday, October 9, 2016
Second presidential debate
Moderator: Martha Raddatz, Chief Global Affairs Correspondent and Co-Anchor of "This Week," ABC
Moderator: Anderson Cooper, Anchor, CNN
Location: Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO

Wednesday, October 19, 2016
Third presidential debate
Moderator: Chris Wallace, Anchor, Fox News Sunday
Location: University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV

Tickets – Tickets for each debate are controlled by the hosting university and are extremely limited since the debates are primarily produced for television. The majority of tickets are distributed to host university students and faculty through a lottery system. See this page for all available ticketing details.

TV Channels – Each debate will be broadcast live on C-SPAN, ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC, as well as all cable news channels including CNN, Fox News and MSNBC among others.

Full Videos – Click the “Watch Full Video Link” below on each debate to watch the entire debate video. (see website link above)

Time – The debates will air from 9pm to 10:30pm ET (8pm – 9:30pm CT, 7pm – 8:30pm MT, 6pm – 7:30pm PT)

More:

by Jim Lehrer

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

Excellent add