The Hill: Kevin Cirilli- New Democrats Looking to Strike Against The Warren Wing

Posted on March 2, 2015 by Erik Schneider

Source:The New Democrat

Blogger Andrew Sullivan about a year or so ago wrote a piece called something to the effect “where is the liberal Tea Party”. Where is the liberal alternative to the Tea Party. And he was talking about Occupy Wall Street and how it failed because it doesn’t have the resources an and doesn’t tend to like money anyway because it is more of a Far-Left socialist oriented group to begin with. And he was talking about OWS as if it was supposed to be the left-wing Tea Party.

This blog wrote a piece arguing that the liberal Tea Party doesn’t exist yet. But there center-left Democrats and center-left Democratic groups who more than have the resources to create a group that could take on Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren to give Democrats an alternative agenda to look at. That would prevent us from going back to the McGovern days when the hard left if not Far-Left of the Democratic Party was in charge. And as a result costs the Democratic Party 5-6 presidential elections with four of those losses being landslides from 1968-88.

Because mainstream center-left Democrats like Walter Mondale and Mike Dukakis were forced to take such hard left positions in order to get the support of these groups that they had to have to be able to compete. Which is something that Democrats need to have to avoid again as we have put ourselves in position especially with the growing younger and minority voters and have brought working class voters back into the party of being the governing party in America for years to come. The New Democrats, the center-left liberal wing of the Democratic Party could be the faction that prevents the party from going back the McGovernism of the 1970s and 80s.

Groups like the New Democratic Network, Progressive Policy Institute, Third Way and the New Democrat Coalition in the House of Representatives could save the Democratic Party from the Far-Left. That wants to return the party back to 1970 or something when the New-Left emerged on the scene. And take the party that not just believes in the safety net for people who truly need it, but make us a party that is about the welfare state and big centralized government regardless of income level. That would be big enough to take care of everyone in the country. They would want to revamp if not rewrite the U.S. Constitution and take us from a Federal Republic that is a liberal democracy. And turn America into a Scandinavian social democracy.

But the New Democrats like America for what it is and what we represent and our form of government and way of life. They just want more people to have the freedom to be able to live their own lives. Which is where Americans tend to be both right and left. They don’t want government to take care of them, but for people who need it they want the freedom to be able to take care of themselves. Which is why I call the New Democrats center-left, because they are on the Left, but they are about where Americans tend to be politically. People who like both economic and personal freedom and don’t want government trying to manage their lives for them from either an economic or personal perspective.

The New Democrats are both business and worker friendly. They are not anti-business, anti-capitalist and certainly not anti-private enterprise. They are also anti-worker or anti-union. They are in favor of all of these things as long as they are good for the country and are not unaccountable and they are also well-connected online. And because of these things could build the network or networks, organization or organizations, the movement that could lead the Democratic Party for an indefinite period. Because they are where Americans tend to be and where a lot of Democrats tend to be who are not political activists. And could save the Democratic Party from the Far-Left. Unlike the Republican Party that is run by the Far-Right.

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Safvio: Bill Clinton- His Life

Posted on March 1, 2015 by Erik Schneider
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Source: Safvio– Bill Clinton

Source:The New Democrat

Just to start off, you should know that I’m a big fan of Bill Clinton and a lot of my politics and own liberalism comes from him. And following his own career and he would’ve been someone I would’ve been more than happy to vote for twice for president if I was eligible. At risk of sounding overdramatic Bill Clinton I believe at least saved the Democratic Party. The country was moving right and moving away from Progressive Democratic centralized government designed to take care of people. More towards individual freedom especially as it related to the economy and was tired of seeing their taxes going up especially as the debt and deficits were going up as well.

Congressional Republicans at some point probably in the 1990s was going to win back Congress both the House and Senate. Just because of where the country was and Republicans starting to dominate the South and continued to do well in the Midwest. Now that didn’t have to be 1994 and President Clinton’s first two years probably sped up the Republican takeover of Congress. But that was going to happen in the near future if not 1994. And had it not have been for Bill Clinton the Democratic Party wouldn’t have been in ready with any message to respond to Conservative Republicans who came to power in the Reagan and Gingrich revolutions.

Without Bill Clinton the Democratic Party would’ve still been dominated not by FDR Progressives who are actually pretty practical mainstream leftists, but McGovernites from the New Left who came of age in the late 1960s and early 1970s and got organized inside of the Democratic Party. People who were anti-military, anti-law enforcement, anti-establishment in general from the Right and Left. People who wanted to essentially tear down the American liberal democratic form of government and private enterprise system. And transform America into Scandinavia economically, politically and everything else. Going up against Conservative Republicans who thought the current government was already too big with the political backers and resources to support them.

What Bill Clinton did what was called the Third Way was give Democrats and Americans an alternative to the Reagan Revolution in the Republican Party that essentially want to tear down everything that was built up from the New Deal and Great Society. And the McGovernites the New Left in the Democratic Party that wanted to expanded everything that was built up in the New Deal and Great Society and turn America into a Scandinavian social democracy. And to say there was a third way that center-left New Democrats could take to offer Americans to bring the Democratic Party back to power. That wasn’t about big government or small government, but using government in a responsible limited way to empower people in need to be able to also live in freedom.

Bill Clinton saved the Democratic Party that has basically been running and governing under his vision of government, or something very close to it since 1993 when he became President of the United States. The days of Franklin Roosevelt, Lyndon Johnson and George McGovern are over. And now the Democratic Party at least at the leadership level has been about saving the programs that people need and work well. Empowering people at the bottom and near bottom to be able to move up in life and not have to live on government dependence indefinitely. A party that will defend the country both through law enforcement and with the military. That won’t try to overtax the middle class and respect their incomes and will be responsible with Americans tax dollars. And that to me at least is the legacy of President Bill Clinton.

Safvio: Bill Clinton- His Life

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The Hollywood Reporter: Victims of Hollywood’s Blacklist

Posted on February 28, 2015 by Erik Schneider

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Source:The New Democrat

I don’t think there’s anything more Un-American and Un-liberal democratic as punishing people simply because of what they believe and their politics. But that is what the U.S. House of Representatives decided to do in 1946-47 and they had a bipartisan coalition to do that. And they had help from the Hollywood industry itself to try to stamp out as people that they saw as Un-American because they had socialist if not communist leanings. These actors, writers, directors and other people weren’t punished because they were doing bad jobs. But because they believed in a more socialistic and collectivist society for America.

Its one thing to disagree with one’s politics and I’m certainly not a Socialist or a Communist and how supporters talk about communism I’m having a hard time telling the difference between communism and socialism. But it’s another thing to say that person or those people are bad simply because they believe there shouldn’t be rich or poor and that we need a more collectivist society and economy where everyone can do well and where there is no rich or poor. They weren’t talking about tearing down the liberal democratic form of government in America and replacing it with an authoritarian state.

If you truly love America and what we stand for as a country, then you love and believe in Freedom of Speech with almost no exceptions. The right for people to believe, think and say what they believe. Without it costing them job opportunities simply because of what they believe. Doesn’t mean people can’t be questioned, criticized and even contradicted over what they believe because that is part for free speech and debate. But you simply don’t blacklist people can cost them jobs simply because of their political beliefs. You judge them based on how good they are for the job that they are a candidate for and their qualifications for that job.

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Foreign Affairs: Kenan Malik: Why Multiculturalism Failed

Posted on February 27, 2015 by Erik Schneider

Source:The New Democrat

The Far-Left both in America and Europe put down America as being this country of racial and ethnic discrimination where the majority population is always putting down racial and ethnic minorities. While Europe on the other hand is a utopia of social democracies where everyone lives in peace and lives together and where racial and ethnic diversity is celebrated and where everyone gets along. I had a real hard time just writing that without laughing. Because the opposite is actually true.

You’re not going to find another country has big as America or about the same size give or take that is as racially and ethnically diverse as America is. As well as religiously diverse where even Agnostics and Atheists have as much freedom for their religious beliefs as believers. You’re also not going to find another country where all of our different ethnicities and races get along as well than America. And if you want to look at racist groups in America, fine. But where did the Nazis and Ku Klux Klan come from originally as far as their people? Britain and Germany respectfully.

America doesn’t really have a Nazi Party anymore, unlike Germany and the KKK is almost nothing now as far as presence and are about as small as the Italian-American crime families now. One of the reasons why America is so big is because of our diverse immigrant population. Where the whole world comes to build better lives for themselves. And a lot of those immigrants are still European. America still does have hate crimes based on race, ethnicity and religion, but we also have hate crime laws to specifically punish those terrorists for those crimes.

America is not a country where 8-10 people or more come from one ethnicity or race. Unlike lets say Britain where roughly 8-10 Brits are English. Go to Germany and about 8-10 Germans are ethnic-German to use as examples. And the same thing with Italy as far as ethnic-Italians. 1-6 Americans are ethnic-German and about the same with English and Irish-Americans. But we also has large African and Latino-American populations and a significant Asian population both South Asian and Oriental populations. And by in large we all get along very well in America where all Americans have the same rights under law as everyone else.

America is sure as hell not perfect, but neither is Europe. But its real hard if not impossible to make the case that Europe is this peaceful utopia of racial and ethnic diversity and that America is some racist hell where everybody hates everybody especially European-Americans. Which by the way where did they come from again. Because Europe is not a hell, but neither is America, but America has a much better record of including all of its Americans. While Europe is still trying to figure out how to do that especially with their Middle Eastern populations. And even deciding that maybe multiculturalism has failed there and that they need more segregation and less immigration.

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The Washington Post: ‘Venezuela & Cuba: Partners in Repression’

Posted on February 26, 2015 by Erik Schneider

The Washington Post_ Venezuela and Cuba_ Partners in Repression (2015) - Google SearchSource:The Washington Post– the paper of record.

Source:The New Democrat 

Just as Cuba has started to move away from Castro Marxism/authoritarianism and have opened up their economy and at least to a small extent their country, Venezuela has moved towards Castro Marxism/authoritarianism.

This is a sad state of affairs for Venezuela a mid-size that is energy independent with a good deal of land and a lot of potential to become a developed country. If their government just freed their people and allowed for them to build that society.

The answer for America is not to cutoff economic and diplomatic ties with Venezuela, which is what we did with Cuba in the early 1960s and Iran in the late 1970s. The answer is to punish their bad behavior in conjunction with our North and South American allies. And give them incentive to improve their own behavior. So they don’t have to live under an indefinite period of sanctions like Cuba and Iran. And one way to do that is by working with the Venezuela liberal democratic opposition with our allies. So the Maduro Regime is not the only voice in Venezuela.

The Maduro Regime needs to get the message that oppression and repression and other forms of authoritarianism even in the name of socialism which is certainly not democratic in Venezuela, is not how they are going to build a developed society. And when they act in that way they need to pay a heavy price for that from America and our allies especially in South America. But in Mexico as well especially a huge country that has made it out of authoritarian and is building a developed country of their own through democratic means.

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Cannabis Culture: Grant Smith: Meet The New Drug Czar, Not The Same as The Old Drug Czar

Posted on February 25, 2015 by Erik Schneider

Source:The New Democrat 

I guess at least in my perfect world and perhaps in the perfect world of now at least a one half of all Americans we would have not just marijuana legalization at the federal level, but harder narcotics that are currently illegal like heroin and cocaine would be decriminalized. Not legalized which is different, but someone busted for cocaine possession lets say would not be facing prison time. Unless they were arrested for attempting to sell their drugs. But upon conviction they would be looking at a fine and community service based on how much in illegal narcotics they were caught with.

Now that is my policy for dealing with illegal narcotics, as well as sending drug addicts to drug rehab instead of jail or prison at their expense. But that is not the policy of the Obama Administration. Even they are probably closer to my policy than any administration at least since the Carter Administration in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Under Attorney General Eric Holder they have loosened marijuana enforcement at least in President Obama’s second term when he didn’t have to worry about reelection. They are more open to drug rehab than jail and prison. Which is good for everyone including taxpayers who get stuck with the living costs of people in jail in prison who don’t represent a threat to society.

I saw a Congressional hearing last year in the U.S. House about marijuana legalization and the broader War on Drugs. And it was a good hearing that the Republican Chairman that I believe Representative John Mica who does seem to be more open to a softer stance on the so-called War on Drugs, but not in favor of marijuana legalization at least yet. Michael Botticelli who was then I believe the White House’s Deputy Director of Drug Policy was one of their witness’s. And several members of the committee, I think all Democrats including Representative Steve Cohen asked Mr. Botticelli does he believe marijuana is as dangerous as cocaine or heroin. Short answer is that Botticelli didn’t answer the question and just spoke to the current law.

Look I’m not a fan of Director Botticelli at least from what I’ve heard about him and how he talks about marijuana especially. But he has run drug rehab clinics in the past and seems to be more on the side of rehab instead of incarceration when it comes to users and addicts. I hope he at least publicly supports the Obama Administration in their decision not to enforce the federal anti-marijuana law in states and territories and even cities like Washington that has legalized marijuana that the Republican Congress and President Obama won’t block. And if he stays on this path with both rehab and the Obama Administration policy on marijuana enforcement, I think he could be a good appointment.

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Foreign Affairs: Jose W. Fernandez & Eric Lorber: Opening Cuba to American Telecommunications Investment

Posted on February 24, 2015 by Erik Schneider

Source:The New Democrat 

I agree that opening up the Cuban telecommunications industry and allowing for others to be involved there outside of the Castro Regime is a way to not only open up Cuba and open up a better relationship between America and Cuba, but the two government’s, is not only a good way to open up Cuba, but also a good way to open up the Cuban economy. The Castro Regime decided in the late 2000s or so that Marxism was failing in Cuba and that their state-owned economic system simply wasn’t working. Which is when they started opening up their economy to private investment and allowing for Cubans to start their own business’s. And sell off some of their state-owned business’s to the Cuban people.

But what has also failed is the American-Cuban Trade Embargo. A unilateral decision by the Eisenhower Administration in the late 1950s to end relations with the Cuban Government and stop trading with them. After the Castro Communists came to power in Cuba and started nationalizing a lot of the Cuban economy. While Europe, Asia and South America, Canada and Mexico continued to trade and relate with Cuba, America was on the sidelines. And stayed on the sidelines until the last few months believing that not trading and isolating Cuba would end the Castro Regime or at the very least get them to respect the human rights of their own people and act responsibly. That has obviously failed as the Castro Regime has been in power for fifty-five years now.

You open up countries by talking to them and incentivizing them to act responsibly. And you especially allow for the people’s of both countries to interact and for business’s of both countries to be able to trade with each other. Which is what we did during the Cold War either every country that was aligned with the Soviet Union including the People’s Republic of China. Shutting the door on a country when the rest of the country has their doors open to that country simply doesn’t work. Sanctions can only work when other countries apply the same sanctions as well. Which is why the sanctions on Russia and Iran have worked because both America and Europe have the same sanctions. And trading and communicating with Cuba will not only improve the relations of that country and the lives of the Cuban people.

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Brookings Institution: William Galston- The American People to its Leaders: Ground Troops Against ISIS & a Stronger National Defense

Posted on February 23, 2015 by Erik Schneider

ISIS
Source:The New Democrat

I think its pretty clear about what we’ve learned in the last thirteen-years or so in our Middle East adventures. That if you try to defend and govern a country that won’t do that for themselves, then they’ll expect you to stay indefinitely especially if you’re also putting up the bills. And the answer to that is don’t fight other people’s wars for them. This is what we learned about Vietnam. That we shouldn’t try to fight for people who won’t fight for themselves. That if you’re going to get involved in foreign wars you need to have partners of the ground people who live in the country and region that will do their part to defeat the enemy.

Of course America has a role in defeating ISIS in Syria, Iraq and everywhere else. But so does Iraq, so does Kurdistan, so does the Syrian rebels, the Arab League, Turkey, the European Union and especially NATO. And Jordan which is already doing their part and so does Saudi Arabia the biggest and most powerful military in the region. Well the Saudis or Turkey and either one of them could combat ISIS by themselves especially with a NATO no fly zone protecting them. That you must have partners that will work with you on the ground to take out ISIS as you assist them in the air and with other resources.

President Obama doesn’t want to put American ground troops on the ground in Syria and Iraq and neither does the country. That is not going to happen, but what we can do with our NATO allies is give the ground troops from the Middle East the cover to go in take ISIS out as we’re taking out the air-cover and blowing them away. So they can’t get additional resources that they need to keep the fight going and bring in additional personal. And while we are there we could also take out the Assad Regime in Syria as well. But that might be a different debate, but America can play its part to defeat Islamism in the Middle East and other places. But our allies have to play their parts as well.
CBS This Morning: Michael Morell- It Would Take 100,000 Ground Troops in Iraq & Syria To Respond to ISIS

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Matthew Hormann: The Hollywood Ten -1 950

Posted on February 22, 2015 by Erik Schneider

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Source:The New Democrat

I don’t want to sound overly partisan here, but this was one of the ugliest anti-American, anti-liberal democratic, illiberal periods in American history. Where Americans were judged by who they associated with and political causes they supported and political candidates they may have endorsed in the past. Instead of being judged by their character and how they conduct themselves and the jobs that they do and what they contribute to America. And this period of the late 1940s early 1950s look like how elements of today’s so-called Tea Party treat Americans that don’t believe the way they do and share their culture and political values.

This period between 1947 or so when Republicans won back Congress both the House and Senate up until Senator Joe McCarthy’s so-called investigation of supposed Communists in the U.S. Government is Ann Coulter/Rush Limbaugh or Mike Savage Neoconservative Utopia. They accused Americans of supporting things that they claim that they don’t. Which is fascism and telling Americans that they disagree with politically that they are Un-American simply for exercising their constitutional rights of Freedom of Assembly, Speech and Thought. As well as privacy which has never been popular with the Far-Right in America anyway.

People in Hollywood were simply denied jobs and the ability to earn a living simply because of who they may have associated with in the past and political candidates they may have endorsed. Not because of movies that they made or roles that they played and how they played them and how they made movies. But what they did in their personal and free time. Endorsing political candidates that members of Congress both in the Republican Party and Democratic Party and executives in Hollywood saw as dangerous. And this is one of the ugliest periods in American history both in Hollywood and in the U.S. Congress.

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Jnuss Bau: The Hollywood Blacklist: 1947-1960

Posted on February 21, 2015 by Erik Schneider

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Source:The New Democrat

The late 1940s and all the way up to at least the mid-1950s or so was one of the most fascist illiberal and anti-liberal democratic periods of our time. I think elements of today’s Tea Party and the Ann Coulter’s of the world would’ve loved to be alive back then. Because it was a time when an American could be perceived as being a bad person simply because of who they may have associated with in the past. Especially if you were on the Far-Left in America and at the very least had socialistic and communistic leanings as far as what people like that would want to accomplish for America. A more collectivist and equal society.

This is not what America is supposed to be about. We are supposed to be that liberal democracy liberal society free society that the rest of the world wants to mimic. Where everyone has the right to be themselves and believe in what they believe whatever that they may be and be able to associate with whoever they choose to just as long as we aren’t hurting any innocent people with what we are doing. But if you were around back in the late 1940s and 1950s and you were an adult and you were somewhat Far-Left politically and you worked in Hollywood, that is not the type of country that you saw. You saw a country where you could be viewed as guilty and immoral simply because of people you associated with and your political beliefs.

We’re there Socialists and Communists in Hollywood back then, I’m sure there were and probably still today. At least when it comes to Democratic Socialists especially if you look at a lot of Hollywood’s political films. But just because someone’s political views are out of the American mainstream and puts them on the Far-Left or Far-Right in America doesn’t automatically make them bad people. And it shouldn’t cost them jobs either. Which is what happened to the Hollywood Ten back then members of the movie industry who lost jobs and whose reputations suffered simply because of their political views. Or their perceived political views, or people that they associate with, or had associated with in the past.

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