Elizabeth Warren Of Massachusetts

“Fight Club” Democrats In Senate Resist Leadership Of Minority Leader Chuck Schumer

Ronald 10 Comments

A substantial group of leftward leaning Senate Democrats have resisted the leadership of Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, and are in process of pushing for a more leftward trend by Democrats nationally, and have been labeled “Fight Club”.

This group, includes the following Senators:

Chris Van Hollen of Maryland
Tina Smith of Minnesota
Chris Murphy of Connecticut
Bernie Sanders of Vermont
Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts
Ed Markey of Massachusetts
Jeff Merkley of Oregon
Martin Heinrich of New Mexico

and some House Democrats are also promoting a more leftward trend, including:

Ro Khanna of California
Pramila Jayapal of Washington
Yassamin Ansari of Arizona
Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts

Already, this Senate group has “won” with the withdrawal from the Maine Senate race of Governor Janet Mills, leading to the clear nomination of “rabble-rouser” Oyster Farmer, Graham Platner, to oppose Republican Senator Susan Collins in the upcoming Midterm Elections of 2026.

Whether this strategy of challenging the “Establishment” Democrats will work is yet to be seen, but there is a battle going on for how the Democrats should approach the challenge of Donald Trump, with the hope that it would lead to Democratic control of the US Senate in the 120th Congress (2027-2029).

Among those states with competitive Democratic Senate primaries, besides what Maine was until yesterday, are the following which are favored over others:

Michigan–Abdul El-Sayed or Mallory McMorrow over Haley Stevens
Minnesota–Peggy Flanagan over Angie Craig

However, the “Fight Club” is not opposing:

North Carolina–Roy Cooper
Ohio–Sherrod Brown
Alaska–Mary Peltola
Georgia–Jon Ossoff

And already, Julia Stratton in Illinois and James Talarico in Texas are major positives in the “Fight Club” view.

The election returns in November will give the answer as to whether the leftward tilt was the smart way to go!

US Senators 70 And Over: Most Ever!

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The US Senate has 16 members over 75, more than ever before in US History.

They include:

Chuck Grassley (R) Iowa—92
Bernie Sanders (I) Vermont—84
Jim Risch (R) Idaho—83
Angus King (I) Maine—82
Richard Blumenthal (D) Connecticut—80
Ed Markey (D) Massachusetts—79
Peter Welch (D) Vermont—78
Mazie Hirono (D) Hawaii—78
Jack Reed (D) Rhode Island—76
Elizabeth Warren (D) Massachusetts (76)
Ron Wyden (D) Oregon—76
Patty Murray (D) Washington—75
Chuck Schumer (D) New York—75
John Boozman (R) Arkansas—75
Deb Fischer (R) Nebraska—75
Jim Justice (R) West Virginia—75

Risch, Markey, and Reed are running for reelection this fall, which means they would be in their early to late 80s over the next six years term.

This list does not include the following, who are retiring at the end of this year:

Mitch McConnell (R) Kentucky—84
Dick Durbin (D) Illinois—81
Jeanne Shaheen (D) New Hampshire—79

And there are four US Senators who range from age 70-75, and will be in the high 70s during their term if reelected this fall.

Susan Collins (R) Maine
John Cornyn (R) Texas
Shelley Moore Capito (R) West Virginia
Lindsey Graham (R) South Carolina

So one fifth of the US Senate (20), not counting the three Senators who are retiring, fit the definition of “senior citizens”, over the age of 70!

Nine are Republicans, nine are Democrats, and there are two Independents (Sanders and King)

Clearly, there is a dire need for a “youth movement” in the US Senate, as well as in the House of Representatives!

Fighting, Outspoken Democrats Who Are Resisting Trump Coup And Elon Musk!

Ronald 19 Comments

The Democratic Party in Congress is starting to react, finally, to the Trump Coup, and Elon Musk’s involvement in attempting to destroy federal agencies and civil servants.

Among those being very loud and defiant are:

Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut
Senator Brian Schatz of Hawaii
Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia
Senator Adam Schiff of California
Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts
Congressman Jamie Raskin of Maryland
Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett of Texas
Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Congressman Maxwell Frost of Florida

These and other Democrats are showing up at various federal agencies, including today the Department of Education, which Donald Trump is, crazily, trying to destroy by executive order, which will not stand up!

Additionally, a large number of Democrats spoke vehemently at the Treasury Department, furious that Elon Musk and his hoodlums have gained access to federal records of tens of millions of American taxpayers!

The Ten Best And Ten Worst US Senators In The 118th Congress

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Creating a list of the ten best and ten worst US Senators in the 118th Congress is based on their viewpoints and utterances over their careers.

Of course, it is subjective in nature, but based on careful consideration and analysis.

The rankings below are not in numbered order, but simply the Senators considered by the author to be the best and the worst in the upper chamber of Congress.

TEN BEST US SENATORS

Lisa Murkowski (Alaska)
Chris Murphy (Connecticut)
Jon Ossoff (Georgia)
Elizabeth Warren (Massachusetts)
Amy Klobuchar (Minnesota)
Cory Booker (New Jersey)
Sherrod Brown (Ohio)
Jeff Merkley (Oregon)
Ron Wyden (Oregon)
Sheldon Whitehouse (Rhode Island)

TEN WORST US SENATORS

Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)
Tom Cotton (Arkansas)
Rick Scott (Florida)
Rand Paul (Kentucky)
Josh Hawley (Missouri)
JD Vance (Ohio)
Lindsey Graham (South Carolina)
Ted Cruz (Texas)
Mike Lee (Utah)
Ron Johnson (Wisconsin)

If one was asked which five Senators were the “best” and the “worst”, this author and blogger would say the following:

BEST—Chris Murphy, Jon Osoff, Elizabeth Warren, Amy Klobuchar, Sheldon Whitehouse

WORST—Tommy Tuberville, Rand Paul, Josh Hawley, Ted Cruz, Ron Johnson

California Open Senate Seat Requires Having A Senator Who Will Have Longevity!

Ronald 3 Comments

Now that it is official that Dianne Feinstein is retiring from the Senate at the end of 2024 at the age of 91, it is urgent that the open Senate seat have a Senator who will have the opportunity to build seniority over time for the Golden State.

So Congresswoman Katie Porter (49), seen as a junior Elizabeth Warren in the sense of copying her strategy and tactics toward corporate monopolies; and Congressman Adam Schiff (62) who has compiled a wonderful record in more than twenty years in the House and was on the committee for the first Donald Trump impeachment trial, should be seen as sensible alternatives.

What is not sensible is that long term Congresswoman Barbara Lee, who has been in the House of Representatives since 1998, and has the distinction of being the only member of either house of Congress to vote against the authorization for use of military force against terrorists resolution (AUMF) after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, be elected to the Senate seat.

The question is why this author feels this way, and the answer is Lee will be past 77 if she took over the seat in January 2025, making her the oldest first Senator in history to have a full term. She has said she would only serve one term, but the concept of electing Lee is just one of ego, as this author sees it.

If however, Feinstein was to retire sooner, it would be perfectly fine for California Governor Gavin Newsom to appoint Barbara Lee to fill the seat, but with the understanding that she would not seek a full term in office.

Lee is a wonderful legislator, but what is needed is the potential of a new US Senator who could gain seniority if reeelected in the future. But my admiration for her as stated in an earlier article on History News Network on March 4, 2022 still stands! And if Lee chose to remain in the House of Representatives, and facing easy reelection every two years, that is perfectly fine!

The Ten Leading Heroes Of The Year 2021 In American Politics!

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When one looks back at the year 2021, the following ten individuals, a very selective list and certainly not inclusive, stand out as heroes, people who upheld American democracy, the Constitution, and the rule of law.

We will begin with Republicans who demonstrated their statesmanship and courage:

Congresswoman Liz Cheney of Wyoming
Congressman Adam Kinzinger of Illinois
Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska

The following Democrats also stand out for their statesmanship and courage:

Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi of California
Congressman Adam Schiff of California
Congressman Jamie Raskin of Maryland
Supreme Court Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York
Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts
Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota

The Dozen “Best” Democratic Senators In The 117th Congress in 2021

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Yesterday, the issue of the dozen worst Republican Senators was discussed, so today, let’s look at who this author and blogger thinks are the dozen best Democratic Senators out of the 50 in the 117th Congress.

They are listed in alphabetical order by state:

Chris Murphy of Connecticut

Mazie Hirono of Hawaii

Tammy Duckworth of Illinois

Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts

Ed Markey of Massachusetts

Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota

Cory Booker of New Jersey

Chuck Schumer of New York

Sherrod Brown of Ohio

Ron Wyden of Oregon

Jeff Merkley of Oregon

Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island

Strategies For Joe Biden’s Vice Presidential Selection

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Former Vice President Joe Biden is forming a committee to consider who should be his running mate for Vice President.

The choice of a future Vice President and possible President is crucial, so many of the proposed choices should not be seriously considered.

Any Vice President has to have the experience, the knowledge, the intelligence to take over on a moment’s notice.

That person needs to be much younger than Biden, who will reach 78 two weeks after the Presidential Election of 2020.

Such a person has to have the success of being an officeholder with state wide success.

Such a person should likely not be a Governor, as such a person should be kept busy dealing with the CoronaVirus Pandemic, not running for Vice President.

Such a person should not come from a state where if such person became Vice President, that state’s Senate seat might switch to the Republicans.

So already, just from what this author and blogger has stated, it is his belief that Elizabeth Warren, Stacey Abrams, Gretchen Whitmer, or Michelle Lujan Grisham, and any member of the House of Representatives should automatically be eliminated, such as Val Demings of Florida.

So who is on the list, and clearly stands out, and has already run for President, giving much needed extra national exposure?

Two US Senators are the finalists, with the reality that the Democratic Presidential nominee has always selected a US Senator as a running mate since 1944, except twice.

In 1972, it was George McGovern who chose Senator Thomas Eagleton, but he was forced out due to fears because he had undergone psychiatric treatment, and was replaced by Kennedy brother in law Sergeant Shriver.

And in 1984 ,Walter Mondale blundered in naming Congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro as his Vice Presidential choice.

It should also be pointed out that those two times were the most disastrous for the Democrats, running against second term candidates Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan, and in both elections, McGovern and Mondale only won one state and Washington, DC in the Electoral College.

Those two US Senators are Kamala Harris of California and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, with California certain to have a Democratic replacement in the Senate.

But Minnesota is much more uncertain, although right now that state has a Democratic Governor, Tim Walz.

But in a followup election after a temporary appointment, Minnesota could not be guaranteed to elect a permanent Democratic replacement in the US Senate.

So while either Harris or Klobuchar (age 56 or 60) are the two best choices, Harris has a slight edge in the sense her Senate seat is safely Democratic, but either woman would make an excellent VP, and a potential President of the United States!

2018–The Year Of The Women Taking Over American Government

Ronald 5 Comments

Hillary Clinton may have lost the Electoral College to Donald Trump on the way to a massive popular vote margin of 2.85 million popular votes in 2016.

Now, two years later, it is clear that women have reacted against Donald Trump, and the Republican Party faces doom unless they repudiate his misogyny rapidly.

The gender gap in voting between men and women is dramatic, has widened, and will affect society in the short run and the long run.

There will be more women in the 116th Congress, with at least 122 women, and about 80 percent of them being Democrats.

States that never had a woman Senator will have them, including Tennessee, Arizona, and Nevada.

There are going to be more women of color, including more African American women, Latino women, Asian American women, Native American women, Muslim women, Hindu women, as well as gay women and younger women in Congress.

There will be nine or ten women governors, up from six, including in Michigan, Kansas, South Dakota, and if a miracle occurs in Georgia, Stacey Abrams, a race not yet decided.

And we are about to see the likelihood of four women Senators announcing for President in the coming months on the Democratic side—Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Kamala Harris of California, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York.

Multiple Women Running For President: Will That Help Men In the Democratic Presidential Race Of 2020?

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It is not too soon to start considering potential nominees for the Democratic Presidential nomination in 2020.

We know that as soon as the Midterm Elections of 2018 are decided, the 2020 Presidential battle begins.

We have the potential of four women running for President, but the question is whether that possible reality will actually help men to triumph, with the women neutralizing each other.

So one wonders if it would be a better idea for at least two of the four women to forgo the Presidential race, not that it is likely that will actually happen.

2020 is the year of the Centennial of the 19th Amendment, the woman suffrage amendment, and it would certainly be appropriate for a woman to be nominated for and win the Presidency, particularly after Hillary Clinton won the popular vote, and still lost the Electoral College in 2016.

Who among the women would be most likely to have a good chance to win?

This author would argue Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar would be the best case scenario.

Klobuchar has had both state and national experience, and comes across as less controversial and more mainstream than the other three women who are considering running for President.

Klobuchar has a great advantage coming from the Midwest, and the Democratic Farmer Labor tradition of Hubert Humphrey, Eugene McCarthy, Walter Mondale, and Paul Wellstone.

Do not forget that the Midwest is the crucial area of the nation that the Democrats must win, and there is no other leading figure from the Midwest in the Presidential competition.

Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts may be best known, but she comes across to many people as too combative, too outspoken, too divisive a figure, and too much like Bernie Sanders, who might co-opt her support.

Kirsten Gillbrand of New York has an earlier history of being quite conservative in her upstate New York district, and then suddenly being very liberal, and then becoming controversial when she pressured former Minnesota Senator Al Franken to resign without a hearing about sexual harassment charges lodged against him, which alienated many people, including this author.

Kamala Harris of California may be the best alternative to Amy Klubuchar, and being of mixed race (mother from India, father from Jamaica), and with a compelling background of long experience in law enforcement as District Attorney of San Francisco and then Attorney General of her state, and her dynamic and charismatic manner, she could be a great possible choice for the Presidency. She is often called “the female Barack Obama”, but has much more experience in government than Obama had when he ran for President in 2008.