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Democrats trying to unseat each other III

Summer Lee sadly won her primary. There is still a chance for some victories.

For example, fire marshal Jamaal Bowman.

He is fundraising with CAIR director who praised the 10/7 massacre. CAIR is a Muslim pressure group affiliated with Hamas. It was also named as an unindicted co-conspirator in the Holy Land Foundation Hamas funding case.

Jamaal Bowman Held Fundraiser with Hamas-Sympathizing Muslim Leader Disavowed by White House
National Review said:
This past week, Nihad Awad, co-founder and national executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, co-hosted the event for Bowman at a private home in Fairfax, Va., the New York Post first reported.
“Dear Friends in Northern Virginia, Maryland, and DC Area,” Awad’s tweet advertising the event read. “This evening at 7pm we have a fundraiser for Congresman Jamal Bowman, a staunch defender of Palestinian rights and also the target of AIPAC and its affiliates.”
At the 16th Annual Convention for Palestine in Chicago on November 24, Awad championed the October 7 massacre as a powerful show of resistance by the Palestinian people, according to video footage circulated by the Middle East Media Research Institute.
“The people of Gaza only decided to break the siege — the walls of the concentration camp — on Oct. 7,” Awad said. “And yes, I was happy to see people breaking the siege and throwing down the shackles of their own land and walk free into their land that they were not allowed to walk in.”
“And yes, the people of Gaza have the right to self-defense — have the right to defend themselves. And yes, Israel as an occupying power does not have that right to self-defense,” he added.
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Bowman also opposed the police presence at Columbia, referring to those who broke windows and occupied Hamilton Hall as "peaceful protesters.

It will be a very happy day indeed if he gets successfully primaried.

This is the fundraising invite btw.
jamaal-bowman-host-fundraiser-muslim-81199026.jpg
 
FACT SHEET: Biden-Harris Administration Announces $3 Billion to Replace Toxic Lead Pipes and Deliver Clean Drinking Water to Communities Across the Country | The White House - something that Rashida Tlaib has tried to get funding for.

Deconstructed: Let’s Check In on AIPAC’s Assault on the Squad - journalist Ryan Grim interviews Justice Democrats Alexandra Rojas and Usamah Andrabi about what AIPAC has been doing. First they said that they'd spend $100 M to defeat the entire Squad, then they narrowed it down, then narrowed it down to only two: Cori Bush and Jamaal Bowman.

They said that JB's opponent George Latimer is Eliot Engel II: someone who doesn't care about his district. They said about Wesley Bell that he started off much like CB in 2018, but that he doesn't have much to show for himself. He wanted to run against Josh Hawley for Senate, but he dropped out, and according to AR and UA, he's now accepting money from JH's donors. The two also said that there's a third candidate in the race for CB's House seat, suggesting the possibility of vote splitting.

Missouri's 1st Congressional District election, 2024 (August 6 Democratic primary) - Ballotpedia - lists CB, WB, and two additional candidates. JB is only up against GL.
 
George Latimer Rakes in AIPAC Cash to Primary Jamaal Bowman - February 1 2024, 3:21 p.m. - "AIPAC Is the Largest Donor, by Far, to Jamaal Bowman’s Primary Challenger " - "George Latimer was recruited by AIPAC to challenge Bowman, a member of the Squad who has called for a Gaza ceasefire."
AIPAC has given more than $600,000 in total to Latimer’s campaign — 42 percent of his total $1.4 million in contributions so far — according to filings with the Federal Election Commission submitted Wednesday night.

...
“This report makes it clear that George Latimer’s campaign to unseat Jamaal Bowman is heavily funded by the same Republican megadonors who’ve spent millions to elect Donald Trump,” Bill Neidhardt, an adviser to Bowman’s campaign, said in a statement to The Intercept. “There is a direct connection between Latimer and the upper echelons of the Republican party.
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AIPAC-Backed George Latimer Says Jamaal Bowman Takes Hamas Money - February 14 2024, 2:14 p.m. - "Primary Challenger Bankrolled by AIPAC Says Jamaal Bowman Takes Money From Hamas" - "George Latimer offered no evidence to back up his allegation — and doubled down on his dark insinuations about Bowman."

AIPAC’s Next Top Target? Jamaal Bowman - May 3 2024, 5:00 a.m. - "The Israel lobby is expected to start a $20 million ad blitz backing its handpicked candidate against the incumbent Squad member."
 
 Summer Lee has some experience in politics.

She was born in 1987 in North Braddock PA, a suburb of Pittsburgh. She graduated from Penn State University (State College PA) in 2009, the university where my father was a mathematics professor for many years. She got a JD from the law school of Howard University of DC in 2015, and she then campaigned for Bernie Sanders in 2016. Thus making her like AOC.

She was elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 2018, beating incumbent Paul Costa in the primary 67.8% to 32.2%, and being unopposed in the general election. In 2020, she won again, winning the primary 76.36% to 23.64%.

Going on to PA-12 in the US House of Representatives in 2022, she barely defeated AIPAC-supported candidate Steve Irwin in the primary, 41.9% - 41.0%. The other candidates got 10.9%, 4.8%, 1.5%. In the general election, she beat the Republican 56.2% to 43.8%.

This year, she beat Bhavini Patel in the primary, 60.6% to 39.4%.
 
lpetrich said:
Deconstructed: Let’s Check In on AIPAC’s Assault on the Squad - journalist Ryan Grim interviews Justice Democrats Alexandra Rojas and Usamah Andrabi about what AIPAC has been doing. First they said that they'd spend $100 M to defeat the entire Squad, then they narrowed it down, then narrowed it down to only two: Cori Bush and Jamaal Bowman.
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More from the Intercept. Of course they carry water for all Israel-haters. "Justice Democrats" should rename themselves "Injustice Democrats". It would be more honest.
They said that JB's opponent George Latimer is Eliot Engel II: someone who doesn't care about his district.
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Of course they think that.
They said about Wesley Bell that he started off much like CB in 2018
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I know he earned ire of fauxgressives when he refused to reopen the Michael Brown case in Ferguson.
And anybody who can take out Cori Bush is probably going to be an improvement. She is an embarrassment for the whole state of Missouri.
 
lpetrich said:
George Latimer Rakes in AIPAC Cash to Primary Jamaal Bowman - February 1 2024, 3:21 p.m. - "AIPAC Is the Largest Donor, by Far, to Jamaal Bowman’s Primary Challenger " - "George Latimer was recruited by AIPAC to challenge Bowman, a member of the Squad who has called for a Gaza ceasefire."
AIPAC has given more than $600,000 in total to Latimer’s campaign — 42 percent of his total $1.4 million in contributions so far — according to filings with the Federal Election Commission submitted Wednesday night.
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Immer wieder The Intercept. They are really trying to rescue Fire Marshal Jamaal.
And are you getting paid per click or why are you linking to so many articles from that one website?
 
It's almost like some people in the democratic party disagree with other democrats in the party, huh. Didn't know all democrats had to be completely in line with each other.
 
lpetrich said:
It proposes to re-establish the American Rescue Plan's Child Tax Credit, with its monthly payments, complete with fully eliminating administrative burdens like work requirements.
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100% against. Those with children already get very generous subsidies from the government - there is the existing child tax credit, and programs like EITC, Medicaid, SNAP, housing etc. are far more generous to those with kids (higher payments and much higher eligibility thresholds) than to those who are child-free. There is really no reason to keep ratcheting up subsidies.
Also stronger Pell grants and loan forgiveness, affordable broadband Internet access, affordable, renewable, and reliable electricity, and public banking -- check cashing and the like.
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I support stronger Pell grants, but no on load forgiveness. If you think Uncle Joe will just forgive your $200k loan for a degree a some boutique private college, there is no incentive to look for a more reasonably priced public school.

"Strengthen Labor Law" - like rolling back "right-to-work laws". Also, increasing the minimum wage to $17/hr by 2028 and eliminating a lower tipped minimum wage.
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I think labor law/regulation has gone too far already and is too friendly to Big Labor. If there is anti-trust legislation to prevent monopoly power for businesses, why should there not be anti-trust legislation for de facto monopoly unions like the UAW?
And "right to work" just means that you can't be forced to join a union. That should be non-controversial under freedom of association. Especially since many unions engage in far-left political advocacy on issues such as Gaza or support for cop killers.
 
lpetrich said:
"Comprehensive Policing Reform" - wanting police forces demilitarized. More lightly armed and mixing with communities more, and alternatives like social workers in many case.
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Most police are lightly armed with nothing except a handgun. Riot police has shields and riot gear, and you have SWAT with heavier weapons. Both are very much needed.
"Militarization" is largely an emotional cudgel without a well-defined meaning.

"Marijuana Legalization" is good.
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Agreed.
Improving immigration is also good.
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Except that to fauxgressives "improving immigration" means opening the floodgates even more.
Reparations for slavery? I'm reluctant to go there.
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It's a stupid and, quite frankly, racist idea.
Abolishing the Federal death penalty is good. I'd only keep that penalty for someone who calmly decides to murder some people.
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But why should federal crimes matter here? Should Timmothy McVeigh not have been eligible for death penalty because he was tried in federal court and not in state court?

It gets into renewable energy and drinking water without lead or plastics in it, and it also supports rail transit and bus rapid transit.
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I prefer rail over brt for main transit lines. I wish for example MARTA (our local transit system) would expand rail into Gwinnett County to the north east and to Alpharetta in the North and Cobb County in the Northwest. Also we only have radial lines. A circumferential line say connecting Marietta and Decatur would make the whole system far more useful.
 
lpetrich said:
"Improve Representation: Create fairer, more efficient, and more representative elections by supporting ranked-choice voting and fix partisan gerrymandering by establishing multi-member districts for congressional elections and creating new requirements for congressional redistricting. Abolish the Electoral College." - such multimember districts would have to be proportional for this to be worthwhile: like using proportional ranked-choice voting.
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I would agree with that.
DC Statehood - that would be most welcome.
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That's a naked power grab for two more deep blue Senate seats.

"A Democratic Resolution to Puerto Rico's Political Status, which allows for a process for the people of Puerto Rico to determine the island's future political status." - like what AOC has worked on: choice between statehood, independence, and a halfway status: free association.
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That would also give Dems two free Senate seats.
 
lpetrich said:
"Structural Reforms: Expand the number of justices on the Supreme Court,
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I.e. a partisan packing of the Court because of some recent decisions they do not like. Republicans did not threaten packing the Court through several decades of liberal SCOTUSes.
implement term limits, and expand the federal judiciary by creating new judgeships." - Term limits? I think that the Supreme Court ought to have something like a 20-year term limit, with plenty of time to acquire expertise. At the end of their terms, SC Justices should be demoted into the Federal judiciary as senior judges, so we can still have their expertise.
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Could this be done without a constitutional amendment?
 
lpetrich said:
"Support Student Debt Cancellation and Relief."
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Why? It would just encourage more frivolous taking of expensive loans.
"College for All: Provide free tuition for public colleges, universities and community colleges, and trade schools."
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College is not for everyone. It merely leads to dumbing down of curricula if too many people go to college. Functionally illiterate and innumerate people fill community colleges that are then forced to offer remedial classes and make courses such as physics or chemistry easier to pass. That is a disservice to those who chose a community college for its cheaper tuition but still expect some rigor in their curriculum. Many people would indeed be better off learning a trade instead.
- or at least low tuition, like what existed over half a century ago. Good that they mentioned trade schools. I'd make high school tracked, with at least an academic track and a vocational track for its students. The vocational track would make one able to take a variety of jobs, and the academic track would be preparation for college.
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I agree.
 
Toni said:
Oil companies are not stupid. They know they are on the way out and they are investing in other energy sources/revenue streams. But that does not mean that they are not going to do their utmost to extract every last dollar they can, preferably from consumers but money is money, right?
It is in fact, the government's job to look at competing needs and wants and to steer towards the greater good.
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But what is the greater good? Is it to hamper domestic production so that we are more dependent on imports? To not permit efficient modes of transport (i.e. pipelines) so oil trains must be used instead? I do not see how public good is helped by caving to the most extreme segments of society.
 
Derec said:
lpetrich said:
It proposes to re-establish the American Rescue Plan's Child Tax Credit, with its monthly payments, complete with fully eliminating administrative burdens like work requirements.
Click to expand...
100% against. Those with children already get very generous subsidies from the government - there is the existing child tax credit, and programs like EITC, Medicaid, SNAP, housing etc. are far more generous to those with kids (higher payments and much higher eligibility thresholds) than to those who are child-free. There is really no reason to keep ratcheting up subsidies.
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Of course there are reasons. This not proposed on a whim.

Subsidies to households with more people who cannot enter the workforce should be larger
than those with fewer members.
 
Derec said:
Toni said:
Oil companies are not stupid. They know they are on the way out and they are investing in other energy sources/revenue streams. But that does not mean that they are not going to do their utmost to extract every last dollar they can, preferably from consumers but money is money, right?
It is in fact, the government's job to look at competing needs and wants and to steer towards the greater good.
Click to expand...

But what is the greater good? Is it to hamper domestic production so that we are more dependent on imports? To not permit efficient modes of transport (i.e. pipelines) so oil trains must be used instead? I do not see how public good is helped by caving to the most extreme segments of society.
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To be honest, I think it’s better to let other nations expend their resources while holding on to what we can. Oil exporting nations desperately need to modernize their societies and that will take great wealth.

Most of all, it is better for the planet for the world to be at peace. That is best achieved as there is more equality between nations.
 
Derec said:
lpetrich said:
They said that JB's opponent George Latimer is Eliot Engel II: someone who doesn't care about his district.
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Of course they think that.
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So being hungry for AIPAC money is "caring about one's district"?

Derec said:
Immer wieder The Intercept. They are really trying to rescue Fire Marshal Jamaal.
And are you getting paid per click or why are you linking to so many articles from that one website?
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If it does good journalism, then why not?

Derec said:
lpetrich said:
It proposes to re-establish the American Rescue Plan's Child Tax Credit, with its monthly payments, complete with fully eliminating administrative burdens like work requirements.
Click to expand...
100% against. Those with children already get very generous subsidies from the government - there is the existing child tax credit, and programs like EITC, Medicaid, SNAP, housing etc. are far more generous to those with kids (higher payments and much higher eligibility thresholds) than to those who are child-free. There is really no reason to keep ratcheting up subsidies.
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As if they have upper-middle-class standards of living. What they get is barely enough to survive.
"Strengthen Labor Law" - like rolling back "right-to-work laws". Also, increasing the minimum wage to $17/hr by 2028 and eliminating a lower tipped minimum wage.
Click to expand...
I think labor law/regulation has gone too far already and is too friendly to Big Labor.
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Whatever might qualify as "too friendly" to "Big Labor", whatever that is.
And "right to work" just means that you can't be forced to join a union. That should be non-controversial under freedom of association. Especially since many unions engage in far-left political advocacy on issues such as Gaza or support for cop killers.
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As if right-wing unions would be OK.

Derec said:
lpetrich said:
"Comprehensive Policing Reform" - wanting police forces demilitarized. More lightly armed and mixing with communities more, and alternatives like social workers in many case.
Click to expand...
Most police are lightly armed with nothing except a handgun.
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That's too heavily armed. I'd much prefer nonlethal and low-lethality weapons. Weapons with much less danger of fatal accidents.
Riot police has shields and riot gear,
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Those are defensive, and I like defensive gear.
and you have SWAT with heavier weapons. Both are very much needed.
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One would only need such heavy weapons against some heavily-armed criminal gang, like a drug-smuggler gang.
 
Derec said:
lpetrich said:
"Improve Representation: Create fairer, more efficient, and more representative elections by supporting ranked-choice voting and fix partisan gerrymandering by establishing multi-member districts for congressional elections and creating new requirements for congressional redistricting. Abolish the Electoral College." - such multimember districts would have to be proportional for this to be worthwhile: like using proportional ranked-choice voting.
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I would agree with that.
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Good we agree on something - I hate one-size-fits-all representation.
DC Statehood - that would be most welcome.
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That's a naked power grab for two more deep blue Senate seats.
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Only to a right-winger. It would provide some balance to the Senate. It would also help undo the effect of splitting the Dakota Territory into North and South Dakota -- gerrymandering in the creation of these states.

More seriously, I think that the less-populous states have become  Rotten and pocket boroughs
A rotten or pocket borough, also known as a nomination borough or proprietorial borough, was a parliamentary borough or constituency in England, Great Britain, or the United Kingdom before the Reform Act 1832, which had a very small electorate and could be used by a patron to gain unrepresentative influence within the unreformed House of Commons. The same terms were used for similar boroughs represented in the 18th-century Parliament of Ireland. The Reform Act 1832 abolished the majority of these rotten and pocket boroughs.
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Sure DC might seem like a rotten borough, but it would be no more rotten than some state like Wyoming.
 
"That's a naked power grab! Anyway, the insurrection attempt totally wasn't an attempt at a naked power grab. Move along now."
 
AIPAC Is Secretly Intervening in Portland’s Congressional Race - May 3 2024, 5:11 p.m. - "The pro-Israel group is funneling money through a “pro-science” PAC, according to two members of Congress."
That PAC: 314 Action - from pi = 3.14
By waiting until April to launch its spending blitz, 314 Action is able to delay disclosure of its donors until May 20. The election is scheduled for May 21, but ballots have already begun arriving to voters by mail. In other words, the identity of the donor or donors won’t be documented in campaign finance reports until it’s too late.
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Great trick.
And what The Intercept can reveal is that Susheela Jayapal is being targeted by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, which is secretly funneling money into the race by washing it through 314 Action, according to two Democratic members of Congress familiar with the arrangement.

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Dexter’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment. In a statement posted online, Dexter said she was “deeply disappointed to see a new dark money group enter this race to disparage one of my opponents.”

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Organizations supportive of Palestinians rights have since unsuccessfully tried to extract more from Dexter on her position.

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“Voters for Responsive Government” launched with two negative ads targeting Jayapal on Friday. Neither ad mentions Israel or Gaza; one of them literally accuses Jayapal of abusing and starving cats and dogs, with a heartrending image of a suffering puppy and kitty.
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Pramila Jayapal herself? She "has a week to learn whether AIPAC will be successful in recruiting a challenger to her."

Elsewhere,
In Oregon’s 5th Congressional District, Democratic Majority for Israel, an AIPAC-aligned group, has endorsed Janelle Bynum but has not spent on her behalf. Instead, 314 Action Fund has spent $180,000 supporting her. The link to science is even more tenuous with Bynum than it is with Dexter. Bynum previously studied to be an engineer, though is now a McDonald’s franchise owner.
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AIPAC Is Secretly Funneling Money Into a Congressional Race, Sources Say. Here Are the Details. - The Intercept - May 4 2024, 3:35 p.m. - "AIPAC is not done trying to take down the Squad."

Super PACs With Alleged AIPAC Ties Intervene in Oregon Dem Primary
A pair of super PACs recently began spending to support Oregon state Representative Janelle Bynum in the Democratic primary for Oregon’s Fifth Congressional District: one with ties to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), and one that is allegedly funneling money for the group. Neither of the super PACs present themselves as being focused on Israel.

Mainstream Democrats PAC has dropped more than $750,000 on the race since May 2 on TV ads that support Bynum and oppose her opponent in the race, attorney and emergency response coordinator Jamie McLeod-Skinner. It’s the first race that Mainstream Democrats PAC has spent on this election cycle.

The super PAC, which says its goal is to “defeat extreme candidates whose stated goal is ‘to overthrow’ the Democratic Party,” is a sibling of the AIPAC-affiliated organization Democratic Majority for Israel (DMFI), which was established in 2019 to serve as AIPAC’s political spending arm before the group decided during the 2022 election cycle to set up its own PACs.
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