Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2019/04/18/elfin-huh.html
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…we won’t get fooled again!
You know, the thing that really sells me on Warren is how she can advocate soaking the rich and make it sound like a positive. Actually, all the Democrats are doing a credible job of that. Don’t roll out the tumbrils until December.
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If the Democrats actually became the party of the 99%, I’d be utterly shocked. Pleased, but shocked.
Like Republicans, Democrats are for the 1%, only with some liberal social policies as air cover.
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Nobody can be the party of the 99%. Too much difference of opinion within the 99%. With a two party system to win a party has to get 50%+.
And Kucinich was always a Democrat. He never tried to get the nomination of a party he despises.
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That poll also shows Harris, Warren and Biden beating Trump head to head, with Biden in particular having a margin 8 points bigger than Sanders.
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I am adamantly against Bernie Sanders. I will not vote for him if he becomes the nominee. My reason is not that he’s not a democrat - I don’t care about that. It isn’t because he wants to tax the rich - I’m in favor of that. In fact, I agree with him on most issues.
My reason to oppose him is because of climate change. Climate change is a pan-generational problem that will kill millions no matter what we do at this point. The difference between cutting emissions as fast as possible vs. not is likely to be hundreds of millions of deaths - mostly people who have no political voice and will never even benefit from the energy we are making with coal and natural gas.
Bernie Sanders will take nuclear energy out of consideration day one and that decision will be catastrophic for the climate. The countries that have met their climate goals have done so using hydroelectric and/or nuclear. Places that have closed nuclear plants are seeing large increases in C02 emissions. That is because wind turbines and solar arrays are “balanced” with natural gas. When the output of solar/wind goes down, natural gas plants are turned up to compensate in order to maintain a consistent supply of electricity on the grid.
Modern nuclear reactor designs do not require active pumping of water in order to prevent meltdown. Instead they use the heat of the reactor itself to circulate water to cool the core. In an emergency, operators can insert the control rods and evacuate the facility. This is a feature called “walk away safe”.
Beyond that, there are molten salt reactors in development which will further increase safety and produce less waste.
When you look into the details, nuclear energy has a very good safety record over the past 50 years - even better than wind and solar. And it produces consistent energy 24/7 that does not emit pollution other than warm water.
This is why I would urge you, if you like Bernie Sanders, to consider supporting Andrew Yang instead. There are three candidates in the race who support using nuclear energy along with other technologies to solve climate change: Cory Booker, Jay Inslee, and Andrew Yang. There may be others who do, but I have only been able to get solid information about the position on nuclear energy from six candidates. Three are adamantly opposed to nuclear even at the cost of the climate: Tulsi Gabbard, Bernie Sanders, and Joe Biden.
If you want to know more about nuclear energy and why we need it, I suggest you watch the Ted talks by Michael Shellenberger, President of Environmental Progress. Or the movie Pandora’s Promise.
Yes, nuclear waste is dangerous, but the important things to know are that it is contained, it is solid material, and we have relatively little of it. Most energy waste is just dumped into the environment. And nuclear waste will be useful in the future because it can be reprocessed into new fuel, or can be used in certain reactor designs that are under development. And we maybe only need one generation of conventional reactors before we can start building molten salt reactors, and eventually switch to nuclear fusion. All I’m advocating is that we make our energy policy based on facts not blind fear.
Thanks for your attention.
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Ah a Bernie bashing… Circle the wagons and start shooting each other, the good old Democratic way.
BTW: Has any other Democrat running for POTUS stepped into the lions den of Faux News Nazi Network to make their stump for their 2020 campaign?
I’ll wait for the answer… But won’t hold my breath.
Taking a few days off from BB, heading out to Joshua Tree for some mind & body nourishment. Have a good one peoples.
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There’s a problem with nuclear energy nobody ever seems to mention. Technical problems can be solved, but each nuclear plant costs so much capital it attracts corruption like flies. That’s not an insoluble problem, but the people who benefit don’t want it solved.
And then the corruption means corner-cutting and lowest-bidding and suddenly the technical problems become insurmountable. If Sanders, or anybody, can address this issue it will be a game-changer. But it’s not a vote-getter.
@Papasan Wasn’t Butigiege on Fox? Buttgiggle? However you spell it.
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If he was [Mayor Pete], I missed it. Not that I’d ever make a habit of watching that filth they call a news network…
PS. Bernie covered just about every thing on his platform, much to the chagrin of many at Faux News…
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This guy did.
Edit: I miss him.
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I am shocked!-comma-shocked! that you would insinuate that personal financial interests play any role in motivating the actions of those who have selflessly devoted their lives to public service.
Ok, I’m not that shocked.
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https://assets3.thrillist.com/v1/image/1210256/size/tl-horizontal_main.jpg
So you are voting Trump because he is, I assume, pro nuclear power?
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Has there ever been a time when people have voted against their own interests?
The issue I care about is climate change. Trump says climate change is a hoax. And aside from that, his policies are indistinguishable from Mussolini. The chances I’ll vote Trump is zilch.
If Bernie were the nominee I would probably write in Cory Booker.
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Seriously, now? You’ve heard of registered Republicans, yeah?
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Good to see the “flavor of the week” copying Bernie and going to Fox. I sonder what else he will copy of Bernies?
Here’s some clues:
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Good point.
Bernie’s RCP polling average in 2016 was 10.7 over Trump. He is currently only 2.4 over Trump. Hillary had a 3.2 margin right before the election, soooo…
