BloggeRhythms

After four more primary’s yesterday, the media lauds Trump again. Yet the numbers indicate something else entirely. Because, while Trump did win Hawaii, Michigan and Mississippi as an individual, the other three contestants beat him in every single venue again when combined.

In Michigan, Trump won with 37% of the vote, yet the others attained 63%, almost doubling Trump’s numbers. Mississippi saw Trump receive 47% of voter’s nods, while the others got 53%. Another win for them. Hawaiian's went 46% for Trump, while choosing others 54% in total. And lastly, Cruz won Idaho outright at 45%, Trump attaining only 28%, meaning the three others gained a whopping 72% combined.   

Examining the average winning percentage of the four contests held yesterday, Trump attained 39.5%, but the others equated to 48.25%.  

As far as delegates go, Trump now has 446 in total. However the other three candidates combine for 552, giving them an edge of 106. Cruz alone has 347 at present. Certainly no run-away for Trump.

Now, there can be no telling as to where voters will turn if and when two of the remaining Republican candidates drop out. But one would think that if Trump were their choice at all, they’d be voting for him now. And since that’s not the case, it seems that the Republican contest has a long, long way to go with no clear individual winner at this point whatsoever.

On the Democrat side, Bernie Sanders pulled of a major win in Michigan, giving him another 130 delegates in his column. His adversary has a 760 total of pledged delegates at present to his 546. However, that 214 lead is far smaller than expected at this point, while 2383 in total is needed to win.

On Facebook yesterday, Rush opined: “Trump's going out and actually playing to Democrat voters, and they are crossing the aisle and voting for Trump in these open primaries. In closed primaries where they can't cross over and vote for Trump, Republicans are winning those. Cruz primarily is winning Republican primaries that are closed, like Oklahoma.”

However, what if there’s another explanation for those Democrats to cast votes for Trump where they can? For it’s just as likely that they want Trump to succeed as the nominee because most polls say that Bill’s wife will beat him in the election, while perhaps not one of the other Republicans in the race. And to further that premise, it’s highly questionable that any Democrat would accept Trump’s stance on immigration, closing down on imports or certainly his support of eminent domain. So, perhaps in many Democrat's their eyes, a primary vote for Trump is actually a vote for their own party.

On another issue, which should be studied closely by Sanders supporters, Hannah Dreier @bigstory.ap.org, writes about current conditions in Venezuela, as follows:

“Drive down a road lined with trash fires, past an improvised slum where sewage runs between shacks and through an army checkpoint, and you'll reach a startling destination: a gleaming, self-contained community about as clean and orderly as a U.S. suburb.

“Welcome to the Socialist City of Hugo Chavez, a utopian community of 15,000 in the middle of one of the world's most economically ravaged countries. 

“A flagship of the socialist revolution founded by its namesake, the late president, Chavez City is a happy place, boasting free clinics, schools, sports centers, community gardens, an arts center and a school supplies dispensary, all of them plastered with renderings of Chavez in his signature red beret. 

“But in a sign of how profoundly Chavez's revolution is struggling, the tranquil days in this worker's paradise may be numbered. Venezuela can't find the dollars to pay for vitally needed goods languishing in its ports, much less afford the largess that funded Chavez City and other marquee projects that dramatically improved life for Venezuelans once trapped in isolated slums. 

“For now, residents still go about their daily routines with sleepy smiles, enjoying not only free housing, but other perks ranging from state-organized block parties to subsidized taxi rides.”

Except for this model city developed as an example, however, “the economic chaos engulfing the country is beginning to intrude. Teachers say residents of a nearby shantytown broke in and stole all the toilet handles from the cultural center, presumably to sell for scrap metal; children who come to sing folk songs with a staff of Cuban teachers can no longer use the bathroom there. 

“People from surrounding communities have begun to make hours-long trips to buy goods like coffee, milk and cooking oil for less than a penny each at the Chavez City supermarket, which does not suffer from the long lines and empty shelves of most state-run groceries. 

“And the checkpoint at the city gates has seen waves of protests as everyone from the construction workers who built the development to young mothers who can't afford soaring rents in nearby cities clamor for a spot inside. Even the principals and doctors who work here are looking for a way in. 

“Some of the angriest petitioners are right on the other side of the city fence, living amid piles of trash and swarms of mosquitoes as they wait for their homes. 

“The government has been trying for months to demolish their decade-old slum, only to have residents rebuild their shacks overnight from the rubble the government bulldozers leave behind. 

A perfectly appropriate follow-up item was posted by a Facebook friend this morning:

Bringing us to today’s update on Bill Clinton’s wife, which includes Bill himself.

Olaf Ekberg @theamericanmirror.com, writes: “The Hillary Clinton campaign said it was bad weather that kept Bill from addressing a small crowd in Kansas City on Tuesday. 

“Only about 300 people turned out to see the former president — in a metropolitan area that boasts some 2.34 million people. 

“KMBC reports the crowd had already assembled and was awaiting Clinton by chanting for Hillary and the Kansas City Royals. 

Representative Emanuel Cleaver acknowledged the Democrats have a big problem trying to inspire voters, saying: “There’s an enthusiasm gap, no question about it. All you have to do is look at the Republican turnout versus the Democratic turnout.” 

The representative continued: “But I do think that between the time of the convention and November, we’re gonna have to figure out a way to inspire Democrats to get out to vote.” And there’s “no great amount of enthusiasm with the two Democratic candidates.” Which he blamed on the media’s focus on Donald Trump. 

Reader professorchaos, commented: “Meanwhile over a hundred jet airliners flew in and out of the city.” 

Bringing up the continuing question: Joe Biden, Mayor Bloomberg, Jerry Brown, and Starbuck’s chairman and CEO, Howard Schultz, are you guys reading this?   

That’s it for today folks.        

Adios