BloggeRhythms

Several interesting items today, all of them indicating turning trends in politics, particularly among Democrats.

 

To begin, Jonathan Martin and Amy Chozickaug @nytimes.com report that “[Joe] Biden and those who support him are moving to put the pieces into place for a possible candidacy. The vice president directed [Dick] Harpootlian [of South Carolina] to get in touch with one of his closest political advisers, Mike Donilon, and has been calling other supporters. And he has permitted his advisers to discreetly contact operatives in early nominating states to determine how fast they could organize a campaign.”

 

And perhaps the reason is that, as written by Sean Trende @realclearpolitics.com: “As if this primary cycle weren’t interesting enough already, the most recent poll out of New Hampshire shows Hillary Clinton trailing Bernie Sanders by seven points, 44 percent to 37 percent.  Should we buy it?”

 

On another subject, Sean Cockerham @mcclatchydc.com writes about the POTUS who now calls  his energy policy approach an “all-of-the-above”, including oil, natural gas, coal and renewables. While Obama’s industry critics complain he is waging a war on coal and pursuing a radical environmental agenda, the president is opening up new frontiers to drilling rigs.”

 

What’s most incredible is that Obama has now agreed “to let Shell explore for oil this summer in the environmentally sensitive Arctic Ocean. The president also proposes a 2021 drilling lease sale off the coasts of North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and Georgia, areas long closed to fossil fuel development.”

 

At the same time, “The Bureau of Land Management also is proposing a plan for the Powder River Basin of Montana and Wyoming that would continue the federal coal leasing program and could result in 10 billion tons of coal being leased to mining companies over the next two decades.”

 

Reading the preceding article might cause some to conclude that the POTUS has truly lost his marbles by suddenly changing his staunch environmental position. After all, he’s continually claimed global-warming was the most important issue facing the planet. As recently as February 6 he said, “At home and abroad, we are taking concerted action to confront the dangers posed by climate change and to strengthen our energy security.” At that time he declared climate change “an urgent and growing threat to our national security.” 

 

However, the answer may lie somewhere else than purely environmental concerns, in which even he obviously is not a true believer. Because it must be remembered that back on 4/1/15, politico.com reported that, “The nonprofit launched by environmentalist Tom Steyer is shutting down its climate and energy program, in a likely signal that the billionaire is shifting resources to his organization’s political arm ahead of the presidential elections.

 

“Next Generation, co-founded by Steyer in 2011, plans to end its climate policy work and continue as a “nonprofit incubator,” energy program leader Kate Gordon wrote in an email obtained by POLITICO.” 

 

Thus, once again, it turns out that it was always about the money, just like everything else this administration does.

 

And then, staying on the money topic, yesterday Rush opined why Bill Clinton’s wife must stay in the presidential race all the way to the end, regardless of what now is a losing trend for her.

 

Rush said, “By the way, I was just reminded why Hillary cannot get out of the Democratic race for the nomination, nor can she leave the presidential race.  She's already collected money in exchange for policy considerations.  No, no, no, no! This is an excellent point.  We all know that Hillary Clinton and Bill have sought donations from foreign governments, foreign multinational corporations -- and they have donated significant money. They're paying them 200 grand, 500 grand for a speech, three- and five million-dollar donations. One outfit... Wasn't this the outfit in Canada seeking something in Ukraine.

 

“About $100 million was involved.  Too many people have purchased policy from president-in-waiting Hillary Clinton.  She cannot get out.  They didn't give of her that money because she beautiful.  They didn't give her that money because they want to spend the night with her.  Dinner.  They didn't give her that money because they're great friends.  They gave her that money because she's gonna pay it back, once they get to the Oval Office.  If she gets out of the race and she doesn't go to the Oval Office? You know, the Clintons do not return money. 

 

“So all of these sultans and sheiks and counts and princes and whoever else are not just gonna say, "Well, guess our investment didn't pay off."  They're gonna want the money back, and the Clintons don't give the money back.  So she's gotta stay in this thing.  And she's got to win.  She's already accepting payment, folks, in return for policy.  They are selling and have been selling Hillary's presidency on the come for at least a couple of years here.  Do not doubt me.”

 

In this case, Rush as usual reached a brilliant and down-to- earth conclusion which is correct in every aspect except the part about her “winning” the presidency, which is highly in doubt at present.

 

Then, along the same lines of Bill's wife and money, in today’s update FoxNews.com reported that, “On an October evening in 2013, Hillary Clinton addressed a crowd of more than 6,000 at the University at Buffalo -- a public college in upstate New York -- speaking in a low-key, folksy manner about economic growth in the state's second largest city.

 

“The 30-minute speech earned Clinton $275,000 -- a hefty chunk of the $2 million in total she has received for delivering university speeches since leaving her post as secretary of state in February 2013.”

 

This is the same woman who on Monday, “unveiled a $350 billion bailout plan for college graduates faced with crushing student debt dubbed "the new college compact." 

 

Her critics have cast her as “blatantly hypocritical and disingenuous,” whereas “the fee paid by the University at Buffalo could have covered a year of tuition for 42 students at the public institution -- an irony her detractors, including rival GOP presidential candidates, were quick to point out.”

 

While she tried to dissuade the criticism by claiming the funds were paid to the family’s “foundation” and not to her, records show that only 10% of what’s collected ever gets distributed to others. It also brings up the recurring question: Joe Biden, Mayor Bloomberg, Jerry Brown, and Starbuck’s chairman and CEO, Howard Schultz, are you reading this? 

 

That's it for today folks.

 

Adios