But first I’ll start with the BONUS:
Never mind the Court’s immunity ruling — Trump can be prosecuted for Jan. 6. And for hiding documents from the FBI. It will be long after the election, of course; and never, if he wins; but it’s just possible justice will be done. Isn’t that supposed to be one of the great things about our country? That every man is presumed innocent until proven guilty — but that no man is above the law?
And now — what is this? Christmas? — a SECOND BONUS:
Steve Ratner’s charts blowing Trump out of the water on the economy — and crime. Facts to be shared widely.
Now BERNIE.
We’re all flooded with appeals. This one, from Senator Sanders yesterday, actually got me to click:
Dear Friend,
As I’m sure you are aware, this is not a normal election.
It is not a normal election when we are running against someone who is a pathological liar.
It is not a normal election when we are running against someone who has been convicted of 34 felonies.
It is not a normal election when our opponent is a convicted sexual abuser and, as a private businessman, was involved in 4,000 lawsuits — indicating a total lack of trustworthiness.
But it’s even worse than that.
When Donald Trump claims that “nobody” showed up at a 10,000 person Harris-Walz rally in Michigan that was live-streamed and widely covered by the media, that it was all AI, and that Democrats cheat all of the time, there is a method to his madness.
Clearly, and dangerously, what Trump is doing is undermining American democracy and laying the groundwork for rejecting the election results if he loses.
If you can convince your supporters that thousands of people who attended a televised rally do not exist, it will not be hard to convince them that the election returns in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and elsewhere are “fake” and “fraudulent.”
It should be a secret to no one. Trump’s goal is to destroy faith in American institutions and the rule of law and move us toward an authoritarian society.
But it’s not just Trump’s dishonesty and authoritarianism that must be defeated.
We cannot elect someone who believes that, in the year 2024, women do not have the right to control their own bodies. For the sake of our kids and future generations we cannot elect someone who believes that climate change is a “hoax.”
This is why we must do everything we can to see that Trump is defeated and Kamala Harris is our next president.
But we must do more.
Not only do we have to defeat Trump, but we must build a strong grassroots movement that can confront the extraordinary greed of the big money interests who have so much power over the economic and political life of our country. Our goal: a government that works for all, not just the few.
Yes. We need to overturn the disastrous Supreme Court decision on Citizens United and move toward public funding of elections. Billionaires should not be able to buy elections.
Yes. We need to join the rest of the industrialized world and guarantee health care to all as a human right, not a privilege.
Yes. We need to raise the minimum wage to a living wage and make it easier for workers to join unions.
Yes. We need to address the unprecedented level of income and wealth inequality and demand that the wealthy and large corporations start paying their fair share of taxes.
Yes. We need to build millions of units of low income and affordable housing and cap rent increases.
Yes. We must end the absurdity of having the highest rate of childhood poverty of almost any major country, make a strong child tax credit permanent and invest heavily in childcare.
Yes. We must strengthen public education in America, pay teachers the salaries they deserve and make sure that every person, regardless of income, receives the higher education they need to pursue their dreams.
Bottom line. We are living in a pivotal moment in American history. In the next three months let us roll up our sleeves, come together and do the hard work that has to be done in order to defeat Trump and elect Kamala Harris as president.
And let us also understand that there will be no progress on these issues or any others that the working people of this country care about if Republicans control the House or the Senate.
So not only must we win the presidential race, but it is critical we fight and win races up and down the ballot.
But no one person can do that alone — not Kamala Harris, not Tim Walz, not any candidate running for office anywhere in the country. It will take all of us chipping in to help.
So I am once again asking for your financial support:
Can I count on you to make a $27 contribution (or whatever you can afford) to the Democratic National Committee today? They are hoping for a huge number of donations before the convention begins.
Our task is clear. In the next 81 days let us do all that we can to help the Harris-Walz ticket win a major victory. And, on the day following that win, let us continue our struggle to transform our country and create the kind of nation we know we can become.
In Solidarity,
Bernie
CONTRIBUTE NOW
There are a couple of policy positions there I don’t agree with — capping rents kills the incentive to build new housing, which ultimately makes housing more expensive — but on the whole, as usual, Bernie nails it.
One of you sent me a long list of stocks, asking whether he should still hold them (and do I?).
They’ve nearly all gone down, for which there are two reasons:
> First, I’ve made a lot of rotten — or, at the least, horribly timed — suggestions.
> Second (as he explains it), “the ones that went up went into my DAF, so there is a high % of down stocks here.” [DAF = Donor Advised Fund. The two biggest are at Fidelty and Schwab.]
“I really appreciate your portfolio,” he writes. “I’ve made lots of money because of you.”
Reading his list, it’s hard to imagine how.
ANIX — $3.19. One of my smart guys thinks its drug trials will fail — the stock goes to zero. Another thinks they will succeed — the stock goes to the moon. How can I resist?
FANH — $1.40. Suggested ages ago around $6, we sold around $20 and $35 . . . not because I had any idea it would then fall and fall and fall, but simply because the upside had been realized and it was time to find better values. Like, for example . . .
CNF — $1. . . . a separate Chinese consumer finance company that was somehow related to FANH, which that same friend thought (when it was $4) could be a repeat of FANH, quintupling. Instead, it’s been a disaster. If the numbers are to be believed (with a Chinese company, an even bigger if than usual), the stock is selling at three times earnings! My friend owns a ton and thinks someday we’ll reap our reward. I know nothing — but it sure doesn’t feel as though we’re going to reap a reward. And yet I’m way too stubborn to sell.
GLDD — $9. Many of us bought it at much lower prices. I still have a little. It should be a good infrastructure play, but I wouldn’t rush to buy it here. Maybe at some point it will be acquired for $15?
OPRT — $3.13. One of my favorite moon shots for those who have money they can truly afford to lose.
SQNS — $0.55. They were supposed to be acquired at $3.03, and many of us took at least some of our modest profit around $2.80 — the cash to acquire it was in escrow! I was counting my chickens with great confidence! — and then it all fell apart based on some French tax regulations or something I didn’t understand. It may now go all the way to zero. But at 55 cents, I bought more.
YTRA — $1.34. There are a whole lot of Indians, and they travel. If the stock ever got back to $4 or $5, I’d probably sell.
BKUTK — $367.50. Oh, look! An actual grown-up stock (albeit a tiny, highly illiquid one) that pays . . . wait for it . . . a dividend! It’s a very conservatively run community bank, probably worth double what it’s selling for if management cared about the stock price, but they really don’t. So I collect my 5% dividend and am kind of stuck.
BOREF — $1.75. My original folly. WheelTug may still happen. If it does, the drinks are on me.
HYMC — $2.24. Haven’t changed my opinion. Still holding. (Note the 1-for-10 reverse split since I paid 22 cents; at today’s price, it’s not up tenfold, it’s basically unchanged.)
KLTR — $1.23. Still holding. As with all these others, you can use the search box to read whatever I may have written about these klunkers in the past.
PRKR — $0.16. Could the judicial system ever give this company a break? If so, even with a bazillion shares now outstanding, the stock could double or triple. Or else just gradually disappear, one more nail in the U.S. Patent System’s coffin.
RECAF — $0.77. I hope renewable energy grows so fast we never need the fossil fuels this company probably sits on. But I’m way too stubborn to sell.
RNGE — $0.30. High hopes — as with all the above, only with money we can afford to lose.
VNRX — $0.57. Don’t people care about their pets??? This company is supposed to be making a fortune by now! The friend who suggested it at more than twice today’s price says he doesn’t understand why they’re not doing better. I haven’t sold a share, but I’m not particularly optimistic.
Have a great weekend.
Joy and hope are back.
The money and support keep pouring in!
Editors Note: This article was originally published on August 16th, 2024 on andrewtobias.com, syndicated with permission.
Read the full article here
