Saturday, March 9, 2024

2024 Presidential Primary - with precious few options

  Hey everybody. We’re actually in a Presidential Primary, and those 

ballots are due this coming Tuesday, March 12

So please dig out those ballots, fill them in, and return them. I have not gone through the whole “how and where to vote” introduction because I know you can just look at previous posts. The only things that have changed are the due date, TUESDAY, MARCH 12, and the fact that you have to fill in one of the 2 boxes on the outside of the return envelope, declaring that you are voting in either the Republican or Democratic primary. 

Mea culpa for not having done the blog for the primary until now. Somewhere between depression and ‘what does it matter anyway?’ 


The only possible vote in the Republican primary would be a write-in for None of the Above. 


On the Dem side there are options. One advantage to this being “just” the primary is that it gives us some latitude to express our actual opinions. I like what Marianne Williamson has to say - and I recognize that she has a snowball’s chance. Dean Phillips sounds like your typical middle-of-the road liberal - and now he has suspended his campaign.


I am beyond furious with Biden over his continued support of Israel’s genocide in Gaza. It is unforgivable. And we are paying for it. Williamson calls for peace. Phillips, who is Jewish and sits on the House foreign relations committee, puts forward a plan for peace, including elections to remove Netanyahu. 


And now we’ve heard the State of the Union address, at which Biden offers us air drops and a ship port, but no withholding of further funds and bombs for Netanyahu. A master spinner once told me “you can’t pull from both ends at the same time.” Biden really needs to hear that message. I heard a snarky comment asking whether the IDF would bomb the proposed aid unloading dock. If the US continues to provide military aid, it would not be at all surprising.


Out of all of this, I have chosen to emulate the good people of Michigan and other states with thoughtful people who do not wish to be parties to genocide. I have voted “uncommitted.” Biden needs to hear that we are not happy with what he is not doing about Gaza. 


In the fall it will be another story. We will not have any choice. Between an unacceptable proponent of democracy and an aspiring fascist dictator, well?


So here you have it, a slightly bitter, far from dispassionate Politiblog.  


Marianne