Manfred in a “Mountain” of an MLB Mess
Commentary by Sanford D. Horn
February 20, 2020
In 1921 the first commissioner of Major League Baseball, Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis - a real judge, appointed by President Theodore Roosevelt, took bold and brisk steps in banning from professional baseball, for life, eight members of the Chicago White Sox World Series team from 1919.
Bold, as the loss of eight members of a team decimated the White Sox - losing six players either in their prime or past their prime but with something left in the tank to ably contribute to the team. One player retired following the 1919 season, and one more played infrequently, riding the bench for the most part.
Brisk, for although the investigation into allegations the White Sox, received ill-gotten payments to throw the World Series to the underdog Cincinnati Reds, took 22 months, Landis’ decision came on the heels of a court ruling. A Chicago jury found the players, a.k.a. The Black Sox, not guilty, in spite of overwhelming evidence, in what had to have been a bigger fix than the series itself. In spite of that ruling, Landis said:
“Regardless of the verdict of juries, no player who throws a ballgame, no player that undertakes or promises to throw a ballgame, no player that sits in confidence with a bunch of crooked players and gamblers where the ways and means of throwing games are planned and discussed and does not promptly tell his club about it, will ever play professional baseball. Baseball is entirely competent to protect itself against crooks, both inside and outside the game” said Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis. [Famous-trials.com/blacksox]
Nine commissioners and a century later, Major League Baseball is embroiled in a scandal just as significant, regarding another World Series - this one the 2017 Houston Astros v. the Los Angeles Dodgers. In a series that went the distance, the Astros defeated the Dodgers four games to three; or did they?
Accusations of cheating were made public last November when former Astros pitcher Mike Fiers, a member of the 2017 team, spoke with The Athletic blew the whistle on his former team’s sign stealing via electronic means - signs that would indicate to the batter what kind of pitch would be forthcoming - information that could make a mediocre player good, a good player great, and a good team a World Series winner. In addition to the electronic sign stealing scheme, the Astros optioned additional signals to batters through the banging of trash can lids.
In conducting an investigation, Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred opted for short cuts that are now making him a pariah in his own sport, and to others outside of baseball. Manfred, in the interest of expediency, and a bit of cajoling by the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) - their union, agreed to grant immunity to any players responding honestly during the investigation. This is a weak-kneed decision by Manfred, taking the easy way out and genuflecting to the players union. Major League Baseball suspended both Astros manager AJ Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow for one full season, fined the team $5 million, and stripped the team of two future draft picks. Not a very strong punishment. Astros owner Jim Crane, within hours of the MLB decision, fired both Hinch and Luhnow. The five million is akin to lunch money for a team owner, $50 million would deliver a stronger message.
Granting immunity to admitted cheaters caused a firestorm around baseball. The Dodgers believe they were robbed of both the 2017 and 2018 World Series - losing in 2018 to the Boston Red Sox in seven games. The 2018 Red Sox were led by rookie manager Alex Cora, the bench coach for the Astros during the 2017 season. Cora is now unemployed. So too is Carlos Beltran, about to start his first season at the helm of the New York Mets. Beltran played on the 2017 Astros and a beneficiary of the sign stealing.
“Over my 20 years in the game, I’ve always taken pride in being a leader and doing things the right way… As a veteran player on the team, I should’ve recognized the severity of the issue and truly regret the actions that were taken,” said Beltran.
New York Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman said to ESPN on February 14, the Astros “had a distinct advantage,”and that the illicit sign stealing was the difference maker. “I definitely think it had an effect on things, without question,” added Cashman regarding the Yankees loss to the Astros in the 2017 American League Playoffs.
Typically quiet Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout said he “lost respect for the Astros. They cheated… I don’t agree with the punishment. Going up to the plate knowing what’s coming… that would be a lot of fun. If you know what’s coming it’s definitely going to help you. Obviously the GM got fired and Hinch got fired, but the players getting nothing, that’s definitely not right, for sure,” said the three-time American League Most Valuable Player.
“The commissioner completely handled it the wrong way… he should be embarrassed,” said Atlanta Braves outfielder Nick Markakis. “Everything has been handled [in] a bad way… the players are scot free. Those guys still get to play. It’s bullsh*t,” said the usually low key Markakis, a 14-year veteran in the league.
Many other players are outspoken about how miserably Manfred botched this scandal, calling for both the Astros and Red Sox to be stripped of their respective World Series titles from 2017 and 2018. That is exactly what should happen, and I rooted for both the Astros and Red Sox in those two series. Cheating tarnishes the game with a permanent stain; a stain that can only be eradicated with extreme prejudice.
Adding insult to injury, responding to calls for the Astros to vacate their 2017 World Series, Manfred disparaged the very trophy on which his name, as commissioner, is etched. “The idea of an asterisk, or asking for a piece of metal back seems like a futile act,” said Manfred about the World Series trophy in an interview with ESPN’s Karl Ravech.
“You need to fix this for the sake of sports,” tweeted NBA all-star LeBron James. I’m no fan of the Los Angeles Lakers player, but James is spot on. Problem is, a fix may be too late. Manfred has already demonstrated his weakness as a commissioner in both kowtowing to the players association in granting immunity, and for not extending the investigation and digging deep into the trenches before going the easy route.
It’s times like this that I know I can count on Abraham Lincoln. “By general law, life and limb must be protected; yet often a limb must be amputated to save a life; but a life is never wisely given to save a limb,” is one of my favorite pearls of wisdom from our 16th president.
Manfred and perhaps a fair number of Astros players are those limbs and Major League Baseball is that life. A life that must be preserved, for as Kenesaw Mountain Landis said, “Baseball is something more than a game to an American boy. It is his training field for life work. Destroy his faith in its squareness and honesty and you have destroyed something more; you have planted suspicion of all things in his heart.”
Sanford D. Horn is a writer and educator living in Westfield, IN.
Thursday, February 20, 2020
Monday, February 17, 2020
The Bloomberg Coefficient
The Bloomberg Coefficient
Commentary by Sanford D. Horn
February 17, 2020
“Sixty billion dollars can buy a lot of advertising, but it can’t erase your record,” said erstwhile Democrat candidate Joe Biden (DE) about former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg (R). Oh wait, Biden is still in the race, in spite of miserable showings in both Iowa and New Hampshire. Although to be fair, no one really knows what the hell happened in the Hawkeye State, belying its nickname. And to correct, Bloomberg is no longer the Republican he once was as New York City mayor. First he dropped the GOP label for that of an independent, now he wants people to believe he is a Democrat. By the way, Mr. Bloomberg, $60 billion will never buy class.
Apparently, traveling the country on your knees and in tears in an apology tour for virtually anything and everything that has occurred since time in memorium is how Bloomberg expects people to forget his past transgressions, both in word and deed. Oh, yeah, and there is also the advertising blitz which will have no end in sight until Bloomberg either has the nomination bought and paid for or drops out of the race.
The Democrat Party establishment is hoping for the former, in its own hypocrisy, and is proving so by changing their party’s own rules regarding the upcoming debate in Nevada to allow Bloomberg, who is not accepting donations, to appear on the debate stage at the Paris hotel and casino in Las Vegas. Interesting how the DNC made no exceptions for Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), former HUD Secretary Julian Castro (D-TX), or US Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI). Gabbard, by the way, has been the punching bag of the DNC and the liberal media simply because Gabbard, a veteran still on active duty, is willing to speak out against her own party when she feels necessary. Any bets on whether or not the caucus results will be available the same day as they are held? Figures - the Paris - they even chose a venue named for a socialist city. Seems the nomination is going to boil down to the socialist Bernie Sanders (VT) and the former Republican Bloomberg - neither a true member of the Democrat Party. The DNC, under incompetent Tom Perez, has such animus toward Sanders, they are willing to pull the rug out from under his and his acolyte’s feet - yet again.
For those who think boy wonder Mayor Buttigieg is a moderate, think again. He will “Peter” out as people learn how South Bend, IN is a cesspool outside of the environs of the campus at Notre Dame, the continuing problems he has with race issues, and that he is more toward the socialist wing of the party than the middle. Thinking Buttigieg is a moderate, is demonstrative of how far left the Democrat Party has launched itself.
Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar is the closest candidate to a moderate, and she is still a solid liberal, and could find her way onto the ticket as the vice presidential nominee. She has surprised many with her performances in both Iowa and New Hampshire (not this writer who predicted a third place finish for her in the Granite State). She sounds like the voice of reason on the debate stage, is a midwesterner, a part of the country Democrats only recognize if it pertains to Chicago, Minneapolis, or St. Louis. Additionally, Klobuchar is infinitely less of a lightning rod than Hillary Clinton, yet, according to the Drudge Report, it is Hillary that Bloomberg is considering for the second spot on the ticket. A bit premature? How did that plan work out for President Ted Cruz and Vice President Carly Fiorina?
And now the party faces a genuine dilemma. Nominate an avowed socialist who will deleteriously impact the down-ballot candidates, or a multi-billionaire virtually every candidate has railed against. If Bloomberg is the nominee, where will the Bernie Bros. go? Will they hypocritically march in lock step and vote for the billionaire they loathe, or will they stay home on Election Day? Will Bernie demonstrate his level of hypocrisy and support the billionaire he has verbally harangued since day one?
Bloomberg will have to spend the bulk of the campaign explaining himself much more than looking toward the future and how he will govern, which may work for him, considering how he left New York City. Let’s legalize marijuana and decriminalize other drugs, but no one is allowed to drink a soda more than an ounce and a half. Keep explaining “Stop and Frisk,” Bloomy. Stop and frisk is a violation of a person’s Fourth Amendment right to not be searched without probable cause. The real name of the program was “Stop, Question, and Frisk,” which had a level of success worth bragging about at the time, except when Bloomberg talked about dispatching more officers to minority neighborhoods, “because that’s where all the crime is. Bloomberg has said mea culpa pretty much everywhere he campaigns - so often, he probably says it before going to bed at night.
Bloomberg also displayed an ignorance and racism, that if he were still a Republican, would be unforgivable, but now that he is a Democrat, a full prostration before the “right” people, and all is forgiven. From a 2011 PBS NewsHour, Bloomberg talked about black and Latino men ages 16-25, saying, they “don’t have jobs, don’t have any prospects, don’t know how to find jobs, don’t know what their skill sets are, don’t know how to behave in the workplace.”
In addition to alienating minorities, Bloomberg has no doubt antagonized American farmers, and thus so-called fly-over country. Speaking at Oxford University on America’s Veterans’ Day, November 11, 2016 Bloomberg diminished the nature of farmer’s work. Disparaging those who grow our food and feed millions upon millions of people the world over, Bloomberg attempted to simplify it: “I could teach anyone… you dig a hole, put seed in, you put dirt on top, add water, then the corn comes up.” Is this the 2020 version of Hillary’s “deplorables” comment?
Reminds me of one of my favorite lines in the classic Mel Brooks film, Blazing Saddles. Jim, played by the late Gene Wilder, says to Bart, played by the late Cleavon Little following a racial epithet leveled at Bart: “You’ve got to remember that these are just simple farmers. These are people of the land… You know… morons.” In this case it is Bloomberg who clearly is the moron.
South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem (R) rightly took issue with Bloomberg’s myopic assertion about the vital farm community. Bloomberg’s statements are “incredibly insulting,” and “nothing but pompous ignorance,” said Noem, Tuesday on Fox & Friends. “Who does Mike Bloomberg think he is? Every single day farmers work long hours, but they don’t just have to deal with the labor side, they understand genetics and engineering, biology, chemistry. It is incredibly difficult for farmers every day to feed the world and I’m just so proud my entire family is farmers. I’ve been a farmer my entire life. His comment is so out of touch with every day Americans,” said Noem before issuing a challenge to Bloomberg.
“I would challenge Mike Bloomberg to come spend a day with a farmer… ride horses, rope steers,... drive GPS controlled tractors, computer program grain handling systems, and then internationally market your commodities to pay your bills and continue to do what they do best,” said Noem.
In addition to being a moron, he may also be on a fool’s errand. To date, Bloomberg has spent $417 million; Sanders $40 million; and Biden $12 million on this campaign. Bloomberg has yet to appear on a debate stage, has not been balloted in Iowa, New Hampshire, or Nevada. Bloomberg said he is willing to spend more than a billion of his own dollars to win a race that about a year ago he had no intention of entering.
Many Democrats simply want a candidate who can beat Trump, regardless of personality or politics. Seems counterintuitive to those people complaining about Trump’s personality vis a vis his obsession with Twitter. Yet, Bloomberg has the charisma of a warthog’s tuchus. He’s a guy who does not connect well with the people, but he cannot hide behind his advertising - he actually has to go face to face with the folks, something Sanders is reasonably adept at. Sanders, a socialist for sure, is not a phony - he lets people know what they are in for, he just doesn’t have a price tag - something he said in a recent interview. “Who knows?” he responded. Just what the people want to hear.
A parting thought on socialism, courtesy of Ayn Rand. “There is no difference between communism and socialism, except in the way of achieving the same goal: communism proposes to enslave men by force, socialism by voting. It’s the same difference between murder and suicide.” May G-d help preserve the Union.
Sanford D. Horn is a writer and educator living in Westfield, IN.
Commentary by Sanford D. Horn
February 17, 2020
“Sixty billion dollars can buy a lot of advertising, but it can’t erase your record,” said erstwhile Democrat candidate Joe Biden (DE) about former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg (R). Oh wait, Biden is still in the race, in spite of miserable showings in both Iowa and New Hampshire. Although to be fair, no one really knows what the hell happened in the Hawkeye State, belying its nickname. And to correct, Bloomberg is no longer the Republican he once was as New York City mayor. First he dropped the GOP label for that of an independent, now he wants people to believe he is a Democrat. By the way, Mr. Bloomberg, $60 billion will never buy class.
Apparently, traveling the country on your knees and in tears in an apology tour for virtually anything and everything that has occurred since time in memorium is how Bloomberg expects people to forget his past transgressions, both in word and deed. Oh, yeah, and there is also the advertising blitz which will have no end in sight until Bloomberg either has the nomination bought and paid for or drops out of the race.
The Democrat Party establishment is hoping for the former, in its own hypocrisy, and is proving so by changing their party’s own rules regarding the upcoming debate in Nevada to allow Bloomberg, who is not accepting donations, to appear on the debate stage at the Paris hotel and casino in Las Vegas. Interesting how the DNC made no exceptions for Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), former HUD Secretary Julian Castro (D-TX), or US Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI). Gabbard, by the way, has been the punching bag of the DNC and the liberal media simply because Gabbard, a veteran still on active duty, is willing to speak out against her own party when she feels necessary. Any bets on whether or not the caucus results will be available the same day as they are held? Figures - the Paris - they even chose a venue named for a socialist city. Seems the nomination is going to boil down to the socialist Bernie Sanders (VT) and the former Republican Bloomberg - neither a true member of the Democrat Party. The DNC, under incompetent Tom Perez, has such animus toward Sanders, they are willing to pull the rug out from under his and his acolyte’s feet - yet again.
For those who think boy wonder Mayor Buttigieg is a moderate, think again. He will “Peter” out as people learn how South Bend, IN is a cesspool outside of the environs of the campus at Notre Dame, the continuing problems he has with race issues, and that he is more toward the socialist wing of the party than the middle. Thinking Buttigieg is a moderate, is demonstrative of how far left the Democrat Party has launched itself.
Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar is the closest candidate to a moderate, and she is still a solid liberal, and could find her way onto the ticket as the vice presidential nominee. She has surprised many with her performances in both Iowa and New Hampshire (not this writer who predicted a third place finish for her in the Granite State). She sounds like the voice of reason on the debate stage, is a midwesterner, a part of the country Democrats only recognize if it pertains to Chicago, Minneapolis, or St. Louis. Additionally, Klobuchar is infinitely less of a lightning rod than Hillary Clinton, yet, according to the Drudge Report, it is Hillary that Bloomberg is considering for the second spot on the ticket. A bit premature? How did that plan work out for President Ted Cruz and Vice President Carly Fiorina?
And now the party faces a genuine dilemma. Nominate an avowed socialist who will deleteriously impact the down-ballot candidates, or a multi-billionaire virtually every candidate has railed against. If Bloomberg is the nominee, where will the Bernie Bros. go? Will they hypocritically march in lock step and vote for the billionaire they loathe, or will they stay home on Election Day? Will Bernie demonstrate his level of hypocrisy and support the billionaire he has verbally harangued since day one?
Bloomberg will have to spend the bulk of the campaign explaining himself much more than looking toward the future and how he will govern, which may work for him, considering how he left New York City. Let’s legalize marijuana and decriminalize other drugs, but no one is allowed to drink a soda more than an ounce and a half. Keep explaining “Stop and Frisk,” Bloomy. Stop and frisk is a violation of a person’s Fourth Amendment right to not be searched without probable cause. The real name of the program was “Stop, Question, and Frisk,” which had a level of success worth bragging about at the time, except when Bloomberg talked about dispatching more officers to minority neighborhoods, “because that’s where all the crime is. Bloomberg has said mea culpa pretty much everywhere he campaigns - so often, he probably says it before going to bed at night.
Bloomberg also displayed an ignorance and racism, that if he were still a Republican, would be unforgivable, but now that he is a Democrat, a full prostration before the “right” people, and all is forgiven. From a 2011 PBS NewsHour, Bloomberg talked about black and Latino men ages 16-25, saying, they “don’t have jobs, don’t have any prospects, don’t know how to find jobs, don’t know what their skill sets are, don’t know how to behave in the workplace.”
In addition to alienating minorities, Bloomberg has no doubt antagonized American farmers, and thus so-called fly-over country. Speaking at Oxford University on America’s Veterans’ Day, November 11, 2016 Bloomberg diminished the nature of farmer’s work. Disparaging those who grow our food and feed millions upon millions of people the world over, Bloomberg attempted to simplify it: “I could teach anyone… you dig a hole, put seed in, you put dirt on top, add water, then the corn comes up.” Is this the 2020 version of Hillary’s “deplorables” comment?
Reminds me of one of my favorite lines in the classic Mel Brooks film, Blazing Saddles. Jim, played by the late Gene Wilder, says to Bart, played by the late Cleavon Little following a racial epithet leveled at Bart: “You’ve got to remember that these are just simple farmers. These are people of the land… You know… morons.” In this case it is Bloomberg who clearly is the moron.
South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem (R) rightly took issue with Bloomberg’s myopic assertion about the vital farm community. Bloomberg’s statements are “incredibly insulting,” and “nothing but pompous ignorance,” said Noem, Tuesday on Fox & Friends. “Who does Mike Bloomberg think he is? Every single day farmers work long hours, but they don’t just have to deal with the labor side, they understand genetics and engineering, biology, chemistry. It is incredibly difficult for farmers every day to feed the world and I’m just so proud my entire family is farmers. I’ve been a farmer my entire life. His comment is so out of touch with every day Americans,” said Noem before issuing a challenge to Bloomberg.
“I would challenge Mike Bloomberg to come spend a day with a farmer… ride horses, rope steers,... drive GPS controlled tractors, computer program grain handling systems, and then internationally market your commodities to pay your bills and continue to do what they do best,” said Noem.
Many Democrats simply want a candidate who can beat Trump, regardless of personality or politics. Seems counterintuitive to those people complaining about Trump’s personality vis a vis his obsession with Twitter. Yet, Bloomberg has the charisma of a warthog’s tuchus. He’s a guy who does not connect well with the people, but he cannot hide behind his advertising - he actually has to go face to face with the folks, something Sanders is reasonably adept at. Sanders, a socialist for sure, is not a phony - he lets people know what they are in for, he just doesn’t have a price tag - something he said in a recent interview. “Who knows?” he responded. Just what the people want to hear.
A parting thought on socialism, courtesy of Ayn Rand. “There is no difference between communism and socialism, except in the way of achieving the same goal: communism proposes to enslave men by force, socialism by voting. It’s the same difference between murder and suicide.” May G-d help preserve the Union.
Sanford D. Horn is a writer and educator living in Westfield, IN.
Tuesday, February 4, 2020
Caucus Chaos Confounds and Confuses
Caucus Chaos Confounds and Confuses
Commentary by Sanford D. Horn
February 4, 2020
One day following a marvelous Super Bowl LIV won by the Kansas City Chiefs, the State of Iowa Democrat Party fumbled the ball in their own endzone.
To paraphrase Dorothy, “Toto, we’re not in Kansas City anymore!” While the Chiefs played an almost flawless fourth quarter to overcome a 10 point deficit and handily defeat the San Francisco 49ers, the fourth quarter in Iowa resembled a clown convention. And let’s face it, the Democrats have more than their fair share of clowns to offer the United States in this election cycle.
After almost two years of literally dozens of presidential hopefuls, also-rans, and general wanna-bes barnstorming the Hawkeye State, the Iowa Caucuses held on Monday, February 3 ended with a giant thud, a veritable stink bomb reeking of incompetence and failure as nary a result could be discerned as of 5 PM on Tuesday, February 4. This just hours before President Donald Trump takes to the lectern in the House of Representatives to deliver what will undoubtedly be a State of the Union address complete with bravado and highlights of the myriad successes enjoyed by both his administration, and more importantly, the country - a complete juxtaposition of the Iowa dismal debacle.
While the losers are many, the winners are few - even before the results are announced. President Trump, to be sure, is a big winner, both in Iowa as well as nationally. He not only won his caucuses - yes, the GOP in Iowa held their own caucuses as per what is right, after all, quiet as it’s kept, he does have a couple of primary challengers. Joe Walsh - no not the singer - is a former Illinois Congressman, and Bill Weld, the former Massachusetts governor and 2016 Libertarian vice presidential candidate are taking on Trump in an almost impossible task - convincing fellow Republicans that Trump is doing a poor job. The Democrats can’t even do that. Trump won nationally as his campaign rallies continue to reach overflowing arenas from Wildwood, New Jersey, to Des Moines, Iowa on the eve of the Iowa caucus.
There is another winner, and that is someone who may not have set one foot in Iowa - Michael Bloomberg. The former mayor of New York City, who is self-funding his campaign, entered the race late, all but ignored Iowa and New Hampshire, and is banking on Super Tuesday. (How did that strategy work out for President Rudy Giuliani?) Bloomberg may also win in a way other former candidates could not. Seems the DNC is seriously considering changing their own rules to accommodate Bloomberg for the upcoming debate in Nevada. Because he is self-funding, Bloomberg is not able to comply with the number of contributors rule to reach the debate stage. Yet, the DNC, who snubbed former candidates Julian Castro, former HUD Secretary under Barack Obama, and New Jersey Senator Cory Booker, is likely to change rules mid-race because there is a strong and growing fear that Socialist candidate Senator Bernie Sanders (NH) could very conceivably win the Democrat nomination without actually being a registered Democrat, although he caucuses with the Senate Democrats. Once again, as in 2016, the DNC is playing fast and loose with their own rules to screw over Sanders, knowing such an extremist would be beaten like a drum by Trump come November.
Aside from Booker and Castro, the other Iowa losers are, first and foremost, the voters themselves. They waited all day, hell, four years to cast their caucus votes, stayed in locked down church basements, school cafeterias, fire houses, etc. to do their civic duty, only to be told “We are experiencing technical difficulties, please stand by,” as we used to hear on television in the dark ages prior to cable. And stand by they have - through the dead of night, into the wee hours of the morning, through lunch, and still no results. Adding insult to injury, the Iowa Democrats announced that by 5 PM EST, they would announce partial results, dragging this facade on for what seems interminably. Twenty-four hours after the doors closed in 1,678 precincts, and 38 percent of the vote is still outstanding.
The Democrat Party is a huge loser, with not just egg on its collective faces, but a giant omelet. If they can’t run a simple caucus, one in which they had four years to prepare, how in the world can the American people expect the representatives of this beleaguered party to run the nation’s healthcare? The nation’s public school system, already a dismal failure? The nation’s border security and the illegal immigration crisis?
Another loser in the dumpster fire that is Iowa - the actual winner of the caucus. He or she will not have the caucus bounce achieved when giving the live, more or less, spontaneous victory speech. It will be akin to a team winning a championship in the dead of night when the audience consists of shut-ins and the families of the candidates. It completely loses its allure and level of excitement that it would achieve in prime time.
Last and least, to the Democrat candidates: to Senator Michael Bennet (CO), Vice President Joe Biden (DE), Mayor Pete Buttigieg (IN), US Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (HI), Senator Amy Klobuchar (MN), Senator Bernie Sanders (VT), Tom Steyer (CA), Senator Elizabeth Warren (MA), and Andrew Yang (NY). To them go the useless Participation Trophies - which seems fitting as theirs is the party of such beliefs. On to New Hampshire for more of the same?
Here is a February 6 update: The results still are not complete - about 90 percent. Now it seems DNC Chair Tom Perez wants a virtual do-over - he's hearing Bernie's footsteps! When you get in bed with Socialists...
Sanford D. Horn is a writer and educator living in Westfield, IN. He has been politically active for 40 years.
Commentary by Sanford D. Horn
February 4, 2020
One day following a marvelous Super Bowl LIV won by the Kansas City Chiefs, the State of Iowa Democrat Party fumbled the ball in their own endzone.
To paraphrase Dorothy, “Toto, we’re not in Kansas City anymore!” While the Chiefs played an almost flawless fourth quarter to overcome a 10 point deficit and handily defeat the San Francisco 49ers, the fourth quarter in Iowa resembled a clown convention. And let’s face it, the Democrats have more than their fair share of clowns to offer the United States in this election cycle.
After almost two years of literally dozens of presidential hopefuls, also-rans, and general wanna-bes barnstorming the Hawkeye State, the Iowa Caucuses held on Monday, February 3 ended with a giant thud, a veritable stink bomb reeking of incompetence and failure as nary a result could be discerned as of 5 PM on Tuesday, February 4. This just hours before President Donald Trump takes to the lectern in the House of Representatives to deliver what will undoubtedly be a State of the Union address complete with bravado and highlights of the myriad successes enjoyed by both his administration, and more importantly, the country - a complete juxtaposition of the Iowa dismal debacle.
While the losers are many, the winners are few - even before the results are announced. President Trump, to be sure, is a big winner, both in Iowa as well as nationally. He not only won his caucuses - yes, the GOP in Iowa held their own caucuses as per what is right, after all, quiet as it’s kept, he does have a couple of primary challengers. Joe Walsh - no not the singer - is a former Illinois Congressman, and Bill Weld, the former Massachusetts governor and 2016 Libertarian vice presidential candidate are taking on Trump in an almost impossible task - convincing fellow Republicans that Trump is doing a poor job. The Democrats can’t even do that. Trump won nationally as his campaign rallies continue to reach overflowing arenas from Wildwood, New Jersey, to Des Moines, Iowa on the eve of the Iowa caucus.
There is another winner, and that is someone who may not have set one foot in Iowa - Michael Bloomberg. The former mayor of New York City, who is self-funding his campaign, entered the race late, all but ignored Iowa and New Hampshire, and is banking on Super Tuesday. (How did that strategy work out for President Rudy Giuliani?) Bloomberg may also win in a way other former candidates could not. Seems the DNC is seriously considering changing their own rules to accommodate Bloomberg for the upcoming debate in Nevada. Because he is self-funding, Bloomberg is not able to comply with the number of contributors rule to reach the debate stage. Yet, the DNC, who snubbed former candidates Julian Castro, former HUD Secretary under Barack Obama, and New Jersey Senator Cory Booker, is likely to change rules mid-race because there is a strong and growing fear that Socialist candidate Senator Bernie Sanders (NH) could very conceivably win the Democrat nomination without actually being a registered Democrat, although he caucuses with the Senate Democrats. Once again, as in 2016, the DNC is playing fast and loose with their own rules to screw over Sanders, knowing such an extremist would be beaten like a drum by Trump come November.
Aside from Booker and Castro, the other Iowa losers are, first and foremost, the voters themselves. They waited all day, hell, four years to cast their caucus votes, stayed in locked down church basements, school cafeterias, fire houses, etc. to do their civic duty, only to be told “We are experiencing technical difficulties, please stand by,” as we used to hear on television in the dark ages prior to cable. And stand by they have - through the dead of night, into the wee hours of the morning, through lunch, and still no results. Adding insult to injury, the Iowa Democrats announced that by 5 PM EST, they would announce partial results, dragging this facade on for what seems interminably. Twenty-four hours after the doors closed in 1,678 precincts, and 38 percent of the vote is still outstanding.
The Democrat Party is a huge loser, with not just egg on its collective faces, but a giant omelet. If they can’t run a simple caucus, one in which they had four years to prepare, how in the world can the American people expect the representatives of this beleaguered party to run the nation’s healthcare? The nation’s public school system, already a dismal failure? The nation’s border security and the illegal immigration crisis?
Another loser in the dumpster fire that is Iowa - the actual winner of the caucus. He or she will not have the caucus bounce achieved when giving the live, more or less, spontaneous victory speech. It will be akin to a team winning a championship in the dead of night when the audience consists of shut-ins and the families of the candidates. It completely loses its allure and level of excitement that it would achieve in prime time.
Last and least, to the Democrat candidates: to Senator Michael Bennet (CO), Vice President Joe Biden (DE), Mayor Pete Buttigieg (IN), US Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (HI), Senator Amy Klobuchar (MN), Senator Bernie Sanders (VT), Tom Steyer (CA), Senator Elizabeth Warren (MA), and Andrew Yang (NY). To them go the useless Participation Trophies - which seems fitting as theirs is the party of such beliefs. On to New Hampshire for more of the same?
Here is a February 6 update: The results still are not complete - about 90 percent. Now it seems DNC Chair Tom Perez wants a virtual do-over - he's hearing Bernie's footsteps! When you get in bed with Socialists...
Sanford D. Horn is a writer and educator living in Westfield, IN. He has been politically active for 40 years.
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