Author's notes: Thank you, coolepairc, for teaching me how to embed a tweet.

I am not LoneStarMike at TOP; I am MCUBernieFan.

For those of you who are concerned about LD's mojo and the influence of BNR over at TOP, yes, I am aware of the issues surrounding my crossposting 1) LSM's LTE round up (as well as a few other things people post in comments) and 2) crossposting BNR itself over here. I have discussed it with LD and LSM and the minute either one asks me to stop crossposting, it stops. I am doing this as a courtesy (and also because TOP v. 5 has a decided tendency to crash my browser and/or my computer). I have no wish to negatively impact LD's work, and better things to do with my time than argue about it.

Thank you, and enjoy your daily LTE round up.

Posted by LoneStarMike

Bernie’s Currently Winning the Democratic Primary Race, and I’ll Prove It to You

Huffington Post

Nobody cares how well a politician does at the ballot box when he or she is running for an office unopposed. What matters is how a politician performs in contested primaries and general elections, as when it really matters — like it will, for instance, this November — you can be certain of a contested election.

With that said, let’s make an important observation: Bernie Sanders has tied or beaten Hillary Clinton in a majority of the actively contested votes this election season.

You doubt it? Okay, let me explain.

Bernie Sanders has terrible name recognition in states where he hasn’t advertised or campaigned yet; meanwhile, Hillary Clinton has universal name recognition everywhere. Realizing this, the Clinton camp pushed hard to rack up the early vote in every state where early voting was an option. They did this not primarily for the reason we’ve been told — because Clinton performs well among older voters, and older voters are more likely to vote early than other age demographics — but rather because they knew that early votes are almost always cast before the election season actually begins in a given state.

The gist of the article is that he’s winning the votes of the people who wait until election day to vote. Clinton is winning with the early vote.

Current Facebook stats: as of 5:00 a.m. CST

Bernie2016/Hillary2016/Senator Bernie Sanders

Bernie Sanders 3,538,548 Presidential Campaign Page

Hillary Clinton 2,997,402 Presidential Campaign Page

Bernie Sanders 3,565,988 U. S. Senatorial Page

Yesterday, Bernie had 534,047 more likes than Sec. Clinton

Today, Bernie has 541,146 more likes than Sec. Clinton

How The Young Turks got Bernie Sanders on its live YouTube show

Mashable

For months, the progressive online news program, which has amassed 2.4 million subscribers since it started live streaming on YouTube in 2005, has been trying to get the Democratic presidential candidate to appear on their show.

But it wasn't until late Tuesday night that the Young Turks found out it was actually happening — thanks to help from a fan petition and a lucky opening in Sanders' schedule during his Los Angeles visit.

On Wednesday, the Vermont senator trekked to Culver City to sit down with Young Turks host Cenk Uygur for a 30-minute interview.

It was a huge moment for the channel, as Sanders became one of the show's most high profile visitors.

"It felt great," Uygur told Mashable following the interview. "I think that we do something very similar to what he does but in the media realm, he's leading a political revolution we're leading a media revolution. It was definitely time for these two revolutions to meet and that was this moment."

More at the link

Bernie Sanders gets trade right

Seattle Times LTE #1— Seattle, Washington

Residents of Washington state recognize the difference between a good trade policy and a bad trade policy. A bad trade policy is still bad, even if you call it “free trade,” “nuanced trade” or “utilitarian.”

The Trans-Pacific Partnership is neither free, nuanced nor utilitarian. It’s an extension of the failed NAFTA model, which helped de-industrialize our manufacturing sector and eliminated millions of family-wage jobs.

TPP lies on an arc that includes CAFTA, which destabilized agrarian economies in Central America, and helped lead to the flood of unaccompanied minors through Mexico into the U.S. TPP follows the template of the Korea-U.S. deal, which has expanded our trade deficit by tens of billions of dollars, costing 70,000 U.S. jobs and pushing Ford Motor Company into the growing ranks of opponents of TPP.

Sen. Bernie Sanders recognizes that TPP raises the cost of dealing with climate change and inequality — the two defining problems of our time.

TPP is the “no” that must be said before “yes.” Sanders is well-positioned to build on the loud and clear “no” on TPP and move on to the crucial question of what a good trade policy looks like.

Bernie Sanders has lit a fire that millennials need to keep going

Seattle Times LTE #2 — Seattle Washington

Sunday evening, my daughter and I joined the 16,000 people inside and outside Seattle’s KeyArena who had come to hear presidential candidate Bernie Sanders.

I wanted to be sure my 11-year-old daughter, Danni, got to see this man who, I believe, has started the beginning of a peaceful American revolution. His progressive platform is built on what constitutes representative government, more economic and income equity, the right to health care, fair trade, greater access to education, racial and gender equality, environmental consciousness and respect for all people — all long overdue in America.

His support is strong among people under 45, and especially under 35. It is these millennials who are most attracted to his message, and that was patently obvious at the Sunday evening rally. How exciting to see so many young people so engaged in politics — something that is a prerequisite to changing the mess we older Americans have left these young people.

Personally, I have been waiting a long time for even a hint of the positive change and idealism I felt with John F. Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, Eugene McCarthy and George McGovern in the 1960s and early 1970s. I see Sanders in the same light as these men. In fact, he carries the promise and prospects for positive change even further. He speaks of a political revolution. But what I think this modest man is calling for is nothing less than a cultural revolution that extends far beyond the world of politics and economics.

The more recent roots of some of this revolution are in Occupy Wall Street, which the big banks and establishment politicians relatively quickly snubbed out as a loud and national movement. Sanders has taken that spark and is in the process of building that into a bonfire. Keeping this fire going will fall largely on the millennials. As Sanders has cautioned his supporters, be suspicious of the establishment and most corporate media (The Seattle Times supports Sanders!). The Democrats’ super (read establishment) delegates will smother and disenfranchise primary voters and the corporate media will distort news and fail to provide coverage.

The battle has just begun and it never is an easy one whenever those who run the show are challenged. Tag, you’re it millennials.

Reader is betting on Bernie

South Whidbey Record LTE — Coupeville, Washington

I have been following with interest the recent “viewpoint” columns on the presidential election and subsequent letters favoring or opposing the various candidates.

Elizabeth George, who began the discussion with her viewpoint about why she won’t vote for Sen. Bernie Sanders, has made what I believe to be false assumptions about both the character of Sanders and the nature of how social change comes about. She feels that Sanders is “not being honest” because he is not describing the steps required to bring about the kind of radical change he advocates. George also believes this kind of change comes about in only three ways: war, civil disobedience or political party domination, “none of which is quick and none of which is pretty.”

I believe that the reality of how change occurs is far more complex. Some years ago, I had the opportunity to study social change with leaders in the civil rights, anti-war, and anti-nuclear movements; from this study emerged a roadmap of change that contains eight phases, all the way from “business as usual” to “implementation of alternatives.” Although civil disobedience turns out to be important, it is by no means the only way to bring about change, nor is it a guarantee of success on its own. But when civil disobedience is nonviolent, carried out with dignity and a sense of purpose, it is a powerful tool to raise public awareness — one among many.

Bernie Sanders is well acquainted with the mechanics of how social movements bring about change. His imprecision is not due to a lack of experience. Nor is it due to an underestimation of what will be required. I believe it is due to his — or anyone’s — inability to predict exactly how events will unfold. Social movements are dynamic interplays between populace and power holders. The destination is not assured, it is not a reason not to embark.

Sen. Sanders doesn’t promise “quick” or “pretty.” I suspect he knows it will take decades to remake our system. I suspect he knows that much depends on the outcome of congressional elections and the decisions of the Supreme Court with regard to the role of campaign financing. I suspect he is placing his faith, and his bets, for progressive social change on the inventiveness and commitment of we, the people.

And I, in return, am betting on Bernie.

Sanders’ revolution

The Spokesman Review LTE — Spokane, Washington

This is what Bernie Sanders is trying to do for us. “Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”, and “We the people, in order to form a more perfect union”, are probably the cornerstone words of our nation. We were bold and brave when we broke from the monarchy of England. We had somewhere else to live and pursue that dream.

The movement that Bernie is leading is this exact same pursuit. The only difference is that now we are fighting back against an oligarchy designed and protected by status quo politicians and the wealthy. Also, this time we have nowhere to go. Our only alternative is to change the system to work for the people.

The colonists were bold and brave and found the courage to break free from the status quo. This absolute belief in a better life is what made our nation. The colonists had no idea it would work or that they would survive as a society.

Bernie is right, this is a political revolution - for the people and by the people. Do we remain within the confines of our oligarchy or be bold and pursue a more perfect union?

Sanders is right on education, and more

Ames Tribune LTE — Ames, Iowa

In his column published Tuesday in the Ames Tribune, Michael Gerson misses some important facts about Bernie Sanders and education, in particular.

When I went to the university (UC Berkeley) in the 1960s, tuition was “free,” actually so close to zero it didn’t matter, and was the same for “rich” kids. Bernie is right, Gerson is wrong.

In the 1950s and 1960s, monopolies were illegal. There were no big banks and, under Republican President Dwight Eisenhower, the marginal tax rate reached 90 percent. What happened? The U.S. grew stronger and stronger. Bernie is right, Gerson is wrong.

About Hillary Clinton, she has supported enthusiastically every war, every “military action,” every bombing campaign, and she is now beating the drums of war against Iran.

Iraq, Libya, Syria, Afghanistan are now havens for ISIS. What more do these people want? Perpetual war?

The rest of the world is buying Iranian oil, making billion-dollar deals on cars and pharmaceuticals, etc., and sending their prime ministers to Tehran. Bernie is right, Gerson is wrong.

It is true that every pundit (Brooks, Gerson, Krauthammer, etc.) got Trump wrong, mainly because they cannot see the pain of working people. In my opinion, multi-millionaires like Clinton, Romney and even Ryan will never understand and will forever lack the fire-in-the-belly to confront social injustice of the economic and racial kinds.

The last president to confront monopolies, greed, and obscene wealth concentration was Teddy Roosevelt.

If we miss getting a President Sanders, it will be another hundred years before we get second chance.

Live in the now

The Daily News LTE — Longview Washington

The League of Women Voters are sending letters and wanting cash, phoning for us to vote for Hillary Clinton.

No thanks. I want a man of truth and change for the better. Common sense, jobs, health, world peace and etc. I want Bernie Sanders for president.

We live in the now, not the past.

I am a woman. I want things to be better for all the people, not half of us. We want the best or woman for the job, the common good and the future for all the people. Get to the caucus on (Saturday) please, or your vote won’t count in the election.

To register to vote, contact the county elections office by email at co.cowlitz.wa.us; or at the elections office in Room 107, 207 N. Fourth Ave. in Kelso, or online at www.co.cowlitz.wa.us/....

Business Owners Should Consider Employees' Needs

Ocean City Patch LTE — Ocean Vity, New Jersey

The Executive Director of the Ocean City Chamber of Commerce urged people to lobby and cajole members of the NJ State Senate to reject the $15 livable wage law.

No different will be the appeal of all Chambers throughout our country. This is not surprising as Chambers are funded by the business community.

Surely such a law could hurt many small businesses especially ones in Ocean City, which are seasonal.

However the total indifference to the needs of the working poor was brought home to me this weekend.

We attended an event at Stockton where one of the musicians fell off his chair. Everything came to a stop. There was a request for a physician and I went to help. The young man was as white as a ghost and sweating profusely. His first words were: "I have no health insurance. Don't let them send me to the hospital. It would financially devastate me."

So my question to Chambers of Commerce everywhere is where do you stand on healthcare as a human right for all Americans? I understand how a livable wage of $15/hour might not be feasible for all employers. There is no excuse for the Chambers to ignore/deny Medicare-For-All. Your dues paying businesses need a healthy workforce.

Senator Bernie Sanders has shown that this is not only economically feasible but makes good economic sense.

With healthcare costs being the single largest cause of personal bankruptcy, and millions of citizens refusing to access healthcare because of legitimate fears of economic ruin, this is an opportunity for Chambers of Commerce to prove that they really care for business owners and essential ingredient of their businesses: the employees.

Posted by tocino and Lisa Lockwood

This Race is Far From Over

Bloomberg reports: "By a more than 2-to-1 ratio, Democratic primary voters say Sanders would fight harder than Clinton for the middle class and do the most to rein in the power of Wall Street. Nearly six in 10 say the Vermont senator cares the most about people like them, and 64 percent see him as the most honest and trustworthy candidate. Just a quarter of voters said that of Clinton."

J. Ann Selzer, whose firm conducted the poll, told Bloomberg, "It comes down to this: Bernie Sanders is the one Democrats see as looking out for them—meaning he will build a stronger middle class at the expense of Wall Street. They trust him to do it. In the end, Hillary Clinton has a trust problem."

Emphasis by Lisa Lockwood.