Bernie's Babies

Convention delegates are usually seasoned pros with strong party connections.  They, through their candidate, extract concessions before falling in line behind the winner. Bernie has gotten extraordinary platform concessions, as well as reforms in the nominating process.  Seasoned pros, and that includes those few among Sanders delegates, declare victory and live to fight another day.

But Bernie is a life long independent with only a dotted line relationship to the Democratic Party.   His delegates are primarily freshly minted voters attending their first convention.  They drank the revolutionary Kool-Aid, and are now crashing from the sugar high.  They not only believed in the revolution, but were sure of its imminence.  The idealism of the young is their strength and their weakness.

Unlike his delegates, Bernie's voters have mainly moved over to Hillary.  They are made up of many long time Democrats fearful of Trump.  Unfortunately, Sanders delegates are unconcerned that their tantrums may hurt the chances of undecideds buying the Democratic ticket.  When Bill Clinton addressed the convention in support of Obama, he brought the house down.  This time, part of the house may come down on him.

A Miracle in the Making

If Obama wins,  it will be a miracle of biblical proportions.  However, in this version it is the Barackians, not Romses II, who face the plagues of high unemployment, a stagnant recovery, costly gas, unpopularity of the creed of Obamacare, and the loss of many a first born in the deserts and mountains of Afghanistan.

But, the Barackians have had a true vision.  During the Republican primaries, when  many false prophets were speaking in tongues, they focused solely on Romses II.  When the great Carville came down from the mountain, with the tablet inscribed with, "It's the economy, stupid,"  the people rose up and said, verily, it is so.  And, they spent manna early to show that Romses II is stupid on the economy.  And many heard there words and said, "truly he is a bane upon us." And the people heard of the evil of Bushie II, and they understood. And, the Barackians convened and many listened and nodded.  And, manna was spent so that the people could be shown the way, out of the wilderness into the battleground polls.   And verily, it was so. 

Romses II said little about himself, or his records, and the people believed he had evil secrets.  When he convened with his people they were smitten with rain.  And then a great feeling of emptiness settled upon them and descended unto a chair.  And, many listened but few nodded.

Republican Dead Cat Bounce

Clint Eastwood's speech got a sitting ovation in North Carolina, the center of America's furniture industry.  As the Democrats assemble in Charlotte, how will they counter a twelve minute prime time homage to a chair?  As the warmer, fuzzier party, will Democrats  feature a love seat during the first lady's presentation?  Inquiries to Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the DNC chair, have gone unanswered.  Perhaps the matter has been tabled.

Except for North Carolina furniture manufacturers and a few conservative pundits dancing on tables, the Republican Convention was ineffective.  As the saying goes, even a dead cat will bounce.  But the small  (0 to 4 percent) bounce, is not enough to counter the stench of a future of backroom abortions and third world level income disparity.

A picture of Romney and Ryan may look good over the sofa, so long as that sofa is not in the  oval office.