250 delegates is not barely 200.

It's a two-person race. Who cares if you think he's in it or not? Let people vote for who they want. If he drops out, those delegates go to Hillary anyway.

I don't care. I just think Bernie supporters are overly optimistic.

Based on experience, I don't think you're much of someone to call others naive in their worldview.

we'll see how those April 19th states vote after the April 14th debate and Bernie's invited trip to speak to the Vatican about the merits of a moral economy. 10 days is a long time on the campaign trail.

Of course Bernie supporters are optimistic, they believe in a world where you get universal healthcare and free college tuition. It is very optimistic to hope for a world where this can happen.

And personally i hope the optimism spreads (like a viral meme) and takes the white house by storm. Which is remains a reasonable possibility.

The best hope for Bernie (other than more tirades from Bill) is that something comes from this email fiasco after all. Certainly the unusual granting of discovery to Judicial Watch's FOIA case is an ominous development for the Anointed One.

http://www.politico.com/f/?id=00000153-c30e-d9f0-a173-f7efb4660000

Orthaic, nothing is free. It all comes from the taxpayer's pocket or the government debt. We should be decreasing spending, not increasing it. After all, that's what a responsible nation would do.

Yeah, it's not like spending money transitioning to a functional healthcare system with a not-terrible outcomes:cost ratio would be a responsible fiscal decision. Inaction isn't free either, leon.

The government must spend money first in order to collect taxes in its currency. A government is not like a private firm, it does not tax in order to spend. A government creates demand for its currency by issuing taxes and demanding payment in said currency. The only way for currency to be in circulation is to run a deficit.

leon1122:
216 delegates is barely 200.

clarification:
the delegate difference is almost certainly less than 200 in the democratic race. The Washington precinct has still yet to allocate 67 delegates, of which Sander is estimated to take over 80% of.

Why is that?

Because they're allocated at the state convention.

"nothing is free. It all comes from the taxpayer's pocket or the government debt. We should be decreasing spending, not increasing it. After all, that's what a responsible nation would do."

blah blah blah...

"We should be decreasing spending, not increasing it."
It may come as a shock, but believe in both the idea where government should spend less is a good idea, but I also believe healthcare is something noble that government money should actually be spent on. These ideas aren't necessarily contradictory. On the one hand, it's usually pretty bad when you're spending money you don't have, on principle (even though with governments this is to some small degree more sustainable economically), but on the other hand a government has a vested interest in the wellbeing of its citizens. There's always a real solution if you're actually willing to look for one.

Also "It all comes from the...government debt." Do you, by chance, mean the deficit?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GS8RwakV8t4

@ ora

Changing the subject briefly, is there any progress following Ireland's elections?

A bunch of independents just pulled out of coalition talks until FG and FF agree on a minority government, insisting that they agree on 3 budgets ahead of time. Looks like FF's hand is being forced as the independents are not there for them. So it's either an FG-led minority government or a new election.

Thanks putin, i haven't been paying attention. I would have said nope. Negotiations continue. I did see a headline saying FF have given up trying to lead the next government. And stuff about a group if independents saying they would refuse to support a new government if it included a convention to propose changes to the 8th amendment (anti-abortion provision)...

So we'll see. Currently the former taoiseach and all his former apointees are keeping their positions as a care-taker government of sorts.

Meanwhile, in the magical land of Larry Sanders' UK Green Party, the vanguard of modern British socialism are tackling the pressing issues of the age...

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/feminists-mock-green-party-young-womens-invite-to-non-men-a6987061.html

Every time you think it's safe to enjoy mocking another nation's crazy politics, someone in your own country buggers it up by being just as batty :(

Osborne just released some nonsense about how GDP would contract by 6% if Brexit occurred and the big thing in UK politics is Larry Sanders?

Putin, you're missing the facts by a wide margin tonight. Are you feeling unwell? If you want to criticize Osborne for talking nonsense at least try to find out what the nonsense is first.

@ Octavious: The Treasury's claim was that under Brexit, by 2030 the UK's GDP would by 6% lower than it would be if we stayed in the EU. Putin was close.

He was nowhere near. 6% by 2030 means growing by a fraction of a percent less each year, which is easily imaginable and nothing like a 6% contraction.

Would your economy be 6% poorer or not? And this based on a 15-year projection and a massive load of assumptions when Osborne cannot even manage to predict one year out correctly. It's nonsense on top of nonsense.

But no let's all talk about Larry Sanders. Can't get enough of him, can you?

No, it would be 6% less more wealthy.

http://metro.co.uk/2016/04/18/osbournes-brexit-equation-has-confused-us-all-scratches-head-5824576/

Your clown of a Chancellor sends everybody a silly equation and thinks that this is 'proof' of the costs of Brexit.

http://metro.co.uk/2016/04/18/osbournes-brexit-equation-has-confused-us-all-scratches-head-5824576/