Hey, for all of you freeloaders hoping to be the 300th person to register for a membership at BGR and automatically receive a free-BGR t-shirt (rather than be entered for a drawing for one), now is the time! We're on 295 and counting. If you wait, you may be too late...
So if any of you failed to read the Herald-Leader article by John Cheaves yesterday entitled “State tax money pays for coal industry’s mining promotion”, I would highly recommend it. I think the H-L archives articles after a few days, so you may have to find it elsewhere.
To give you the broad strokes from Cheaves’ article, our wonderful state government has given $400,000/year to the Kentucky Coal Association and their spin-off organizations to pay for what essentially amounts to a propaganda campaign promoting the ‘benefits’ of coal (does the coal industry even need any more power? seriously). Everyone’s favorite Kentucky celebrity and President of the KY Coal Association, Bill Caylor had this to say:
The environmentalists throw out a lot of negative stuff, like kids who are suffering from asthma because they breathe particulate matter from living near a coal-fired power plant, or deaths caused on the roads by big coal trucks. We’re trying to counteract that.
What? Are you serious? For an industry that employs only 0.3% of our state’s population and ends up taking more money from its citizens than it gives back, I still can’t believe that our state government is so clueless. And all of that money on top of the $300 million subsidy (which amounts to more than the state’s current $266 million budget shortfall) given to Peabody Coal last summer to invest in the not-quite-clean coal-to-liquid fuel technology with its yet-to-be-developed capacity to sequester carbon emissions. Brilliant, folks. Just brilliant. But still, the Kentucky Coal Association says that mountaintop removal is
simply the right thing to do, both for the environment and for the local economy, a true win-win
Sometimes I hear such ridiculous things that my brain quits working for a bit. I feel that way right now. Does nobody else think it is so painstakingly obvious that our unhealthy and unnecessary obsession with the coal industry in this state is, at the very least, part of the problem - or, at the very most, the root cause of our problems?
Now it don't take much for Georgie Porgie to annoy me. Face it, from the chimp grin on I was not amused. That said, if you truly want to get the Melungeon blood boiling, disrespect the troops. And, well, what can I say, George's attitude towards those who actually risk their lives has always just screamed "cannon fodder".
From the "Bring it on" when his own life wasn't on the line to the refusal to adequately supply the troops with personel armor and the dismissal of the need for better benefits for the vets once they were home, George and his administration have deserved a high colonic and a 12 mile hike with full gear and no toilet breaks.
It couldn't get worse, could it? Of course it could! This is the oilman that couldn't find oil in Texas, for heaven's sake! George has now claimed that, in order to show support for the troops who were dying in Iraq, he had given up .....wait for it.....golf. Yeah, a real sacrifice next to boys barely old enough to shave being blown to bits by IED's. Good choice, George.
According to the Great Shrub, he quit playing in Aug of 2003. Problem is, St. Keith of Olbermann found pictures of you playing in Oct. of that same year. His support of the troops lasted only slightly longer than his 12 step program.
Suggest we add bricks to the pack and extend it to a 20 mile hike.
(Let's hope this piece is fairer than Colbert's "Better know a District!" - promoted by Ben Carter)
Today on NPR's Bryant Park Project is a story entitled "Who is Kentucky?" It is part of a "Who is [State]?" series the show has recently done. UK political science professor Donald Gross is interviewed for the piece.
A listener's discussion can be found here on the show's website.
Image from DODIt's always blown my mind how overwhelmingly Republican the military in this country has become--not conservative, mind you, because it's pretty much always been that, as are most militaries in most countries, but actually aligned with a political party. I imagine that this is borne of the traditional GOP desire to have a massive military and not send it anywhere-- everybody gets new equipment, and they don't have to deploy. In the pre-Bush years, Democrats were famous for giving the military budget cuts and deploying it simultaneously (see: The Clinton Presidency). Never mind the justification, which was that, you know, the military doesn't need a Cold War budget in the mid-90s, it didn't go over well.
Because of all of this, and a long history of being manly while we cowardly Democrats dared negotiate and cut back, the GOP got the reputation for supporting the military. Knowing that, you would think that the boys and girls in camouflage and their families would view the last eight years as high treason. Well...some do. But most don't. So I've got to ask, why?
Sorry for not bringing this up earlier, but I have a way about me of getting distracted-- I'll be representing Bluegrassroots, and speaking about the Kentucky Primary, on a real, live radio show (and internet podcast, since most of us don't live in Western Massachusetts) today at 11:45 AM. Expect a link to the specific podcast when we have one, and for now, click on the logo to go to the site.
For those of you who haven't been paying attention to the thread concerning the credential to the Democratic National Convention, David Shankula and I have been debating the proper process by which to decide who uses the credential. What follows is my latest response in that dialogue, so to get it, you should probably read what comes before it first.
David,
I would be lying if I said this question of how to decide the "credential question" hasn't been weighing heavily on my mind for the last however-many days. Obviously, Joe's contributions to this community have been considerable. I don't and have never denied that. For the entire year I was working for a judge (and was ethically prohibited from participating in partisan politics), he single-handedly maintained the site. Many times, I have publicly and privately acknowledged his prodigious talents and their role in building this community.
David, you are right. Sharing the credential with Joe is a fitting way to acknowledge his past contributions and potentially mend some hurt feelings. My primary concern is that, as Joe no longer blogs here, the BlueGrassRoots community would not enjoy the full benefits of the credential it was awarded. If Joe is willing to return to BlueGrassRoots for those four short days of the convention, I think we will easily enough be able to share the credential. (I only request to be able to see Obama speak in person, as I have yet to witness this spectacle.) Of course, Joe could cross-post all his material at his blog, Barefoot and Progressive, but I think it's only fair that the liveblogging and convention-blogging done on the credential awarded to the BlueGrassRoots community occur at BlueGrassRoots.
I believe this should be and hope it will be a universally satisfactory solution. Beyond being the right thing to do, I hope it will go a long way to mending some rifts in the progressive blog community. And, I believe it will make the coverage at BGR, as you suggested, David, more dynamic and entertaining. That's lot of good stuff coming out of a single little credential. David, you're a pretty smart guy.
We should probably tune into Barefoot and Progressive to see if this arrangement is okay with Joe. I just hope he isn't a sheet hog...
As one of the new "calendar doozers," I'd like to take just a moment to bring BGR's collective attention to a lecture happening tomorrow afternoon on Transy's campus.
Reasons you should go:
1. The lecturer, Anne Shelby, authored a book entitled "Can a Democrat Get Into Heaven? Politics, Religion and Other Things You Ain't Supposed to Talk About." How great of a title is that? She's gotta be a kick-ass woman.
2. The lecture is on "Appalachia, Folktales, and Gender" - pretty popular topics in the progressive community.
3. Shelby serves alongside Silas House, Jason Howard, Jessie Lynne Keltner, Kate Larken, and George Ella Lyon as a member of Public Outcry, a group of Kentucky writers and musicians committed to spreading the word about the threats posed by mountaintop removal coal mining.
If you can make it, the lecture will take place at 4 p.m. in room 102 of the Cowgill Center on Transy's campus. Don't know where that is? Go to http://www.transy.edu/tours/campus.htm. If you're able to attend, please report back and let us know how it went.
Emphasis mine. From Robert Reich (how many Secretaries of Labor have blogs?!):
She wants the best possible deal she can strike with Obama. She wants Obama to agree to pay her campaign debts, to seat the Michigan and Florida delegations (so she can claim a moral victory), and – the quietest deal of all – a personal commitment from him to appoint her to the Supreme Court when the next vacancy occurs.
Greg Fischer Democratic Primary Senatorial Candidate in Kentucky holds press conference in response to opponents new TV ad which he, Greg Fischer, claims is negative campaigning. I shot the video in Louisville, Kentucky May 15, 2008 at 10:00am.
Which is worse for a political candidate... ... refusing to rule out raising taxes as a last resort? ... or saying "Read my lips, no new taxes"... then raising taxes once elected?
Which is worse... ... refusing to sign a "unity pledge" not to tell unpleasant truths about other Democrats? ... or signing a so-called "Oath of Honorable Campaigning" and breaking every one of its provisions 5 weeks later when polls look different? (See here and here and here and here)
(I was going to say, "a Beshear endorsement of Obama now, while doing little for his chances on Tuesday, would show great leadership and courage." But, really, there's nothing to lose by endorsing him and everything to gain, as he is the de facto nominee. For something to be courageous, it has to be dangerous. This is not dangerous, only obvious. - promoted by Ben Carter)
Given the recent primary results from our neighbors in West Virginia, this primary season can only become bitterer and more divisive as we continue toward our Denver convention.Many of us have come to have reservations about the superdelegate system itself—whether it is in the spirit of our party to have a mechanism by which elected officials overrule the vote of average Democrats.However, the superdelegates are an element of this primary and we must deal as best we can with that fact.
Senator Obama is the de facto nominee of our party.He has the most delegates (“super” and otherwise), the greater number of popular votes, and just as importantly, the money to continue his campaign. Obama represents the future: a new kind of post-partisan politics that could be revolutionary for Kentucky. After yet another gridlocked legislative session, this is exactly the kind of change in tone that Kentucky must emulate.
Even as Senator Clinton’s campaign loses viability, Democrats are becoming more and more divided over this election. She has consistently resorted to negative attacks on his campaign in an effort to keep hers afloat, which has only served to help the Republicans.Regardless of personal leanings to one candidate or another, it can only fracture our party further to allow Hillary Clinton’s failed campaign to continue.
If we are to have superdelegates, it is their responsibility to use their influence to unify the party.All of our Kentucky superdelegates have a duty to endorse Senator Obama in this historic primary while their endorsements may still influence Kentucky voters in a positive way.Several of our superdelegates have already made this decision.
I call upon Governor Beshear, Jennifer Moore and the rest of our uncommitted superdelegates to come out of Jerry Lundergan’s shadowand prove themselves true leaders of the Kentucky Democratic Party.
If Beshear wishes to lead Kentucky to a progressive future, then he must take a stand and stop this inward firing squad, uniting our Democratic party under a common banner.Let our Kentucky motto become our rallying cry: United We Stand, Divided We Fall.
(Holy Moly! Is it just me or have the diaries been off-the-hook recently? This one is awesome!
And, we've been writing not just high-quality diaries, but a bunch of them, too. Soon, we're going to have start doing diary rescues like a real blog or something... - promoted by Ben Carter)
The family I grew up in, with a Republican mother and a Democrat for a father was interesting. They never argued politics, at least not in front of us; but they always joked about canceling out one another's vote. There was also a notable love for one another, not in the mushy way, but in something that nothing could crush.
Alright, alright! We're really cooking on the Membership Drive! Bolstered by some Facebook messages, an appearance on XM radio, and the good press from BGR's membership in the State Bloggers Corps for the convention in August, we're only 13 members away from our goal of 300. As soon as we hit that number, we'll start releasing the schwag! (And never attempt another sixty-person Membership Drive again...)
(Hunter Palmer, a newcomer here, has moved past the primary--satisfied with either Hillary or Barack--and begins framing the debate for this fall. Welcome Hunter! This post is simply great. Such a satisfying read. - promoted by Ben Carter)
So I'm sure you're asking yourself, as I am a new user of this form, the burning political question that is on everyone's lips in the liberal and progressive community: Clinton or Obama?
First let me lay all my cards out on the table and admit, with full candor, that I support Senator Obama and plan to vote for him in next Tuesday's primary election. But in recent days, I've grown increasingly concerned that those within our community are now afflicted with the same addiction to horserace statistics and daily polling numbers that cripples the general, less politically astute public.
Kentucky's not West Virginia, but it might be Indiana.
Meaning that Senator Clinton's not getting any 40-point win here, but Senator Obama's highly unlikely to win, either.
The Herald-Leader's Kentucky poll has Clinton up 58 to 31, but fails to mention that 27-point lead is down from a 36-point lead a month ago. The poll also has McCain easily winning Kentucky in November, which is probably but not guaranteed. None of McCain's poll numbers mean anything until the Democrats start campaigning against him in earnest.
Statewide Obama canvassing started last night from 48 locations across the Commonwealth, including my own not-very-significant county. Obama has also launched two television and two radio adds to air statewide before the 20th.
The ads, which include two TV spots - "President" and "Service" - as a well as two new radio ads - one featuring Congressman Ben Chandler and the second featuring Kentucky Lt. Gov. Dan Mongiardo - highlight Sen. Obama's uniquely American story, his upbringing by a single mother and his grandparents from Kansas, and his commitment to family, our nation, and his Christian faith.
Yes, the primary is over and we have our nominee, but the long primary season has allowed Obama to campaign in every state in the union - a huge advantage for the general election in November. And even though we know our votes don't really matter this time, we've got actual presidential candidates campaigning here as if they did. And that's huge.
I have a confession to make. Despite being a political junkie, I was never quite sure exactly what a caucus is. That is because I have lived my life in Kentucky, a state that always uses closed primaries, where only a person registered in a particular party can decide the party's nominee. A state that uses secret ballots to choose their nominee.
Congratulations to the growing BlueGrassRoots community! Your hard work has created a vibrant, fun, thoughtful, and respectful place where forward-thinking Kentuckians of all stripes feel welcome congregate. That work has garnered national attention, and the honchos running the convention this year have rewarded your efforts by awarding the State Blogger credential for Kentucky to BlueGrassRoots! This is, obviously, a big day.
From the DNCC:
In about an hour, we’ll announce the blogs selected for the State Blogger Corps at the 2008 Democratic National Convention. Congratulations. I’m writing to let you know that BlueGrassRoots will be the credentialed blog from Kentucky.
The DNCC staff is ready to welcome you to Denver in August. We know that you’ll be the eyes and ears of a large audience back home. As we’ve said, members of the State Blogger Corps will be seated alongside their delegations at the Convention. You’ll literally have one of the best seats in the house. And we expect that you’ll share that up-front view with your online community of readers and other bloggers. Together, we’ll make sure this Democratic Convention is seen and experienced online in more ways than ever before.
In the words of Howard Dean, "YEEEEEEAAAAAAAOOOOGGGGHHHH!!!"
Now, we have the happy problem of deciding what fool gets to use the credential in Denver this August. Kind of like a giddy team of actors, directors, editors, and producers that just won Best Picture, we’re all crowded back stage pouring champagne on one another. But, we have to answer the question, “Great, but who takes the Oscar home?” Truly, the BGR effort is, and must be, larger than one person. That’s the whole point, isn’t it? So, as this credential is recognition that we, as a community, are building a great, worthwhile, and valuable thing here in Kentucky, I hope we, as a community, can decide who uses the credential.
While I understand that any number of our frequent contributors could argue persuasively for why they should be the one to use the credential, I hope we can arrive at a general agreement that I will be the fool to blog for us at the convention this summer. After founding BlueGrassRoots in 2004, I applied for blogging credentials to the national convention that summer, but it was not to be. In 2004, the conventioneers did not offer the state blogger program, and BGR held little flame to the big national blogs. So, I have been dreaming of this opportunity for over four years. I think I would do us proud, though I can certainly guarantee some of you would be far funnier than I, and many more would display more political acumen. And, I’m confident every single one of you would be better able to take advantage of what I’m sure will be a veritable Boozapalooza.
What do you say, BlueGrassRoots, can I go a-conventioning for you? Thoughts in the comment box. I'm also curious: I feel like my transcription of the Dean Scream is a little stilted. Do you have an alternative rendering?
Finally, we're 18 people away from being done with our Membership Drive. Please, join today so I can stop blathering about our Membership Drive. Howard Dean loves us, so should you.
UPDATE: I'll be talking with XM's Rebecca Roberts today at around 5:40 p.m EST on her show, "1600" on channel 130. Subjects will include: the upcoming primary in the Commonwealth, the literal "cred(ential)" BGR now has, and, hopefully, the intersection between politics and technology. If you're an XM subscriber, tune in. I'm sure to make an ass of myself.
In last night's U.S. Senate candidates' debate, Bruce Lunsford continued his 5-year tradition of showing KET audiences righteous indignation with statements that a 10-year-old could know are untrue.
Lunsford, a CPA and an attorney, used Enron-esque accounting and Alberto Gonzales-esque memory to launch an attack on Greg Fischer about political contributions. Untrue statements are emphasized:
LUNSFORD: I'd given a hundred and twenty thousand dollars to Democrats over the years. Mr. Fischer, do you know how much you'd given before you entered the Senate race? I happen to know. He gave $4000. I've given thirty times more to Democratic candidates over the years. And let me ask another question. Mr. Fischer is a wealthy man. Now Greg in his choice didn't even support John Yarmuth or Jack Conway the last two times they ran against Anne Northup. I did.
* * *
FISCHER: I've given a total of $800 to Republicans throughout my lifetime versus approximately $25,000 for Democrats. Now Bruce has give tens of thousands of dollars to Republicans including... Mitch McConnell. So I find his criticism a little disengenuous.
***
LUNSFORD: I haven't given tens of thousands to Republicans and in fact has been just the opposite. And Mr. Fischer has memory of convenience here, that he'd only given $4000 before he decided to be...to run for Senate. I have given all of my money that I've talked about long before I decided to run for Senate.
The full explanation of these easily provable lies is on the jump page. In brief:
Lunsford HAS given far more in Democratic political contributions, but 30 times more is an enormous exaggeration.
By "support", Lunsford means financial donation, and he insinuates that not donating to a candidate equals support for the other candidate. Fischer did not donate money to Conway or Yarmuth, but he did not donate to Northup in those races, either.
Lunsford DID contribute to Jack Conway, and only Jack Conway, in the 2002 3rd CD race. In the 2006 election, however, Lunsford contributed more to Northup than he did to Yarmuth. Don't know whom he "supported" in the voting booth.
Lunsford has contributed at least $60,000 to Republican candidates and party committees. I can't begin to fathom the lie, "I haven't given tens of thousands to Republicans."
Lunsford truthfully says that he has contributed $120,000 to Democrats -- but not even close to "all... long before I decided to run for Senate." More than half of Lunsford's lifetime contributions to Democrats have been since March 2007 -- not much more than a year ago -- when he was in the middle of his gubernatorial campaign. At least $20,000 of that $120,000 has been since Lunsford started talking with reporters about considering this Senate race, less than 6 months ago.
