Time To Fight
Shawn Dixon February 13th, 2008
Over the past few days there have been some significant changes in the dynamic of the coming senate race in Kentucky. Most notably, Andrew Horne has decided not to continue with his bid for the nomination. Like most of you, I was saddened by Horne’s decision. A competitive primary with a diverse range of ideas is good for the party. From what I could tell, he brought a lot of new ideas into the race. He also had a strong base of progressive support from the grassroots and our blogosphere.
I , like many of you, am uncomfortable with the idea that Andrew Horne may have been muscled out of the race. That said, while we sometimes need a day off to reflect about these happenings and what all our hard work for a particular candidate has meant, that day was yesterday. Today is the day that the grassroots movement must re-energize itself and focus on the task at hand: defeating the most corrupt politician in America, Mitch McConnell.
During McConnell’s tenure, Kentucky has fallen to the bottom of nearly every national ranking with regards to citizen health, access to healthcare, education and economic opportunities. While one good paying job after another leaves the state and Kentuckians struggle to provide for their families, McConnell continues to look the other way. While many of Kentucky’s children go everyday without health insurance, McConnell consistently blocks bi-partisan legislation that would extend healthcare coverage to the young in our society who are forced to live without. And, he does all of this while voting to pump hundreds of billions of dollars into a senseless war that many of the most honorable Kentuckians among us are forced to fight.
Now, more than ever, we have to look at the candidates we have on the Democratic side and unite behind one. To bow out now, is to concede to defeat and allow McConnell and his corrupt corporate money to beat us before we ever get started. Having Horne forced out of the race is as strong of a reason as I have seen to begin fighting now more than ever.
The more I look at the field of candidates, the more I like what Greg Fischer has to say. Admittedly, don’t know too much about Fischer as he is a political newcomer, but this season I think that’s to his advantage. I had the chance to speak with Fischer over the past day or so and hear his stance on the issues and the coming race.
I think he gets it. He understands that Kentucky families are struggling and he expressed his support for a plan to provide universal healthcare to all Americans. He also believes that we should be getting out of Iraq as soon as and as safely as possible. That’s a strong contrast to the other side of the ticket which has expressed an open ended commitment of hundreds of billions of dollars and countless lives to a war that can only be won politically, not militarily.
On a note that is important to me personally — development in the more rural parts of our state — Fischer was able to talk about rural development in a way that few other candidates have. He understands that McConnell, with his influence as senate minority leader, has wasted an opportunity to develop infrastructure that would make our rural areas more competitive in a global economy.
And, very importantly, Fischer is committed to the race and has the resources to defeat McConnell.
I say all that to say this: Mitch McConnell is still very vulnerable in this election. His negatives are high and the influence of the candidates who will be at the top of the ticket for both parties make this a tough fight for him. (More analysis on that tomorrow) For the first time in his career, McConnell will be fighting an overwhelmingly independent voter base from both parties. That’s not good for him. While we stand poised as a nation to make history on the Presidential front, that doesn’t have to be the only storyline to come out of the 2008 election. The Kentucky grassroots movement is obligated to our fellow citizens to hold one of America’s greediest politicians to account, not give him a free pass.
The establishment in Kentucky didn’t build the grassroots movement. Don’t let the establishment be the one to dismantle it.
- Uncategorized
- Comments(30)
Silly libruhl. Democrats don’t have bootstraps! We just go around picking daisies, having too many (or not enough) babeeeez, and not bathing, right?
All kidding aside, I was bummed about Horne exiting, if only because I tend to favor politicians that have military service (hell, I might have even voted for 2000 McCain because of that).
Being one that perhaps is too cautious when it comes to decision-making, especially in primaries, and, being one that is usually firmly “undecided” until the bitter end, I don’t see Horne’s exit as “the end,” and am open to hearing what the rest have to offer.
Probably wishful thinking that we’d get a candidate who stands up for women and children in a big way in Kentucky, but here’s to hoping.
Great post, Shawn.
Shawn,
I’m for ditching Mitch and then holding the person that beats Mitch responsible for every vote they make in the senate. For me it’s not a Republican or Democrat thing it’s about good representation and Mitch McConnell has failed to do that.
Fishcer seems like a decent guy and says the right things. But where was he in 2005, 2006, 2007? He gave to repubs until he decided he wanted to run for Senate and his business partners are BIG repubs. Something smells in Denmark.
John,
Thanks for bringing that up. I really appreciate you creating the dialogue.
Because I had heard the same thing, I talked with him about it. Fischer has only given a little over $800 to the Republicans and that was years ago. Since then, 97% of his giving has been to Dems and Dem causes.
We all know that he has been very successful, if he really wanted to invest in Republicans he would have given a lot more to them and not given so generously to Dem causes.
Again, thanks for taking part in the discussion.
Shawn,
If you looked it up you knoww that he only gave to Dems since he began looking at the Senate race. 97% includes the approx 10,000 he gave to the KY and national parties in the last 5 months.
it’s less than Lunsford! are we could keep old Mitch,:(
I’d say lesser of the two evils
John,
Your source did not include contributions in Kentucky state elections. For a complete picture, you need to search the official database at http://www.kref.ky.gov, in addition to moneyline.cq.com, which has federal contributions. I just did both searches:
Since 2001, Fischer has contributed exclusively to Democrats — I doubt he was looking at the Senate race that long ago.
Except for the millions poured into Lunsford’s own campaigns, a majority of Lunsford’s contributions went to Republicans as recently as 2006 — 3 years after he first ran for Governor as a Democrat (and endorsed right-wing Fletcher in the general election), and several months before his second run. Lunsford has given more money just to Mitch McConnell’s personal PAC and the US Senate Republican campaign committee than Fischer has to all political candidates and party organizations combined.
have the unions USW of his company come out and Indorsed him ???
Great question, kilowat. I have not heard of any union being far along in the endorsement process for the Senate primary. Nor have I seen any criticism of Fischer by members of USW or any other union (of course, this thread may trigger false comments across the blogosphere from trolls pretending to be union members who have worked for Fischer).
damn redneck spell check !!!!
Damn… and I just got back my trademark papers on “Who’s Andrew Horne?”
LOL now you can write one on Lunsford!!
I’d say that calling Fischer the “lesser of two evils” isn’t giving him enough respect. He really hasn’t done anything to warrant being called an “evil,” unlike Lunsford. Search YouTube for “Lunsford” and everything you see reflects badly upon his character.
… Says: your right,,, I”ve already been to his website when Jim posted the youtube he just wasn’t my first choice should of said
Sorry, didn’t mean to attack or anything.
Now, we just need to get the rest of the blogosphere to stop moping about Horne’s departure and help get someone, anyone besides Lunsford our nomination. Don’t just take it.
This means you, Jake Payne, Joe Sonka, Shack. You three came to mind because yours are the blogs I read, and you all can’t get over Horne because you invested so much into helping him.
If there is either Lunsford or a different minimally competitive candidate after the Primary, I will write in Andrew Horne. Is a blgger campaign to get a write in for Horne wave even possible????
No Horne supporter should go for Fischer. The Browns and Yarmuth take a lot of responsibility for Horne being out. After Horne backed JY to the hilt in 2006 the Browns recruit one of their Country Club buds, Fischer, and pressure the Louisville money into sitting out so Fischer can have a chance to buy it. Then the Jefferson County elected officials line behind the money or sit out as usual. Yarmuth is a great Congressman but he let this happen. The Louisville Progressives should look a little closer to home.
Yes I have posted this other places. But I just can’t sit back anymore.
John, I have given your intentions the benefit of the doubt on this and other posts when you have provided inaccurate information that puts Fischer in a bad light. Now I realize you have an axe to grind. I am not sure what goal you have in consistently posting comments that try to make Fischer’s history and his supporters’ actions sound like Lunsford’s. Your novel conspiracy theory will not push us away from Fischer any more than your false “facts” did.
What false facts? BTW your link http://www.kref.ky.gov doesn’t work.
Fischer gave to Republicans in Louisville repeatedly. He gave chump change to dems in 2001 and only gave significantly to dems in the last six months since he started looking at the Senate race. If you have looked at his donating record you know this is true. What is your agenda? Here is mine. Fischer and friends[with Yarmuth's help] screwed Horne and now he is trying to ingratiate himself to Horne’s supporters. I won’t sit by while it happens.
I don’t have to say “Who’s Bruce Lunsford” because we all know he was one of those “Fletcher-Democrats” that propelled Fletcher to victory in this overwhelmingly Democratic state. Once the Fletcher-Democrats went home to the state Kentucky Democratic party it was over for Fletcher.
Good thing they’ll all come right over to vote Republican in the Senate and Presidential races.
John, I can’t “debate” someone who is being disingenous.
“Fischer gave to Republicans in Louisville repeatedly.”
Technically, that is accurate, but purposefully misleading. He gave a total of 3 donations to Republicans in Louisville. 3 — ever — totaling $850 (which, admittedly, is $850 more than I have given to Republican candidates). That’s far less than 1% of the money Lunsford has contributed to Republicans.
“He gave chump change to dems in 2001…”
If you believe that to be true, then the money he gave to Republicans was also chump change.
“…and only gave significantly to dems in the last six months since he started looking at the Senate race.”
In 2005, Fischer gave more to Dems than all of his GOP contributions combined. Same for 2006 and 2007. Too bad we’re not privy to databases of contributions made to progressive charities.
My agenda is nominating a Democratic Senate candidate I can be proud to support in the fall — a person who would do his best to represent ordinary Kentuckians in the US Senate. Andrew Horne would have fit the bill, but he won’t this year. Like Mitch McConnell, Bruce Lunsford is too obsessed with personal power to represent our commonwealth. I believe that Greg Fischer would serve us well.
As for the alleged villains in your story, I have never met John Yarmuth and met both Horne and Fischer two days ago at a Democratic event in Lexington. I have no idea whether supporters of Yarmuth and Fischer had any impact whatsoever on Horne’s decision to withdraw from the Senate race. What I do know: you lose credibility on the topic when you distort information about Fischer to try to make him look like Lunsford.
If only your party would get as excited to fight terrorists as you are to “fight” against politicians that dare want Americans to take responsibility in their own lives.
Herodotus…are you getting your inane lines from Sean Hannity..”fight terrorists???? Like the stirring fight in Iraq…where there were no terrorists before we invaded. Like the failure to win in Afghanistan, where the effort is in the toilet…like the success in capturing Osama, and Zawahiri amd Mullah Omar…who Bush says he doesn’t bother with. Like the successful apprehension of the Anthrax killer??? Like the amazing success after the August PDB to prevent tyhe attack on 9/11????
Yes of course, the dems are weak on fighting terror the brave warriors are the incredible failures of Bush and the RNC stalwarts….like you.
Ask the Afghani schoolgirl who’s allowed to go to school for the first time in her life if we accomplished something major in Afghanistan. Ask the crowds rushing to vote in elections in Iraq between REAL candidates (not just “Saddam or Death”) if we accomplished anything in Iraq. As the thousands of children liberated from Saddam’s prisons who were there because their parents had once opposed Saddam. As the dead terrorists we killed in Iraq.
I guess those terrorist training camps we destroyed in Iraq when we invaded don’t count as terrorists in Iraq to you, because they didn’t liver there, they just were trained there.
Ask the parents of Jewish schoolchildren in Isreal who lost their kids because Saddam used to pay the family of would-be-terrorist to blow themselves up in Isreal.
The brave warriors are the troops, the troops you guys used to spit on in the 60’s and 70’s. The troops members of your party and ideological base call “killers.” It’s a good thing your party once had common sense or else FDR would have twiddled his thumbs while Hitler conquered Europe.
Spin this how you want, but you know we’re safer today then we were on September 10th, 2001. You’re just lying for political gain.
I’m having a hard time thinking of any failures of the Bush presidency… except getting social security reform through so there’s a chance any of us will see benifits… and that was of course the Dem’s doing to kill that.
You sure don’t seem to be complaining about that taxpayer funded pension you’ll be getting upon retirement.
yes I remember those days quite well(navy 65/69) I was on the USS Saratoga when McCain was on the USS Forestall when it caught fire, I also voted for Nixon because he said he would get us out Vietnam which was a lie.why are so many vets running for democratic party now. they did a poll of the military over 60% want out of Iraq
http://www.vetvoice.com
Hey Heradorkus…where to begin…such a totally inane and ignorant rant. Hannity and Limbaugh could do no worse.
The Israelis????It was Saudi Arabia who held the telethon to support the suicide bombers’ families with money…yes the Bush friends and partners…the Saudis who execute people in the public square and don’t let women drive cars. The Saudis…bush’s good buddies who fund madrassahs, and the Sunni al quaeda in Iraq…those good buddies of Bush…our “allies”.
Thye Iraq elections…what a moron…a great success ,right, with a dysfunctional government that controls nothing outside of the green zone, with 4 million refugees, with 400000 dead Iraqis since the illegal invasion…yes they are really happy with us…what a great democracy we have built. They have death and bombings every day, mimimal electricity, 50% unemployment, sewage in the streets…and Dorkus , if you look at polls of Iraqis…they want us out of there…and they think %68 that is is OK to kill American troops. But you wouldn’t want to look at what the Iraqis believe because you only want to live in delusionland.
You really excel at lying about “my party”…I didn’t spit at any troops, and it is the Repuglicans who have defunded the vets, caused the horrible conditions at Micheal Reid, sent our guys overto Iraq without proper body armor, or armoured HumVees, and now can’t get the MRAPs sent over. I gues that is why the 4 star generals like Marine General Zinni,retired Major Gen. Paul Eaton,Retired Lt. Gen. William Odom, former director of the National Security Agency and now a Yale professor,retired Lt. Gen. Greg Newbold, has written in Time magazine that the Iraq war was unnecessary,Maj. Gen. John Batiste also called for Rumsfeld’s resignation,.These traitorous democrats. I loved it when 4 star General Zinni ,”describes administration behavior that ranged from “true dereliction, negligence and irresponsibility” to “lying, incompetence and corruption.” And recently the recent former commander of coalition forces in Iraq Ricardo Sanchez said..”Iraq war plan from the start was “catastrophically flawed, unrealistically optimistic,” and the administration has not provided the resources necessary for victory, which he said the military could never achieve on its own.”
Dorkus…there were NO terrorist training camps in Iraq…you are a collossal dupe…..Saddam would not permit them. The only camp present was in Kurdistan in the No-fly -zone where the Iraqis couldn’t go…but we could have bombed
Zarkawi…but we didn’t..
You bare simply a dull-witted Bush-bot blathering every lie you hear. Even the crap you spew about social security is a complete falsehood.You are not a blogger….you are a caricature.
Iraq is a disaster….and Afghanistan where we should have stayed to finish the job is going down the toilet…because of Bush incompetence. And the American people except for you and the other 19% that still love their dear leader know that.
Thank you Marty for setting the record straight. I was boiling over, bad for my health. My brother, (now deceased) served two tours in VNam, one as a Marine and one as an Air Force navigator. He was lucky enough to come home, forever changed by the experience. I was attending a university at the time and there was no “spitting”, only black arm bands. The troops are never the issue, they do as they are told to, by old men that have never served a day. Why is Heradorkus sitting out the Iraq invasion? Seems like he is just what Bush, Rummy and the others are looking for. Now back to KY politics, I want to know more about Fischer. I already know I can not support Lunsford (told Lizzard so also).
A-MAE…We are going to vote for Andrew Horne, since he will still be on the ballot.
Heradorkus is a clown…a scripted authoritarian freak..he cannot think for himself, and he loves to be a willing dupe.
Bush has sunk to record lows of popularity now, coming in at 19%. That is what Heradorkus represents… a failed and rejected sickening warmongering world view.
Hey Heradorkus I see you still got this up on your front page comparing Obama and Hitler…
you should watch for the secret service, I’m sure they would like to see your website