Terri Whitehouse August 21st, 2008
Senate candidate Bruce Lunsford will issue a “Bill of Rights” for Kentucky women in late September. Silly him. We’re just low-hanging fruit, natch.
Of course, someone should let the usual suspects know that their privilege is showing. Because unless you’re a woman living in one of the wealthiest burgs in the state, Kentucky can be a pretty inhospitable place when it comes to those trivial little things like jobs, education, and health care.
Terri Whitehouse July 30th, 2008
I’ve written time and time again about the wastefulness of government-funded ignorance, when comprehensive sex-ed has proven to be the best way to improve health outcomes.
Well, Catherine Morrison has a very important post at RH Reality Check today about where Kentucky stands in the midst of this, and it’s not a pretty picture:
The teen birth rate is nearly 20 percent higher than the national average (49.2 per 1,000 young women ages 15-19 compared to 41.1 in the same age group). Most states have experienced declines in teen birth rates, but in a single year the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports Kentucky’s rate rose nearly 7 percent. The nationwide teen birth rate increased by less than half that in the same year.
The trend follows in HIV statistics. The overall prevalence is low, but the disease impacts one community disproportionately: African Americans make up only seven percent of the total population of Kentucky but nearly 34 percent of new HIV cases in the state, according to the CDC.
These numbers are alarming, as is the curriculum being taught:
In looking at the curricula used by these health departments, CPCs, and other community-based organizations, five central, and disturbing, themes emerged: advancing religious messages; relying on messages of fear and shame; fostering gender myths and stereotypes; promoting the questionable practice of virginity pledges; and providing misinformation.
I urge you to read Morrison’s full article and to contact Gov. Beshear about joining the number of states that have rejected abstinence-only funding.
Terri Whitehouse June 17th, 2008
Page One and some other self-aggrandizing bloggers have noted Sen. Mitch McConnell’s shaky poll numbers, and I wanted to expound on that a little.
Career beltway-ist McConnell has done his best to paint incumbent candidate Bruce Lunsford as an incompetent status-seeking businessman. Funny, then, that Lunsford is leading among low-to-middle-income Kentuckians without college educations. Now, I hold nothing against people who make more than I do, and I certainly wouldn’t go hurling “college-educated” around as an insult, but given that Kentucky ranks near the bottom in terms of education and income, McConnell is going to have a heck of a time positioning himself as someone who is really in touch with the “average” Kentucky voter.
Being that McConnell’s campaign site has been redesigned to showcase his ability to roll up the sleeves on his tastefully casual shirt rather than sit around pushing papers in a suit and tie, I’d guess that he’s more than a little worried. Over half of Mitch’s twenty most-recent blog posts urge readers to sign a petition for a bill designed to do exactly nothing about our petroleum dependence, so I’d urge you to try something different instead. Why, it seems like it was only yesterday when McConnell thought it’d be enough that he brought home the pork-barrel projects. I guess he’s getting wise that Kentuckians need someone with a little more substance than that.
Terri Whitehouse June 5th, 2008
Reading more national coverage about the posts below, it is clear that it’s not just us Kentuckians that are sick and tired of Sen. Mitch McConnell and his shenanigans. So I’d like to issue a little challenge for those of us who truly want to Ditch Mitch this November.
For every minute (~ 510) that it took a clerk to read the bipartisan climate change bill aloud, I’d like to urge you to to donate to campaign of Bruce Lunsford. At a rate of penny per minute, that would total a mere $5.10 donation. A nickel per minute would total $25.50. You get the picture. I know it’s not a great deal of money. But I think it would be a powerful gesture, regardless.
The people of Kentucky and of America are not pawns in Mitch McConnell’s political power games, and before we hit him at the polls, we must hit him where it *really* hurts - his pockets. The government’s business should never be political strategy. Not on my dollar. Not on my penny.
If you agree with me, please repost this blog entry wherever you think it may be welcome, and urge like-minded people to do the same. When a person such as Mitch McConnell makes it so crystal-clear that he has zero interest in representing the people of the Commonwealth, then we have no choice but to elect a person who does. And that person is Bruce Lunsford.
UPDATE: You can also sign up to volunteer for Lunsford’s campaign here. DO IT!
Terri Whitehouse May 20th, 2008
I hope you stocked up on booze yesterday, because you’re SOL until after the polling places close. Something tells me that you won’t *really* have to worry about stocking up until the general elections in November, though.
Check out the ballots where you live here, and double-check your polling location here.
For Jefferson County voters, ballots for individual precincts can be found here. The Courier-Journal provides profiles for down-ticket candidates here, and Metro Council candidates answered questions here.
Per the State Board of Elections, if you’re in line by 6:00 P.M., you can vote. You must be known to the precinct officer or provide identification. Acceptable forms of I.D. are driver’s license, Social Security card, credit card, or other I.D. that has your picture and signature. The Voter Fraud Hotline number is (800) 328-8683.
For some leisurely reading, check out this new post at Crooks & Liars. It reports on the fallacy of “voter fraud” and the wastefulness of Republicans who wish to suppress the franchise at taxpayer expense.
Consider this an open thread for today’s election. If you have any anecdotes to share, local information, profiles for other candidates throughout the state, etc., please do so in the comments section. Keep it above the belt!
Terri Whitehouse February 29th, 2008
Hot on the heels of news that +1 in 100 adults in the U.S. are in prison comes an excellent diary entry by Joe G. at BlueGrassRoots about the human side of felon disenfranchisement in Kentucky. The fact that Kentucky leads the nation in the growth of imprisoned population is especially troubling.
I implore you to take a look at KFTC’s site and learn more about felon disenfranchisement in Kentucky, particularly under disgraced former Gov. Ernie Fletcher. You can contact your legislators by going here. And while you’re at it, tell Republican Rep. Jeff Hoover to quit tacking on superfluous amendments and remind Republican Rep. Addia Wuchner that even Pres. George W. Bush agrees that literacy tests are bullshit. (Of course, we know that literacy isn’t his strong suit.)
Joe Sonka January 22nd, 2008
(crossposted at BlueGrassRoots)
OK, as you all know by now, Mitch McConnell has succeeded in his efforts to get Heather Ryan fired for simply filming him and asking about the war in Iraq.
Now…. what can we do?
FIRST
This mother of two who supports her family is now out of a job. But Heather is also a Mary Kay saleswoman. To help her support her family in these trying times, think of buying some of her products at her Mary Kay site. Valentine's Day is coming up, so there's your angle, fellas.
SECOND
Call Heather's cowardly employers at Maiden Alley Cinema and give them a piece of your mind.
(270) 441-7007
(888) 442-7007
Jason Coltharp, (JCOLTHARP@whitlow-law.com) secretary and spokesman for Paducah Film Society Board of Directors
Jay Siska, chairman of the board
Be sure to ask them, ‘if you are a non-partisan non-profit, why are you letting Mitch McConnell film his re-election campaign commercials there?’
THIRD
Write a letter to the editor and call EVERY media outlet in Kentucky that has TOTALLY IGNORED this story (The Puducah sun is the only publication to even talk to Heather). And believe me, they all know about this and are CHOOSING to ignore it.
Here's a handy Letter to the editor finder for the paper near you at the KY GOP site. Thanks, fellas.
Ryan Alessi- 859-231-1303, ralessi@herald-leader.com
Jack Brammer- 859-231-1302, jbrammer@herald-leader.com
John Stamper- 859-231-3204, jstamper@herald-leader.com
John Cheves- jcheves@herald-leader.com
James Carroll, 202-906-8141, jcarroll@courier-journal.com
Joe Gerth, 582-4702, jgerth@courier-journal.com
Stephenie Steitzer, 502-875-5136, ssteitzer@gannett.com
Mark Hebert - 502.582.7220, mark.hebert@whas11.com
Pat Crowley- 859.578.5581, pcrowley@enquirer.com
Matt Gunterman October 29th, 2007
Literally! Yes! Sen. Mitch McConnell (R) fled Kentucky today in the face of a protest at a joint appearance that he was to make with soon-to-be-outgoing Gov. Ernie Fletcher (R). Here’s the action as it was unfolding from Aniello:
# # #
After the Senator shamelessly led the refusal to insure over 50,000 Kentucky children, he and Governor Fletcher are making a PR tour of the Kosair’s Children’s hospital. Health care workers & advocates are leading a protest outside of Kosair’s right now. We are going to show Senator McConnell, and the semi-responsible local media, that his political tricks are not going unnoticed. His actions are insulting to the intelligence of Kentuckians and the children to which he has repeatedly denied basic health care insurance.
# # #
That message was soon followed by:
# # #
When health care workers and Iraq War protesters showed up outside Kosair’s Childrens Hospital, Senator McConnell suddenly canceled his tour even though he is still in Louisville.
Please spread the word!!!
# # #
Yes, indeed! Spread it far and wide! Mitch McConnell is a coward! As Shawn put it below, Mitch McConnell is shameless! And, most important of all: Mitch McConnell is vulnerable!
I want to personally thank progressive activists like Aniello and Judy — who’s a frequent commenter here and also a part of the backbone of the Louisville-area progressive community — and the many others who give of their time, and their energy, and their passion to make all the wonderful change and action we see happening in Kentucky possible. What you do is an inspiration to so many of us, in Kentucky and elsewhere.
Joe Sonka October 24th, 2007
This Friday, the Olmsted Parks Conservancy in Louisville will present Mitch McConnell with its top award at a “Roaring ’20s Gala” in the ritzy Henry Clay Hotel, on 3rd & Chestnut.
I don’t know about you, but when I think of Mitch McConnell, the word “conservation” doesn’t really come to mind. The League of Conservation Voters agree, giving Mitch a 0% rating.
If that wasn’t reason enough to be upset with Mitch, there’s the whole enabling Bush’s Iraq folly, filibustering everything that moves, smearing a brain damaged 12-yr old with lies and then LYING about that on camera, and… well, the list is endless.
So a collection of groups in Louisville are organizing a big protest outside of Mitch’s “Roaring ’20’s Gala”, where I’m sure everyone attending will have full health insurance (Mitch with his own socialist gov’t hand-out insurance). So from 5:00-9:00, we’ll be outside “roaring” ourselves.
I’ll be there making my second attempt at liveblogging, and I’m sure Jim Pence will be there taping it, so come on out and join us! Jim Pence will make you famous!
Here are some additional suggestions sent along to me by superorganizer Sara Choate:
Here’s what you can do:
1. Call and email Mimi Zinneil, President and CEO, 456-8125, mimi.zinniel@olmstedparks.org
2. Write a letter to the C-J, cjletter@courier-journal.com
3. Send this message to your email lists & all environmental groupsin Louisville, and4. Join the demonstration on Friday October 26, 5:00pm - 9:00pm,
across the street from the Henry Clay Hotel at 3rd & Chestnut. Come in
Roaring ’20’s costume (if you want). Bring music, noise makers (i.e.
whistle, bullhorn, etc;) and friends…..lots and lots of rowdy friends.
Let’s see if we can pull off something like this again!
or even this!
Terri Whitehouse September 27th, 2007
From the Sunlight Foundation:
Last April the Campaign Disclosure Parity Act of 2007, which would require Senators to file their campaign disclosure forms electronically, was blocked by a Republican Senator. The Sunlight Foundation launched a campaign called What’s McConnell Hiding? to find out who that Senator was and why they would object.
On September 24th, 2007, Sens. Russ Feingold and Dianne Feinstein offered the Senate Campaign Disclosure Parity Act of 2007 for Unanimous Consent again, however, it was blocked again by an objection from Sen. John Ensign (R-NV). Unlike previous objections to the bill, Sen. Ensign’s objection was not anonymous. This is likely due to the ban on secret holds, imposed by the recently passed Honest Leadership and Accountability Act of 2007.
Sen. Ensign objected to the bill and offered an irrelevant poison pill amendment. Ensign’s amendment would require outside groups filing ethics committee complaints to disclose their funding. Rather than vote on this unrelated amendment Sens. Feingold and Feinstein pulled their Unanimous Consent request. Sen. Ensign has since stated that he is unsure if he was the senator who placed the original anonymous hold on the bill. Staffers in his office claim he wasn’t.
A document circulated among Democratic Senate offices indicates that the efforts to block passage of the Senate Campaign Disclosure Parity Act originate from the office of the Minority Leader Mitch McConnell himself. The document, a Unanimous Consent agreement, labels the amendment offered by Ensign as a “McConnell amendment.” So, McConnell wasn’t hiding the identity of a fellow senator. He was hiding himself!
We still feel this bill is important to create a more transparent Congress. Please call Sen. McConnell and tell him enough is enough pass S.223 and stop hiding.
Washington Office: (202) 224-2541
Western Kentucky Office: (270) 442-4554
South Central Kentucky Office: (270) 781-1673
Louisville Metro Office: (502) 582-6304
Bluegrass Area Office: (859) 224-8286
Northern Kentucky Office: (859) 578-0188
Eastern Kentucky Office: (606) 864-2026
Joe Sonka September 21st, 2007
Everybody in Louisville: There’s a big protest today at 4:30 outside of Mitch McConnell’s Louisville office to protest his recent votes to continue the Iraq war. Lt. Col. Andrew Horne, veterans and military families will be there to let Mitch know that this rubber-stamping of Bush’s folly will not stand.
Office of Sen. Mitch McConnell
Mazzoli Federal Building
601 W. Broadway
Louisville, KY 40202
Here are the details:
Louisville, KY – Today Lt. Col. Andrew Horne (Ret.), Spc. Brian Smith, Sgt. Bill Zubeaty, Kentucky veterans and military families will gather outside Sen. Mitch McConnell’s Louisville office to protest his continued support for President Bush’s failed Iraq war policy. Kentuckians are urging Sen. McConnell to stand up to President Bush and vote to bring a safe and responsible end to the war in Iraq.
Sen. McConnell once again blocked an end to the war today, voting against legislation offered by Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI) and Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI). The measure was an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2008 Defense Authorization bill, would have begun the withdrawal of American forces from Iraq within 90 days and wrapped up the process within nine months.
Even before today’s vote, Sen. McConnell has been feeling the heat from his constituents for his continued support of the President’s reckless Iraq war policy. A recent poll by the Lexington Herald-Leader and Action News 36 showed that majority of Kentuckians – 55 percent of those polled – oppose Sen. McConnell’s continued support for the war and 57 percent said the cost of the war has been too high in terms of expense and loss of life. The poll also indicates that his reckless Iraq position is hurting Sen. McConnell’s credibility with Kentuckians: his approval rating has sunk to 47 percent, with 44 percent disapproving.
GET OUT THERE AND LET MITCH KNOW HOW YOU FEEL!
Joe Sonka September 19th, 2007
9/19 Roadside Wednesdays Near McConnell’s Office
WHAT:
Iraq Summer Kentucky
Roadside Wednesdays Near McConnell’s Office
Support The Troops - End The War
WHEN:
4:45 - 5.45 pm Wednesday
September 19th
(and continuing weekly until congress votes on Iraq War funding)
WHERE:
Near Senator McConnell’s Office
Along Harrodsburg Road
Between Corporate Drive & New Circle
Lexington
Click here for a map to the site.
DETAILS:
Our signs ask motorists to call the Senator and ask him to take a stand for our troops and against this endless war in Iraq. When congress reconvenes in September, they will be deciding whether to continue funding the Iraq War. If Senate Minority leader McConnell were to break with the President on the war, it could significantly shorten a war. Help us remind the Senator that the majority of Kentuckians want to bring the troops home.
SPONSORS:
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Richard Mitchell
(859) 327-6277
Terri Whitehouse September 9th, 2007
DM-KY reader Dee brought something to my attention that had flown under my radar in the past weeks. Via e-mail, she shared with me a letter she’d sent to Sen. Mitch McConnell recently, asking for his reaction to this article:
For daring to report illegal arms sales, Navy veteran Donald Vance says he was imprisoned by the American military in a security compound outside Baghdad and subjected to harsh interrogation methods.
…
For his trouble, he says, he got 97 days in Camp Cropper, an American military prison outside Baghdad that once held Saddam Hussein, and he was classified a security detainee.
Also held was colleague Nathan Ertel, who helped Vance gather evidence documenting the sales, according to a federal lawsuit both have filed in Chicago, alleging they were illegally imprisoned and subjected to physical and mental interrogation tactics “reserved for terrorists and so-called enemy combatants.”
If you’d also like a response from our senators about the reprehensible actions taken against these men and women, please contact them at the following locations:
Sen. Mitch McConnell
361-A Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-2541
Sen. Jim Bunning
316 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-4343
To contact our senators at their regional offices, please refer to their websites.
Joe Sonka September 6th, 2007
Daniel Solzman of The Kentucky Democrat has a great interview with Lt. Col. Andrew Horne, who has been quite active this summer with Vote Vets, assisting the Iraq Summer Campaign, and continuing to pressure Mitch McConnell on his rubber stamping of Bush’s failed Iraq policy.
Some interesting comments in the interview, such as his discussion on how KY blogs have been able to coordinate with activists, using the wildly successful protests at Bellarmine, Mitch’s apartment and Berea as examples. He also discusses the 2008 race against McConnell, and what it would take to get him to join Stumbo in the Democratic primary next Spring.
Some excerpts:
DS: Did you ever outreach to bloggers on Kos or MyDD during your campaign? Also, do you have any thoughts on the way that blogs have revolutionized politics altogether?
AH: During the campaign I never personally initiated contact directly with any bloggers. I had some contact me and I know my supporters were very active in that regard.I was and still am impressed with the way the blogs can disseminate information in a way that mobilizes people. However, there are blogs where the participants are simply talking but not getting involved. The important synergy is between the blogs and grass roots that can turn words into passion and then into action. A good example is the Iraq Summer Campaign. The blogs disseminated information across the state and the nation so that a small group of people in Berea, KY knew they were not alone in opposing the war and challenging McConnell to bring a responsible end to it. I have no doubt that some of those 100 people in Berea were there because they heard about 800 people in Louisville, KY or 400 in Boise, Idaho, or one of the other 40+ locations across the nation. That would not have happened without the blogs. The people in Berea did not hear about other events through the traditional media and would not have heard or seen the passion without YouTube and the blogs. I believe this trend will only continue as people who participated in the Iraq Summer Campaign and other similar causes adapt these tactics to their own agenda. I would call it non-linear activism.
…..
AH: If the right race comes around I am not done in politics. Regarding 2008 against McConnell, the encouragement I am getting is humbling but that is a race that should not be taken on lightly. Because of the amount and breadth of support I am getting I will take a very serious look at it, but in the end I will base my decision on what is best for my family and whether my candidacy will be in the interests of the people.
The entire interview is at The Kentucky Democrat.
Joe Sonka August 21st, 2007
Next week, Louisville, Lexington and Newport will be holding the biggest Iraq Summer events of the month. The "Take a Stand Campaign" will hold large rallies on the 27th and 28th, the climax of the month-long effort to bring our troops home safe and hold Mitch McConnell accountable for his shameful rubber-stamping of Bush’s failed Iraq policy.
The Lexington rally will be held downtown in Phoenix Park, from 5 to 8 each night. The Louisville rally will be held at Bellermine University at Frazier Hall, same time. Some great speakers will be at both events, and we should get some bigtime media coverage. There will also be a rally at Newport on the Levee, so check that out in Northern KY.
From their website:
The "Take a Stand Campaign" is a nation-wide organizing drive to demand that members of Congress and the Senate take a stand with the vast majority of Americans who want a safe and responsible redeployment of American Forces from Iraq.
Across America, over 100 "Iraq Summer" organizers are working to involve thousands of ordinary Americans in an effort to pressure targeted members of Congress to vote to bring a safe end to the war. This "Take A Stand Campaign" will culminate with "Take A Stand" town meetings to be held on August 28th, immediately before congress reconvenes.
There are lots of ways to get involved — from attending a Take a Stand town hall in your area to helping organize and spreading the word about the event. To sign up for an event near you, CLICK HERE. For more information about getting involved, contact Cammie Croft at cammie@iraqcampaign.org.
(crossposted at BlueGrassRoots)
Joe Sonka July 29th, 2007
(crossposted at BlueGrassRoots)
As Jim shows in his greatvideo below, protesters made a little visit to the Louisville home of Mitch McConnell yesterday. In fact, Mitch himself was home and able to witness this himself.
Additionally, Mitch would not leave his apartment because he was too much of a coward to even be seen by these protesters. The protesters stayed in front of his apartment from 11am to 11pm, and Mitch chose to hide there all day and night. Here are some of the details from an Iraq Summer press release yesterday below.
UPDATE: Iraq Summer is still there today but there are now counter-protesters. Yes, Mitch has called in the last few people that aren’t ashamed of him, because he’s so afraid of Iraq Summer. So if you’re in Louisville right now and want to be heard, go to the 2300 block of Dundee and join the fun.
UPDATE #2: The “counterprotesters” showed up 5 minutes before the news crews got there, and left immediately after the news crews left. But Iraq Summer has been there non-stop for McConnell’s entire weekend stay in Louisville. A righty site is reporting that Mitch supporters “drowned out” his supporters this weekend, which is laughable and typically dishonest. Jim will have a video up later showing the overwhelming support that the protesters had from those passing by. And unlike the fake counterprotesters, Iraq Summer will not let up on Mitch in August.
Kentuckians Picket at Mitch McConnell’s Doorstep Calling for an End to the War in Iraq
Anger has Reached a Boiling Point in Kentucky as Sen. McConnell Continues to Support the President’s Reckless War Policy; Sen. McConnell’s Solution – Stay Inside
Louisville, KY – In a preview of the anti-Iraq war fervor Senate Republicans will face over August recess, Kentuckians went door-to-door in Sen. Mitch McConnell’s Louisville neighborhood today, distributing yard signs urging Sen. McConnell to stand up to President Bush and bring an end to the reckless war in Iraq. As part of the Iraq Summer campaign, constituents also stood outside Sen. McConnell’s home, holding up signs and greeting passersby. The Kentuckians first arrived at McConnell’s house at 11 am Saturday morning and found Capitol Police standing guard outside the home. Nine hours later, Sen. McConnell has yet to come out from his home, apparently preferring to duck his constituents than address their concerns about his continued support for the President’s unending Iraq war policy.
Many of Sen. McConnell’s own neighbors came out to express their support for the Iraq Summer campaign and collect yard signs calling on the Senator to end the war in Iraq. Cars driving by have been honking all afternoon to urge Sen. McConnell to bring our troops home.
“As Senate Minority Leader, Mitch McConnell has led Republicans in blocking an end to President Bush’s failed Iraq war, so we came to him to show just how much anger there is in Kentucky over his continued support for an unending war in Iraq,” said Aniello Alioto, Kentucky Field Director for the Iraq Summer campaign, who was at Sen. McConnell’s house. “The Iraq war has cost too much – in money, in resources, in lives. After more than four years, over $400 billion spent, and the deaths of more than 3,600 American troops, it’s time for Sen. McConnell to bring our troops home. Kentuckians are fed up with the President’s failed Iraq policy, and they’re fed up with Sen. McConnell failed leadership.”
Sen. McConnell’s continued support for the President’s Iraq policy and his obstruction of an end to the war have hurt his standing with voters back home. A Survey USA poll released this week shows that Sen. McConnell’s approval has dropped below 50 percent for the third time this year. Only 48 percent of Kentuckians approve of the way the senator is handling his job, while 44 percent disapprove, according the poll. The Senator’s approval rating is now at its lowest point in two years of Survey USA polls.
“Sen. McConnell may think that if he just hides inside long enough, his constituents will just go away, but that’s not going to happen,” added Alioto. “Opposition to Sen. McConnell’s support for this war is too high – anger has reached a boiling point in Kentucky, and across this state, people are demanding Sen. McConnell take a stand and end the President’s reckless war. We’ll be rallying, holding events, writing letters and dogging Sen. McConnell all summer long, urging him to bring the troops home. Sen. McConnell isn’t going to be able to duck his constituents forever. If this is how he planned to deal with opposition to the war, he’s in for a long summer.”
“Senate Republicans should be quaking in their boots. The anti-Iraq war fervor is not unique to Kentucky. All across the country Senators who blocked an end to the war will be forced to face the consequences of their spineless votes during August recess. The only homecoming parade greeting these Republican Senators will be the parade of constituents demanding an end to the war in Iraq,” said Moira Mack, national spokeswoman for Americans Against Escalation in Iraq.“Iraq Summer” is a nationwide, 10-week long campaign with nearly 100 organizers in 15 states and 40 congressional districts to turn up the heat on Republican members of Congress who have opposed setting a timeline to bring a safe and responsible end to the war in Iraq. The effort will culminate with a national “Take a Stand” day on August 28th, when members will have the opportunity to explain their stance on the war to their constituents in a town hall setting.
Terri Whitehouse May 22nd, 2007
Yes, yes, ya’ll, it’s primary election day in the great state of Kentucky. Don’t forget to vote, provided you’re registered as either of the two major parties.
Please refer to the handy-dandy Voter Information Center at the State Board of Elections Web site if you’re unsure where your polling location is. If it’s your first time voting, give the list of voter rights and responsibilities a once over, just to be sure you don’t encounter any funny business. Finally, know your candidates. The Courier-Journal has candidate profiles/links if you’d like to learn a bit more about those runing for statewide office before voting.
Lets prove that 15% turnout wrong!
Matt Gunterman May 18th, 2007
I thought I’d bring this event to your attention. It’s just another action organized by Louisville progressives, who are really an asset to and whose work benefits the entire state.
Tell McConnell: End the War
Heine Bros. Coffee, Bardstown & Douglass Loop
Meet at Bardstown Rd. and Douglass Blvd.
Louisville, KY 40205
Saturday, 19 May 2007, 9:00amWe will distribute MoveOn flyers with details about McConnell’s numerous votes in support of the Iraq War. The flyers have phone numbers so that voters can contact McConnell and other GOP Senators. Come to Heine Bros. at the Douglass Loop on Sat. 5/19 between 9:00 and 10:00am to pick up flyers.
To host an event or to invite people to sign up specifically for your event, send your invitees this link: http://political.moveon.org/event/flyering/37617
Also, for your Friday entertainment, I found this vid last night on YouTube. It’s of George W. Bush terrorizing teletubby land.
Jim Pence May 5th, 2007
As the world’s attention turns to Louisville and its storied Running of the Roses, Kentuckians gathered outside Churchill Downs to protest President George W. Bush, Senator Mitch McConnell, and their war in Iraq.
It was a fantastic sight to see, and one I was proud to preserve on video.
Jim Pence April 27th, 2007
We hillbillies here in Kentucky have had enough of our toothless, bad hair piece, dip shit Senator Mitch McConnell!
Help get rid of this jerk — sing along!
I. Old McConnell Had a War
E-I-E-I-O
And for this War he sold his soul
Mitch Has Got to Go!
With a pack’a lies here, and a pack’a lies there,
Here a Lie, There a Lie, Everyday lies lies
Old McConnell Had a War
Mitch Has Got to Go!
II. Old McConnell Loves George Bush
E-I-E-I-O
They made Iraq a living hell
Mitch Has Got to Go!
With a billion bucks here, and a trillion bucks there,
Here a billion, There a trillion, Everywhere a Billion Trillion
Old McConnell Loves George Bush
Mitch Has Got to Go!
III. Old McConnell Screws Our State
E-I-E-I-O
Raisin’ big bucks to win his race
Mitch Has Got to Go!
With a Ditch Mitch here, and a Ditch Mitch there,
Here a Ditch, there a Mitch, Everywhere a Ditch Mitch
Here a Billion, There a Trillion, Everywhere a Billion Trillion
Here a Lie, There a Lie, Everyday more Lies Lies
Old McConnell Had a War
Mitch Has Got to Go!
Terri Whitehouse April 25th, 2007
Folk at Daily Kos are speculating that Senator Mitch McConnell is the mystery objector to a campaign transparency bill.
I will repost the following information:
..in Operation Bluegrass, you just call Sen. McConnell’s office at (202) 224-2541 and ask them: which one of your Senators is responsible for the anonymous hold? are you responsible for the denial of unanimous consent? Be civil, but be firm, and let us know what they tell you.
Now, I’m not one to go ’round spreadin’ rumors, but I think people have every reason to be suspicious that it could be Sen. McConnell that is holding up this measure.
ERRATUM: Haste makes waste, and I certainly did it this time. Sorry about that - the speculation is more about “why won’t McConnell tell whodunit?” As Majority Leader, Sen. McConnell does know who the sole objector is, but will not disclose, and his office is giving his constituents the runaround.
UPDATE (Matt: 04:45pm): I want to also give props to the Sunlight Foundation for leading this effort. The organization’s Outreach Coordinator, Nisha Thompson, left this message in the comments of the post:
The Sunlight Foundation has found out that Sen. Gregg from New Hampshire might have the hold on S. 223. But we don’t know for sure, the only person who would definitely know is Sen. Mitch McConnell because he is Republican leadership. So call his office and ask if he’ll reveal the secret holder!
Jim Pence April 24th, 2007
Can you imagine that? Right here in Kentucky a group of students at Western Kentucky University hold an Iraq war protest rally. Sweet music to this old Hillbilly’s ears to hear young people singing “Down By The River Side” and protesting the Iraq war.
Jim Pence April 14th, 2007
Below is the press release from Cody Aldridge with all the information about the event. I plan to be there and capture it with video for the world to see!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 6, 2007
Contact: Cody Aldridge, Student organizer, at cody[dot]aldridge[at]wku[dot]edu
Make Noise Where You Stand: Anti-War Voices to be Heard at WKU
Bowling Green, KY - April 23, 2007A growing group of students, faculty members, and community members who are dissatisfied about the Iraq war are gearing up to make their voices heard.
The war in Iraq is seen as an illegal occupation by many citizens and the international community. Students and community members are invited to gather on the North lawn of the Downing University Center (DUC) to demonstrate against the war on Monday, April 23, 2007. The demonstration will begin at 12:00 pm with no specific ending time. It will be a non-violent, peaceful assembly.
Our main intention is to raise local awareness of the opposition to the war, as well as give a platform for community members to let their voices be heard. The demonstration is being sponsored not by an official organization but rather by a group of concerned citizens uniting together. The organizers feel it is time to let our government know that we are unhappy with the current war situation. Rather than driving to Washington D.C., we wish to make our voices heard from our own community.
“Our only hope today lies in our ability to recapture the revolutionary spirit and go into a sometimes hostile world declaring eternal hostility to poverty, racism, and militarism.” -Martin Luther King, Jr.
For more information, or for suggestions and help in contacting speakers for the event, contact Cody Aldridge via email at cody[dot]aldridge[at]wku[dot]edu
Thank you for being there!
PS- We are intent on incorporating our efforts with other campuses throughout the state the same day if possible.
Matt Gunterman March 22nd, 2007
The victory we want and the victory we’re working for here at this blog is the defeat of Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell at the ballot box on Tuesday, November 4, 2008.
How is that possible and how do we make it happen? I’ve been hearing that a lot lately from Kentuckians and non-Kentuckians alike. No-one likes Sen. McConnell, they’d love to see him fall, but they just aren’t able to see how it all comes together quite yet.
Let me explain how it’s possible first by explaining the political dynamics that are developing nationally and in Kentucky.
You’ve no doubt seen the Pew Research Center survey numbers that appeared yesterday that show the bottom falling out of American identification with the Republican Party brand. It’s significant that this trend has been both consistent and is now accelerating. There’s a sea change in American politics at work.
It’s a phenomenon that even some prominent Republicans are realizing. Note Senator Chuck Hagel’s comments recently that the nation is “experiencing a political reorientation, a redefining and moving toward a new political center of gravity.”
The Republican Party is going to adapt to this new political reality, and that’s part of our opportunity against Sen. Mitch McConnell.
McConnell has a double whammy working against him in this sense, too. Not only are national political developments and trends in the GOP overtaking Kentucky’s senior senator, but so are events in the Kentucky GOP.
McConnell will not have a unified Republican base backing him in 2008. There will be fallout from this civil war in the Republican gubernatorial primary, and any cracks in McConnell’s base will be significant advantages for his Democratic opponent.
I expect that McConnell is rationalizing that all but a very few Republicans in Kentucky will hold their nose and vote for him in the end, but what McConnell isn’t adding into his equation is that these emergent national trends mentioned above might well influence the votes of Kentucky Republicans.
What if Kentucky Republicans decide that Mitch, his style of politics, and legacy are bad for the future of their party, for the political ideology they hold dear, and the nation? These dissatisfied Republicans might not vote for the Democrat in the end, but staying home on election night is nearly equally as troubling for McConnell’s cause.
Mitch McConnell cannot and will not adapt himself to any new political reality. He will fight to his political death to preserve the environment that has brought him his power. That was his methodology with campaign finance reform, and he will take a similar path here.
McConnell is not a dynamic politician; he is not a man of ideas or charisma. He’s made it to where he is today by mastering very narrow elements of the legislative and fundraising processes. If those assets suddenly become burdens (i.e., the Republican Party decides it needs to re-brand itself as a party of some level of reform and one with a friendly face as its voice in the Senate), then McConnell is done for.
That’s how the dynamics are shaping up. Now, how do we make McConnell’s defeat happen? I think we do that by making the election a battle between the future of Kentucky and the past of Mitch McConnell. Yes, the election will in the end be a struggle between an as-yet-unknown Democrat and Republican Mitch McConnell, but the future is something that Republicans as a party have a stake in, too, and if an appreciable number of them understand the future as a place without Mitch McConnell in it, that’s to all our advantage.
We have to go to our neighbors, and our friends, and our families and make the case to them of why McConnell is bad for the nation and the commonwealth and how we can build a future without him.
McConnell is going to try and swing the election on the influence that he has in the nation’s capital and the pork he’s been able to bring home, but if Kentuckians sense that events are leaving the man behind, they’ll abandon that ship.
Matt Gunterman March 17th, 2007
Great day, great march! After an ice storm Friday night, Saturday morning was sunny and relatively comfortable, but by mid afternoon it was cold and spitting snow again.
I did make the mistake on my way to the rallying point to not follow the official route there, which was undoubtedly wisely planned to keep pro-peace demonstrators away from pro-war demonstrators. The latter proved to be a rather spitting bunch. I had spent most of the morning in meetings nearer to the Capitol, so I walked the length of the Mall rather than take the Metro to Foggy Bottom and go south on 23rd, as had been officially recommended. Instead, my chosen route took me directly into the area of the Vietnam Memorial, where the counter-demonstration was centered. I escaped bodily harm by convincingly pretending to be a curious, onlooking Canadian.
By my estimates, the march was approximately 25,000 strong. I base this number on the fact that the bridge is about 650 meters long and 20 meters wide (the roadway, not including the sidewalks which generally weren’t being used), that the walking speed was probably 2mph, that media accounts say it took roughly an hour for the marchers to cross the bridge, and that there was likely one person per square meter. The weather did keep about 5,000 protesters from New England from making it to DC.
I did get pictures of the Louisville contingency from a distance as I stood on the hill overlooking the march endpoint near the Pentagon, and I will post those tomorrow evening when I’m back in New Haven. Louisville had a great presence! What a great job the organizers did. As a Kentuckian, I was proud to see Louisville so well represented and representing our commonwealth at the event. They are no doubt on the road right now on their way back to God’s country. Safe journey.
UPDATE:
She will forever be remembered as the first person to ‘Segway on the Pentagon’.
Ditch Mitch KY
