I happen to like my candidate a lot more than Lamont or Lieberman, though...  ;)

I understand though our country's history on turnouts, however that's another subject.

What we do need to think about is why they got a 50% turnout and Virginia only get's a few percentage points.

They stuck it to those in power. and hard.

People in Connecticut grew angry over this one issue, Iraq. And they voted to oust a Senator who actually had a pretty good record of fighting for them.

WHEN, and I say when.. because I know he will..

JIM WEBB sticks it to George & George..

He will win, just like Lamont will.

I heard Lamont say something I have heard Jim Webb say. The politics of left and right no longer apply. It's about what's right with american policy and what's wrong.

That's what DEMOCRACY is all about.

Or did I miss something?

Iraq is the issue of 2006, and it will remain the issue for sometime, unless the American people get what they want.

Iraq. Iraq. Iraq.

Hold Felix To The Fire.

Now.

When I see high turnout in countries voting for the first time and then look around at Americans sitting on their butts living a soft life by comparison to other countries, it makes me sick. 

and we need that balance. 

Democrats are going to have to have more that than a single issue or Karl Rove will eat us up.  it's a lot more fun to be against a war and focus on that one issue.  I find myself doing the same thing.  But Jim's awfully smart.  I expect he'll go into this final push with all cylinders running. 

A few points in relation to VA's primary

1. If I'm not mistaken this is a party primary so the apples to apples would be versus an open primary would be approximately a 15% turnout (30%+ of registered voters are registered Democrats--50% of the registered Democrats are voting). 

2. An extremely high visibility primary.  This primary season was longer than the one in Virginia, millions were spent, and it rec'd a lot of attention from the national media (even going so far as to have the Washington Post and NY Times weigh in on who they supported).

The turnout out in NoVA where the VA primary was relatively high-profile was about 8% of all registered voters if memory serves right.  Not great, not bad. 

Anyway you cut it though, it's good to see an engaged and active electorate. 

I'm glad the CT Race is over.  Maybe we can get back to the Virginia race.  Who know what will happen in CT now.  Lamont's win in this primary does not guarantee a win in the Fall.  Lieberman could end up back in Washington with an I behind his name.  Frankly, I'm just as afraid of the tyranny of many. as I am of the tyranny of one. (I'm misquoting someone here but can't remember the reference).  I like Lamont OK.  I agree with him on the war--mostly.  I don't know much else about him.  But if he wins the primary and loses to Lieberman in the general, we lost another seat in the Sentate.  As far as I know it still take 51 seats to decide the important business--who chair those committes and who is the Senate Majority leader.

  The war's been Lamont's focus.  I personally don't think we would just walk away frin Iraq if we had both houses and the presidency.  It's just not gonna be that easy to get out of a monkey trap.  I don't want to see helicopters flying off of the embassy roof again, leaving those who worked with us to face torture and death.  I remember ARVN soldiers knocking women and kids off the stairways to get a seat on the last plane out, and it was the most heartless sad thing I ever saw. 

Pure Democracy has always been a mess.  Look at California an the mess they'd made with referendums. I hope we netroots folks are wiser in our actions, because it's pretty obvious we can wield considerable power. 

I hope the netroots community doesn't just become this giant ball of money and influence that sidetracks the political process.  I don't think that's happen yet, and God knows, I'm in Kentucky trying to help Jim Webb win.  But I feel a kinship with Jim and Virgina.  I'd work with any Vietnam Vet with deep mountain roots.  My big issue is the state of Rural America. 

I often write here about Southwest Virgina and so far, the only person I hear from about it is Brian Patton.  He's working hard to with young Democrats there.  But SW Virgina is such a good place to pick up votes for Jim, if you'll just tell people about him.  Up and and down the Appalachian chain is the heartland of forgotton America.  Appalachin families have bore the brunt of the Bush economic policy.  The middle class in Appalachia is disappearing faster there than anywhere in the United Stase.  No where is Jim's enonomic thoughts of the middle-class being pushed down into the low better illustrated. They work for wages when coal is good, but when the price is down, they're laid off and mines are closes. Worse of all, with mountaintop removal all the rage these days, more jobs are gone forever and there is nothing to replace these jobs.  Long held sterotype about mountain people, sayes we are untrainable and undereducation and a bad risk for comporations to build their plants in Gate City or Wise.  These people has been squeezed for year, and though a lot of them have voted republican in the psst, I truely believe they are ready for a change.  Jim Webb has the support of the coal miners and we have to take care of those folks.  They dig the coal that powers your Ipods, and because of the lack of government regulatons, the weakening of the UMV, and the fact that a coal company will often pay a fine rather that fix broken outdated safety equiptment.  These days, it's all bottom line and lives are at stake. 

I guess I'm trying to see if any of you are interested in going into Southwest Virgina, armed with bumber stickers, handouts with a populist lean and a bunch of handshakers and doorknockers.  I hope we don't decide to leave out those fine people.  I'm not trying to complain about what's going on. You guys have done a great job, but we need more workers visiting the Coal fields and up and down the Clinch River Valley.  First of all, it a lot closer to Arlington and Richmond than is CT.  And uou'll find voters who once informed who the candidates are, Jim will start picking off what were once safe Allan voters.  Once again, it the war.  A lso of those SW Virgina folks have fought in Wars and they recognize a SNAFU, really It' worth the effort and they can help tip the scales toward Jim.  When you get a Republican vote, you get two vote.  One for Jim and one taken away from Allen.  In a state the size of Virgina, even with it's large urbans centers, rural Virgina cannot be ceded to Allen just because of the fewer voters per square miles. 

I'll be in Virgina Sept and October, both recording and playing at venues like the Wise County fair and a bunch of other jobs in the area.  (This is not an ad , Lowell) My pay is not dependent on attendence.  I'll be wearing my Jim WEbb T-Shirt.  I'm looking for as many folks who would be willing to drive up to SWVA, help Brian with his mission and let's really try a grassroots push in an area that's ripe for a change.  Rural America, more than any other group is providing the soldiers for this war.  And when the those boys and girls who come home in a box or maimed for the rest of their life, their families know where the blame lies.  But they must be informed about Jim Webb, before George Allen makes Jim just another Hollywood producer.

I don't want to be this horse to death, but if any of you are willing to make some runs up to SWVA, I'd be glad to help you
anyway I can.  i'll come and stay as long as I can.  If there are any musicans wan't to get inv My email is Nickstump@gmail.com.  If your interested, please let me know.  God bless each and every one of you. 

Nick Stump

Jim has a lot of kin up there and SWVA is an area where kin and roots still matter, just like they do across the mountain in Eastern Kentucky.  Maybe Lowell has updates.  I think at one time, Mudcat was gonna be in charge of the area, but priorities change in campaigns and it may me we'll have to go in there an dorganize without as much help as we might want.  Whatever, afther August, I'm gonna have the time and I'm planning to spent as much of it as I can in the Coalfield.  These mountain people are populist voter.  We just have to make sure they know there's a good populist in the race.

http://www.brianpatton.org/

Nick is 100% right, that rural Virginia could be a huge win for Jim; and he is the first state-wide candidate from either party who has a natural appeal there (aside from Creigh Deeds) in a long time.

We need to support Brian and Waldo and as many other Webb supporters as we can find.  Brian and Nick can help us by providing event details for any public events that would be good to put on our calendars.

Perhaps we can organize car-pooling to county fairs and the like to cut transportation costs and increase the fun factor.

http://swvadems.com/

  I haven't seen the site in a while, and they're starting to get organized, having meeting, etc.  I know Brian Patton is involved.  I think he is the field director for Webb there, but I'm not positive.  The site seems to be mostly Young Democrats.  Thank God, I'm glad Young Dems are getting involved in SW Va.  Any volunteers willing to drive up there should contact the folks at Southwest Virgina Democrats and see where they need help.  But a couple of hundred volunteers spending as much time as possible up there could really do so much good for Jim.  don't get me wrong, I'm not speaking for the campaign, just my opinion.  I believe there is political gold up in those hills. 

The last time I was across the mountain, Everybody I knew was planning to vote against Allen.  Most of them hadn't been following the race and a lot of them didn't know about Jim Webb. I had the impression, voters saw Allen as hard to beat, but whenever I had time to tell Webb's story, most of them were ready to be convinced.  Allen may be loved by hardcore Neocons, but the Reagan Dems and real conservatives could move over to Webb easily.  People who send their sons and daughters to war generation after generation really want a good reason to go to war.

  Most people don't spend all their time talking about politics this early, unless there's a primary race going on in their state.  This Lieberman phenom is an important moment.  It has dominated the news for weeks.  Even given Lieberman's stand on the war, it's a remarkable turn in events.  Here's hoping we can attract some of this national attention to Webb.

The primary was not won in SW Va, but it very well could be the area that can help Jim win the general election.  It depends on how much help you folks give the SW Va Dems. Plus, the bonus:  You see some of the most beautiful country in the world and meet a lot of good folks who'll wave at you when yo pass them on the highway.

Good Luck!

Nick

I'll spread the word whenever I get my Virgina dates down and pass them along. 

http://swvadems.com/

Darn, the most likely event for me to try would be the "acres of Democrats" thing on the 3rd of September (it's almost 4 hours from my house, but a big forum on a weekend), except I'll be coming back from a friend's wedding that day.

I am up for driving another time though if I can fill every seat in the car with other volunteers.

Anyone closer?