How About a Trade? Webb For McConnell

By: Nick Stump
Published On: 7/12/2007 2:30:52 PM

Now wait a minute. Think about it.  Mitch McConnell has a great relationship with every major corporation on the planet.  Webb talks a good game, but everytime he starts in with his speech about economic fairness and how CEO's make 400 times what their workers do, he gives himself away. Major corporations will never trust Webb. 

Webb will never be able to pull off the oil drilling on the Virgina coastline.  McConnell would have 3 inches of crude standing on every beach in Virginia in two weeks. You want to talk about progress. McConnell's your man. 

Tired of Southwest Virgina.  Let Mitch solve your problem.  He'll have Southwest Va completely hidden under a pile of MTR spoil in days. 
Those pesky mountains up around Pound Gap? They will be gone.  You can rest easy knowing your view of Kentucky's strip mine operations will be completely unobstructed. 

Still not convinced?  I will personally throw in a 1992 Ford Econoline Conversion van, with 250,000 driven with care miles. The van was driven by a little old guitar player who will also throw in his entire collection of Skynyrd eight track tapes.  Think about it.  The next time someone yells, "Play some Skynyrd!"--you'll be able to. 

I can tell I'm not reaching you. Here's my final offer.

  I'll throw in a damned good cat and one ever-so-slightly embittered ex wife.  She will be glad help you make every little decision for the rest of your life, right until the very moment you draw your last breath.

Come on Virginia.  We've had our time in the barrel.  Kentucky needs Jim Webb. We're really getting tired of saying, "Thank God for Mississippi."

Comments



You want Webb? (Chris Guy - 7/12/2007 3:00:36 PM)
Resurrect RFK and we'll talk.


RFK and Jim Webb... (Nick Stump - 7/12/2007 3:43:34 PM)
...are the last two Democrats to walk though some of the small towns in Appalachia--that's for sure. 

Though to Edwards' credit, he'll opening up his Appalachian run next week and will, in fact, end his trip in Prestonsburg, Kentucky, the same town Bobby finished his Appalachian tour in 1968. 

You gonna give Edwards an A for symbolism here and I'm glad to hear him talking about poverty and economic fairness.  Jim Webb has been a real leader in talking about poor people.  He has some very clear thought on the subject.

One of the most important ideas Webb has proposed is this new GI Bill. It failed, of course and that's very sad.  The GI Bill after WW2 was responsible for building a new middle-class in America and if it were done right, it would do the same thing again.  Unfortunately, Congress is very shortsighted on this issue.  Most Congressmen can't see past the intitial cost, not seeing what a great benefit it would be to the country on down the road.  Excepting Webb and a few others, this Congress has no vision for the future at all. 



Huh? (Alice Marshall - 7/12/2007 4:26:43 PM)
RFK and Jim Webb...  (0.00 / 0)
...are the last two Democrats to walk though some of the small towns in Appalachia--that's for sure.

Every Democrat who has run statewide on the East coast has traveled the small towns of Appalachia (the Appalachian trail runs from Alabama to Maine.) Every Democrat who ran for President has made numerous appearances in Appalachia.

Why this need to put down Democrats?



What about Mark Warner? (Lowell - 7/12/2007 4:40:17 PM)
n/t


I was thinking more in terms of presidential candidate (Nick Stump - 7/12/2007 5:22:19 PM)
Of course, Warner and many good Virginian have spent time in Appalachian, Virginia, but Webb has spent a lot of time addressing rural issues, especially in Southwest Virginia 

I also realize Webb is not a presidential candidate, but he's really hit on rural issues, and I sure wish he were a candidate. :) Maybe someday. 

RFK's walk through Appalachia was historic, and there hasn't been a recent presidential candidate to repeat that trip since then, though I did see Jesse Jackson deliver a memorable speech in Hazard, Kentucky when he was running.

I do realize the Appalachian chain runs from Georgia to Maine. I don't think I denied that.  But what I'm saying is that most candidates don't spend a lot of time talking about rural issues and very little time in rural areas, especially in the coalfields of Appalachia.  There's a big difference in the Appalachia of Eastern Kentucky and the Appalachia of Maine.

  Sure, candidates, will eat some corn on the cob in Iowa before the caucus, and talk about the farm bill, but right now Edwards is the only one really addressing pressing rural issues, and there's a big difference in paying lip service to those issues and trying to find a solution to crumbling water lines in the small towns of Southwest Va.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not shilling for Edwards.  I personally don't think he will get the nomination.  But I do admire his stand on the tough kitchen table issues facing rural Americans and I appreciate a Democrat going out and seeking rural votes.

I'm hoping other candidates will take a look at these rural issues, especially in the Appalachian coalfields.  Hillary is making some noise about it, and I hope she follow through.  The new rural voter poll says Democrats have an opportunity to win rural voter over this time around.  If they do, they'll win big in 2008.

Didn't intend to stir everyone up. :-)



Oh Alice, you cut me deep (Nick Stump - 7/12/2007 5:35:13 PM)
Alice, I'm the yellowist yellow-dog Democrat you'll ever meet.
I have no need to put down Democrats. I love the Democratic Party and have voted a straight Democratic ticket for 40 years.  I'm not putting down Democrats.  I'm working hard to advocate that Democrats focus more on rural issues--an area our candidates have not done well with in the past few years and it has cost us elections.

Go check out the new rural voter poll done by the Center For Rural Strategies in Whiteburg, Ky.  ruralstrategies.org. and I think maybe you'll understand what I'm getting at. They also have a blog called The Daily Yonder, dailyyonder.com. 

It's common knowledge among progressive rural activists that the Democratic Party has ceded the rural vote to Republicians, especially over the last two presidential cycles.  I'm working hard, along with other rural activists to help bring rural America back into the Demcoratic fold.  Here in Louisville, I don't worry about how Louisville is going to vote.  Louisville is going to vote for Democrats.  But if we want to beat Mitch McConnell, we have to get rural Kentucky voters to vote Democratic.  We're maxed out in urban areas, and an urban only strategy is a losing strategy.

  If we can get rural voters to vote Democratic, we will hit the jackpot in 2008.



Economic Fairness, Social Justice (Bubby - 7/12/2007 6:18:34 PM)
If you want them, you'll only find them in the Democratic Party.


I agree absolutely N/T (Nick Stump - 7/12/2007 6:41:33 PM)


Gore is from Carthage (Alice Marshall - 7/12/2007 7:34:53 PM)
Gore campaigned in the southern mountains, towards the end of the campaign he stayed in swing states, but he certainly campaigned in the southern mountains.

As for historic campaigns, you should read When Hell Froze Over, the description of Wilder's triumphant campaign through southwest is one of the funniest things I have ever read.

Carter came to the coal fields, which is why he carried KY, TN, and NC in 1976.

I have a fuzzy memory of the 1992 and 96 campaigns, so cannot recall.

I really don't think you are giving our Democratic candidates credit.

Incidentally, this is exactly what Howard Dean was talking about with the 50 state strategy, contest every area. Of course, Dean is from a rural state.



Patience, Hard Work, and Tenacity (Bubby - 7/12/2007 6:13:47 PM)
Before there was Webb...
...there was Senator Dude. Seems like a long time ago now.

Hang in there, things change.



Fake Rural (Nick Stump - 7/12/2007 6:43:40 PM)
Nothing like some rich boy running around in his Playtime Cowboy Outfit to give all the real cowboys a bad name.