West Virginia Blue
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Apparently 1st Congressional District Democrats are so ignorant when it comes to coal, mountaintop removal and the EPA, that the WV Coal Association and Friends of Coal would like to educate us. In what is sure to be an unbiased and science-based presentation, they've chosen the communications Director of Logan Coal Vendors (wow, look at all those degrees!) to inform us about the EPA and MTR.
This week northern WV county Democratic Executive Committee Chairs received the following email.
(Reminder! File today for the Dem. State Executive Committee or other party committees. The deadline is midnight tomorrow at the Sec. of State office in Charleston or today at your local county courthouse. - promoted by Clem Guttata)
By Clem Guttata
If you are reading this and are a registered voter with Democratic Party affiliation in West Virginia, you should run for the Democratic State Executive Committee.
There are two position for each state senate district--one to be filled by a female and one to be filled by a male. The person filling the position attends meetings of the Democratic State Executive Committee as a representative for their district. In Presidential election years, decisions made by the committee include picking a delegate at large for the state.
Representative democracy can only thrive when there is strong citizen engagement. For better or worse, our government has evolved into a two-party system. It is really hard to change an organization if you're not a member of it. If you want to have a stronger voice in the direction of the state Democratic party, this is one way--run for a party office.
Do not delay! The deadline for filing is the end of this week.
I know that Carnacki posted a diary about Emilie Holroyd earlier today, but I wanted to take this opportunity to talk about her in my own words. Carnacki's post can be seen by clicking here.
I first became active in Mercer County Democratic politics in 2006 during the House and Senate campaigns, and really have to thank Emilie Holroyd for making it possible for me to quickly become involved in the local and state scene. It was Emilie who introduced me to Marie Presioso who made it possible for me to be introduced to Howard Dean at a rally in Charleston that year. She became a guiding light in helping not only myself but other progressives in the county to form our local state pac that has become a very active group working for local and state candidates. Emilie never had a problem sharing her vast knowledge of the ins and outs of party politics, and worked as hard as she could to insure that Democrats got elected even after it became difficult for her to get around without assistance.
I can't think of a party event either here in Mercer County or in Charleston that I was involved in that Emilie didn't attend. As the picture above illustrates Senator Byrd meant everything he said about Emilie in today's story in the Bluefield Daily Telegraph cited by Carnacki.
She never tired of telling us stories of past campaigns in particular traveling with the Kennedy's during the 1960 election here in West Virginia. She and her husband Bob got to travel and work directly with JFK and his brothers during the historic campaign in West Virginia. Emily worked in the field with the McGovern campaign in 1972 as well traveling to various parts of the country to do all she could to get the job done.
All of us here in Mercer County will miss her immensely she was a good friend and advisor. I pass on my deepest sympathy to her family and loved ones. Her loss is a shock to all of us in the Mercer County Democratic Party organization.
This is why the media circus around John Edwards is so disappointing to me, a former supporter. Few in the political limelight speak for the poor in this country; they don't make political contributions. The elite traditional media that mocked his Poverty Tour before will feel good about themselves.
Anyone who has read my diaries or comments may have gathered that I hold the social justice issue of my faith on the outside of my sleeve. We have had decades of failed "trickle down" economic policies that have resulted in the upward distribution of wealth. Shelley McCapito recent concern for affordable housing does not disabuse me of the notion the she supports the outrageous tax cuts for the upper 1% that John Pimp-My-Wife proposes. By their logic a 0% tax rate will produce infinite revenue.
On Friday I got a forwarded email from my father sent to him by a former Navy base coworker who now lives in Tennessee. It lamented the destruction of this country as a Christian Nation because the union at a Tyson plant in Tennessee negotiated comp time for Moslem employees, allowing them to trade Labor Day for Eid al-Fitr. (A re-vote restored Labor Day and added an extra "personal" paid holiday. We have that for Good Friday where I work.) My response was to cut and past the Treaty of Tripoli and some Thomas Merton.
The kids went to the fair on Tuesday and Thursday, so that was not on my agenda Friday night. When I got home, I refilled my Anne Barth for Congress water bottle, propped up my feet and prepared to be outraged by another Expose on Bill Moyers Journal on PBS. I was not disappointed.
The Attorney Generals in the Appalachian states of West Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky were mentioned in the reporting, along with health debt collection practices in the Ozarks of Arkansas. Whether your credit file is thin or thick, follow me over the fold at a look at how one of Shelley McCapito's biggest contributors squeeze blood from all of us non-millionaire turnips.
While the nation turned its political eye on the Democratic Party Rules and Bylaws Committee meetings in Washington, D.C. yesterday, two hours West here in W.Va. another form of participatory Democracy was in action.
I was fortunate to be invited to attend a local meeting of West Virginia Democratic Party Convention delegates. The local delegates are diligently preparing for the upcoming convention. Two major pieces of business were performed at yesterday's meeting--adoption of proposed modifications to the 2008 Democratic Party platform and the selection of the male and female national convention delegate candidate for the county.
What struck me even more than the business, as important it as was in this multi-hour meeting, is how meaningful it was that the meeting happened at all.
This is a triumph of Howard Dean's 50 state strategy. One of the two people running the meeting was a West Virginia Democratic Party Field organizer, a position funded by Dean's fifty state strategy. He provided very helpful practical information about what the convention process is like.
Many of the delegates in attendance are people new to Democratic party activities, motivated to this level of activism by the extended primary season and a contested West Virginia primary.
Meetings like this give me great hope for our state and our country. I witnessed sincere dedication to the political process. I heard many thoughtful suggestions and passionate concerns expressed for more progressive governance. I saw present and future leaders, willing to be an active part of the difficult process of a creating change for the better.
This is how we build a progressive majority, with one more voter, one more activist, one more precinct, one more county, and one more state at a time. While the national press flocked to the more dramatic event yesterday, meetings like I attended are much bigger story of this campaign season.
March 27, 2008 : The Berkeley County Democratic Women's Club will be holding their regular monthly meeting 6:30 p.m. in the Martinsburg Room of the Martinsburg Library in downtown Martinsburg. Everyone is welcome to attend. For more information contact President Erica Epperson at 283-5057 or ericak68@hotmail.com.
March 27, 2008 : Harrison County Democratic Executive Committee Meeting, 6:30pm at the Headquarters, Clarksburg, for more information call Mike Romano (304) 624-1100 or Martin Shaffer (304) 623-0007.
March 27, 2008 : Upshur County Democratic Executive Committee meeting 5:30 PM at the Riverbend Golf Club located in Buckhannon. Contact Susan Wilcher (304) 438-0850 or swilcher@hotmail.com for more informaion.
March 27, 2008 : Wood County Democratic Women monthly meeting at 7:00 pm on the 5th floor of the Municipal Building in Parkersburg . Contact Carol Sams 485-3058 carol@rusenandauvil.com.
March 27, 2008 : Campaign Rally for David Hummel, a candidate for Circiut Court Judge in Marshall, Wetzel and Tyler counties, from 4:30-6:30 PM at Gold Khourey & Turak, L.C. located 510 Tomlinson Ave. Moundsville, WV 26041.
March 27, 2008 : Campaign reception for Magistrate Mike Woelfel, a candidate for re-election in Cabell County, from 5:30-7:30 PM at the Arcade Building located 945 Fourth Avenue in Downtown Huntington.
March 29, 2008 : Meet the Candidates Continental Breakfast at the Laborers Union Hall 401 7th Avenue, Huntington from 9-11am . Contact Tim Millne Organizeyou1@aol.com.
March 29, 2008 : Cabell County Democratic Women's Club monthly luncheon at Guyan Country Club at 12:30 PM. Contact Mary Ann Henry (304) 762-2409 for more information.
March 29, 2008 : Hampshire County Democratic Executive Committee will host a Meet the Candidates at the Augusta Fire Hall. Social hour begins at 6:00 PM with traditional ham with beans and cornbread starting at 7:00 PM. The cost is $8.00 per person. For more information call Bob Walker (304) 469-7449 or Windy Cutler (304) 429-5185.
March 29, 2008 : Harrison County Democratic Women’s Club, hosts a Meet your Candidate 1:00-4:00 PM at the 4-H Center in Clarksburg call Jean Sartoris at (304) 623-1024 for more information.
March 29, 2008 : 2008 Fundraiser Reception by the Monongalia County Democratic Executive Committee, 7:00pm at the Ramada Inn and Conference Center, Donation of $20.00 per person, please RSVP by 3/24/08 to Kelly Palmer at kellyjpalmer@aol.com or 304-680-6055.
March 29, 2008 : Pocahontas County Democrat Women's Club will host a Meet the Candidates luncheon at the Pocahontas County High School in Dunmore starting at 1:00 PM. Please RSVP by March 22 the cost is $10.00 per plate. For more information contact Irene Thompson 653-4449 or 653-4050.
March 30, 2008 : Jefferson County Democratic Executive Committee will host a Meet the Candidates dinner from 4:00 - 8:00 PM at the Shepherdstown Fire Hall. The social hour will be from 4:00 5:00 PM. Tickets are $25.00 per person and $100.00 for reserved table plus the cost of individual tickets. For tickets call 728-2887 or e-mail annpwr@frontiernet.net. The deadline to purchase tickets is March 19, 2008.
March 30, 2008 : Meet Your Candidate by the Randolph County Democratic Executive Committee, 2:00-4:00pm at the Coalton VFW, for more information contact Robert Beckwith at 304-636-6440 or robbeckwith@verizon.net.
There's something there for everyone, in every corner of the state.
With three more victories yesterday (resounding ones, at that), the Obama campaign is on a roll. If he keeps it up, his lead in pledged delegates will be large enough to effectively wrap up the nomination by March.
Hillary may yet rebound in Wisconsin, Texas and Ohio. That would set up Penn. as a major showdown. If it is still close after that, North Carolina and West Virginia in May will be closely watched primaries.
If you're involved with West Virginia activities for Hillary** or Obama, let us know how its going.
What kinds of national support are you getting? How do you think your candidate will do in W.Va.? Where does your candidate stand on issues important to West Virginia?
** I would link to a Hillary W.Va. page, too, but I can't find one. At HillaryClinton.com, there are just 40 states in the union and we ain't one of them.
From left: Democrats Menis E. Ketchum, Bob Bastress, Margaret L. Workman, and Elliott E. Maynard.
Journal photo by Ron Agnir
Edward Marshall of the Martinsburg Journal covers the recent Jefferson County Organization of Democratic Women sponsored forum for the four Democratic Party candidates for the two seats available on the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals.
The four candidates were Margaret L. Workman of Kanawha County, Elliott E. "Spike" Maynard of Kanawha County, Bob Bastress of Monongalia County and Menis E. Ketchum of Cabell County.
Workman was born in Charleston, graduated from West Virginia University, previously served as circuit judge and was the first woman elected to the Supreme Court in 1988.
"I would like to bring the Supreme Court back down to these simple concepts -fairness, integrity and hard work," Workman said. "One of the good things about me is that I have 18 years of judicial experience and hundreds and hundreds of written opinions ...You don't have to guess what kind of judge I am. There is a long written record. What that records will reflect is that I believe in giving everybody their fair day in court."
[snip]
Bastress, since 1978, has been a member of the faculty at West Virginia University College of Law where he presently serves as a professor. His teaching is focused on constitutional law.
"Teaching gives me an opportunity to engage in extensive public service, public service that I would not have been able to do in private practice," Bastress said. "I think West Virginians deserve Supreme Court justices who have integrity, judgment, a sense of fairness and a legal ability to deliver on those other qualities, and to handle the difficult legal questions that come before the court."
Ketchum attended Ohio University and later received a law degree from West Virginia University College of Law in 1967. After graduating, he joined his father in the practice of law. He first called for the creation of an appellate court in the Eastern Panhandle, citing the Judicial Reorganization Act, an amendment to the Constitution that grants the authority to create more appellate courts.
[snip]
He also said he was more qualified than the other candidates.
"Why am I qualified? I've been a lawyer for 40 years. I have a lot more experience. I have tried more cases with jury verdicts than all the other candidates combined," he said.
The pictures accompanying the article notes that "Several anti-Elliott E. Maynard protesters [held] up signs as the state chief justice speaks at a forum sponsored by the Jefferson County Organization of Democratic Women Sunday."
Journal photo by Ron Agnir
In a year when the Republican brand is at an all time low and voters are embracing Democrats at all levels, you might think a popular incumbent Democrat would use their camapign website to reinforce the Democratic party brand.
Well, yes, there is well-buried reference of being "Chair for 2008 of the Democratic Governors Association." I only found that because I was looking for it. Come to think of it... it's even worse to think the Chair of the Dem. Gov. Association doesn't want to admit he's a Democrat on his campaign website!!
Come on, Gov. Manchin, you don't have to be an average Joe to be proud to be a Democrat.
This weekend there are 182 more delegates at stake. Eric Kleefeld at TPM Election Central has a state-by-state breakdown:
Louisiana primary — Saturday, 56 delegates: Obama is considered the favorite here due largely to the large portion black voters among the state's Democrats, and his past performance in the Deep South primaries in South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama. (snip)
Nebraska caucus — Saturday, 24 delegates: Obama has done very well in Mountain/Prairie state caucuses, such as his 74% showing in neighboring Kansas on Super Tuesday, on account of the small Democratic establishments that do exist in this region giving him their support. (snip)
Washington State caucus — Saturday, 78 delegates: This is the single biggest contest of the weekend, and also the one taking place in the bluest state. Although Hillary built up the early support of establishment figures like former Gov. Gary Locke, Sen. Maria Cantwell and recently Sen. Patty Murray, Obama has caught up very quickly. This week he won the endorsement of the state SEIU, the largest union in the state, and today he got the support of current Gov. Christine Gregoire. Also bear in mind that caucuses are all about organization and intensity on the part of a candidate's followers. A SurveyUSA poll released Monday put Obama ahead 53%-40%.
Maine caucus — Sunday, 24 delegates: There hasn't been any major polling on this race, but on paper it looks like Hillary Clinton's best chance for a victory this weekend. She has the support of the state's Democratic establishment, led by Gov. John Baldacci and former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell, and the demographics don't help Obama very much.
In his prediction thread, Jerome Armstrong at MyDD reprints the actual spreadsheet projections from the Obama campaign:
A while back we posted an inspired (and inspirational) video of Sen. Barack Obama's words put to music. Here's a video response for Sen. Hillary Clinton fans:
In a year when the Republicans have struggled to determine who their least worst old white guy is, the remaining Democratic party candidates are an embodiment of change.
Having two excellent choices in Hillary and Obama is rather inspiring to this Democratic party activist. Having the odds look very good for the next President of the United States to make history in their gender or ethnicity is quite inspiring to this progressive liberal.
West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin: Democrats Are Committed To Retaining and Creating Good-Paying Jobs
Applauds Democratic-Led Congress for Bipartisan Work on Economic Stimulus Package
Washington, DC - Governor Joe Manchin of West Virginia, chair of the Democratic Governors Association, delivers the Democratic radio address this week. He credits Democrats in Congress for working quickly with the President on a timely, targeted, and temporary economic stimulus package and for laying the groundwork to turn around the economy.
Governor Manchin, who addressed members of the U.S. House Democratic caucus this week, also highlights the success of Democratic policies in retaining and creating good jobs in West Virginia. He notes that it is going to take a Democratic president to restore consumer confidence, pay down the debt, and help middle class families.
The 2007 Kentucky gubernatorial election had mostly good news and yet some bad as well.
First off I want to apologize for being wrong on the date that the last Republican governor was governor. It was 1967 and not the 50s like I thought it was. I sincerely apologize for my mistake.
First for the good news:
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Steve Beshear as expected won in a landslide over law-breaking Republican governor Ernie Fletcher. While we Democrats didn't quite receive that magical 60 percent we had hoped we would receive, Democrats carried just about carried every part of the state, including even prominent supposedly Republican strongholds in western Kentucky and the Cincinnati-Covington suburbs. Those parts of Kentucky get a bum rap for being too Republican when actually independents are the dominant force up there. Thus I'm not surprised as much as most people are. And the same is true for western Kentucky as well where the evangelical presence is perhaps the strongest in the Bluegrass State.
The eastern Kentucky coalfields, the part of Kentucky that is almost exactly like our home state of West Virginia in every way, as expected remained Democratic and even normally reliable Republican Johnson, Martin, and yes almost always Republican Leslie County, a county that former Republican President Richard Nixon even visited, believe it or not, voted Democratic this time.
South Central Kentucky the most Republican part of the state as expected because more voters there are Southern sympathizers who usually vote more like the Deep South than any other part of Kentucky was where Fletcher did his best, and even there were cracks in Republican support.
And the Democratic city of Louisville in Jefferson County where the African-American effect is the greatest in Kentucky went 2 to 1 in favor of Beshear, and since there are still 5 precincts in Jefferson County where the final vote totals still haven't been calculated yet the margin statewide for Beshear will probably be a little larger and cross the 59 percent mark but not quite the 60 percent I and many other Democrats had hoped for.
UPDATE: All Jefferson County precincts have now been officially counted meaning 100 percent of the precincts have been counted. There was no change in the percentages.
And Democrats won every other statewide office quite convincingly except for popular Republican Secretary of Agriculture Richie Farmer, whose days as a decent former U of Kentucky basketball player couldn't have hurt his chances, and the Republican Secretary of State Trey Grayson.
Now for the little bad news:
Current Republican Secretary of State Trey Grayson beat Democratic challenger Bruce Hendrickson - spelling - by a larger margin than we Dems hoped for receiving approximately 57 to 58 percent of the vote over Democratic challenger Bruce Hendrickson 42 to 43 percent.
And of course not quite reaching 60 percent in the gubernatorial race of course.
The 2007 Kentucky gubernatorial election's impact on Kentucky, West Virginia, and Virginia and the rest of the nation as well:
I'm firmly convinced now that Kentucky will be an unexpected battleground in the 2008 presidential election. Though I still give the Republicans a slight edge there due to the margin of victory in the gubernatorial race being a little closer than what I had originally suspected, the Republicans will now have to spend more time and effort in the Bluegrass State than they ever dreamed possible. This in a state where Bush actually broke the 60 percent mark in 2004 and in a state which is socially conservative and the evangelical impact is huge.
I don't know if I've ever seen any presidential election where a political party is in danger of not carrying a state where they won over 60 percent of the vote. But this might be an exception.
As for the Virginias, our beloved home state of West Virginia and our neighbors the "other" Virginia, to me it's currently 50/50 in both states. Since West Virginia is much more like Kentucky than Virginia is except for the far southwestern portion of the Old Dominion, I feel it's a virtual 50/50 tossup in all three states right now.
As for three other states: Tennessee, North Carolina, and Indiana that Kentucky's gubernatorial results could have an impact on, the Republicans currently have a slight lead there right now but those three states could shock a ton of folks in 2008 if the conditions are just right. North Carolina and Tennessee have strong Democratic bases and very very popular and effective Democratic governors and could be ripe for the picking believe it or not.
Indiana would definitely be a shocker since it's a Republican base state where no Democratic presidential nominee has carried it since Lyndon Johnson did in 1964. But currently Indiana is one of the most trending Democratic states in the nation right now, having thrown out 3 incumbent Republican US House or Representative members out of office in 2006 in favor of moderate Democrats.
But the best news of all is the Democratic victories in our bordering state the great Buckeye state of Ohio, the state that most often determines who is President. Democrats in Ohio were victorious big time last night in the local elections up there. Voters in Ohio still have not forgotten the debacle of 2004, where then Republican Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell was huge in the state that eventually was the difference between having a second Bush term instead of John Kerry being our current president
But he like most other prominent Republicans in Ohio were defeated soundly in 2006 and once again last night in 2007...
and yes in 2006 that included the all-important underrated Secretary of State's office.
I also learned just recently that under Ohio election law that the number and percentage of poll workers there in the Buckeye State are decided by the margins of the last election each even year, and since we Democrats won in a landslide in Ohio in 2006 that gives us Democrats just that much more hope that we can elect our nominee for president in 2008
If Ohio stays solidly Democratic in 2008 like it is now here in 2007 - and it looks just great for us right now - it will be very difficult if not impossible for the Republicans to win no matter whom the nominees are.
And on Jan. 21, 2009 the very sad eight-year period of the Bush presidency and complete Republican rule in government will officially thank God be over.
And finally we Americans will have taken our great country back, hopefully this time for good.
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