“There are more things to alarm us than to harm us.”
–Seneca
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WOTD from David Roberts at Vox: "Vulture Capitalism – Coal Mining in Wyoming"
And the industry is always able to offload costs because there are always helpful electeds to ensure laws and rules help them do this.
What better way to do that than wrapping yourself in a flag and re-naming the company Patriot Coal while you're putting that red hot poker up their back end??
Forget the war on coal. The war is on miners
…and the money shot:
Is this what it takes to pry McConnell's sorry ass out of that seat? Champion coal over any alternatives, and then piss on the miners who spend their youth digging the filthy stuff up when they inevitably develop respiratory disease in middle age?
A representative from the UMWA ought to take him on. I'll bet they could beat him with his own words and voting record.
Lexington and Louisville are becoming a dark shade of blue. Whether that can overcome the rural vote is another issue. I was in Kentucky two weeks ago and albeit I was around hemp farmers who are 'all-in' with Mitch, I was also in Rockcastle County where meth and teen pregnancies are off the charts. Rockcastle county has only voted for a Democratic candidate for president during Civil War Reconstruction in 1868, 1872, 1876, and 1880. In all other elections since 1824, it has voted for the Republican, American, Constitutional Union, Whig Party, or National Republican candidate. Twenty-nine percent of the population under the age of 18 live in poverty.
Red hats and Trump signs are common here – but a waitress at the small restaurant in Mt. Vernon mentioned that shouldn't be a sign of how everyone votes. Hope springs eternal?
I would love to see Kentucky ditch Cocaine Mitch.
Rockcastle County?
You are aiming for the HIGH bar.
No way.
My grandmother is buried there. Jackson and Rockcastle counties are replete with my shirttail kin. You are correct. They don't change readily.
Wow.
May she rest in peace.
At our next happy hour, you are going to have to tell me how you got all the way out west from there. In my mind, I'm thinking 61 Coupe D'ville, soft top.
MADCO: 'Way'
Amy McGrath was on Morning Joe today and was impressive. She’s the military pilot who narrowly lost a KY congressional seat in 2018. Has great commercials. Now, she’s taking on McConnell. I gave her some money. Hope springs eternal.
McConnell: She's never won an election or held elected office and she's a socialist with radical ideas.
Is she impressive enough?
She's impressed McConnell enough for him to attack her right out of the gate.
MADCO, you seem to enjoy being Mr. Downer today. No progressive candidate, no progressive policy victories are ever possible, and anyone who thinks otherwise is deluded, and their hopes must be quashed severely. Have another drink.
Have I summed up your views correctly?
wayy off.
Bernie could have won in 16. He's progressive.
Lots of progressive policies have been enacted. Many more will be. Some state, some federal and some local.
The biggest critiism CoPolsters have of many candidates is they lost last time. Or they have never won. It's not an unfair criticism for a statewide candidate. Especially in a state that has elected Senator McConnell more than once.
as for Rockcastle… maybe you have to have been there. Electing a D there would be a lot like electing an R alderman in the Chicago 25th. Or an R in Colorado 1.
I'm not saying don't run.
I'm saying winning is more important than purisists and crazy people want to admit.
McGrath is great. Can she win? Why didn't she before?
Speaking of winning, can you tell me how many presidents have won since 1910 without carrying their home state?
Beto is great. Can he carry Texas? Really?
Madco, George Bush, the Younger, and The Screaming Yam both lost their home states. So the answer is 2
Actually, George W. Bush carried his home state, Texas, cookie.
“…Bowman, spokesman for the Kentucky Democratic Party”…cousin of yours, Michael?
LOL. Well, 'yes ', skinny. My fourth-great grandfather Curtis was born in 1805 in Clay County, KY. His wife was Rebecca Sparrow, daughter of Peter Sparrow, and niece of Lucy Hanks, mother to Nancy Hanks, the mother of Abraham Lincoln. I enjoy doing some genealogy work (when I'm here and have spare time – a rare event), enjoy my teeny-tiny link to Abe and meet distant relatives.
As proof of my presence there here's the hemp flag made from hemp grown in Rockcastle County that flew over the US Capitol on Veteran's day, 2015 hanging in a barn near Mt. Vernon. It's going to hang permanently at the FarmAid headquarters. Artist Jane Kramer is standing in the loft strumming some tunes 🙂
“Carnival of Hopes, Jane Kramer”
Lincoln? The closest I get is Polk. He was my fourth great-uncle
This particular Sparrow line also includes George Clooney and Tom Hanks. That's why you might recall a scene in Toy Story when Woody (voice over by Hanks) says, "Well I'll be an Abe Lincoln!"
Peering in through a broken glass into an abandoned feed store on Main Street in Mount Vernon: "No experts allowed, ONLY Country BOYS"
I am curious, Michael, if you have been to Renfro Valley. It was one of a handful of places around that part of Kentucky where bluegrass music grew and became assimilated into the country music industry.
My mother was born a couple of ridges to the east, in a place called Brush Creek. The last time I visited the area was several years ago when I took Dad to visit his birthplace in Drunkard Springs, which is in Estill county.
It is difficult to describe life in those hills and hollers to those who have never set foot on "that dark and bloody ground". But it has a grip that lingers.
I spent a couple nights in a Renfro Valley hotel two summer ago; Willie's son Lukas has played in the Renfro Entertainment venue (at one time Willie and his partners held the lease on the property but then didn't exercise their option to purchase). IIRC correctly, they aired the third-longest running broadcast radio program in America from Renfro (I think it was called The Gathering Radio Show). That area is a place of intense beauty – and poverty. It's seductive; the view of the morning dew on a holler full of hemp plants can bring tears to your eyes. The waitress-owner of the cafe in Mt. Vernon is one of us and a real doll!
My mother, too, was a waitress. And like your friend, was one of us. She saw things the way they were in the mid-sixties there and made sure she got us out of there while we were still kids. Change comes hard in that culture…but it does come.
It makes for some pretty interesting contradictions. I recommend a morning spent at Berea College, then a drive up to McKee. It is an eye opener. The scenery is breathtaking. And you will pass an old, run- down gas station that is now the home of the congregation of "The Church of Jesus Christ of the Narrow Way."
Once you climb Big Hill you come to Morrill, my mam-ma lived there for 2 decades before she died. If you keep going you will come to Clover Bottom. From there, Appalachia engulfs you.
I do miss it sometimes.
I''ll be back in late September and be sure to take that drive! The scenery does take ones breath away, just like an early morning drive from Asheville to Greenville on the other side the hills. Thanks to 23 and me we've discovered a new branch of relatives that lost contact with my tribe that moved west long, long ago. Ours went from Clay County, the next two generations settled in Pike County, IL then off to Lamar, CO, then Yuma County.
For those interested in the history of segregated schools in the country – and why the make-up of SCOTUS matters here's the history on Berea College.
This is worth the read:
America’s new redneck rebellion
Remember the utterly false and deceptive War on Rural Colorado campaign largely financed by Tri-State? It turns out all the b* was just that….
coal is too expensive in most of the USA
make it cheaper – market will come back.
So annoying.
Billionaire Steyer Enters 2020 Democratic Race
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-07-09/how-middle-class-joe-biden-made-millions-campaign-update
'The billionaire said Tuesday that corporations have bought the U.S.’s democracy and “politicians don’t care and don’t respect” citizens. The aim of his campaign would be “to make democracy work by pushing power down to the people.”'
If only these elder statesmen could see the forest through the trees, put their money and resources in places that could really make a difference and end their vanity campaigns? I appreciate the work Steyer has done in the climate space, but he ain't never going to be POTUS.
Like pay taxes
See Erik Brynjolffson, and Rutger Bregman
Charity and philanthropy are just another way for the rich and über rich to have power. Sure- some Street guy can donate $150million – but when he chooses to donate to Yale for a new performing arts center it seems pretty narrowly beneficial.
I suppose it's better than buying his child's way into USC, but still.
Just pay taxes.
Make the Piketty and Gini math work for us rather than just taunt us. Forget Laffer and Mundell and, I suppose, Michael Dell.
I guess that all the money in the world just can’t buy some people any sense of irony???
Ross Perot died never holding office after defeating George Bush.
A kinder, gentler version of Donald Trump….
"Folks, that loud sucking sound you hear is your jobs going to Mexico"
He should debate the Starbucks guy and 2 or 3 of he other 240+ declared candidates.
They could have it on YouTube or Hulu.
Democratic Survivor: Filthy Rich White Guys Edition ???
(They could film each one on their own, private island . . .
. . . the loser each week gets to stay there.)
beautiful.
I see 30 minute airtime – 18:30 of 'unscripted' programmingand 13:30 to pay bills.
Paul Krugman condemns the corrupt, crony capitalists that support *rump:
Ladies and gentlemanJerry-Falwell-the-junior, may I introduce you to your President?Rep. Swalwell suspends his campaign to become President (gracefully exiting before he hears he would be pushed off the stage in favor of Gov. Bullock).
Jennifer Rubin writes a column "Swalwell shows how it is done" and there are lots of comments saying — basically — "yeah, Hickenlooper should drop out and run for Senate."
Anyone have added points for my responses to this idea?
Isn't 69 the minimum age to be a Senator?
Only if you're a white guy.
Hickenlooper would crush skanky Cory. That works for me.
Governor Hickinlooper would make a fine ambassador. Or even trade representative to some parts of the world. Not St James, but, you know other places. Australia or maybe Brazil. He could help rebuild Venezuela – but I'd prefer a Spanish speaking geologist.
Not around the mj industry, or the banks he couldn't wouldn't give them.
But he has strengths.
Hick should drop out of the Presidential race and follow his heart – straight to an oil and gas industry lobbying job.
Welcome to the name recognition poll!
Democratic poll puts Jena Griswold — who hasn’t announced she’s running — in top tier to challenge Cory Gardner: Colorado’s secretary of state has second only to Andrew Romanoff in new poll of Democratic contenders
Jeffrey who????
The 21st Century Mod Squad……
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/09/us/politics/nancy-pelosi-ocasio-cortez.html
Voters will have a chance to see the Senate candidates debating this Saturday, July 13 in Akron, Colorado. I'll be there taking notes. Hopefully, some mainstream media will, too, since the local press ignores anything Democratic.
Pols – have you disabled comments on the Big Line thread? If so, why?
My comments, anyway:
Ken Buck (CD4) has a credible opponent: Isaac "Ike" McCorkle, a retired Marine, intends to challenge Buck. There will be others. At least mention that Buck has a declared Democratic opponent.
Here, again, are the pictures of the 10 candidates who have declared intent to run for Cory Gardner's Senate seat:
With so much insanity every day of the #TrumpsterFire administration, let us not forget that we still don't know why Pence was called back to the White House on July 2, cancelling a planned trip to New Hampshire. My theory: #TrumpsterFire completely lost it, and the Cabinet and Pence had to threaten him with Amendment 25 to get him to stop screaming and straighten up.
Other theories?
That feedlot of grifting sycophants? Ha!
Now, if you’d suggested that Pence was needed to to help change the royal nappy? Well, . . .
Other theories:
Maybe Prince Jared couldn’t find any other of “the help” around to unscrew the lid from his Grey Poupon? . . .
Some other “Code Orange” national emergency? . . .
I've posted a list of other theories for Pence's rush back to the White House, including
*that Democrats are getting closer to seeing Trumps taxes;
*that the horrific conditions in the border camps are becoming more documented and that public outrage over the abuses is growing;
*It had something to do with the submarine fire in which 16 Russian sailors died
*other theories
* My latest theory is that Pence himself is deeply implicated in for obstruction of justice, in the Mueller report. He was the transition manager; he talked with Mike Flynn multiple times; he lied for Trump, repeating the "no collusion no obstruction" line. $rump may have wanted to lock down any potential problem statements from Pence, or make sure that they were all saying exactly the same things.
That Mike Pence is an opportunistic, soulless, hypocrite, has been well established. That he is intimately involved with Steven Miller, (the Wormtongue of the Whitest House), Mick Mulvaney, Smelly and the rest, in the machinations of fascism and the subordinationtion of justice and the rule of law, will be coming into focus very soon.
Perhaps I am unjustified in saying so, but I think Pence is personally, politically, and professionally in the top 5 for sliminess.
He will crash and burn, too.
We've been told the sudden cancellation / turnaround wasn't health related, wasn't personnel getting fired, wasn't national security. It was a "quick discussion" between Trump and Pence. There was an effort to float a theory of a threat on the NH end of the trip, which got debunked by NH police force sources.
Other Tuesday events:
I’m certain we’ll hear something. Possibly. And it may have something to do with what actually happened.