Ben Chandler Endorses Bruce Lunsford!

Ben Chandler Endorses Bruce Lunsford.
Jim Pence August 27th, 2008

Pol Watchers
Democratic U.S. Rep. Ben Chandler , who has had a rocky history with U.S. Senate candidate Bruce Lunsford, used his time before Kentucky’s delegation at the national convention to endorse his former rival.
Chandler, after weeks of avoiding questions about a possible endorsement, made the announcement at the Kentucky delegation’s breakfast in Denver at around 11 a.m. EST or 9 a.m. Denver time.
Read more .

Thanks Ben.

Share a Pint with a Friend!

I gave a pint of blood today. My wife Wilma gave a pint of blood today. Share a pint with a friend!
Some years back, my Dad had a failure of his bone marrow which makes red blood cells. For that reason, he had to get a transfusion of a pint of blood every month just to stay alive. He was able to extend his life by two years because of the monthly blood transfusions. Blood donors do save lives. In George Washington's time, it was thought helpful to bleed a person--even if leeches were used to draw blood from the person. Nowadays, that is not done, but I say that knowing that you might have saved a life--or extended a life for a month--is worth the trouble of donating blood. Plus, Wilma and I each got a free t-shirt today for donating blood. They show it as a competition between the University of Kentucky fans and the University of Louisville fans. You can even promote your favorite University's reputation by participating in this month's blood drive. Yeah, an extra month of life would be worth quite a bit of money--but you can give that to a person by spending a half hour at the local bloodmobile. If Wilma and I can do it, you can do it, too. It is the one place an unemployed guy can outgive a millionaire. Please donate now to your local blood drive. Kenneth Stepp.

LATEST POLLS SHOW OBAMA IN LEAD!

"USA Today/
"Gallup: Obama by 4 with Registered Voters
"by DemFromCT
"Sun Aug 24, 2008 at 06:22:14 PM PDT
"(Bumped -- kos)

"You may recall this same USA/Gallup from last month, wherein McCain was up by 4 with Likely Voters, but this time around it's Obama by 3. Do we really think things have changed so much, or did Gallup just screw up the last poll? McCain's never above 45 anywhere else, which tells you something about his appeal.

"The national polls and the trackers are simply not showing a surge for McCain. Obama leads by 2 to 5 points in the last 7 non-trackers over the last week (and ties or leads the trackers.) But you can bet that, flawed concept or not, if McCain had gone from 4 down to 3 up in the Gallup poll, it'd be plastered all over the news.

"These numbers are from USA Today and Polling Report.

"Presidential choice
"LV Aug. 21-23 (July) (June) MoE +/- 4

"Obama 48 (45) (50)
"McCain 45 (49) (44)"

Hopefully McCain will take "Mitch" McConnell and "Exxon Eddie" down with him. Kenneth Stepp.

ANTIWAR PROTESTORS CONVERGE ON DENVER.

Bruce Lunsford speaks to you.

Hillside Gardening

Hillside gardening is a nice hobby if you live in a place like Eastern Kentucky, Japan, or Bavaria where the land is not flat. It's been dry this year, also. What my son Conrad and I have done is dig a trench about two feet up the hill, on a hillside beside our house, and filled it in with 160 pounds of topsoil from WalMart (at $1.50 per 40 pound bag). That's as cheap as dirt--WalMart style. Next, we got our turnips, collards, and mustard green seedlings from our seed planter box, and put them in the muddy topsoil. It's on the south side of the hill, so it should get plenty of sunlight during the next three months. I was out watering it today. My hillside gardening has been off to a slow start, because my hillside was gouged out of a mountainside to make room for a house, leaving poor quality subsoil as the hillside--with no plant nutrition in it. After having some plants stay the same size for several months, I have been applying mulch and topsoil generously. I tried fertilizer, but it killed a lot of my plants. Don't get fertilizer that is too strong. Anyway, I've had a smattering of flowers on some of the hillsides surrounding our house, but I'm trying to have a fall vegetable garden.
I have had good gardening results in other places I've lived. Hillside gardening in Kentucky is a new challenge, but many people have very good gardens in Kentucky. Kenneth Stepp.

Peace is at Hand!

"Rice says US-Iraq coming together on timetables
"By MATTHEW LEE and QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA, Associated Press Writer
"37 minutes ago
"BAGHDAD - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said Thursday that U.S. and Iraqi officials agree that timetables should be set for a U.S. troop withdrawal, but conceded that nailing down a broader pact on future relations is difficult.
"Appearing together at a news conference, Rice and Zebari also mutually asserted that a final agreement between Washington and Baghdad on a a broad document spelling out the nature of any future U.S. troop presence and Washington-Baghdad relations is close to fruition, but not yet complete.
"We have agreed that some goals, some aspirational timetables for how that might unfold, are well worth having in such an agreement," Rice told reporters after meeting with Iraqi officials, including Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. The two sides had come together on a draft agreement earlier this week and Rice made an unannounced visit to Baghdad to press officials there to complete the accord.
"Zebari, asked about fears expressed by neighboring countries over such a pact, said in Arabic: "This decision (agreement) is a sovereign one and Iran and other neighboring countries have the right to ask for clarifications. ... There are clear articles (that) say that Iraq will not be used as a launching pad for any aggressive acts against neighboring countries and we already did clarify this."
"A key part of the U.S.-Iraqi draft agreement envisions the withdrawal of American forces from Iraq's cities by next June 30.
"Said Zebari: "This agreement determines the principle provisions, requirements, to regulate the temporary presence and the time horizon, the mission of the U.S. forces."
"U.S. military forces went into in Iraq in early 2003 and overthrew President Saddam Hussein and the war is now in its sixth year. There have been more than 4,100U.S. deaths there and countless losses among Iraqis. The war looms as a key issue in the campaign in the United States to elect a successor to President Bush, with presumed Republican nominee John McCain accusing Democratic standardbearer-in-waiting Barack Obama of advocating too precipitate a withdrawal of U.S. forces from the country.
"On the plane en route here, Rice had told reporters: "The negotiators have taken this very, very far. But there is no reason to believe that there is an agreement yet. There are still issues concerning exactly how our forces operate."
"Her comments dampened speculation that agreement might be reached while she is in Baghdad on a several-hour visit, her first to Iraq since March, after U.S. and Iraqi officials said Wednesday that a draft document was done and awaiting approval from political leaders.
"Rice displayed similar caution in the news conference with Zebari.
"Obviously, the American forces are here, coalition forces are here at the invitation of the Iraqi government," she said. "What we're trying to do is put together an agreement that protects our people, respects Iraq's sovereignty."
" ... But the goal is to have Iraqi forces responsible for the security of Iraq," Rice added. "That is the goal and that has been the goal from the beginning. " She said the military surge has worked and "we are making progress together in the defeat of Iraq's enemies of all stripes."
"We're not sitting here talking about an agreement to try to get out of a bad situation," Rice said, calling the agreement one that "builds on the success we have had in the last year. This agreement is based on success."
"Zebari conceded that officials had hoped to conclude the pact earlier, but said that "it has taken us more time," citing internal political factors.
"Really, we are very, very close to closing this agreement," he said, "and as we said from the beginning, there is no hidden agenda here."
"The foreign minister said the pact that U.S. and Iraqi officials are trying to finish will be presented to Iraq's Executive Council for review. "Time is of the essence," he said, "but, really, we are redoubling our efforts to bring this to a successful conclusion."
"Followers of anti-American Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr criticized Rice's visit and repeated their opposition to the security agreement. Sadr's followers control 30of the 275 seats in parliament.
"Luai Smeisem, the head of the political bureau in Sadr movement, said: "We as the Sadr movement denounce this dubious visit and such timing. We reaffirm our stance of rejecting the long-term agreement. We demand the Iraqi government, and on the highest levels, not to sign this unjust agreement and we demand the withdrawal of the government as soon as possible."
"Iraqi and American officials told The Associated Press on Wednesday that negotiators had completed a draft agreement that extends the legal basis for U.S. troops to remain in Iraq beyond the end of this year, while calling for them to move out of Iraqi cities as soon as June 30.
"A senior U.S. military official in Washington said the deal is acceptable to the U.S. side, subject to formal approval by President Bush. It also requires approval by Iraqi leaders, and some members of Iraq's Cabinet oppose some provisions.
"Also completed is a companion draft document, known as a strategic framework agreement, spelling out in broad terms the political, security and economic relationships between Iraq and the United States, the senior military official said. The official discussed the draft accords on condition that he not be identified by name because the deals have not been publicly announced and are not final.
"In addition to spelling out that U.S. troops would move out of Iraqi cities by next summer, the Iraqi government has pushed for a specific date — most likely the end of 2011 — by which all U.S. forces would depart the country. In the meantime, the U.S. troops would be positioned on bases in other parts of the country to make them less visible while still being able to assist Iraqi forces as needed.
"There are now about 140,000 U.S. troops in Iraq.
"U.S. officials have resisted committing firmly to a specific date for a final pullout, insisting that it would be wiser to set a target linked to the attainment of certain agreed-upon goals. These goals would reflect not only security improvements but also progress on the political and economic fronts.
"Associated Press reporter Robert Reid contributed to this story from Baghdad."
Let's Ditch Mitch.

Puppet Man

DSCC RACE PROFILE.

Race Profile
As the Senate Minority Leader, Mitch McConnell has continually blocked any meaningful change in the President's Iraq policy and repeatedly defended the status quo. Kentuckians disapprove of the way McConnell has handled legislative issues regarding the post-war occupation of Iraq and are torn over McConnell's overall performance as a senator; his approval/disapproval ratings rest at 46/46. McConnell will be well-funded, but the ethics concerns over Republican Governor Ernie Fletcher will be an additional burden to McConnell's reelection efforts. If the 2007 election is any indication, Republicans are in trouble in Kentucky. Businessman Bruce Lunsford -- who Governor Steve Beshear calls "an exceptionally strong candidate" -- won the Democratic primary and is ready to take on McConnell. Lunsford was ahead in a May 2008 poll, leading 49-44 and other polls have showed the race remaining extremely close. In the second quarter, Lunsford donated $2.5 million of his own money to the campaign, making his Q2 total higher than McConnell's.

Mitch McConnell says he is George W. Bush's strongest supporter in the U.S. Senate.

You heard him say it yourself. Mitch McConnell says he is George W. Bush's strongest supporter in the U.S. Senate.

Let's Ditch Mitch.

"In the Twenty-First Century, nations don't invade other nations" John McCain.

Yeah, right. What are we, chopped liver? The fact is that the United States sees a need to invade and militarily occupy Iraq, and Russia sees a need to invade and militarily occupy fhe former Soviet Georgia. The fact is, that concerning invading small, weak nations, Putin, Bush, and McCain are morally equivalent.

Do you endorse Bruce Lunsford for U.S. Senate, KY?

I endorse Bruce Lunsford for U.S. Senate for the General Election Kentucky 2008. Do you?

Let's get interactive.

Now, you've listened to me doing all the talking, blasting four of the Bush Administrations projects: the Iraq War project, the warrantless wiretaps of American citizens project, the torture project, etc. Now, let's get interactive. What is the main thing you want the government to start doing? What is the main thing you want the government to stop doing? A few weeks ago, one of our readers brought up the need for Federal Parole, and I agreed, Federal Prisoners for crimes committed after 1987, should have an opportunity to make parole. Federal probation should be available, also. Now, there might be some ideas that I'd oppose, but let's talk about them. Maybe some of our other readers would take the ball and run with it on them. Basically, I've been a four-issue candidate. What issue or issues are important to you? Kenneth Stepp.

Vote for Lunsford and Ditch Mitch.

Torture and Americanism.

Torture is unAmerican.
If you look at the old World War II Hollywood movies, it is alwsys the Nazi or the Japanese bad guys doing the torture. It is never the Americans doing the torture. That is simply because "the greatest generation" of Americans didn't believe in torture, and didn't practice it.
Even when America was at it's worst at Andersonville and Elmyra (you all read about Andersonville and how the POW camp commander was later executed for mistreating Union POW's; my great great grandfather was in a North Carolina regiment, was captured, and was a POW at the Northern POW camp in Elmyra, NY, where his brother Silas Stepp died as a POW a long way from home). Yet, as you read the reports of our own Civil War, you don't read of tortuous interrogations or tortures, as that is not the American way.
America was originally founded on the Judeo-Christian tradition. Nowhere in the Judeo-Christian canon do you find God's people called upon to torture anyone. Torture is just unGodly, unJewish, and unChristian; hence, torture is unAmerican.
Is it O.K. to torture people because we believe Moslems do it? That has never been a satisfactory excuse for lowering our standards. If we lower ourselves to their standards, then we are no better than they are. America has always been the lighthouse upon the hill. A beacon for people of other lands to see how life could be lived by a free people. We should not change our character and become evil because we face evil people. We should redouble our efforts to show American idealism in the face the worst. We faced cruel captors in the Japanese Empire, in North Korea, and in Viet Nam, but we never made a policy of stooping to their level in those conflicts--and those that got caught doing it were quickly court martialed.
Now, for the last argument. The pro-torturers argue that, if an impossible set of circumstances arise, then torture is justified. They add that, now that we have agreed on torture in principle, that we should be torturing people now. Their argument doesn't make sense. Sure, if we had Hitler or Mussolini sitting in front of us in a chair, we could probably justify torturing them to death; then, using the moral equivalency argument, we could justify torturing anyone to death. Well, we don't have Hitler or Mussolini, or even Tojo, sitting in front of us, and we don't have an impossible situation in front of us. The pro-torturers argument about a hypothetical situation could justify torture in the real world does not make sense, is not a good argument, and should be ignored.
Torture is unConstitutional. Amendment 10 of the U.S. Constitution says that those powers not specifically enumerated to the U.S. government are reserved specifically for the States or the people. Nowhere does the U.S. Constitution authorize the U.S. government to commit torture.
America has a great future, but we should not be involved with torture. Torture should be outlawed by the U.S. Congress. The Geneva Conventions should be strictly obeyed by the U.S. as a matter of policy. America should be the number one advocate of Americanism, by outlawing torture, avoiding torture, and showing that a free, democratic people does not rely on or use torture.
Let's Ditch Mitch, and ditch his Republican cronies, and replace them with true Democrats who will outlaw torture.

Friends.

When I was campaigning for office, I kept getting emails from the American Friends Service Committee. I welcomed their help and support for my campaign. I am not against all wars; I am against stupid wars. The current American war in Iraq is a stupid war, and I'm against it.
Concerning the Friends, and some call them Quakers, I am your friend, but I am not a Friend--although I agree with them on that we should get the U.S. troops out of Iraq.
Some great people have been Friends. As a young man, Daniel Boone had been raised as a Quaker, and being a Friend was his background before he led thousands of European-descended settlers into Kentucky.
U.S. President Herbert Hoover had been a Friend; he withdrew the U.S. troops from Nicaragua.
U.S. President Richard Nixon had been a Friend; he withdrew the U.S. troops from Viet Nam.
Withdrawing troops from a battleground is a hard decision. Our impulse is to fight to our last man. President Richard Nixon showed great wisdom when he withdrew the American troops from Viet Nam. President Herbert Hoover showed great wisdom when he withdrew the American troops from Nicaragua. Hopefully, our next President will show great wisdom by withdrawing the American troops from Iraq. Let's Ditch Mitch. Kenneth Stepp.

An acceptable level of homicides?

The official Republican Party Line is that the level of homicides in Iraq has reached an acceptable level because the surge has worked. How do you feel about that? We have 4132 American War Dead who died in the ongoing Iraqi War. If you believe that is an acceptible level of homicides, then you will likely vote for Mitch McConnell and John McCain. If you do not believe that 4132 is an acceptible number of American people killed in Iraq, then vote for Bruce Lunsford for U.S. Senate, and vote for the other Democratic candidates, also. Vote to end the American military occupation of Iraq. Kenneth Stepp.

Hear