Democrats Losing the Lease on Their Old Kentucky Home

[papau]

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-kentucky30dec30,1,6987261.story?coll=la-headlines-politics

Democrats Losing the Lease on Their Old Kentucky Home
By John M. Glionna
Times Staff Writer

December 30, 2003

LA GRANGE, Ky. — <snip> …Kentucky is among a handful of states close to the Deep South — including West Virginia, Tennessee, Missouri and Arkansas — that Bill Clinton carried in 1992 and 1996, but that George W. Bush won in 2000. Experts predict that the Democrats probably need to win some of them back to capture the presidency in 2004. .

<snip>the Republican agenda of tax cuts, a well-funded military and increased domestic security..(sells well, while)…divisive social issues, such as support for same-sex unions and abortion rights (doesn’t). "These places are conservative on social issues, hawkish on foreign affairs — and that plays into Republican hands."

… Dean… would turn off voters here if he emerges as the party's nominee .. Clark or ..Edwards …Lieberman ..would fare better, but still lose to Bush.

Kentucky's religious bent also seemingly works against the Democrats….. church attendance has become an indicator of voting preferences — those who go to services at least once a week are far more likely to back Bush than those who rarely attend.

<snip>…"With their gay rights and abortions, they just became too darned liberal."…, Kentucky Republicans claim Dean is so far out of line with voters here that he'd lose a "whisper campaign" on just his support of civil unions for gay couples.

[OldSoldier]

1. So we kill 'em with his tax cuts

If we present a handful of average Kentuckians comparing their Clinton-era tax bills to their Bush era tax bills, we'll get 'em. Their federal taxes may have gone down a few bucks, but their state and local taxes went up a lot.

Then we explain that the money that used to come back to Kentucky from federal coffers no longer does, and it has to be made up somehow.

Tagline: "How come I'm paying more in taxes after my Bush tax cuts?"

It's called Aikido.

[papau]

2. I like it"How come I'm paying more in total taxes after my Bush tax cuts?"

This shouls be a mantra from January one until the USSC vote that affirms the Democratic Party Win in 2004 (the USSC will not be allowed to commit treason again).

[pezcore64]

3. Hum

Kentucky will be an easy win for Bush in 2004. Its not that people dont support left candidates(Hell, i saw a kucinich sticker on someones car about a week ago!), its whoever takes care of the tobacco farmers. they just got an increase on the money are given for it too by fletcher(R) i do believe. *shrugs*

I wouldnt expect to see kentucky not go republican for the presidency. Now local elections on the other hand..i think we can get some more demos in some Rep seats ;)

[Lostnote03]

4. Get Rid of the Ky Ken and Barbies........

......The only qualification to be a leader within the Ky Democratic leadership is a shiney set of teeth.....ill-imformed on hot button issues as well as campaign strategies equavalent to a high school bake sale.....the recent election cycles have resulted in a total capitulation of the Ky Democratic Partys leadership and the pathetic irony is that if Chandler had decided not to run for Fletchers Congressional seat the very individuals that orchestrated our current mess were lining up to run for the vacant position.....vanity, vanity, nothing more than vanity......best wishes from the Bluegrass

[OHdem10]

5. As long as we remain a party which

plays hands off nationally and let each state "do its own thing"we just as well pack it in and become one pary system run by the Republicans.Half and some times over half the people in these states do not vote. If you are told the Republicans are going to win. and there is no interest shown in ykou and your vote--what can we expect?

Just for fun I looked up statistics in Kentucky, Mississipi and Louisianna. Over half the elgible voters did not participate. This is how Republicans win. First they have tried to convince the country and to my dismay I am amazed at how many people buy the line --the country is conservative. They work week by week with their base and keep them interested year in year out. Igive them credit for this. Locally they try to make it a social status symbol to be conservative. Suppressing the vote -- do not encourage people to mention voting or elections until it is too late to register.; knowing average people will not feel comfortable demanding special consideration for registration. Small turnout Gop wins.

Our party seen as a bunch of wussies have been complicit by not getting in there and getting the dems organized and making them proud to be democrats and ready to stand up and fight back.

They could whisper campaigns util they were purple and it would not work. The majority of church goers in the south are not "holy rollers' or fundamentalists. We have given the fundies power by not empowering the others. we are now reaping what we have sewn.

When only half or less of the people vote--GOP wins.