The Rural Democrat

Coal is Critical to our National Security

Barack Obama is trying to appeal to rural voters in Kentucky by running a coal ad that touts his accomplishment of helping secure funds for clean coal technology. (See Ad Here)  He is also planning on campaigning a bit in the Bluegrass State. I am little surprised he is but glad to see it. But I am not sure just how coal friendly Barack Obama really is, I hate to say that but it is true. 

We look at Saudi Arabia as the king of good light crude oil. Venezuela's heavier crude is becoming more coveted and is making that small country very rich. The United States is the Saudi Arabia of coal and our very future depends on providing cheap energy to America and then the world.

A study a few years ago weighed in on the possibility of the tap running dry in the Middle East and or soaring oil prices becoming a prelude to a bitter recession that could provide a death blow to part of our society as we know it. The impact on the economy would be devastating and then our national security situation becomes critical. But one light at the end of the tunnel was always our vast coal reserves and the possibility of new technology making it possible to find crude oil in once thought impossible places. The need for energy is paramount and demand is as high as it has ever been. Now we are hanging up our keys to the SUVs and talking Green, which is a good thing. Green is sexy, Green is in fashion. And coal is as demonized as it has ever been, which is not a good thing.

Clean Coal technology is possible, but it will not happen over night. The next President will, as usual, be challenged with some of the most awesome responsibilities known to man. He will be faced with historical world discontent, wars and rumors of wars will be as prevalent as California wild fires. Coal is as important as the US Army and or the Marine Corps, that is fact. But we need to make it cleaner to burn, that is also fact. Hopefully Obama will lead the charge and take clean coal technology seriously.   

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Will Clinton Democrats Play Renegade

Now that is it so clear that Barack Obama is the Democratic presidential nominee, some of the political pundits are analyzing the possibility that Clinton Democrats might flip. If the polls echo truth, we have had a very divisive Democratic primary and people are fed up.

You can tell desperation is ready to set in like bad-cold for the Clintons. I say Clintons because Bill is certainly offering his services, he wants back into the White House so bad he could...,well you know. But they will not be thought of the same ever again if they continue.

War in the State House

Earlier today Rep. Susan Westrom (D) blasted the House leadership to Mars in an email that seemingly started a new and wonderful war between rank and file members and the so called House leadership.

What will be the result of this bad blood? Speaker Stumbo?

I am currently trying to get a few opinions from other House members and so far no one wants to talk. House Majority Whip Rob Wilkey is out, Speaker Richards has, very carefully, responded. Now hopefully the press hounds the other House leaders and hopefully gets some reaction.

Governor Beshear's plans or probable plans to call a extraordinary session of the Kentucky General Assembly may be on ice for a while, if he calls it anytime within the next 3 or 4 months it will likely be a total waste.

This rift is cutting deep into the fabric of the standard quo that has been observed for a decade in the state House and with any rift is left a void and that void must be filled. Now we wait and see how far this goes.

Kentucky is the Reason Hillary Clinton is Hanging On

One thing needs to be made clear; Kentucky could be the sole reason Hillary Clinton is still in the Democratic presidential primary. Hillary is Throttling Obama 62%-28% in Kentucky and she should win West Virginia as well. There is no realistic way Hillary Clinton could win the Democratic nomination, it seems everyone knows its over except Hillary and Bill.

If Kentucky actually sees Obama more than twice I will be shocked and in West Virginia 56%, of registered Democrats favor Hillary and 27% support Obama, 17% have not made up their minds.

Lets do a little math:

According to CNN, Obama has 1845 total delegates to Hillary's 1686. If she beats Obama 30% to 70% in Kentucky and 65% 35% in West Virginia, the pledged delegate split would be 55 pledged delegates for Clinton and 24 for Obama, bringing the total delegate count to 1741 for Hillary and 1869 for Obama. If by some miracle Hillary picks up 65% of the remaining superdelegates that split would be 176 of the superdelegates for Hillary and 95 for Obama. The new grand total, leaving out Montana, Oregon, Puerto Rico and South Dakota, would be 1917 total delegates for Hillary Clinton and 1964 for Barack Obama.

As you can see Kentucky is very much in play and if Obama is wise he will spend some cash in Oregon because as of a few days ago he was leading 51% to 39%. If that holds true and the undecideds no resting at 10% split down the middle, Obama would take Hillary 56% to 44%, bringing the new total delegate count to 1993 for Obama to 1940 for Clinton.

Puerto Rico will be tough for Obama. The Latino vote will likely go Hillary and probably big, the latest poll indicates at least a 12% point victory for Hillary and I will give her that 12% gap. That would give Hillary 31 pledged delegates and Obama 24. That would bring the total delegate count to, 1971 for Hillary and 2017 for Obama.

Now for Montana; Obama was crushing Hillary there and I will give him a terrible 6 point worst case scenario win. The pledged delegates would split at 8 and that would bring the new delegate total to 2025 for Obama and 1979 for Hillary, game over, everyone go home. I didn't even bother counting South Dakota. As you can see the preceding scenario is virtually impossible and Obama still wins. Obama wins this election NO MATTER WHAT. Unless of course, Michigan and or Florida finds a way to be thrown on the wood pile, but that will not happen.

So lets enjoy the attention, hopefully we get some, and wait for the inevitable, an Obama victory.

Rep. Wilkey "conscious effort to embarrass this governor during this session" Finally Someone is Telling the Truth

Majority Whip Rob Wilkey (D) blasted the State House leadership in an email sent out to various members today. He laid it all out and also announced he will be retiring at the end his term. He heavily criticized the House Leadership for being too worried about their own House leadership positions rather than doing a good job and serving the people.

And as expected he blamed the debacle that was the 2008 session partly because of the unwillingness of key House leaders to work with Governor Beshear and exposed House members of betraying Governor Beshear in a way that will likely make it impossible to rebuild any type of trusting relationship. Wilkey accused House leaders of working to embarrass the Governor. But did place a little blame at the Governor's feet as well.

KyKurmudgeon

Referring to the obvious rift in House leadership that proved problematic during this year's General Assembly session, Wilkey wrote, "I thought we didn't serve anyone very well ... I also thought there was a conscious effort to embarrass this governor during this session. It worked. He could have done a better job of building a relationship with the House, but I also feel he was misled into believing that we would work with him. We didn't."

This email is one of the most damaging examples of what really happens behind closed doors and the childish self serving attitude of many of our House members. I think it is about time to take out our own trash and hopefully the people think the same thing.

Hillary Clinton Should Quit

Now that the "big take" primaries are over and Obama is clearly in the drivers seat with no passengers or neighboring vehicles, it is time for Clinton to hang it up or risk destroying any chance of a national future in politics. Her divisive tactics have clearly backfired and proof of that backlash is the fact that any normal candidate would have been destroyed in regards to the trouble Obama has had to deal with and yet he keeps winning.

Hopefully Clinton can find the strength to hang it up and pursue unifying a fractured party before it is too late.

CNN Projects Victory For Obama in North Carolina

The exist polls and very little initial results was apparently enough for CNN to project Barack Obama the winner in the North Carolina Democratic presidential primary. If he holds on for a victory, Hillary should, if she has any decency at all, start drafting her primary concession speech and become the catalyst for Democratic party unity.

UPDATE: One minute after I made my initial post, Obama is crushing Clinton in NC, it is early. We could be seeing history tonight as this victory would undoubtedly seal the deal for Obama and Clinton will be left with no chance.

Someone Tell SurveyUSA There is no OTHER!

The latest SurveyUSA poll for the U.S. Senate is again useless, the results are badly skewed one way or the other for Lunsford and or Fischer because of the stupid OTHER option. There are no Others, we have our candidates. If the likely voters are not willing to vote, they hang up or they answer undecided. Anyway I expect Lunsford to pull this out on name I.D alone, but I would like to see some real polling results without the damn Other.

Domestic Terrorist Bill Ayers and Barack Obama

One of the founding members of the domestic terrorist group the Weather Underground, Bill Ayers, is photoed doing the Old Glory Stomp during a photo shoot in 2001 and now has become, yet again, bad news for Barack Obama and his campaign. Although Ayers was never convicted of any Weather Underground related bombings he did say in September 2001, "I don't regret setting bombs...I feel we didn't do enough.", so he is a frigging terrorist in my book.

What is Obama's real connection with Ayers? The only official one is a small $200 campaign contribution in 2001, (HERE).  They also ran in the same political circles, served on some boards together and lived within blocks of each other, source here. But a student/teacher, surrogate father relationship is ridiculous. But this latest find of Ayers stomping on an American Flag and his support of domestic terrorism only adds fuel to the fire of intrigue. Pals or not there is a connection and it is all bad, nothing good can come of it.

Paul Browning Jr's Killer Gets Life, Eligible for Parole after 25 years

Raymond Harris was convicted for the shooting death of former Harlan County Sheriff and 2002 candidate for Sheriff Paul Browning Jr and will spend at least 25 years behind bars. But he will be eligible for parole after 25 years. I am bit surprised, a premeditated murder also linked to drug dealing and a dirty cop, was honored with a chance for parole. Amazing.

So far the players in this murder have received the following sentences:

• Raymond Harris - Life
• Dewayne Harris - 30 years
• Johnny Epperson - 20 years

Dewayne Harris testified that former Harlan Sheriff Deputy Roger Hall planed the murder and supplied the money and weapon. He has not been charged with anything yet.