Very good interview.
Stepp is a solid voice for eastern Kentucky. He has obviously read the demo- and politico- graphics of the district. Like parts of the 3rd District in Jefferson County, there are a large number of registered Democrats voting Republican in too many elections. But, as Stepp points out, the National Republican Party, through Bush and others, including Congressman Rogers, have pushed too far, crossing the line from national security into violations of civil rights and privacy laws. They assume they can cover their invasions of privacy with lip service on conservative social issues. And while many Kentucky Democrats have distanced themselves from some of those policies which the National Democratic Party might sell in San Francisco or New York, Stepp is well aware those same voters are just as repulsed by the actions of the current administration, especially as they regard the President's War in Iraq.
As the scandals mount in Washington DC, and the inept Republican governor in Kentucky continues to amaze, opportunities are created for folks like Kenneth Stepp in eastern Kentucky.
Very good work.
That's great Daniel. Thanks for deleting my comment. Don't you want an honest discussion on here or are you bent on spewing your partisan garbage? I promise, even rural Kentuckians can see through the fog. We're not confused as you folks in the big city might like to think. Stepp is out of step with Rural Kentucky!
I did not delete any comments
Great interview, Daniel. I got so excited I followed up with an email to Stepp, asking for info on his campaign org, someone to join up with. He responded in a couple of hours, a knowledgeable and thoughtful message back to me.
But I never did find out who is helping him run the campaign, or who might be available for volunteers to contact. His website is only an amateurish blog, with all due respect. Hope he becomes more developed in the science of getting his message out, and soon.
This guy could beat a scandal-ridden Hal in November; he's grounded in the rural Kentucky hills, and has progressive ideas for Change in Kentucky. HB.
"Step(p) Up for Honesty and Effective Government in Kentucky's 5th ... vote Ken Stepp, Democrat for Congress on Nov 7, '06."
Yeah, cigarettes are bad for you and every Kentucky Tobacco farmer is giving people cancer. That's just what rural Kentuckians want to hear. Thanks Stepp. I guess we should all sell the family farm & move to the big city where we can get jobs packing vegetables.
Kenneth Stepp (KS) said "fundraising will be a problem…”
The book Crashing the Gate, tells how important small givers can be. I encourage KS and his supporters get on the blogs and ask for small contributions.
Suggest $10, $20, $50 or $75 a month or every two weeks between now and the election in November. Point out that small givers can out give big donors if enough small givers chip in.
Another tactic is at political gatherings, pass the basket. Tell people they can change the world. Put their change in the basket. Give what they are willing and able. Dollars can be put in the basket too. Give cheerfully because God loves a cheerful giver.
KS also said "the Democratic Party needs to have good contact with rural people in order to continue to win elections in Kentucky." Very true.
But what are we offering rural Kentuckians? Nothing much as I see it. That's why I advocate legalizing all things hemp.
Hemp grown in Kentucky will produce farming jobs. It will produce manufacturing and retail outlet jobs to sell hemp products made in Kentucky.
This is a bio-regional renewable and sustainable economic strategy. It can cushion us from adverse swings in the national and global markets.
Historically, Kentucky grew hemp in the 1800s. Kentucky was a fairly prosperous state because of it. Today, about $290 million dollars worth of hemp products are sold in the US. That hemp comes from China, Romania, Canada and France.
That's money that could be made right here in the US. And why won't Kentucky's elected Republican officials promote legalizing all things hemp? They are not interested in improving the economic well being of Kentuckians.
Republicans try to scare Kentuckians by saying that hemp is "marijuana" and is a dangerous and addictive drug. "Marijuana" is a slang term for the cannabinoid THC.
THC is neither a drug nor addictive. It's an element the body needs. It can break addiction to drugs including alcohol and tobacco. It can cure cancer, and doesn't cause lung cancer even if smoked.
THC can be regulated the same way wine is regulated. As such it would be a good source of revenue that could go into public education.
Regulated, it would undercut the market for illegal drugs, and dry up that market.
Republicans call the $69 billion dollar a year "War on Drugs" as success. The Wall Street Journal calls it a failure.
Republicans call it a success based on the number of people who are locked up for possession & use of drugs and hemp. That's about 2.2 million.
That's 2.2 million families the Republicans have damaged. And the Republicans claim to be the party of family values? Damaging families is a family value?
Now Republicans want to define what a family can be and who can or cannot be a family member. They call it a marriage amendment.
That's an attack on liberty and justice for all. Republicans are against American values.
I agree what David Dunn said about Republicans--or at least the Republican leadership--being against American values. Invading small countries and holding them under military occupation? That's not an American value. That's what the Republicans did when we invaded Nicaragua in the 1920's and held them under military occupation, allegedly to defend "Consitutional Government". The only thing our army of occupation in Nicaragua in the 1920's accomplished was long-lasting feelings of bitterness against the American people by the Nicaraguans, that surfaced sixty years later during the Reagan Adminstration when the Sandinistas took control of Nicaragua and aligned themselves with Fidel Castro. No, people don't react kindly to being militarily occupied. I don't think that the people of Iraq will kindly remember this time of military occupation of Iraq.
Warrantless wiretaps is another issue where the Republican leadership is out of touch with rural Kentucky and the American people. People don't want unwarranted government spying on them.
The Republican leadership, and Hal Rogers are out of touch with the rural Eastern Kentuckians on coal mine safety. The House Republican leadership and Hal Rogers prefer the Senate coal mine safety bill only requiring two hours of emergency oxygen available to underground coal miners. It is cheaper to have only two hours of oxygen supply on hand underground for each underground miner, and boosts corporation profits. The Democratic, and my, response is that the coal mine corporations should be required to have a two days' supply of oxygen underground for each underground miner working underground. If that much oxygen had been available, it would have saved the lives of approx. 3 coal miners in Harlan County in the most recent coal mine disaster there, and would have saved the lives of approx. 12 underground coal miners in the disaster in the West Virginia coal mines earlier this year.
No, in response to "Anonymous", it is Hal Rogers, George Bush, Ernie Fletcher, and their Republican leadership that are out of touch with the rural people of Eastern Kentucky.
Another response to "Anonymous", O.K. I'm a 'vegetable' and you are a 'cigarette', O.K.? Now go smoke yourself.
You can convince the people to support candidates that vote for policies like that, if you spend enough money. Right now, it looks like Hal Rogers can spend fifteen dollars per majority voter, to get a majority of the voters to vote for him. But then, what have they got?
Kenneth Stepp
As another man with the same name I have to say I'm very proud of Mr Stepp. I hope he never gives up.
Ken B Stepp
Ken Stepp is a good person. Its 2009 now..and we have another chance to get rid of Rogers.
Look into Jim Holbert.
Commenting by HaloScan
