I'm still upset about all the bad things that are happening to my country. A Republican devoted to little more than collapsing what few government services that exist in Kentucky has been elected governor. This is the state where kids are trying to live on five or ten federally funded meals per week. That's the federal program providing free breakfast and/or lunch to kids each day during the school year. Presuming that their parents have the usual drive to preserve and protect the next generation, you have to wonder how badly the parents are suffering.
There was a profile on TV about a volunteer program where people donated food and time to send as many of these suffering kids as possible home with a nutritious meal for the weekend. Let's just say that someone misspoke or a heard wrong and that is one meal per weekend day. During school vacations and the summer, these wonderful selfless souls provide meals for those same kids every day. They don't get as far because federal funding for social programs is always getting cut. There's no way that "family values" conservatives would vote to protect children from starvation.
Now, one of those guys numbering among the worst of the worst is governor-elect. You can forget about any state funds beings appropriated to help the poor kids and their suffering parents. All that money is needed to pretend that the federal government and not simple economics is sinking the coal miners. The rich company presidents and stockholders continue to make a killing. The main difference will be that children with lung problems won't be able to see a doctor until the people get their heads out of the sand and realize that Kynect = Obamacare = the Affordable Care Act. You can bet the Republicans won't be spending any money making that people know that!
Okay. That's enough about the Republicans. Well, it isn't enough but I do hope to sleep eventually. My real anger is reserved for the Democratic Party since the Republicans can't actually disappoint me. Kentucky had 30% turnout statewide in a year with their governor's mansion up for grabs. The Democratic Party loses midterm and odd year elections for financial reasons. There is too much attention paid to the White House if the state parties are left to rot in comparison and they are. If, like me, you are getting endless letters from the DNC begging for money, you have a right to feel fed up. If, unlike me, you have some money to invest in the future of our government, give directly to your state and local parties.
Former Governor Dean of Vermont actually explained the "50 state strategy" he espoused during his term as DNC chair. Under Chairman Dean, the DNC provided each state with the funds to hire and train a small professional political staff. Each state would be responsible for training its own staff with these funds but that was a benefit. Obviously, strategies used in small rural states might be ineffective in large urban areas. Unfortunately, Dean's long term broad strategy was tossed aside with the election of President Obama and those who rode his coattails if not before that. The White House is one of those political operations that can use every political dollar that comes its way.
It seems to make sense because President Obama is such an effective messenger with a great message. Unfortunately, half the country became deranged at his election. Then Senate Minority Leader, Mitch McConnell declared that his number one policy objective was defeating the President. The monolithic Republican minorities in both the House and Senate obstructed the President every step of the way while Democrats were free to vote their consciences. This led to enough Democratic defections to dilute the Senate supermajority we held so briefly. Why? When polled time after time, the right wanted ideological purity while the left asked for compromise. My own rep and Senators love to send out emails bragging about "reaching across the aisle." I wonder how much the price of Bactine went up with all those biting and stabbing wounds.
No, you can stop even a great President from carrying out his agenda with a 50 state strategy. What does the money go to in the states? There is no such thing as a cheap race anymore. In states with the new draconian anti-voting laws, you could put gas in cars, buses and vans to bring minorities, the disabled and the elderly to these obscure places where the new IDs can be obtained. You can rent the office space where the volunteers make their voter contacts. Unless they're highly motivated like I am, it's been shown that voters may require six or eight separate contacts over two years to turn out reliably. That includes things like direct mail, doorhanging, door knocking, neighbor to neighbor persuasion and the ubiquitous phone calls asking you to vote. On a bad weather Election Day, some of those funds can go to digging out the polling places or for the purchase of umbrellas to help protect our more vulnerable voters.
I'm just using some common sense here. Trained staffs could accomplish so much more. They did so for President Obama and they will work 50 different ways in the states.
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