About Us

Pleased to be here. (4.00 / 2)

Appreciated the invite I was given on the kos this morning, am a Vermonter with a keen interest in keeping the rural progressives Fired Up!

Am presently working on a discussion blog startup in progress, but very much look forward to reading your posts here ... and chiming in as someone from an area presently represented by good Dems, but never takes that for granted.

It's an important focus that you offer, and if you'd like us to route some like-minded folks your way, would be happy to.

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by: hardybear @ Sun Apr 05, 2009 at 15:53:43 PM UTC

Thank you (4.00 / 1)

for the the comment and offer and good luck with your discussion group and blog. I envy the fact that you live in a area represented by good progressive Dems. It's very lonely here in Kentucky's 2nd congressional District if you're a progressive. It's also frustrating, but I haven't given up yet.  

©"Never before have so few with so much promised to take away so much from so many and then laugh their asses off as the so many with so little vote for the so few with so much."
A James Pence Quote

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by: Hillbilly @ Sun Apr 05, 2009 at 17:54:03 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

us folk (4.00 / 2)

dungaree from Tennessee checking in. I have a couple of theories why rural states tend to elect republicans. 1.)Here in East TN there are some areas which do not have access to quality newsprint and if DishTV and broadband internet do not fit within the budget then you are left to the tender mercies of paid TV ads for political opinion. 2.) A lot of rural folk are farmers or ranchers who are very self reliant and independent which readily accepts the logic of repugs that social programs are for those too lazy to work and are degrading.3.) I think we inherit a lot of poor education and poverty, consequently negative TV ads work very well.

Factors such as these can swing an election by the 5% or so needed to win. I was born in Union county, TN about which my father-in-law said " It's dirt was so poor that it would need fertilizing to make a brick" and a friend said that it had only two industries, 'sheriffin and moonshinnin'.

Looking at some past elections, Al Gore(son of a senator and raised in expensive schools to become president)could not communicate with hillbillies and thus could not carry his home state. Sen. Corker was narrowly elected because he was running against a colored candidate (I left out the factor that in the south there is a lot of racism left). Of course Obama never stood a chance as a colored, yankee candidate. Our other senator, Alexander, (who has been sucking at the public teat soooooo long)found the key to success by walking across the state(700 mi) dressed as a farmer. He had previously been mayor, govenor and chancellor of Univ of TN.

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by: dungaree @ Sun Apr 05, 2009 at 17:24:10 PM UTC

Wow (0.00 / 1)

when I read you comment I got cold chills. I felt as if you were my brother or sister in this battle to change rural America. It's obvious you have a  deep understanding of what we are up against and you say it so eloquent. We had the same problem here in Kentucky during the last election. We worked our rear ends off to git rid of Senator Mitch McConnell, but as you put it racism still exist here and a black presidential candidate killed the down ticket senatorial race here.
I also worked my rear end of to help Obama win, but we didn't get it done here in Kentucky. I even went to Springfield when he announced and shot video of his announcement Click here to view our videos.. Thank you for the comment.
Hillbilly

©"Never before have so few with so much promised to take away so much from so many and then laugh their asses off as the so many with so little vote for the so few with so much."
A James Pence Quote

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by: Hillbilly @ Sun Apr 05, 2009 at 18:16:51 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

2004 vs 2008 (4.00 / 1)

I live in a small subdivision atop a ridge. The houses are middle middle class and the occupants are mostly educated but certainly not politically and politically correct. In 2004 my Kerry sign was mighty lonesome amid 10-12 Bush yard signs. In 2008 there was my Obama sign  opposed by two, I repeat two, McCain signs. I have pondered why the change and cannot come up with unified reason. I suggest the following:

My first concept is that it was embarrassment over Bush

Secondly is that times are a-changing. Since we are talking about folk who are better educated and are economically a little better off than most in the south then maybe they are the leading edge in recognizing change.

Last, I think Obama being a candidate generated an interest in national politics. Folk began to pay attention and to reason.

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by: dungaree @ Sun Apr 05, 2009 at 20:00:08 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

2004 (4.00 / 1)

I literally got sick when George Bush defeated Kerry.
 

©"Never before have so few with so much promised to take away so much from so many and then laugh their asses off as the so many with so little vote for the so few with so much."
A James Pence Quote

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by: Hillbilly @ Sun Apr 05, 2009 at 20:17:22 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

See for yourself what is deemed, defended and supported in (0.00 / 0)

East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia as high quality health care.  www.wisecountyissues.com/?p=62 It's on public record in Greeneville Federal Court, case no. 2:04-cv-375.  Profit care comes way ahead of patient care in this area.  MRSA should not be in our communities and breeding in emergency rooms, but apparently the health departments in TN and VA says it's nothing to be concerned about.  Go Figure ?

Change is coming from the bottom up in Appalachia !

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by: tmullins @ Mon Apr 27, 2009 at 01:58:41 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

See what is deemed, defended and supported as acceptable standards of health care (0.00 / 0)

in Tennessee and Virginia.  Profit care comes ahead of Patient care.  Please copy/paste

www.wisecountyissues.com/?p=62

Their slick ads are nothing at all like what took them three years to disprove while still running these disgusting ads.  It's on public record in Greeneville, Tennessee Federal Court, case no. 2:04-cv-375.  

Post OP they were warned to watch for a bleed, my father was bleeding internally but the nurse was playing doctor without a license, he was discontinuing meds, starting meds, his prognosis was Sundowner's Syndrome.  My father was showing ALL the signs of hypovolemic shock, BP way down, heartrate way up, confusion, no urine output, blood sugar up around 599...  it's on public record that the hospital and their expert nursing instructor from University of Tennessee said it could have been caused because the room temperature was set too high.  This 3 day procedure turned into a ten month long nightmare but the hospital and everyone involved said it was acceptable.  Or at least they agreed with this nursing instructor, if she's teaching this at UT, there's a lot of nursing students and new nurses that need to realize this patient may be bleeding internally and needs to go back to surgery, they let him lay there moribund for 15 hours bleeding while they were giving him blood all this time.  "Waiting to see if the bleeding would stop on it's own."   I asked for a hospital board review five years ago and they pretty much told me I could go to hell.  

How's that for a health care system that advertises " We are here to listen to you, or patient safety is my no 1 concern, we treat you like family.  The best one was "I knew you would be with me every step of the way."  This man walked into their hospital and was let down from top to bottom until he had to have both legs amputated.  If that's the best they can do, affordable health care won't be much account, they are patting themselves on the back at their health care quality.  

Am concerned about all this flu, mixed with children, emergency rooms and MRSA.  

Change is coming from the bottom up in Appalachia !

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by: tmullins @ Mon Apr 27, 2009 at 01:45:21 AM UTC