Over Memorial day weekend Libertarians came together from across the country and around the world to nominate their president and vice presidential candidates at their annual national party convention. And for many the top of the ticket for the fall and the general election season is troubling, deeply troubling.
But lets look at it from this perspective for just a minute, shall we? My prediction is that the Johnson-Weld ticket will be Libertarian-lite in that they’ll run under the Libertarian party banner but will, instead, draw from the well of the Never Trump Never Hillary movements in a kind of “A Coalition of the Willing.” Or as Bill Clinton and Dick Morris did so infamously in the 1990’s, “Triangulation.”
In either case I like Bill Weld and have enormous respect for Gary Johnson, ever since 2011 when he first ran for the presidency. Then as now Johnson stands for some of the same things that I do, but with Charles and David Koch, through Bill Weld, pulling on Johnson like he’s a puppet and they’re the masters even I can’t stomach that!
I hate Charles and David Koch with every fiber of my being for what they have done to this great country of ours and this beautiful world in which we all live. They are evil incarnate, in my opinion, and hell itself would be a far worse place with them in it.
I call LINO – Libertarian in Name Only! And for those disgruntled and disaffected Libertarians I offer this as your Battle Cry:
Hold fast, and as Jesse Ventura says, “Stay Vigilant…”
–Rhett.
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER, SHARE! PLEASE? THANK YOU. COME AGAIN.
The Honorable Paul D. Wellstone, PD-MN. (July 21, 1944 – October 25, 2002)
Years ago PD – Progressive DemocratPaul David Wellstone very famously quipped: My name is Paul Wellstone and I represent the Democratic wing of the Democratic party! And ever since the Democratic party has been trying to figure out what such a human qualifier like that even means?
But with the advent of Progressive firebrands like Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren that human qualifier is being answered.
This weekend the Libertarian party or Libertarian National Committee held its national convention in Orlando, FL. C-Span covered the live event. I pretty much watched it all the way through, making a few exceptions for normally scheduled television and “honey-dos” for my lovely wife along the way. LOL.
I live in Kentucky and a few weeks prior to this event I sat down and made this video on Kentucky primary day for 2016. Take a look:
As most of you know I am throughly disgusted with the 2016 Democratic primary process. In particular how it is that Hillary Clinton has come so far without real question or scrutiny? Essentially, being handed my Democratic party’s nomination for the presidency of the United States of America in two thousand and sixteen.
But after this weekend and the last Libertarian presidential debate on C-span for 2016, and the epic opening and closing statements of Dr. Marc Allan Feldman and Mr. Darryl W. Perry my faith in humanity and the Democratic party has been renewed! Because it was both these men that managed to stir the echoes and fan the flames of democratic progressivism anew for me personally. Watch.
Hearing these men’s words and the stir of echoes from the late great Paul Wellstone in 1990 when it was first running for the United States Senate from Minnesota has renewed and restored my faith in the Democratic part of the Democratic wing of the Democratic party. Renewed that there is hope. Promise. And people out there filled to overflowing with a heart for the People of America and the World.
We cannot now nor anytime in the future let up folks. Our foot must stay on the gas pedal of progress, BUT not the kind of progress we’re seeing today. Instead it should be the progress that people like Senator Wellstone and so many others have advocated for, some for years some for decades, from the very beginning.
That healthcare for all is a fundamental right and not a privilege. That people deserve and have earned the right to a livable wage and a standard of living with access to housing and public transportation that is commiserate with the times. The right to organize and unionize for representation at the table of free markets. That as Americans we have a right to expect that our government will keep its nose out of our bedrooms and off our bodies. The right to come and go as we please and do business or not do business; politically, socially or ecumenically with nation’s, Peoples and places of our choosing. And the right that when we retire medicare, Medicaid and social security will be their for us in the twilight of our ‘golden years’.
To many these ideals seem ‘high-minded’, ‘professorial’ and downright nice, BUT they are ideals ‘devoid of reality’, for now. But that through the advent of time, hard work, dedication and small ball politics we’ll get there, eventually. Afterall this is not Scandinavia or the Republic of Myanmar, we are told. “Hello. I’m earth. Have we met?” And so it goes, right?
I am all for third political parties because they keep the Republican and Democratic parties honest and accountable. They hold the two-party system in this country to a full accounting of the American people. Moving forward in 2016 third political parties can and should expect more mainstream viewership.
And speaking of, “money in politics” or the epic Citizens United Supreme Court case I have to, as a Progressive Democrat, draw a line in the sand. And push back against the idea that somehow people like Charles and David Koch, Foster Friess and Sheldon Adelson, just to name a few BIG MONEY donors, will get to dictate to Us, We the American Voters that is, how our political process or Our Future should be.
BIG MONEY politics is not a march towards progress at all, instead its a means to an end.
That is WHY I am renewed, restored and resolved to making the Democratic party Democratic again. Progressive again. Giving people a viable alternative(s) that will speak to and do far more than just be this candidate or a part of that political movement because its popular or politically expedient.
Because it’s not about a person or a slogan, a campaign or a dream, instead its about us, all of us together. We are, after all, all in this thing called life together and we are only as good as the person next to us. No better and no worse.
My name is Rhett E. Column (aka David Davidson) and I represent the Democratic wing of the Democratic party! Care to join me in the march towards progressive ideals?
–Rhett.
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER, SHARE! PLEASE? THANK YOU. COME AGAIN.
David, as you all know by now, is the 2014 Libertarian Candidate for United States Senate and he is being blacked out. CENSORED.
CENSORED by an Establishment, an Elite Ruling Class that is in its last hell-bent throes for power. Desperate to hang on to the last best vestiges of a bygone era of doing business and holding court over you and I.
Last night two of the six candidates for United States Senate here in Kentucky debated on Kentucky Educational Television (K.E.T.) for a little over an hour. Being careful, since it was their first, last, and only publicly televised debate, to do damage to each other but with reverent honor and distinction for the institution known as the United States Senate.
Grimes and McConnell got it on, so to speak, for all the marbles. Leaving nothing to chance. No political stone left unturned. No mountain top, peak or and perhaps even valley left uncharted.
And if you were an establishment person, an institution person McConnell and Grimes both did you proud. And now, now its up to you to decide. To get out and vote! Go to the polls and vote for your establishment candidate of choice. Home stretch and all. ‘Spahn and Sain and Pray for Rain.’
Former Boston Braves Greats Warren Spahn & Johnny Sain …
That like the Boston Braves greats of old that somehow the Establishment, the Ruling Class of the Political Day has attempted to Spawn an Insane protactinium theory that McConnell and Lundergan-Grimes is all that there is under the bright sunshine of ‘Our Old Kentucky Home’ to choose from. That, that is it. That’s all. You, you just have to, well, I don’t think anyone but these two could demonstrate any better what it is that you are supposed to do on November the 4th 2014 fellow voter …
Former McConnell 2014 Campaign Manager Jesse R. Benton (left) and incumbent U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell, Republican-Kentucky (right)
Especially here in the Bluegrass State anyways…
That yeah, you know its painful. Like anything we had hoped to have you someone to choose from this year. We gave it the old college try in Primary 2013-2014 boy, we truly and surely did, but try as we may, try as we might we just couldn’t find anyone else any better than McConnell and Grimes, Grimes and McConnell. So, so that’s it. And so you’ll just have to go into the voting booth or up to your favorite electronic voting machine, and cast your lot with McConnell or Grimes.
This, this third-party stuff man, listen you, you just don’t wanna fool with any of that stuff man! Why you’ll just be a wastin’ your time is all. Not only that you’ll be a wastin’ your vote, thrownin’ it a way BIG TIME! And you don’t wanna do somethin’ as thick-headed as that now do ya? Well do ya?!
Third party vote smird thardy vote. Independent Kentucky, ha that’s a laugh! Sounds more like Kentucky horse pucky ta me is all. And it should be ta you too!
WHY, why a vote for one uh them guys and u’ll just be a votin’ for the guy, oh shucks I mean gal, that you, I mean us, I mean we, really don’t want up in their anyways. Sides she’ll just set Kentucky back 50 years in the Senatorial process ole Alison will. Just like Mitch has been a tryin’ ta tell us is all. Listen he’s, he’s established up there. Brings home the bacon and stuff. And if you cast your lot with Alison it’ll just leave ole Rand Paul up there all by his lonesome and you really don’t wanna do that to good ole Doc Rand Paul now do ya? Well do ya?!
Well alright then.. So c’mon now, let’s get this here thing ta gether, hold your nose, I mean,vote for Mitch McConnell for 6 more years, shut up about it and go away. Mitch u’ll decide, he’ll decide for himself whilst he’s up in Washington a representin’ you and me whether or not he wants ta re tire.
Sides he’s elderly and he needs more time to think! And 30 more, I mean six more years to decide a what he wants ta do is plenty a time.
And so it goes… Or so they want for it to go anyways!
But and alas you and I do have a choice. Choices galore when we go into that voting booth or approach that favorite electronic voting machine or even the old paper ballot on November the 4th… Especially here in Kentucky!
We have every opportunity. Every chance to change and in fact shift the political para dime on its very axis.
That is why between now and November the 4th 2014 I invite and encourage you to get to know the other, other guy. The little guy or gal that doesn’t have that D or R attached to their name.
That is not bought, sold, and traded to the highest Koch Brothers bid. That doesn’t pick up the phone and hit 1 for David Bossie every time a vote to REPEAL ‘Citizens United’ comes up in the United States Senate.
Mr. David Bossie, President and Founder of the Citizens United Group …
Someone that won’t be ‘beholden to the special interests in Washington’ truly! And that’s for real.
Across the country and throughout the Commonwealth of Kentucky a slew of third-party candidates exists and is waiting for your vote!
SO, this year, this November the 4th, “Election Day 2014 in America”. VOTE! V-O-T-E… #VoteBetter, #VoteSmarter and #VoteLibertarian just to piss off the Establishment! #SeeYouAtThePolls
Until then, “Good night and good luck fellow voter…”
Peace.
–Rhett.
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER, SHARE! PLEASE? THANK YOU. COME AGAIN.
For the record I have always liked and appreciated our state’s public television outlet. They have very interesting, entertaining as well as informative programming on their airwaves but when they deliberately and effectually black out or CENSOR a candidate or candidates for high office then I have a problem and frankly we all should.
CENSORED … From the David Patterson for U.S. Senate, 2014, Campaign …
What right, rhyme or reason does K.E.T. have to censor David Patterson? To put tape over his mouth, essentially, and say, “shut up, no one wants to hear from you!” Since when did they become the arbiter of information? Furthermore who placed them in such a high standing?
I have long contended that it is the Establishment, the Political Establishment, in both Washington, D.C. and Frankfort, KY. that is desirous to see that no one but Mitch McConnell and Alison Lundergan-Grimes are heard from. #sadbuttrue
The State Capitol Building in Frankfort, KY. U.S.A., 2014…
They have done all that they can. Pulled out all the stops! Leaving nothing to chance up to and including, and I have this on good authority, threatening ,Kentucky Educational Executive Director and C.E.O. Shae Hopkins, to pull K.E.T. funding for the rest of the year ‘if David Patterson is allowed on that debate stage with Alison and Mitch’.
Now! You can take that with a grain of salt if you want to. I would not fault you if you did because and basically its my word against theirs and I am not about to compromise my source’s safety and security per their job, home and family. I will not!
But and to me the powers that be, the political elites and ruling class of the day have some explaining to do. Some accountability in which to attend. They can either put up or shut up.
Truthfully, and you know what they should have done friends. They should have just come on out with it. Revealed their truth. Admittedly, publicly and privately, to David Patterson, “Look brother you’re a heck of a nice guy. A good public servant. You do great constable work for us over their in Harris County, KY. And you are a good friend and confident to many in your community. But the bottom line is this we just do not want you on that public debate stage with our chosen candidates. We don’t! And we would just appreciate it very much if you and your followers/supporters would just go home now and let us handle this. We know what is best for the people of this state. We don’t want to hear what third political party folks have to say, though mighty nice folks that they are, just like ole Gatewood Galbraith was, but we, we know how to handle this thing here. How to handle and conduct business by the people. We know what’s best for these people better than they know for themselves. So be a good boy and run on back home where you belong now, okay? Thank you!”
The Honorable Steven L. Beshear, Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky … 2014 photo
He would and should personally come to David Patterson and just come clean. Just confess that it is he and his Establishment Allies in Frankfort and in Washington strong-arming Shae Hopkins & Co. over at K.E.T. But and in fact he won’t because he is not a man of integrity, honesty and fairness. He does not play by the rules. He never has. In fact he makes many of the rules up as he goes along. He has for years. Respectfully.
But and in the interests of the ‘teachable moment’ here is some encouragement for him to turn things around. Watch!
Despite the rudeness of the former Governor of Kentucky turned Kentucky State Senator Julian M. Carroll, Democrat, in this video, there is a lesson to be learned, a clear-cut example of up front honesty. Julian Carroll doesn’t want 3rd political party folks to be heard from. (Especially these days.) Period. Full stop.
He only wants the two-party system to be heard and seen. Voted on, talked to and dealt with ,directly, for space, time and memorial on.
This alternative stuff has no place, and he has no time for it. I can and do respect the State Senator for his up front honesty with Independent Kentucky Chair Michael P.W. Lewis, to a degree.
Michael is a good man, and a great social media friend and political Allie of mine. But truthfully he had no business treating Michael like that. Direct and frank honesty not withstanding. Respectfully.
In the interests of full disclosure I used to be a lot like State Senator Carroll in my own way of thinking and processing toward folks like David and Michael.
I was a Republican for a long time, then I left the party after the 2004 presidential election, went to the Constitution Party and then in 2008 switched to the Democrat Party as I consider myself a LIBERAL(TARIAN) democrat.
I used to think them crazy. Think them tin foil hat wearer folks who couldn’t govern their way out of a wet paper sack for years. That was until I ran headlong into a fellow Kentuckian and now long-time friend Mr. William Edward Parker of Louisville, KY. W. Ed Parker is one of the finest men I have ever met and known in my entire life. Another political giant in the process toward freedom, justice, equality and independence.
The Constitution Party of the United States of America, Logo for 2014 …
I first met Mr. Parker when he was running for the Congress out of Louisville with the Constitution Party (of Kentucky) against than long-time incumbent Anne Northup, a Republican, to my knowledge Mr. Parker and Congresswoman Northup had no public or private debates together? Not one! But through it all. Through the blackout and censorship process Ed Parker kept his cool, his calm and his wits about him, slogged on, and still managed to give Anne Northup a run for her political money.
Former U.S. Congresswoman Anne Northup, Republican-Kentucky (Louisville’s 3rd Congressional District)
The point being here is that David Patterson has well-earned the right to be heard. Doesn’t matter if the powers that be in Frankfort or Washington D.C. don’t wish him to be heard. Rules are rules, rules by the way, long-established by the Establishment themselves, and when David good and well jumped through those hoops. Those rings of discontent, entanglement and strife the powers that be in both Frankfort and Washington, D.C. got angry and they have been angry ever since. And that’s just the fact of the matter
Don’t you think for one single solitary minute that those in Power & Authority over Us will ‘go quietly into that long good night’. They will not! But, and there is evidence that they are certainly tiring.
As and at that time they only wanted to hear from and lend space to McConnell and Grimes.
The President of Centre College said of David Patterson, “just because he’s on the ballot doesn’t mean that he is going to get to debate.” Can you imagine?
Centre College Logo, Danville, KY. 2014 …
Does such a pressure need to be brought to bear against KET? Should it? Shae Hopkins & Co. are public employees, essentially. Should We The People rise up in one accord agreement as we did against Centre College for not allowing or permitting David Patterson to debate? Should we? I think we should!
Granted we only got 19 people from across the country and around the world to sign on. But those 19 people helped and continue to help to this day to give David Patterson that all-important opportunity to be heard. That’s all! We just want to be heard.
I mean it would be one thing if David was just some crank or crackpots. Some crazy that didn’t have a good rhyme or reason to be there in the first place. I would be the first one to say good on KET for controlling the debate process, our debate process. But and alas David Patterson is no crank or crackpots much less crazy although and I’m sure David’s wife and family would give me odds, lol.
He is a good man with a plan, and although this is his first time to run for higher office he has a Platform on which to lead.
He has the ability to stand on his own two feet, talk and debate the issues of the day with a Mitch McConnell or Alison Grimes or anyone else for that matter. And to that end he should be heard.
Rightly and properly vetted by We The People. Considered fully on the basis of his merits, abilities and raw thought process. Rising and falling on all that and more throughout this whole process. The national midterm election is less than a month away folks. This is critical.
That is WHY we need #KySen Candidate David Patterson on that KET debate stage, in less than a week now from this coming Monday.
The voters need to hear what this man has got to say! Trust me when I say David Patterson is the REAL DEAL. What you see is what you will get. No freckles. No frills. Just plain Jane good old-fashioned honesty and excellence. The kind of good on you stuff that we need in Washington, and Frankfort too for that matter!
The Libertarian Party of Kentucky Logo, 2014, Ken Moellman State Party Chair … http://www.lpky.org
David is the 2014 Libertarian Candidate for Senate and is being kept from debating by Kentucky Educational Television (K.E.T.) because he did not raise $100,000.00 or more in a single campaign quarter to be allowed or permitted to debate. Despite having jumped through every other political establishment hoop in Frankfort, KY. (the State’s Capitol) and Washington, D.C. (our Nation’s Capitol) to get on the ballot across the state.
And while I have my theories here are but a few of the reasons WHY KET Executive Director & C.E.O. Shae Hopkins: http://www.ket.org/about/ceo.htm
1. The political establishment in Frankfort & Washington just doesn’t want David to be heard.
2. They have threatened, Governor Steven L. Beshear, Shae Hopkins and told her IF she lets David on that stage the State will withhold ‘Big Bird’s paycheck next month’.
Either way it is interesting to me how they have done David. He has well-earned his right to be heard, along with everyone else in this country not of Republican or Democrat stripe!
And so, I’m calling out Shae Hopkins and the Powers that Be in Frankfort and Washington. Let David Patterson Debate! #VoteBetter #VoteSmarter #VoteLibertarian #KySen
Peace.
–Rhett.
37.083389-88.600048
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER, SHARE! PLEASE? THANK YOU. COME AGAIN.
Mr. David Patterson, 2014 Libertarian Candidate for United States Senate, Kentucky .. A Campaign 2014 Photo, URL: http://david4senate.com/
HARRODSBURG, KY. — Most people in the free world have probably never ever heard of a place called Harrodsburg let alone a guy named David Patterson. And such a fact of the matter is by design.
You see David Patterson of Harrodsburg, KY. is running for United States Senate here in Kentucky and in two thousand and fourteen (2014) no less. But he is not running as the usual political suspect. The suspect being? Democrat or Republican in this particular case. No! He is running as a Libertarian. And that is considered a No, No in Kentucky politics. It amounts to saying Abraham Lincoln was never born much less raised in Kentucky and that former U.S. Senator and former Vice President Alben W. Barkley was a lousy politician. Perish the thought!
And so and since 11 August 2014 when David became an official candidate for the United States Senate in Kentucky the Establishment in Frankfort and Washington, D.C. has pulled out all the stops. Cornering the political, social and ecumenical market as early and oft as they can. Also by design.
“.. ..David Patterson says that with two full months before the debate, KET’s qualifying criteria was tailored to prevent his participation.
“We had less than 4 days between the filing deadline and the closure of KET’s qualification period,” Patterson said in a release. “We weren’t even given a copy of the criteria until after the deadline.”
Patterson says that KET’s new criteria to debate required candidates to have raised at least $100,000 while polling at 10 percent or higher in at least one independent poll. The deadline to accomplish this was August 16 and Patterson only officially became a candidate on August 11. He has polled at 7 percent in two polls since then.
The debate is set to air October 13. …”
2014 Libertarian Candidate for United States Senate stands in the Capitol Rotunda, Frankfort, KY., on 11 August 2014 when he OFFICIALLY became a Candidate for United States Senate, #KYSOS
Such will not suffice! It will not stand because someone somewhere namely former Governor of Kentucky and Kentucky State Senator Julian M. Carroll, KYSD7 orKET thinks its great that the State is getting all the world-wide media attention because somehow and this time ‘its different’! ‘And we just don’t need no outside agitators coming in and ruining our one good moment in a long, long time in the spotlight with a lot of bunk and double talk about 3rd political parties. No one here is interested in that crap! Now, go a way.’ And so it goes. …
But and respectfully we call a pox upon both your houses and your media arm.
You have no right, no right to control what should be the free flow of information and civil discourse between legally recognized by ballot access obtained candidates for this or any other high office. No right! Period. Full stop.
To that end We, the Undersigned, and DEEPLY CONCERNED Citizens of the Commonwealth of Kentucky invite and encourage you openly to join us! Join with us in telling Kentucky Educational Television (KET) to OPEN the DEBATE stage up to David Patterson, 2014 Libertarian Candidate for United States Senate!
He has well-earned his right to be heard and seen, and we take a um bridge with this tactic of CENSORSHIP of ‘Media Blackout’ by an Establishment hell-bent on the dumbing down and under-information of a reasonable and intelligible society that is in fact perfectly capable of deciding this or any other national and or statewide election cycle. We are the ones who do not need, want or desire outside agitators in the form of Julian Carroll and his political ilk. Former and once honorable Governor of the State be damned.
This petition when signed and shared will go directly to one Shae Hopkins, Executive Director and CEO for Kentucky Educational Television encouraging her to fear not the Establishment’s idle threats of withholding ‘Big Bird’s paycheck if you let David Patterson near the debate stage’. This petition reminds her and all concerned of the need for civil discourse and the free flow of information to a society at large and throughout the Commonwealth of Kentucky that regularly and actively participates in the Democratic process called Voting.
We have every well-earned, well-endowed, and well-established right to hear from all the Candidates running for elected office. Especially David Patterson. And CENSORSHIP will not be tolerated. Thank you and, “Good night and good luck fellow Voter…”
Bluegrass Blue instead of Green? Say it ain’t so! My friend and colleague Mr. Bill Goodman, host of “Kentucky Tonight,” on KET (Public Television) in Lexington, KY., RECENTLY had a sit down with political powerbrokers from across the Commonwealth of Kentucky to talk shop on the state’s budget, jobs, economy, etc.
Work, Labor/Trade Unions and control of the KY State House of Representatives by the time Fall 2014 arrives and Election Day in early November, now less than 100 days away btw. Ready? Studied up on and heard well from your candidate(s) of choice?
A lot is on the line folks, and that’s just what my buddy Bill Goodman laid out in his famed, “Bill’s Eye” Blog. Check it out, via the link below. Thanks and be well…
We’re just inviting you to take a timeout into the rhythmic ambiance of our breakfast, brunch and/or coffee selections. We are happy whenever you stop by.
Say What News?! 