Just joking! (Though he likely has.)
McConnell - the longtime right-wing senator from Kentucky - apparently thinks it's still 1980! Or maybe he doesn't, but his followers sure as shit do.
A few days ago, I received a campaign mailing from the Associated Builders and Contractors Free Enterprise Alliance. Free enterprise! It's one of these catchphrases used by conservatives to keep justifying a failed system.
Today I looked up this organization online, and it turns out it's an industry lobbying group that's also been responsible for mailers, TV ads, and harassing robocalls in other states - many of which attack candidates for their stance on labor unions. The Associated Builders and Contractors Free Enterprise Alliance is virulently anti-union, judging from these efforts. And everything I've seen from it so far either assails Democrats or supports Republicans.
The outside of the Kentucky mailing that I received from the group thunders about the high price of everything. But when you open it up, the flyer refuses to place the blame where it belongs. Instead it attacks McConnell's Democratic opponent Bruce Lunsford (who holds no elected office and doesn't seem to have ever been in the oil business) for somehow raising gas prices.
I swear I am not making this up.
The basis for this attack? The mailer itself has to go way back to 1980 to find anything. 1980!!! Apparently, Lunsford worked in state government at the time and somehow caused the legislature to raise the gas tax by 12 cents a gallon - although he was not a legislator.
They're worried about 12 cents in 1980???
How about when gas prices went up by $2.15 in 2008??? Whose fault was that???
I don't like paying an extra 12 cents either, but I hate the extra $2 even more. My parents could still afford to drive in 1980 after the 12-cent hike; I can't afford it in 2008 after the $2 increase.
Though the mailer doesn't mention Mitch McConnell, it's not a stretch to assume the Associated Builders and Contractors Free Enterprise Alliance backs him. Mitch the Glitch has also been one of the most powerful senators through all the nationwide gas price hikes of recent years. What did McConnell do to stem fuel costs?
Not one fucking thing, that's what.
I'm not a huge Bruce Lunsford fan, but come on!
The hypocrisy is just teeming out of that mailer. McConnell was part of the Republican machine that's manipulated fuel costs for at least the entire decade, and this flyer is complaining about Lunsford causing a 12-cent hike 28 years ago?
This campaign mailing comes across as self-righteous, hypocritical, and out of touch. One glance at the mailer, and you get the impression that it was pounded out by someone who'd physically assault folks at a rally if they supported an opposing candidate.
(Source: http://projects.newsobserver.com/tags/associated_builders_and_contractors)
Monday, October 20, 2008
Mr. Elbow Care thinks it's still 1980?
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Yep, I saw the flyer too and thought it was ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteWell, I lost 5 seconds of my life reading it and the time it took to walk from the mailbox to the trashcan to throw it away. At least we have plenty of garbage for the landfill.