Change for Kentucky

Our "Change for Kentucky 12" Candidates

Change for Kentucky, the statewide grassroots political organization built from the presidential campaign of Gov. Howard Dean, announces its first-ever “Change for Kentucky 12” — twelve candidates from across the state who will receive support and resources from the 6000 grassroots organizers, volunteers and supporters of Change for Kentucky.

Change for Kentucky is a non-partisan Kentucky Political Action Committee committed to supporting common sense candidates who are fiscally responsible and socially progressive. During the coming election, Change for Kentucky will provide grassroots support to each of the “CFK 12” candidates. This support includes providing precinct walkers, phone bank callers, field organizers and other volunteer efforts throughout the campaign.

“Grassroots support is an ever-increasing priority for candidates, especially those in smaller races with limited fundraising,” says Jane Jensen, Co-Founder and Field Director of Change for Kentucky. “We will provide a healthy dose of ‘people-powered’ energy to these 12 candidates who have shown vision and commitment to helping change the political conversation in Kentucky.”

Change for Kentucky is also working in partnership with Democracy for America to identify those Kentucky candidates who might qualify for inclusion on the “Dean Dozen”, Democracy for America’s bi-weekly endorsement of candidates from across the country. “Dean Dozen” endorsement exposes candidates to the 250,000 Democracy for America supporters nationwide and could provide those candidates thousands of the low-dollar contributions made famous through the Dean campaign.

Democracy for America and Change for Kentucky both look to support good candidates in tough races apart from ideology or party politics. “Not all of the Change for Kentucky 12 candidates are ‘liberal’ candidates,” says Jeremy Horton, Change for Kentucky’s Co-Founder and Political Director. “In fact, more than a few hold particular positions upon which we disagree; but these candidates are in important races against opponents whose victory would ensure the continuation and growth of a divisive and extremist right-wing agenda.”

The Change for Kentucky 12 candidates are:

Adam Smith- U.S. House of Representatives, KY 2nd District
Virginia Woodward- Kentucky Senate, 37th District
Ruth Ann Palumbo- Kentucky House of Representatives, 76th District
J. Ross Stinetorf- Circuit Judge, 22nd District Family Court
Tom Blues- Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council, 2nd District
Ralph Long- Kentucky House of Representatives, 45th District
Wanda Mattingly- Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council, 9nd District
Jim Wayne- Kentucky House of Representatives, 35th District
Mary Lou Marzian- Kentucky House of Representatives, 34th District
Susan Westrom- Kentucky House of Representatives, 79th District
Rick Blackwell- Louisville Metro Council, 12th District
Kathryn Groob- Kentucky Senate, 23rd District

Not So Fancy Farm was Fabulous

Change for Kentucky's first annual "Not So Fancy Farm" political picnic and candidate forum was an overwhelming success. Over 250 people came out to the Kentucky Horse Park to celebrate the power of grassroots politics and hear 15 candidates from across the state provide an overview of their races and the issues that drive their campaigns. Our moderator, David Fitts, did an outstanding job keeping the speakers on time...not an easy feat with candidates who like to talk!

The casual setting made for great conversation between speakers as our volunteer band provided a groove to set off the beautiful park surroundings. We served a down-home meal of BBQ with pot-luck desserts (including a birthday cake for one of the candidates), and we managed to convince the crowd to drink just enough to pay our bar tab. Mother Nature is a friend of grassroots politics, giving us absolutely perfect weather after a day of storm clouds.

What put the event over-the-top was the eager participation of candidates in all levels of races who drove as much as four hours to join us and the diversity of guests who responded to our invitations: we had the chair of the KY State Democratic Party and members of local Democratic leadership, the Kentucky Women's Network, Kentuckians for the Commonwealth, Kerry organizers from Louisville and Lexington, Kentucky Fairness Alliance, Living Wage Coalition, and more. We even raised some money!

We left the park last night with the promise to do this again in 2006, and a renewed sense of purpose...we do have the power to change Kentucky!

Directions to CFK's "Not-So Fancy" Farm

Change for Kentucky is proud to host our first-ever "Not-So Fancy" Farm Political Picnic and Candidate Forum.

NSFF will take place from 6-9 p.m., Wednesday, July 7 at the Kentucky Horse Park (Man-O-War picnic area). For driving directions, click HERE.

Come out to hear candidates from across the state talk to YOU about their campaign and how your grassroots support will make the difference in November. We have BBQ coming, a live band, a CASH BAR and plenty of good people to meet. Most important: IT'S FREE!!

Rain or shine, "Not-So Fancy" Farm will be the most fun political party this year (at least until our victory parties in November). Remember: Change for Kentucky is the organization built from the Howard Dean campaign, so we know how to have a little fun...!!

SEE YOU THERE!

You Broke the Bat!!

YOU BROKE THE BAT and helped us reach our first fundraising goal of $2004 by July 4. 

YOU BROKE THE BAT and showed the true power of the blue-grass roots in Kentucky.

YOU BROKE THE BAT and gave all of us the power to make real Change for Kentucky.

When the campaign of Gov. Dean ended on that cold day in February, who could have guessed that five months later our organization would be stronger, bolder, more involved and more committed to change than ever before?

You are amazing people, and we have never been more proud to know and work with each and every one of you. 

THANK YOU for BREAKING THE BAT for Change for Kentucky.

See you Wednesday at our "Not-So Fancy Farm"!!

Why I HIT THE BAT for Change for Kentucky

"Once upon a time there was a wonderful country called the United States of America.  It was a country where people helped other people; that's how we got through the Great Depression.  That's also how we and our allies were able to defeat the Nazis and the Fascists in World War II.  And, after we defeated our erstwhile enemies, we befriended them and helped them re-build their nations and their societies.  It was a country which I was privileged to serve in World War II.  It was an inspirational land, once which motivated; I enlisted at age 17 before I even had to register for the draft.  And I continued to build, to contribute, to weave the social fabric of that country as a United Way executive for many more years after that, right up to retirement time in 1988.

Somewhere between that idyllic time past and today, that country has lost its way.  Today, the only people who rush out to serve are those who are so economically disadvantaged that they see it as their only way out of a harsh, unfair and unrewarding society where the "haves" act like so many pigs at the trough; where people regularly eschew the taxes needed to provide education and other vital services and where the bellicose "leaders" rally their minions to go to war without provocation.  Even that military function is beset by vultures and opportunists who see it as an opportunity for profit, not service; the Halliburtons and Kellogg, Brown and Roots of the world; the "private contractors" who gleefully abuse captives and who are answerable to God-only-knows who.  And, at the head of this pack of "hungry dogs of war" are the callous, sneering Cheneys, the bellicose, bellowing, hollow and gutless Rumsfeld, and the ultimate "capitalist warrior", the empty-headed, vacuous idiot who has never succeeded by himself, never "made it on his own" but only by the good graces of his family's rich friends, that stain on our country's honor who deserted his duty post and cowered behind his father's coat-tails when it was his turn to serve, that "noble and esteemed" PUS (my new abbreviation for President of the United States).

My country has been in trouble before; it started in trouble, transformed itself through trouble and survived in spite of trouble.  The one, huge, incalculable difference between then and now is the quality, the dedication, the motivation and the competence of our leadership; and of that "leadership's" reverence for this country's renowned and universally admired principles.  The names which pulled us through troubled times ring through the annals of history like a bell sounding a clarion call to honor, to truth, to dignity and to "service above self": Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, Roosevelt.  The names at the top of today's sorry lot read more like those rushing to profit from the adversity of others, elbowing aside all who would share in their "feast", the beasts descending upon the carrion: Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Powell (both the repudiated father and the self-indulgent, fatuous son), Frist, Delay, Hastert.  Where once stood servants of the people now lurk lackeys of greed.  For those, the mantra might better be "Self Ever; Service Never", a list to which might well be added infamous names like Lay, Skilling, Ebbers, Kozlowski and a host of other self-aggrandizing, lying, cheating and stealing vermin, as well as their "off-shored" companies who reap profit but evade responsibility.  Today this country is in trouble LIKE NEVER BEFORE!

My days on this planet are numbered as I look toward my 80th birthday, and I do not realistically expect my country to be restored to its former honor and dignity while I am still breathing its air.  I do not think its people are possessed of the character and integrity of their ancestors, although I see faint signs of hope in the Change for Kentucky efforts which all of you are making; many....many....more like you are needed.   Perhaps my estimates are tinged with pessimism.  But if, indeed, there is hope, then it lies in people like you...people who are trying desperately to revive what this once-wonderful country has known, that which Lincoln so eloquently intoned, and fervently hoped should "not perish from the earth".

An optimist might be described as "a pessimist who has not yet grasped reality"; perhaps that is my current state.  But, after a life of optimism, even when confronted by today's sad  realities, I cannot allow myself to be dragged down, to be disillusioned, to be deterred.....to be defeated.

That.....that is why Gwen and I are out there working for the change which can renew its vigor and re-kindle its noble spirit.  And that......that.... is why we HIT THE BAT"