EENR initially stood for Edwards Evening News Roundup. We Edwards supporters posted nightly diaries about John's campaign and what he stood for. You didn't expect our candidate advocacy to end once John Edwards suspended his campaign did you? More below the fold....
The bloggers of EENR have begun posting Monday evening diaries about Congressional Candidates we not only endorse, but candidates we believe share the same progressive goals we do. Tonight, we are officially endorsing Harry Taylor and Heather Ryan, two fighting progressives from North Carolina and Kentucky who share many of the same values Edwards does to end the war, address inequities here at home, and care for our environment.
I. EENR endorses......
Harry Taylor NC-09
Harry Taylor EENR ActBlue
You may remember Harry from his encounter with George Bush in April, 2006, at a Town Hall meeting in Charlotte, NC. Harry made worldwide news when, standing in a balcony seat and looking down at Bush on stage, he said:
"‘I feel like despite your rhetoric, that compassion and common sense have been left far behind during your administration,’
‘And I would hope from time to time that you have the humility and grace to be ashamed of yourself.’"
You may also recall that Harry was booed by the mostly conservative audience as he spoke for so many of us to voice our frustration with the Bush administration and its policies. That encounter had a profound effect on Harry:
This was a political awakening for me: I saw the effect that one lone citizen can have by participating in our democracy.
That’s why I’m running for Congress. To do my part to bring our country closer to its brilliant promise...to truly be a country "of the people, by the people, for the people."
Here's a link to Harry Taylor's Website which tells more about him, and I've outlined some bullet points below.
Harry opposed the Iraq War from the beginning....
Harry, like most of us, recognized from the beginning that getting into Iraq was a grave error; and he will work with a Democratic Congress to begin an immediate and safe withdrawal of our troops. Harry recognizes that the cost of war to our military (stressed to the breaking point) and in dollars (10 Billion dollars monthly) is unsustainable.
And caring for our Veterans is of utmost concern to Harry.....
Veterans
deserve our respect and support, in war and after they come home. Their opportunities for rehabilitation, employment and education must not be delayed or shortchanged.
On the Environment, climate change & energy independence....
Harry’s experiences in the outdoors while living in Colorado 20 years ago made him keenly aware of the beauty of nature, and ever since has been actively working for clean air, clean water, and a healthy planet. Harry will work to replace our reliance on our carbon based economy with renewables and efficiency programs. He’s called for a moratorium on new coal fired power plants, supports stronger Café standards for vehicles (he drives a Prius), improved building standards and investment in alternative fuels, renewable energy and green technologies. Harry views energy independence as a national security concern; because currently
"Our economy and our way of life are wholly dependent on oil from unstable totalitarian regimes."
Harry sees the challenge of addressing global climate change as a moral imperative, but also as a challenge that presents us with a unique opportunity:
Developing and implementing the technologies to end our addiction to oil, and then exporting these technologies across the globe, will unleash an enormous economic expansion.
On Health Care....
Harry says that " John Edwards’ plan "to transform America’s health care system" is the most logical I’ve seen to date." Harry believes every American must have access to Healthcare, and feels strongly that no one should face financial ruin due to a medical crisis. Harry strongly supports SCHIP (State Children’s Health Insurance Program) and stem cell research, both of which his opponent, Sue Myrick voted against.
Harry vows to focus on America’s needs at home, paying special attention to our health care crisis.
On Ethics....
Harry wants to end the influence of special interests on our political system. His opponent, Rep. Sue Myrick, has a history of doing favors for political donors, with WCNC in Charlotte covering the latest scandal involving WCNC Report a promise to create 400 jobs that have not materialized.
Harry is calling for fiscal responsibility.
When the Bush Administration and the Republican-controlled Congress took over in 2001, they inherited not only a budget surplus, but one unprecedented in its size. In record time they squandered the surplus, piled up $3 trillion in debt, and lavished obscene tax breaks on the super-rich.
Harry is outraged by the wasteful spending related to private contractors and no-bid contracts in Iraq, and the estimated $3 trillion dollars the US is projected to spend on the Occupation of Iraq.. Harry vows to refocus on our needs at home in regard to our crumbling infrastructure, healthcare, education and our social safety net.
On the Economy, Jobs, Workers.....
Harry supports a living wage for workers, because he believes that "if a person works at a full time job, at the very least that person should be paid enough to make ends meet." He supports the right of workers to organize, and fair trade agreements that consider workers rights and protections and environmental protections that keep American jobs here at home, by putting us on a level playing field in the global economy.
He will work to stop incentives that encourage American business to ship jobs overseas; instead he prefers a system that penalizes businesses that outsource American jobs and rewards companies that keep jobs here. Harry believes that access to universal healthcare for all Americans would level the playing field for companies at home by reducing the enormous costs associated with our current inefficient healthcare system.
On Civil Rights and the Constitution....
In April 2006, Harry said to George Bush:
"You never stop talking about freedom, and I appreciate that. But while I listen to you talk about freedom, I see you assert your right to tap my telephone, to arrest me and hold me without charges"
Harry vehemently opposes torture, opposes Telecom immunity in regard to FISA, and opposes warantless spying on Americans, and strongly supports the restoration of Habeus Corpus
He strongly believes that our system of checks and balances was designed to protect our civil liberties; liberties he intends to restore when he gets to Congress.
Who Harry is up Against...
The incumbent, Republican Rep. Sue Myrick, came into office with Newt Gingrich and his "Contract with America". The "Contract", whose ideas originated primarily with the Conservative Heritage Foundation, promised fiscal responsibility, ethics reform, smaller government, personal responsibility and job creation! How’s that working out?
Myrick's "Contract With America" called for her to serve only 6 terms, and now she is running for her seventh.
Sue Myrick voted YES to continue tax breaks for oil companies and NO to lowering student loan interest rates; NO to increase minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25. Sue Myrick voted to extend the Bush Tax cuts that disproportionately benefit the extremely wealthy. Sue Myrick voted YES for warrantless wire tapping and electronic surveillance both of which bypass the established law requiring a court order. Sue Myrick voted NO to support a ban on cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment of detainees held by US forces.
Harry Taylor EENR ActBlue
Let's elect Harry Taylor to North Carolina's 9th District.
II. EENR endorses Heather Ryan KY-01
Heather Ryan EENR ActBlue
Heather Ryan is a veteran of the United States Navy. However, she feels as though,
"Any leader who does not pause before he sends our soldiers and sailors into harms way is not fit to be a leader. The only time the current administration, or my opponent paused before we sent troops into Iraq is to check their stock options to ensure they had plenty of Halliburton and Exxon in their portfolio."
On Health Care....
Heather Ryan is a mother of two and the wife of a full time law student. Neither she nor her husband can afford health insurance for themselves. Heather believes that,
"It is an absolute travesty that the richest, most successful nation on earth does not ensure their hard working, tax paying citizens are guaranteed health care. It is shameful and embarrassing that nearly 50 million Americans, my husband and myself included, are not allowed to visit a doctor should we become ill. It is even more disgraceful that an astonishing 50% of bankruptcies are caused by exorbitant health care bills. We must ensure health care for all Americans - not just the wealthy and those lucky enough to find employers who still have a conscience".
What Heather is up Against...
If you have never heard of Congressman Ed Whitfield, you're not alone. Mr. Whitfield has been in office for 13 long years, since the "Contract With America" was first shoved down our throats. The only piece of legislation Mr. Whitfield has introduced during his tenure has been a national ban on eating horse meat. You may not know, but in Kentucky, as is the case in the rest of the U.S., eating horses is not a big problem. A poor district indeed, tens of thousands of jobs have been lost during Exxon Eddie's time in office, the number of Kentucky children in poverty has increased exponentially and the working class has seen their quality of life slip into oblivion. All the while, Mr. Whitfield has made enormous profits from his stock options in Exxon, Chevron, Pfizer and Petroleum Marketers of America, all while he voted to give these companies tax breaks and deregulation. Mr. Whitfield has sold out the people he is paid handsomely to represent.
Heather is the first woman to ever run for the U.S. House of Representatives in Kentucky's First Congressional District. Had it not been for Ms. Ryan filing the day before the deadline to run against this embedded Republican, quite likely, no Democrat would have had the courage to step up to the challenge. Heather is the only Democrat in the race, therefore, she will face 'Exxon Ed' in the Fall General Election. Ms. Ryan is unapologetic for her candor when stating the facts about Mr. Whitfield, regardless of the character assassination the Republican Party most assuredly plans to wage.
KY-01 has a 60% to 35% Democrat to Republican registration split (5% Ind.). There is no reason why the Democrats can't take back this seat this fall!
What you can do to help Heather:
Heather is running a very frugal grassroots effort. She has not and will not accept corporate PAC money. Donations to her campaign, regardless of how large or small are desperately needed to fight the good fight. Her opponent already has $1 Million to wage war on Ms. Ryan's character. She plans to fight the Republican machine of "The Politics of Personal Destruction" with the truth - but she needs your help. Please consider making a donation and joining her e-newsletter network today. Support from around the nation will be needed to win back this once solid Democratic seat.
Heather Ryan EENR ActBlue
Let's elect Heather Ryan to Kentucky's 1st District.