Updated with Kennedy's web site link. You can read his positions there.
Billy Kennedy, a Democratic candidate from the "Democratic Wing of the Democratic Party" is throwing down against Rep. Virginia Foxx (Nutjob, NC-5). And he has big plans for filing day (February 8th). Instead of just making the 3 hour trip to Raleigh alone to hand over his credentials for office and filing his candidacy, he's taking his movement along with him.
Howard Dean would be proud.
Kennedy's full and exciting itinerary for the 8th is published below. Those in North Carolina or from distant shores might want to join in the caravan, but first.... here's a bit about Billy from an in-depth article today by Howie Klein, "Excitement in North Carolina":
In Congress Foxx has been one of the 3 or 4 most outspokenly anti-gay members and the ideological heir to Jesse Helms' backward bigotry across the board. She hasn't had a credible challenger since she was elected. Until now.
Klein explains how Foxx ended up in Washington in the first place and how Kennedy can win this seat, but he lets Kennedy do most of the talking in his article, and Kennedy's words and fire are indeed a sweet music to these old ears:
Ever since 9th Grade civics, we’ve all known the way Washington is supposed to work. We elect representatives who go to Congress to pass laws for the good of the citizens. But as adults, we’ve all learned why things have gone terribly wrong and aren’t working.
Partisan bickering, Wall Street bailouts, and the people who were elected to do the people’s business are spending their time, instead, hobnobbing with wealthy CEOs and paid lobbyists while trading our futures for campaign contributions.
snip
Washington isn’t working because people there are greedy. They’ve forgotten what real Americans learn every day of our working lives that we expect real value for the money we pay. So we’re paying taxes, and not getting value back for our dollar. Instead of working on real reform in banking or health care or farm policy, Congress wastes time debating toothless laws, written by lobbyists, for the very industries the laws are meant to regulate.
snip
I’ve worked all my life. I haven’t spent time rubbing elbows with celebrities and paid lobbyists, and I don’t intend to start now. This country has real problems that affect my family and my neighbors’ families, and I want to go to Washington to work on real solutions.
Klein maintains, and he's right, that it's just this kind of "kind of populism that should be sweeping across America rather than the right-wing version built on fear, racism and hatred."
As for Foxx? Kennedy says:
"She is more concerned about her reelection than helping people. She actively discourages any government attempt to stimulate development. This may explain why only three of 12 counties in the 5th District are targeted for new broadband infrastructure and access funding. We need a representative in Washington who helps bring jobs back home, not someone who actively discourages that! ... [Foxx] cheer leads a business culture where the rich and well-connected get richer while employees, shareholders and customers get left in the dirt."
Read Klein's whole article. It will make your heart sing.
Here are some pictures of Kennedy on his farm in Bethel, North Carolina.
You can donate to Billy Kennedy--a real Democrat and a man of the "real" people, here
Kennedy's Filing Day itinerary:
9am – 10am
Billy at Watauga County Courthouse
Watauga County Courthouse
(814 West King Street Boone, NC 28607-3457)
10am – 10:30am
Billy on road to Wilkes Co Caravan follows Billy
En Route to Wilkes Heritage Museum
(100 East Main Street Wilkesboro, NC 28697)
10:30am – 11:30am
Billy at Wilkes Heritage Museum
Wilkes Heritage Museum
(100 East Main Street Wilkesboro, NC 28697)
11:30am – 12:30pm
Billy on road to Forsyth Co Caravan follows Billy
En Route to FCDP HQ
(1128 Burke Street Northwest Winston Salem, NC 27101-2415)
12:30pm – 1:30pm
Billy speaks at Rally,
FCDP Hdqs - Rally, FCDP Hdqs
(1128 Burke Street Northwest Winston Salem, NC 27101-2415)
On to Raleigh....