As pointed out by Meteor Blades in his diary on the proposed EPA rules for carbon dioxide emissions from existing power plants, already some red state Democrats are freaking out. I expect that McConnell will ramp up his phony "War On Coal" argument against Obama, but don't be surprised when Grimes does the Freak on Monday. The difference between Grimes passive response over the existence of kynect and the new EPA rules will be a major jolt for some of her supporters.
I'm in agreement with those in Kentucky who want to see Grimes win in November that she needs to seize opportunities to hammer McConnell over his disregard for the welfare of his fellow Kentuckians. While she has gone after McConnell on the issue of the minimum wage, she continues to be scared of touching the issue of the ACA or kynect in Kentucky. Even after McConnell offered here a golden opportunity to crucify him on his lies about the ACA and kynect, she only sent out a statement that McConnell lives in a fantasy land.
However, McConnell will be dancing a jig when the EPA makes its announcement on Monday because it gives him the chance to change the subject. Phew! No more talking about eliminating kynect! War on Coal all the time!!!!
And the dutiful lapdogs in the state and local media will cover McConnell's hyperbole because he will have all the Democrats in the state, except maybe Yarmuth, taking McConnell's side against Obama, including Grimes. Some may say, "Well, this is a great opportunity for Grimes to prove she is not a rubber stamp for Obama."
There are plenty of other ways to prove you are not a rubber stamp for Obama, but siding with McConnell and the coal industry will not help Grimes. It will be a debate on McConnell's turf not on hers. Instead of talking about kicking over 421,000 off their health insurance plans, we will be debating how to protect 12,000 coal mining jobs.
Don't get me wrong. I don't want to see anyone lose their jobs, especially with this economy. McConnell and the coal companies are no friends of coal miners, but both he and the industry have run a campaign that has convinced those in Eastern Kentucky that their economic troubles are all because of a phony war on coal. The folks in those counties dependent on coal mining blame Obama not McConnell.
If you were a voter who blames Obama for your woes, would you ever vote for a Democrat for the U.S. Senate?
Others will argue that engaging McConnell on the issue of the EPA and coal will at least neutralize this thorny issue for Grimes. Maybe. I hope that I am proven wrong, but Grimes may just engage in "me tooism" when it comes to carbon dioxide emissions rules.
If Grimes truly wanted to neutralize McConnell's advantage with those voters, she might remind people that McConnell has sucked when it comes to regulating the coal mining companies with regards to the health and safety of miners. Also, she might want to bring up the number of coal mining jobs lost since McConnell has been in office. Or she could talk about the pollution from coal ash dumps and mountain top removal. IF she did, it may make some of those who blame Obama for the problems in coal producing counties to sit out this election.
She did have one good spring board to do this. Grimes come out against Right to Work, and, despite the hostile attitude of coal miners to Obama and the EPA, she might link McConnell to those anti-union efforts. It's a good place to start the discussion of McConnell's record toward coal miners.
However, I'm expecting the "kick Obama in the balls" routine from Grimes on Monday. It is something that a paid political consultant would advise. It is quick and easy, and more than one establishment Democrat in Kentucky has employed that trick.
Once again, I hope that I am wrong about how Grimes will respond after Monday's EPA announcement, but I will not be surprised if she has a press conference to denounce the EPA and criticize Obama. McConnell's rhetoric will only get more shrill.