Farmer, master carpenter, local radio host, and populist man-of-the-people Billy Kennedy is taking Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-Nutjob) head on is what is fast shaping up to be an exciting, no holds barred, knock-down-drag-out race for North Carolina's fifth congressional district.
In a one-on-one interview published just today by reporter Justin Grimes of The High Country Press, Billy brings it on on the front page of this local newspaper:
"Virginia got her BA, MA and ED from our outstanding public North Carolina Universities and she’s been on the dole ever since. She’s been living off the N.C. taxpayers, gaming the system and now she wants to deny the same opportunity she had to everyone else.... The difference between Virginia and us is: we give, she takes."
First up, a little eye candy.
Picture above by cosmophotos
Since announcing his candidacy and his grassroots campaign, Billy has received excellent press coverage and online kudos:
John Grooms says:
It looks like the infamous Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-Nutjobbia) will have real competition, for a change, in November. Democrat Billy Kennedy, who describes himself as being from "the Democratic wing of the Democratic Party," announced that he will file next week to run for the congressional seat....
snip
Kennedy’s platform espouses reform measures for health care, banking, and farm policy, and a focus on bread and butter issues that could help his unemployment-stricken district. Foxx has yet to face a strong challenger, and Kennedy, from all indications, will give her a run for her money, while emphasizing his "regular guy" image. Let’s face it, nearly anyone would be better than Foxx, but Kennedy seems to be a particularly serious candidate, so here’s wishing him good luck.
Howie Klein says of Kennedy's appeal:
That's the kind of populism that should be sweeping across America rather than the right-wing version built on fear, racism and hatred.
Twitter is all a-twitter about Billy's campaign, and @billy2wnc jumped to over 200 followers in just one day.
And Kennedy got a major welcome from kossacks just the other night (sorry for the diary pimp--I think I'm okay under the rules):
Oh, c'mon now!
A Democratic Party populist with a truck and a tractor, and he built his own barn? Where'd you get this guy? I suppose he loves to hunt and fish too.
Might be better to downplay his parting small bodies of water, healing the sick, and that whole loaves and fishes thing because people might think he's too good to be true.
by TKO333 on Tue Feb 02, 2010 at 09:45:58 AM EST
Back to today's comprehensive newspaper interview with Kennedy, here are some choice quotes, but be sure to read the whole thing for yourself. It's so damned sweet.
On Virginia Foxx's assertion we should all just pull ourselves up by our bootstraps:
"This day and age I worry that people take things for granted, don’t realize how we got here. Virginia constantly says she doesn’t like government and promotes a pull yourself up by the bootstraps mentality of denial. People have been benefiting from government programs for a long time in this country and still are. What would our Fifth District be like had the rural electric cooperatives not been started by the government? The government is our common wealth, our school systems, secure banking, police and fire departments, roads and water systems belong collectively to us all. And it’s our responsibility to manage our collective wealth wisely.
On health care reform:
When asked if he agrees with Foxx’s nationally publicized statement that, "There are no Americans who don’t have healthcare," Kennedy responded, "That statement shows how out of touch Foxx is. On our radio show (Kennedy is a morning personality on WATA-AM 1450), High Country Radio’s call-in show, we’ve had numerous conversations about the people right here in our own community who have no access to healthcare. I’m self-employed and understand what it’s like for the average farmer and small businessman to afford the spiraling cost of health insurance. We can’t afford the inefficiency of our present healthcare system. Its costs make us uncompetitive in the world economy.... Profiting off people’s illnesses seems immoral to me."
On hard work and the middleclass:
"We must respect the labor of all people," Kennedy said. "Right now, hard working people are not being looked out for, the middleclass is in trouble and without a middleclass, businesses cannot thrive in America. I’m outraged by the continuous shift of wealth from most people to the select few. The ratio between the lowest and highest pay in America today reflects poorly upon our values. We can’t afford the excessive compensation and survive and thrive. We should have a more level playing field for all Americans."
On education:
"Investing in education is money well spent. We need an educated workforce to compete. We need good jobs. We need to be leading the world in new technologies, green technologies. We need to promote these new green technologies with tax credits at the state and federal levels. We need to renew our manufacturing base. Bring the work back home."
When asked by the interviewer if he had a "religious political agenda," Kennedy said:
"What would make God happy? I’m comfortable with my Christianity." Kennedy continued that it was not up to him to question anyone’s faith. "The Christian life I embrace is one of service; my faith comes from helping," he said.
You can check out Kennedy's stands on a host of issues at his web site.
Kennedy is backed by a progressive movement of people who believe Virginia Foxx is an embarrassment to our district and our country. He plans to take his message to the hard working people of North Carolina's fifth district, and he plans to come his own self (as we say here in my neck of the woods) to the dKos community after filing to open himself up to any questions we all have and to solicit our advice for his campaign.
Join Kennedy'sfiling day caravan on February 8th
Show a little money love at ActBlue
Join Kennedy's twitter page
Join Kennedy's facebook page
Oh, and here is Billy's opponent, sitting Congresswoman of the fifth district of North Carolina, Virginia Foxx her own self: