Hillbilly Report

CNN Express Comes To Deep Red Kentucky To Talk About Health Care. Photos, Videos

CNN Express Comes To Deep Red Kentucky To Talk About Health Care. Photos, Videos

Single Payer Healthcare Rally In Louisville, Kentucky. James Pence Videos

James Pence Videos

Paul Whiteley, thanks for the music.
The supporters of Single Payer Healthcare (HR 676) may have not a seat at the table like Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, but I can tell you they are not going away. Click here to view photos of the rally.
When folks take off from their jobs to participate in a rally, in deep Red Kentucky, for Single Payer the you can be assured this is an issue that's not going to die no matter how many Rick Scott's there are fighting for the insurance Companies.
Click here to view Bill Londrigan, President of the Kentucky AFL-CIO, speaking at the rally. Click here to view Rocky Comito President of UAW Local 862 speaking at the rally.

Health insurers bulk up 1Q spending on lobbying
The five largest private insurers and the trade group America's Health Insurance Plans spent a total of $6.4 million in the first quarter, an increase of more than $1 million from the same quarter last year. The industry is working to counter proposals endorsed by the White House that would offer a government insurance option for millions of Americans.
Indianapolis-based WellPoint Inc. and Louisville, Ky.-based Humana Inc. both saw first-quarter spending rise 16 percent to $1.2 million and $370,000, respectively. Spending for Philadelphia-based Cigna Corp. nearly doubled to $450,000 in the first quarter from a year ago.

Reckon the CEO's don't want to give up their big salaries?

Forbes
David B Snow Jr  CEO Medco Health, $21.76 million, 5-Year Compensation Total $36.29 million.
Dale B Wolf CEO Coventry Health Care, $20.86 million, 5-Year Compensation Total $61.91 million. 
Michael B McCallister CEO Humana, $20.06 million, 5-Year Compensation Total $60.64 million. 
Ronald A Williams CEO Aetna $8.88 million.
Trevor Fetter CEO Tenet Healthcare $5.80 million, 5-Year Compensation Total $19.08 million. 
Stephen J Hemsley CEO UnitedHealth $4.00 million.
John H Hammergren CEO McKesson $44.91 million, 5-Year Compensation Total $94.59 million.
Miles D White CEO  Abbott Laboratories $44.76 million, 5-Year Compensation Total $76.47 million. 
William C Weldon CEO Johnson & Johnson $15.41 million, 5-Year Compensation Total $49.15 million.  
Jeffrey B Kindler CEO Pfizer $5.76 million.
John C Lechleiter CEO Eli Lilly & Co $5.13 million.
James M Cornelius CEO Bristol-Myers Squibb $5.06 million.

Daniel Mongiardo Speaks At Doug Goodman's 3rd Annual Democratic Get Together, In Radcliff, Kentucky. Videos And Photos

James Pence Videos

OK gentle souls, just a little bit of promotion for our new blog before the article begins. Richard Dillion and I have started a new site that will allow you to write about your favorite Democratic candidates.
Click here to visit the site. All you have to do is sign up and blog away. Click here to learn more About Us and click here to view the Community Guidelines. Thank you for your patience.
Kudos to Doug Goodman and Dottye Moore for putting on this 3rd annual Doug Goodman event. Doug Goodman is a real Democrat and believe me that's something hard to find here in Hardin County. He has put on this event for three years and pays for it out of his own pocket. I understand that Dottye Moore helped with the expenses this year. Special thanks to Winnie Townsend for making me aware of the event.
We had the opportunity to shoot photos of the event click here to view them. I shot them in the 1280x960 mode and they will be good enough for you to print out if you wish. Be advised they are for personal use only and not to be used for any other reason. Just follow the instructions at the Photobucket site to download the photo you want.
We also had the opportunity to shoot video and had the distinct pleasure of shooting video of a young college student by the name of Sam Sherrard introducing Daniel Mongiardo and Sam's video is below. We also managed to get video of Daniel Mongiardo and a very short funny clip of him is below. Thank you Jerry Brown for asking the question.
OK, I'm done with all the gooey stuff and I must tell you I had the opportunity to express my frustration with the Hardin County Democratic Party to Chairman Les Dawson. I didn't express myself out of anger, but rather out of frustration and Les seemed to defend what the Hardin County Democratic Party is doing.
As I left the event, I was encouraged by young Sam Sherrard, Doug Goodman and Dottye Moore, but very disappointed that Hardin County Democratic Party Chairman Les Dawson just doesn't seem to get it.

Mitch McConnell's Convocation at U of L Brandeis School of Law Graduation Not Without Protest. Video And Photos

James Pence Videos
Senator McConnell, the current Senate Minority Leader was this year's Convocation speaker at the University of Louisville's Brandeis School of Law  graduation ceremony.
Many graduating students, their families and friends attending the graduation sported buttons that read "Sen. McConnell Does Not Speak for Me." Outside the graduation, activists protested McConnell's support of the Defense of Marriage Act. Although the City of Louisville didn't anticipate any problems from the protest, even noting "No off-duty police provided" on the permit, there were several Louisville Police Department Officers on the scene for the duration of the 3 hour protest.
Noticeably missing were the news outlets, WAVE, WHAS, WLKY and the Courier Journal. It should also be noted that the major Louisville blogs didn't cover the protest.  Click here to view photos of the protest.

Kentucky Tea Party. James Pence Video And Photos

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April 15, 2009 Elizabethtown, Kentucky
A Tea Party protest, with over 400 protesters, was held on the Hardin County Courthouse Square April 15 2009, in Elizabethtown, Kentucky.

The News Enterprise
Organizer Debra Tennison said she does not think current representatives are speaking for the will of the people. Specifically, she mentioned President Barack Obama’s economic stimulus plan — actually calling it a “non-stimulus” — bailout spending and the proposed federal budget.
“We’re just not in agreement with what is going on,” she said.

State Rep. Tim Moore, R-Elizabethtown, and Republican Lisa Williams, who ran for the State House last year spoke at the event.
I didn't see any Democratic officials there.
Click here and here to view photos of the event.
If you watch the video you will hear, comments about, activist judges, gun control. abortion, and yes the government spending and the debt was mentioned at the protest, but it seemed to me that this event was created to fire up the Republican base and from what I could tell it worked.
I was confused by some of the signs that said no more taxes, when in fact taxes have been cut for most Americans. While shooting video and photos I just couldn't help but think, where were these folks when George Bush was running up the national debt, where were these folks when George Bush took us to war in Iraq, where were these folks when George Bush was listening to our phone calls and monitoring our emails, where were these folks when George Bush was water boarding prisoners?
I took the time to capture this event, not because I believe in what the event stood for, but because I felt it was necessary to show the Kentucky Democratic Party what's going on in the rural areas of the state and sometimes video and photos speak louder than words.
The Republican Party is gearing up for the 2010 election and we had better be ready for the fight of our lives, because these folks are serious.

Kentucky Ice Storm Photos From Graves County

James Pence Videos

I just received the following from a friend Mike Watt in Western Kentucky:
Jim this is my eight day with out power mine went out last Tuesday the electric co here has 1500 power poles broken down that will have to be replaced.
I have a generator running, I have had internet all but the first 2 day, burning 10 gal of gas a day.
take care TTYL Click here to view photos from Graves County

Photos courtesy of Mike Watt
Hang in there Mike.

Bryce Shumate And Me

James Pence Videos

While shooting video of Governor Steve Beshear's visit and taking photos at the Pritchard Community Center Sunday Feb.1. 2009 in Elizabethtown, Kentucky a man approached me in regular clothes with a gun strapped to his waist in plain view and, in what I perceived as a very arrogant attitude, asked me why I took his photo and why I didn't ask for his permission. I explained to him this was a public event in a public place and I didn't need his permission and then he proceeded to tell me who he was. He told me he was Bryce Shumate from the Radcliff Police Department and I asked him, facetiously, if I was under arrest and then, in my opinion, he really got bossy and even more arrogant and intimidating. Maybe Mr.Shumate was having a bad day, but I've been all over the state of Kentucky in too many cities and counties to count, shooting video and taking photos of folks like President Barack Obama, Fist Lady Michelle Obama, Senator Mitch McConnell, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Ex Governor Ernie Fletcher, Congressman Ben Chandler, Congressman John Yarmuth. Ex Congress Woman Anne Northup and many others. I also shot photos and videotaped President Barack Obama when he announced his candidacy for President of the United States of America in Springfield,Ill. While shooting video and taking photos at these events I've had to interface with the Capitol Police, The Secret Service, the State Police and the local Police and I have to say with all honesty they were all great and very respectful. I really do wish I could say the same For Bryce Shumate, But I can't. I realize that some may question why I took the time to blog this and here my answer. I don't care what Bryce Shumate thinks of me, nor does he frighten or intimidate me, I just want to put it on the record how I felt Mr. Shumate treated me and if this happens to some one else down the line, there will be a record of it and just for the record Virgil Willoughby of the Elizabethtown, Kentucky Police Department was very professional, respecful and helpful.