Wilcox County, Alabama

Posted by Matt Ortega on April 24, 2008 at 06:30 PM

John McCain is touring through areas with a history of economic and social justice problems (which Republicans traditionally ignore) to portray the presumptive GOP nominee as "not that kind of Republican." He will visit places Republicans actively vote against the interests of and forget about.

Our friends at the country club around the corner point to a stop McCain made in Wilcox County, Alabama as evidence that Compassionate Conservatism 2.0 isn't just a gimmick. (Beta tests show it, apparently, has a few bugs.)

So let's take a look at Wilcox County, population 13,183, according to census data from 2000.

Wilcox County rests inside Alabama's 7th Congressional District, currently represented by Democratic Rep. Artur Davis who was elected to his first term in 2002 with 92 percent of the vote against a Libertarian candidate. Rep. Davis won re-election in 2004 with 75 percent of the vote and twice as many votes as the Republican challenger. He ran unopposed in 2006. Republicans are so scarce in the area that they didn't even field a candidate.

Earlier this week, Alabama Democratic Party Chair Joe Turnham spelled out how John McCain's swing through the state's "blackbelt" is just more empty Republican rhetoric.

"These Republicans purport to be the champions of the poor in Alabama's Blackbelt but are the very ones who are denying our people with public policy that they deserve. Just recently Sen. McCain voted against the renewal of health care for children in the Blackbelt by his opposition to SCHIPs reauthorization, and Gov. Riley opposes removing the state sales tax on food in the Alabama Legislature at this very moment." said Joe Turnham, Chairman of the Alabama Democratic Party.

"In the wake of the public disaster of the Bush presidency, 'More of the same McCain' comes here to speak about empowerment to the very people he and the Republicans have continued to wreak havoc upon since 2003. I think Alabamians have heard enough empty rhetoric and would rather not see what would be a virtual third Bush term," exclaimed Turnham.

"Sen. McCain should temper his visit with some reality and honesty about the plight of Alabama's and America's working poor. The George Bush budget deficit, trade deficit, endless war in Iraq and failure to address economic freefall in America should be confronted and repudiated by McCain and Riley in this visit if they want to win the hearts of voters in our state." Turnham stated.

Under the Bush economy that John McCain promises to extend for another four years, Alabama has lost more than 100,000 jobs with 40,000 of them in the manufacturing sector since 2001. Gas prices are up 166 percent in Alabama over the last six years. The New York Times reported that the McCain campaign has "no estimate of how many of America's 47 million uninsured would likely gain coverage under its plan."

Just over a week ago, John McCain had the temerity to say that the economic fears of many Americans are, basically, all in their heads.

But nevermind that. John McCain and the RNC want credit just for showing up.

Comments - 7 »

Comments are now closed for this entry.