My Vote in Today's Democrat Primary for U.S. Senate (To Run Against Mitch McConnell) ...

So the race is on for the Democratic primary to face off against U.S. Senate Majority Leader, Senator Mitch McConnell in Kentucky's senate election in November, now with an 11th-hour candidate, Charles Booker, receiving support to rival Amy's base, receiving endorsements from Bernie Sanders, AOC,  former Senate candidate Alison Lundergran Grimes, and the Lexington Herald-Leader.

It was a tough call for me to choose between Amy and Charles (and basically, I'd be happy with either - somebody, anybody, just take down Chief Swamp Turtle, Moscow/Cocaine Mitch McConnell lol).

I mean, enough already - for the love of God and all that is holy, would somebody please finally end his elitist, corrupt, corporate-favoring choke hold on the U.S. Congress for the last 30+ years? 

However, in the end, we mailed in our ballots for Amy McGrath - let me explain why.

My actual views are likely somewhere between Amy (moderate) and Charles (solid left) - or actually, I should say it depends on the issue.

It boiled down to who actually has the best chance of winning in the State of Kentucky against Mitch McConnell, IMO - as well as who has the most experience in national-level campaigns and national-level politics.

In other words, Amy's military background and socially liberal/financially conservative stances are more likely to be viewed favorably in Kentucky - and thus she has the best chance of winning against McConnell, IMO.

Having said that, I DO think Charles Booker is phenomenal, and I will be following his career and expecting big things from him - it's just that he's a freshmen state representative, and though I realize Kentucky politics is probably one of the best training grounds for national-level dirty politics there is, I just think he needs more experience to be able to navigate Washington, hopefully next round. 

As I said, I'm somewhere between Amy and Charles on the issues (or at least it depends on the issue.)

Though I don't have time to list them all or do them justice, here's where they stand on the bigger ones (at least in Kentucky) in a nutshell: 

                                                   
Healthcare:     

                 

Amy:                           Fixing what's wrong with the current ACA. 
                                    Semi-regulated prescription drug  and
                                    healthcare costs. 

Charles:                      Medicare for All.  Fully regulated healthcare 
                                   system, to include full coverage of 
                                   prescription drug costs.




Immigration:            
  

Amy and Charles:      Immigration reform, to include more secure 
                                   border policy, but also ending inhumane 
                                   treatment of border offenders and 
                                   more streamlined, quicker pathways to 
                                   citizenship.




Justice Reform:


Amy:                          Stepped plan towards total reform.

Charles:                      Complete and immediate overhaul of justice
                                   system. 



Education:


Amy:                        More tax dollars and better pay for public 
                                 schools.  More state and federal government 
                                 tax dollars to secondary/college tuitions, 
                                 making college more affordable.

Charles:                  More tax dollars and better pay towards public
                               schools, extra support for impoverished 
                               communities.  Free college tuition, paid for by 
                               federal government.




Minimum Wage:
       

Amy:                        $15.

Charles:                    Undefined "better living wage."





Gun Control: 


Amy:                         Licensed gun carrier and owner.  Supports
                                  new age restrictions, longer training, and 
                                  background checks.  Restrictions on military-
                                  grade automatic and semi-automatic rifles. 

Charles:                     Background checks.  Total ban on military 
                                  assault rifles in civilian hands, but does 
                                  support permit-less carry of handguns.




Campaign Contributions from Corporations and Unions:


Amy:                       Put "No," meaning she does not support 
                                corporate or union donations on her website, 
                                but has accepted donations from Google, Inc.  
                                Also received donations from major 
                                universities. 

Charles:                  Put "No" on his website, refuses to take 
                               donations from any corporation or union, to 
                               include gun, coal, and oil 
                               industries/organizations.




Abortion:  


Amy and Charles:     Pro-Choice.





LGBTQ 


Amy and Charles:     Fully supportive of LGBTQ marriage/anti-
                                  discrimination laws.




Climate Change Legislation: 


Amy:                         Stronger state and federal EPA regulation.


Charles:                     Stronger federal EPA regulation.

___________________________________



Yeah, so ... that's a sad little synopsis, I just made there, that doesn't do either of them justice, but that's the gist lol.

The main criticisms with Amy have been that she is still too financially conservative and too carefully chooses her words to avoid direct criticism of Trump, instead choosing to focus on congressional politicians, specifically targeting Mitch McConnell.

(However, remember, this is how Andy Beshear won the governorship - it works :)

Criticisms of Charles Booker have been that he is too "radical" liberal and that his healthcare for all is really code speak for Medicare for all/free healthcare and "better living wage" is ill-defined. 

Experience: 

Amy McGrath

- U.S. Naval Academy graduate with a Bachelor's degree in Political Science.

- A Lt. Colonel in the marines, she was the first female Marine pilot to fly an F/A-18 in combat, completing 85 missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.

- Decorated fighter pilot, received the following medals and awards: 

• Meritorious Service Medal^[12]

• Strike/Flight Air Medal (x8)^[12]

• Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medal^[12]

• Navy Achievement Medal^[12]

• Presidential Unit Citation^[12]

• Iraq Campaign Medal^[12]

• Afghanistan Campaign Medal^[12]

• Aviation Museum of Kentucky, Hall of Fame^[8][76]

- Master's degree, Johns Hopkins in Foreign Security  Affairs/Policy.

- Defense and Foreign Affairs advisor to U.S. Representative Susan Davis, chair of the House Armed Forces Committee.

- Marine advisor at Marine Headquarters at the Pentagon, Marine liaison to the Department of State.

- Campaigned in 2018 against incumbent U.S. Representative, 6th district (including Lexington and Georgetown), Andy Barr - narrowly defeated. 

Charles Booker 

- University of Louisville, Bachelor's degree in Political Science. 

- University of Louisville, Juris Doctor (Law). 

- Kentucky Legislative Research Commission. 

- Attorney for Kentucky Fish and Wildlife and Louisville FoodPort.

- Kentucky State House of Representative, 43 district (greater Louisville), elected in 2018.

Like I said, it's a tough call between these two, and I'd be happy with either.

Again - just somebody, anybody, replace Chief Swamp Turtle, Mitch McConnell? :)