subscribesubscriber servicescontact usabout ussite mapBuy a Classified
Fri, Nov 27 2009 
Breaking News:  Office closed  November 25, 2009 11:27 am

Resources

print this story   Print this story
  Post to del.icio.us

Published August 26, 2008 12:03 pm - At least on farm policies, it may be difficult for 2nd Congressional District voters to distinguish between Democratic candidate David Boswell of Owensboro and Republican candidate Brett Guthrie of Bowling Green.

Guthrie, Boswell field questions
2nd congressional district race

By RONNIE ELLIS
CNHI News Service

ELIZABETHTOWN

At least on farm policies, it may be difficult for 2nd Congressional District voters to distinguish between Democratic candidate David Boswell of Owensboro and Republican candidate Brett Guthrie of Bowling Green.

They’re solidly behind policies supported by the Kentucky Farm Bureau. About the only distinction that’s clear is which is a Republican and which is a Democrat.

The two state Senators are trying to succeed Hardin County’s Ron Lewis, R-Cecilia, who is retiring at the end of his current term. Guthrie and Boswell were appearing in Lewis’ home county before Kentucky Farm Bureau members from across the district at a forum hosted by the Hardin County Farm Bureau.

The questions came from bureau members and all of them focused on farm policies. Not surprisingly, Guthrie and Boswell agreed with everything the farm community supports. They favor trade agreements that support American agricultural exports but Boswell who enjoys labor support favors “fair trade” and questioned the North American Free Trade Agreement or NAFTA.

Both favor allowing individuals to form associations or regional cooperatives to buy health insurance, but both – like Farm Bureau – oppose any national system. Both oppose environmental regulations that would allow federal oversight of even non-navigable streams and bodies of water. They support renewable forms of energy, especially those from agricultural products in Kentucky – but Guthrie made sure to work in standard Republican themes about drilling for more domestic production.

He even used U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell’s line:

“We must do everything,” Guthrie said – produce more, develop renewables, wind, nuclear and conserve more and use less. Boswell on the other hand, harkened back to the administration of President Jimmy Carter in the late 1970s and his plan to develop synthetic fuels. Boswell blamed Republican President Ronald Reagan for “dismantling” those programs.

Boswell often worked his resume into his answers – 19 years in the state Senate, four as Agriculture Commissioner. He said members of his family had lost farms to the estate tax (both he and Guthrie are against it) and he chaired the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee when Democrats controlled the Senate.

Both extolled the virtues and values of farming and the importance of agriculture to the American economy and way of life. Boswell even quoted turn of the 20th century, thrice-nominated and thrice successful Democratic presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan:

“Burn down your cities and leave our farms, and your cities will spring up again as if by magic; but destroy our farms and the grass will grow in the streets of every city in the country.”

Guthrie returned time and again to his family’s business – Trace Die Casting in Bowling Green – and the common issues faced by small businessmen and farmers, especially energy costs, health care premiums, taxes and regulation. And he ended by saying his reason to seek election to Congress was to ensure the standard of living left by his generation for that of his children would be a better one.

Otherwise, it was tough to tell them apart from their answers.

Jay Coleman, a registered Democrat who grows corn, soybeans and tobacco on 450 acres near Griderville in Barren County, said both men “did a good job but there was no clear advantage and it was hard to tell much difference in their answers.”

David Peterson, also a Democrat, who has a 500-acre grain farm in Marion County, said he’d like both men to show more independence.

“I think Sen. Boswell does have the old Democratic line,” Peterson said. “And Sen. Guthrie has the Republican line. I worry about either of them going up there and voting their respective party lines. I’d like to see either one of them show more independence.”



print this story    email this story   






autoconx
Premier Guide
Find a business

Walking Fingers
Maps, Menus, Store hours, Coupons, and more...
Premier Guide
Premium Jobs

MANAGEMENT (KEYHOLDER) POSITION WITH LOCAL
shoe store. Exciting career opportunity. Retail experience preferred. Competitive benefit package. Apply at SHOE SHOW, 2...>MORE

DENTAL HYGIENIST POSITION,
part time and or as needed. Send resume to P.O. Box 1172, Tompkinsville, KY 42167.

...>MORE

ELECTRICIAN WANTED. KY LICENSE PREFERRED.
OSHA 10 hr. 10+ years exp., commercial, EOE, Drug free workplace. Job is located in Glasgow, KY. Interested applicants c...>MORE

CAREER MINDED INDIVIDUALS SEARCHING FOR A HOME
We offer HOME ON WEEKENDS!!
2500 miles per week
100% no touch freight
No force dispatch to NYC. Safety &
...>MORE

ADULT THERAPIST
LifeSkills has a full-time Adult Therapist position available for our service center in Metcalfe County. The position is...>MORE

NOW HIRING OWNER OPERATORS
Call 270-678-7379....>MORE

COMPLETE STEEL FABRICATION IS NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS
for: IRONWORKER *2-4 years experience required FABRICATOR *2-4 years experience required We offer: great retirement prog...>MORE

EXPERIENCED DENTAL ASSISTANT NEEDED
to work 2-3 days a week in a busy dental office, emphasizing in oral surgery. Pay commensurate on experience & backgroun...>MORE

See all ads

Premium Autos

93 CHEVROLET CONVERSION VAN,
123,000+ miles., new tires, runs & looks great. Must see. $1795 O.B.O. 453-3726 or 670-8131.

...>MORE

LOOKING FOR A GREAT AUTO DEAL?.....
Looking to buy or sell?
Check here for the Premium Auto Section.
You can post an ad with unlimited text and
...>MORE

2002 HONDA TRIKE GL-1800
40k miles. Asking $27,000. For more info call 270-404-2959.

...>MORE

See all ads

Premium Homes

2 BR, 1 BA TRIPLEX ON IVY ST.
Deposit & reference required. 270-590-0969. Cfter 6 pm. 270-646-2938.

...>MORE

2 BR, 1 BA DUPLEX, $650 MO. ALL UTILITIES PAID,
C/H/A, WD hookup, stove, DW, ref., storage unit furnished.
rear deck. Harwood St. $425 mo. 678-5982. or 670-5745.
...>MORE

2 BR, 1 1/2 BA NEWLY CONSTRUCTED TOWN HOUSES,
UR, appliances furnished, service animals only. Beside post office in Edmonton. On Grissom Cr. 646-8572.

...>MORE

2010 FLEETWOOD 32X80, 4 BR, 2 BA, FAMILY RM.,
fireplace, mud room, 6" walls, thermo windows, appliances, airs, OSB wrap, 2279 sq. ft., delivered, set up skirting, lis...>MORE

1998 HORTON 14X72 3 BA, 2 BA,
vinyl-shingle home delivered, set up, skirting & air for only $16,900. Goffs' Homes. 270-789-4092.

...>MORE

2 BR, 1 BA DUPLEX, C/H/A, STOVE, FRIDGE,
microwave, lawncare included. WD hookup. $450 mo., $400 dep. 270-590-1192.

...>MORE

2 BR, 1 BA HOUSE, $350 MO. + $350 DEP.
Fridge & stove included. Call 270-404-1795.

...>MORE

3 BR, 2 BA BEDFORD STONE HOME,
124 Lexington Dr. $575 mo. w/$575 deposit. 270-576-8566 or 270-361-2767 www.post-web.net...>MORE

2010 FLEETWOOD 24X46, 3 BR, 2 BA, APPLIANCES,
air, thermo windows. Delivered, setup & skirting, all for only $43,300. Goffs' Homes. 270-789-4092.

...>MORE

1995 CLAYTON 16X80, 2 BR, 2 BA HOME
delivered, skirting & air for only $18,500. Goffs' Homes. 270-789-4092.

...>MORE

See all ads


 

Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc.CNHI Classified Advertising NetworkCNHI News Service
Associated Press content © 2009. All rights reserved. AP content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Our site is powered by Zope and our Internet Yellow Pages site is powered by PremierGuide.
Some parts of our site may require you to download the Flash Player Plugin.
View our Privacy Policy
Advertiser index