Talking Politics

This weekend marks the end of NBC 17’s special pre-election coverage featuring Donna Martinez and her “At Issue” colleagues framing issues for local and statewide races. When complete, 40 pieces will have aired in prime time over an eight-week period. A special election-focused “At Issue” airs Saturday at 8:30 p.m. and Monday at 7:30 p.m. An alternate version of the show, featuring 13th congressional district candidates Brad Miller and Virginian Johnson, airs Sunday at 11 a.m. Meanwhile, Shannon Blosser spent Wednesday night speaking to Pfieffer University students about why young adults should vote, and Don Carrington used the week to deliver two speeches about Amendment One. He addressed both the Crabtree Valley Rotary Club and a forum sponsored by the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce. The forum resulted in a front-page story in the Courier-Journal. Jon Sanders’ commentary on Sen. John Kerry’s rhetoric about college tuition was linked on a blog by Berry College economics professor Frank Stephenson. Sander pointed out that Kerry only talks about “sticker price” of college (from the College Board) and doesn’t reveal that when grants and tax benefits are subtracted, college is cheaper than it was 10 years ago. Finally, an amazing find by Sanders on the Indy Media web site was also linked on Stephenson’s blog. The rant under the thread “Remember the Red and Blue States” includes advice should Bush win: “Remember those who would welcome a fascist dictator and hold them responsible by boycotting the red states and companies headquartered in them. If the fascist sympathizers are not held responsible they will soon be ruling the world. Holding them responsible by economically boycotting them is an option anyone in the world can do.” The piece concludes with links the writer says will provide “more on the connections between the Bush family and the Nazis.”