Comments on: Boone County, Ky., poor and GOP country

By: DB Smith

DB Smith — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 03:08:01 +0000

Kelly Girl: You may not know it but Dear Mr. Groan is a racist bigot who’s words have no value and mean nothing. He continually tries to play the offense position thinking he will keep everyone else on defense. I think he and maybe two other people are the only one’s that think he really knows anything.

By: Kelly Girl

Kelly Girl — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 01:23:12 +0000

Dear Mr. Garon,
In the future, check ANY other source for your data than a European TV broadcast. I lived in Boone County Kentucky for a couple of years in the mid 2000′s and I saw absolutely nothing of which you reported.
Only about 5% of the population is below poverty level and when attending my children’s school functions, there were no reports of starving kids. It is not third world. Everyone has electricity. And, as far as I know, there is no coal mining there.
There were MANY upscale restaurants, spas, bars, shops, neighborhoods and much more. I sold real estate for a living when I lived there and most of my clients were well qualified.
I won’t be too hard on you though as you might want to check the facts on Boone County West Virginia….

By: Phil Veerkamp

Phil Veerkamp — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 05:40:48 +0000

Evelyn, is surrender painful? Are reparations in order? I should think not when one considers Versailles.

By: Phil Veerkamp

Phil Veerkamp — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 05:34:27 +0000

Colonel, I look forward to the publication your thoughts. It is my sense that over time we have developed at least a small level of mutual respect. Please, don’t push it!

By: James E.

James E. — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 03:07:33 +0000

Evelyn, looks like things are dying out. In order to liven things up I’ve written a short letter to the Editor. As soon as it appears, we will be back in business.

By: Evelyn

Evelyn — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 20:47:39 +0000

Now . . . if there’s one single person left on the face of this planet with the slightest interest in this “conversation”, according to Wikipedia Owsley County KY is the “poorest county in the United States”.

By: Evelyn

Evelyn — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 20:38:08 +0000

oops. BOONEVILLE

By: Evelyn

Evelyn — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 20:34:57 +0000

I surrender, hastening to clear Boone County’s recently besmirched reputation, to which regrettably I contributed. It seems what we have here is problem of NAMES. In Kentucky there is a Boone County, which is not the same as the Kentucky town named Booneville, located in Owsley County. According to the 2010 US Census, 7% of Boone County’s residents live below the US poverty guidelines, whereas in Owsley County, home of BOONEVILE, the figure rises to 45%. Apparently Owsley County has the highest poverty rate in all of Kentucky. As for determining the poverty ranking of all the counties the United States . . . . .

By: Phil Veerkamp

Phil Veerkamp — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 06:03:30 +0000

Thank you for your good humor, John. You are particularly kind!

By: John

John — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 05:45:42 +0000

Every large family has a crazy uncle. Phil must be the one in the Veerkamp tribe. As for coal mines in Appalachia, most of the large operations have indeed closed. What I saw of Boone County were very small operations–half a dozen or so men, often related to each other–that were scavenging the coal left behind by the big boys.

By: Phil Veerkamp

Phil Veerkamp — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 02:53:32 +0000

Richard, Oz could, by executive order, create an appropriately named and defined “Appalachian economic zone” restricted to the locals and prohibiting jim beam, jack Daniels and – Coors from participating – mom & pop booze. Fix the problem. Forget Rs & Ds. Oz might even get a little revenue after an appropriate tax free start-up period.

By: Richard Guenther

Richard Guenther — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 02:42:27 +0000

Thanks John Garon for the essentially accurate history of Kentucky coal and exploitation. Sure beats reading some of the long winded, rambling, ideological bs posted by some commentators.

By: Richard

Richard — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 01:37:12 +0000

Veerkamp, the simple fact is that “cheap coal in central Appalachia has been mined out.” There is no politician, except Mitt Romney, who can change that, or scapegoat anybody. Remaining coal supplies tend to be more expensive to extract and aren’t as profitable according to the Boone County Chamber.” Central Appalachia would be experiencing almost as much decline in coal mining even if it had the most anti-environmental president of our history in place.” Additionally, coal can be purchased from Colorado State for a third of the cost of Kentucky coal. The Chinese who purchase the majority of Kentucky coal don’t give a damn if one burns hotter than the other. As far as legalizing White Lighting, and teaching the locals to set-up booze tours, the first to complain would be the big GOP supporters like Coors screaming like little sissy’s that its unfair.

By: Phil Veerkamp

Phil Veerkamp — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 00:53:53 +0000

Richard, do I have this right? Oz launches a war on coal. Thousands of coal miners are laid off. Garon takes the “denizens” of Boon County to task for falling for idiotic GOP ideology. And you think Republicans should supply the cure? How ‘bout this – Legalize white lightening. Teach the indigenous to set up an Appalachian booze tour much the same as we have here in El Dorado County. Lure in the rich effete flatlanders, and take ‘em!

By: Richard

Richard — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 23:48:40 +0000

Red-neck statistics vs. relativity; Thousands of coal miners have been laid off just in the Appalachia region this year. Mines in Boone County have shut down and thousands of more workers depending on the industry have also lost their incomes. Just 2 months ago, one of the largest coal companies in the world (Arch Coal) laid off 750 workers.

By: M. Schumann

M. Schumann — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 22:31:12 +0000

I checked the unemployment rate of Boone County, Ky. Unemployment rate is 6.4%
California unemployment rate is 10.1%; 6.4% GOP
10.1% Democrat. hummmmmmm

By: Phil Veerkamp

Phil Veerkamp — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 22:25:40 +0000

James, my one and only interest is the welfare of the Garons AND the denizens. If they would just move to Boon Co. they would develop a symbiotic relationship with the denizens. Singlehandedly the Garons could double the gross domestic product of Boon County. Then having ingratiated themselves to the local denizens they will be rewarded. When the $hit hits the fan and the meek inherit the earth the Garons’ kindnesses will be returned. It will be the denizens who have the skills to shoot, gut, skin, quarter and distribute the’ critters. The Garons will be cared for by the indigenous denizens of Boon County. There may be a sticking point. They may have difficulty in finding skilled domestic help, judging from pictures link.

By: James E.

James E. — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 22:14:15 +0000

Phil, I’m thinking of becoming a Republican, because the Republican message is that I may someday be rich. I want to be rich and build
a solid gold house. Until then, do I need to step on little people to be a good Republican? Please advise soonest.

By: James E.

James E. — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 21:56:10 +0000

Besides, Cookie’s money belongs to me.

By: James E.

James E. — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 21:52:45 +0000

Phil, if Mr. and Mrs. Garon live in a nice home, well good for them. Did they use any of Cookie’s money? I think not.

By: James E.

James E. — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 21:49:23 +0000

I lived once in Kentucky — Fort Knox. We enjoyed visiting around the state. Obviously, never visited Boone County. Wait, Kentucky — home to Senator McConnell. What’s left to say?

By: Larry

Larry — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 21:04:10 +0000

Having lived many years in Kentucky, once county removed from Boone County, I would suggest that the unnamed “European TV news group”, and Mr. Garon, check their facts and their GPS. Among Boone County’s “resources” are the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky airport and the Turfway Park racetrack; however, there are no commercial coal-mining operations as there is no significant amount of coal. And, in fact, only about 6% of the county population is officially below the poverty line. Maybe the rest of that news story is also some sort of fabrication.

By: Phil Veerkamp

Phil Veerkamp — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 21:01:59 +0000

Evelyn, Thank you for the pictures of the (Garon’s word) denizens of Boon County. As Mr. Garon sits comfortably appalled within his mansion on high he closes with, “This attitude is the GOP’s greatest electoral triumph: It has convinced the poorest of the poor to vote for the oligarchs, against their own self-interest.” - - - Please, Mr. Garon, inform us further of their “own self interest”. Is wealth redistribution the answer? Will wealth redistribution convert “denizens” to “citizens”? Will wealth redistribution heal a scar? Please, John, with specificity as opposed to hypocritical political platitudes from on high, please inform us on “their own self interests”.

By: Evelyn

Evelyn — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 20:24:33 +0000

Yesterday Mike mentioned a book by Joe Bageant who discussed class warfare, a phenomenon we know something about. Good guys on one side (that’s “us”, of course) and bad guys over there, preferably strung up, or at the very least, humiliated and silenced. Ever wonder who benefits? Anyway . . . John Garon quite correctly references Boone County as being the poorest county in the country, many homes still without electricity, hunger and third world conditions pervasive. Wanting to know more about Boone County, about which I had been totally ignorant prior to John’s letter, I went online. I’d like to share with you a largely pictorial article printed this year in April: AMERICA'S POOREST COUNTY: PROUD APPALACHIANS WHO LIVE WITHOUT RUNNING WATER OR POWER IN REGION WHERE 40% FALL BELOW POVERTY LINE: HERE. Have a look at it. It’s an easy scroll.

By: Robert Reilly

Robert Reilly — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 18:00:43 +0000

Boone Co looks a lot like Oakland,Richmond,Stockton,Vallejo,,Compton,Flint,Newark,New Orleans,Detroit,Chicago and many other dem controlled cities that all have high poverty and crime rates. Many of the citizens in these areas are slaves to the government because the depend on the government for the crumbs that get tossed their way. These communities have been dem controlled for decades and quality of life keeps getting worse. You’d think that eventually someone might say “maybe we should make some changes”.

By: Phil Veerkamp

Phil Veerkamp — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 06:10:06 +0000

Damn, James, you’re OLD! In ’62 I was a freshman at UCD.

By: James E.

James E. — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 06:00:59 +0000

Phil, in October 1962 I was at a secret site in Florida ready to fly to Cuba and kick some rear.
Yet, I was most happy when it was over and I could go home. I always get homesick when I have to hide in Florida.

By: James E.

James E. — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 05:57:38 +0000

Phil, I know, was hoping no one would notice my Nixon comment.

By: Phil Veerkamp

Phil Veerkamp — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 04:52:28 +0000

Remember? “. . . 13-day confrontation between the Soviet Union and Cuba on one side, and the United States on the other, in October 1962. It is one of the major confrontations of the Cold War, and is generally regarded as the moment in which the Cold War came closest to turning into a nuclear conflict. . . . ” ahhhh! The Merry Minuet . . . full circle, James?

By: Phil Veerkamp

Phil Veerkamp — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 04:32:34 +0000

SHAME on you, James!!! it was Kennedy in ’62

By: James E.

James E. — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 04:28:27 +0000

In 1962, weren’t we blaming it on Nixon?

By: Phil Veerkamp

Phil Veerkamp — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 03:52:15 +0000

Richard, do you recall the merry minuet from all the way back to 1962(ish)? It was really REALLY bleak back then . . . and no Bush to blame it on. No wonder the 70s required hippies and drugs and hippies . . . bring on woodstock 2!!! I ready to blow 25 years sobriety.

By: Phil Veerkamp

Phil Veerkamp — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 03:45:17 +0000

LINK - just for john(and richard) - The Merry Minuet Slideshow

By: Richard

Richard — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 03:40:37 +0000

Veerkamp, I think you’ve gotten so far to the right that you have lost your balance.

By: Phil Veerkamp

Phil Veerkamp — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 03:27:40 +0000

Richard, do you suppose we could draw on ambassador Garon's expertise and tease out a forecast? NBC is reporting tonight that Assad is now loading serine gas into bombs. Bush named Iran, Iraq and North Korea the axis of evil. So that name is gone. Will Oz have a name for the three sisters, Syria, Iran and North Korea. What do you think, Richard?

By: Richard

Richard — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 03:17:11 +0000

Veerkamp, was your government retirement check also late this month?

By: Phil Veerkamp

Phil Veerkamp — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 02:47:58 +0000

LINK - john and susan in Africa?

By: C. Rap

C. Rap — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 02:17:14 +0000

The language is a fit: trash + climbs out of bed + smell like crap

By: curious

curious — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 02:10:13 +0000

Is Dawson the Camino registered white male 5’9, blue eyes blond hair, DOB 2/3/1961, LEWD OR LASCIVIOUS ACTS WITH A CHILD UNDER 14 YEARS OF AGE?

By: James E.

James E. — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 01:52:22 +0000

Appears I must give the opposing view — Mr. Garon has his right to his opinions just as Mr. Arjil, Mr. Martin, Cookie, et al. Oh, and Mr. Mark Dawson, Sr. — Odumbo? Very classy. And, remember “Odumbo” just got re-elected 51 to Mitt’s 47. Appears the President is not quite the “Odumbo” you think he is. I hope you enjoy the next four years.

By: C. Rap

C. Rap — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 01:30:05 +0000

M Dawson Sr, living proof that anything can get published.

By: Mark Dawson, Sr

Mark Dawson, Sr — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 00:57:13 +0000

Every time John Garon opens his mouth, picks up a pen, or uses a keyboard he shows his “IGNORANCE”! What a “FRICKIN IDIOT”! I am starting to think that he has a financial interest in the Mountain Democrat for them to keep printing his trash!

Who knows, maybe one day when when when Garon climbs out of bed with Odumbo and smells the roses he’ll relize they really smell like crap from that side!

By: word for the day

word for the day — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 00:05:29 +0000

banal

By: James E.

James E. — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 23:41:11 +0000

Phil, hey, look over there — Cookie has too much money.

By: Phil Veerkamp

Phil Veerkamp — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 22:34:21 +0000

. . . off to the feed store barbed wire shopping . . .

By: Phil Veerkamp

Phil Veerkamp — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 22:28:04 +0000

Mr. & Ms Garon, just as I was beginning to feel guilty about my snarky, class envy attack on your perceived hypocrisy, just as I was preparing to compose an appropriate apology I ran across this - LINK - Tax the Rich - An animated fairy tale - I’ve changed my mind. Why should Ed Asner, and you guys reserve particularly nasty dialogue for yourselves. I will not apologize. ARMAGEDDON OR BUST!

By: Ashley

Ashley — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 22:27:33 +0000

Excellent commentary on the sad condition of the U.S. coal miners and their communities. It is so important to make education and vocational training available to them and other workers mired in dead end occupations.

By: cookie65

cookie65 — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 22:10:47 +0000

James, the government is doing it for you. I may some left over when they are done, better get it soon while it still has a little value. Would you like it in the same form that the government leaves me? CHANGE. You voted for hope and all any of us have left is change. Thanks a lot.

By: Phil Veerkamp

Phil Veerkamp — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 22:07:18 +0000

Cookie, STOP! My wife thinks I’m nuts as I cradle my laptop busting a gut.

By: cookie65

cookie65 — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 21:58:25 +0000

Phil, in my travels around the National Forest, both private and public we always have master key in our possesion. It opens any gate. It is a little loud depending on the neighborhood. And it costs about 50 cents everytime we use it. Don’t tell James though, I have him convinced this type of key is only used for overthrowing the government.