Ben Chandler

According to Ben Chandler, cutting federal spending could damage the economy. Which economy? The nation’s or Chandler’s. One might say that Ben is heavily invested in spending. For example, he recently endorsed $56 billion for high speed railways. Kentucky won’t benefit, but Ben’s bottom line will. Those hoping for contracts are generous. To date, labor unions have given Ben $785,000; transportation interests more than $232,000. Ben has a vested concern in other votes as well.

The Kentucky House of Representative's voted Tuesday on almost purely party lines on a redistricting plan that would put all of Lincoln County in the 2nd Congressional District represented by Republican Steven Brett Guthrie, a second-term Bowling Green based congressman who had previously served in the Kentucky Senate. Reaction from House Republicans was swift; House Republican Leader Jeff Hoover said that House Bill 2, “The proposal on Congressional redistricting drawn up by House Democrats and passed today is nothing more than a political document to protect Congressmen in the 3rd and 6th Congressional districts, and a negotiating ploy since they know this plan will never pass the Senate.” Lincoln County is mostly represented by 6th District Congressman Ben Chandler under the current system, though western parts of the county are in Rep. Ed Whitfield's 1st District.

To the editor, Then and Now: Back then, Ben Chandler in state and national government meant great work for the Kentucky people. Now, Ben Chandler is doing things to Kentucky's people. He and the Obama administration have put thousands of miners out of work with their war on coal. Coal keeps our lights on. His party platform voted God out and voted in same-sex marriage and voted murder on demand (with abortion). If his grandfather Happy Chandler were with us today, he would be very unhappy with grandson Ben. We must act for Happy and all Kentuckians.

PLEASANT HILL - Eunice Logan is passionate about Ben Chandler. In fact, you could fairly say she's obsessed with the congressman from Kentucky's Sixth District. Logan has devoted much of her life over the past two years to a one-woman mission dedicated to wrecking Chandler's political career. “I work it like a full-time job, pretty much,” Logan said Wednesday during an interview in the kitchen of her home off U.S. 68 near the Kentucky River in Mercer County. “I care about this, I really do.” Logan launched a modestly sophisticated website, www.SeeBenSpend.com, in 2009 to take jabs at Chandler's votes in Congress and public pronouncements, and ridicule what she calls Chandler's “wholesale hypocrisy from top to bottom.” She has created cut-and-paste postcards that show Chandler sitting as an infant on President Obama's lap or appearing with Nancy Pelosi at a Washington cocktail party.

U.S. Rep. Ben Chandler took time to greet some of the veterans who attended the presentation of an American flag to Conkwright Middle School Thursday morning. Greeting Chandler are, from left, Doyle Spry, Eugene Baker and Walter Brown.

Dear Editor, I am in agreement with Johnny Randolph's letter of Aug. 19, "Chandler shunned us. " I, too, plan not to vote for Ben Chandler in the future. My reasons are simple. Ben Chandler voted for the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, aka "cap and trade. " Chandler claims this bill will create "clean" jobs and move us away from dependence on foreign oil. The only thing this bill will do is drive our energy bills up another 10 to 15 percent monthly and will put 60,000 Kentucky coal workers and related jobs out of work.

Dear Editor, Let's fire Ben Chandler. His recent support of the Waxman-Markey energy tax bill marks him as one who puts his own interests ahead of those of his constituents. Chandler has forgotten that we peasants are the ones paying his salary. He turned his back on farmers, utility workers, those of us on fixed incomes and those of us who must commute many miles to larger towns for jobs that he also voted to kill with his support of the bill. Not to mention the coal miners and operators of Kentucky who will be literally left out in the cold due to the demonization of coal.

Two years ago, my husband turned 65 and registered for Medicare. In November of the same year, he had hip surgery. After the surgery, we received a $61,000 doctors' bill. After contacting Medicare, I found they had made a mistake on the effective date. After weeks of pleading with Social Security to correct the error, I turned to our congressmen and senators. On Aug. 22, 2010, I wrote letters to representatives. Ben Chandler called on Aug. 24, asking how he could help. After sharing our situation, he promised to get it resolved.

Dear Editor, On Aug. 14 our congressional representative Ben Chandler decided to skip a session to discuss the pending national health care bill. The meeting was scheduled at the Danville/Senior Citizens Center and Chandler cited "safety reasons" for the cancellation. Safety reasons among a room full of senior citizens? I have no intention of ever voting for Chandler after this shun to our community. Johnny Randolph Danville

Dear Editor: With about one week left before the biggest election for governor in Kentucky's history, I would like to urge all registered voters to vote this Nov. 4. Ben Chandler is the right candidate to lead Kentucky forward. He has the best grasp on what Kentucky's needs are - better jobs, health and medical care. Chandler's opponent Ernie Fletcher has served three terms as a U.S. representative and has done nothing on health care, which he promised during campaign all three times.

A new political star was born during Tuesday's elections in central Kentucky. His name is Heath Lovell. Heath Lovell wasn't on any ballot but he played a big role in Republican Andy Barr's defeat of Democratic 6th District U.S. Rep. Ben Chandler. Heath Lovell is Kentucky's version of Joe the Plumber, but Heath provided a lot more help to Barr, who won his race, than Joe was able to give 2008 Republican presidential candidate U.S. Sen. John McCain, who lost his. You know Heath.

Republican challenger for the U.S. 6th congressional district Andy Barr said he has one message for the voters of Jessamine County. “If the people of Jessamine County think that Washington is broken - if you don't like what's going on in Washington and you want to send Washington a message, then you've got to replace your congressman,” he said.  Barr, a Lexington attorney and part-time instructor at Morehead State University, is challenging U.S....

U.S. Rep. Ben Chandler said one of the key differences between him and challenger Andy Barr is a desire to put people to work and help companies stay open. Chandler cited a February 2011 Recovery Act loan to Nicholasvile's McKechnie Vehicle Components as an example of that commitment. Chandler said prior to the loan, the company was in danger of shutting its doors. “McKechnie, as I understand it, is the second-largest private employer in Jessamine County, (and) they have now increased their employment to more than 400 people,” Chandler said.

Just one week before Kentucky voters will head to the polls, U.S. Rep. Ben Chandler made a campaign stop at Nicholasville's McKechnie Vehicle Components on Tuesday morning to tout the accomplishments of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. “This is an effort to highlight a positive example of a company doing very, very well here in central Kentucky,” Chandler said during his one-hour stop. “The recovery act was very important to this company's survival.” In February 2011, McKechnie received a $5 million guaranteed loan from the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development that allowed the business to stay afloat, operations manager Tim Coots said.

Republican challenger for the Sixth District Congressional seat Andy Barr faced state auditor Adam Edelen, standing in for incumbent Ben Chandler. Candidates fielded questions submitted by the audience on state and national issues, including the economy, health care and the coal industry. “Our country faces enormous challenges right now - unemployment, national debt. The answer … is to return power back to the American people,” Barr said in his opening statement. It was a sentiment echoed by Edelen, speaking on behalf of Chandler.

After months of brutal attack ads from 6th District U.S. Representative candidates Ben Chandler and Andy Barr glutting the Lexington television airwaves, many area voters are understandably confused when they are told they won't be voting for either candidate. "People have been bombarded on the local stations and then they come in and wonder 'why can't we vote for [Chandler or Barr],'" said Mercer County Clerk Chris Horn, who has stressed the need for election workers to be prepared for a lot of questions.

Standing behind a row of assault rifles and unassembled weapon parts, U.S. Representative candidate Andy Barr took aim at what he called a “spending crisis.” Barr told the employees of J&T Distributing that they were one of the bright spots in a very difficult economy. “I really appreciate the opportunity to come and celebrate what you're doing here,” he said. “You're the backbone of America.” Barr and State Rep. Donna Mayfield spoke at J&T Distributing's plant in Winchester Wednesday.

To the editor, Then and Now: Back then, Ben Chandler in state and national government meant great work for the Kentucky people. Now, Ben Chandler is doing things to Kentucky's people. He and the Obama administration have put thousands of miners out of work with their war on coal. Coal keeps our lights on. His party platform voted God out and voted in same-sex marriage and voted murder on demand (with abortion). If his grandfather Happy Chandler were with us today, he would be very unhappy with grandson Ben. We must act for Happy and all Kentuckians.

We are fortunate in the Sixth District to have a congressman who follows his conscience in supporting the interests of his constituents and responding to their concerns. I urge all residents of the district to cast their votes for Ben Chandler on Nov. 6. We have an opportunity this fall to increase Democratic representation in the House of Representatives and to oppose the takeover by Tea Party Republicans. A vote for Rep. Chandler is an important step in this process. Ben Chandler is a strong advocate for senior citizens, small businesses, military members and veterans.

We have two men running for the same congressional seat in this district, Ben Chandler, the incumbent and Andy Barr, the challenger. Each have a political advertisement currently running on TV.  Andy Barr has a gentleman in his ad who claims to be a coal miner. Ben Chandler's ad says he is lying and he is really not a coal miner and doesn't even live here, but in reality is a big contributor to the Republican Party. One of these men is lying.  In the last general election, more than 200 “investigative reporters” were sent to Alaska to look for “dirt” on Sara Palin.