Blue America Welcomes Patsy Keever (D-NC)

Maybe you heard that Rush Limbaugh's wife, Kathryn, is so embarrassed and so angry at him that she's threatening divorce if he doesn't stop demonizing, objectifying and insulting women. Well, the newest Blue America endorsee, North Carolina state Rep. Patsy Keever is married to a normal man but she's at least as angry at Limbaugh and the Republican War Against Women as Kathryn is!

"Women all across North Carolina," Patsy told us, "are disgusted with the Republican treatment of women. My campaign launched a petition drive protesting the GOP's assault on women and collected over 850 petitions in a few days. I’m not just talking about Democratic women. Whether it’s the radical right-wing conservatives in Raleigh or in Washington, the women I’ve spoken to are ready to take action to confront this extremism. I faced this issue at the state level as well. GOP members in the State House proposed legislation curtailing women's choice. Well I fought against this bill and worked to uphold Governor Perdue's veto. I am angry, and needless to say, women across the state are angry too."

And Patrick McHenry has been no champion on women's issues-- not on any of them. He votes against women on social issues and on economic issues. Patrick McHenry, as everyone who has followed his career knows, has a serious problem with women. And after Patsy wins her primary against a conservative Democrat on May 8, she'll be up against McHenry-- and in a district newly redrawn to be somewhat friendlier to Democrats and Independents and less friendly to right-wing extremists. Obama's performance is 6% better under the new lines and, by party registration, there are now actually more Democrats in the district (39.3%) than Republicans (35.6%). But Patsy didn't jump into this race because of Limbaugh or the GOP War Against Women. Her issues have more to do with education-- she taught in the public schools for more than 25 years-- and with an economic equality agenda.

As a mother, grandmother, public school teacher, community leader and elected official, I have spent more than 30 years working to make our community a great place for families and children to live. I have fought to create opportunities for meaningful employment, ensure that our children get a quality education, protect the quality of our air and water and achieve equality for all of our citizens. When I am elected to Congress, I will continue to do so.
 
Now I want to take these principles to Washington D.C., where a good dose of common sense and cooperation are direly needed. While understanding the need to tighten our belts, I will protect Social Security and Medicare, defend the natural beauty of our region and stand against extremism that hurts families. Every time I take a vote, I will ask myself, “Will this make our community a better place... for us, for our children and for our grandchildren?”

When I asked her about tough issues like keeping conservatives' hands off Social Security, she didn't hesitate for one second. "I support raising the cap on taxable income and would consider means testing," she told me. "As you know, Social Security taxes are levied on earnings up to a maximum level. In 2012, the cap is set at $110,100 dollars. Thus higher-income individuals pay a smaller share of their income in Social Security taxes than middle-class employees. I would raise or even eliminate the cap to ensure the money is there to pay benefits in the future. One thing I will never stand for is privatization of any part of Social Security. We saw how volatile the financial markets can be. Social Security should be a guarantee, not a gamble."
 
And in a "pro-military" state like North Carolina, Patsy also has no hesitation about calling for a speedy end to the occupation of Afghanistan. Last week's shooting rampage near Kandahar shocked her as much as it did most Americans. "The massacre in Afghanistan shows that we need to be funding our troops’ mental health resources much more than we are now. As for troop withdrawal, the sooner the better. We have spent too much 'blood and treasure' in the Middle East, and it’s time to bring our troops home."

The straight talk and commonsense are refreshing, and not what voters in western North Carolina are used to hearing from their current congressman. Patsy will be joining us at CrooksandLiars at 2pm (ET), 11am on the West Coast for a live chat about her campaign and her issues. If you'd like to help this fiery grandmother, with a proven track record, replace Patrick McHenry-- who also has a record-- please consider a contribution at the Blue America ActBlue page.