Governor Gatewood Galbraith?

 

Now that the obligatory Nazi allusion is out of my system, I’ll move on to Gatewood, friend of old. Gatewood and I shared the UK campus, I a College Republican (read: “Hitler Youth”... dammit, there goes my Third Reich turrets again), and he, shall we say, was to my Left. He gave speeches against the Vietnam War. I gave speeches for it, primarily due to the “domino effect” (known later as the Killing Fields of Cambodia under Pol Pot, the boat people crisis, China having to invade North Vietnam to stop the blood lust, etc.). 

 

So, in a way, we were both right. We were both radicals – just on either extreme – and always got along famously, with much mutual respect. We even found ourselves on the same team when the National Guard invaded the UK campus – with tear gas, bayonets and live ammunition – forcing us to seek sanctuary at the nearby seminary. Regardless of our politics, I always saw Gatewood as a man who kept his head when the rest of us were busy ducking ours. He is a man of integrity, energy, and can get things done. I know him well.

 

Gatewood and I even shared front of the mob status when the Air Force ROTC building burned to the ground, and while Gatewood insists Mitch (then a law student) was behind it, I had to take up for the future Senate Minority Leader. The Reichstag maybe, but not an ROTC building. Mitch had better things in mind for the future – like fucking up America. 

 

Over the years, I came to admire Gatewood more and more and I think he should be Governor. He’s been unfairly mired as the “marijuana candidate”  or the “perennial” candidate” who cannot win. 

 

Falsehoods! 

 

The times just had to catch up with him. 

 

As for marijuana, it is now legal in 14 states for medicinal purposes and even prescribed at V.A. hospitals in 50 states and four U.S. territories. As I pontificated in my column last month, think of the industries that hemp and medicinal marijuana could bring to Kentucky. Marijuana is our “Common Wealth” (like oil is Alaska’s) and continues to be our number one cash crop.

 

So, looks like Gatewood was ahead of the curve on that one, huh?

 

And when I called Gatewood from Carly Rae’s, a great restaurant at Third and Oak where I took lunch today, we did not even talk pot (I forgot ... ). 

 

“Gatewood,” I asked, while chomping on some fine Bar-B-Que chicken, “what are the big issues as this campaign comes to a close?”

 

Razor sharp, he answered that we needed to shape a system that would encourage participation from the many able citizens out there who have a stake in democracy, and, secondly, take the money saved from wiping out graft and corruption and use it to give every Kentucky high school graduate $5,000 if he or she spends it for text books and tuition at an in-state college. 

 

HOWEVER, THE POINT IS THAT GATEWOOD GALBRAITH IS LIGHT-YEARS AHEAD OF BOTH THE INCUMBENT AND THE REPUBLICAN IN TERMS OF BIG IDEAS, VISION AND FRESH APPROACHES.  WATCH ONE OF THE UPCOMING DEBATES AND SEE FOR YOURSELF. 

 

This is not a one-issue guy (an issue he was right about all along anyway).

 

That’s why he’s run before, silly rabbits. Some call it perennial; I call it persistent.

 

But this time, Gatewood Galbraith runs as an Independent, not as a Democrat.

 

Anybody registered Independent out there? If so, vote the party line.

 

If not, vote for Gatewood no matter what, IN ORDER TO SEND A MESSAGE TO FRANKFORT and WASHINGTON. 

 

It is time for a change.

 

Don’t waste your vote like some sheep and vote for another Republocrat!

 

So, vote with your head, your heart and often during election day and make the poetic sounding GOVERNOR GATEWOOD GALBRAITH a reality.  Won’t that shake things up? 

 

Smile. 

 

TRUE FACT: Voters in 40204 and 40205 turn out to vote more than any others in the rest of Kentucky. Make it happen. Gatewood can win Kentucky if he carries the Highlands with a fat plurality.  Mark November 8 on your calendar and Facebook your fake friends and tweet your never-met followers to vote. 

 

Republicans, note: David Williams even remarked that if it looked like he was going to lose, to vote for Gatewood.  An honorable act, sir, I salute you.

 

This could be a crossroads for the Common-wealth. If we don’t elect Gatewood, if we don’t put one of our own in the Governor’s seat – and I will be blunt – I fear for the future.