If the Democratic Party does not hang Don Blankenship, the piggish CEO of Massey Energy, firmly around the necks of the Republican Party, they are even more inept than I imagine them to be. Especially Arlen Specter, who should be going after Pat Toomey hammer and tongs about Blankenship's patronage, given the ample presence of miners and mining culture in Western Pennsylvania.
A review of his campaign contributions shows him to be an inveterate supporter of every swinging right wing fuck stick around, including Toomey, Rob Portman, James Inhoffe, and George Allen, among others. As Laura Clawson argues at kos, the Democrats need to present Blankenship as a man who would rather buy Republican office holders than pay for the safety of his workers. And he's a man who expects a return on his investment.
Once again, the simple question is "which side are you on?" That's the way the Dems need to frame this. It's a question that I would hope answers itself.
