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April 17, 2007

Galbraith wants to revolutionize Democratic party

Anonymous The Sentinel-Echo Tue Apr 17, 2007, 05:42 PM EDT

Gatewood Galbraith, a Democratic candidate for governor, views himself as a revolutionary soldier in the political world.

“Both parties have been playing politics as a blood sport in Kentucky while the welfare of the people has been ignored,” said Galbraith, a Lexington attorney.

Galbraith was born Jan. 23, 1947, in Carlisle. He graduated from Lafayette High School in 1965 and joined the Marines a year later. He graduated from the University of Kentucky Law School in 1977 and is practicing law in Lexington, concentrating in criminal defense and personal injury.

He left the Democrat Party in 1999 and ran for governor in the General Election as the Reform Party candidate, garnering 15.3 percent of the vote. After losing in 1999, he ran as a Reform Party candidate for U.S. Congress in 2000 and lost. He ran as an Independent candidate for U.S. Congress in 2002 and received 27 percent of the vote. In 2003, he ran as an Independent candidate for attorney general, receiving 110,000 votes.

Eight years after leaving the Democrat Party, he is back and hoping to bring the party back to its roots.

His goal is to use commonsense solutions to fix the problems facing Kentuckians so neither the Democrats nor Republicans will be able to oppose his actions without losing support among constituents.

“I want to resurrect the Democrat Party to once again become the voice of the people instead of the special interests,” Galbraith said. “I am willing to work with all parties to solve Kentucky's problems.”

One way Galbraith hopes to improve the economy is to provide each high school graduate with a $5,000 voucher to apply toward college or vocational training. He said his proposal would limit illiteracy and help provide the Bluegrass region with a trained workforce.

He also supports raising the minimum wage, but was vague on how high it should be raised.

“Everyone should be able to earn a livable wage,” Galbraith said. “The minimum wage should be increased as much as possible without hurting the economy.”

Although he doesn't gamble much, Galbraith is open to allowing casino gambling in Kentucky and thinks voters should have a say.

“I believe that Kentucky can raise a great deal of money for its many needs if the people vote to allow it,” he said. “I would probably vote for it if the voters want it.”

If casino gambling became legal, he wants them at racetracks to protect the horse racing industry. But he differs from his opponents on who should own the casinos.

“I believe that the commonwealth should own the franchise and give the tracks and their partners a management contract to run the operations to ensure their profitability,” Galbraith said. “The profits should go to Kentucky so we can help the poor.”

Galbraith also wants to make drug companies help pay for treatment for people addicted to prescription drugs.

“Thousands of citizens have become addicted to legal drugs,” he said. “Accidental drug overdose deaths rose from 11,1555 in 1999 to 19,838 in 2004.”

With Kentucky taxpayers struggling, Galbraith said it isn’t right to make them pay for the treatment of addicts.

Galbraith explains many of his views in his book, “The Last Free Man in America,” which is available at amazon.com. “If they were ever to remake ‘The Kentuckian,’ the story would have to be about Gatewood Galbraith,” said Steve Bloom of High Times Magazine about the book.

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