Aug 10, 2018 5 min read

WAYNESBURG – While visiting the Greene County Fair and talking to locals showing off their livestock Thursday afternoon, U.S. Sen. Bob Casey lamented Democrats have lost the support of working people in recent years and needed to regain it by focusing on the issues that matter to them.

He noted Democrats “used to be much more successful” in communities such as Greene County, which still holds a sizable Democratic registration advantage, but has voted for Republican candidates in national races over the past decade.

“I think as a party over many years – it even predates the 2016 campaign – our party stopped talking to workers, stopped talking to folks in communities that might not have been overwhelmingly Democratic,” Casey said. “And I think in some ways we allowed Republicans to capitalize on that. We’re not doing that. We’re going to be talking to folks in both parties.”

Casey is trying to change that narrative by focusing on local issues, pointing to his work to secure long-term health care benefits for retired miners, offering new resources to grandparents caring for children affected by the opioid epidemic and providing more training opportunities at technical schools.

“We’re divided as a country in a lot of ways politically, but you’ve got to try to work together to get things done where you can,” Casey said.

One of the most pressing issues on Casey’s agenda is finding a solution to troubled union pension funds that are turned over to the federal government after coal companies go bankrupt. In the spring, Congress passed a two-year budget agreement that included forming a group of senators to review the pension situation and return with a report in November offering solutions. But Casey added the pension issue is a much larger problem than when a bill passed in December 2016 to maintain health care benefits for retired miners.

“I hope they can reach a consensus that could form the foundation for a statutory change,” he said. “If (the group) had a consensus, we’d probably try to get it done by the end of the year, maybe, as part of a tax bill or some end-of-the-year so-called ‘lame duck’ legislation. If not, we’ve got to start fresh in 2019 and keep pushing.”

Last year, there were 13,269 pensioners in Pennsylvania to receive benefits under the plan, which includes 1,436 pensioners in Greene County, 1,587 in Washington County and 2,120 in Fayette County.

One of those retired miners is John Enci. The 86-year-old Carmichaels resident worked in the mines for 33 years and chatted with Casey briefly while the senator posed for pictures with members of the Greene County Democratic Committee.

“A lot of people in D.C. are against it for some reason,” Enci said while wearing a camouflage United Mine Workers shirt. “Bob has been one of the greatest helpers. You have to put your trust in somebody, and he’s been vocal.”

Casey was also concerned about any potential changes Republicans want to make to the country’s health care laws that he said would “hack away” at Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, pointing to 3,000 Greene County residents who have benefited from the Medicaid expansion in the Affordable Care Act.

But Casey’s visit to the fair wasn’t all business. As he stepped out of his vehicle for the tour, Casey told his staff he had a hankering for a milkshake. His tour guide for the afternoon, state Rep. Pam Snyder, directed him to the Greene County Farm Bureau’s stand and he promptly ordered a chocolate peanut butter ripple shake.

Bill Cree, a dairy farmer with 80 cows at his property in Khedive, handed him the creamy beverage and the two chatted for a few minutes.

“It’s just great to see him here again,” Cree said.

Cree invited Casey to an open house later this year to discuss the ongoing struggles of dairy farmers in the state. He was unsure how President Trump’s new tariffs on some Canadian goods would affect dairy farms like his as the neighbors to the north prepare to retaliate by adding tariffs on American goods like cheese.

“We’re doing OK for now,” Cree said. “It’ll probably hurt us, but it’s too soon to tell.”

Casey agreed, but said Congress needs to find a long-term solution to helping dairy farmers.

“You hear over and over again, as we did today, that they don’t know if another generation can continue with this type of farming,” he said.

Casey, flanked on his visit by Snyder and Democratic congressional candidate Bibiana Boerio, spent time talking to some of the young farmers in the show barn hours before the evening livestock market sale. He gently patted Nalla the lamb on the head, which was a thrill for 13-year-old Carly Whyte, who raised the animal.

“That was exciting,” Carly said. “It’s really cool to see the senator and show him your lamb.”

Later in the afternoon, Casey traveled to American Legion Post 902 in Houston to speak to supporters from Washington County.

Meanwhile, Casey’s Republican opponent, U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta, also swung through Western Pennsylvania this week, traveling on his “Red, White & Lou” statewide bus tour, visiting Lawrence and Beaver counties Wednesday and Fayette and Indiana counties Thursday.