Casey looking for votes in conservative Amish country

The Morning Call ^ | July 2006 | McCall Reporter

[napscoordinator]

This is the second in an occasional series of stories from The Associated Press on the U.S. Senate race from the campaign trail.

Amish farm country isn't always friendly turf for Democrats. That didn't stop Bob Casey Jr. from paying a visit Friday in his campaign to unseat U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum.

Casey, wearing jeans and a white polo shirt, started his day at a Lancaster County dairy farm where about 30 residents sitting on hay bales politely asked tough questions about farmland preservation, the war and immigration.

[napscoordinator]

I can't see Casey making strides in Amish Country. Thoughts?

[investigateworld]

The boy knows the Amish aren't big with keeping up with the media, so he prolly told them what they wanted to hear.

(But they know the "English" lie like dogs, so they blew him off - politely of course)

[ccmay]

I thought the Amish didn't vote.

[reformedliberal]

I gather the decision is up to the individual elders in every church group. Some are more liberal than others. In our area (SW WI), they are forbidden to vote, but they had Bush signs in their fields.

One of my business suppliers in Amish. She can have a fax and a phone and even the dedicated computer system used to track shipments, but no personal computer.

I have heard stories of Amish farmers with cell phones at the sales barn. Something about only the phone lines being forbidden.

[Sisku Hanne]

Lancaster co. went +70% to Bush in 2004. If Casey thinks he can get votes off the Amish community like Bush did, he's sadly mistaken. The elders met and prayed with W before his campaign appearance at Lancaster Airport. They do not get involved in the English world as a rule, but there are greater things afoot in the community that precipitated this historic event.
Maybe Casey thinks he'll get something off usually pacifist Brethrens and Mennonites. I doubt it will amount to much. At least that's the word on the street down on the farm.

[Sisku Hanne]

Technology necessary for function of a business, such as computerized milking machines, is permitted in the work areas but not in the homes. Only some pockets of strict Old Order shun all modern conveniences. They are hellacious smart businessmen.