Wednesday, 21 February 2007

Beshear Channels Wally Wilkinson

Democratic Gubernatorial candidate, Steve Beshear came out yesterday in favor of bringing casino gambling to Kentucky. If elected he wants to bring gambling to Kentucky as a way to raise revenue to help "education" projects in Kentucky.

Bringing casino gambling to Kentucky will help fund pre-school classes for all 3- and 4-year-olds and a college scholarship program for students who agree to work in the state after graduation, if Democratic gubernatorial candidate Steve Beshear gets elected, the Lexington lawyer promised yesterday.

It looks like Beshear is making gambling his key issue in an effort to separate himself from his other competitors in the crowded Democratic primary. This sounds like a familiar strategy. Where have I seen gambling to fund education before? I know, the 1987 Democratic primary. The one where Wally Wilkinson used the "lottery to fund education" strategy to beat out Lt Gov. Beshear and Former Gov. Brown in the Democratic primary.

It is a bit ironic that Beshear is using the strategy that beat him in 1987 as the vehicle he hopes will propel himself to victory in 2007. Of course we know how well Wally's plan worked once the lottery was legalized. The revenue from the lottery as it turns out was too volatile to tie to education so it just ended up going into the general fund. Where it was appropriated for a whole bunch of non educational stuff. I am sure this round of expanded gambling would be more of the same.

It will be interesting to see if his plan gains any traction with this plan in the primary. With a new poll that shows 51% of Kentuckians want to expand gambling at racing tracks, maybe Beshear can ride this issue to victory in the spring. I just wouldn't bet on it.

Posted by elendil at 11:55 PM in Kentucky Politics

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Lunsford Shunned by Unions

It appears that money man Bruce Lunsford's campaign for governor is off to a rough start. Just a few weeks into the campaign and the unions are running away from him and Stumbo faster than a speeding bullet.

Kentucky's largest labor federation and a state employees union have turned their thumbs down on the Democratic campaign of Louisville businessman Bruce Lunsford for governor.
Steve Neal, chairman of a coalition of seven unions called Change to Win-Kentucky, said at a news conference yesterday at Teamsters Local 783 Union Hall that the group "will aggressively educate its members on why Kentucky working families cannot afford Bruce Lunsford as governor of Kentucky.'
The coalition represents more than 100,000 active and retired members. Neal said members of the federation, which includes the Jefferson County Teachers Association, Service Employees International Union, United Food and Commercial Workers International, United Brotherhood of Carpenters and the Teamsters, will work against Lunsford

It doesn't surprise me that the unions are pissed at Lunsford. Last election he spent millions of dollars trashing Chandler only to pull out at the last minute and support the Republican nominee and mortal enemy of unions Governor Fletcher.

What does surprise me is Stumbo's willingness to join Lunsford's campaign. He had to know the union's would not forget Lunsfords insult four years ago, yet he decided to team up with Bruce 'Dead Man Walking' Lunsford in the primary. This confirms in my mind that Stumbo is not the brilliant political mind many think, but the two bit political hack that I believe him to be.

It will be interesting to see if Lunsford can use his vast financial resources to overcome the disdain from the party activists such as the unions. Personally, I think Lunsford/Stumbo ticket is a long shot to win the Democratic primary. They will spend a lot of money to come in third or fourth in the voting.

Posted by elendil at 12:03 AM in Kentucky Politics

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