Tuesday, 11 March 2008

Budget Crisis?

One of my first criticisms of the Beshear administration was his immediate claim of a "budget crisis". I still don't believe we are in a budget crisis. I think the crisis was a manufactured ploy to gain support for the casino amendment.

Well, the evidence keeps pouring in and the budget crisis is still no where in sight. In fact, both January and February revenue numbers have shown an increase from the previous year. It's funny how reality can get in the way of a good political tall tale.

Posted by brians at 1:01 AM in Kentucky Politics
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Beshear is No Henry Clay

Joesepth Gerth yesterday in the Courier Journal tried to make the comparison between Henry Clay and Steve Beshear. The analogy falls short on many levels and only displays political bias in reporting.

Henry Clay was a storied politician and tremendous leader. He was known as the "Great Compromiser". A person who could bring people together to get stuff done. None of which is on display by our current inept Governor.

The best analysis I have heard on Beshear is a joke I heard from my brother-in-law. "Beshear sat down at his desk on day 1 and found Fletcher's playbook in a drawer of the desk. He then decided to use it."

Beshear is making all of the same bone headed mistakes Fletcher made in his first years of office. At least Fletcher had an excuse. He was surrounded by a lot of inexperienced government operatives. Beshear doesn't have that excuse. He has filled his administration with cronies. That is what makes his term such an amazing embarrassment.

Posted by brians at 12:32 AM in Kentucky Politics
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Money Changes Everything

With all of the money being pumped into the political system by proponents of expanded gambling, one has to wonder if all of the money is influencing votes.

Let's take a look at an example. Tom Burch, a Democrat from Louisville, has decided he would vote for Beshear's casino proposal this year. Now let's step into the way back machine to take us back to the year 2002. At that time Burch was militantly against casinos. In fact he proposed legislation, HB256, that would encourage the purchase of a submarine to patrol the state's rivers and destroy casino riverboats.

I wonder what happened in the last 6 years that brought such a revelation to Rep Burch? Hmmm, I don't know. But for some reason I am reminded of the Cindy Lauper song, Money Changes Everything.

Money changes everything
Money changes everything
We think we know what we're doin'
We don't pull the strings
It's all in the past now
Money changes everything
Posted by brians at 12:14 AM in Kentucky Politics
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