Thursday, 28 January 2010

Congressman Bret Guthrie Responds to SOTU Address

I came across Guthrie's response to last night's State of the Union address and found this important quote.

 “I liked the fact that he is beginning to look at the freeze on spending. I think that is just a first, very small step. The problem is, since I was elected, I voted against the stimulus bill, the omnibus spending bill, and most of the appropriations bills, because they have increased spending 67 percent.

 “So, it’s increased spending 67 percent, and now we are freezing it at the increase. We should go back and fund at previous levels.

I am glad he is my congressman! Guthrie highlights the disingenuous of Obama's promise to "freeze spending". He and his fellow Democrats who have controlled Congress since 2006 have dramatically increased spending. Now the want to "freeze" spending so they can look like they are doing something about run-a-way spending after they already spent like a drunken sailor. Big deal. Let's put this in perspective. Let's say that normally government spending might grow 20% over 5 years. What the Democrats did was grow it 30% in one year and now want to put a freeze in for a couple of years. Even with the "freeze" government is much larger and spends considerably more than it would have under normal growth.

Now if we can get more congressmen like Guthrie in office we might actually be able to reduce spending and reduce the size of government.

Posted by brians at 8:19 PM in National Politics
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Kentucky Evidently Doesn't Have A Budget Problem

The economic well being of Kentucky must be getting better much faster than we ever thought. Our budget problems must be solved. Why else would legislator's want to spend $4 million dollars on a program to hire social workers?

A bill filed in the state House Wednesday would appropriate $4 million to hire additional social workers and improve security for front-line social service employees.

House Bill 328, filed by Louisville Democrats Tom Burch and Joni Jenkins, would also establish an oversight committee to ensure that money appropriated by the General Assembly is used for the benefit of social workers.

Someone needs to inform Democrats Tom Burch and Joni Jenkins that the state is running a large deficit. And then slowly explain to them what a "deficit" is. We can't hire new people when we can't afford the ones we currently have employed. It is simple math and a simple business practice that our Representatives apparently have a difficult time grasping. No wonder Kentucky has a problem with its budget.

Posted by brians at 3:09 PM in Kentucky Politics
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Wednesday, 27 January 2010

Nanny State Marches Onward

When the city was talking about banning smoking in Louisville, I warned then that it was just the first step in government's attempts to control our lives. So we can all be "healthier". I am not a smoker so the ban didn't affect me directly. But I knew it was just the first step in the march towards the end of our freedom as citizens. Apparently, the next step has arrived.

A task force created by Louisville's health department is expected to recommend that the Metro Council ban the use of unhealthy trans fats in Jefferson County restaurants.

Louisville Metro Council President Tom Owen, D-8th District, notified fellow council members by e-mail Monday that Mayor Jerry Abramson's office is expecting the recommendation.

The official recommendation to the council will come from Dr. Adewale Troutman, director of the Louisville Metro Public Health & Wellness Department.

Yup. You are no longer capable of deciding what you should or should not eat. Only a faceless bureaucrat on some task force for the Public Health & Wellness department can make that determination for you. Unbelievable.

We need to put an end to this foolishness now. It is ludicrous that we will allow the government the power over what we can and can't eat. If we don't put our foot down now, then it will become more difficult in the future to stop the state from "protecting" us from ourselves. It will become harder and harder to stop the erosion of our freedoms. The nanny state must end now. Hopefully the Louisville Metro Council will agree and squash this recommendation.

Posted by brians at 8:36 PM in Louisville Politics
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Tuesday, 26 January 2010

EPA: A Danger To Our Country

The EPA is the most dangerous governmental body in the United States. They can arbitrarily change standards that not only become a regulatory nightmare, but can cost cities,  companies, and ultimately all citizens millions of dollars. Take standards for nitrogen dioxide.

Louisville appears — for now — to meet a proposed new national standard for nitrogen dioxide, a contributor to smog.

But Louisville Metro Air Pollution Control District officials said they will need to conduct more robust monitoring, including establishing a new monitoring site near a freeway that could show much higher levels of the pollutant that comes from the burning of gasoline, coal and other fossil fuels.

The current monitoring site for nitrogen dioxide is at Bowman Field.

“The bottom line our workload just got a lot bigger,” said Larry Garrison, who oversees air monitoring for the district.

EPA officials said the new standard — 100 parts per billion averaged over one hour — will “protect millions of Americans from peak short-term exposures, which primarily occur near major roads.”

The EPA has decided that a new standard was needed and not only a new standard, but we need a new way to measure it. One that is more likely to cause cities to fail the standard.  How much is this "new monitoring" going to cost the city? How is that going to affect the already strained budget? If the city fails the arbitrary standards, how many millions of dollars is it going to cost the people of Louisville to become compliant? How much damage will it do to the city's economy? More importantly what is to be gained from these new standards? Is it worth the cost? I seriously doubt it.

Yet, this is the power that the EPA has over our lives and our economy. On a whim, they can cause severe damage upon any economic activity they want. Is this the type of power we want to bestow upon same faceless bureaucracy running the EPA. We need to put checks in place before they enact regulations that will ruin our struggling economy.

Posted by brians at 10:03 PM in National Politics
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Debates

Remember early in the GOP primary when Rand Paul was complaining that Grayson wasn't going to debate him. They vociferously demanded that we needed many debates between the candidates. It is interesting to find their voices quite when they are benefiting from others being shut out of the debates.
Republican Bill Johnson is not only shut out of Wednesday night's "debate" at U of L,  but now a political forum in Frankfort next week is not inviting him, either.
The first rule of debates: if you are leading a race, do as few debates as possible. Why open yourself up to more opportunities for making a mistake? The second rule of debates: keep people out that are trailing you in the polls. Why give a major platform to someone who could use it? Third rule of debates: if you aren't leading, whine like hell about either not enough debates or being left out of the debates.

Within these constructs it is understandable why Grayson wanted a limited number of debates against Paul. He was the leading candidate and their was little incentive to give Paul a platform to launch his campaign. So Paul whined like hell about the debates.

The only downside to the whine like hell strategy is unfolding right now. If you get what you want and others are left out of the debates, you look like a bit of a hypocrite on the debate issue. A position where Rand Paul finds himself now.

Posted by brians at 10:02 PM in Kentucky Politics
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Ban On Texting While Driving

With the budget in shambles, what do our legislators focus on? How about banning texting while driving.

A legislative panel has approved a bill that would make it illegal for Kentuckians to send text messages while driving.

The House Transportation Committee passed the measure on Tuesday afternoon. It now goes to the full House for consideration.

Similar legislation is pending in the Senate.

I guess the nanny state is here to save us all from ourselves. When I am driving, I am concentrating on the road like any good driver (how few of those on the road now-a-days). But I might send a text message while waiting for a light. I guess I will be "breaking the law" if I do it once this bill passes. But let's set aside the actual merits of the law for now and ask a simple question. How the hell is this going to be enforced? How can anyone distinguish between driving while texting and just poor driving? More importantly how you are going to prove in a court of law that any message was sent from a phone while driving?

What a complete waste of time. Maybe these legislator's time would be better spent repealing laws than trying to add silly new laws that are unenforceable.

Posted by brians at 10:02 PM in Kentucky Politics
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Monday, 25 January 2010

State Senate Election 2010 Update

Kentucky Senate Minority Leader Ed Worley is stepping down at the end of this year. The seat has traditionally been a Republican seat which means the Republicans will probably extend their lead in the senate. Crushing any hope that Beshear and company have of regaining the Senate.

“It's a conservative district, and we know that a Republican can win it,” said Steve Robertson, chairman of the state GOP.

Robertson said the race already has two strong Republican candidates in it. No Democrat has filed yet.

Charlie Moore, the state Democratic Party chairman, predicted that voters would send a Democrat back to Frankfort “because of the fine leadership they've received” from Worley.

A Democrat will win because of the fine leadership they've received from Worley? That might be true if Worley was actually running for re-election. Unfortunately, logic is not Moore's strong suit. How is it a transitory property that the unnamed Democratic candidate will have the same "fine leadership" skills that Worley had? It is a ridiculous statement that makes little sense. The election won't be a referendum on Worley it will be an election about the direction of the state and which candidate will do the best job. With the coming Republican wave, I suspect the Republicans should easily pick up the seat.



Posted by brians at 8:49 PM in Kentucky Politics
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US Senate Elections 2010 Update

Across the river in Indiana, it looks like Sen Bayh is in trouble. He currently trails Pence(R) 47-44 in the polls. He only holds a 3 point lead over Hostettler who has already announced 44-41. In all of the match ups Bayh doesn't get over 45% of the vote. Not a good starting point for a sitting incumbent. 

I don't find this surprising at all. A Republican wave is building and Indiana has traditionally been a Republican state. I have noted for a while now that Bayh has been drifting to the left since he has been in the U.S. Senate. Most notably on gun issues. Just this year, Bayh voted for Obamacare. Not exactly a popular position with people in his state. 

I think he is going to have a difficult time positioning himself as a "moderate" Democrat this election cycle. A few years ago this was a safe Democrat seat. Today, I think Bayh will be one of the vulnerable Democratic senators facing re-election. If it is a strong Republican year that I believe it will be, I suspect Bayh's tenure in D.C. may be coming to a close.



Posted by brians at 8:49 PM in National Politics
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Thursday, 21 January 2010

Brown Win The Start Of A Tidal Wave

Brown's incredible upset in Massachusetts is just the first of the tidal conservative tidal wave that is sweeping across America this year. A wave that we haven't seen since Ron Lewis won the 2nd congressional district in Kentucky. Democratic over reach has created a backlash that is only now begining to be seen and felt.

In Missouri, the Republican has moved into a lead in the polls. In California, Boxer only has a small lead with approval ratings hovering around 50%. In Nevada, Reid trails by double digits to all of his challengers. Closer to home, Sodrel has surged to an 8 point lead over Democrat Hill in the Southern Indiana congressional race.

On top of that top tier candidates are starting to pop up to challenge what looked to be "safe" Democrats. Even Bayh is beginning to look vulnerable in Indiana. Here in Kentucky, the most vulnerable candidate is Ben Chandler in the 6th district. Chandler's one advantage is his seat on the Appropriations committee. Such a plum position will allow him to rake in money from special interests. He already has $1.6 million dollars in his war chest. Even so, he is vulnerable to a viable candidate.

Republican Andy Barr appears to be such a candidate. He has raised over $300,000 in the first 2 quarters. Even though he trails Chandler in money, Barr doesn't need to spend as much as Chandler. He only has to have enough money to advertise on television. The ads tying Chandler to Pelosi and Obama write themselves. Barr has a solid start, but he needs more. Fortunately, he still has seven or eight months to raise the money he needs.

Personally, I can't wait to start seeing the polls on all of these races.

Posted by brians at 9:56 PM in Political Issues
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Senate Defeats Williams Strange Measure on Expanded Gambling

The senate today defeated David Williams's odd constitutional amendment on gambling.
The state Senate voted along party lines Thursday in defeating Senate President David Williams' easure that would require a constitutional amendment before gambling could be expanded in the state.

Williams, R-Burkesville, argued that it would “let the people decide” if they want expanded gambling.

But opponents contended it would make it much more difficult to expand gambling.

The Senate vote was 21-16 in favor of the measure. However, it required 23 votes – or three-fifths of the chamber membership– for passage because it was a constitutional amendment.

I don't understand the need for the amendment. The constitution is quite clear on gambling. The only form of gambling allowed is the lottery. Anything that is not a lottery is unconstitutional. It is pretty freaking simple. His amendment would create a redundancy in the state constitution that is completely unnecessary.

Unfortunately, I understand why Williams pushed this amendment. Mainly because we have had AG's that have difficulty reading the clear language of our constitution.
Proponents of expanded gambling have argued that they can be allowed under existing laws, but there have been conflicting opinions by state attorneys general on whether a constitutional amendment is necessary.
Williams offered the amendment in order to "clarify the law" so we can't have AG's reading into the constitution things that don't exist. Just because we have AG's with overactive imaginations, doesn't mean we need to add such redundancy to our state constitution. Thankfully, the amendment was defeated.

Posted by brians at 9:56 PM in Kentucky Politics
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Wednesday, 20 January 2010

Beshear Fails To Lead

Kentucky's government is out of money, and they are expecting a $1.5 billion dollar shortfall over the next two years. We need to figure out how we are going to scale back government services until the economy recovers and money starts flowing back into the state coffers. What does Beshear do about it? Nothing. Apparently he is going to pass on making the tough decisions.
Ignoring the advice of many leading lawmakers, Gov. Steve Beshear unveiled a two-year budget proposal on Tuesday that depends on $780 million in revenue from expanded gambling at racetracks.
Basically, his budget is a fairy tail. Expanded gambling isn't going to pass in the session this year and even his fellow Dems are balking over his proposal.

The Democratic governor’s proposal was immediately stiff-armed in the House, where Speaker Greg Stumbo wants to use proceeds from slot machines at racetracks to replace outdated schools across the state.

“We obviously feel like the governor has his work cut out for him,” said Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg. “He’s built his budget on legislation that I assume he has been working on passing. And we wish him the best of luck in doing that.”

Stumbo, who has ordered a proposal to generate revenue by retooling the state’s tax code, said Beshear has not spoken to him or other House leaders about his gambling bill.....

Not to mention the Republicans resistance.

Beshear’s plan met resistance from state lawmakers who said there is little sentiment in either chamber to pass a gambling bill that has no earmarks for education.

House Minority Leader Jeff Hoover, R-Jamestown, who opposes gambling, said in a written statement that he was disappointed that Beshear had proposed “a budget based on revenue he knows simply does not exist. Fully acknowledging our budget shortfall, I expected better and am sincerely disappointed he chose to go this course.”

Instead of making the hard decisions and making necessary cuts, Beshear is going to hide his head in the sand.
Beshear would spare agencies that account for 80 percent of state spending from cuts, including: the state’s main funding formula for schools, State Police, Medicaid, mental health and mental retardation services, prosecutors, public defenders, mine permitting and a variety of other programs.
We need to go through that 80 percent of the budget and find places to cut. The first target is education. Bureaucrats don't teach kids, teachers do. It is time to eliminate the bureaucracy and let the teachers do their jobs. We need to slim down state government to make it through these tough times. Unfortunately our governor doesn't want to cut out the pork.

Posted by brians at 10:00 PM in Kentucky Politics
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Monday, 18 January 2010

Yarmuth Decides To Run To The Left

Tomorrow, the people of Massachusetts will vote in a special election to fill Ted Kennedy's seat in the U.S. Senate. Most of the polls are showing Republican Brown leading over Democrat Coakley for the seat. Just consider that for a second. A Republican is leading a race in Massachusetts. That is unbelievable. It illustrates just how far the pendulum has swung back since 2006 and 2008 elections. The decision to hoist big government liberalism on the people has caused a revolt by the silent majority. A swing we haven't seen since 1994 is on track to happen this year. How does Yarmuth! respond to the mood of the people? By doubling down on his liberalism.

He said Monday that, even though a Republican represented the district for a decade, the 3rd is a Democratic district -- especially in tough economic times, when voters are looking to government for help.

"I think this district has always been a Democratic district, and the district has (embraced) policies that support working families, progressive polices," he said. "Particularly when the climate puts the more emphasis on economic issues, I think it tends to be much more progressive and Democratic when a lot of the culture wars stuff doesn't interfere"

Yeah, the people in the 3rd district are a bunch of losers who need the government to help them tie their shoes. I know his crowd on Bardstown Rd want a progressive government, but I seriously doubt that a district as a whole which elected a Republican for 10 years wants a progressive government. I am not claiming the third is a conservative bastion, but it is a moderate to slight right leaning district. I know a majority are appalled by the atrocious ObamaCare bill that Yarmuth! is championing.

It is hard to fathom Yarmuth! running as a liberal in this climate. He must be incredibly arrogant to try such a stunt. Why else could you think a left wing candidacy would be a winning strategy in a year when a Republican may win a U.S. Senate seat in MASSACHUSETTS. All the Republicans need is a candidate who can raise enough money to get a message out and this race will be competitive. And if Yarmuth! insists on running as a liberal, this should be an easy Republican pickup next fall.

Posted by brians at 9:04 PM in Kentucky Politics
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Wednesday, 13 January 2010

Today In Frankfort

A couple of stories out of Frankfort today caught my eye. The biggest story is the state's continuing stupidity on education. These same idiot's who brought us KERA in the past refused to pass legislation that would allow charter schools in Kentucky. This is unconscionable.

We are near the bottom of the educational ladder in the U.S. yet we continually fail to innovate in meaningful ways. Charter schools across the country have been a success. Yet our dear legislators in Kentucky don't want to do something that might actually help our kids. Are we really that beholden to the teacher's unions in this state? It makes me sick that Republicans like Alice Forgy voted against such a proposal. She should be ashamed of herself.

On the good news front, the bill that would lift the ban on nuclear power has passed out of the senate committee. It passed on a 9-1 vote. Flat Earth Society member Sen Ray Jones of Pikeville cast the vote against.
Sen. Ray Jones, D-Pikeville, was the lone dissenting vote. Jones said he was not convinced that nuclear power was safe and questioned why the state wasn’t doing more to help the coal industry.
You have got to be kidding me? Nuclear power plant accidents hav killed .5 people in this country. How many have died in coal mining accidents? Nuclear power is not only clean, but safe. Anyone who claims it isn't safe, doesn't know what he or she is talking about. It is scary how ignorant legislators in this state are.

The dumbest bill of the day belongs to Sen Denise Harper Angel from Louisville. She gets to share the award with Kelly Flood of Lexington for offering a similar bill in the house.

A measure that would require chain restaurants in Kentucky to post the calorie count of their food on menus will likely be heard by a state legislative committee for the first time this year.

Sen. Denise Harper Angel, D-Louisville, has proposed the bill in each of the last two legislative sessions, but it never received a hearing in the Senate’s Health and Welfare Committee.

This year, Rep. Kelly Flood, D-Lexington, said she also will file the Consumer Menu Education and Labeling, or C-MEAL, legislation in the House. Flood said at a news conference Wednesday that she has already been told by House Health and Welfare Chairman Tom Burch, D-Louisville, that the bill will get a hearing.

The bill would make it mandatory for chain restaurants in Kentucky with at least 20 locations nationwide to provide calorie information on menus and menu boards. “Consumers’ right to know is as American as apple pie,” Flood said.

Sigh. Do you really think this will cause people to eat less or eat healthy? I seriously doubt it and a recent study backs that up.

It found that about half the customers noticed the calorie counts, which were prominently posted on menu boards. About 28 percent of those who noticed them said the information had influenced their ordering, and 9 out of 10 of those said they had made healthier choices as a result.

But when the researchers checked receipts afterward, they found that people had, in fact, ordered slightly more calories than the typical customer had before the labeling law went into effect, in July 2008.

This is a stupid nanny state law where government feels it has to baby feed everyone. The reality is if you want to know the calorie content of fast food it isn't hard to find. All the stores provide pamphlets and many have charts on the wall. It would be a different story if the consumer can't find the information, but it is readily available. Most people just don't care.



Posted by brians at 9:18 PM in Kentucky Politics
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Tuesday, 12 January 2010

Stumbo Aiming Higher

Joseph Gerth yesterday in the Courier Journal asks the question "Is Stumbo Aiming Higher?" To support his question he points out that Stumbo has taken a number of shots at Beshear.

It was Stumbo — the Democrat from Eastern Kentucky's mountains — who delivered the hardest blow to Beshear.

He did it in responding to Williams' claim that Beshear “hasn't developed a relationship that I've seen in the House or the Senate to where he is an effective person.”

Stumbo didn't disagree with Williams and went on to liken Beshear more to former Gov. Brereton Jones (who famously couldn't get along with legislators) than to former Gov. Paul Patton (who could), and he refused to endorse Beshear for a second term.

Patton “ran the governor's office like an old county judge's office. … You didn't have to have an appointment to get in, you could call him and he'd answer your questions,” Stumbo said. “He began developing a consensus early on, on key issues. … This governor obviously has a different style.”

And he said Beshear is more like Jones than Patton and former governors Wallace Wilkinson and Martha Layne Collins, who he said had some “sort of reaching out to the legislature.”

Of Beshear, he said, the governor has “ruffled some feathers, which one would have to have blinders on to say that he hasn't.”

And then came the hardest shot of all.

When asked if Beshear had earned a second term, Stumbo fidgeted and said, “I don't have any comment on that.”

It wasn't the first time that Stumbo has undercut Beshear with his public statements. And it wouldn't be his last.

Gerth thinks this could be leading up to Stumbo challenging Beshear in 2011.
All of that has heightened speculation that Stumbo is gearing up to challenge Beshear in the 2011 Democratic primary for governor.

Stumbo denied he has any interest in taking on Beshear — hiking up his suit pant leg to show off his new, custom-made alligator skin cowboy boots that have the Kentucky state seal and the word “Speaker” embroidered on them. “I can't afford another pair of boots like this,” he said, reluctant to say flat out that he would not run. “I have no plans at all to run for the governor's office.”

But by refusing to say if Beshear has warranted a second term, Stumbo appears to be keeping his options open. And a “no” from Stumbo doesn't always mean “no.”

I think Gerth is right about Stumbo's aspirations, but I think he is wrong on the timing. There is no way that Stumbo could beat Beshear in a primary. As badly wounded as Fletcher was 3 years ago, he still easily won his parties nomination. While Beshear has been a less than stellar governor, he has done one thing successfully. He has taken care of his own. By own, I mean Democratic special interests. I won't even mention the money disparity a sitting governor would enjoy. It is hard to fathom a scenario in which Stumbo could upset Beshear/Abramson in the 2011 primary.

I think Stumbo's real goal is to weaken Beshear against his Republican opponent. I think he would love to see a Republican win in 2011. Not only would it make him the top Democrat in Frankfort, it would eliminate Abramson from being the heir apparent in 2015. A Republican win clears the deck for Stumbo's run in 2015.



Posted by brians at 3:38 PM in Kentucky Politics
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Monday, 11 January 2010

Time To Cut Education Budget In Kentucky

Governor Beshear claims that he is making hard decision on a budget in these dire financial times. He wants us to think he is making difficult decisions when he passes on the biggest bloat in the budget: education.
Beshear's plan, announced Monday, at a news conference in the Capitol, won't cut public school funding or lay off state workers through the end of the fiscal year on June 30, he said.
Why are we not cutting education? We have a huge education department that does what exactly? How are they directly educating our children? Are we sure we can't cut back some of the massive bureaucracy that exists there? Hey Beshear, I have an idea to help with the budget. Why don't you take a play from Indiana's Governor, Mitch Daniels, and cut back the administration in education?

Gov. Mitch Daniels has called on Hoosiers to police any school corporations that suggest laying off teachers in reaction to a $300 million budget cut that will be implemented starting in January.

Daniels urged the public on Monday to use the State Board of Education's proposed "Citizen's Checklist" to ensure that districts have adopted other cost-saving measures before firing teachers.

The board debated the checklist earlier this month and plans to adopt it formally Jan. 8. But Daniels made public a preliminary list that includes suggestions like selling unused buildings, freezing salaries and reducing administration and school board compensation packages.

"Any district can find 2 or 3 percent savings without reducing teaching staff," Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Bennett, chairman of the state board, said in a statement. "If everyone, including teachers themselves will pitch in, we'll get through this recession just fine."

Many education officials have said that surviving the reductions - about 3.5 percent of state school funding - without cutting teaching positions could be difficult. And representatives of teachers' unions do not support eliminating raises.

"With a typical corporation, it's inevitable you look at staffing," said Crawford County Superintendent Mark Eastridge. "So much of the money is tied up in salaries and benefits that there's really not a whole lot of discretionary spending going on within the corporation."

This makes perfect sense. Cut back the educational budget and then have parents police the school districts to make sure that teachers aren't cut before useless administrators. The reality is the biggest line item in the Kentucky budget is education. Thus it could be the biggest source of savings. There is no reason its budget shouldn't be trimmed like every other department. Why should other areas in state government take the spear for the bloated education department?  All we need are leaders who are courageous and willing to fight off the demagoguery surrounding education funding. But then again, Beshear has never been known for his courage. He would rather take care of his own which includes the teacher's union.

Posted by brians at 9:40 PM in Kentucky Politics
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Wednesday, 6 January 2010

Beshear Gives Himself Solid B+

Governor Beshear gave his annual state of the state address today. Most of the speech was dedicated to patting himself on the back for his solid B+ performance as Governor. He called his tenure an "indisputable success".

In his speech, Beshear touted his efforts to create jobs in the past year while blaming “a national recession born of reckless spending in Washington and corrupt practices on Wall Street” for job losses that have nearly doubled the unemployment rate since he took office.

The unemployment rate was 5.5 percent in December 2007 compared to 10.6 percent in November 2009.

Still, Beshear said the use of federal stimulus dollars has created or saved about 4,200 jobs that could have been lost if the state had to cut key programs.

An overhaul of the state’s economic incentive program passed in a 2009 special legislative session has led to projects that could create up to 1,134 jobs, save an additional 1,450 jobs and represent a capital investment of $130 million, Beshear said.

Wow he saved 6,834 jobs. The state has 2.44 million employed people. Unemployment went from 5.5 percent to 10.6 percent. That means that we lost nearly 140,000 jobs and Beshear is crowing about saving less than 5% of the total jobs lost. Undoubtedly a B+ effort on jobs.

Not only did he save jobs, but he restored a state government that was broken!
“When I became governor two years ago, state government was broke,” said Beshear, who is running for re-election next year. “Not just broke but broken in every sense of those two words. Financially. Functionally. And spiritually.”
Let's break this down. The state was broke financially. What did he do to "turn it around"? He has kicked the can down the road and letter federal bailout money save his bacon in 2009. He hasn't made any tough choices on our financial future. All he has done was run around mumbling about our need for gambling.

The state was broken functionally. What did he do to "turn it around"? He hired all of his old cronies that have run state government forever in Frankfort. Because that is what Frankfort needed. A return to the golden age when the city was a cesspool of corrupt life long bureaucrats suckling off the tit of state government. I guess that could be considered functional.

The state was broken spiritually. WTF does this mean? Did he go around to all the state employees to find out their spiritual state? I'll assume he means "Espirit de Corps". I am sure the morale of state employees is at an all time high knowing they will be furloughed this year because of his gutless decision making. Well except for Beshear's friends in education who are going to be spared any cuts. I am sure they are in high spirits.

I think it is clear that Beshear's tenure to date has be an "indisputable" something. But I don't think the word success is what comes to mind.

Posted by brians at 10:06 PM in Kentucky Politics
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Monday, 4 January 2010

2009 Review - A Failure Of Leadership In Kentucky

2009 was a tough year for most Kentuckians. The faltering economy sent unemployment soaring and our state government into the red. Some will say that with great crisis come great opportunity. The question is what did our legislators and governor do with the opportunities this year presented?

Beshear saw it as an opportunity to pass legalized gambling. He and his buddies in the Democratic house tried to pass a constitution amendment allowing legalized gambling. It failed spectacularly not even making it out of the Democratically controlled state house. With the gambling option in tatters, what did the legislature do? Did they make the tough choices on which programs to cut? No, they patted themselves on the back for raising sin taxes on alcohol and cigarettes. A tax that would raise little in these difficult economic times. In effect, they passed when opportunity came a knocking.

What did Beshear do after watching his gambling initiative fail? Did he lead us in downsizing our state government? Did he use the opportunity to remove the cruft from government? No, he too passed and did nothing. He was fortunate the federal government's stimulus package sent millions to Kentucky. The federal pork filled the budget hole our state government faced allowing Beshear to kick the can down the road. Instead of doing the right thing, he decided to play games with the state senate in hopes of flipping the senate leadership. An event which would have allowed him to pass his gambling initiatives. Of course like most things Beshear touched, it failed to work.

All in all, 2009 was a waste. We needed strong leadership in these tough times and we got weak vision-less strumpets playing stupid political games rather than fixing the states problems. It was embarrassing. Hopefully 2010 will be different. I don't know how, but I am trying to be positive.

Posted by brians at 10:26 PM in Kentucky Politics
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Friday, 1 January 2010

Happy New Year

Happy New Year! I want to ring in the new year with a haiku I authored in honor of 2010.
let the tempest howl
spawning a savage tail wind
bring it twenty ten
I hope everyone had a safe holiday season, and I pray that 2010 will be the most exciting action packed year of your life!

Posted by brians at 12:18 PM in Announcements
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