Career politician David Williams has a tv ad up.
What do you think?
"Bold, tough, real, cutting taxes and government." Right...
Here is another video to consider. In this one, taken on the Senate floor in 2009, Williams is making his case for a tax increase (HB 144) and promising that if he got the money, spending would be limited and the state's rainy day fund would be replenished first. And he touts the coming Obama Bucks stimulus funds, promising also that those funds would be used first for the rainy day fund.
Well, it's two years later and $1.3 billion in Obama stimulus has already been spent by our bold hero. Since July 1, 2009, the state's appropriation supported debt has increased $1.7 billion. And there is no money in the state's rainy day fund.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Monday, March 28, 2011
David Williams' Steve Beshear moments
Frankfort's Medicaid debacle is just getting warmed up.
That didn't stop Gov. Steve Beshear from writing a post mortem in today's Courier Journal, congratulating himself for postponing part of Medicaid's day of reckoning. Beshear also takes the opportunity to bash Senate President David Williams for proposing what amount to miniscule spending cuts that also don't address any real problems.
This is why our political process so often fails to stop the growth of government. If Democrats can bash Republican "cuts" that don't really address overspending while Republicans can pretend to want spending cuts without changing anything, then the worst elements in both parties can keep getting nominated and taxpayers lose either way.
Kentucky's Tea Party Republican gubernatorial candidate Phil Moffett started his campaign last year pushing for real spending cuts, but Beshear/Williams is a ruling class politician's dream come true. They both get to yell talking points at each other while Kentucky goes deeper in debt.
David Williams' campaign tried with some success to paint Williams' last-minute anemic cuts proposal as his Chris Christie moment. But Williams has agreed with Beshear on all of Beshear's smoke-and-mirrors budgets and all the tax increases that have gone through bear Williams' "yes" vote as well. Kentucky Republicans are desperate for a Senate President who will stop having so many Steve Beshear moments.
That didn't stop Gov. Steve Beshear from writing a post mortem in today's Courier Journal, congratulating himself for postponing part of Medicaid's day of reckoning. Beshear also takes the opportunity to bash Senate President David Williams for proposing what amount to miniscule spending cuts that also don't address any real problems.
This is why our political process so often fails to stop the growth of government. If Democrats can bash Republican "cuts" that don't really address overspending while Republicans can pretend to want spending cuts without changing anything, then the worst elements in both parties can keep getting nominated and taxpayers lose either way.
Kentucky's Tea Party Republican gubernatorial candidate Phil Moffett started his campaign last year pushing for real spending cuts, but Beshear/Williams is a ruling class politician's dream come true. They both get to yell talking points at each other while Kentucky goes deeper in debt.
David Williams' campaign tried with some success to paint Williams' last-minute anemic cuts proposal as his Chris Christie moment. But Williams has agreed with Beshear on all of Beshear's smoke-and-mirrors budgets and all the tax increases that have gone through bear Williams' "yes" vote as well. Kentucky Republicans are desperate for a Senate President who will stop having so many Steve Beshear moments.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Another federal government outrage
A federal judge in Washington D.C. quietly ruled on Wednesday that Americans can be forced by the federal government to join Medicare. The ruling relies on the idea that Medicare is a "different" kind of entitlement, so the federal government can force you to take it.
This is bad news not only for those who don't want Medicare and would prefer instead to make their own healthcare decisions. This does not bode well for those opposed to ObamaCare. I suspect U.S. District Judge Rosemary Collyer probably also believes ObamaCare is a "different" kind of entitlement.
Nowhere in federal law is acceptance of Medicare mandated. Our out-of-control federal government is just making it up to suit their illegitimate power grabs.
This is bad news not only for those who don't want Medicare and would prefer instead to make their own healthcare decisions. This does not bode well for those opposed to ObamaCare. I suspect U.S. District Judge Rosemary Collyer probably also believes ObamaCare is a "different" kind of entitlement.
Nowhere in federal law is acceptance of Medicare mandated. Our out-of-control federal government is just making it up to suit their illegitimate power grabs.
Reimburse this!
Governor Steve Beshear got caught flying his state plane to a fundraiser in Louisa, Kentucky. He has promised to reimburse taxpayers.
While we are getting politicians to reimburse for ill-gotten gains, Senate President David Williams should pay taxpayers back for getting his name stuck on the Expo Center in Corbin. And then we should have a long conversation about how he can get right with taxpayers over his pension scandal.
While we are getting politicians to reimburse for ill-gotten gains, Senate President David Williams should pay taxpayers back for getting his name stuck on the Expo Center in Corbin. And then we should have a long conversation about how he can get right with taxpayers over his pension scandal.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Praise for Phil Moffett's issues-based campaign
University of Kentucky political science professor Stephen Voss got a break from his frustration with typical politicians and their lack of seriousness on policy issues when he started following Phil Moffett's campaign for governor.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Spreading the David Williams on thick
Earlier this month, National Journal ran a hit piece on Phil Moffett in which an anonymous "Kentucky GOP source" wildly overstated David Williams' role in Rand Paul's 2010 campaign. Then yesterday, Politico unbelievably likened Williams to New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. Such a comparison might make sense if Williams didn't spend the whole General Assembly session pushing for a statewide smoking ban and a snot tax. He had his chance for a Chris Christie moment in January. If he were serious at all about cutting spending, he would have started talking up his alternative to Beshear's borrowing sometime before the very last minute.
Looks like Williams has the support of one anonymous GOP operative locked up. Score one for empty political posturing.
Looks like Williams has the support of one anonymous GOP operative locked up. Score one for empty political posturing.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Tea Party call to action
Kentuckians must decide now to stand up to brazen Frankfort politicians and their expensive ways. When a thief breaks into your home and steals your television, at least you know how much you have lost. But when politicians get together and start scheming, whether they are banning legal products or mandating extra costs onto every day activities, getting a handle on how much it will cost you over time can be much more challenging.
Huge multimillion dollar spending projects, usually sold to unsuspecting taxpayers as entertainment or, worse, economic development vehicles have gained favor with big-spending politicians in recent years. The losses for taxpayers stay hidden behind long-term bond deals and rosy projections that it will all work out eventually.
A recent example of this big-government charade can be found in Corbin, Kentucky. You probably won't be surprised to learn that the building in question is named after a certain Frankfort politician who wants to be Kentucky's Governor.
A monument to wasteful and corrupt state government in Corbin could play a role in the state's gubernatorial campaign, Republican Tea Party gubernatorial candidate Phil Moffett said on Monday.
The Arena at the David L. Williams Southeastern Kentucky Agricultural and Exposition Complex has cost state and local taxpayers millions of dollars in taxes, interest and operating losses since the state legislature changed Corbin to a fourth-class city in 2006 to implement a restaurant tax to begin funding for the building.
"Naming rights alone for this building could be worth many thousands of dollars, but Kentucky taxpayers were forced in 2008 to give it to a politician who is running for governor," Moffett said. "My opponent hasn't reported the value of this donation on his campaign finance reports, so apparently he feels entitled to the whole thing. These ruling class politicians just don't get it, do they?"
Phil Moffett is running for Governor so we can put a stop to these ridiculously unbelievable, but true, stories of official misconduct. Phil's campaign is picking up great momentum, but he needs everyone who wants the Republican party to stand for more than nominating by seniority to stand with him now. Please tell your family and friends that the Tea Party has more work to do in Kentucky. Please click here to donate to the campaign; any amount will make a difference. Please click here to listen to Phil's Monday interview with Mandy Connell on Louisville's WHAS.
Huge multimillion dollar spending projects, usually sold to unsuspecting taxpayers as entertainment or, worse, economic development vehicles have gained favor with big-spending politicians in recent years. The losses for taxpayers stay hidden behind long-term bond deals and rosy projections that it will all work out eventually.
A recent example of this big-government charade can be found in Corbin, Kentucky. You probably won't be surprised to learn that the building in question is named after a certain Frankfort politician who wants to be Kentucky's Governor.
A monument to wasteful and corrupt state government in Corbin could play a role in the state's gubernatorial campaign, Republican Tea Party gubernatorial candidate Phil Moffett said on Monday.
The Arena at the David L. Williams Southeastern Kentucky Agricultural and Exposition Complex has cost state and local taxpayers millions of dollars in taxes, interest and operating losses since the state legislature changed Corbin to a fourth-class city in 2006 to implement a restaurant tax to begin funding for the building.
"Naming rights alone for this building could be worth many thousands of dollars, but Kentucky taxpayers were forced in 2008 to give it to a politician who is running for governor," Moffett said. "My opponent hasn't reported the value of this donation on his campaign finance reports, so apparently he feels entitled to the whole thing. These ruling class politicians just don't get it, do they?"
Phil Moffett is running for Governor so we can put a stop to these ridiculously unbelievable, but true, stories of official misconduct. Phil's campaign is picking up great momentum, but he needs everyone who wants the Republican party to stand for more than nominating by seniority to stand with him now. Please tell your family and friends that the Tea Party has more work to do in Kentucky. Please click here to donate to the campaign; any amount will make a difference. Please click here to listen to Phil's Monday interview with Mandy Connell on Louisville's WHAS.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Phil Moffett on Louisville radio
Kentucky's Tea Party gubernatorial candidate Phil Moffett will be a guest on the Mandy Connell Show on WHAS radio Monday morning, March 14 at 10 am ET. You can tune in on 840 AM in Louisville or listen online at www.whas.com. The show will be archived in case you miss it.
The response to Phil's positive message is growing stronger every day and it isn't hard to see why. Phil supports taking control of Kentucky's fate away from ruling class politicians and restoring it to the people and the principles of smaller government we can afford with a tax code set up to let the private sector create jobs, an education policy that rewards creativity and problem-solving instead of just getting by and a state government unafraid to fight against bad federal policies like ObamaCare and the EPA's war on coal.
With little more than two months before the primary election it is clear Kentucky Republican primary voters see this race increasingly as between the worst of the big-spending, tax-raising Frankfort establishment on one hand and the Tea Party's Phil Moffett on the other.
The response to Phil's positive message is growing stronger every day and it isn't hard to see why. Phil supports taking control of Kentucky's fate away from ruling class politicians and restoring it to the people and the principles of smaller government we can afford with a tax code set up to let the private sector create jobs, an education policy that rewards creativity and problem-solving instead of just getting by and a state government unafraid to fight against bad federal policies like ObamaCare and the EPA's war on coal.
With little more than two months before the primary election it is clear Kentucky Republican primary voters see this race increasingly as between the worst of the big-spending, tax-raising Frankfort establishment on one hand and the Tea Party's Phil Moffett on the other.
Phil Moffett takes off like a rocket
Phil Moffett went to coal country last night. His free market message contrasts starkly with that of his big government, tax-increasing primary opponent.
Friday, March 11, 2011
David Williams' pension replacement rate
The New York Times lists ten states with the most generous pensions for public employees. Kentucky comes in at number seven in terms of "pension replacement rate," the portion of a pensioner's salary that he gets in retirement. Kentucky is by far the poorest state on the list.
Kentucky legislators in recent years have failed to properly fund our public employee pension accounts. That's a big part of the problem. Poor investment returns are too. But state employees getting 58.8% of their working salary in retirement are shocked to learn about what Senate President David Williams and House Democrats rigged up for themselves and their fellow career politicians.
Greg Stumbo is already set, thanks to Senate language inserted quietly into a pension bill in 2005, to get 100% of annual salary from his one term as Attorney General every year for the rest of his life after he retires. David Williams pushed vigorously for this legislative pension increase just three years before he started sounding the alarm on our state's government pension crisis.
And now we know why.
If David Williams can get himself elected Governor for one term, Kentucky taxpayers will pay him 100% of his governor's salary every year for the rest of his life. It works the same if he gets appointed or elected to any other six-figure state job.
These ruling class career politicians still don't get it, do they?
Phil Moffett is running to stop these outlandish raids on the public treasury. Phil supports getting the politicians out of our tax code once and for all by repealing all 240 state taxes, fees and surcharges currently on the books and replacing them with a single-rate retail sales tax on goods and services. This will be the greatest shift in power away from politicians and to the people in state history. Phil supports using the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to fight back against federal government excess like ObamaCare and the EPA's war on coal. Phil supports removing wasteful spending from our school systems, instilling discipline back in our classrooms and improving educational options with effective charter school legislation. Phil will work to shrink or remove government operations that don't fit within the necessary functions spelled out in our state Constitution.
The energy of the Tea Party gets its next big test on May 17 with Kentucky's Republican gubernatorial primary. Phil Moffett is the candidate who will take our fight to Frankfort.
Kentucky legislators in recent years have failed to properly fund our public employee pension accounts. That's a big part of the problem. Poor investment returns are too. But state employees getting 58.8% of their working salary in retirement are shocked to learn about what Senate President David Williams and House Democrats rigged up for themselves and their fellow career politicians.
Greg Stumbo is already set, thanks to Senate language inserted quietly into a pension bill in 2005, to get 100% of annual salary from his one term as Attorney General every year for the rest of his life after he retires. David Williams pushed vigorously for this legislative pension increase just three years before he started sounding the alarm on our state's government pension crisis.
And now we know why.
If David Williams can get himself elected Governor for one term, Kentucky taxpayers will pay him 100% of his governor's salary every year for the rest of his life. It works the same if he gets appointed or elected to any other six-figure state job.
These ruling class career politicians still don't get it, do they?
Phil Moffett is running to stop these outlandish raids on the public treasury. Phil supports getting the politicians out of our tax code once and for all by repealing all 240 state taxes, fees and surcharges currently on the books and replacing them with a single-rate retail sales tax on goods and services. This will be the greatest shift in power away from politicians and to the people in state history. Phil supports using the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to fight back against federal government excess like ObamaCare and the EPA's war on coal. Phil supports removing wasteful spending from our school systems, instilling discipline back in our classrooms and improving educational options with effective charter school legislation. Phil will work to shrink or remove government operations that don't fit within the necessary functions spelled out in our state Constitution.
The energy of the Tea Party gets its next big test on May 17 with Kentucky's Republican gubernatorial primary. Phil Moffett is the candidate who will take our fight to Frankfort.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Phil Moffett on Leland Conway Show
Kentucky's 2011 legislative session came to a grinding halt yesterday in a dispute over funding for Medicaid, borrowed money and minor spending cuts. The disaster continues on Monday in a special session sure to feature more of the same heated campaign rhetoric.
Tea Party Republican gubernatorial candidate Phil Moffett took to the airwaves in defense of taxpayers. Phil appeared yesterday on the Leland Conway Show on WLAP 630 AM in Lexington.
"It really mirrors the federal level fight we're having," Phil said. "It's a relatively small amount of money we're talking about, less than a percentage point of our total budget. How these gentlemen can not come up with a reasonable alternative to cut these costs just goes to show you that they don't have the backbone to balance our budget in the long run. We need to make some changes."
Phil Moffett has been talking for months about a better, permanent solution to this latest spending battle among the Frankfort politicians. The Kentucky Club for Growth took note of this back in January. None of the Senate Republican agenda passed, as expected. Wouldn't it have been better to have spent all this time talking about real fixes rather than having to listen to Williams and Beshear go on and on about statewide smoking bans and keeping cold medicines out of the hands of innocent people?
"There is a failure in Republican leadership and there is a failure in Democrat leadership as well," Phil Moffett said. "These people are not serious about doing cost-cutting and they continue to bury us in debt. I don't see how we as taxpayers can have any confidence that they'll do a better job in this special session or down the road to make the changes necessary."
Indeed, we can't have any confidence in the current leadership in Frankfort. They need to listen to the people and engage us in the conversation rather than pulling these ridiculous political stunts. Overspending and debt are bankrupting the state while they are arguing over who gets to pick out drapes in the Governor's Mansion.
Kentucky needs a leader who will make decisions based on principle, not politics. The ruling class politicians still haven't gotten the message.
Tea Party Republican gubernatorial candidate Phil Moffett took to the airwaves in defense of taxpayers. Phil appeared yesterday on the Leland Conway Show on WLAP 630 AM in Lexington.
"It really mirrors the federal level fight we're having," Phil said. "It's a relatively small amount of money we're talking about, less than a percentage point of our total budget. How these gentlemen can not come up with a reasonable alternative to cut these costs just goes to show you that they don't have the backbone to balance our budget in the long run. We need to make some changes."
Phil Moffett has been talking for months about a better, permanent solution to this latest spending battle among the Frankfort politicians. The Kentucky Club for Growth took note of this back in January. None of the Senate Republican agenda passed, as expected. Wouldn't it have been better to have spent all this time talking about real fixes rather than having to listen to Williams and Beshear go on and on about statewide smoking bans and keeping cold medicines out of the hands of innocent people?
"There is a failure in Republican leadership and there is a failure in Democrat leadership as well," Phil Moffett said. "These people are not serious about doing cost-cutting and they continue to bury us in debt. I don't see how we as taxpayers can have any confidence that they'll do a better job in this special session or down the road to make the changes necessary."
Indeed, we can't have any confidence in the current leadership in Frankfort. They need to listen to the people and engage us in the conversation rather than pulling these ridiculous political stunts. Overspending and debt are bankrupting the state while they are arguing over who gets to pick out drapes in the Governor's Mansion.
Kentucky needs a leader who will make decisions based on principle, not politics. The ruling class politicians still haven't gotten the message.
Tuesday, March 08, 2011
Questions David Williams can't answer
Senator Williams, you have claimed that you didn't know anyone would abuse the pension bill you pushed through in 2005 that would triple your pension if you get elected governor. When did it occur to you how much money you would make by abusing it yourself?
Senator Williams, after Gov. Steve Beshear used your own pension grab bill to attempt to take over the state Senate by throwing taxpayer cash at Republican Senators, you tried to repeal the pension grab, but Speaker Greg Stumbo wouldn't let you. Stumbo is already set to get paid an Attorney General's salary every year for the rest of his life because of your actions. Do you consider Stumbo smarter than you or just luckier?
Senator Williams, because of your vote on legislative pensions Kentucky taxpayers would have to pay you a governor's salary for the rest of your life if you were elected to one term as governor. When did you realize that was going to look really bad?
Many more of these to come...
Senator Williams, after Gov. Steve Beshear used your own pension grab bill to attempt to take over the state Senate by throwing taxpayer cash at Republican Senators, you tried to repeal the pension grab, but Speaker Greg Stumbo wouldn't let you. Stumbo is already set to get paid an Attorney General's salary every year for the rest of his life because of your actions. Do you consider Stumbo smarter than you or just luckier?
Senator Williams, because of your vote on legislative pensions Kentucky taxpayers would have to pay you a governor's salary for the rest of your life if you were elected to one term as governor. When did you realize that was going to look really bad?
Many more of these to come...
Phil Moffett on Louisville radio
Phil Moffett, Kentucky's Tea Party Republican candidate for Governor, will be a guest on the Mandy Connell Show this morning at 10 am. Tune in on 840 AM or listen online at www.whas.com.
Phil may also make a brief appearance this afternoon on the Leland Conway Show on WLAP 630 AM in Lexington.
Phil may also make a brief appearance this afternoon on the Leland Conway Show on WLAP 630 AM in Lexington.
Monday, March 07, 2011
David Williams caught on tape
Stupid politician tricks in Shepherdsville on Saturday night featured Kentucky state Senate President David Williams expressing his shock and dismay that anyone would abuse the rigged pension scheme that he set up in 2005. He then tried to blame the whole mess on Governor Steve Beshear and topped off the evening by claiming falsely that he and the legislature have not underfunded state public employee pensions over the last decade.
The really funny thing about this is that Williams has no better answer. This scandal can't be swept away with a tidal wave of lawyerspeak. It will be fun watching him continue to try though.
The really funny thing about this is that Williams has no better answer. This scandal can't be swept away with a tidal wave of lawyerspeak. It will be fun watching him continue to try though.
Sunday, March 06, 2011
Phil Moffett on radio
Kentucky's Tea Party Republican gubernatorial candidate Phil Moffett will be a guest on the Jack Pattie Show on Monday morning at 9am ET. Tune in at WVLK AM 590 or listen online at www.wvlkam.com.
Call in with questions to 859-253-5959.
Call in with questions to 859-253-5959.
David Williams has already lost
David Williams' legislative pension chickens are coming home to roost while he is still busily trying to count his unhatched legislative pension eggs.
WHAS radio talk show host Mandy Connell asked the question at last night's Bullitt County GOP Lincoln dinner.
"You also have some votes in the past that have led to a legislative pension situation where legislators are double-dipping and triple-dipping and going back for other pensions. How do you reconcile where you have voted in the past that would not necessarily jive with some of the things you are saying now? How does that go together?"
Williams asked her to be more specific, which is fair, but it was also very funny to watch for those who knew what what coming (and knew that he knew too.)
"The legislative pension system allows for a high three situation that has been abused by legislators who are now receiving huge pensions because of a rules change that you in previous years have voted for."
Williams then spent the next five minutes rambling about the abuse being "unanticipated," blaming the problem on Steve Beshear and then trying to change the subject with a bunch of nonsense about actuarial assumptions and by stating falsely that the legislature has adequately funded the pension system over the years.
The bottom line is there is no way for Williams to wiggle out of the fact that he pushed through HB 299 in 2005. He knew what the bill would do but he didn't care because he wanted the money. Inexplicably, he thinks Republican primary voters are too stupid to figure this out.
If Williams is elected governor, because of HB 299, you will pay him his governor's salary every year for the rest of his life. He has known this question was coming for a long time and he clearly has no good answer.
Ten weeks to election day. Should be fun.
If you have been hesitant so far to get on board with Phil Moffett's gubernatorial campaign, now is the time.
WHAS radio talk show host Mandy Connell asked the question at last night's Bullitt County GOP Lincoln dinner.
"You also have some votes in the past that have led to a legislative pension situation where legislators are double-dipping and triple-dipping and going back for other pensions. How do you reconcile where you have voted in the past that would not necessarily jive with some of the things you are saying now? How does that go together?"
Williams asked her to be more specific, which is fair, but it was also very funny to watch for those who knew what what coming (and knew that he knew too.)
"The legislative pension system allows for a high three situation that has been abused by legislators who are now receiving huge pensions because of a rules change that you in previous years have voted for."
Williams then spent the next five minutes rambling about the abuse being "unanticipated," blaming the problem on Steve Beshear and then trying to change the subject with a bunch of nonsense about actuarial assumptions and by stating falsely that the legislature has adequately funded the pension system over the years.
The bottom line is there is no way for Williams to wiggle out of the fact that he pushed through HB 299 in 2005. He knew what the bill would do but he didn't care because he wanted the money. Inexplicably, he thinks Republican primary voters are too stupid to figure this out.
If Williams is elected governor, because of HB 299, you will pay him his governor's salary every year for the rest of his life. He has known this question was coming for a long time and he clearly has no good answer.
Ten weeks to election day. Should be fun.
If you have been hesitant so far to get on board with Phil Moffett's gubernatorial campaign, now is the time.
Friday, March 04, 2011
Phil Moffett: Nullify hemp prohibition
Skyrocketing food and fuel prices should be met by Kentucky nullifying federal prohibition of industrial hemp cultivation, Republican Tea Party gubernatorial candidate Phil Moffett said.
"We are out of time for continuing the confusion about what hemp is and what it could do for Kentucky's economy," Moffett said. "Hemp as both a food and fuel source could be a great blessing to Kentucky especially if recent trends continue or worsen. There is no good reason for allowing the federal government to stand in our way."
"We are out of time for continuing the confusion about what hemp is and what it could do for Kentucky's economy," Moffett said. "Hemp as both a food and fuel source could be a great blessing to Kentucky especially if recent trends continue or worsen. There is no good reason for allowing the federal government to stand in our way."
Thursday, March 03, 2011
Repeal campaign finance laws
Kentucky's campaign finance laws should all be repealed.
Section 8 of Kentucky's Constitution states: "Printing presses shall be free to every person who undertakes to examine the proceedings of the General Assembly or any branch of government, and no law shall ever be made to restrain the right thereof. Every person may freely and fully speak, write and print on any subject, being responsible for the abuse of that liberty."
The federal government and every state except Kentucky have written a "press exemption" into their campaign finance laws in order to claim that a news article or editorial can't be considered a campaign contribution and to get around this kind of absolute guarantee of free speech rights. In 2007, the Federal Election Commission ruled that bloggers are also exempt from campaign finance laws. But if a non-blogger, non-journalist Kentuckian wants to print up some flyers or yard signs or bumperstickers or whatever, he is suddenly subject to campaign finance limitations.
Big government types in the Kentucky Senate have tried repeatedly to enact a press exemption in order to give Kentucky's unconstitutional campaign finance laws some legal underpinning. The fact that they have also repeatedly failed to enact a press exemption means there is really no justification for Kentucky to place any kind of limits on political speech. After all, campaign finance laws mostly came about as an attempt to keep corruption out of politics in the 1970's. How well is that working out for us?
Section 8 of Kentucky's Constitution states: "Printing presses shall be free to every person who undertakes to examine the proceedings of the General Assembly or any branch of government, and no law shall ever be made to restrain the right thereof. Every person may freely and fully speak, write and print on any subject, being responsible for the abuse of that liberty."
The federal government and every state except Kentucky have written a "press exemption" into their campaign finance laws in order to claim that a news article or editorial can't be considered a campaign contribution and to get around this kind of absolute guarantee of free speech rights. In 2007, the Federal Election Commission ruled that bloggers are also exempt from campaign finance laws. But if a non-blogger, non-journalist Kentuckian wants to print up some flyers or yard signs or bumperstickers or whatever, he is suddenly subject to campaign finance limitations.
Big government types in the Kentucky Senate have tried repeatedly to enact a press exemption in order to give Kentucky's unconstitutional campaign finance laws some legal underpinning. The fact that they have also repeatedly failed to enact a press exemption means there is really no justification for Kentucky to place any kind of limits on political speech. After all, campaign finance laws mostly came about as an attempt to keep corruption out of politics in the 1970's. How well is that working out for us?
Wednesday, March 02, 2011
Time to wake up in Kentucky
A recent Kaiser Family Foundation poll reports that 48% of Americans either believe the new Republican majority in the U.S. House have already repealed ObamaCare or aren't sure if it has been repealed.
The truth, of course, is that ObamaCare is still bearing down on us like a freight train and despite Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear starting to admit that it won't work out well for us, ObamaCare is still very much alive.
Lack of awareness allows ruling class politicians like David Williams to continue his attempt to paint himself as some kind of conservative crusader when he has so clearly shown himself to be a big part of the problem.
Don't just assume that everyone around you already knows what's going on. Chances are pretty good that they do not.
The truth, of course, is that ObamaCare is still bearing down on us like a freight train and despite Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear starting to admit that it won't work out well for us, ObamaCare is still very much alive.
Lack of awareness allows ruling class politicians like David Williams to continue his attempt to paint himself as some kind of conservative crusader when he has so clearly shown himself to be a big part of the problem.
Don't just assume that everyone around you already knows what's going on. Chances are pretty good that they do not.
Tuesday, March 01, 2011
Time for some Wisconsin overreach
The word of the day for political pundits appears to be "overreach." They are talking about Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker and the hubbub created by his attempt to limit public employee collective bargaining in his state. Walker has been called every name in the book for attempting to address his state's fiscal mess and it's telling that the end-of-times rhetoric heaped on him was somewhat less pronounced in 1993 when Democratic Governor Douglas Wilder of Virginia banned all collective bargaining in his state, which goes beyond Gov. Walker's proposal. It should also be noted that Virginia has not exactly spent the last two decades imploding for lack of public employee collective bargaining "rights."
In short, the Wisconsin debacle is about little more than partisan politics. Moveon.org proved as much this past Saturday with rallies across the country, including in Frankfort, providing lots of heated words but precious little light on the subject of getting state finances under control.
Left-wing activists want to capitalize on the emotional nature of the debate to energize the Democratic Party faithful. That's why the discussion has morphed into something involving all kinds of union activity and an extremely liberal usage of the term "worker rights."
Tea Party leader Phil Moffett responded:
“No one is arguing against workers having rights,” Moffett said. “That’s just rhetoric coming from the other side. We need to peel back the things we can’t afford like prevailing wage laws. We need to make Kentucky a right to work state. And we need to end teacher tenure and the state merit system. These efforts to get politics out of state employment have failed. We need to try something else.”
Much of what is wrong with government in America comes about as a result of sentimental attachment to policies that do not function as intended. Kentucky needs a governor who can lead the state past those sentimental attachments and toward solutions that work for everyone, not just those with political connections.
In short, the Wisconsin debacle is about little more than partisan politics. Moveon.org proved as much this past Saturday with rallies across the country, including in Frankfort, providing lots of heated words but precious little light on the subject of getting state finances under control.
Left-wing activists want to capitalize on the emotional nature of the debate to energize the Democratic Party faithful. That's why the discussion has morphed into something involving all kinds of union activity and an extremely liberal usage of the term "worker rights."
Tea Party leader Phil Moffett responded:
“No one is arguing against workers having rights,” Moffett said. “That’s just rhetoric coming from the other side. We need to peel back the things we can’t afford like prevailing wage laws. We need to make Kentucky a right to work state. And we need to end teacher tenure and the state merit system. These efforts to get politics out of state employment have failed. We need to try something else.”
Much of what is wrong with government in America comes about as a result of sentimental attachment to policies that do not function as intended. Kentucky needs a governor who can lead the state past those sentimental attachments and toward solutions that work for everyone, not just those with political connections.
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