Welfare As We Know It

One amendment that failed to make it into the Immigration bill yesterday says a lot about where the United States Senate really is on using "reform" to expand the welfare state. The liberal Center on Budget and Policy Priorities has a revealing essay on their site about Republican efforts to slow the flow of people who come to this country just to live off the American taxpayer. The liberals are against it, of course.

Senator Jeff Sessions (R-Alabama) filed the amendment to prevent anyone given amnesty from converting their new legal status into an invitation to receive the Earned Income Tax Credit refund.

EITC already dwarfs what we used to call welfare. If handing it out to millions of "guest workers" is such a great idea, why don't we start running those EITC commercials in Mexico and sign them up down there to save them the trip?

Don't Buy A Fake Social Security Card Yet

If you are paying attention, you are probably not very happy with the U.S. Senate for passing an immigration reform bill that allows illegals to sign up for Social Security benefits based on their bogus cards and stolen numbers.

Fear not.

Senator Mitch McConnell said "I believe more work needs to be done to improve the bill as Congress considers it further. However, this is a necessary first step to balancing our tradition as a nation of immigrants, but also a nation of laws." In other words, the conference committee will be able to fix the bill. The important thing was getting the bill to them and away from the de facto Democratic majority in the Senate before they made it any worse.

Too Much Time, Not Enough To Bet On

Grab your Blackberry, folks.

There is a website that is now taking bets on when the Kentucky special legislative session will begin.

Lexington's Water Fiasco Victim: Jessamine County

Water takeover proponents in Lexington are hankering to spend more tax money on their court battle. While the lawyers live large, innocent people in neighboring Jessamine county face a risk to their health that has received almost no attention.

While diverting funds that could have been better spent on higher priorities these past four years, Lexington (LFUCG) has been neglecting another most precious resource: sanitation.

The West Hickman Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant in Jessamine County treats half of Lexington's wastewater. The plant is owned by LFUCG. A couple of things should happen: Jessamine county should put a meter on the pipe running into the plant and start charging a usage fee immediately. Jessamine should ask LFUCG to stop their condemnation of KY American (which also serves Jessamine) and threaten to condemn the West Hickman plant if Lexington doesn't provide the necessary maintenance to their property.

This needs to happen before the influent screw pumps give out and north Jessamine county is bathing in Fayette county's sewage.

Is Bush Unpopular Because of Success in Iraq?

I think so. That certainly goes against the grain of what the MSM says every day, but read this and I think you will agree.

Too many of us are upset because we don't really think the terrorists might win anymore. So we are looking at other issues that we had placed on the back burner until after the 2004 elections.

I would be interested to see how many people would be just fine with bombing Iran back into the 11th century. Those people might be frustrated with President Bush, but they sure aren't going to vote to let the party of Cindy Sheehan turn to negotiating us into oblivion.

Senator Christopher Dodd was on the Don Imus show this morning talking about his presidential aspirations. He was trashing Bush for not seeing the wisdom in negotiating with those who want to saw off our heads. He spoke dreamily about the endless negotiations we had with the Soviet Union in the 50's, 60's, and 70's. I think too many of us remember what that was all about, even if we are only old enough to have seen the Soviets running circles around Jimmy Carter.

"Stay the course" works pretty well compared to "cut and run." It always has -- when it comes to defending ourselves -- and Democrat candidates who want to gloss over this fact and run nationalized elections will probably be confused again by the election returns in November.

Will FairTax Be An Issue In KY-4?

(Update: Rep. Davis' office says he is not in favor of the FairTax.)

Last year, Congressman Geoff Davis' name was added as a co-sponsor of HR 25, The FairTax.

Three weeks later, he withdrew his name from the bill. (It turns out his name was added to the bill by the sponsor mistakenly.) Rep. Davis has taken some undeserved heat from FairTax supporters on this.

This year, former Congressman Ken Lucas, Davis' Democratic opponent this fall, is looking at the FairTax himself.

We are expecting word from both campaigns this afternoon with regard to their current positions on the FairTax. The Lucas campaign can be reached by calling (859) 331-0832. Rep. Davis' office number is (202) 225-3465.

Water Fight In Lexington Takes Over

It was going to be tough to petition the courts to stop the Lexington condemnation vote and campaign for the public to stop the condemnation effort.

So KY American dropped the court bid and will focus on working with the public.

Have to hand it to Jim Newberry for working this issue artfully. If it wasn't sealed already -- and I suspect it was -- Newberry just earned himself a term as Lexington's next mayor.

So You Think Democrats Will Lower Gas Prices?

Finally, someone has come up with a nice mixture of clarity and humor on the politicization of gas prices.

Go here to see it.

Liberal Enough? Check!

Fresh off his brother's failed attempt to influence the New Orleans' mayoral race, Democracy For America's (formerly Dean For America) Jim Dean is touting Ned Lamont in his primary race against -- not liberal enough -- Senator Joe Lieberman. The same link shows the Deaniacs have raised more money for Socialist Bernie Sanders than for any other of their preferred candidates.

Keep up the good work, guys.

Carlson Bows Out

Her heart was in the right place, but Elaine Carlson could gain no traction in her bid to unseat Rep. Ben Chandler. She dropped out of the race this morning.

This is bad news for vulnerable Democrats across central Kentucky like Rep. Charlie Hoffman, Rep. Don Pasley, and Sen. Ed Worley.

Cato: Republicans Out of Gas

Whining about "high" gasoline prices seems to have fallen, mercifully, off the front pages and off talk radio. But the yammering from eager politicians continues unabated. Sadly, too much of it is coming from Republicans.

Focus on Big Education in Lexington Thursday

Have you ever considered that while we are all upset about Big Oil, the big dollars are really being siphoned off by Big Education?

Injecting a little competition into the public schools starts at the top. The death grip bureaucrats and teachers unions have on our schools costs us significantly more than gas prices that, while increasing, haven't even kept up with inflation. The public education situation is risking the future of our nation in a way that $3 a gallon gas can't even come close to.

A clash between those bureacrats and concerned parents is coming up fast. This Thursday evening, ABC's John Stossel will speak at the Marriott Griffin Gate. His presentation is titled "Stupid Schools: How The Government Monopoly Cheats Kids."

The union thugs will be outside screaming and yelling. So far, about 230 parents and concerned citizens have committed to attend.

Click here for details.

William Jefferson Raid: Who is Upset About This?

Just heard a radio report that the FBI raid on Rep. William Jefferson's office angered "House leaders." I can't find that element of the story in print yet, but I sure would be interested to know exactly which "leaders" didn't like the idea of authorities tracking down this criminal's activities.

National Dems: Where Did Our $45 Million Go?

They want to control your money, but the Democratic National Committee has blown through $45 million dollars marketing themselves this year and can't account for having accomplished anything.

None other than former Clintonista Paul Begala says that without any kind of coherent message, Democrats are merely making noise.

Gun Battle Coming Soon To Kentucky

After the confiscation of guns only from law-abiding citizens in New Orleans following Katrina, the National Rifle Association is pressing police chiefs and mayors across the nation to promise such a thing will never happen in their cities.

This could play a major role in the Lexington mayor's race. I can't imagine Teresa Isaac making such a promise. Jim Newberry, what say you?

How To Reform A GOP Tax And Spend Mess?

Ken Blackwell is running for Governor of Ohio. He is a conservative Republican and a very good candidate. The only problem is he is running to replace two-term Republican Governor Bob Taft.

Blackwell is running to reduce Ohio's high tax rates and cut back spending.

Interesting.

Crime in Russell County

Prayer.

There is hope for these kids!

I can't imagine where the ACLU finds a violation of anyone's constitutional rights in a high school graduation prayer, but this one is not going away. We've got football games coming up soon.

Call it the ACLU tax. When small towns or counties have to defend themselves against left-wing atheist attacks from the ACLU, the innocent people have to pay.

This underscores the need for conservative judges.

KY Supreme Court Ruling: Like Kissing Your Sister

I don't think we should be using the word "vindicated" with regard to anything that comes out of the merit hiring fiasco, much less yesterday's ruling that previously pardoned people can not now be indicted.

You want to talk vindication? Fine. Let's start talking about candidates who can oust the scandal-plagued Greg Stumbo as AG.

Tim Feeley should get the nod. The top law enforcement officer in the state needs to be someone who has broad bipartisan respect and the ability to rise above politics and rancid shenanigans and just do the job.

We need an Attorney General who we don't have to worry about what he is doing, who he is doing it with, and whether or not he gets "lost at sea."

Fahrenheit 40356

Mike Moore is mad at me.

No, not that Michael Moore, just the editor of the Jessamine Journal in Nicholasville. It seems he got a little upset over this post on Kentucky Progress.

Actually, he got more than just a little upset. He came completely unglued and wasted a lot of ink barking at me from the editorial page of today's Journal. Mr. Moore is new to town and doesn't know me very well. I'm just getting warmed up, so he should probably stay twisted up for quite a while. Can it be long before -- like his Hollywood namesake -- Mr. Moore starts following me around with a video camera?

Roll tape!

You Want Some Cheese To Go With That?

The Lexington Herald Leader Editorial Page starts off the day with a big glass of whine.

They are upset at Rep. Joe Barrows for depriving Democrat primary voters in the 56th of a vigorous primary to replace him.

Barrows conspired with fellow Dem Carl Rollins, a weak candidate, rather than admit his plans and encourage others to join the race.

I suspect they are mainly upset that Republican Kevin Locke will win the seat and make the 56th a key pick-up for the GOP.