Hawpe In, The Water Is Fine!

Louisville CJ columnist David Hawpe wades into the school voucher debate this morning and manages not to get his feet wet.

I challenge you to read his column and tell me one thing it adds to the discussion.

We get that Hawpe doesn't like people who want to democratize competition between public and private schools. The closest he gets to a point, though, is when he mentions a report cited in the Wall Street Journal that determined public schools do just as well as private schools if you adjust for race, socioeconomics, and other factors.

But if you adjust for looks, personality, and other factors I would be Brad Pitt -- starring in movies and "dating" Angelina Jolie.

In many public schools, interested parents, secure homes, and happy, motivated, focused kids equal success. Additional resources go to serve disabled and troubled students. The problem is with the large majority who don't fit in these extremes. Smart, happy comfortable kids make up for the statistical problem of middling students who would likely do better with more resources directed their way. But we can't just keep statistically correcting for the core group that is the future of America. Not while generations of driven kids in other less affluent countries keep eating our lunches.

The problem here is a political one and contains the best argument for giving parents the option to leave their neighborhood school, take their tax dollars, and seek a better educational fit elsewhere. Kentucky's school systems are burdened by layers of administrative pork-laden union-protected central office jobs that would have to go if our public schools had to compete -- rather than lobby -- for their position in the marketplace.

KEA types respond to the above logic with personal attacks. Getting past that point is a major key to improving our public education system.

In fact, if we could have a reasonable conversation about how we spend our money on public education, the need to call for vouchers would very likely sink to the bottom of the pool.

Upcoming GOP Primary Event

No not THAT primary, just the 2008 Presidential primary.

Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney is scheduled for an exclusive get-together at The Jefferson Club in Louisville on Monday, July 31.

Little Birdy Report

Spotted in Lexington talking turkey today: Rep. Lonnie Napier and a former Fletcher fundraiser.

Finally, A Democrat Upset With Taxes

I don't even know what to say about this one.

Howard Dean is really a piece of work. I guess a push for gay conjugal visits is next on the agenda.

Best Headline Of The Day

Ross Mann of Conservative Vanguard weighs in on the Kentucky Democrats' financial mismanagement with this gem:

Should've Brought Hillary In Four Times

Domestic Partner Showdown Monday

Expect to see a huge food fight Monday afternoon at the Capitol Annex in Frankfort.

Senator Dick Roeding will be giving an update on the E-Health Network Board to the Joint Interim Committee on Health & Welfare at 1 pm.

Liberals want Roeding to resign for his opposition to risking state tax dollars on the University of Louisville's political activism.

2008 GOP POTUS Straw Poll

Even if you are undecided about who you think should be the Republican nominee for President in 2008, you should take this poll. Pick all the candidates you find acceptable and unacceptable.

Who do you like and why?

FairTax Update

Next week U.S. House leaders will see a major move Capitol Hill for the FairTax.

Democrats are invited to this bipartisan affair, but those who are trapped by Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid can't come out and play.

Hal Rogers Site Not Dead

Yes, it looks like the media reports that the draft Hal Rogers site had been pulled down were not correct.

Just got an email from the person who put the site up:

"Who am I? Let's just say that I'm a Republican betrayed by Fletcher and have seen all the double-dealing going on with Patton Democrats. But, more importantly, I am a firm believer in Hal Rogers' ability to be Governor and to do the right thing."

Unbridled Casino Subsidy

How far do we really want to go to prop up Kentucky's horse industry? KEEP says if we don't open up casinos at the horse tracks, West Virginia might take the industry from us.

I don't get it. What am I missing? Experience indicates that for every dollar casinos bring into state coffers, three must be spent on expanded social services. That seems like a very high price to pay. Do we really have to go down this road to save the horse industry in Kentucky?

I say we call their bluff.

Rebecca Jackson For Governor Site Up

Okay, I just made up that headline. Mrs. Jackson, who came in second in the 2003 GOP primary has said repeatedly in recent months she is not running for Governor. The former Jefferson County Judge Executive will tell anyone who asks she is happy running the WHAS Crusade For Children.

I thought about Rebecca, though, after reading GOP activist Ted Jackson's CJ column/therapy session for Republicans looking for another 2007 standard-bearer. Ted invokes Ronald Reagan as the patron saint of those who would dump Fletcher now because of The Gipper's 1976 primary opposition to President Gerald Ford. The analogy doesn't fit, though, because Reagan was a candidate, not an activist. Until a better candidate with a better plan for the future comes along, declares a candidacy, and starts running for real, Kentucky has no 1976 Reagan.

UPDATE: The Lexington Herald Leader's Commentary Editor, Rita Gatton, confirmed that she mistakenly replaced Gerald Ford's name with Richard Nixon's in Ted Jackson's essay. She said a correction will run tomorrow.

A Democrat Fair Taxer In Georgia

Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-Georgia) brought Cindy Sheehan in for her victory party in yesterday's Congressional primary. A surprising anti-crazy woman vote turned out and messed up the party, though. McKinney must now face Hank Johnson in an August 8 runoff. The district is very heavily Democrat, so the winner of the runoff is very likely going to be in Congress in January.

The increasing possibility of the runoff winner being Democrat Hank Johnson is interesting in that he supports the FairTax. Nancy Pelosi is refusing to let her Democrats in the House sign on to the FairTax bill, but I'm guessing too many Georgians understand the bill for him to be bullied.

Bush Veto On "Science" Pork

I haven't heard one good explanation for why we should spend taxpayer money on fetal stem cell research. Dropping billions of government dollars on the the possibility that someday, some evidence may materialize that justifies the hype surrounding destroying embryos for science just doesn't add up.

If legitimate private sector research bears fruit, maybe we have a different discussion. (Yes, private sector research continues apace while liberals scream that people are dying because Bush hates science.) So far, the most successful fetal stem cell research has been proven fraudulent.

The only successes in stem cell research so far have not involved killing anyone. Adult stem cell research is much more promising and worthy of support.

I know Democrats and socially liberal Republicans view fetal stem cells as the answer to their abortion problems. Presidential hopefuls Bill Frist and John McCain has been sucked into this tempting vortex.

Conservatives would do well to talk about this issue in terms of pork spending for questionable research. That is what it is. In fact, I'm a little surprised no one has mentioned the similarities between this and the humans-cause-global- warming craze seeking to extract billions of dollars from Americans in the Kyoto Accord.

School Choice, Now

Republicans propose $100 million to help low income kids escape failing schools; liberal big education establishment types say this:

“The buzzword in education today is accountability, yet school vouchers divert scarce public school dollars to unaccountable private schools,” Weaver said. “Private school students are not required to take federally mandated tests, private school teachers do not have to meet ‘highly qualified’ standards and private schools do not have to show Adequate Yearly Progress. Public schools can, and should, be held accountable, but lawmakers need to provide the resources to get the job done.”

That's National Education Association President Reg Weaver who now thinks that what private schools need is accountability. And, of course, he still thinks the only thing public schools need to improve is more taxpayer money.

Pimping Al Gore's Hazardous CO2

I can't imagine anything more dreadful than sitting down and watching Al Gore talk about how hot it is outside.

Does it ever occur to these people that even with the hottest ten years ever recorded coming in the last fourteen years, you are still only talking about a blink of an eye in historical terms. Recorded history on temperatures barely goes back a century. Not much sense in getting suicidal over a blip on the radar screen.

Favorite lefty blogger Mark Nickolas loves this Al Gore stuff. I see some folks have already gone on Bluegrass Report to straighten out some of the sillyness, but go on over and chime in if you get a chance. I would but Mark has violated my First Amendment rights and blocked me from his site.

Louisville Mayor Sides With Fletcher

I know, it was just on the Louisville Arena deal, but this is the type of thing that, I think, makes the smart money hesitant to get too far away from the Governor.

Just last week, Rep. Ben Chandler said the highest priority for him in considering a run is his ability to spend time with his family. That is over for a year if he runs. That is over for five years if he wins.

I understand all the facts that line up against Ernie's re-election now. I buy several of them. The internal battle within RPK will come to a head soon. I'm just suggesting that it is too early to write off the possibility of a political comeback by Ernie Fletcher.

State Partner Benefits Too Expensive

The Burgoo item on today's Lexington Herald-Leader editorial page tries to turn the U of L domestic partner controversy away from the main point.

The main point is that this stunt is going to cost taxpayers money all in the name of helping people, gay or straight, pretend to be married. Dick Roeding didn't help keep the focus on the money -- where it belongs -- with his "wrong kind of people" comment.

Kentucky Republicans who are made uncomfortable by being asked to weigh in on Roeding's words should help people realize what this mess is really all about.

Another GOP Candidate On The Way?

A developing rumor has Billy Harper of Paducah mulling a run for Governor. I haven't spoken to him, but comments from others fit into three categories:

1- "No comment."
2- "I'm concentrating on the 2006 races."
3- "I haven't thought about it."

CJ Gives Stupid Dem Stunt A Pass

Question: If a Republican former state senator -- working in an official capacity -- told a stupid lie that presented a danger to public health in Kentucky's largest city, don't you think the state's largest newspaper would throw a fit?

Of course they would.

But when Democrat David Karem, executive director of Waterfront Development Corp. and a former senator from Louisville, prints up signs that some fountain water containing dangerous quantities of fecal matter and bacteria contained "high levels of hydrogen" it's all just a well-intended joke.

I can see how this would be funny to ten-year-olds. What are these people thinking?

Hal Rogers Draft Site Goes Up

Another day brings another website urging a Republican to run for Governor of Kentucky against Ernie Fletcher.

The site's authorship is a secret, but its target couldn't be much more high profile. U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers (R-Somerset) is easily the most popular Republican in the state. Here is a link to the site.

Last week, two websites urging state Rep. Lonnie Napier (R-Lancaster) to run made a big splash. This one will as well. The likelihood that Rogers will want to stay in Congress probably means we aren't finished watching Republican draft sites go up.