Rangel(D-NY): Baby Needs Concrete Shoes

Missed from the weekend was Charlie Rangel's on-the-House-floor reaction to the combo Minimum Wage/Estate Tax vote:

"It's almost like taking a child and talking about 'I want so badly to increase the minimum wage for them' and then you put these concrete shoes on them and you throw them into the ocean alone and not being able to swim. If you care about poor folks, act like it!"

Gov. Romney Gets His Close-Up

Mitt Romney brings his presidential campaign south today and tomorrow with a stop in Louisville. He is in town to speak to the Southern Legislative Conference about his health care plan. His visit kicks off tonight at a reception with supporters and potential supporters of his 2008 run for the White House.

I found an interesting website, Evangelicals For Mitt, that seeks to dispel the notion a Mormon can't get the GOP nomination. It should be interesting to watch. The 2008 primary will be a huge battle for the heart and soul of the Republican party. Liberal Republicans and Conservative Republicans will be slugging it out in a way we haven't seen in a long time.

Earmark Reform Not Happening

Congressman Jeff Flake's 19 amendments in June brought earmarking out into the open.

The bright light illuminated a pretty ugly picture.

U.S. Representatives Hal Rogers, Anne Northup, and Ben Chandler joined 278 other members in voting for all 19 pieces of pork.

This is where Democrats really don't serve America well as an opposition party. It goes without saying they would only be worse on spending, so there is no way to hold GOP legislators' feet to the fire on this stuff.

The Club for Growth does good work knocking off the worst big spenders of both parties. They represent our best hope to restrain federal government waste. Help them if you can.

Punchline France

A UN resolution calls for Hezbollah terrorists to stop killing people. Right now.

For some reason this reminds me of John Kerry saying none of this would be happening if he had been elected President.

Gas Prices

We keep hearing that Republicans are going to lose elections this year because of widespread anger over gas prices. But, seriously, what are Democrats going to do other than make the situation worse?

The same applies to national defense, government spending, education, taxes, and reform of lobbying, immigration, and entitlement policies. What have Democrats ever done to suggest they have better answers on any of these issues? The problem, as I see it, is liberal Republicans standing with Democrats in the way of conservative solutions.

Democrats blame Republicans for their control of the Do Nothing Congress. But do the math: Democrats plus liberal Republicans have controlled both chambers for several years. That's your problem right there. The solution is not to elect more Democrats to Congress.

Flying In From D.C., Arms Tired

The hottest rumor commuting between Washington D.C. and Frankfort is that Senator Mitch McConnell is casting about for a Democrat to back for Governor next year.

McConnell biographer John David Dyche's puff piece in this morning's CJ on Rep. Ben Chandler should serve to throw flame to that fire.

Fancy Farm 2006 News

Sources report Governor Fletcher is not going to speak at Fancy Farm.

This is a mistake.

Staying home may be a good way to avoid any more unfortunate noodling references, but the Governor needs to show up for this. It's a symbolic gesture and an event that few people actually see, but the inevitable "run and hide Republicans" label is something that doesn't help at all.

A quick thinking GOP gubernatorial hopeful might do well to try to fill in.

Wage Tax Increase, Estate Tax Cut

Good move.

More Democrat Economic Development

U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Cleveland) has a plan to lower your gas prices that is so progressive, so forward-looking, so brilliant and...

Actually, this is a bill Kim Jong-il would love. It is a 100% tax on "excess profits" of oil and gas companies. Take a look at the bill. My favorite part is the establishment of a "Reasonable Profits Board" to figure out when oil and gas companies have made enough money.

This is a perfect example of why people who aren't happy with Republicans have nothing to gain by voting for Democrats. One bright spot: a close look at the bill suggests that the next cold winter would result in natural gas companies having little choice but to stop providing heat to just about everyone.

That would have an interesting impact on the global warming movement.

I'm not any happier than you are about how much it costs to fill up my gas-guzzling SUV, but it seems every effort to convict Big Oil of price gouging has fallen flat. If their average 8% profit margin were found to be by any means excessive, don't you think the Kuciniches would have trumpeted that news from the rooftops?

Cindy Sheehan? In Kentucky?

I'm chasing a rumor that Cindy Sheehan -- straight from dancing with Cynthia McKinney at her primary loss party -- is coming to Kentucky to campaign with Democrat candidates.

Now that's a good idea.

Chandler: Gimme A Big Ed Pork Sammich

Rep. Ben Chandler (D-Versailles) misses the point of the effort to improve public education in America. He has filed a bill in Washington to spend an additional $32 Billion -- at least -- over five years to improve school BUILDINGS.

We already pay local and state taxes to maintain school facilities. Chandler wants to ding us at the federal level too.

Also part of his education "plan" is hiring gobs of computer technicians for the schools and "essential broadband access."

Good grief.

Big Education spends way too much on administration to start talking about opening new money spigots.

KY Governor 2007 Quote

"It isn't even about R's and D's up here. It's a northern Kentucky issue that we re-elect Ernie Fletcher."

-- Senator Dick Roeding (R-Lakeside Park)

Move The Filing Deadline

The Bluegrass Institute nails the status quo once again. There really is no reason for a January 31 election filing deadline unless you actually WANT lawmakers sitting around watching the clock for a month every other year.

This and putting committee votes online are two no-brainers that present no valid excuse for foot-dragging.

Money For Nothing, Chicks For Free!

I can't believe the city of Lexington is still paying consultants to come up with low-ball figures on their hoped-for condemnation of Kentucky American Water Co.

Seems like very easy work. The last two read the company's 2005 financial report and came up with the same number as the previous consultant. Pretty good gig if you can get a liberal politician to pay you for it.

That ain't workin'!

Now the blue ribbon committee headed by former Congressman Scotty Baesler is off to show their new numbers to the company, which is going public next year.

2007: Attorney General Do-Over

I still say the biggest race in 2007 will be for Attorney General. Ciberhillbilly says look for Michael Hogan. Rep. Stan Lee is another possibility. Sounds like Erwin Roberts is leaning against running. It's anathema to the Fletcher administration, but LG Steve Pence could make a strong candidate.

KEEP Gambling On Baker?

A rumor is circulating that Casino Gambling's Kentucky connection KEEP is going to hire former talk radio host Dave Baker to help them convince us to try gambling our way to prosperity.

UPDATE (7/27) : Dave Baker said he will not be going to work for KEEP.

"A Politician Or A Fresh Face"

He says he wants a month to think about it, but it sounds like Billy Harper is running for Governor.

Shut Down KY Health Insurance Regulation

Passing the federal Health Care Choice Act would have the effect of helping Kentucky consumers save money on health insurance or buy coverage they can't now afford.

The interesting thing would be to see how many people would buy policies loaded with Kentucky mandates if they didn't have to.

Stumbo's Latest Merit Hiring Scam

Maybe we are selling Greg Stumbo short as a potential candidate for Governor in 2007. The way he controls the media now suggests he will have the Courier-Journal and the Herald-Leader promoting him for "Father Of The Year" despite his deadbeat dad ways.

Twin stories in Kentucky's two largest papers suggest another Stumbo "smoking gun" in his investigation of merit hiring activities in the Fletcher Administration.

Tom Loftis even writes a totally bogus lead sentence in his story that had to please Stumbo. Loftis said:

"A field representative reported to Gov. Ernie Fletcher in May 2004 that progress was being made to replace Democrats in state civil service jobs, according to documents filed by prosecutors Tuesday."

This is totally untrue. The field representative, Willard Hansford, said in a May 7, 2004 report:

"Constituents are ready to fill vacant merit positions and replace Democrats in both merit and non-merit positions."

You can read the report for yourself here. In the heavily-Republican 5th district, I would imagine there were many hundreds of Republican constituents who were "ready" to have a fair shot at jobs they had been shut out of for a generation.

The Herald-Leader's Jack Brammer printed the same quote from Mr. Hansford's report, but followed it up with this statement:

"The state merit law protects rank-and-file state workers from personnel actions based on politics."

This gives the misleading impression that something was happening against the law. Mr. Hansford was only reporting on what the constituents in his area wanted. He was doing his job. Only the most blindly partisan Democrats will choose not to see the truth in this.

Why Didn't We Think Of This?

What would we do here in the Horse Capitol of the World without Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT)'s bill to spend $800,000 of our own money to convince us to wear helmets when riding a horse?

Now that Senator Dodd is running for President, maybe he will initiate something really substantial like a "Honk For Peace" campaign.

Oh, that's already taken.