A couple of us Kentucky bloggers made national news earlier this year for being refused journalist's credentials at the state capitol.
The winds are changing.
Nicole Moore of the National Conference of State Legislatures is writing a column for State Legislatures magazine advocating for bloggers to be given press passes to legislative sessions.
Monday, October 30, 2006
Casino Gambling Is A Liberal Scam
If you like public policy that forces the government to expand and taxes to go up, you will really like the false promise of casino gambling in Kentucky. The rosy scenarios of new revenue for Frankfort never figure in the increased need for social services brought on by the fantastic allure of casinos. Quick losses mount up and families are torn down. The government usually winds up picking up the tab for the families. Unfortunately, the roads and schools build by gambling revenue are easy to see. The uncounted cost is much less visible.
So when the "additional" revenue is offset by new social spending, we wind up spending money on other projects we will need to clean up the toxic waste left by the casinos.
Will people gamble anyway? You bet. Will they run over to Indiana's gambling boats regardless of what Kentucky does? Sure.
But the scam is the idea that building casinos on this side of the river will be a net benefit to Kentuckians. Only casino-sponsored studies count the social costs at zero.
The fact is that casinos will cost the state more than they generate in revenue. It would be cheaper to just let those who want to go to Indiana for gambling trips go.
And speaking of scams: if you like the idea of higher government spending following the implementation of casinos, you will absolutely love the underhanded way the casinos are sneaking in to Kentucky in broad daylight.
It's called "let the people decide."
Looking at legislative campaigns across the state, members of both parties seem to have gotten in the "let the people decide" game.
If casinos can get on the ballot in Kentucky, they will dump many millions of dollars into advertising campaigns. Their organized opposition consists mainly of church groups. Fiscal conservatives would do well to tune into this debate very quickly.
Soon it will be too late.
So when the "additional" revenue is offset by new social spending, we wind up spending money on other projects we will need to clean up the toxic waste left by the casinos.
Will people gamble anyway? You bet. Will they run over to Indiana's gambling boats regardless of what Kentucky does? Sure.
But the scam is the idea that building casinos on this side of the river will be a net benefit to Kentuckians. Only casino-sponsored studies count the social costs at zero.
The fact is that casinos will cost the state more than they generate in revenue. It would be cheaper to just let those who want to go to Indiana for gambling trips go.
And speaking of scams: if you like the idea of higher government spending following the implementation of casinos, you will absolutely love the underhanded way the casinos are sneaking in to Kentucky in broad daylight.
It's called "let the people decide."
Looking at legislative campaigns across the state, members of both parties seem to have gotten in the "let the people decide" game.
If casinos can get on the ballot in Kentucky, they will dump many millions of dollars into advertising campaigns. Their organized opposition consists mainly of church groups. Fiscal conservatives would do well to tune into this debate very quickly.
Soon it will be too late.
Club For Growth Monday
Go to the Kentucky Club for Growth website and sign up for email updates.
Take a look at the national Club site for an idea of what is coming.
Take a look at the national Club site for an idea of what is coming.
Sunday, October 29, 2006
Democrat Robber Barons: Give Us Your $$$
Fortunately, DNC Chair Howard Dean speaks:
Democratic party chief Howard Dean said Democrats "have no intention of raising taxes except on the people who have got enormous tax breaks - like the oil companies - from the Republicans."
In Econ 101 class, the rest of us learned that a tax increase on producers gets passed on to consumers. So after Nancy Pelosi rolls back all the Bush tax cuts -- including the 10% tax bracket that hits everyone -- Mad Howard will be looking to hit us all at the gas pump.
Thanks for talking, guys.
Democratic party chief Howard Dean said Democrats "have no intention of raising taxes except on the people who have got enormous tax breaks - like the oil companies - from the Republicans."
In Econ 101 class, the rest of us learned that a tax increase on producers gets passed on to consumers. So after Nancy Pelosi rolls back all the Bush tax cuts -- including the 10% tax bracket that hits everyone -- Mad Howard will be looking to hit us all at the gas pump.
Thanks for talking, guys.
Saturday, October 28, 2006
The Seinfeld Roundtable
Imagine this: A "progressive" political discussion that lasted two hours, but wasn't about anything at all.
We Must Cut Kentucky Spending
The Cato Institute released this week its Fiscal Policy Report Card on America's Governors.
Governor Ernie Fletcher earned a C overall, with a B in revenue policies and an F in spending. The report lauded Fletcher's early spending cuts and chided him gently for tax modernization and not so gently for the spending in this year's budget agreement:
"He would be well advised to get the budget under control again and pursue tax cuts that actually cut the burden on taxpayers, not just shift it to other taxpayers."
Governor Ernie Fletcher earned a C overall, with a B in revenue policies and an F in spending. The report lauded Fletcher's early spending cuts and chided him gently for tax modernization and not so gently for the spending in this year's budget agreement:
"He would be well advised to get the budget under control again and pursue tax cuts that actually cut the burden on taxpayers, not just shift it to other taxpayers."
Friday, October 27, 2006
Charlie Hoffman Flunks, Newspaper Covers
State Rep. Charlie Hoffman (D-Georgetown) fueled speculation that he had tired of his job in Frankfort when he was seen taking the PVA exam on November 1, 2005. The Georgetown News-Graphic plays an interesting role in the likelihood you may not have heard this story before.
Passing the exam is the main requirement in running for county Property Valuation Administrator, which is an open seat in Scott county. Had Hoffman passed, he would not have to hide in the Capitol Annex when tough votes come up.
But he failed the exam.
Georgetown News-Graphic publisher Mike Scogin is covering for Hoffman's failure, but not very convincingly.
"He never took the test," Scogin said in an email. "It was someone else with the same name."
He also apparently had the same face.
Scogin offered no explanation for why this mysterious other Charlie Hoffman went with Rep. Hoffman's brother John, who also took the exam.
Passing the exam is the main requirement in running for county Property Valuation Administrator, which is an open seat in Scott county. Had Hoffman passed, he would not have to hide in the Capitol Annex when tough votes come up.
But he failed the exam.
Georgetown News-Graphic publisher Mike Scogin is covering for Hoffman's failure, but not very convincingly.
"He never took the test," Scogin said in an email. "It was someone else with the same name."
He also apparently had the same face.
Scogin offered no explanation for why this mysterious other Charlie Hoffman went with Rep. Hoffman's brother John, who also took the exam.
UK Law Profs: Dem Chris Frost Too Liberal Even For Us
Sources inside the UK Law School have expressed widespread fear and loathing among the faculty for the campaign of fellow professor Chris Frost in Kentucky's 88th house district.
That's quite a statement, given the liberal bent of the faculty there. If Chris Frost is too far gone to suit his own colleagues, he is easily too radical for the conservative 88th district.
What is the "family values" Kentucky Democratic Party doing recruiting liberals to run for public office?
That's quite a statement, given the liberal bent of the faculty there. If Chris Frost is too far gone to suit his own colleagues, he is easily too radical for the conservative 88th district.
What is the "family values" Kentucky Democratic Party doing recruiting liberals to run for public office?
Thursday, October 26, 2006
If You Really Want Affordable Healthcare...
Governor Fletcher spoke today at the groundbreaking for an ambulatory healthcare center in Nicholasville. In his remarks, he explained that Jessamine county will have to wait for a real hospital because if the state allowed one to go in too soon it could cause healthcare costs to increase.
He is right about the waiting. Certificate of Need laws will prohibit any expansion of healthcare services until all the Lexington hospitals can agree to allow a new hospital in the region. There is, however, no evidence that Certificate of Need laws lower healthcare costs. In fact, the opposite is true.
We keep hearing Kentucky is in a healthcare crisis. Certificate of Need is a part of the problem.
He is right about the waiting. Certificate of Need laws will prohibit any expansion of healthcare services until all the Lexington hospitals can agree to allow a new hospital in the region. There is, however, no evidence that Certificate of Need laws lower healthcare costs. In fact, the opposite is true.
We keep hearing Kentucky is in a healthcare crisis. Certificate of Need is a part of the problem.
What They Are Fighting For
With yet another vulgar screed, liberal blogmeister Daily Kos turned against Democrat Senate candidate Harold Ford for expressing ambivalence over homosexual "marriage."
Do we really want these people chairing committees and picking judges for us when they are so conflicted about what constitutes equal rights?
Do we really want these people chairing committees and picking judges for us when they are so conflicted about what constitutes equal rights?
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Drop Christian Care Medi-Share Suit
Kentucky is suing to stop Christian Care Medi-Share from collecting "premiums" and paying medical claims in the state.
This is a mistake.
Christian Care Medi-Share is not an insurance plan. They collect pre-determined amounts of money from people they agree to cover and then pay certain medical claims when they arise. If they help lower costs for some people, I don't see what the problem is. The challenge will be for consumers to judge the merits of the plan. If Medi-Share doesn't live up to its agreements, a lawsuit would be the proper remedy.
I see no need to ban a private company from providing a risk management service to consumers. The Fletcher administration claims to want to lower health care costs. This is one worth exploring and scrutinizing, but don't kill it because it doesn't fit the mold of other plans.
By the way, Christian Care Medi-Share will not accept my family for coverage because they disagree with our religious beliefs. I haven't examined the fine print on one of their plans in several years, so I am not promoting it. My reason for the post is to say we need more solutions to rising healthcare costs. This plan is being challenged because it is not insurance and, therefore, can not be regulated. Lack of insurance regulation is not a problem we have in Kentucky. Let the buyer beware, but let the buyer decide. Dropping the lawsuit against Christian Care Medi-Share is the right thing to do.
This is a mistake.
Christian Care Medi-Share is not an insurance plan. They collect pre-determined amounts of money from people they agree to cover and then pay certain medical claims when they arise. If they help lower costs for some people, I don't see what the problem is. The challenge will be for consumers to judge the merits of the plan. If Medi-Share doesn't live up to its agreements, a lawsuit would be the proper remedy.
I see no need to ban a private company from providing a risk management service to consumers. The Fletcher administration claims to want to lower health care costs. This is one worth exploring and scrutinizing, but don't kill it because it doesn't fit the mold of other plans.
By the way, Christian Care Medi-Share will not accept my family for coverage because they disagree with our religious beliefs. I haven't examined the fine print on one of their plans in several years, so I am not promoting it. My reason for the post is to say we need more solutions to rising healthcare costs. This plan is being challenged because it is not insurance and, therefore, can not be regulated. Lack of insurance regulation is not a problem we have in Kentucky. Let the buyer beware, but let the buyer decide. Dropping the lawsuit against Christian Care Medi-Share is the right thing to do.
Herald Leader's "Trust Issue"
Since the McClatchy purchase of the Lexington Herald Leader, the paper's employees have had a real attitude change.
The fact that the reporters are walking a little taller may not be easily visible to the untrained eye, but try talking to them. An infusion of hope does good things to people and new ownership has already instilled a new confidence among the news personnel. A fun example is found on the new political blog the Frankfort bureau publishes. They actually provide links to Louisville Courier Journal stories. That's their competition. What kind of dead tree publication does that?
One that wants to really dominate the marketplace.
The people on the editorial board express the same kind of renewed vigor. So it is all the more disappointing to see the same old nonsense printed on their pages. Today, they pander hard left in endorsing Teresa Isaac's economic development director. (I can hardly even say that term without laughing. Seems like Julian Beard should be called "the condemnation commisar.") But to the editorial board, he is the "stronger candidate."
Piffle. And what's worse, their main complaint against Bill Roberts is that he follows the law and can count to 100.
We can only hope the new energy at the Lexington Herald-Leader might somehow strengthen the arguments of the hardened editorial writers. The paper is hiring; maybe they will add some new blood there. Their columnists have the talent, but there are some major trust issues. A key ingredient to growing their paper will be addressing this shortcoming.
The fact that the reporters are walking a little taller may not be easily visible to the untrained eye, but try talking to them. An infusion of hope does good things to people and new ownership has already instilled a new confidence among the news personnel. A fun example is found on the new political blog the Frankfort bureau publishes. They actually provide links to Louisville Courier Journal stories. That's their competition. What kind of dead tree publication does that?
One that wants to really dominate the marketplace.
The people on the editorial board express the same kind of renewed vigor. So it is all the more disappointing to see the same old nonsense printed on their pages. Today, they pander hard left in endorsing Teresa Isaac's economic development director. (I can hardly even say that term without laughing. Seems like Julian Beard should be called "the condemnation commisar.") But to the editorial board, he is the "stronger candidate."
Piffle. And what's worse, their main complaint against Bill Roberts is that he follows the law and can count to 100.
We can only hope the new energy at the Lexington Herald-Leader might somehow strengthen the arguments of the hardened editorial writers. The paper is hiring; maybe they will add some new blood there. Their columnists have the talent, but there are some major trust issues. A key ingredient to growing their paper will be addressing this shortcoming.
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Henry v. Jones: Eating Their Own
Former LG Steve Henry is starting to sound like this year's Bruce Lunsford the way he is going after the Dem front-runner, casino candidate Brereton Jones.
Monday, October 23, 2006
Mad As Hell, Not Going To Take It...
Whatever happens to the Republican party on election day, there can be no argument that some important changes need to occur after election day.
For limited government, pro-growth policy people, a big part of the answer is probably going to come from the Club for Growth of Kentucky. The Club is a group of like-minded individuals who pool their efforts to recruit and support good candidates for public office on the state level.
An unofficial membership drive between now and election day will provide great momentum to the effort to generate real change in our state.
Email me at kyprogress@yahoo.com with your name and contact information and ask your friends to do the same.
For limited government, pro-growth policy people, a big part of the answer is probably going to come from the Club for Growth of Kentucky. The Club is a group of like-minded individuals who pool their efforts to recruit and support good candidates for public office on the state level.
An unofficial membership drive between now and election day will provide great momentum to the effort to generate real change in our state.
Email me at kyprogress@yahoo.com with your name and contact information and ask your friends to do the same.
This Just In: Some Dems For Yarmuth
A breathless report from Louisville has the news that John Yarmuth actually gets to speak to a group of Democrats at a fundraiser in that city this week.
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Credit Where Credit Is Due
The MSM is now buzzing with the story of Ed Moore, a Republican Boone county clerk candidate who claimed falsely to be a Vietnam veteran.
Moore vigorously denied rumors of his fake credentials and escaped MSM scrutiny until an email report by Jeff Smith of Lexington dated October 17 started making the rounds.
Within three days of the initial report, Moore was coming clean and dropping out of the race.
Can there be any doubt that if Moore were a Democrat this story would have been ignored by the mainstream media for at least another two weeks or so?
Moore vigorously denied rumors of his fake credentials and escaped MSM scrutiny until an email report by Jeff Smith of Lexington dated October 17 started making the rounds.
Within three days of the initial report, Moore was coming clean and dropping out of the race.
Can there be any doubt that if Moore were a Democrat this story would have been ignored by the mainstream media for at least another two weeks or so?
Sick Kid Sunday Update
My six-year-old has a nasal infection and no government-sponsored health plan to tell him to come back in January.
Slightly less irritating is that we are going to have to hear all next week about Barak Obama running for President.
Senator Obama owes his entire political career to the media feeding frenzy over Jack Ryan's divorce that forced him from their 2004 Senate race. No doubt he is really just auditioning to be Hillary Clinton's running mate.
Slightly less irritating is that we are going to have to hear all next week about Barak Obama running for President.
Senator Obama owes his entire political career to the media feeding frenzy over Jack Ryan's divorce that forced him from their 2004 Senate race. No doubt he is really just auditioning to be Hillary Clinton's running mate.
We Don't Have One-Party Control
Senator Joe Biden just said on Fox News Sunday that he has talked to twelve Republicans who want to change parties after the election.
There is no question there are at least of half a dozen Republicans who would be likely suspects for this.
Democrats have had a lot of fun this year blaming one-party control for everything going wrong in Washington, but the Arlen Specter-Lincoln Chafee caucus has ensured repeatedly that conservative, small government initiatives can't get passed into law. And President Bush's problems haven't come as a result of conservative policies.
The Club for Growth tried valiantly to get rid of Arlen Specter and Lincoln Chafee in the last two elections. If only they had succeeded, Republicans would perhaps be facing election day on the strength of conservative policies rather than the hindrance of defending nonexistent one-party control.
Elevating Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid is one way to refocus the conservative movement, but that is becoming less and less likely to occur. Fear of Democrats is a real hindrance to tearing down the Republican house and starting all over.
Party reorganization conventions take place in 2008, but real change can and must start right after this election. The party belongs to the people and the fiscal policies politicians of both parties are giving lip service to have broad support. Restoring credibility to the Republican party remains a far shorter trek than one which might introduce it to the Democratic party or breathe viability into a Third Party.
There is no question there are at least of half a dozen Republicans who would be likely suspects for this.
Democrats have had a lot of fun this year blaming one-party control for everything going wrong in Washington, but the Arlen Specter-Lincoln Chafee caucus has ensured repeatedly that conservative, small government initiatives can't get passed into law. And President Bush's problems haven't come as a result of conservative policies.
The Club for Growth tried valiantly to get rid of Arlen Specter and Lincoln Chafee in the last two elections. If only they had succeeded, Republicans would perhaps be facing election day on the strength of conservative policies rather than the hindrance of defending nonexistent one-party control.
Elevating Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid is one way to refocus the conservative movement, but that is becoming less and less likely to occur. Fear of Democrats is a real hindrance to tearing down the Republican house and starting all over.
Party reorganization conventions take place in 2008, but real change can and must start right after this election. The party belongs to the people and the fiscal policies politicians of both parties are giving lip service to have broad support. Restoring credibility to the Republican party remains a far shorter trek than one which might introduce it to the Democratic party or breathe viability into a Third Party.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)