Senate Thwarted One More Time

It's pretty sick when the best news we get is bad legislation being killed, but the Senate A&R committee deserves kudos for turning away another attempt to get Harry Moberly's secrecy bill through.

Nice job!

It was an amendment to House Bill 400 that Senator Dan Kelly tried to attach to the original bill. It won't be available till sometime late tonight, but I will show it when I can. Either way, another attempt fails. Let's keep watching them.

Note to Leadership: the rest of the free world has already figured out that we want open, honest government. What ... is ... your ... problem?!?!

Victory, Again!

I was working on another hit piece on the Senate for slipping Harry Moberly's secrecy bill into HB 228, but the Senate just pulled the offensive substitute from the bill.

Good move, Senate.

We will be watching carefully as this foolishness is likely to return next year.

Another Lib Talking Point Goes Down Hard

Hey, I thought we were all going to get sick and die if we didn't harvest lots more fetal stem cells.

Osiris Therapeutics Inc.'s easy-to- administer stem cell treatment helped patients recover after a heart attack and eased their symptoms in a study.

The cells were given intravenously to patients who had a heart attack within the past 10 days, researchers said. The hearts of those who got the cells pumped 25 percent more efficiently both three months and six months after treatment, according to research presented today at a science meeting.

The study, using adult cells gathered from bone marrow, is the first to transfer stem cells from donors to heart patients. Since an IV line delivers the cells, rather than a complex heart procedure, ``they could be given at a community hospital'' rather than an academic center, said Marc Penn, director of the Bakken Heart Brain Institute at the Cleveland Clinic.

Maybe not. If you are keeping score at home, that's one more real-world success for adult stem cells versus zero for fetal stem cells.

Any more words of wisdom on global warming or how great socialized medicine will be?

Hillary Clinton's Free Commercial On GMA

Hillary Clinton is on Good Morning America doing what feels an awful lot like an infomercial. The topic of the day is, of course, socialized medicine.

"I think we will move toward requiring employers to participate," Clinton said.

What this means is Hillary is going for RomneyCare as opposed to Medicare For Everyone. This approach ties individual health premium subsidies to income. The lower your income, the higher your subsidy. What we need to be considering is the impact this will have on our economy as a disincentive to productivity. What are you going to do if your climbing income is about to lower your subsidy by more than your increased income?

Kentucky Senate Republicans Adrift

Senate President David Williams has done well to address the looming pension crisis in Frankfort. But after watching the national GOP melt down into a rudderless tub of goo, one might think he would have the sense to quickly dispatch whoever tried to revive Harry Moberly's fascistic HB 184 by stuffing it into HB 228.

Wake up, President Williams, before you wreck your boat. The MSM will give Moberly a pass on his attempt to hijack the legislative process, but you will be drawn and quartered.

And you won't have any conservatives coming to your rescue just because you have an (R) next to your name.

Remove the committee substitute on HB 228. NOW!

The Morality Of Bad Public Policy

Steve Beshear says if we elect him governor, he will solve our fiscal problems with loads of casino gambling cash.

"At the end of the day, it was not a moral problem for me," Beshear, who grew up singing at church with his siblings, said of his advocacy for expanded gambling. "I know it is for some people."

The burden of proof should be on Singing Steve to demonstrate that the public costs of casino gambling are less than the windfall he keeps talking about. Getting the focus of this issue off morality -- which is a valid concern, but not a persuasive one -- and onto simple math -- which is valid and persuasive -- will lead us to the right decision.

Big Mistake: Stupid Anti-School Choice Law

At a time when Kentucky demonstrably needs to give parents and students more freedoms and less clumsy bureaucracy in public education, the General Assembly and Governor Fletcher have agreed to foist a new law upon us that, while having little real impact on the former, provides a boon to the latter.

HB 32 will succeed only in filling the courts with teenage high school dropouts seeking hardship exemptions from this do-over for the old no pass, no drive law.

Another Dumbass Move By The General Assembly

The General Assembly goes back to work Monday, so it is going to be a pretty good idea to hold on to your wallet.

A fine example of why we should stay on guard is what the Senate did to a decent House Bill 228 which, in its original form, just cut back a little on the ridiculous idea of prohibiting "price gouging."

Price gouging is, however, an argument for a different time.

Someone in the Senate came up with the bright idea to slip part of Rep. Harry Moberly's fascist HB 184 that we killed off last month into HB 228.

Whose stupid idea was this? Was it Damon Thayer? Does anyone know? When Harry got busted on this last month, he wound up taking a sick day when he couldn't take the heat.

It's time for a sneaky Senator to catch an early spring cold and to withdraw the Substitute from HB 228.

Blog Blocking Blah Blah Blah...

Most of the people who think Ernie Fletcher will pay a political price for his Administration blocking on-the-clock access to political blogs are merely blinded by partisan hatred.

And yes, reading employee emails falls under the same category.

The Northup campaign will NOT find any gain in trying to capitalize on this one.

Money Meets Mouth On D.C. Social Security Vote

Which way did your U.S. Senator vote on stopping the annual Social Security surplus squandering?

Jody Richards: I was against AMC tax before I was for it and now, doggone it, I'm against it again

The legislature could have repealed the AMC/LLET this year if Richards would have let it come up for a vote.

Now, more than anyone else running for Governor, he has had to tie himself up in knots on the issue:

When the Republican-sponsored AMC was proposed by Gov. Fletcher, I was the first and loudest voice to oppose it as unfair to small businesses. I was proud as House Speaker to lead the chamber that fixed its worst provisions during a special session last summer. I don't believe businesses operating in the red should have to pay income tax. As Governor, I will work to make the tax code much more business friendly. I want a system that is more effective; spurs growth; and does not unfairly burden one group over any other. We must do better to compete economically.

A stronger opponent would take Governor Fletcher out on this one. No candidate, no issue. Next...

Courier Journal Wakes Up To Pensions, Dresses Down ... Jody Richards!!!

Too funny; Williams spanks Richards, again! David's right arm must be getting tired from all the whupping.

Wake up and smell the mint julep, Jody. If your "campaign" makes it as far as the first Saturday in May it will be only because there are no real horses in your race.

Fletcher Caves In, Signs Wage Tax Increase

What a complete waste of time.

Northup Campaign To Unveil Policies Tomorrow

A press conference to discuss education policies and a health care plan? Count me in!

Anne Northup to outline
Education and Health Care Platforms

FRANKFORT----Anne Northup, candidate for the Republican gubernatorial nomination in the May 22nd Primary, will outline her plan to improve education and Kentucky’s Health Care system Friday in Frankfort.

WHO: Anne Northup and Jeff Hoover

WHAT: Education and Health Care News Conference

WHEN: 10am, EDT, Friday, March 23rd.

WHERE: Frankfort Capital Plaza Hotel, Caucus Room, Wilkinson Boulevard

What do you think they should propose? What do you think they will say?

Harper Issues Another *Yawn* Press Release

Just received the following from Harper for Governor:

Harper statement on political endorsement:


"The endorsement is a reminder of why Kentuckians have grown tired of the political establishment. Too often politicians say one thing and then do another. We're going to continue talking about issues important to Kentuckians, such as education and economic development, rather than endorsements from politicians."

Come on, guys. You can do better than this. Most GOP primary voters may not be crazy about politicians doing business as usual, but bland derision is not going to get it done at this point.

How about something like this instead:

While we are bankrupting our state with pension and healthcare liabilities, while we are raising taxes and fees like there is no tomorrow, and under falling business and educational rankings it is more than a little uninspiring to watch our leading politicians standing around at press conferences endorsing each other for more of the same. It is past time for us to wake up and change course. We can't afford further delay. That is why I am running for Governor, to replace the political stunts with action.

Is Jody Richards Expecting To Need Judicial Intervention In Dem Primary?

Gubernatorial hopeful Jody Richards named Lexington Councilman Julian Beard as his Fayette county campaign chairman today.

Beard got 97 signatures on his petition to run for for his office last year when 100 signatures were required by law. He then got a local judge to rule that the law didn't really apply to him after all. Perhaps Richards thinks Beard's manipulative abilities will benefit him in his May primary.

Gore, Hair On Fire, With New Talking Points

Al Gore testified to Congress about global warming yesterday:

"The planet has a fever," Gore said. "If your baby has a fever, you go to the doctor. If the doctor says you need to intervene here, you don't say, `Well, I read a science fiction novel that told me it's not a problem.' If the crib's on fire, you don't speculate that the baby is flame retardant. You take action."

Thirty years from now, when another Gore is running for office by complaining about how economic activity is bringing on a new Ice Age, we will have to remember his "Flame retardant baby" speech.

Hey, someone call the NEA. They will want to get special ed money for that "retardant" kid.

Update From Evans-Novak Political Report

Evans-Novack weighs in on Kentucky's GOP primary

Governor 2007

Kentucky: Republicans here feel strongly that Gov. Ernie Fletcher (R) has gotten a raw deal with respect to the scandal over hires he made outside the state's civil service system. However, they are equally convinced that he will not be re-inaugurated next January. The only question, therefore, is whether he loses the May 22 primary or the November 4 election.

Fletcher has alienated two key groups in Kentucky 's Republican Party -- first the grassroots organizers who got him elected in his close 2003 race, and second his Republican allies in the state legislature. To the former, he gave early impressions of ingratitude and neglect, and many of them have abandoned him by now. The latter complain that he has behaved in an aloof manner, not unlike the way President Bush dealt with the congressional majority when he still had it.
The business community has also been upset with much of Fletcher's work. Fletcher pushed through a so-called "tax modernization plan" that included one of the most hated of all taxes for small businessmen -- an alternative minimum tax for businesses based on gross revenues. As a result, the state is raising excessive revenues on the backs of low-margin small businesses, even those with bad balance sheets.
Despite promises during his 2003 election campaign to make Kentucky more business friendly, the state has dropped from the 29th to 36th most business-friendly state in the United States since 2004, according to the National Federation of Independent Businesses. The tax change played a significant role in that.
Former Rep. Anne Northup (R) is already nearly even with Fletcher in the polls, and she must be favored to win the primary. Despite what some view as a sluggish fundraising operation early on, she has hit her stride for the most part.
The winner of this Republican primary must take 40 percent to avoid a primary runoff. A third candidate, businessman Bill Harper (R) -- who served as Fletcher's finance chairman in his 2003 election -- will sop up a significant portion of the vote in his native Western Kentucky , the most Republican part of the state. This could make it difficult to get 40 percent.
Still, Fletcher's support lags even at a time when he is on television and Northup is not. The real state of play in the GOP primary should become clearer when Northup takes to the airwaves in April. Leaning Northup.

The Fat Lady Is Singing Kumbaya

Another press conference tomorrow promises to have another big-name Republican endorse Anne Northup for Governor. I'm guessing it will be former Commerce Secretary Jim Host, but it doesn't really matter. The Anyone But Ernie crowd has taken their shot, but it is about time to admit that it hasn't worked and that the conservative thing to do is get behind Governor Fletcher and push on through to November.

I say this as one who was sympathetic to the idea of changing horses in this primary. All the bonded projects and the AMC revenue-neutral tax increase were two big strikes against this administration, and the political miscues made it hard to watch and impossible to apologize for. But when it comes down to navigating the shark-infested waters as well as he has, Governor Fletcher has earned a chance to do better in his second term.

Look, even the Democrats agree. Any Dem candidates with real potential stayed out of the race. The leftovers who are figuring out now that they can't beat Steve Henry by going negative will all head for the hills after May. Whether Henry wins the primary or some other one makes it through, no one is going to want to listen to dredged up rumors about charges that didn't amount to anything on a scandal that by any measure isn't worth the ink it has received. The Dem candidate who builds a campaign on that will never get off the ground.

It's time to get used to the idea the Ernie Fletcher will very likely get a second term. Kentuckians need to get passed the our mostly inconsequential differences and work on improving our state together over the next four years.

Jody Richards Caught Pants-Down On Public Pensions, Whining About Senate's Desire For Action

The state Senate sent an open letter to Speaker Jody Richards asking for a dialogue on the public pension funding crisis.

Here is an exerpt:

House Leadership has now had HB 418 in its possession for fifteen (15) days since its Senate passage on Tuesday, March 6, 2007. I am hopeful that you and your staff have been doing your due diligence and have reviewed in detail the Senate Plan, along with the accompanying actuarial analyses prepared by the KERS's own actuary which has been in your possession since Friday, March 2, 2007 . Therefore, Senator Ed Worley and myself are offering to make ourselves available Friday afternoon, March 23, 2007, to discuss the Senate Plan with you and the entire membership of the Chamber. As Members of the General Assembly are already compensated at their regular rate during the Veto Recess, I believe this informal informational meeting will be a productive use of Member's time.

Unless Richards has secretly worked up some silly "There is no crisis" groups, he is going to have to provide some kind of answer to this. The Senate has left the door wide-open for the House to come back with a plan to fix the real problem -- the state health plan.

Public comments suggest the House is content to run out the clock on this ticking time bomb.

From the letter again:

Although our Leadership teams have not spoken publicly or privately regarding this matter since the General Assembly adjourned for the veto recess, I have determined through your remarks on the floor of the House and in the press and Representative Adkins' comments on KET Monday, March 19, 2007 that House Leadership continues to criticize the "timing" and "process" by which the bi-partisan Senate Plan was created. It is not however clear to me if you, or any Member of the House, have substantive questions pertaining to any of the policies contained in the bi-partisan Senate Pension Plan.

Come on, Speaker Richards. You are being handed a golden opportunity. Take it and revamp the health plan. The pension stuff can wait if you take that on, but we all pay if you sit on your hands complaining about how the Senate does business.