Proud

Our oldest son, Tommy, is headed to Georgia Tech this fall to study Nuclear Engineering. He gets his brains from his mother. Thanks to Jeff McDanald at the Jessamine Journal for picking up the story.

And thanks to the taxpayers and voters in Georgia for setting up the nation's largest state-run merit-based scholarship program. As a Kentucky resident, Tommy didn't qualify for a HOPE scholarship, but with this good public policy and the Academic Common Market, higher education is surprisingly inexpensive in that state.

Maybe Jonathan Miller Should Plagiarize Some, Too

The MSM has tracked down the sources of Bruce Lunsford's and Steve Beshear's fresh new ideas.

A quick look at Jonathan Miller's website suggests he could use a plagiarist or two on his staff as well:

Education of Kentucky's children is not simply the responsibility of government it is a moral obligation and a question of justice. Every child, regardless of circumstance, should be afforded an education that enriches and empowers. Moreover, it makes sound economic sense for our state. For too long Kentucky has lingered near the bottom nationwide in educational success. By investing in our children early and giving them the tools they need to be successful lifelong learners we ensure the future health of the Commonwealth and the wellbeing of its communities and families.

Is that how they taught you to write at Harvard, Jonathan? Not only does the above paragraph take several sentences to say nothing, it is plagued by poor punctuation and hackneyed verbiage. You have all that liberal Washington D.C. money. Hire a plagiarist.

Louisville Mayor's Handwriting On The Wall

Jerry Abramson won't pick a favorite from the B-list.

Rep. Ron Lewis Says Repeal Tax Code By 2010

HR 510 would repeal nearly all of the federal Tax Code. Rep. Ron Lewis is the only Kentucky co-sponsor. The rest of the state's delegation should be made to explain why they prefer to keep the American people trapped under the current tax scheme when we could do better.

Repeal is the proper first step. We need to repeal payroll taxes as well, but scrapping the Code and giving Congress until December 31, 2010 to replace it would be a great way to start working on a solution to a problem we all agree we have.

In fact, the key to financial literacy isn't a school program or a public-private partnership preaching to kids. The key to financial literacy is getting rid of payroll deductions for federal and state taxes. Make citizens write those checks themselves and see how fast they start paying attention to personal financial and public fiscal matters.

Mitch McConnell Smacks Down Tax Increases

As the majority in Congress inches closer to repealing the Bush tax cuts, Sen. McConnell calls them out.

Out Of Tragedy, Gun Grabbers See Big Opportunity

Stan Lee Wins Economic Freedom Award

The Kentucky Club For Growth release its first annual General Assembly scorecard naming Attorney General candidate Stan Lee as the state's top-ranking legislator and one of only two winners of its Kentucky Defender of Economic Freedom Award.

The Club's executive director Brian Richmond said "fiscal conservatives are in short supply in Frankfort. For the benefit of taxpayers, their children and grandchildren, this must change."

Lee's 91% score narrowly topped Rep. Jim DeCesare's 88%. No other House member scored above 70% and only two Senators -- Dick Roeding and Bob Leeper -- scored above 75%. Richmond had praise for the Senate as a whole, though.

"The Senate did not have as many eligible votes as the House did, which is a good thing," said Richmond. "The Senate defended the taxpayers of Kentucky by not calling to a vote some terrible legislation that passed the House and we commend them in that regard."

Could Public Schools Teach Financial Literacy?

If we allow our state's public employee benefit plans to deteriorate for just a few more years, the subsequent tax increases will destroy the state.

As the The Blue Ribbon Commission on Public Employees Retirement Systems starts meeting in Frankfort, realization of the depth of the fiscal crisis facing states and municipalities across the nation is starting to draw wide attention among serious policymakers.

A newspaper column in Delaware suggests making financial literacy classes mandatory in public schools. In response to this, I have one question: have you seen a high school history book recently?

We absolutely need increased citizen financial literacy for our long-term fiscal health. But the public schools can't get it done.

If you want to do your part to increase financial literacy, get out of debt and learn about and invest in equities. If you want to increase financial literacy for others, help your children set up retirement accounts with their first jobs.

Take a look at a simple retirement calculator and see how a little grows into a lot, especially when you start early.

Jody Richards: The Education Governor

Well, to give credit where it is due, at least Speaker Richards isn't calling himself the Economics Governor.

Richards "new and exciting plan" apparently consists only of increasing need-based aid to college students. This is exactly the wrong thing to do at exactly the wrong time. Until we dramatically increase graduation standards in Kentucky, we will continue to send unprepared students to college where too many of them are doomed to fail. Giving them more money to do it doesn't accomplish anything. In fact, piling more state aid on our colleges artificially inflates tuition rates for those students who remain after the weak ones wash out. That makes education harder to afford for people who aren't poor enough for the aid.

Seeking to offer universal access to higher education (or Galbraith's "further education") will always have a perverse effect on the demand curve, squeezing middle income students out. What we need is a combination of more merit-based aid to improve our state schools and higher standards to better prepare our children. Until we do one of these, we will keep failing our students. And until we do both we will continue flushing increasing amounts of money down the toilet.

Northup Yard Signs Available Now

The Northup campaign has yard signs available, for only $10 each.

Kentucky Club For Growth Takes First Shot Tuesday

Stay tuned for a major announcement tomorrow from the Kentucky Club For Growth.

State Would Have Zapped Billy Donovan $210,000

As you write out your state income tax check, consider another reason Florida Gator coach Billy Donovan is smiling in sunny Florida.

No state income tax.

If the University of Kentucky had paid Donovan $3.5 million as was rumored to be their offer, the state's 6% cut would have been $210,000.

Don't tell new coach Billy Gillispie, formerly of no-income-tax Texas.

A Race To Watch In Kentucky This Year?

Ryan Alessi is right about one thing, the race for governor isn't generating any sparks at all. I don't think it is likely to, either.

But the race for Attorney General is another story. Tim Coleman has emerged with a strong challenge to front-runner Stan Lee for the GOP nomination. The winner will face off against either Jack Conway or his primary opponent Bob Bullock. Bullock has the support of state Sen. Julian Carroll.

Most likely, it will be Stan Lee against Jack Conway.

For Dems Debate On KET, Only One Question

Who will not show up?

I think Steve Henry and Jody Richards are the most likely to sit this one out. Otherwise, those who show are just going to agree on issues like supporting the casino industry and wrecking our health insurance market again.

9:40 Update: Well, I was wrong. Steve Beshear and Jonathan Miller were the two who didn't show up. And they were there!

Miller just called his opponents a six-pack and himself Miller Genuine. That's cute if you are running for class president. And Beshear's insistence that casino gambling and "kicking butt" will fix Frankfort falls flat.

Consider This In The Kentucky Treasurer Race

One very good reason to support Lonnie Napier for Treasurer is that Garrard Judge Executive John Wilson would be certain to replace Napier in the General Assembly.

Did You Ever Think Income Taxes Might Be Illegal?

I found a pretty interesting constitutional case against the 16th amendment, which is the one that made the income tax the law of the land.

We should make presidential candidates answer why the 16th amendment should not be repealed. Forcing this issue is the only way we will ever do more than just whine about our broken tax system.

Pushing to have the 16th amendment repealed through the legislative process or deemed unconstitutional by the judiciary would not yield quick results, but it would make more people think about what we are doing to ourselves with a fatally flawed program for financing our government. But I think once the ball got rolling, it would force the reform issue.

Defending the indefensible makes people say goofy things. While we have so many wannabes on the presidential contender talk circuit, we should encourage them to try.

I Love A Good Misleading Headline

The Courier Journal's bold print this morning says "Stumbo respected by both parties."

Then you read the story and see they are only talking about Bob Heleringer. Bob is a casino supporter who used to be a Republican state representative.

Worried About The Tone Of The GOP Primary?

Don't be. Read this.

Good News For Them Is Good News For Us

A column on Bloomberg today should give fiscal conservatives great hope for the future of the United States.

A discussion of emerging-market bond funds might be a great cure for your insomnia, but while many of us have slept poor nations in the world have been catching up to us quickly.

It is time to wake up.

The jolt will be tough for a lot of us, but as prosperity and achievement spread throughout the world we will have to cut our patience for counterproductive public policies.

In other words, as the economies of the third world get stronger we will be less able to afford liberal economic policies.

Could we be seeing progress already? Look at how quickly this turned into this.

Gatewood Galbraith Scores 12%, Otis Hensley Gets 8% In Latest Dem Polls

Mock polls on college campuses may be a nice teaching tool, but I was surprised to see two candidates -- Jody Richards and Jonathan Miller -- have now issued press releases touting the results.

At least Jonathan Miller printed the raw numbers. It's a whole lot less impressive when you consider them.