Wednesday, May 23, 2007

"Draft Forgy" Dies A Not-So-Quiet Death

The anonymous effort to draft Larry Forgy to run against Mitch McConnell perished as quickly as it sprang to life.

Forgy said last night he had no interest in running for anything, much less the U.S. Senate.

So the only thing that remains is to guess who is behind the anonymous Draft Forgy website.

My money is on Cliff Schechter.

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Election 2007 Comes Down To Casino Vote

So it's Ernie Fletcher against Steve Beshear in the gubernatorial race.

Yes, we get to hear about pardons, indictments, and hiring. But we also get to really hash out the casino issue. Should be very interesting...

Senator McConnell, Call Joe Lieberman

The Senator from Connecticut is talking again about switching to the Republican party because of the Dems' insistence on surrender in Iraq.

What GOP Needs From Its Gubernatorial Nominee Is What Kentucky Needs From Next Governor

Republicans and Democrats may have their nominees for governor today or maybe we will have to wait until next month for a run-off.

Either way, the GOP needs a nominee who can and will actively pull people together. The GOP needs a nominee who can and will promote conservative values and issues credibly.

The presence of a weak Democratic opponent might make these vital party-building and state-salvaging duties seem superfluous. But shirking now could hurt Kentucky for a long time. The Republican party works best when it is a party of ideas and principles. Pining for larger-than-life personalities like Lincoln or Reagan is satisfying on some level, but the strength of solid values -- and not the power of individual characters -- generates cohesion and enduring success.

Billy Harper is the party's best chance to govern Kentucky the next four years because more than the fresh start most of us agree we need, he offers the best commitment to fiscal responsibility and realistic improvement in education in the whole field.

Monday, May 21, 2007

MSM Turns Blind Eye To Fayette County Fraud

U.S. District Court Judge Jennifer Coffman thrashed Fayette County Detention Center officials Friday in open court and the mainstream media in Lexington still can't manage to cover the official misconduct at all.

After sleeping through the Ron Berry years, you would think journalist watchdogs would be all over this.

Can't Count Steve Henry Out Of Crowded Dem Field

Cell Phone, Internet Users For Billy Harper!

A Washington D.C. pollster called my home via robo-dial Friday night. But guess what? I wasn't there so I missed the call. Like more and more people, the best way to reach me is on my cell phone.

Meanwhile, fewer people are tuning in to broadcast television every day. Doesn't take a rocket scientist to see the internet playing a greater role in this gubernatorial election. And between Ernie Fletcher, Anne Northup, and Billy Harper, only Harper has really used new technology to his advantage.

In a 10-15% turnout election, the opportunity for this to create a surprising result can't be ignored.

Sunday, May 20, 2007

Bipartisan Scam To Advance Casinos

Bruce Lunsford has jumped all over Steve Beshear for claiming casinos will benefit Kentucky. But Lunsford's running mate Greg Stumbo cooked up a scheme in 2005 with the ethically-challenged Sen. Ed Worley to try to make casinos easier to legalize.

Lunsford has given us solid reasons not to trust him already. Don't take your eye off the ball here.

The subtle scheming to turn our state government over to out-of-state casino operators crosses party lines and will usher in an era of corruption far beyond what Kentucky has experienced before if we don't stomp it out now.

Billy Harper is the only viable candidate in either party to stand consistently against allowing this plague to advance. The numbers don't add up and Harper seems to be the only one who wants to really do the math.

Dangerous Liaisons On The Campaign Trail



Senate Democrat Leader Ed Worley of Richmond says he is against casino gambling when he is in his conservative central Kentucky district. But when he is talking to gambling groups or trolling for $1000 checks from very shady characters like R.D. Hubbard of Palm Desert, California, he tells a much different story.

Is this really who Governor Fletcher wants standing up with him just days before an election?

A Primary Opponent For Mitch McConnell In 2008?

I'm not sure who will lose more votes over this, Anne Northup or Ernie Fletcher, but I don't think it helps either one.

Voters are angry enough about politicians playing power games rather than staying focused on improving government. Again, the surest way to move the party away from this kind of nonsense this year is to nominate Billy Harper for governor.

Saturday, May 19, 2007

Northup Whiffs On Right To Work

The Kentucky Right to Work Committee candidate survey hit mailboxes today.

It was no surprise that none of the Democrats answered their questions about supporting employee rights versus unions. Republican Anne Northup, though, joined them:

1. Will you support efforts by the Kentucky legislature to enact a statutory right to work law in Kentucky (including procedural and amendment votes)?

2. Will you support legislation that would ban monopoly bargaining over Kentucky's employee's by union officials?

3. Will you support legislation terminating "agency shop" privileges for public section union officials?

4. If elected, will you oppose so-called "neutrality agreements" and allow workers to hear all available information?

5. If elected, will you oppose all attempts to pass so-called "project labor agreements" and allow contractors to bid on state construction projects regardless of whether or not their employees pay dues to a union boss?

6. If elected, will you support legislation eliminating the automatic payroll deduction of public employees' union dues by government entities?


Only Billy Harper and Ernie Fletcher answered "yes" to all six questions.

Billy Harper Is The Only Candidate Who Can Unite The Republican Party In May, State In November

The most interesting place to be in Kentucky next Saturday will be in Frankfort at the GOP Unity Rally, if it happens.

The RPK website doesn't list the event. May not happen anyway, as the bad blood between the Fletcher camp and the Northup camp is boiling.

If Ernie Fletcher wins out on Tuesday, I can't imagine many Northup supporters will be ready to go cheer on the governor by Saturday after Fletcher called her anti-Christian. And how many Fletcher supporters will be able to muster support for a freshly nominated Anne Northup after she called Governor Fletcher a crook?

And if the two of them are locked in a run-off Tuesday, there will obviously be no Unity Rally on May 26.

So what Republicans really need to think about is how we are going to pull off any kind of unity, especially if it is delayed by a really nasty extra campaign that eats up half the summer.

After you have thought about that, think about how that is another good reason to vote for Billy Harper on Tuesday. Even if he comes in second on Tuesday, he should easily win a run-off. After not making enemies in the primary, Billy Harper will be very well positioned to unite the state in November.

Georgia Governor Signs School Choice Bill

Kentuckians should watch closely to see how much the state of Georgia saves by offering special needs scholarships to families with handicapped children, which the legislature passed last month and the governor signed yesterday.

Rep. Stan Lee tried to give us the same thing here, but House Democrats would have none of it.

Thursday, May 17, 2007

Ben Chandler's Moderate-ectomy Is Complete

Dick Gephardt arrived in Washington D.C. in 1977 as a moderate midwestern Democrat and by the time he was losing the 1988 Democratic Presidential nomination because of his somewhat normal past, he had transformed into a raving, foaming at the mouth zealot for abortion, trade protectionism, socialized medicine, and massive tax increases.

Ben Chandler turned into Dick Gephardt today when he voted for the second largest tax increase in the history of the United States.

Mix In A Little Fiscal Conservatism, Please

The Kentucky Club For Growth will hold a press conference in the Capitol Rotunda tomorrow at 11 am.

Illinois Debating Who Gets How Much Pension

Kentucky should definitely take a look at this.

Kentucky Added Four Billion In Debt Last 4 Years

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Grab Your Ankles: LFUCG Class Action Lawsuit

Mismanagement of the Fayette County Detention Center will cost taxpayers dearly. Despite official statements from the Detention Center that there is no lawsuit, next Tuesday is the deadline for joining the class action suit, which is already pretty big. Anyone who has worked there in the last five years just needs to fill out a little form.

There is a hearing Friday morning at ten about the official misstatements. I'll keep you posted.