Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Kentucky Economic Developers Take Note

The Democratic Party's standard bearer, Senator Hillary Clinton, says as president she will "eliminate incentives for American companies to ship jobs and profits overseas."

Well, we know she is isn't going to lower taxes on any evil corporations. She must be talking about forcing companies to keep operations here or risk facing punishment.

Given that Queen Hillary and Steve Beshear are two politicians who do better only by saying less, it sure would be fun to get them both talking about how they would keep employers from fleeing their respective domains.

Enjoy The Gridlock While It Lasts

It would be pretty hard to deny that House Democrats will come around and support everything on Governor Fletcher's special session call after the election.

Talking On Tuesday

I'll be on the radio this morning talking about pre-filed bills for the 2008 Kentucky General Assembly. Tune in to 630 AM at 10:30 this morning or catch "The Pulse of Lexington" show with Leland Conway on the internet at wlap.com. Just click on "Listen Live" in the top-right portion of the page.

If you haven't already, you might like to go to www.kyvotes.org and sign up for regular updates on what the legislature is doing. They are working on the laws today that you will have to live with tomorrow and Kentucky Votes is a great way to stay on top of their current activities and check up on some of the things they have already done.

Monday, July 16, 2007

Worm Turning On Jim Newberry

The city of Lexington today cancelled a July 18 civil service hearing that Mayor Jim Newberry called previously in order to fire federal whistleblower Corporal John Vest.

Newberry's actions have already led Vest to sue him for violating the Whistleblower Act, official misconduct, and abuse of power.

Marathon Oil Case Back In News Soon

Attorney General Greg Stumbo's primary election gambit to draw attention with a poorly conceived attack on gasoline suppliers is in a holding pattern as both the AG's office and Marathon Oil await a ruling on whether the case belongs in state or federal court.

Meanwhile, we need to get straight on the idea that bad laws are no solution to market price fluctuations. And overly ambitious prosecutors don't help anything, either.

"Why Are You Asking Me?"

Steve Beshear's comprehensive plan for public pension reform:

Fight Government's Milkflation Now

Federal policies on milk are absurd.

The Congress should get out of the way of competition and lower prices. They are working on a new farm bill right now.

What's Next, Casinos Funding Space Exploration?

Sunday, July 15, 2007

Are House Dems Ready To End Their Strike?

When the monthly meeting of legislative leaders scheduled for July 11 was cancelled during the special session fight, it wasn't supposed to be rescheduled.

In fact, Senate President David Williams and House Speaker Jody Richards have exchanged little publicly but harsh words.

So it was a bit of a surprise when the announcement was made this afternoon that their July meeting of the Legislative Research Commission is back on and is set for this Friday at 1:30.

Jessamine County Sanctuary For Illegals

Jessamine county politicians changed a policy earlier this year to essentially grant amnesty to illegal aliens apprehended by law enforcement authorities.

If you are here illegally and get arrested in Jessamine county, you are probably headed home without so much as a slap on the wrist.

If you are a Jessamine county politician, you have some work to do.

(Clarification: local judges apparently requested limiting involvement by federal immigration officials in local cases.)

Saturday, July 14, 2007

Next Target: Ron Bishop, FCDC

Can't help but wonder how many hundreds of news stories the MSM would have dropped on the Fayette County Detention Center since the FBI raid last October if the jail or the city of Lexington were run by Republicans.

Nevertheless, several officials at the jail have lawyered up under questioning and, rather than a slow bleed it appears we are in for an explosion perhaps as soon as a few weeks.

Interesting...

Here is a plan to wipe out several welfare bureaucracies and, in exchange, expand Earned Income Tax Credits.

The idea is to spend less running programs and just give the money to the people. If we could ensure that there were consequences for recipients wasting the money on drugs -- which we probably can't -- it would be a no-brainer.

On the other other hand, wiping out the individual programs and making the aid easier to see and track could be a good way to wean able-bodied people off the dole.

Queen Hillary: "Off With Their Heads!"

Friday, July 13, 2007

Yale Young Dems, Call Your Webmaster


Washington D.C. Democrats have been scrambling for a Kentucky candidate to take on Sen. Mitch McConnell.

They have settled on Richmond Senator Ed Worley.

Worley doesn't really expect to win, but wants to get his name ID up for a 2011 run for governor. This means, of course, that he needs Steve Beshear to lose in November.

Good Riddance

Barbara Erwin is not going to be Kentucky's education commissioner.

A statement from the state Department of Education said that Erwin cited "overwhelming and acute scrutiny" as her reason for declining the job. She told the school board of her decision Friday.


Only because it is Friday will I point out she quit one day after I said she should be fired.

Destroying Government Property Is A Crime

England is starting to get serious about instituting a "fat tax" to lower healthcare costs.

One thought about this is that since the government "pays for" healthcare, that people who sit around gorging themselves on ice cream and potato chips are really destroying government property.

Fighting against Michael Moore health reform is pretty important to the future of our nation. Pointing out that the government rightly owns what it pays for may cause a few more people to think about turning their bodies over to Hillary Clinton or Steve Beshear.

Thursday, July 12, 2007

Beshear Takes The Bait On Casinos

As long as the gubernatorial race is about Steve Beshear's shilling for casinos, Governor Fletcher's poll numbers are just going to get better.

Today, Beshear played it Ernie's way.

And here's the thing: Beshear is not only adamant about casinos being the best and only way to go, he just doesn't have anything else.

Congressional Dems To Terrorists: We Quit In '08

A lot of us aren't happy with the war, but this isn't the answer.

David Williams To Jody Richards: Pound Sand

Senate President David Williams sent a letter to House Speaker Jody Richards refusing Richards' offer of a junket to St. Louis to talk to Peabody Energy:

I do not understand why you need to fly to St. Louis, unless you are trying to create cover for the House failing to act on this important measure when it unconstitutionally attempted to adjourn Sine Die and left town while the Senate remained and worked on this important incentive package.

Only your use of leadership to summon your members back to Frankfort to act on this bill, which has passed the Senate, will make you and the House relevant in accomplishing the important goal of developing Kentucky's coal assets and creating thousands of jobs.


These guys will put on their bipartisan hats again in January when it is time to spend your money and re-elect their members. But until November, this is what you get. Can't wait to see Richards' response.

Yalies For Steve Beshear

A post on this site yesterday which didn't even directly mention Steve Beshear's really bad ideas like collective bargaining for all state employees or more government-run health insurance for all Kentuckians has gotten some folks worked up in, of all places, New Haven, Connecticut.

Visitors to the site from New Haven this morning include several from Yale University web addresses, including some that came through an admin page for a website dedicated to getting someone like Greg Stumbo to run against Sen. Mitch McConnell.