This Is How Bad It Has Gotten

The ridiculous alternative "energy" giveaway bill is expected to be wildly endorsed by members of both parties in the House tomorrow.

Rep. Tom Riner (D-Louisville) has filed amendments that place the following language in the bill not just once, but twice:

The General Assembly further finds that the energy facilities located in Kentucky as a result of this subchapter have a moral obligation to include among their first priorities and principles of operation the health and welfare of their employees and the citizens of the Commonwealth and the protection of the environment, including the land, air, and water.

The only thing left to do now is to establish penalties for business owners for violating their "moral obligation" to the citizens of the Commonwealth or for keeping their obligations to the land, air, and water as only a secondary priority.

What a weird day it has been watching our legislators put this bill together. Not one of our brighter moments.

Day Trading With Kentucky's Nest Egg

Watching Kentucky's legislators rush to back questionable energy theories with hard (borrowed) cash reminds me of watching wild-eyed amateur stock market traders.

It takes a special brand of moron to blow his family's savings on a financial offering when he really thinks he is the first person in the world to see a particular opportunity. When all his money is gone, he realizes he was just another sucker.

The eagerness in Frankfort to be the first state to go all in on "energy independence" and "alternative fuel production" reminds me a lot of that.

Contribute To Stumbo's "Who's My Daddy?" Fund!

Reluctant child support payer Greg Stumbo has filed papers to explore how badly he wants to get his butt kicked in a race for the United States Senate next year.

He even has a website.

One interesting thing on the exploratory committee website is his policy on refunds, which would become particularly applicable should Stumbo decide not to run:

Once a contribution has been submitted, it is the policy of Stumbo2008.com to not offer Refunds.

If he doesn't run, one can't help wondering what he plans on doing with that money.

Naked Money Grab: Incentive Scam Is A Waste

Energy plan supporters who claimed the scheme at the heart of this weeks special session wasn't a government giveaway now need only look at the appropriation on page 106 of the bill in the amount of $5,319,500 from the General Fund.

That is for the first year interest payment on the $100 million bonding appropriated on page 105 of the bill for the purpose of giving companies cash in advance of the start of their projects.

What is that if not corporate welfare? In the mountains of eastern Kentucky, they call welfare "crazy checks." Maybe we need to start referring to HB 1 as the Coal Company Crazy Check Act of 2007.

It wouldn't be quite so bad if we weren't borrowing the money before we give it away. But there is no justification for a fiscal conservative vote in favor of this mess. And since the powers-that-be have put out the word that only one technical correction to the bill will be allowed -- but no amendments -- the responsible thing to do is to vote against the bill.

Herald Leader Goes Daily Kos On Dick Cheney

Part of the fun of writing a blog is that you can take someone's comments out of context and beat him over the head with them.

The Lexington Herald Leader knows the feeling. The online version's editorial page this morning reprinted Nicholas Kristof's column from yesterday's New York Times.

It starts like this:

Saving energy doesn't have to mean shivering in the dark.

Vice President Dick Cheney once scoffed that energy conservation can be a "personal virtue" but is no basis for an energy policy.

Growing evidence suggests he had it exactly wrong.

Actually, growing evidence suggests the "professional" media is using the blogger's trick to slap a political enemy.

Here is what Cheney actually said:

Now, conservation is an important part of the total effort. But to speak exclusively of conservation is to duck the tough issues. Conservation may be a sign of personal virtue, but it is not a sufficient basis all by itself for sound, comprehensive energy policy. We also have to produce more. The American people have worked very hard to get where they are, and the hardest working are the least likely to go around squandering energy or anything else that costs money. Our strategy will recognize that the present crisis does not represent a failing of the American people.

And now Kentucky's General Assembly has worked up an energy policy compromise measure that is worse than the first two proposals. Tax credits are one thing, but now we are bonding $100 million to give away in advance of any energy production or job creation. Creating jobs is a good way to sell any kind of economic development project, but the fine print in the bill reveals we will be funding many of those jobs with borrowed government money.

Worley Returns To Frankfort Millions Lighter

Sen. Ed Worley (D-Richmond), one the most outspoken casino gambling supporters in the legislature, settled a fraud lawsuit earlier this summer for what is believed to be at least two million dollars.

If you see him this week, you might want to offer to buy him lunch. But don't get mixed up in any land deals with him.

I Have An Idea For The Next GOP Photo-Shopper

How about Steve Beshear in an adult diaper and a rain coat, headed to the Kentucky Casino?

Central Kentucky Can't Afford For Lexington To Be A Sanctuary City

Now that Lexington police are practicing catch-and-release with illegal aliens who break local laws, the illegal immigration issue will soon take on a new dimension that will impact all of central Kentucky.

As word gets out that Lexington is a sanctuary for undocumented criminals -- and no, I'm not talking about farm workers without visas -- the problem will grow much worse than illegals clogging up our hospitals and courthouses.

I'm talking about gang activity.

Immigrant gangs are already present in the Cardinal Valley area of Lexington. As their activities become more widespread, "guest workers" who are only trying to better themselves and their families will get killed in the backlash.

For the safety of central Kentuckians, it is just about time to run off our local illegal immigrants.

Herald Leader's Back-To-School Tax

The editors of the Lexington Herald Leader are upset about taxes again.

This morning they -- predictably -- joined the Fayette County School District in complaining that property taxes aren't high enough to pay for school renovation.

Fayette County ranks 54th out of 176 school districts in the rate of property tax dedicated to schools.

Some of the schools schedulted (sic) for renovation were built early in the last century. None have been renovated in the last quarter-century.

Given that school financial accountability is so lacking in Kentucky, we should really look at spending first. And repealing the prevailing wage law in Kentucky would be a good second step.

Special Session Redux

Legislative leaders agree the special session will take about five days. Any guesses on when or if extra projects and domestic partner benefits get added to the call?

Macaca II For Giuliani

Rudy Giuliani says if he weren't running for president himself, he would support Sen. John McCain.

Bell County Says No To Casinos

Governor Fletcher's campaign sent out a release this afternoon touting Bell County Fiscal Court's resolution to reject casinos.

This is a good thing and other counties will surely follow suit.

Folks, this is your vote on casinos. And the people who are upset about this need to move fast to escape Steve Beshear's slavish devotion to out-of-state casino operators.

Maybe the Republican Party of Kentucky should send out doctored pictures of Steve Beshear's head pasted on top of Princess Leia's body when she was Jabba the Hutt's slave on Tatooine.

Rudy Giuliani's Macaca Moment

This comment about his time at ground zero will end the Giuliani campaign:

CYA: Why The FCDC Is Releasing Videos

The ongoing Department of Justice investigation into prisoner abuse at the Fayette County Detention Center has City Hall so rattled they are releasing to the media internal video of a by-the-book takedown of a mouthy inmate in a high-profile arrest.

Will this provide sufficient cover to the still-employed miscreants at the jail and their enablers at City Hall when the feds come in to make their arrests?

No. And it isn't even a good try.

Bush Veto Will Save Kentucky $600 Million

Kentucky would lose more money than any other state but Florida over the next five years under the U.S. Senate's S-CHIP expansion plan, according to a Heritage Foundation report.

The Jonathan Miller Act Of 2008

Senator Damon Thayer (R-Georgetown) is putting together a bill to shut down the political rest area known as the state treasurer's office.

State Allows Some Medical Proliferation

Kentucky's certificate of need laws give the state the power to decide who needs how much supply of what medical service.

According to the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, more health providers leads to higher healthcare prices.

The purpose of Kentucky's Certificate of Need process is to prevent the proliferation of health care facilities, health services and major medical equipment which increases the cost of quality health care in the commonwealth.

It will be interesting to see how much of an increase Louisville hospital patients will suffer now that the state has has agreed to allow Jewish Hospital to add 75 beds.

As any freshman economics student quickly learns, increased supply causes lower prices.

While we are at it, could we get the CHFS to victimize Jessamine County just a little bit? We don't have a hospital at all. Frankly, when it comes to the economic theory of health care bureaucrats in Frankfort versus the real world, it looks like Kentucky could use a lot more of this proliferation stuff.

Not Good: Keeping Merit Hiring On The Front Page

Governor Fletcher's campaign manager was quick again today to declare victory in the ongoing merit hiring scandal when the Executive Branch Ethics Commission ended its investigation into the Governor's involvement.

"This letter is being released as further evidence that the (Attorney General Greg) Stumbo led witch-hunt was pure political opportunism that is now being trumpeted by Steve Beshear,” said Marty Ryall, campaign manager for Fletcher, in a news release.

Does anyone really think this is going to win back any support for the Governor's campaign?

Given that the Ethics Commission apparently only seems to have been able to find actionable fault with former administration officials who supported Anne Northup in the primary, I would have to guess it won't.

Same Old Education Spin In Kentucky

The ACT has issued their state-by-state average test scores and the Lexington Herald Leader dutifully marched out and interviewed state education commissioner Kevin Noland, who was more than happy to take credit for the slight increase.

"The ACT results are valuable because they provide another means for Kentucky's secondary educators to focus attention on specific areas," said Interim Education Commissioner Kevin Noland. "Kentucky's students are making progress, and that is most evident when we look at long-term trends."

What the bureacrats and their adoring fans in the MSM don't want you to know is the statewide statistics include private and home-schooled students. A breakout of those numbers will be available soon. They will likely show -- again -- an actual decrease among public school students and the media will ignore the real story -- again.

More Bad -- But Fixable -- KDE News

The Bluegrass Institute's Dick Innes reports the education testing people at ACT will introduce this fall a testing solution Kentucky desperately needs, but that education bureaucrats will resist.

ACT will have "a coordinated set of curriculum outlines for about 16 college preparation courses and corresponding end of course exams," Innes said. "Right now, the Kentucky Department of Education is very slowly trying to create end of course exams in just a couple of subjects."

Innes is the education analyst for the Bluegrass Institute.

Someone in the legislature should step forward as an education leader and force the KDE to abandon tests they can manipulate in favor of those that will better serve our children.