How's your new hope and change going?

It's funny how every time a bunch of politicians get together and claim a grand victory for bipartisanship, what really happens is that the taxpayers get hammered and the ranks of principled lawmakers just gets smaller.

Nevertheless, it's disheartening that, with all their wheeling and double-dealing in Frankfort, they couldn't manage to even give a hearing to a bill that would merely require a 24 hour waiting period on tax and spending bills.

I know several Kentucky groups are working up tax and wasteful spending protest rallies. If you know of one, please mention it in the comments section.

Otherwise, stay tuned for at least one big announcement tomorrow on this site.

Drinking our way to prosperity

The Hartford Courant reports Republicans in Connecticut want to solve their state's overspending problems by expanding drinking hours in casinos. With a $1.35 billion projected deficit, what's next, a 2500 drink minimum?

Fortunately for Connecticut, cooler -- Democratic -- heads seem to be prevailing.


Can't wait till Kentucky's good-time crowd in Frankfort gets wind of this one. In our new era of bipartisan cooperation, there is no telling what we might get when the good old boys start mixing booze, late nights, and gambling.

Obama, the flesh-eating zombie?

When President Barack Obama talked about curing cancer last night, I couldn't help thinking of the movie "I am Legend" in which a cancer cure kills almost everyone and turns most of the survivors into cannibal zombies.


Does eating people pay prevailing wage, Mr. President?

Beshear spins for Big Ed and Big Health

Gov. Steve Beshear went on the Leland Conway radio show in Lexington to explain why he raised taxes and raided the state employee health fund. Here is what he said:

"We had some priorities that if at all possible we needed to maintain. And one was in education and the basic funding formula for our schools. I think everybody felt that it was just a requirement that we continue the effort that we're making to improve the education system. We had public safety issues that people felt were a priority as well as the healthcare safety net for our most vulnerable people."

In other words, he wanted the money to expand programs with a poor efficiency track record. Great.

I wonder if Senate President David Williams' answer will be any better.

Bad news, Bishop

Fayette County Detention Center Director Ron Bishop has been trying for two and a half years to get rid of federal whistleblower Cpl. John Vest.

For some strange reason, Bishop thought he had his big chance recently when a career small time criminal busted in Vest's home, only to be thrown to the sidewalk and chased off by Vest.

The criminal went downtown and filed assault charges on Vest. Bishop seemed to think this would allow him to fire Vest legitimately after trying repeatedly to do so illegitimately.

But the charges against Vest were dismissed with prejudice Tuesday.

Bishop has failed repeatedly in his efforts to escape from a big civil lawsuit that also has Mayor Jim Newberry and candidate Teresa Isaac sweating.

Mr. Obama, tear down your campaign web site!

As President Barack Obama addresses the nation tonight, it might be worthwhile to look at some of the promises he made before the election that didn't make it passed his first bill.

Bunning: Williams owes me $30,000

Senator Jim Bunning said KY Senate President David Williams came to him last year and asked for financial help for the campaigns of Sen. Jack Westwood and Sen. Ken Winters. Bunning said he got a promise the money would be repaid.

"David Williams owes me $30,000," Bunning said.

Who are you and what did you do with KY Senate President David Williams?

A month ago, we had a Kentucky state Senate determined to hold the line on taxes and a House minority that usually showed evidence of a spine.

Or so we thought.

Now, we have an army of tax raisers. And don't you dare call the tax raisers tax raisers or one of the tax raisers will let you hear about it.

House Minority Leader Jeff Hoover is someone I have always liked and respected. This is probably about as confrontational as he is going to get in defense of his bad votes.

But now Senate President David Williams is going to come to my county this weekend to a Lincoln Day dinner. This comes after raiding the employee health fund of $50 million and raising taxes that, a month ago, I would have sworn that he understood wouldn't solve anything. It's easier to make the case, in fact, that the tax increases and the health fund raid may make things worse because, as in the case of the federal bailout that is on the way, the money has already been spent. Having failed to discipline ourselves this time, how much worse do you think it will be next time around?

Williams has also filed a bill to take executive branch power away from the executive branch and entrust it to the legislative branch. Can't imagine why anyone other than Greg Stumbo would think that is a good idea now.

Where's the rest of the cavalry?

Secretary of State Trey Grayson has just issued the following statement in support of Senator Jim Bunning:

"Recent news reports change nothing about the US Senate race as I am concerned," Grayson said. "Senator Bunning is a friend and mentor. As I have mentoned before, if he were to decide not to run, I would be keenly interested in the race. Senator Bunning has said that he is running, and I take him at his word. I am not planning a primary."

Mr. Tax Raiser, where are you?

Casey County Republicans report Taxpayer Protection Pledge breaker Sen. Vernie McGaha failed to show up for last Friday's Lincoln Day Dinner.

Wonder if any other Senate Republicans are getting nervous about keeping their speaking engagements?

Thank you, Uncle Albert

This looks like a great idea. The Organizer-In-Chief wants us to "thank" our representatives for voting for the latest bailout scheme for those running our state and local governments into the ground.

I think I will do just that.

Just wondering

When Rep. Ben Chandler ran for governor in 2003, he refused to sign the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, calling it a stunt. When he ran for Congress the following year, he quickly promised never to vote for a tax increase. He has broken that promise many times.

It will be interesting to see if Sen. David Williams signs the Taxpayer Protection Pledge prior to running for the U.S. Senate.

David Williams running for U.S. Senate

(2/23 10:30 am update: Williams denies making calls to members of the House and says he will make a statement about his plans soon.)

State Senate President David Williams is making calls to members of the state House drumming up support for what had been only a possible run for the United States Senate seat currently held by Sen. Jim Bunning.

Hmmmm....

Same as the last corruption

Please help spread the word about this.

Apology to Rep. Joe Fischer

In one of my other day jobs, I write for the Bluegrass Policy Blog. It was just brought to my attention that I left Rep. Joe Fischer off a list of legislators worthy of appreciation for voting in the best interests of taxpayers.

Sorry, Rep. Fischer. I fixed it here.

Having it both ways in Frankfort

Don't let President Barack Obama see this.

Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear offers some sensible advice to Kentuckians about managing their personal finances (below), but if we all follow it and stop financing our lifestyles with debt, jobs will be lost. Like in the car industry and the government sector.

And we know Pres. Obama is all about saving, and "creating," jobs.

Can't get criminals away from Lex. jail

Disgraced, audited, and mail order educated former Lexington jail administrator Don Leach has been calling the Fayette County Detention Center to tell his buddies how to get Lexington taxpayers to pay them to go to upcoming American Jailers Association conferences.

Hey Don: what do you think about Teresa Isaac running for mayor again?

Why do we let this stupidity persist?

Kentucky's practice of providing health insurance benefits for retired state and local government workers under 65 has to go.

Kentucky's $8.9 billion in unfunded health insurance liabilities for public retirees can't be made to go away quickly, but the practice of offering these benefits should be phased out as soon as possible.

The Commonwealth ranks 8th in the nation in per capita unfunded health insurance liabilities for public retirees. That is especially bad when it is considered that we are 42nd in per capita income and that all of the states with higher unfunded liabilities have more money than we do.

In other words, we are the single most unprepared state in the nation in terms of ability to dole out overly rich benefits to public employees. But we are doing it anyway.

Funny neither of the major newspapers in the state picked up on this story this week right after we raided the same fund of $50 million. But I guess we should be used to it by now.

SC Governor calls a spade a spade

Here's yet another reason to wish Kentucky had another state's governor.

South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford is the reason Pres. Barack Obama's bailout of the cities and states included a provision essentially prohibiting governors from refusing to accept the "stimulus" money. South Carolina Congressman James Clyburn slipped that into the bill when Sanford was trying to explain that it was a bad deal for everyone.

Now, Clyburn says Sanford is against wasteful spending because he hates black people:

""The governor of Louisiana expressed opposition. Has the highest African-American population in the country. Governor of Mississippi expressed opposition. The governor of Texas, and the governor of South Carolina. These four governor's represent states that are in the black belt. I was insulted by that," Clyburn said. "All of this was a slap in the face of African-Americans. It had nothing to do with Governor Sanford.""

Sanford's response, through a spokesman, was fantastic:

""Representative Clyburn is no stranger to playing the race card, because he has no defense for the runaway spending and the deficits contained in this so-called stimulus bil that will hurt our economy. Spending money at the federal level that we do not have represents a future tax increase on all South Carolinians, regardless of their color - and in the process of doing so, he's ripping off everyone he claims to represent.""

Our own Gov. Beshear is eagerly awaiting the money with no apparent concern for the future.

Uh, no

It's not hard to blame Republicans in power since 2000 for giving us Democrats who make insane stuff like this our new reality.