Beshear governing by silly emotional appeal

Here is Gov. Steve Beshear's latest plea for turning the state over to casino gambling interests:

"I don't want Kentucky to be known as the former horse capital of the world. Too much is at stake - 100,000 jobs, comprised mostly of working families, and $4 billion in economic impact. We must act quickly to ensure that we maintain that investment in our state."

First, it's silly to say Kentucky's horse industry can only survive by being allowed to diversify into a business that is currently illegal in order to subsidize their less profitable main operations. Why can it only be casinos or slot machines? If they just need money, why not license tracks to set up check cashing services? Dry cleaning services are often very profitable. Maybe Churchill Downs could launder a couple of your shirts and clean one of your suits while you watch a few races. Or they could send insurance agents into the grandstand to write a few policies for a new, ongoing revenue stream to beef up purses and improve profitability. Or sell used cars or new electronic equipment.

And who is Gov. Steve Beshear to say the 100,000 jobs and $4 billion economic impact of the horse industry wouldn't be replaced by something even more lucrative if horse racing faded out? Four months into the Obama Administration, I get pretty nervous when I hear a politician say "we must act quickly to maintain..."

I'm as sympathetic as anyone for those who just want to compete on an even playing field with horse tracks in casino states. But trusting Gov. Steve Beshear and House Speaker Greg Stumbo to put together a regulatory structure that won't wind up hurting the state more than it helps is just not something I'm comfortable doing.

I'm open to considering a well-conceived proposal, but I get more skeptical when the sales pitch is as emotional as this one has been.

Still looking for our efficiency study

Attorney General Jack Conway is upset about shysters who organize as "charities" to steal money from unsuspecting Kentuckians, and he should be.

But when he says "charities and solicitors that mislead Kentuckians about how their donations will be used or who they will benefit will not be tolerated," it's hard not to wonder if Conway isn't just protecting his and Gov. Steve Beshear's turf.

Beshear and Chandler feed us to the unions

Just as Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson did the math on prevailing wage costs in his city and decided to opt out, Congressman Ben Chandler (D-Versailles) is running hard in the other direction.

Chandler's "Green Schools" bill HR 2187 would waste many billions of dollars in environmental upgrades to school facilities across the country. A key feature of the bill would make recipients of the money observe Davis-Bacon union wage requirements even if their home state has been smart enough to toss aside the wasteful mandates.

Kentucky, of course, isn't one of those "smart enough" states, despite our obvious need to cut out spending fat. Thanks, union-supported politicians!

Chandler's bill has passed the House and looks to be championed in the Senate by Iowa big-spender Sen. Tom Harkin.

Welcome back, David Williams

The Louisville Courier Journal has gone back to calling Senate President David Williams silly names on its editorial page:

"Those numbers will require action, unless Mr. Williams and other no-new-revenue drones are content to see services and programs suffer even more than they already have."

I've been as tough on Williams as anyone for his tax-raising activities, but he says he's ready to fight now.

Audit the Fed bill is in federal budget

Sen. Jim Bunning said Senate Democrats so far have not removed his "Audit the Fed" bill from the budget bill which could get a vote this week.

On his weekly conference call this morning, he talked about the importance of the bill:

"It says to the Fed, 'it's time to be held accountable for your actions.'"

Bunning also challenged reporters who repeated questions about his campaign and about his health. Bunning responded to The Lexington Herald Leader's John Stamper, who asked him about releasing his medical records, by saying he was up for any kind of physical challenge the reporter chose and asked him how big he was.

Stamper responded "I wouldn't want to arm wrestle you, Senator."

Bunning also called Sen. Mitch McConnell a "control freak" who "doesn't like anyone who tells him no."

Better talk about this now

A weekend debate between South Carolina's two Republican U.S. Senators, as described in The State newspaper, should begin an important dialogue for Kentucky Republicans:

"Ron Paul is not the leader of this party," (U.S. Sen. Lindsey) Graham said, prompting a few jeers. Some people yelled, "Yes, he is!"

"I’m not going to give this party over to people who can’t win," Graham finished, drawing most of the crowd to its feet.

But U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint, who followed Graham, said he’d rather have 30 senators who stand on principle than 60 who have none.

The increasingly-likely primary battle between Dr. Rand Paul and Sec. of State Trey Grayson would open similar divisions in Kentucky that both candidates would do well to start closing right away.

Sitting next to Mica, I feel older and balder

I like the sound of this

In Tennessee, they are setting up Tea Parties for one of their Congressional representatives to remind him that he "works for Tennesseans, not Nancy Pelosi!"



Might a round of these by Kentuckians help focus Congressman Ben Chandler? I think so.

Obamathon for socialized medicine

Call it a tax-me-more fund for Canadian-style health care. Pres. Barack Obama wants you to send in money so he can run commercials to promote a total government takeover of the American health care industry.



Go fish, Mr. President.

Let's make some news

I'll be on Newsmakers Saturday morning at 11 am with Mica Sims talking about where the resistance to bloated government movement goes from here.

Next stop is the Frankfort Freedom Rally next Saturday May 23 at 1 pm at Juniper Hill park.

Food for thought for Appalachia

Add one to the "no comment" brigade

It's worth pointing out that the federal investigation into the Lexington jail inmate abuse scandal still has not been closed.

As the scandal prepares to blow up all over Lexington taxpayers, former Mayor Teresa Isaac and current Mayor Jim Newberry have been conspicuously silent.

I just reached Director Ron Bishop on his LFUCG-issued cell phone to ask if he had a comment about the three guilty pleas issued so far.

"I have no comment, Mr. Adams," he said.

Ronald Reagan on ObamaCare

The politicians are the real story here

Wonder what former Mayor Teresa Isaac has to say about the Fayette jail inmate abuse scandal now that three of the five indicted officers have filed guilty pleas.

Newberry will not comment. We know that. TI should face some tough questions.

Surely the MSM will wake up to this story now.

Birds of a feather...

In 2011, when Gov. Steve Beshear is pretending he never heard of Pres. Barack Obama, remember that just as Obama was breaking his transparency promise, Beshear was cynically doing something very similar.

Begging for a lightning strike, Jennifer?

Funniest news item of the day: Michigan's Governor Jennifer Granholm is going to speak in a church about how great the Obama stimulus plan is for her state.



That would sure get the Tea Party crowd stirred up in Kentucky if Gov. Steve Beshear tried to spread some fiscal hokum from the pulpit. To his credit, Beshear has kept his nonsense out of houses of worship.

And speaking of Tea Parties, I'll be on Bill Bryant's WKYT Newsmakers program with Mica Sims Saturday at 11am talking about what is next for the small-government movement.

A full schedule

I'm in meetings much of today and will host a tax reform forum tonight at 6:30 pm at The Inn on Broadway. Check back for updates.

Fayette jail pucker factor update

Ahead of next month's federal trial in the Fayette County Detention Center inmate abuse trial, sources report three of the five defendants have worked out plea bargains with prosecutors.

This is really bad news for those at the jail who haven't been indicted yet and horrible timing for a couple of politicians (here and here) who really want it all to go away.

Senate race update

I'm headed to Lexington for a meeting of the Women Republicans of Central Kentucky. The speaker today is Secretary of State Trey Grayson.

Check back for updates and, probably, video.

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Here you go:

A little skepticism would go a long way here

As the political effort to ram through a total federal takeover of the healthcare system marches on, Kentucky's big-spenders are using similar tactics to force acceptance of casino gambling.

The up-tempo campaign style is designed to limit careful thinking and the doomsday predictions of billion dollar shortfalls are laid out to shock the electorate into submission.

Cooler heads may want to turn their attention to Maryland, where the plan isn't fairing so well. From Governing Magazine:

Meanwhile, the need for a Kentucky horsing bailout may be overblown. You should read this.