The Shut Up and Work Act of 2012

Leaders of the Kentucky legislature waste time in even-year legislative sessions for two painfully obvious reasons, both of which hurt Kentuckians.

The spans the month of January and involves politicians taking up as few controversial issues as possible in order to get past the candidate filing deadline without attracting opponents who might unseat them. The second follows toward the end of the session when leaders write the state budget in secret as time runs out and without appropriate public scrutiny.

A potential help to the problem of paying legislators to lollygag around wasting time and money and protecting their political backsides comes in the form of a proposed constitutional amendment from Sen. Jimmy Higdon.

The bill will be SB 22 in the 2012 session. It proposes to change the 60 day budget session into a 30 day budget session. We could surely do with a lot less of watching our politicians kill time with self-congratulatory speechifying. They have one job to do in even-numbered years and that is to pass a budget. They should focus on that and nothing else until it is done. Cutting the time for the budget sessions in half would surely encourage more of them to shut up and work.

The gubernatorial candidates would do well to weigh in on this bill right away.

Todd P'pool, don't take the bait!

An independent expenditure group supporting Senate President David Williams' gubernatorial campaign was ordered Monday to pull its television ads off the air after a legal complaint by the Kentucky Democratic Party. The KDP argued campaign finance reports filed by "Restoring America" did not show who paid for the ads and that such an omission violates campaign finance laws.

On Tuesday, a group supporting Democratic Attorney General Jack Conway started airing a tv ad. The "Bluegrass Committee for Justice and Fairness" also did not specify the source of its funding.

Republican Attorney General nominee Todd P'pool may be tempted to petition for the ad running against him to be pulled using the same argument Democrats are using against Williams. I hope he doesn't do it.

Kentucky's campaign finance laws are an unconstitutional mess. No one would expect Todd to take that up now and try to explain it to voters. He would do well, though, to take the high road on freedom on speech by publicly repudiating not the cloak of anonymity covering Bluegrass Committee for Justice and Fairness but the disdain for freedom shown by Kentucky Democratic Party.

Another swing and miss for Mitch McConnell

Roll Call takes a look at Kentucky's GOP today with an article about whether or not Sen. David Williams' coming loss in November will hurt Sen. Mitch McConnell.

I think Mitch will be able to separate himself from this one pretty well, but the establishment versus Tea Party battle for the soul of the Republican party continues with McConnell still on the wrong side.

You can read the article here. This is my favorite line:

"It has been particularly difficult for Williams to fully separate himself from Beshear because, as Senate President, every piece of legislation the governor signed went through the legislative body he controls."

The Republican party remains our state and nation's best vehicle for getting back on track, but that effort isn't helped when powerful figures like Mitch McConnell keep supporting moderate candidates who won't stand up against the status quo.

"Open Government" closed at Univ. of Kentucky

Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway will appear at an "open government" forum on October 4 at the University of Kentucky. The public is invited but questions about Conway's support for ObamaCare, Conway's drug scandal or his silence on the state's debt problems will not be allowed.

This will be a good event for conservative Kentuckians to attend to attempt to get some answers from Conway on these important issues. It will start at 6pm ET at UK's William T. Young Library auditorium.

Excessive public debt just like a tax increase

Governor Steve Beshear just told WVLK's Jack Pattie that he didn't raise taxes on Kentuckians when revenues went down. The big thing he hopes you don't know about is the billion dollars a year in revenue-supported debt he and the legislature piled up these last three years.

But without an awareness of this key fact, we will have a very difficult time turning back from our overspending habit.

Yarmuth wants welfare for Congressmen

Louisville Congressman John Yarmuth told CN2 that public financing of federal political campaigns would cut down on partisanship in Washington D.C. And he's right.

It would certainly cut down on the number of people in political office who believe in smaller government. Incidentally, Louisville state Rep. Jim Wayne has filed a bill for the 2012 General Assembly that would give public financing to judicial candidates.

Rep. Wayne's bill would slap a felony charge on anyone violating not only any provision of his silly bill, but also for violating any yet-to-be-determined administrative regulations dreamed up by the bureaucrats at the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance.

Don't let ObamaCare waiver day pass unnoticed

This Thursday, September 22, is the federally imposed deadline to apply for any kind of exemption from ObamaCare.

You very likely won't be getting one. Nevertheless, we should recognize the day as it approaches and when it hits because the enormity of the negative impact ObamaCare will have on our nation can't be overemphasized.

The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule on the federal takeover of our healthcare system next fall. If that effort fails to rescue us from the expansion of socialized medicine, then we can expect to see state Medicaid programs going under pretty quickly in 2014, followed by individual and employer-provided plans.

The idea that we can regulate health insurance at the federal or state level in such a way that does anything but raise prices and lower quality of service, needs to pass quickly from the public debate. It's a form of insanity we can no longer afford. Enforcing freely written insurance contracts in courts of law should be the extent to which government is involved in health care.

Obama channels Carter's solar flair

Barack Obama was supposed to usher in a new era of widespread prosperity and trust for America. Just like Jimmy Carter thirty years before him.

Noticing some of recent commentary on Carter's infamous "malaise" speech, particularly some stating that it wasn't all that bad, I went back and read the text. And I have to admit, it isn't all that bad, compared to Obama. What jumped out at me, though, was the same idea that if we just raise taxes and spend it on pie-in-the-sky everything will be fine.

Carter said on July 15, 1979:

"I will soon submit legislation to Congress calling for the creation of this nation's first solar bank, which will help us achieve the crucial goal of 20 percent of our energy coming from solar power by the year 2000."

"These efforts will cost money, a lot of money, and that is why Congress must enact the windfall profits tax without delay. It will be money well spent. Unlike the billions of dollars that we ship to foreign countries to pay for foreign oil, these funds will be paid by Americans to Americans. These funds will go to fight, not to increase, inflation and unemployment."

Incidentally, Carter got his windfall profits tax. Take a look at how that worked out for us by clicking here.

Keep this in mind as Obama continues to push for tax increases and as his solar scandal heats up.

Is Snooki coming to Kentucky?

There's a hilarious story out of New Jersey today about bipartisan disgust for "reality tv" stars The Situation and Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi and their television show "Jersey Shore" getting $420,000 in film tax credits from the state of New Jersey.

"The governor needs to step up for decency and veto this. If the show wants to go somewhere else, let 'em," said state Sen. Joseph Vitale (D-Middlesex), who said it includes negative stereotypes of young Italian-Americans.

"Let us just hope against hope that New Jersey taxpayers don’t end up paying for 'Snooki's' bail the next time she is arrested. What a terrible, terrible and misguided waste." said State Sen. Paul Sarlo (D-Bergen).

Meanwhile, Kentucky politicians are scrambling to throw taxpayer dollars at just such a project.

From the August Kentucky Film Office newsletter:

"In addition, requests for location, crew and operational needs from the industry have jumped 71 percent in the past year. This increase is due, in large part, to the explosion in outdoor reality and “survivor” type programming in television, which has allowed us to positively showcase our terrain, natural resources and cave areas."

Now would be a great time to start talking about shutting down this ridiculous form of "economic development."

Repeal of "politicians' best friend" bill filed

Rep. Joe Fischer pre-filed a bill Wednesday to prevent local government entities from abusing taxpayers with massive annual tax increases exploiting a loophole written into the "compensating rate" property tax increase law.

This is another perfect Tea Party issue. Please encourage your legislator to support what will be House Bill 48 in the 2012 General Assembly.

Boone County PVA Cindy Arlinghaus deserves a tremendous amount of credit for discovering how this loophole works and blowing the whistle on it.

Comer crushing opponent on YouTube

Kentucky's Republican Agriculture Commissioner candidate James Comer is winning on YouTube, big time. His experience in agriculture gives him a good chance in this race against an unqualified opponent.

Republican party cutting itself in half

The proposed Republican Party of Kentucky rule change to exclude people who didn't support the party's nominees doesn't go back four years as reported last week; it only applies to the current and previous year.

Since the GOP re-organization elections are in early 2012, those who will be excluded from party leadership are people who didn't support GOP nominees in 2011.

This is about purging the party of anyone who opposed Republican nominees in 2011. Latest polling suggests barely half of Republicans support gubernatorial nominee David Williams.

The Republican State Central Committee will meet this Saturday, September 17, 2011 and vote to confirm this proposed rule change, effectively cutting itself in half. If you oppose that idea, please plan on coming to Frankfort at 10:30 am on Saturday to the Best Western Parkside Inn, 80 Chenault Rd, Frankfort, KY. The meeting starts at 11:00 am.

Another retirement plan for state legislators?

Rep. Jim Wayne pre-filed a bill Friday afternoon to create taxpayer financing of judicial races in Kentucky. The bill leaves it up to the Registry of Election Finance to determine which candidates are worthy of access to your money to seek office as a judge.

Under Kentucky law, legislators get a huge boost to their state pensions when they gain a higher paying full time job in state government. Kentucky's candidates for Attorney General should be asked what they think about this idea.

RPK cuts off its nose to spite its face

Kentucky Knows Best PAC has been battling some members of Kentucky's GOP establishment in recent months to stop them from excluding tea party members from Republican party leadership. Finding out about their shenanigans and shutting them down one at a time has been an interesting experience.

Today, RPK has jumped the shark.

According to a media report, the Republican Party of Kentucky has changed their rules to exclude from leadership anyone who has endorsed or financially supported in the prior four years a candidate who is not a Republican.

Two words: Bob Leeper.

Republican leadership voted just last year to endorse and support the Independent from Paducah who currently serves as budget chairman in the state Senate.

RPK leadership just excluded from positions in party leadership themselves and their gubernatorial nominee, Senate President David Williams.

Sheriff Mack coming to Georgetown Kentucky

Champion of the U.S. Constitution Sheriff Richard Mack will speak in Georgetown Kentucky at 7pm ET on September 21.

He will appear at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints at 201 Wellington Way in Georgetown.

John Kemper: stop money-losing debt restructuring

Frankfort debt restructuring over the last four years has encouraged overspending and will cost Kentucky taxpayers hundreds of millons of dollars for what amounts to an accounting stunt, Republican candidate for state Auditor John Kemper said.


"Looking at the numbers, they are claiming $427 million in cash flow savings from debt restructuring over fiscal years 2009 to 2012 and then there is a real loss of $600 million over the next seventeen years just to make the budget look balanced while Steve Beshear has been governor," Kemper said. "Problems like this inspire me to run for auditor. If I am elected I will work to stop any debt restructuring that loses Kentuckians' money like this."

Kentucky casino bills filed today

Kentucky Republican state Rep. Michael Nemes has filed a casino bill and a constitutional amendment allowing counties to decide if they get either a full casino or slots at racetracks.

The measures pre-filed today (here and here) would create a Kentucky Gaming Commission and taxing schemes of 21% of gambling revenues to the state and a $3 per person admission fee for casinos, of which 2/3 would go to the state and 1/3 to the county or counties in which the casino is situated.

The bill contains no provisions to prevent the state from overcommitting projected casino revenues, which will ultimately be what makes this whole idea a loser for Kentucky if it passes.

How is this NOT news?

It has been a week since the Beshear administration responded to complaints about a state debt web site not being updated in three years by pulling down the link to the site.

Beshear's Republican opponent Senate President David Williams, who voted for every dime of our quickly accumulating debt, has failed to mention Beshear's aggressive lack of transparency on this issue.

State bonded debt has increased by three billion dollars under Beshear. Federal stimulus funds to Kentucky totalled $3.4 billion. We owe almost a billion more in unemployment funds. Revenues went down, but not this much. And Beshear is running for re-election as a good steward of state finances.

Kentucky's state debt is a huge news story and Kentucky's media is missing it. Worse, they are missing it because neither candidate for governor is talking about it.

What am I missing here?

Rep. Jim Wayne wants to eat your "puny" county

Be on the lookout for a new line of attack against the Tea Party: liberals who praise and agree with us.

At the end of a recent CN2 interview, Rep. Wayne was asked about the Tea Party.

"I think the Tea Party -- we need to listen to them. And the reason we need to listen to them is because we not only have a tax problem in this state, we have a spending problem in this state and that's where the Tea Party can help us."

Sounds good, right? Two problems though. Wayne represents the far left wing of the legislature and when he talks about a tax problem, he means they aren't high enough. But when he starts talking about a spending problem is when it really gets dicey.

Wayne then made a case for cutting government spending by consolidating counties because of all the money spent on courthouses and "multiple sheriffs and county judges and magistrates and everything that are all going to get pensions and all going to get salaries and all going to get health insurance and so on and so forth."

While there is no excuse for all the money spent on palatial courthouses in recent years, which Wayne voted for building, by the way, and the idea of shrinking government by consolidating some bureaucracies makes sense, eliminating elective offices makes government bigger and further removed from the people being represented.

Imagine your county being merged with another, larger county and all your local representatives being eliminated. In subsequent elections, with most if not all successful candidates for local office coming from the more populous area of the new, larger county, where do you think their attention will tend to be directed?

The far left is trying to seduce the Tea Party with their talk of smaller government, but what they are offering is fewer, larger governments with less representation and more distance between elected officials and their employers. Don't buy their snake oil.

Kemper catches Steve Beshear erasing web page

Governor Steve Beshear has made state finances less transparent to Kentuckians by hiding the one statistic telling the whole story about our fiscal situation, state Auditor candidate John Kemper said.

"Kentucky is billions of dollars deeper in debt than we were when Beshear came into office, but you have to be an archaeologist to find exactly how much," Kemper said. "We complained that his administration hadn't updated the page showing state bonded debt and the response today apparently was to pull down the link altogether. An independent auditor would shed light on this and since my opponent owes his political career to Beshear, I'm doing it. Governor Beshear should post our debt figures where they are easy to find or explain why he doesn't want to."