Courageous candidates' legislative pension fix

Since 2005, several Kentucky legislators have taken advantage of a pension trick pushed into law by Senate President David Williams and former House Speaker Jody Richards to enrich themselves with public money after long General Assembly careers and short stints in the executive or legislative branches of state government.

J.R. Gray. Steve Nunn. Dan Kelly. Charlie Borders. James Comer. Ernesto Scorsone. Fred Nesler. Jon Draud. Greg Stumbo. Clearly, this is a bipartisan problem.

Several legislators have filed bills the last few years to close this "loophole," but none have seriously gotten close to being enacted. It's time for that to change.

Ironically, the first person who could have taken advantage of this pension trick did not do so.

Former state Rep. Joe Barrows took retirement from the legislature rather than boost his pension with the "reciprocity" scheme before going to work in the Executive Branch.

This week, Senate President David Williams will come one big step closer to a judicial appointment that would make all his state pension dreams come true at a cost to taxpayers of nearly one million dollars. Five state House candidates joined together last week and signed onto a statement encouraging Williams to put an end to the pension grab madness.

Chris Hightower, Matt Lockett, Jason Crockett, Bryan Lutz and Lynn Bechler agreed to the following:

"Should Senate President David Williams accept appointment to the circuit judgeship in his home district, we encourage him to set a strong example for future legislators by retiring from the legislature so he will not be eligible to receive pension reciprocity he has fought to repeal in the Senate."

 

"The honor of appointment or election to higher office deserves to be without controversy as much as possible and we believe President Williams' leadership on this issue will be followed by others until the reciprocity law can be repealed by the legislature."

 

Williams would do very well to go along with this. Same goes for Senator Tom Jensen, who is also leaving the legislature to become a judge.

Obama wants us staring at our shoes, too

Just got a response from Obama's Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, to my complaint about the Kentucky Department of Insurance unconstitutionally attacking Christians for attempting to avoid ObamaCare's health insurance mandates.

The OCR rejected my complaint, but helpfully added that another agency may be able to assist and that they had taken the liberty of forwarding my complaint against the Kentucky Department of Insurance onto another agency. So, to whom did the Obama Administration send my civil rights complaint against the Kentucky Department of Insurance for further investigation?

The Kentucky Department of Insurance, of course.

What part of "prohibited" don't they understand?

Kentucky law prohibits insurance coverage of abortions except as an optional rider on a policy for which an additional premium is charged. Otherwise, the law prohibits coverage of an abortion unless the life of the mother is in jeopardy.

Kentucky's ObamaCare health insurance exchange basic plan, announced yesterday, Anthem PPO plus KCHIP's pediatric vision and dental benefits covers abortions when the life or health of the mother are in jeopardy.

That may not seem like a big difference, but it is undeniably an illegal expansion of abortion coverage in the state by a Department of Insurance that went crazy in August at the mere suggestion they wanted to cover more abortions in Kentucky. Plus, we don't know how they plan to define what constitutes a threat to a mother's health. Could be just about anything, right?

Even if you favor abortion coverage or even abortions, none of us should support state bureaucrats ignoring the law on a whim. Please forward this post as widely as you can.

Kentucky judge shuts Christian MediShare

Franklin County Kentucky Circuit Judge Thomas Wingate just now ordered Christian Care MediShare to stop operating in the state.

In related news, Kentucky's Department of Insurance has announced that Anthem's PPO health plan plus KCHIP's pediatric dental and vision benefits will constitute the basic plan for the ObamaCare health insurance exchange, which will cause premiums to skyrocket.

Now is not the time to be limiting coverage options or larding up plans with more and more mandates, but that's exactly what we are getting.

Next up: Kentucky picks health exchange mandates

Rep. Stan Lee has pre-filed a bill to clarify that Obama's health insurance exchange can't make an end-run around state law and require coverage of abortions in Kentucky.

He should now file another bill to prohibit exchange coverage of all other kinds of surgeries.

Insurance coverage mandates increase costs. Verify that with your plastic surgeon or contact lens provider.

Another secret ObamaCare meeting

Governor Steve Beshear's ObamaCare Health Benefit Exchange Advisory Board will meet on Thursday September 27 at 1:30 pm in Frankfort at the Department of Insurance, 215 W. Main Street.

Please call Karen Cantrell at 502-564-7940 and ask if the meeting is open to the public.

Republicans can win state House on ObamaCare

Democratic state Rep. Mary Jane King went on the radio to campaign and painted herself into a corner on her support of ObamaCare. There are lessons here for her opponent, tea party Republican Chris Hightower and other Republicans around the state.

Rep. King says in the interview she supports key features of ObamaCare, but starts going wobbly when she is pressed about how those features negatively impact people buying insurance.

Pressed further, she tries to run away from the whole thing and put responsibility on Congress. That's a nice try, but if the state merely stops setting up the optional health insurance exchange and refuses to accept the optional Medicaid expansion -- neither of which is affordable in the state budget -- ObamaCare goes away.

There is still time for a bill in 2013 to stop both of these activities from proceeding into 2014. Republican candidates should propose that and get their opponents on the record right away.

Here is Rep. King's interview:

Left doubles down on "Didn't Build That"

Republicans have clearly struck a nerve attempting to capitalize on President Barack Obama's claim that "You didn't build that."

Writing for Kentucky's fifth-highest circulation newspaper today, reporter Joe Sonka attacked Senator Rand Paul for bringing it up.

"The main theme of his speech was the main theme of the convention so far, which is a blatant and shameless lie — “You didn’t build that!” — taking President Obama completely out of context to mislead that he said business owners didn’t build their own business, instead of what he really said, that business owners didn’t build the roads, bridges and infrastructure that they rely upon."(emphasis added)

Liberal bloggers apparently believe that government creates infrastructure with the sweat of its own brow, rather than with resources taken from private sector wealth generators.

Could this be why they are still so confused about government "stimulus?"

Retiring GOP lawmaker blasts David Williams?

Kentucky Rep. Bill Farmer (R-Lexington) will retire from the legislature at the end of this year, so he doesn't have to hold his tongue anymore about the disaster Senate President David Williams has been for Republicans. 

In a comment on an online Louisville Courier Journal column about legislative pension greed today, Rep. Farmer recalled the vitriol directed at lawmakers who, like him, voted against the David Williams Pension Scandal.

Rigor mortis is starting to set in on David Williams' shenanigans in Frankfort. Expect a lot more of this soon.

Bob Damron writes off "math literate" vote

Nicholasville Democrat Rep. Bob Damron sent an official-looking glossy campaign mailer to his constituents today seeking to confuse voters in the 39th House district about fiscal mismanagement in Frankfort.

"Unlike the Federal Government, State budgets must be balanced," Damron wrote. "The only debts we at the State level incur are for the construction of capital projects and needed infrastructure."

Rep. Damron should try selling this garbage to the federal whistleblower who recently stepped down from Kentucky Retirement Systems. Chris Tobe said years of underfunding by the legislature to spend the money on pet projects has wrecked the public employee benefits system.

"Underfunding each year is like a hurricane devastating the pension," Tobe said. Tobe explained the legislature has underfunded state pensions by several hundred million dollars each year throughout the past decade.

Damron's constituents don't need to be Accounting majors to understand that a "balanced budget" doesn't include enough in misdirected pension funds to endanger the state's fiscal situation with over $30 billion in unfunded pension liabilities.

But Rep. Damron wants to keep you focused only on state bonded debt by itself and to ignore the context of trying to keep the state afloat while being forced to address the tidal wave of pension payments due to hit us by the end of Governor Steve Beshear's term in office.

And that doesn't even touch the ObamaCare costs due to crush us about the same time. (Did I mention Rep. Damron supports ObamaCare?) Needless to say, Damron is already spinning this mess he helped create and voted for at every turn.

"Often political candidates try to mislead voters and equate State Government Bonding (Debt) with the increasing debt, but the two are very different," Damron wrote.

On this, Damron has a point. It's just not the one he intends. The state will run out of money way before the federal government does, because the state can't print its own money.

But then, Bob Damron really hopes you aren't paying attention.

"I only wish they (federal government) had the same fiscal discipline that we have at the State level," Damron wrote.

Fast forward about three years and this last comment will be high comedy. Until then, if you want to keep supporting Bob Damron you should try really hard to ignore things like this.

Beshear admin lashes out on abortion scheme

In response to this blog post and subsequent announcement of a House Republican bill to prevent inclusion of abortion coverage in Kentucky's health insurance exchange, the Commonwealth's Department of Insurance rushed out the following statement:

STATEMENT FROM COMMISSIONER SHARON P. CLARK: The Department of Insurance is receiving reports of incorrect information being distributed to the public concerning our position on essential health benefits offered as part of the Kentucky Health Benefit Exchange. Some of this misrepresentation appears to be deliberate. Coverage for elective abortions will not be an essential health benefit. This would be a violation of state law and has never been considered. Under Kentucky law (KRS 304.5-160), health insurance companies cannot offer coverage for elective abortions except as a separate rider with a separate premium. Therefore, abortions cannot be offered as an essential health benefit in Kentucky's Health Benefit Exchange.

I'm guessing Commissioner Clark doesn't expect anyone to read beyond her own hysterical protestations. In fact, if you actually take a minute to glance at KRS 304.5-160 and HHS Pre-Regulatory Model Guidelines Under Section 1303 of the Affordable Care Act (PL-111-148): Issued Pursuant to Executive Order 13535 (March 24, 2010), you won't be so easily fooled.

The Kentucky statute does indeed prohibit coverage for elective abortions "except as a separate rider with a separate premium."

The House Republicans were right to engage on this issue quickly. Senate Republicans would do well to follow their lead, particularly in anticipation of more federal administrative rules.

Are we ready to end legislative pension grab?

In 2012, no less than five legislative bills in the Kentucky General Assembly sought to stop further damage in the David Williams Pension Scandal.

None of those bills even got a floor vote in the House or Senate.

Senator Dennis Parrett is back with what will be Senate Bill 12 pre-filed for 2013. His bill would end the state legislator's pension program and take away the ability for legislators to get huge unearned pension "reciprocity" for election or appointment elsewhere in state or local government.

Senate President David Williams stood to gain hundreds of thousands of dollars under reciprocity had he been elected governor in 2011.

David Adams on radio in Lexington

I will be on Lexington radio today talking about how we can create health freedom in Kentucky and then spread it to the rest of the United States. Please tune in to Kruser and Krew on 590 WVLK AM at 1:00 pm ET. You may also listen online at www.wvlkam.com and call in with questions to 859-253-5959.

Starting to see real momentum on this. We will have legislative bills in both the Kentucky House and Senate pre-filed very soon and I'm continuing to set up speaking engagements around the state on this issue. If you would like to support the effort financially, please click here and donate what you can. Any amount will be a big help.

House GOP heads off Beshear abortion scheme

Kentucky House Republican Rep. Stan Lee will pre-file a bill to prevent Governor Steve Beshear from requiring Kentuckians to buy health insurance covering abortions.

Having started the process of using state government tools to limit bureaucratic atrocities in health care, we now need to do more. Expanding the Religious Publications Exemption to create a secure free market alternative to government-controlled health insurance in the Commonwealth is critical to turning the tide in this battle.

"Occupy Wall Street" meets Tea Party in Frankfort

"Occupy Wall Street" protesters plan to attend a Kentucky Tea Party rally in Frankfort on Tuesday. The rally features Senator Rand Paul and Senator Mitch McConnell talking about defeating ObamaCare.

"I have regarded this as an Occupy event from the beginning," said liberal activist Ryan Hidalgo of Owensboro.

Occupiers have actively been recruiting for weeks, starting with blogger Jim Pence. Pence has sought to inspire left-wing participation in the event by calming fears about potential violence.

"This is a free country, but when we become afraid to exercise our freedom then we are no longer free," Pence said. "Believe me, there will be plenty of law enforcement at the event, including Capitol police. I know because I've been to events like this and believe me, violence won't be tolerated."

Pence attended a 2009 Louisville Tea Party event with some 3000 attendees. He said:

"I went to the event alone, a 70 year old progressive among 3000 conservatives, with only my camera and camcorder and didn't have one problem with anyone. I didn't hide the fact I was a progressive -- nor did I flaunt it -- and no one seemed to care. The event was secured by plenty of police protection and would have been the perfect place for Louisville progressives to counter the Tea Party Express in front of the entire nation. But, for whatever reason, Louisville progressives decided to let the Tea Party Express have their way in Louisville Kentucky."

Despite Pence's peaceful plea, overheated rhetoric has also been a key part of the effort to draw OWS activism in opposition to the tea party.

Clarksville, Indiana CPA Linda Jaggers Mitchell claims to have attended prior tea party events and says she approves of liberals going even as she lobs a bomb of her own.

"Personally, I don't think of it as crashing but I know how dangerous the tea party can be," she said. "These people are crazy. I really don't want to be around them."

"These people make my blood boil," Lela Morgan said.

Again, others were much more reasonable, suggesting a peaceful, if spirited, event.

"We are merely going there to protest the legislators and their policy," said April Browning of Lexington. "In this case it happens to be Republican policy. I do not reserve my voice to speak out against one party and not the other. I am neither Democrat nor Republican but I am an activist, an activist who believes in the power of the people, the power of social movements and the power of using your voice."

Still others among the liberal protesters suggested bringing signs to show solidarity with tea party principles, in opposition to establishment politicians of both parties.

Karen Conley posted on Facebook a list of suggested slogans opposing bank bailouts, earmarks, civil rights abuses and out of control government budgets.

"This would make it less likely the tea partiers would be against our message," she said.

Kentucky needs a brain transplant

ObamaCare advocates in the Kentucky Department of Insurance are plotting to require all health insurance policies in Kentucky to cover abortions among the "essential health benefits" required by the federal law.

Whether you oppose abortions or not, this is a bad idea. It is wrong to force Kentuckians to pay for  abortions, particularly those who are pro-life. It's also wrong for the government to force Kentuckians to buy insurance policies covering services they don't want or need.

If we were smart, we would describe our "essential health benefits" under ObamaCare as ridiculously as possible so that they wouldn't apply to anything and insurers could write policies based on public demand. Things like brain transplants, nose removal, adding a third arm to a patient's torso or an extra pair of ears to his head.

Such a stupid law deserves just such a response.

Frankfort stirs abortion hornet's nest

Kentuckians who don't want to be forced to pay for abortions when paying health insurance premiums in 2014 need to let the Commonwealth's Department of Insurance know now.

Because ObamaCare assumes you are too stupid to demand health insurance benefits you want and need, states setting up health exchanges under the federal law must specify what health insurers will cover and what they will not.

The Department issued this statement:

"Currently, the Kentucky Department of Insurance is analyzing the various benefit options in order to make an informed recommendation that balances cost and benefits in the best interest of Kentuckians. The Commonwealth will recommend its choice of Essential Health Benefits to the Secretary of the HHS prior to September 30, 2012."

Kentuckians wishing to weigh in on what those benefits should be can send an email to DOI.RateReview@ky.gov.

All the more reason for dismantling this whole system of government control of health care. If you want to do that, click here.

Boston Globe piles on Papa John's, makes stuff up

The hits keep coming against Papa John's Pizza founder John Schnatter for answering a question recently about the impact of ObamaCare on his corporation's stock price.

What the pizza mogul's attackers fail to realize is the largest negative impact will not be felt by Papa John's International Inc., but by thousands of small business owner franchisees, their employees and the people who won't be able to work for them because of the law's disincentives for hiring or keeping employees.

The Louisville Courier Journal editorial page today thinks it's all a big joke over twenty cents:

"In our book, that's a bargain if it means thousands of Papa John's employees in all 50 states are going to get health coverage and we're not going to have to foot the bill when hardworking but uninsured pizza chefs get ill and end up in the hospital.
Imagine that. Health care for thousands of workers and all you have to do is look for two dimes under your car seat. That's change we can believe in!"

This is a blatant misrepresentation of the impact of ObamaCare on Americans and our health care system. ObamaCare doesn't fix the problem of uncompensated care and it won't provide coverage for a lot of Papa John's employees.

The Boston Globe, though, takes the silliness to an even higher level:

The guessing here is it won't be that tough for Papa John's to survive the 11- to 14-cent-per-pizza increase. Its biggest competitors, like Domino's, will also have to contend with potential health care increases.
Schnatter's concern is that the corner pizza shop will be exempted because it has fewer than 50 employees.

What the Globe ignores is that franchisees and employees will bear the brunt of ObamaCare. And many of those small businesses have fewer than 50 employees, qualifying them for the dubious  "exemption." On top of that, writers at the Globe should have to divulge their source for the assertion about Schnatter and the "corner pizza shop." It's not something he has said or written. In fact, it appears they got that one from a liberal blog.

Papa John states obvious, liberals pounce

Left-wing pundits and activists are having a field day attacking Louisville's Papa John's Pizza founder John Schnatter for saying ObamaCare will increase business costs.

It's still the Democratic Party line, but no one really believes ObamaCare will reduce healthcare costs anymore. The people trying to shout Schnatter down or threatening to boycott his pizza are setting themselves up for another Chick-fil-A debacle.

Government growing its own power to counteract the negative effects of decades of too much government involvement in healthcare makes no sense. Nearly everyone gets that now. The rest will figure it out the hard way when ObamaCare takes full effect in 2014.

We may need pizza for lunch at the Kentucky State Capitol on August 21 for the rally with Sen. Rand Paul and Sen. Mitch McConnell.

Will Obama disrupt Kentucky tea party event?

Obama supporters are planning a "counter-protest" against an August 21 tea party rally against ObamaCare featuring both of Kentucky's U.S. Senators.

A Facebook event page labeled "Counter-Protest against Tea Party, Rand Paul, Mitch McConnell, Money in Politics, etc." shows invitations have been sent out to more than 700 people. Congressional candidate Bill Adkins, a rabid Obama supporter, is listed as a possible attendee. The event page lists the same date, time and location as the authorized tea party event.

The "counter-protest" page links to a liberal blog post encouraging Obama supporters to show up and disrupt the event and, of course, mentions defecation, a favorite of Occupy Wall Street types.