A quick check of press releases from Ben Chandler's Congressional site shows that new media contact Jennifer Spalding is earning her keep making Rep. Chandler look busy.
She has her work cut out for her.
Today's (5/10/2005) press releases are month-old stories in which Chandler takes credit for Sen. Mitch McConnell's efforts to obtain funding for the Bluegrass Army Depot and then hands out a couple of flags on a campaign stop.
UPDATE: 5/12/05-- The month-old press releases with the current date have been pulled down. Now what are they going to do?
Tuesday, May 10, 2005
Monday, May 09, 2005
Herald Leader Columnist: Keep Feeding Brain Dead KAPT
The propaganda campaign to keep the money-losing KAPT program going continues with a column in the Herald Leader by KAPT former executive director Rachel Belin.
There is little new in this column. Belin does state that if mean old Republicans like David Williams and Robbie Rudolph would just keep pouring money in, "many thousands more could benefit."
Right.
That reminds me of the episode of The Lucy Show when Lucy started canning jelly at home to sell for additional income. When Ricky pointed out that she was losing money on every jar, she exclaimed "We can just make it up on volume!"
While the brainiacs running KAPT strive to "make it up on volume," taxpayers remain on the hook for their continued losses. Funny how program supporters don't mention all the other states who started pre-paid tuition plans before Kentucky and have had the good sense to shut their programs down in the face of losses as far as the eye can see.
KAPT is just another government ponzi scheme that sounded better than it has turned out to be. Stemming the tide of red ink is the only responsible thing to do.
Ask the people in Ohio.
I found an interesting quote from an actuarial consultant named Richard Kaye who works with several state plans. Way back in 2002, he said "You are not talking about an immediate cash-flow problem, but you are talking about a long-term deficit. It's sort of like Social Security."
There is little new in this column. Belin does state that if mean old Republicans like David Williams and Robbie Rudolph would just keep pouring money in, "many thousands more could benefit."
Right.
That reminds me of the episode of The Lucy Show when Lucy started canning jelly at home to sell for additional income. When Ricky pointed out that she was losing money on every jar, she exclaimed "We can just make it up on volume!"
While the brainiacs running KAPT strive to "make it up on volume," taxpayers remain on the hook for their continued losses. Funny how program supporters don't mention all the other states who started pre-paid tuition plans before Kentucky and have had the good sense to shut their programs down in the face of losses as far as the eye can see.
KAPT is just another government ponzi scheme that sounded better than it has turned out to be. Stemming the tide of red ink is the only responsible thing to do.
Ask the people in Ohio.
I found an interesting quote from an actuarial consultant named Richard Kaye who works with several state plans. Way back in 2002, he said "You are not talking about an immediate cash-flow problem, but you are talking about a long-term deficit. It's sort of like Social Security."
Sunday, May 08, 2005
Herald Leader: Raise Taxes Or Die
Grab your tin foil hats, folks. The Lexington Herald Leader is waxing eloquent about Social Security again.
The headline offered some hope: Social Security reality check. Could the left be coming around on actually discussing entitlement reform like adults? But, alas, it wasn't so. The editorial uses way too many words to suggest again that raising taxes for the 18th time will somehow do a more thorough job of repairing the system this time.
It's noteworthy that the last four paragraphs of their editorial could have almost been written by someone serious about the problem. Judge for yourself:
---------------------------------
There isn't a perfect plan, but it is time to craft a workable one so we can move on to other problems.
Medicare is in much more dire straits, and the deficit is spinning out of control. Social Security, for all the bombast these past many months, is an easy fix compared to those.
Of course, we could just flip the channel and ignore Social Security, Medicare and the deficit.
It worked for the Romans. The rulers offered free shows at the Coliseum, and a grateful public, eager to be entertained, filled the seats. It kept everyone distracted -- until the empire collapsed.
----------------------------------
But their proposal included eliminating the cap on earnings subject to the Social Security tax. This enormous income tax increase would hit businesses who employ the dreaded high income earners very hard. And even the far left knows what that means. Those taxes are passed along to consumers, hitting the lowest earners the hardest.
Still can't imagine how the Democrats on Capitol Hill would respond to real media scrutiny about their hard line against allowing taxpayer choice and ownership rights of Social Security.
It is shameful how their rhetoric staggers perilously close to the factual only to meander back into the dark recesses of the obstructionist's cave. They seem to understand that Social Security is one of the easier problems to handle and must properly be dispensed with so more pressing trials may be confronted. Tax increases, most of us know, won't get us past step one. And the only snake-oil solution is the do-nothing approach Democrats cling so fearfully to. But they are right to be afraid. If personal accounts pass, voters will face inescapable evidence that partisan Democrats are a gangrene appendage on the body politic.
The headline offered some hope: Social Security reality check. Could the left be coming around on actually discussing entitlement reform like adults? But, alas, it wasn't so. The editorial uses way too many words to suggest again that raising taxes for the 18th time will somehow do a more thorough job of repairing the system this time.
It's noteworthy that the last four paragraphs of their editorial could have almost been written by someone serious about the problem. Judge for yourself:
---------------------------------
There isn't a perfect plan, but it is time to craft a workable one so we can move on to other problems.
Medicare is in much more dire straits, and the deficit is spinning out of control. Social Security, for all the bombast these past many months, is an easy fix compared to those.
Of course, we could just flip the channel and ignore Social Security, Medicare and the deficit.
It worked for the Romans. The rulers offered free shows at the Coliseum, and a grateful public, eager to be entertained, filled the seats. It kept everyone distracted -- until the empire collapsed.
----------------------------------
But their proposal included eliminating the cap on earnings subject to the Social Security tax. This enormous income tax increase would hit businesses who employ the dreaded high income earners very hard. And even the far left knows what that means. Those taxes are passed along to consumers, hitting the lowest earners the hardest.
Still can't imagine how the Democrats on Capitol Hill would respond to real media scrutiny about their hard line against allowing taxpayer choice and ownership rights of Social Security.
It is shameful how their rhetoric staggers perilously close to the factual only to meander back into the dark recesses of the obstructionist's cave. They seem to understand that Social Security is one of the easier problems to handle and must properly be dispensed with so more pressing trials may be confronted. Tax increases, most of us know, won't get us past step one. And the only snake-oil solution is the do-nothing approach Democrats cling so fearfully to. But they are right to be afraid. If personal accounts pass, voters will face inescapable evidence that partisan Democrats are a gangrene appendage on the body politic.
Saturday, May 07, 2005
Sunday Politics: Religion Anyone?
If the situation were reversed and a liberal minister in a blue state was booting out members who supported President Bush, it wouldn't make a ripple in the national media. But one Baptist pastor in North Carolina boots out nine members who supported John Kerry, and you will surely see and hear all about it this next week.
I'm a little surprised that a small 100-member church would actually vote nearly 10% of the membership out because of their political beliefs, but it is certainly their right to do so.
One red flag pops up in the story when the reporter mentions that "many more members have reportedly left the church in protest" but he couldn't find any to interview. With all the over-the-top hate speech we hear from Kerry/Dean folks these days, I'm a little skeptical that there would be much of a protest from remaining members.
Of course the displaced liberals have hired an attorney. Could probably have saved themselves a few bucks by starting with a call to the ACLU.
I'm a little surprised that a small 100-member church would actually vote nearly 10% of the membership out because of their political beliefs, but it is certainly their right to do so.
One red flag pops up in the story when the reporter mentions that "many more members have reportedly left the church in protest" but he couldn't find any to interview. With all the over-the-top hate speech we hear from Kerry/Dean folks these days, I'm a little skeptical that there would be much of a protest from remaining members.
Of course the displaced liberals have hired an attorney. Could probably have saved themselves a few bucks by starting with a call to the ACLU.
Senator Harry Reid Abuses Truth
When Harry Reid opens his mouth to talk, Truth cringes, staggers, falls, and ultimately resigns itself to the coming death blow.
News of Reid calling President Bush a "loser" has been circulating since an article appeared yesterday in the Las Vegas Review Journal.
Such rhetoric should come as no surprise now, as the man who replaced the obnoxious Tom Daschle with promises to work with the President and Republicans in the Senate has long since proved himself a hopeless obstructionist.
Frankly, I'm more bothered by his claim in the story that the President is "driving the country into bankruptcy" -- referring to the budget deficit, the story adds helpfully.
In the fourty years prior to 2000, budget deficits as a percentage of GDP have exceeded the average of the Bush budget years (2002-2004) sixteen times. The high-water mark of 2004 was exceeded ten times during the same period. In other words, the world may be coming to an end, as Democrats suggest for everything but their entitlement programs, but it isn't because the budget deficits are driving us to bankruptcy. In the early and mid-1980's, at the beginning of the longest economic boom our country has ever seen, we had persistent federal budget deficits significantly higher than we have now.
Allowing President Bush to make progress in the war on terror, entitlement reform, and tax reform would present political risks to elected Democrats and their useful idiots that they aren't brave enough to face honorably.
News of Reid calling President Bush a "loser" has been circulating since an article appeared yesterday in the Las Vegas Review Journal.
Such rhetoric should come as no surprise now, as the man who replaced the obnoxious Tom Daschle with promises to work with the President and Republicans in the Senate has long since proved himself a hopeless obstructionist.
Frankly, I'm more bothered by his claim in the story that the President is "driving the country into bankruptcy" -- referring to the budget deficit, the story adds helpfully.
In the fourty years prior to 2000, budget deficits as a percentage of GDP have exceeded the average of the Bush budget years (2002-2004) sixteen times. The high-water mark of 2004 was exceeded ten times during the same period. In other words, the world may be coming to an end, as Democrats suggest for everything but their entitlement programs, but it isn't because the budget deficits are driving us to bankruptcy. In the early and mid-1980's, at the beginning of the longest economic boom our country has ever seen, we had persistent federal budget deficits significantly higher than we have now.
Allowing President Bush to make progress in the war on terror, entitlement reform, and tax reform would present political risks to elected Democrats and their useful idiots that they aren't brave enough to face honorably.
Thursday, May 05, 2005
Outlawing Vote Hauling Won't Stop Fraud
Previously convicted of voter fraud in another case, Ross Harris and Loren Glenn Turner join Sen. Johnny Ray Turner under indictment for mail fraud and conspiracy for Sen. Turner's 2000 primary victory.
The Lexington Herald-Leader's solution to this, predictably, is to suggest outlawing vote hauling.
I strongly disagree.
The well-established pattern of skullduggery in Kentucky elections isn't going away because someone makes a law any more than criminalizing adultery would stop that brand of cheating. Just as Clinton changed the definition of terms to justify his lurid behavior, unscrupulous politicians would merely set up "advisory committees" to encourage voter "loyalty."
Just as with gun violence or corporate malfeasance, we don't need more laws.
We just need continued enforcement and greater scrutiny of questionable campaign tactics by society's watchdogs.
The Lexington Herald-Leader's solution to this, predictably, is to suggest outlawing vote hauling.
I strongly disagree.
The well-established pattern of skullduggery in Kentucky elections isn't going away because someone makes a law any more than criminalizing adultery would stop that brand of cheating. Just as Clinton changed the definition of terms to justify his lurid behavior, unscrupulous politicians would merely set up "advisory committees" to encourage voter "loyalty."
Just as with gun violence or corporate malfeasance, we don't need more laws.
We just need continued enforcement and greater scrutiny of questionable campaign tactics by society's watchdogs.
Al Gore: Let's Encourage Him, Keep Him Talking!
Al Gore is getting a Lifetime Achievement Award for inventing the Internet. Take a look at some of the other "winners" like BBC and The New York Times for news and www.worldcitizenguide.com for "activism" and you have an idea of where these folks are coming from.
Overcome with emotion and egged on by the crowd, Al Gore didn't tear up and exclaim, "You BELIEVED me, you really believed me!!!"
But this stuff couldn't be much funnier even if he did.
Overcome with emotion and egged on by the crowd, Al Gore didn't tear up and exclaim, "You BELIEVED me, you really believed me!!!"
But this stuff couldn't be much funnier even if he did.
Democrat Politician Press Release Printing Machines
The Lexington Herald Leader and the Louisville Courier Journal continue their tradition of printing anything Democrats want with the stupid "ethics issue" brought up by Sen. Ernesto Scorsone and Sen. Joey Pendleton.
In a thinly-veiled attempt to smear Ernie Fletcher and Dave Disponett, the papers and the Democrats join hands on a proposal to change ethics policies for Executive Branch volunteers.
Both senators claimed they were not questioning the actions of Mr. Disponett.
Sure you aren't.
Their non-solution to the non-problem is, of course, to write a new law for 2006. If actually doing something worthwhile was part of the discussion here, then someone would ask the senators exactly what they hope to accomplish by making employee ethics standards apply to volunteers. Since this is just the common practice of politicking by rumor, innuendo, and hearsay, the mainstream media will just let the implied charges hang in the air as long as Democrats want to keep the story alive.
But I would be curious to know how this latest photo-op for Sen. Scorsone would actually protect the public. The journalists might have done some good to make him answer that question.
In a thinly-veiled attempt to smear Ernie Fletcher and Dave Disponett, the papers and the Democrats join hands on a proposal to change ethics policies for Executive Branch volunteers.
Both senators claimed they were not questioning the actions of Mr. Disponett.
Sure you aren't.
Their non-solution to the non-problem is, of course, to write a new law for 2006. If actually doing something worthwhile was part of the discussion here, then someone would ask the senators exactly what they hope to accomplish by making employee ethics standards apply to volunteers. Since this is just the common practice of politicking by rumor, innuendo, and hearsay, the mainstream media will just let the implied charges hang in the air as long as Democrats want to keep the story alive.
But I would be curious to know how this latest photo-op for Sen. Scorsone would actually protect the public. The journalists might have done some good to make him answer that question.
Wednesday, May 04, 2005
Crit Luallen: Cruella or Ridiculosa?
A state "audit" of voting records suggests that some number of state employees (6652 or 5000 or 2500) took a four hour leave to vote but didn't cast a ballot. This is a foolish waste of time.
We wonder if state employees will remember Luallen's silly recommendations of "educating employees about the responsibility to vote and requiring workers to sign statements that they voted."
UPDATE: The Danville Advocate Messenger says end the controversy by letting state employees vote like everyone else-- on their own time. Agreed.
We wonder if state employees will remember Luallen's silly recommendations of "educating employees about the responsibility to vote and requiring workers to sign statements that they voted."
UPDATE: The Danville Advocate Messenger says end the controversy by letting state employees vote like everyone else-- on their own time. Agreed.
Jonathan Miller Thinks You Are Stupid
State Treasurer Jonathan Miller, his political fortunes under a dark cloud because of his continued support for the money-losing KAPT program, has changed his website. He apparently hopes you won't pay much attention to the "fine print."
The site includes a link labeled "Actuarial Report showing the financial soundness of the program." If you click on the link, though, you find something interesting about the actuarial surplus touted by Miller. The surplus doesn't exist without the $13.7 million raided from the General Fund on December 1, 2004 that is currently being contested in Franklin Circuit Court.
Miller embarrassed himself on March 1, 2005 by claiming falsely that the General Assembly "raided" KAPT to build a basketball practice facility for the University of Kentucky.
Miller admitted Sunday on the Kentucky Focus radio program that this statement was false.
The site includes a link labeled "Actuarial Report showing the financial soundness of the program." If you click on the link, though, you find something interesting about the actuarial surplus touted by Miller. The surplus doesn't exist without the $13.7 million raided from the General Fund on December 1, 2004 that is currently being contested in Franklin Circuit Court.
Miller embarrassed himself on March 1, 2005 by claiming falsely that the General Assembly "raided" KAPT to build a basketball practice facility for the University of Kentucky.
Miller admitted Sunday on the Kentucky Focus radio program that this statement was false.
Tuesday, May 03, 2005
Kentucky Progress Radio Wednesday
Tune in to 1340 AM WEKY Wednesday afternoon 5:15 to 6:15 for the latest on Kentucky politics.
Ed Worley Talks Tough
Senate Minority Leader Ed Worley (D-Richmond) says he isn't worried about the indictment of Sen. Johnny Ray Turner for vote fraud and doesn't think Turner should resign or that Republicans can take the seat if he doesn't. The following statement, though, will go up in the locker room for motivation and for a future laugh.
"That is a Democratic seat in a district that even the Republicans would concede it would be virtually impossible for them ever to hold," Worley said.
That reminds me of the story Governor Louie Nunn used to tell about the Barren county clerk who told him in 1950 that if he registered Republican he would never be able to make a living there.
"That is a Democratic seat in a district that even the Republicans would concede it would be virtually impossible for them ever to hold," Worley said.
That reminds me of the story Governor Louie Nunn used to tell about the Barren county clerk who told him in 1950 that if he registered Republican he would never be able to make a living there.
A Tale of Two Papers: Coverage of Voter Fraud Begins
Louisville Courier Journal reporter Elisabeth Beardsley clearly got the Senator Johnny Ray Turner voter fraud story early yesterday. The Herald Leader was beaten so badly that their best quote was from a retired teacher at the end of the story who was clearly called because no else could be reached. In contrast, Beardsley's quote from Senate President David Williams, who expressed simpathy for Sen. Turner and his family added significantly to her article.
Beardsley's report took a turn for the worse, though, when she sought a response from Common Cause Chairman Richard Beliles who called the indictment a "great loss to the public" and said "They need to really have a high regard for the process and also for the legislators."
Now what the heck does that mean? It wasn't clear, but I took it to mean that Beliles was saying that prosecutors were doing something wrong. If the indictment is the "great loss," then it seems to follow that "They" in the next sentence referred to prosecutors. Was he alleging some kind of prosecutorial misconduct?
The red flag went up, so I called Mr. Beliles. He explained that he was speaking broadly about any allegations of public abuse and talking about how when any case like this comes up, the public trust in the process is diminished and more people tend to tune everything out. He said he wasn't misquoted but said other things that, when left out, made his comments difficult to decipher.
He told me twice that he has no idea about guilt or innocence in this case.
Incidentally, he told me "When things like this happen, the public develops a cynicism." I could easily make that look like he was talking about when politicians buy votes, if I chose to do so.
See my point?
Beardsley's report took a turn for the worse, though, when she sought a response from Common Cause Chairman Richard Beliles who called the indictment a "great loss to the public" and said "They need to really have a high regard for the process and also for the legislators."
Now what the heck does that mean? It wasn't clear, but I took it to mean that Beliles was saying that prosecutors were doing something wrong. If the indictment is the "great loss," then it seems to follow that "They" in the next sentence referred to prosecutors. Was he alleging some kind of prosecutorial misconduct?
The red flag went up, so I called Mr. Beliles. He explained that he was speaking broadly about any allegations of public abuse and talking about how when any case like this comes up, the public trust in the process is diminished and more people tend to tune everything out. He said he wasn't misquoted but said other things that, when left out, made his comments difficult to decipher.
He told me twice that he has no idea about guilt or innocence in this case.
Incidentally, he told me "When things like this happen, the public develops a cynicism." I could easily make that look like he was talking about when politicians buy votes, if I chose to do so.
See my point?
Monday, May 02, 2005
Ky. Democrat Senator Turner To Be Indicted Tuesday
The interesting thing is not that Kentucky Senator Johnny Ray Turner is going to be indicted by the U.S. Attorney for vote hauling on Tuesday. The interesting thing is how curious the mainstream media will be about Attorney General Greg Stumbo's role in the scandal and who else will get caught in the net.
This will be fun to watch, as vote hauling is a time-honored Democratic Party tradition in Kentucky.
This will be fun to watch, as vote hauling is a time-honored Democratic Party tradition in Kentucky.
Shalom: Jewish People Fleeing Democratic Party
"The number of proud Jewish Republicans will continue to grow, and this is a trend that won't be reversed," said Republican Jewish Coalition Executive Director Matthew Brooks, citing President Bush's and Congressional Republicans' support for Israel and the War on Terror.
Exit polling showed President Bush's support among Jewish voters increased nearly ten percentage points in 2004 over the 2000 election.
The Republican Jewish Coalition has a Cincinnati chapter, but nothing yet in Kentucky. I think that may be about to change...
Exit polling showed President Bush's support among Jewish voters increased nearly ten percentage points in 2004 over the 2000 election.
The Republican Jewish Coalition has a Cincinnati chapter, but nothing yet in Kentucky. I think that may be about to change...
The Conservative Case Against Bush's SSI Proposal
Peter Ferrara nails what is wrong with the Progressive Price Indexing plan and has a warning for Republicans who go along with it.
School Choice: Mean, Money Drunk Liberals Say No
Did you know that Washington D.C. spends $13,330 per student each year to educate the District's students, who score the lowest reading and math scores in the nation?
Here is an interesting article about how reform-hating politicians and their obstruction for obstruction's sake hurts poor children.
The District of Columbia School Choice Incentive Act passed despite heavy opposition from Democrats. Expanding the program to other states, according to the article, could save billions of dollars each year.
Can't have that, can we?
Here is an interesting article about how reform-hating politicians and their obstruction for obstruction's sake hurts poor children.
The District of Columbia School Choice Incentive Act passed despite heavy opposition from Democrats. Expanding the program to other states, according to the article, could save billions of dollars each year.
Can't have that, can we?
The Next Liberal Attack on Social Security
Former Clinton Labor Secretary Robert Reich is out of the closet with the next line of attack on Social Security reform.
President Bush just wants to avoid the smart move of creating HillaryCare, Reich says. That's why, Reich suggests, Bush continues to push Social Security reform so long after Harry Reid and Ben Chandler have announced that they don't want it. What is curious to me is why the mainstream media, nearly unanimous in calling the proposed change that really isn't a cut in benefits a cut, has missed another point. Progressive Price Indexing isn't my favorite plan, but it is significantly better than the Democrats' plan. The change from wage indexing to price indexing is not necessary and, obviously, gives the left the opportunity to scream "cuts." But it creates a reduction in the rate of increase in benefits for about 70% of recipients. The Democrats plan -- doing nothing (oh, except whining) -- would mean an actual 28% cut in baseline benefits for 100% of recipients, legally mandated for when the well runs dry.
Here is a pretty good explanation of what is happening.
President Bush just wants to avoid the smart move of creating HillaryCare, Reich says. That's why, Reich suggests, Bush continues to push Social Security reform so long after Harry Reid and Ben Chandler have announced that they don't want it. What is curious to me is why the mainstream media, nearly unanimous in calling the proposed change that really isn't a cut in benefits a cut, has missed another point. Progressive Price Indexing isn't my favorite plan, but it is significantly better than the Democrats' plan. The change from wage indexing to price indexing is not necessary and, obviously, gives the left the opportunity to scream "cuts." But it creates a reduction in the rate of increase in benefits for about 70% of recipients. The Democrats plan -- doing nothing (oh, except whining) -- would mean an actual 28% cut in baseline benefits for 100% of recipients, legally mandated for when the well runs dry.
Here is a pretty good explanation of what is happening.
Sunday, May 01, 2005
Go to Covington, Hang a Hard Left
In case you needed a good reason not to send your kids to Northern Kentucky University, we now know that they have invited liberal pundit shriekmeister Helen Thomas to speak at graduation May 7.
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