Friday, March 16, 2007
New Jersey's Pension Shortfall Triples
New accounting rules may bring similar troubles to Kentucky. Meanwhile, we are arguing about whether we have a problem or not. What a mess.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Drop NCLB And Focus On School Choice
It is getting to be too late to shift gears and still catch up with those who are eating our lunches in the classroom. Cal Thomas has a good column on this.
Spellings cited one major reason for underperformance I had not considered. When I was in school, she noted, I was taught mostly by bright and accomplished women. As opportunities for women in other professions opened up, many of the best and brightest teachers - and potential teachers - left or chose other professions because they paid more. "The teachers' unions," she said, "always negotiate the same pay raises for everybody and the superstars say 'forget this, I'm going where I will be recognized as a superstar.'"
Education in the United States continues to lag behind that of other nations. "When you go to China or India," Spellings said, "they don't sit around arguing about class size. They're starving to death and are motivated for education. We take all the advantages we have for granted." And while America focuses too much on nonacademic subjects - sex education, driver's education and the environment - and not enough on what employers are looking for, some other nations are graduating young people with real knowledge and skills of the kind we once produced.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Billy Harper And The "V" Word
As public education has become an enormous bureaucratic entanglement, the battle for tax dollars today often trumps questions about what is best for individual children.
Allowing parents and their students to choose a better school -- and to direct the money to follow that child -- would make perfect sense if we were focused still on customer service rather than on perpetuating "The System."
That such a simple principle doesn't make sense to a lot of people speaks to the massive success of the Education Establishment at taking over the issue of school vouchers.
Given that environment, it is all the more admirable to see Billy Harper in today's Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer (paid subscription required) voice support for vouchers.
I hope his campaign gathers enough momentum for his words to anger a lot of people.
Allowing parents and their students to choose a better school -- and to direct the money to follow that child -- would make perfect sense if we were focused still on customer service rather than on perpetuating "The System."
That such a simple principle doesn't make sense to a lot of people speaks to the massive success of the Education Establishment at taking over the issue of school vouchers.
Given that environment, it is all the more admirable to see Billy Harper in today's Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer (paid subscription required) voice support for vouchers.
"I do advocate vouchers, I advocate school choice," Harper told members of the Republican Women's Club. "You should have the choice to move your child where you want."
I hope his campaign gathers enough momentum for his words to anger a lot of people.
"We don't need more money (for education), we need to refocus what we're spending," Harper said. Increasing education levels will promote economic development and will affect the state's health care system, he said.
"If you want to raise your standard of living, the only way to do that is through education," Harper said. People with higher educational attainment generally have lower health care costs than less educated people over the course of their lifetimes, Harper said.
Imagine That: Higher Standards, Better Results
Eminence, KY schools are going to start flunking kids who don't make B's.
This will work like gangbusters. Most students are quite capable of keeping up. Pushing the majority to take responsibility for themselves will free up resources to work with the minority who need extra help.
This will work like gangbusters. Most students are quite capable of keeping up. Pushing the majority to take responsibility for themselves will free up resources to work with the minority who need extra help.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Repeal Corporate Taxes, See Renewed Growth
Is Canada about to figure out something we should already know here?
Monday, March 12, 2007
Shootout At Sunset On Pension Reform
The Senate has gone into recess until 6pm and when they come back they are supposed to get back to HB 418, the pension bill.
I want to be hopeful, but the most likely outcome is taxpayers get caught in the crossfire.
I want to be hopeful, but the most likely outcome is taxpayers get caught in the crossfire.
J.R. Gray Melts Down On Floor
I've never seen a legislator do such a poor job explaining a bill as Rep. J.R. Gray is doing right now on the House floor trying to sell SB 10.
Has he even read the bill?
Has he even read the bill?
Nuclear Energy: The Wave Of The Future
This is really exciting stuff. Much more promising than windmills and subsidizing our corn market into oblivion.
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Anyone But Ernie Club Needs Help
No doubt they have a few more cards to play, but the GOP'ers hoping to oust Governor Fletcher are losing steam.
With the Dems in disarray, could Fletcher be headed for a cakewalk to four more years?
With the Dems in disarray, could Fletcher be headed for a cakewalk to four more years?
Opponents Sidetrack Pension Debacle
Kentucky policymakers have dawdled for decades as the state's public pensions have gone deeper and deeper into the tank.
So what does the Lexington Herald-Leader want you to focus on? Political style points, of course.
Reform opponents would do well to set aside their hurt feelings start considering real proposals for helping us dig our way out of the mess. In a second term, Governor Fletcher would be emboldened to champion the politically unpopular but necessary changes. But there is no reason lawmakers can't get their heads together at least on bonding the actuarial shortfall.
So what does the Lexington Herald-Leader want you to focus on? Political style points, of course.
This dysfunctional duo represents both ends of the political power spectrum. Fletcher can't seem to stick to or push his own ideas, and Williams is addicted to raw demonstrations of power. Does either man remember that people voted for them, presumably to represent their interests, not just play power games in Frankfort?
Reform opponents would do well to set aside their hurt feelings start considering real proposals for helping us dig our way out of the mess. In a second term, Governor Fletcher would be emboldened to champion the politically unpopular but necessary changes. But there is no reason lawmakers can't get their heads together at least on bonding the actuarial shortfall.
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Really Dumb Bill Passes Unanimously
Everyone talks about lowering high school dropout rates as a way to spread opportunity and cut poverty. The trick is how to get it done.
HB 32, which passed both House and Senate unanimously, attempts to cut dropout rates by putting bars on school windows and doors.
What the bill does is require school districts and the Transportation Cabinet to revoke the drivers license of sixteen and seventeen-year-old students who are failing, truant, or have dropped out of high school.
The first problem is the state is punishing young people for doing something that is legal in Kentucky. But, of course, the claim that this is for their own good is supposed to trump concerns like this. And we are also not supposed to ask for any evidence that such a carrot-and-stick approach to academic achievement might have the desired effect.
Given the rebellious nature of even the most level-headed teenagers, it makes no sense to assume a threat such as this would magically motivate at-risk kids to change established behaviors. And there is proof that this won't work. The bill allows appeals of revocations to district court. Just as happened last time, this will clog up the courts and the dropouts in large numbers will have their driving privileges restored. As happened last time this foolishness was the law, the law is simply ignored by the teenager, who then requests a hardship exemption in court.
Other than as a real-time lesson in how to game the legal system, HB 32 is a spectacular waste of time.
HB 32, which passed both House and Senate unanimously, attempts to cut dropout rates by putting bars on school windows and doors.
What the bill does is require school districts and the Transportation Cabinet to revoke the drivers license of sixteen and seventeen-year-old students who are failing, truant, or have dropped out of high school.
The first problem is the state is punishing young people for doing something that is legal in Kentucky. But, of course, the claim that this is for their own good is supposed to trump concerns like this. And we are also not supposed to ask for any evidence that such a carrot-and-stick approach to academic achievement might have the desired effect.
Given the rebellious nature of even the most level-headed teenagers, it makes no sense to assume a threat such as this would magically motivate at-risk kids to change established behaviors. And there is proof that this won't work. The bill allows appeals of revocations to district court. Just as happened last time, this will clog up the courts and the dropouts in large numbers will have their driving privileges restored. As happened last time this foolishness was the law, the law is simply ignored by the teenager, who then requests a hardship exemption in court.
Other than as a real-time lesson in how to game the legal system, HB 32 is a spectacular waste of time.
Friday, March 09, 2007
Conventional Wisdom On Its Head
Researching the public pension issue has lead me to a few conclusions I am working on. Very few people are paying attention to what is going on and how dire the situation is.
A major casuality in an informed discussion of pension reform is the conventional wisdom on immigration. As the state plans run out of money we are going to need a lot more immigrants, not fewer. We will find ourselves increasingly desperate for the tax revenue they can generate. Kentucky needs to incentivize educated professional immigrants from anywhere to come to our state and stay. And as we age and find basic menial service providers more expensive, we will need more of the under-educated people as well.
A major casuality in an informed discussion of pension reform is the conventional wisdom on immigration. As the state plans run out of money we are going to need a lot more immigrants, not fewer. We will find ourselves increasingly desperate for the tax revenue they can generate. Kentucky needs to incentivize educated professional immigrants from anywhere to come to our state and stay. And as we age and find basic menial service providers more expensive, we will need more of the under-educated people as well.
House GOP Forcing Vote On "AMT" Repeal
A discharge petition has been filed in the House to attempt to yank HB 88 out of Rep. Harry Moberly's tight little fist.
This could get interesting if we talk it up. Really, failure to sign the discharge petition is an endorsement of the tax increase.
Update: the petition failed and Jody Richards killed off his own gubernatorial campaign at the same time.
From Pol Watchers:
This could get interesting if we talk it up. Really, failure to sign the discharge petition is an endorsement of the tax increase.
Update: the petition failed and Jody Richards killed off his own gubernatorial campaign at the same time.
From Pol Watchers:
Just as the lawmakers were about to vote, Richards spoke up from the speaker's podium
"And by the way, it ain't my tax," he said, chuckling. "It's somebody else on another floor," he added, referring to Fletcher, a Republican.
"Mr. Speaker, I just want to remind you: you voted for it," Hoover piped up from the floor.
"After you made me do it," Richards said back, laughing. "You told me it was good."
Thursday, March 08, 2007
Pension Reform Weenies Strike Again
I've talked a lot about the $600 billion we lose each year by not reforming Social Security. While the $260 million Kentucky will lose this year by not reforming its public pension plans seems like a pittance in comparison, we have much more to lose by inaction in Frankfort. By 2022, the state pension fund will run dry and we will have to start paying out $2 Billion each year to retirees.
It would take one heck of a tax increase to fill that hole.
Raising full-retirement eligibility from 27 to 32 years is also a good thing and not too much to ask from folks who are far better paid than their union reps want you to know.
Can't imagine the unions letting the House go along with the hybrid retirement plan for new retirees, but they must go along with bonding the $538 million shortfall.
We have to move fast on this because the real problem is in the public employee health plans. And reform weenies beware: we are just getting started on this.
It would take one heck of a tax increase to fill that hole.
Raising full-retirement eligibility from 27 to 32 years is also a good thing and not too much to ask from folks who are far better paid than their union reps want you to know.
Can't imagine the unions letting the House go along with the hybrid retirement plan for new retirees, but they must go along with bonding the $538 million shortfall.
We have to move fast on this because the real problem is in the public employee health plans. And reform weenies beware: we are just getting started on this.
KEA Political Battle At High Noon
Gubernatorial candidate Jody Richards can't let the Senate education initiatives SB 1 and SB 2 get through or the KEA won't endorse him.
But Budget Chairman Harry Moberly isn't running for governor. His A&R committee will hear the bills today at noon.
But Budget Chairman Harry Moberly isn't running for governor. His A&R committee will hear the bills today at noon.
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Brother Can You Spare Some Corn?
Spenders of federal tax dollars are going hog-wild on corn trying to make ethanol. This is all wrong and Kentucky would do well to stay out of this -- as far as our tax dollars are concerned.
Corn has nearly doubled in price in the last year. Farmland prices are escalating as more people scramble to join the parade. This mania will doubtless lead to a cornflation we don't need. Meanwhile, the science behind the panic to run our economy on ethanol makes man-made global warming look like a round earth, gravity happens dead certainty.
Seriously, follow the smart money. If we were really going to replace oil with ethanol, Exxon would have already bought South America and turned the entire continent into sugar cane.
Corn has nearly doubled in price in the last year. Farmland prices are escalating as more people scramble to join the parade. This mania will doubtless lead to a cornflation we don't need. Meanwhile, the science behind the panic to run our economy on ethanol makes man-made global warming look like a round earth, gravity happens dead certainty.
Seriously, follow the smart money. If we were really going to replace oil with ethanol, Exxon would have already bought South America and turned the entire continent into sugar cane.
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Is Anne Northup For School Choice?
Gubernatorial candidate Anne Northup appears to be supporting school choice in her campaign's education policy statement:
Sounds like an endorsement of Rep. Stan Lee's special needs scholarship bill.
When another school, either public or private, is available with a specific curriculum or educational program which would benefit a special needs student, some or all of the state and federal money that’s allocated for that student should be allowed to follow him or her to a school where those needs can be met. We should not view such schools as a threat to our public schools but as assets that can provide interventions with a proven record of success.
Sounds like an endorsement of Rep. Stan Lee's special needs scholarship bill.
House Tax Increase Hits Senate Wall
The minimum wage tax increase was set for a vote in the Kentucky Senate today, but got passed over instead.
If raising the minimum wage was really going to help lessen poverty, it would be hard to justify the screaming this move will bring.
It won't. It isn't. Next.
If raising the minimum wage was really going to help lessen poverty, it would be hard to justify the screaming this move will bring.
It won't. It isn't. Next.
It's About Time; General Assembly Takes Up Public Pension Reform
Senate Republican leadership is going to speak to the A&R committee this morning about overhauling the public pension system.
This is a very good thing and something that should have been done a long time ago, but I'll take it now.
UPDATE: I've seen the Senate plan and, while it is better than the House plan, it doesn't really fix much. We have a lot of work to do.
This is a very good thing and something that should have been done a long time ago, but I'll take it now.
UPDATE: I've seen the Senate plan and, while it is better than the House plan, it doesn't really fix much. We have a lot of work to do.
Monday, March 05, 2007
"Hey, What About My Liberal Values?"
Pretty funny quote in a Courier Journal article about Jonathan Miller:
If by affordable health care, jobs, and education you mean socialized medicine, minimum wage hikes, and funneling billions of more taxpayer dollars to unaccountable bureaucrats, I'd say talking about gay marriage would be pretty productive by comparison.
"I was in the hollers with substandard housing and outdoor plumbing," recalled Miller, 39. "I wanted to talk to them about affordable health care, about jobs, about improving the educational system. Invariably when I got to that door, the first question I was asked … was, 'What's your position on gay marriage?' "
If by affordable health care, jobs, and education you mean socialized medicine, minimum wage hikes, and funneling billions of more taxpayer dollars to unaccountable bureaucrats, I'd say talking about gay marriage would be pretty productive by comparison.
Bipartisanship In Frankfort
As the General Assembly draws toward a close, only one symbolic bill has passed both the House and Senate. Whether anything else happens may depend on three others -- the Minimum Wage Tax Increase in the House and Senate leadership's education initiatives (here and here).
It's looking like the tax increase will pass and the education bills will get killed by Speaker Jody Richards.
It's looking like the tax increase will pass and the education bills will get killed by Speaker Jody Richards.
Sunday, March 04, 2007
Carry Your Baggage, Sir?
Al Cross has a very good column today covering the Dem candidates for governor.
"I made a mistake with Ernie Fletcher and I'm sorry I did that," Lunsford told the Democrats, who applauded. "I supported one Republican governor in my life. I will never support another one."
Lunsford said zip about the money he continued to give Northup and other Republicans, but the money on the mind of many Democrats is the virtually unlimited cash that Lunsford can put into his campaign. After losing a host of elections to better-financed Republicans, Kentucky Democrats are preoccupied with money, and Lunsford appealed to that fear, saying, "We can spend the money to be in the race with them."
Henry spoke last and did worst, taking credit for accomplishments of the Paul Patton administration for which he had little or no responsibility, such as higher-education reform and appointment of women to judgeships, boards and commissions, even going so far as to say, "We appointed more women. …" He did not. Outrageous.
But in a multi-opponent primary, what candidate will hold Henry to the truth? Otis Hensley? Gatewood Galbraith? Party chairman Jerry Lundergan said all candidates have signed a pledge "not to negatively campaign personally." That appears to help the slates with the most baggage, and to whom he is closest -- Henry's and Lunsford's.
Saturday, March 03, 2007
Now This Is A Real Threat To The Commonwealth
We get some pretty meaningless bills from the General Assembly each year, but I just can't imagine anyone thinking we really need to prohibit primary losers from filing as write-in candidates in general elections.
Does Rep. Brent Yonts want to show just how much he hates Sen. Joe Lieberman or what?
Does Rep. Brent Yonts want to show just how much he hates Sen. Joe Lieberman or what?
Friday, March 02, 2007
How Cool Is That?
Billy Harper shreds the prevailing wage law, in a sharp suit, ON THE BUS.
Smile Billy! You are stylin'!
Smile Billy! You are stylin'!
The Political Star No One Knows
A great political story that needs to be told is that of celebrity candidate turned accomplished Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer.
More on this next week...
More on this next week...
Thursday, March 01, 2007
Hello Mary Lou, Goodbye Truth
Watched a little KET coverage of the General Assembly and was shocked and dismayed to see Rep. Mary Lou Marzian claim that the University of Louisville said that its domestic partner scheme wouldn't cost taxpayers any money.
Well, that kind of depends on who you are talking to at U of L. The people who run the agenda say there will be no cost. The people who run the numbers say $600,000 a year and up.
Well, that kind of depends on who you are talking to at U of L. The people who run the agenda say there will be no cost. The people who run the numbers say $600,000 a year and up.
Did They Run Out Of Bridges To Rename?
Why in the world are we wasting time fixing wages for anyone, much less waiters?
HB 206 comes up for a vote tomorrow.
HB 206 comes up for a vote tomorrow.
Another Myth-Busting Study Of The Political Middle
The Washington Post has a column about how divided we are on the issues and debunks the idea that what we all want to is just get along now that Democrats are back in control of Congress.
The study found a similar split on single-payer health care. So if Bruce Lunsford and Greg Stumbo -- who have already alienated most of the primary-voting Democrats in the state -- really want to push socialized medicine, I hope they really have a good time doing it.
Also noticed they are advocating universal pre-kindergarten. After watching two of the top education bureaucrats in the state go on Kentucky Tonight and state clearly their belief that teachers know what's best for children better than parents do, I can't see this idea getting them very far either.
The CCES survey asked about 14 national issues: the war in Iraq (the invasion and the troops), abortion (and partial birth abortion), stem cell research, global warming, health insurance, immigration, the minimum wage, liberalism and conservatism, same-sex marriage, privatizing Social Security, affirmative action, and capital gains taxes. Not surprisingly, some of the largest differences between Democrats and Republicans were over the Iraq war. Fully 85 percent of those who voted for Democratic House candidates felt that it had been a mistake to invade Iraq, compared with only 18 percent of voters who cast ballots for Republicans.
But the divisions between the parties weren't limited to Iraq. They extended to every issue in the survey. For example, 69 percent of Democratic voters chose the most strongly pro-choice position on the issue of abortion, compared with 20 percent of Republican voters; only 16 percent of Democratic voters supported a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage, while 80 percent of Republican voters did; and 91 percent of Democratic voters favored governmental action to reduce global warming, compared with 27 percent of Republican voters.
The study found a similar split on single-payer health care. So if Bruce Lunsford and Greg Stumbo -- who have already alienated most of the primary-voting Democrats in the state -- really want to push socialized medicine, I hope they really have a good time doing it.
Also noticed they are advocating universal pre-kindergarten. After watching two of the top education bureaucrats in the state go on Kentucky Tonight and state clearly their belief that teachers know what's best for children better than parents do, I can't see this idea getting them very far either.
Taxpayer Group Gives Northup a "C"
The National Taxpayers Union has issued its 2006 Congressional Scorecard. Here's how Kentucky's delegation did:
Chandler, F, 16%
Davis, B-, 59%
Lewis, B, 62%
Northup, C+, 54%
Rogers, C+, 54%
Whitfield, C, 50%
Another Phony Issue Drags On In Frankfort
Frankfort Dems have been talking smack about "pay equity" but their own guys in the House won't put their bill up for a vote.
Hey, somebody get Nancy Pelosi and Hillary! in here to shake these boys up!
Hey, somebody get Nancy Pelosi and Hillary! in here to shake these boys up!
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Legislature Shirking Duties On Public Pensions
Emperor Nero has earned enduring scorn for not putting out the fire that burned Rome when it was small enough to handle. Kentucky governors and legislators have done similarly in recent years with the public employee pension plans and the growing threat could burn up our state's bank account.
House Bill 418, passed by the House of Representatives unanimously on Monday, addresses the pension shortfall but does so ineffectively. Kentucky's elected officials aren't exactly fiddling like Nero while the crisis bears down on us, but HB 418 will be a short-lived band-aid approach. The end result may well be about the same.
HB 418 would extend for one year the practice of calculating public employee pensions based on the three highest years of an employee's salary. The good this bill does is to hold off, in theory, the expected tidal wave of government retirees whose pensions we will have great difficulty paying. With the "high three" extended, the hope is that those employees of retirement age will keep working and drawing only one paycheck rather than retiring and coming back to work to draw two checks.
We would like to hope that HB 418 will help as it is intended to do, but far more needs to be done. Here is why: Kentucky's pension problem is not just about investments falling short of future liabilities, it involves how our entire public employee system works. We must end the often-abused system of double-dipping if we are to have any hope of averting disaster with our public pensions. When government employes retire, they should be thanked for the years of service and paid promised pension checks. But we must stop bringing them back at anywhere near their last salary. That practice is breaking the bank.
Rather than nibbling at the edges of the pension situation, Kentucky needs to either encourage would-be retirees to go ahead and leave en masse or to stay around a few more years and -- most importantly -- to train their replacements. In either case, the lack of systematic succession training in government offices is hurting our state financially and will get worse as our population of public retirees swells to unprecedented levels. Instead of hiring back recent retirees at or near their last salary in addition to their pension, we should make training of new employees part of their job before they go.
The reason this will help is that we would be replacing our highest-salaried employees with younger new employees at significantly lower cost. The savings could then be applied to the pension plans.
Continued failure to end double-dipping and to institute effective employee succession planning will result in the public pension plans being unable to meet their obligations. The only solution at that point will be massive tax increases.
House Bill 418, passed by the House of Representatives unanimously on Monday, addresses the pension shortfall but does so ineffectively. Kentucky's elected officials aren't exactly fiddling like Nero while the crisis bears down on us, but HB 418 will be a short-lived band-aid approach. The end result may well be about the same.
HB 418 would extend for one year the practice of calculating public employee pensions based on the three highest years of an employee's salary. The good this bill does is to hold off, in theory, the expected tidal wave of government retirees whose pensions we will have great difficulty paying. With the "high three" extended, the hope is that those employees of retirement age will keep working and drawing only one paycheck rather than retiring and coming back to work to draw two checks.
We would like to hope that HB 418 will help as it is intended to do, but far more needs to be done. Here is why: Kentucky's pension problem is not just about investments falling short of future liabilities, it involves how our entire public employee system works. We must end the often-abused system of double-dipping if we are to have any hope of averting disaster with our public pensions. When government employes retire, they should be thanked for the years of service and paid promised pension checks. But we must stop bringing them back at anywhere near their last salary. That practice is breaking the bank.
Rather than nibbling at the edges of the pension situation, Kentucky needs to either encourage would-be retirees to go ahead and leave en masse or to stay around a few more years and -- most importantly -- to train their replacements. In either case, the lack of systematic succession training in government offices is hurting our state financially and will get worse as our population of public retirees swells to unprecedented levels. Instead of hiring back recent retirees at or near their last salary in addition to their pension, we should make training of new employees part of their job before they go.
The reason this will help is that we would be replacing our highest-salaried employees with younger new employees at significantly lower cost. The savings could then be applied to the pension plans.
Continued failure to end double-dipping and to institute effective employee succession planning will result in the public pension plans being unable to meet their obligations. The only solution at that point will be massive tax increases.
Is Ford Motor Pretending To Be Retarded?
As we rush to incentivize Ford Motor Company, Navistar International is rushing the other way.
Kind of reminds me of some good folks in Tacoma, Washington.
It's far from a perfect analogy, but that's the best you are going to get on the fly this morning. I just had to find a way to work that Tacoma story into something. Others will do better, I'm sure.
Kind of reminds me of some good folks in Tacoma, Washington.
It's far from a perfect analogy, but that's the best you are going to get on the fly this morning. I just had to find a way to work that Tacoma story into something. Others will do better, I'm sure.
SB 143: A Good Fiscally Conservative Bill
There sure has been a lot to complain about in this General Assembly session. But SB 143 is the proverbial horse of a different color.
The bill would require accountability in the spending of state tax dollars on local projects. It mandates regular reports during the course of a project and a final report when the work is completed. With every dollar accounted for, it then requires any left over funds to be returned to the state.
It's amazing to think this hasn't been done long before now, but why quibble? I'll take it.
The bill would require accountability in the spending of state tax dollars on local projects. It mandates regular reports during the course of a project and a final report when the work is completed. With every dollar accounted for, it then requires any left over funds to be returned to the state.
It's amazing to think this hasn't been done long before now, but why quibble? I'll take it.
Monday, February 26, 2007
Another Poor Attempt To Keep Kids In School
The House is expected to take up HB 32 today. Let's just call it the "Make School More Like Jail Act of 2007."
The bill would pull the drivers license of anyone under eighteen who drops out of school. I can understand an argument that we don't want teenage dropouts driving around all day, but I really don't want my kids to have to go to school with any additional kids who don't want to be there and might be looking for creative ways to "express" themselves.
Besides, we have been here before and what the law really does is teach drop-outs how to go through the legal system to apply for a hardship exemption.
Drive a truck through this loophole in the statute:
The bill would pull the drivers license of anyone under eighteen who drops out of school. I can understand an argument that we don't want teenage dropouts driving around all day, but I really don't want my kids to have to go to school with any additional kids who don't want to be there and might be looking for creative ways to "express" themselves.
Besides, we have been here before and what the law really does is teach drop-outs how to go through the legal system to apply for a hardship exemption.
Drive a truck through this loophole in the statute:
In order for the student to have his license reinstated, the court shall be satisfied that the license is needed to meet family obligations or family economic considerations which if unsatisfied would create an undue hardship or that the student is the only licensed driver in the household or the student is not considered a dropout or academically deficient pursuant to this section. If the student satisfies the court, the court shall notify the cabinet to reinstate the student's license at no cost. The student, if aggrieved by a decision of the court issued pursuant to this section, may appeal the decision within thirty (30) days to the Circuit Court of appropriate venue. A student who is being schooled at home shall be considered to be enrolled in school.
Fox News In Kentucky For Race Coverage
Fox News' Brit Hume is in Frankfort covering what has been billed as a major announcement by the Anne Northup campaign. A press conference at the Holiday Inn on Wilkinson Blvd at 12:30 will start off a day in which the campaign will travel to Bowling Green and Owensboro to continue discussion on this same announcement.
Fox News was already going to be in the state just working on a story of the race and the Northup campaign suggested it would be worth their while to stick around for today's lunchtime announcement.
Fox News was already going to be in the state just working on a story of the race and the Northup campaign suggested it would be worth their while to stick around for today's lunchtime announcement.
Harper Versus Pork
Just as I am hearing from more serious GOP primary voters who say they will vote for Billy Harper for governor, Mr. Harper seems to be improving his message.
The MSM didn't cover it, but Harper was the only GOP candidate to stand up with Rep. Stan Lee last week and support the HB 30 special needs student school choice bill.
The soft underbelly of the education bureaucracy is its poor return on investment and continued clamoring for more money. Mr. Harper did himself no favors in his early commercials when he linked himself to KERA, but seems to be hitting his stride with this:
Now that he is properly indentifying the problem, it is time to hammer home some of the solutions. One of them is empowering parents with school choice. With Mr. Harper deciding to take a stand like this on real education reform, he may want to take a good look at this bill too.
The MSM didn't cover it, but Harper was the only GOP candidate to stand up with Rep. Stan Lee last week and support the HB 30 special needs student school choice bill.
The soft underbelly of the education bureaucracy is its poor return on investment and continued clamoring for more money. Mr. Harper did himself no favors in his early commercials when he linked himself to KERA, but seems to be hitting his stride with this:
The notion that we need increased taxes and more government spending to transform our schools is not only misguided, but reads right from the outdated playbook of the politicians in Frankfort.
An unfortunate example of this approach is the Covington Independent School District, which spent $13,166 on each student during the 2005-06 school year Ð the second highest rate in Kentucky Ð yet ranked last among the state's 175 school districts for its performance on the annual CATS assessment.
Spending per-pupil in that district has risen 121 percent since 1989, but student achievement has failed to keep pace. The funding is there, but the approach clearly is not working.
In fact, average per pupil spending in Kentucky has risen every year since the KERA reforms, but student performance as measured by a variety of standards is not on the same track.
Now that he is properly indentifying the problem, it is time to hammer home some of the solutions. One of them is empowering parents with school choice. With Mr. Harper deciding to take a stand like this on real education reform, he may want to take a good look at this bill too.
Sunday, February 25, 2007
U.S. Senate 2008 Kentucky Race
Louisville Democrats are putting pressure on Rep. John Yarmuth to take on Sen. Mitch McConnell next year.
That could open up several interesting scenarios, don't you think?
That could open up several interesting scenarios, don't you think?
Health Care And Education, Governor
This morning David Hawpe suggests Governor Fletcher should be "bold" and work up a universal healthcare plan for Kentucky.
Yesterday in Richmond, Governor Fletcher made comments that sounded to me like he may be planning to do something like that in both healthcare and higher education.
I'm still waiting for a call back from the Governor's office to clarify what I thought I heard. Didn't see any mention of it in the MSM. More on this later.
Yesterday in Richmond, Governor Fletcher made comments that sounded to me like he may be planning to do something like that in both healthcare and higher education.
I'm still waiting for a call back from the Governor's office to clarify what I thought I heard. Didn't see any mention of it in the MSM. More on this later.
Who Will Be The Kumbaya Party Of 2007?
After two hotly contested primaries in May, the fall election will largely come down to which party can pull combatant camps back together better. There are other variables, of course, but this is the big one.
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Money, Big Money, And Public Education
The multi-billion dollar lawsuit between education bureaucrats and taxpayers took another nasty turn yesterday with the Council for Better Education -- love that name -- requesting a trial.
The Lexington Herald Leader, in a news story, has this nugget:
And as we waste a million and counting on this lawsuit, two bills in the General Assembly would add tens of millions more to the same rat hole. Kentucky law now requires children to stay in school until age sixteen. HB 221 and HB 279 provide an end-run around the lawsuit by requiring the state to pay school systems to warehouse thousands of teenagers who don't want to be in school.
The great thing about this scheme, from the CBE's perspective, is that if you add in the test scores of the would-be dropouts, they will have a built in excuse to lobby for more money still to combat the lower test scores.
What we need is an incentive for education bureaucrats to think as creatively about educating students as they do about ways to game the system for more tax dollars.
We really, really need to break up the school monopoly and inspire these folks by having them deal with the competition brought on by school choice.
The Lexington Herald Leader, in a news story, has this nugget:
The legislature has spent $487,000 defending the lawsuit while the CBE has spent $391,000 on the case filed in 2003.
And as we waste a million and counting on this lawsuit, two bills in the General Assembly would add tens of millions more to the same rat hole. Kentucky law now requires children to stay in school until age sixteen. HB 221 and HB 279 provide an end-run around the lawsuit by requiring the state to pay school systems to warehouse thousands of teenagers who don't want to be in school.
The great thing about this scheme, from the CBE's perspective, is that if you add in the test scores of the would-be dropouts, they will have a built in excuse to lobby for more money still to combat the lower test scores.
What we need is an incentive for education bureaucrats to think as creatively about educating students as they do about ways to game the system for more tax dollars.
We really, really need to break up the school monopoly and inspire these folks by having them deal with the competition brought on by school choice.
Friday, February 23, 2007
Taped Phone Calls? What Taped Phone Calls?
Just saw this post on another thread:
From what I have heard, many phone calls were made to stop a Louisville fundraiser for Secretary of State Trey Grayson after he mentioned at Fancy Farm the possibility of running for governor himself.
If there are tapes out there, it would obviously make front page news.
Weatherman said...
This all pales in comparison to the spending and other habits of Ernie the Drunken Sailor. And wait until the phone tapes are released on Ernie's efforts to stop Trey Grayson's fundraiser last summer.
From what I have heard, many phone calls were made to stop a Louisville fundraiser for Secretary of State Trey Grayson after he mentioned at Fancy Farm the possibility of running for governor himself.
If there are tapes out there, it would obviously make front page news.
We Don't Need Senior Judge Program
The best justification for making the senior judge program permanent is that it lightens the workload on our judges and helps move cases faster. While that may be true, it comes at a heavy price. The family courts were created for the same purpose and are now a permanent institution.
We have an opportunity to cut loose some double-dippers in state government and we should jump at the chance. Tell your state representative to vote against Welfare for Judges, HB 465.
We have an opportunity to cut loose some double-dippers in state government and we should jump at the chance. Tell your state representative to vote against Welfare for Judges, HB 465.
Would We Resent Illegals Less If They Paid Their Fair Share?
One good reason for scrapping state income taxes and replacing them with consumption taxes is that doing so puts the underground economy back on the books.
The states which currently have no income tax are Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. Additionally, New Hampshire and Tennessee limit their state income taxes to dividends and interest income only.
We should seriously consider joining them.
The states which currently have no income tax are Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. Additionally, New Hampshire and Tennessee limit their state income taxes to dividends and interest income only.
We should seriously consider joining them.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Northup Goes After Fletcher Defense Fund
In an e-mail statement today, Anne Northup called on Governor Ernie Fletcher to divulge information about his legal defense fund.
Great.
Now, how about giving us some ideas to empower students and their parents in the public education process? What about a plan to help lower the cost of health care? Any ideas about taxes or what to do with the public employee pension crisis?
Just curious.
Great.
Now, how about giving us some ideas to empower students and their parents in the public education process? What about a plan to help lower the cost of health care? Any ideas about taxes or what to do with the public employee pension crisis?
Just curious.
Time For Another Sick Day, Harry
It was great Tuesday when Rep. Harry Moberly called in sick. I'm guessing his physical condition was fine, but he didn't want to show up to see his Secrecy Bill roll over and die.
It's time for another sick day, Harry.
Moberly is bottling up the AMC repeal bills. One man shouldn't have the power to hurt businesses like this.
It's time for another sick day, Harry.
Moberly is bottling up the AMC repeal bills. One man shouldn't have the power to hurt businesses like this.
2007 Dem Update: Capitalism Doesn't Work
The floor debate in the House yesterday on the minimum wage was a little contentious and sprinkled with memorable quotes. The Lexington Herald Leader got several of them, but missed this goody from Rep. Jim Wayne (D-Louisville):
That's pretty rich coming in the middle of a state ravaged still by the War on Poverty, in which a generational cycle of dependency created by a misguided hope to ameliorate the shortcomings of capitalism has held us back for decades.
"Raw capitalism does not work for vulnerable people."
That's pretty rich coming in the middle of a state ravaged still by the War on Poverty, in which a generational cycle of dependency created by a misguided hope to ameliorate the shortcomings of capitalism has held us back for decades.
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Jody Richards: Germane Means What I Say It Does
Speaker Jody Richards needs a dictionary, not the additional power he seeks.
House rules require an amendment to a bill be related to the original bill, or germane. Rep. Brad Montell's amendment to exempt part-time workers from the minimum wage increase was judged not germane to HB 305, the bill that raises the minimum wage in Kentucky.
The bill and the amendment are by any definition except Richards' completely germane.
If Richards can't follow a simple House rule like this in front of everyone, what would he do to the merit hiring laws behind closed doors?
House rules require an amendment to a bill be related to the original bill, or germane. Rep. Brad Montell's amendment to exempt part-time workers from the minimum wage increase was judged not germane to HB 305, the bill that raises the minimum wage in Kentucky.
The bill and the amendment are by any definition except Richards' completely germane.
If Richards can't follow a simple House rule like this in front of everyone, what would he do to the merit hiring laws behind closed doors?
Sending Veterinarians To Jail For Being Mean
The Kentucky Senate just unanimously passed a bill (SB 23) that would fine up to $1000 or jail up to 30 days a veterinarian who refuses to treat assistance dogs without prior payment of the dog's owner.
Very few veterinarians are going to turn away a disabled person who needs help with his dog, but do we really want to throw them in jail for exercising the freedom the rest of us take for granted to tell a non-paying client to get lost?
Very few veterinarians are going to turn away a disabled person who needs help with his dog, but do we really want to throw them in jail for exercising the freedom the rest of us take for granted to tell a non-paying client to get lost?
Improving Health Care Options
The biggest thing holding back health insurance reform in Kentucky is an unholy alliance between corporate lackeys beholden to the status quo on one hand and big-government throw-the-baby-out-with-the-bath-water types who will only be happy when we go all the way to socialized medicine.
A commonsense bill which would open the door to greater consumer choice in the state is being shut down in the Senate. SB 135 would simply lower the mandate on insurance companies' coverage of pre-existing medical conditions. It wouldn't require any coverage to be lessened and would have no impact on anyone who already has coverage. What it would do is bring four companies back into the state and provide some much needed competition in the marketplace.
Can you think of any reason such a bill does not deserve our full-fledged support?
A commonsense bill which would open the door to greater consumer choice in the state is being shut down in the Senate. SB 135 would simply lower the mandate on insurance companies' coverage of pre-existing medical conditions. It wouldn't require any coverage to be lessened and would have no impact on anyone who already has coverage. What it would do is bring four companies back into the state and provide some much needed competition in the marketplace.
Can you think of any reason such a bill does not deserve our full-fledged support?
"Lifetime Employment Of K-12 Teachers Is Off-The-Charts Crazy"
Steve Jobs of Apple Computer risks a big chunk of his business by speaking up for education.
Read it here.
Read it here.
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
This Should Be The Easiest Thing To Pass In KY
Giving Kentucky parents the right to choose how the tax dollars allocated to educate their children are spent should be very easy to implement. That is school choice. Call it vouchers if you want to.
Taking the power from the teachers union and giving it to parents makes a lot of sense in terms of creating competition for our struggling schools. Competition will make our education process stronger and it can be done without any additional costs to the taxpayers.
All we need is a little leadership. Billy Harper was the only gubernatorial candidate to show up at the school choice rally today in the Capitol. His staff worked vigorously to get him a speaking role in the event and deserves a ton of credit for their efforts. Harper's words in support of school choice set him apart in the Republican primary. I know Governor Fletcher and Anne Northup had other events scheduled this morning, but where are they on school choice now?
Back in 2003 while in Congress, both Northup and Fletcher voted for parents and children in Washington D.C. to have access to a pilot charter school program. The program has been so successful, the worst thing critics can say about it is too many families want in.
Surely Fletcher and Northup don't want to deny Kentucky families the same thing they saw fit to grant families who live in Washington D.C.
Taking the power from the teachers union and giving it to parents makes a lot of sense in terms of creating competition for our struggling schools. Competition will make our education process stronger and it can be done without any additional costs to the taxpayers.
All we need is a little leadership. Billy Harper was the only gubernatorial candidate to show up at the school choice rally today in the Capitol. His staff worked vigorously to get him a speaking role in the event and deserves a ton of credit for their efforts. Harper's words in support of school choice set him apart in the Republican primary. I know Governor Fletcher and Anne Northup had other events scheduled this morning, but where are they on school choice now?
Back in 2003 while in Congress, both Northup and Fletcher voted for parents and children in Washington D.C. to have access to a pilot charter school program. The program has been so successful, the worst thing critics can say about it is too many families want in.
Surely Fletcher and Northup don't want to deny Kentucky families the same thing they saw fit to grant families who live in Washington D.C.
HB 184 Scuttlebutt
Looks like Rep. Harry Moberly has called in sick today so his noxious HB 184 should be sidelined for this afternoon's session. May he have a speedy recovery and may his bill die a painful death.
Major Endorsement For Northup Coming
The Northup campaign is set to announce a major endorsement next Monday.
Speculative Update: Congress is not in session next week. I'm guessing it will be Rep. Geoff Davis.
Speculative Update: Congress is not in session next week. I'm guessing it will be Rep. Geoff Davis.
Teaching Tuesday
Rep. Stan Lee's HB 30 Special Needs Scholarship bill will be the focus of a 10 AM press conference this morning in the Capitol Rotunda.
The Bluegrass Institute has an interesting article about why education bureaucrats are all twisted up because some people want to improve choices for families with kids who need extra help in school.
Republican candidates for Governor would do well to weigh in on this subject.
The Bluegrass Institute has an interesting article about why education bureaucrats are all twisted up because some people want to improve choices for families with kids who need extra help in school.
Republican candidates for Governor would do well to weigh in on this subject.
Monday, February 19, 2007
Jonathan Miller On Board Against HB 184
I have to admit I thought it was great in 2005 when the budget negotiators in Frankfort secretly returned $13.7 million to the General Fund that had been taken to fill the actuarial hole in the money-losing KAPT program. And seeing that Treasurer Jonathan Miller is still chapped about it did cause me to giggle just a little bit:
Despite the fact he is nearly $300k off in his telling of the story -- only a rounding error for our not-so-precise state Treasurer -- Jonathan Miller deserves credit for expressing opposition to HB 184 the day before it comes up for a vote in the House.
This should serve as a lesson to those complacent souls who plan to sit quietly by while our General Assembly shuts us out of the legislative process. The sneakiness they seek to legitimize tomorrow won't always go your way.
We saw how harmful this practice could be when this procedure was used to try to raid $14 million from the KAPT (Kentucky's Affordable Prepaid Tuition) program, a trust fund we established to help Kentucky families save for their children's higher education. Even though 95% of the legislature supported KAPT and would have opposed this attempt to rob the KAPT families of their hard-earned savings, they were misled by a few of their leaders and were forced to vote on this huge budget bill that they had not had a chance to digest completely.
Despite the fact he is nearly $300k off in his telling of the story -- only a rounding error for our not-so-precise state Treasurer -- Jonathan Miller deserves credit for expressing opposition to HB 184 the day before it comes up for a vote in the House.
This should serve as a lesson to those complacent souls who plan to sit quietly by while our General Assembly shuts us out of the legislative process. The sneakiness they seek to legitimize tomorrow won't always go your way.
The Junk In Steve Beshear's Trunk
John Stamper has the story of Steve Beshear's economic development press conference from earlier today. While I can agree that making corporate tax credit information public is a good idea, if that is the centerpiece of Beshear's campaign, he has trouble. And then he pops this one out:
This would have to come as an unpleasant surprise to employees, suppliers, and customers of Toyota, UPS, Walmart, Ford, Amazon, ACS, IBM, Kroger, and all the other companies without which Kentucky's economy might make xenophobics happy but would be pretty rough on the rest of us.
And since Beshear's foundation seems to be casino gambling, I can't imagine he did himself any favors by showing up today.
"We need a governor who understands that Kentucky's economic growth will come from Kentucky-based businesses," Beshear said.
This would have to come as an unpleasant surprise to employees, suppliers, and customers of Toyota, UPS, Walmart, Ford, Amazon, ACS, IBM, Kroger, and all the other companies without which Kentucky's economy might make xenophobics happy but would be pretty rough on the rest of us.
And since Beshear's foundation seems to be casino gambling, I can't imagine he did himself any favors by showing up today.
"AMT" Repeal Languishing In A&R
Three bills to repeal the limited liability entity tax (HB 87, HB 88, and HB 119) are dying a slow and painful death in the House Appropriations & Revenue Committee.
Another bill designed to lessen the impact of the LLET (more commonly known as AMC or AMT, it's the income tax for businesses who are losing money) is HB 480. Just filed last week, it may have a chance.
If you want to see this bad tax repealed, you should probably call your legislator. Before he or she gets completely shut out of the process, that is.
Another bill designed to lessen the impact of the LLET (more commonly known as AMC or AMT, it's the income tax for businesses who are losing money) is HB 480. Just filed last week, it may have a chance.
If you want to see this bad tax repealed, you should probably call your legislator. Before he or she gets completely shut out of the process, that is.
HB 184 Media Appearance
I will be on Lexington's Kruser program today (590 AM at 12:30) talking about why we should all oppose HB 184.
By the way, thanks to Rural Democrat for taking a good look at the bill and making up his own mind to oppose it.
By the way, thanks to Rural Democrat for taking a good look at the bill and making up his own mind to oppose it.
Another Really Stupid Idea To Emulate
A lot of the "Eureka!" moments legislators have are actually ideas that they picked up from other states. We can only hope that New Mexico's talking urinal cakes don't join that parade.
It is amazing to me that we are still telling people it is a bad idea to get drunk and hit the road. It would be really easy to establish a national database of drivers licenses and permanently revoke driving privileges in any state for anyone driving with a Blood Alcohol Content of .20 or higher. And if the BAC is just .08 to .19, then revoke it for that state only.
The state recently paid $21 each for about 500 talking urinal-deodorizer cakes and has put them in men's rooms in bars and restaurants across the state.
When a man steps up, the motion-sensitive plastic device says, in a woman's voice that is flirty, then stern: "Hey, big guy. Having a few drinks? Think you had one too many? Then it's time to call a cab or call a sober friend for a ride home."
The recorded message ends: "Remember, your future is in your hand."
It is amazing to me that we are still telling people it is a bad idea to get drunk and hit the road. It would be really easy to establish a national database of drivers licenses and permanently revoke driving privileges in any state for anyone driving with a Blood Alcohol Content of .20 or higher. And if the BAC is just .08 to .19, then revoke it for that state only.
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Consumers Pay "Corporate Taxes"
The Associated Press has a story about states taxing corporate gross receipts.
When are we going to quit screwing around with getting income taxes "right" and just tax consumption? Income taxes "cascade across" the economy versus retail consumption taxes that get paid once. What we need to do is just repeal all income taxes.
The biggest knock on the tax is its potential for taxing a single product multiple times. The tax can cascade across sales of gasoline, for example, when the fuel is sold and resold from suppliers to distributors to customers at the pump, who then could face higher prices to cover the extra costs.
Situations like that make some economists cringe at the idea of states adopting such taxes.
"No sensible case can be made for imposing gross receipts taxes in the modern economic environment," said John Mikesell, an Indiana University public finance professor.
A national business group that opposes such taxes says that while the corporate income tax may be declining as a portion of state revenue, total taxes paid by businesses continue to grow. Companies paid a combined $550 billion last year in corporate, sales, property and other taxes, up 11 percent from the year before, according to the Washington, D.C.-based Council on State Taxation.
"Corporate income tax is not the main business tax and never has been," said Joseph Crosby, the group's legislative director.
When are we going to quit screwing around with getting income taxes "right" and just tax consumption? Income taxes "cascade across" the economy versus retail consumption taxes that get paid once. What we need to do is just repeal all income taxes.
Hoover's Real Leadership On HB 184
House Minority Leader Jeff Hoover will seek a united vote against the egregious HB 184 in a caucus meeting Tuesday. Just received the following email:
David,
Good post on HB 184. Wanted to send message to you directly rather than post on blog, but you can use if you want. I am hoping ALL House Republicans vote against HB 184. We are having a caucus meeting Tuesday afternoon prior to session and I intend to seek a united vote against the bill. In the past five years,we have taken some united votes and united positions, which is extremely difficult to do due to the unique diversity of our members. But, i am hopeful, this is one bill we can do that on and it will be interesting to see what Ds do. Thanks,
Jeffrey H. Hoover, Esq.
Finally, The Courier-Journal Checks In
The CJ looked at HB 184 and came to the same conclusion the Lexington Herald Leader and everyone else who isn't running Frankfort from the shadows did -- this thing is no good. Still, it could very well pass. That's because leadership is for it. Legislators who cross leadership can wind up getting shut out in the closed door sessions.
We really need to work up a good head of steam and kill this off; then we need to reform how the whole budget process works in Frankfort. More local projects need to be handled with local money. That means less money going into Frankfort in the first place. There should never be a closed door budget conference ever again. The illegal provisions hidden in the last three budgets should be repudiated by the Governor and the General Assembly so the resulting lawsuits can all be settled and future ones avoided. And Harry Moberly's constituents should replace him in the May 2008 primary.
What do you think?
We really need to work up a good head of steam and kill this off; then we need to reform how the whole budget process works in Frankfort. More local projects need to be handled with local money. That means less money going into Frankfort in the first place. There should never be a closed door budget conference ever again. The illegal provisions hidden in the last three budgets should be repudiated by the Governor and the General Assembly so the resulting lawsuits can all be settled and future ones avoided. And Harry Moberly's constituents should replace him in the May 2008 primary.
What do you think?
Saturday, February 17, 2007
A Call For Debate On HB 184
I will be on the Kruser program in Lexington on 590 AM Monday at 12:30 talking about what a nightmare HB 184 would be for Kentucky. So far, supporters of the bill have been strangely silent about it. As far as I know, only Rep. Harry Moberly and Speaker Jody Richards have publicly defended this fascist scheme.
Where are the rest of you guys?
Allowing a handful of legislators to go behind closed doors in budget years to change any law, raise any tax, or spend any amount of money and then force the rest of us to swallow it all makes no sense. Putting the budget together in closed-door conference at the last minute like they do will allow them to get away with it. That is the entire purpose of HB 184.
After so much ranting and raving about congressional earmarks, are we going to let this far more dangerous practice go through without a fight? Do you really trust these folks that much?
And no, they don't face much risk in the next election for their actions. That's how they wind up in leadership. There is little reason to expect the people pushing this through to pay any political price. Sure, you can vote against your legislator if he or she votes for it, but the next one will face the same pressure to go along and you still can't get to the leaders.
HB 184 very simply repeals open government in Kentucky. Prove me wrong.
Rank-and-file legislators will have to decide to buck leadership and stand up for what is right or to go along so that when the budget conference locks everyone out they will have a chance to get anything for their districts. As a political calculation it could be a difficult choice. House members vote on HB 184 Tuesday afternoon.
Gambling Our Way To Prosperity
I hope that an economic development press conference by the Beshear campaign would mean more than casinos in the mountains, near big cities, and between farms, but color me skeptical.
Sometimes Compromise Is a Beautiful Thing
One of the biggest problems with the minimum wage hike hype is that it glosses over the damage done to the part-time entry level worker who gets priced out of the labor market when the cost of his labor is set too high by the government.
Rep. Brad Montell (R-Shelbyville) has a terrific answer in an amendment to HB 305: exempt workers who put in less than 25 hours in a week.
The slavish devotees of the left will scream bloody murder over this, but it really is a good idea.
Save entry level jobs. Exempt part-time workers.
Rep. Brad Montell (R-Shelbyville) has a terrific answer in an amendment to HB 305: exempt workers who put in less than 25 hours in a week.
The slavish devotees of the left will scream bloody murder over this, but it really is a good idea.
Save entry level jobs. Exempt part-time workers.
Friday, February 16, 2007
Fascism Gets A Big Boost In Frankfort
Jody Richards is in favor of the ridiculous HB 184.
His spokeswoman said the purpose of the bill is to "codify the existing practice."
Yeah, Jody, that's what the lawsuits are for. Better call your lawyer.
Update: The House is set to vote on HB 184 Tuesday afternoon.
End of the world update: Despite wild-eyed leadership support for HB 184, moderates Stan Lee and Kathy Stein agree this is a horrible bill.
His spokeswoman said the purpose of the bill is to "codify the existing practice."
Yeah, Jody, that's what the lawsuits are for. Better call your lawyer.
Update: The House is set to vote on HB 184 Tuesday afternoon.
End of the world update: Despite wild-eyed leadership support for HB 184, moderates Stan Lee and Kathy Stein agree this is a horrible bill.
Responding To Media Surveys 101
The Pol Watchers survey of gubernatorial candidates about casino gambling was interesting. Can't imagine what the Northup campaign was thinking about when they didn't respond. Harper's video response was very good in terms of style. His answer was my favorite, though Governor Fletcher's may be the best political answer. Looks like if you want someone who talks straight about the fool's gold of casino gambling, Billy Harper is your guy. His answers need to get tighter, but he has improved light years since the disastrous Ford press conference.
Jody Richards had much less need to respond than Northup did, so his silence makes sense. Beshear gave the best answer, I think, but he is leading in the wrong direction. Miller and Lunsford would have been better off issuing a no comment. Galbraith suggests a plan to get by without any gambling money, which makes a lot of sense and stands as a stark contrast in the Dem field. Steve Henry responded too. Is he still in the race?
Jody Richards had much less need to respond than Northup did, so his silence makes sense. Beshear gave the best answer, I think, but he is leading in the wrong direction. Miller and Lunsford would have been better off issuing a no comment. Galbraith suggests a plan to get by without any gambling money, which makes a lot of sense and stands as a stark contrast in the Dem field. Steve Henry responded too. Is he still in the race?
Pushing Parents Out of Public Schools
Rep. Reginald Meeks filed a bill Thursday to dilute parental influence on school-based decision making councils. The bill would add one non-teacher school employee and one minority non-teacher school employee (or just another non-teacher if no minority is available.)
Tom Vilsack Wants To Rule The World
Tom Vilsack is on Jay Leno saying we need to cut off funding for Iraq and bring the troops home now. Also wants to stop using foreign oil.
And this guy is from Iowa?
Jay didn't ask, but I would like to know if he plans to run as an independent if he doesn't win the Democratic nomination.
And this guy is from Iowa?
Jay didn't ask, but I would like to know if he plans to run as an independent if he doesn't win the Democratic nomination.
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Stan Lee For Attorney General
Liberals love to hate him and now his campaign website is up. Read it and seethe.
Scorsone Goes Wild Again
Senator Ernesto Scorsone is on the Senate floor right now calling the effort to stop University employees from spending tax dollars for health coverage for their boyfriends and girlfriends "bigotry."
He also repeated the lie that the domestic partners would pay the entire cost of coverage. Look it up, Senator.
He is joined by Sen. Julian Carroll, who suggested that domestic partner benefits at public universities would be a great way to cover sick relatives of employees.
Unbelievable.
Update: SB 152 banning domestic partner benefits at public universities passed the Senate.
He also repeated the lie that the domestic partners would pay the entire cost of coverage. Look it up, Senator.
He is joined by Sen. Julian Carroll, who suggested that domestic partner benefits at public universities would be a great way to cover sick relatives of employees.
Unbelievable.
Update: SB 152 banning domestic partner benefits at public universities passed the Senate.
Congrats Lexington Herald Leader!!!
The Lexington Herald Leader has gotten on board with their own condemnation of Rep. Harry Moberly's awful HB 184.
Now where in the world is the Louisville Courier-Journal on this?
Harry Moberly owes us an apology for trying to legalize a closed door General Assembly. How embarrassing.
Update: The nascent Kentucky Club For Growth is making plans to warn legislators that a vote for HB 184 will be a "key vote" in determining Club support of candidates in the next election.
Now where in the world is the Louisville Courier-Journal on this?
Harry Moberly owes us an apology for trying to legalize a closed door General Assembly. How embarrassing.
Update: The nascent Kentucky Club For Growth is making plans to warn legislators that a vote for HB 184 will be a "key vote" in determining Club support of candidates in the next election.
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Media Fiddles While Freedom Burns
Where the heck is our vaunted watchdog mainstream media while the General Assembly moves to shut out all manner of dissent from our legislative process?
When House Bill 184 passed out of the A&R Committee without a single "no" vote yesterday afternoon, I expected to see some fiery responses from the very newspeople who will be shut out of what will no longer have to be an open form of government. If you don't live and breathe government and public policy then it's understandable if you don't know what I'm talking about and I will do my best to explain this, but for those who know and yet stand by and say nothing, I feel utter disgust and despair. If you know or should know what they are about to do to us and yet choose to sit idly by, you make me sick. If you are still wondering, please read on.
HB 184 makes it legal for the General Assembly to hide any kind of law inside the budget only to spring it on us when Leadership emerges from their closed-door conference and there is little the rank-and-file can do but go along. There will be no reason to have open committee meetings or even floor votes; everything in budget years can go into one bill and we will have no input in what that bill does. We will see it when they are ready for us to see it.
What's worse, this merely makes legal what they have done by stealth in the last three budgets. First time, they slipped in a couple of illegal items on the budget bill. Two years ago, they put in sixteen. Last year, it was nearly thirty. Leadership knew it was illegal then; that's why Rep. Harry Moberly is pushing HB 184 now. He wants to make fascism legal in Kentucky.
It is past time we had some serious discussion about this. It won't wait till the next election. What are you going to do, vote out your legislator? Even if you can do that, it won't matter if he isn't in leadership and gets to go into the budget conference.
Seriously, outrages like this are what we have the 2nd ammendment for.
Update: Here is one story.
When House Bill 184 passed out of the A&R Committee without a single "no" vote yesterday afternoon, I expected to see some fiery responses from the very newspeople who will be shut out of what will no longer have to be an open form of government. If you don't live and breathe government and public policy then it's understandable if you don't know what I'm talking about and I will do my best to explain this, but for those who know and yet stand by and say nothing, I feel utter disgust and despair. If you know or should know what they are about to do to us and yet choose to sit idly by, you make me sick. If you are still wondering, please read on.
HB 184 makes it legal for the General Assembly to hide any kind of law inside the budget only to spring it on us when Leadership emerges from their closed-door conference and there is little the rank-and-file can do but go along. There will be no reason to have open committee meetings or even floor votes; everything in budget years can go into one bill and we will have no input in what that bill does. We will see it when they are ready for us to see it.
What's worse, this merely makes legal what they have done by stealth in the last three budgets. First time, they slipped in a couple of illegal items on the budget bill. Two years ago, they put in sixteen. Last year, it was nearly thirty. Leadership knew it was illegal then; that's why Rep. Harry Moberly is pushing HB 184 now. He wants to make fascism legal in Kentucky.
It is past time we had some serious discussion about this. It won't wait till the next election. What are you going to do, vote out your legislator? Even if you can do that, it won't matter if he isn't in leadership and gets to go into the budget conference.
Seriously, outrages like this are what we have the 2nd ammendment for.
Update: Here is one story.
Don't Be Dissin' Mookie!
What an ego!
We tell everybody the head terrorist in Iraq didn't have the guts to be a suicide bomber, instead escaping to Iran. To show his manhood -- and his face, we hope! -- Mookie just had to announce that he didn't leave town.
Jody Richards Beats School Funding Rap
The failure of KERA II is so funny in so many ways, I almost can't stand it.
The best part is the judge used the KDA's own bogus "improving" test scores to prove that they didn't need more funding.
I know our liberal friends really don't want to understand how school choice would make our public schools perform better, but that is what we need the most now. As the global economy gets more ferocious, we have to move past the idea that our school systems were created to give jobs to education majors. The need to advance faster demands that we stop the begging for more money and get on with educating our children for the 21st century.
The best part is the judge used the KDA's own bogus "improving" test scores to prove that they didn't need more funding.
I know our liberal friends really don't want to understand how school choice would make our public schools perform better, but that is what we need the most now. As the global economy gets more ferocious, we have to move past the idea that our school systems were created to give jobs to education majors. The need to advance faster demands that we stop the begging for more money and get on with educating our children for the 21st century.
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
National Attention To A Kentucky Problem
The National Taxpayers Union is concerned about Rep. Harry Moberly's outrageous "I will make it legal" bill.
Grover Norquist Responds To Herald Leader Attack
The Lexington Herald Leader attacked Grover Norquist of Americans for Tax Reform on today's editorial page and said gubernatorial candidate Billy Harper made a mistake by signing the Taxpayer Protection Pledge. Norquist sent me this response:
The Lexington Herald Leader’s editorial “Harper’s bad pledge,” incorrectly likens Mr. Harper’s signing of the Taxpayer Protection Pledge to surrendering accountability to an out-of-state group. However, the Taxpayer Protection Pledge is a commitment made to the taxpayers of a state, not to Americans for Tax Reform. This should be clear from the wording of the Pledge Mr. Harper signed: “I, ____________, pledge to the taxpayers of the Commonwealth of Kentucky and all the people of this Commonwealth, that I will oppose and veto any and all efforts to increase taxes.” The Taxpayer Protection Pledge is a statement of principle that one believes the government should not place higher burdens on hardworking families and businesses in order to fund ever-increasing spending.
Kentuckians should applaud Mr. Harper for putting taxpayers over big-spending interests and encourage all candidates running for office to make this important commitment.
Battle For Kentucky Constitution In Frankfort Today
Power-crazed politicians can sometimes be funny to watch when the curtain is pulled back and their naked desires are exposed.
But Budget Chairman Harry Moberly's illegal groping is no laughing matter.
Moberly's House Bill 184, which is set to come up for a vote this afternoon in A&R, turns the Constitution of Kentucky on its head. We already endure budgets these days crafted behind closed doors and rammed down the throats of legislators with no prior scrutiny. That's plenty bad enough. But Moberly's favorite trick is to sneak permanent laws into budget bills, a practice the Constitution prohibits. Nearly two dozen such provisions were placed in the last spending plan.
HB 184 makes it legal to continue stuffing the budget full of measures that could not pass on their own merits, like earmarks in Congress. Emboldening Moberly by legalizing his tactics can not be tolerated any longer. There is not much chance Moberly's own committee will stand up to him this afternoon, but the people of Kentucky should band together to shine the light on such corrupt practices.
If we don't stop this kind of abuse now, we deserve what we will get.
Afternoon update: The House Budget Committee passed HB 184 with Moberly saying it has the support of the Governor. (Attempts to reach Governor Fletcher's office for comment were unsuccessful.) Moberly was defiant in support of his overreaching bill, saying "The budget bill is no different than any other bill." The Constitution of Kentucky disagrees with him. The budget bill is for appropriations. He also said he thought the leaders of General Assembly could put all of their legislation in one bill if they wanted to. Since the budget bill is now negotiated in private by a handful of legislators, this runs completely against our form of government. Chairman Moberly has clearly gotten too big for his britches.
But Budget Chairman Harry Moberly's illegal groping is no laughing matter.
Moberly's House Bill 184, which is set to come up for a vote this afternoon in A&R, turns the Constitution of Kentucky on its head. We already endure budgets these days crafted behind closed doors and rammed down the throats of legislators with no prior scrutiny. That's plenty bad enough. But Moberly's favorite trick is to sneak permanent laws into budget bills, a practice the Constitution prohibits. Nearly two dozen such provisions were placed in the last spending plan.
HB 184 makes it legal to continue stuffing the budget full of measures that could not pass on their own merits, like earmarks in Congress. Emboldening Moberly by legalizing his tactics can not be tolerated any longer. There is not much chance Moberly's own committee will stand up to him this afternoon, but the people of Kentucky should band together to shine the light on such corrupt practices.
If we don't stop this kind of abuse now, we deserve what we will get.
Afternoon update: The House Budget Committee passed HB 184 with Moberly saying it has the support of the Governor. (Attempts to reach Governor Fletcher's office for comment were unsuccessful.) Moberly was defiant in support of his overreaching bill, saying "The budget bill is no different than any other bill." The Constitution of Kentucky disagrees with him. The budget bill is for appropriations. He also said he thought the leaders of General Assembly could put all of their legislation in one bill if they wanted to. Since the budget bill is now negotiated in private by a handful of legislators, this runs completely against our form of government. Chairman Moberly has clearly gotten too big for his britches.
The Revolution Will Not Be Meaningful
This is not what they had in mind for internet video.
The much-hyped First 100 hours of Democrat rule of Congress has turned out to be such a waste of time they are trying to make a big deal out of video of the floor votes, for Heaven's sake. It would be funny if it weren't so pitiful.
The much-hyped First 100 hours of Democrat rule of Congress has turned out to be such a waste of time they are trying to make a big deal out of video of the floor votes, for Heaven's sake. It would be funny if it weren't so pitiful.
Cracking Down On Business Activity In Kentucky
If you have never made your living in sales, you may not have been the least bit offended by the rush to stop all sales calls to people's homes a few years ago. While I'm not exactly pining for the days of abusive, incompetent telemarketers, a bill sponsored by Rep. Mitchel Denham (D-Maysville) goes way too far as an attack against business people.
House Bill 433 literally makes it illegal to do business by calling someone's cell phone. Banning and punishing deceptive sales practices is a proper and welcome function of government. But criminalizing sales calls that happen to be received by a cell phone or blackberry is ridiculous.
House Bill 433 literally makes it illegal to do business by calling someone's cell phone. Banning and punishing deceptive sales practices is a proper and welcome function of government. But criminalizing sales calls that happen to be received by a cell phone or blackberry is ridiculous.
Monday, February 12, 2007
Bluegrass Bureaucrats To Defend Abuse Of Special Needs Students On Television Tonight
Kentucky Education Association President Frances Steenburgen and Jefferson County Teachers Association vice president Royce Whitman will go on the Kentucky Tonight program at 8 pm to explain their support for the poor treatment of special needs students in Kentucky schools.
Jim Waters from the Bluegrass Institute and LG Steve Pence will be on the program to question the status quo and to describe how HB 30 will help the children.
Jim Waters from the Bluegrass Institute and LG Steve Pence will be on the program to question the status quo and to describe how HB 30 will help the children.
Jimmy Carter Won A Grammy Last Night
... which helps put into perspective the Dixie Twits' awards. The MSM will portray the awards show as another "turning point" in the war, but feel free not to fall for it.
They even had Al Gore make an appearance. Don't show him this or he will start that shrieking stuff again.
They even had Al Gore make an appearance. Don't show him this or he will start that shrieking stuff again.
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Hillary On War, Health Care; And Questions
Sen. Hillary Clinton said she would not vote to defund the war and she doesn't think reforming health care should cost additional money.
Wow. Smart politics. Obama and Edwards are running left, splitting that vote and leaving a clear path to the nomination for Hillary.
Two questions remain: do we believe her when she says things like this that make sense? Does it matter if Republicans can't come up with -- or get behind -- a candidate who can win in November 2008?
A side note: Salon.com did an expose on Obama that is still up but they did remove the term "uppity" after liberal Daily Kos called them on it. Funny!
Wow. Smart politics. Obama and Edwards are running left, splitting that vote and leaving a clear path to the nomination for Hillary.
Two questions remain: do we believe her when she says things like this that make sense? Does it matter if Republicans can't come up with -- or get behind -- a candidate who can win in November 2008?
A side note: Salon.com did an expose on Obama that is still up but they did remove the term "uppity" after liberal Daily Kos called them on it. Funny!
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Live Blog Lincoln Day In Jessamine County
Governor Fletcher, Rep. Jeff Hoover, and Billy Harper all spoke to the Lincoln Day lunch in Jessamine county. The three posts that follow describe their comments. As much as the state Lincoln day event was held in Northup country, this is Fletcher country. As it turns out, Governor Fletcher easily carried the day on style points. If the GOP primary is going to send a challenger in to November to try to keep the office in Republican hands, it looks like something different is going to have to happen.
After the gubernatorial candidates spoke, other statewide candidates also addressed the crowd.
Linda Greenwell said that if the party doesn't get behind the gubernatorial nominee, Republicans will lose.
Lonnie Napier said "if you want someone who can lay the Democrat nominee to rest in November, you're looking at the man who can do it."
Tim Coleman, candidate for attorney general, said that he will use the practical experience he has gained being a prosecutor. "I'm not a politician with a law degree."
Stan Lee, candidate for attorney general, gave easily the most rousing speech of the day. "I want to restore public confidence in Attorney General's office. Right now the Attorney General's office has about the same credibility as the Designated Driver program for the Cincinnati Bengals."
"I am going to win this race because I have been an attorney for twenty years, which is also the same amount of time it would take little Jack Conway to grow a moustache."
"If you still believe in the party of God, family, and country, Stan Lee is your man."
Brett Hall spoke for the Melinda Wheeler for Treasurer, saying he would be very brief in his comments. He wasn't.
John Larson, a candidate for Attorney General, said he wants to "hold the line on spending for jails and prisons." Said he is going to increase fiscal responsibility in the prosecution of crimes, suggesting that younger generation is being "picked on" by overzealous prosecutors. "Prosecutors can establish more alternative programs ... shorter sentences ... discourage unnecessary legislation."
After the gubernatorial candidates spoke, other statewide candidates also addressed the crowd.
Linda Greenwell said that if the party doesn't get behind the gubernatorial nominee, Republicans will lose.
Lonnie Napier said "if you want someone who can lay the Democrat nominee to rest in November, you're looking at the man who can do it."
Tim Coleman, candidate for attorney general, said that he will use the practical experience he has gained being a prosecutor. "I'm not a politician with a law degree."
Stan Lee, candidate for attorney general, gave easily the most rousing speech of the day. "I want to restore public confidence in Attorney General's office. Right now the Attorney General's office has about the same credibility as the Designated Driver program for the Cincinnati Bengals."
"I am going to win this race because I have been an attorney for twenty years, which is also the same amount of time it would take little Jack Conway to grow a moustache."
"If you still believe in the party of God, family, and country, Stan Lee is your man."
Brett Hall spoke for the Melinda Wheeler for Treasurer, saying he would be very brief in his comments. He wasn't.
John Larson, a candidate for Attorney General, said he wants to "hold the line on spending for jails and prisons." Said he is going to increase fiscal responsibility in the prosecution of crimes, suggesting that younger generation is being "picked on" by overzealous prosecutors. "Prosecutors can establish more alternative programs ... shorter sentences ... discourage unnecessary legislation."
Billy Harper Speaks To Jessamine County
"The governor bringing chili kind of adds a new dimension to delivering pork." -- This little joke was delivered and received much, much better than a similar one given to the statewide Lincoln dinner.
"We have to invest whatever it takes so every first grade student has a reasonable chance to get a high school diploma."
"Every dollar this state spends should go for education and job creation."
"The first thing we can do is have state money follow the student. If they can get a better education in a different district we should allow that, even if it means school vouchers."
"We have to invest whatever it takes so every first grade student has a reasonable chance to get a high school diploma."
"Every dollar this state spends should go for education and job creation."
"The first thing we can do is have state money follow the student. If they can get a better education in a different district we should allow that, even if it means school vouchers."
Rep. Jeff Hoover Speaks
"During the past couple of years, I have worked closely with the Governor and I think he would tell you I have been a supporter of his."
"Anne and I had a discussion and we decided we would provide an alternative."
"I like Ernie Fletcher."
Regarding political problems of the Governor, "whether it is fair or unfair, it is what it is."
"When you have an election that will be focused on (scandals) we can not win. That is why we are providing an alternative."
"We can not afford to have the Democrats in charge of the executive branch of government again."
"We agree with a lot of the things the governor has said."
Hoover said the military exemption bill the governor is talking about was put up by Republican House members each of the last two years and died in part because the administration would not support it.
"We support repeal of the AMC." "That is a policy difference we have with the current administration."
Ducked question on school choice: "we just started the campaign three weeks ago." "We will be coming out with some specific policy positions very soon."
"Anne and I had a discussion and we decided we would provide an alternative."
"I like Ernie Fletcher."
Regarding political problems of the Governor, "whether it is fair or unfair, it is what it is."
"When you have an election that will be focused on (scandals) we can not win. That is why we are providing an alternative."
"We can not afford to have the Democrats in charge of the executive branch of government again."
"We agree with a lot of the things the governor has said."
Hoover said the military exemption bill the governor is talking about was put up by Republican House members each of the last two years and died in part because the administration would not support it.
"We support repeal of the AMC." "That is a policy difference we have with the current administration."
Ducked question on school choice: "we just started the campaign three weeks ago." "We will be coming out with some specific policy positions very soon."
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