Governor Fletcher's campaign sent out a release this afternoon touting Bell County Fiscal Court's resolution to reject casinos.
This is a good thing and other counties will surely follow suit.
Folks, this is your vote on casinos. And the people who are upset about this need to move fast to escape Steve Beshear's slavish devotion to out-of-state casino operators.
Maybe the Republican Party of Kentucky should send out doctored pictures of Steve Beshear's head pasted on top of Princess Leia's body when she was Jabba the Hutt's slave on Tatooine.
Friday, August 17, 2007
Rudy Giuliani's Macaca Moment
This comment about his time at ground zero will end the Giuliani campaign:
Thursday, August 16, 2007
CYA: Why The FCDC Is Releasing Videos
The ongoing Department of Justice investigation into prisoner abuse at the Fayette County Detention Center has City Hall so rattled they are releasing to the media internal video of a by-the-book takedown of a mouthy inmate in a high-profile arrest.
Will this provide sufficient cover to the still-employed miscreants at the jail and their enablers at City Hall when the feds come in to make their arrests?
No. And it isn't even a good try.
Will this provide sufficient cover to the still-employed miscreants at the jail and their enablers at City Hall when the feds come in to make their arrests?
No. And it isn't even a good try.
Bush Veto Will Save Kentucky $600 Million
Kentucky would lose more money than any other state but Florida over the next five years under the U.S. Senate's S-CHIP expansion plan, according to a Heritage Foundation report.
The Jonathan Miller Act Of 2008
Senator Damon Thayer (R-Georgetown) is putting together a bill to shut down the political rest area known as the state treasurer's office.
State Allows Some Medical Proliferation
Kentucky's certificate of need laws give the state the power to decide who needs how much supply of what medical service.
According to the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, more health providers leads to higher healthcare prices.
It will be interesting to see how much of an increase Louisville hospital patients will suffer now that the state has has agreed to allow Jewish Hospital to add 75 beds.
As any freshman economics student quickly learns, increased supply causes lower prices.
While we are at it, could we get the CHFS to victimize Jessamine County just a little bit? We don't have a hospital at all. Frankly, when it comes to the economic theory of health care bureaucrats in Frankfort versus the real world, it looks like Kentucky could use a lot more of this proliferation stuff.
According to the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, more health providers leads to higher healthcare prices.
The purpose of Kentucky's Certificate of Need process is to prevent the proliferation of health care facilities, health services and major medical equipment which increases the cost of quality health care in the commonwealth.
It will be interesting to see how much of an increase Louisville hospital patients will suffer now that the state has has agreed to allow Jewish Hospital to add 75 beds.
As any freshman economics student quickly learns, increased supply causes lower prices.
While we are at it, could we get the CHFS to victimize Jessamine County just a little bit? We don't have a hospital at all. Frankly, when it comes to the economic theory of health care bureaucrats in Frankfort versus the real world, it looks like Kentucky could use a lot more of this proliferation stuff.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Not Good: Keeping Merit Hiring On The Front Page
Governor Fletcher's campaign manager was quick again today to declare victory in the ongoing merit hiring scandal when the Executive Branch Ethics Commission ended its investigation into the Governor's involvement.
Does anyone really think this is going to win back any support for the Governor's campaign?
Given that the Ethics Commission apparently only seems to have been able to find actionable fault with former administration officials who supported Anne Northup in the primary, I would have to guess it won't.
"This letter is being released as further evidence that the (Attorney General Greg) Stumbo led witch-hunt was pure political opportunism that is now being trumpeted by Steve Beshear,” said Marty Ryall, campaign manager for Fletcher, in a news release.
Does anyone really think this is going to win back any support for the Governor's campaign?
Given that the Ethics Commission apparently only seems to have been able to find actionable fault with former administration officials who supported Anne Northup in the primary, I would have to guess it won't.
Same Old Education Spin In Kentucky
The ACT has issued their state-by-state average test scores and the Lexington Herald Leader dutifully marched out and interviewed state education commissioner Kevin Noland, who was more than happy to take credit for the slight increase.
What the bureacrats and their adoring fans in the MSM don't want you to know is the statewide statistics include private and home-schooled students. A breakout of those numbers will be available soon. They will likely show -- again -- an actual decrease among public school students and the media will ignore the real story -- again.
"The ACT results are valuable because they provide another means for Kentucky's secondary educators to focus attention on specific areas," said Interim Education Commissioner Kevin Noland. "Kentucky's students are making progress, and that is most evident when we look at long-term trends."
What the bureacrats and their adoring fans in the MSM don't want you to know is the statewide statistics include private and home-schooled students. A breakout of those numbers will be available soon. They will likely show -- again -- an actual decrease among public school students and the media will ignore the real story -- again.
More Bad -- But Fixable -- KDE News
The Bluegrass Institute's Dick Innes reports the education testing people at ACT will introduce this fall a testing solution Kentucky desperately needs, but that education bureaucrats will resist.
Innes is the education analyst for the Bluegrass Institute.
Someone in the legislature should step forward as an education leader and force the KDE to abandon tests they can manipulate in favor of those that will better serve our children.
ACT will have "a coordinated set of curriculum outlines for about 16 college preparation courses and corresponding end of course exams," Innes said. "Right now, the Kentucky Department of Education is very slowly trying to create end of course exams in just a couple of subjects."
Innes is the education analyst for the Bluegrass Institute.
Someone in the legislature should step forward as an education leader and force the KDE to abandon tests they can manipulate in favor of those that will better serve our children.
Jack Conway, Kentucky's Angry Liberal Pol
Anti-business, pandering redistributionist, and loud. If Conway didn't look the part, he would be a laughingstock.
Monday, August 13, 2007
Yellow Jacket Tuesday Open Thread
I'm taking my son to Atlanta for college on Tuesday. Talk to you Wednesday!
Hey Coach, Put Richie In
Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer gets discounted as a conservative leader because of his athletic career at UK and his eastern Kentucky roots. But an emerging strategy for a bold fall campaign could change that dramatically.
Early polling shows Farmer continuing his prolific voter attraction from 2003 and extending it this fall against a dreadful Democratic nominee who will be lucky to stay out of jail. Farmer's many accomplishments in office have given him quite a story to tell. What he does next could have a lasting, positive impact on the state.
Early polling shows Farmer continuing his prolific voter attraction from 2003 and extending it this fall against a dreadful Democratic nominee who will be lucky to stay out of jail. Farmer's many accomplishments in office have given him quite a story to tell. What he does next could have a lasting, positive impact on the state.
"The Stress Of Success"
Massachusetts officials admit to the Boston Globe they are losing over half of the applications mailed to them for the state's new socialized medicine plan.
Thomas Dehner, the state's Medicaid director, calls it "the stress of success."
Does Kentucky really want to go through this mess again? Steve Beshear thinks so and Governor Fletcher has made troubling comments recently.
A little common sense on health care regulation shouldn't be so hard to muster. We keep trying more and more regulation and keep getting negative results. I guess we can keep doing that until we bankrupt the state.
Thomas Dehner, the state's Medicaid director, calls it "the stress of success."
Does Kentucky really want to go through this mess again? Steve Beshear thinks so and Governor Fletcher has made troubling comments recently.
A little common sense on health care regulation shouldn't be so hard to muster. We keep trying more and more regulation and keep getting negative results. I guess we can keep doing that until we bankrupt the state.
Liberty, Security, Or Neither?
Anti-war activists like to co-opt the old quote about people willing to trade their liberty for their security deserving neither when opposing federal efforts to track domestic terrorist activity.
The same people like to decry the plight of the poor, overworked low wage American worker who just needs a union to fight off "the man" for him. But it seems we have more evidence that poverty would diminish on its own if more people simply turned off the television and went to work.
The same people like to decry the plight of the poor, overworked low wage American worker who just needs a union to fight off "the man" for him. But it seems we have more evidence that poverty would diminish on its own if more people simply turned off the television and went to work.
Bring On The Former Presidential Candidates
It is time for failing presidential campaigns to start ending. Today it is former Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson. With any luck, Sen. John McCain will be next.
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Daily Kos Takes Credit For Ben Chandler
The extreme left-wingers took a break today from forcing the Democratic party over the cliff on national defense and any semblance of fiscal sanity to take credit for electing Blue Dogs to Congress.
It is amazing to see Kos pat himself on the back for electing the last legacy politician in Kentucky and with a straight face continue to run away from the liberal label in favor of the preferred "progressive" term (which apparently means to pre-emptively surrender all potential military actions, shut down international trade, and stick everyone in a union):
Rep. Chandler has already run away from Montana left-wing polemicist Mark Nickolas. How fast will he duck and cover to escape a bunch who wants to chase off Hillary Clinton for being too conservative?
It is amazing to see Kos pat himself on the back for electing the last legacy politician in Kentucky and with a straight face continue to run away from the liberal label in favor of the preferred "progressive" term (which apparently means to pre-emptively surrender all potential military actions, shut down international trade, and stick everyone in a union):
"This had nothing to do with being centrist or liberal or conservative. It had to do with standing tall for core progressive principles. In fact one of the first people we supported was Stephanie Herseth in South Dakota who is now a Blue Dog. Ben Chandler in Kentucky."
Rep. Chandler has already run away from Montana left-wing polemicist Mark Nickolas. How fast will he duck and cover to escape a bunch who wants to chase off Hillary Clinton for being too conservative?
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Backward Step On Most Basic Human Right
A pro-life source with inside knowledge of the campaigns of Steve Beshear and Jack Conway reports the two are planning a repeal of Kentucky's fetal homicide law utilizing Attorney General opinions declaring that a fetus is not a person.
Rep. Stan Lee sponsored the original fetal homicide bill in 2004, requiring that anyone charged with killing a pregnant woman and her unborn child be charged with two deaths. Governor Ernie Fletcher signed the fetal homicide bill into law.
Steve Beshear declared in a 1982 Attorney General opinion that an unborn child is not a "person" and instead only becomes "human" at some later point he did not specify.
Rep. Stan Lee sponsored the original fetal homicide bill in 2004, requiring that anyone charged with killing a pregnant woman and her unborn child be charged with two deaths. Governor Ernie Fletcher signed the fetal homicide bill into law.
Steve Beshear declared in a 1982 Attorney General opinion that an unborn child is not a "person" and instead only becomes "human" at some later point he did not specify.
It Is August, Where's Our Stupid Tax Holiday Bill?
On a day in which the Louisville Courier Journal wastes valuable ink setting the stage for an editorial calling for tax increases to fund crayons, notebooks, and clothes for schoolchildren, I have a question.
When will someone file another bill "giving" Kentucky parents a back-to-school sales tax holiday?
Rather than feel-good legislation though, wouldn't it be better if we repealed corporate income taxes across the board for the whole year? Consumers wind up paying them anyway, in addition to business compliance costs and avoidance techniques.
Bad tax policies hurt everyone in the state. Dropping sales tax on a few items for one weekend each fall does nothing at all to improve that.
When will someone file another bill "giving" Kentucky parents a back-to-school sales tax holiday?
Rather than feel-good legislation though, wouldn't it be better if we repealed corporate income taxes across the board for the whole year? Consumers wind up paying them anyway, in addition to business compliance costs and avoidance techniques.
Bad tax policies hurt everyone in the state. Dropping sales tax on a few items for one weekend each fall does nothing at all to improve that.
Bloggers To Kill Off More Newspapers?
Well, not exactly. Not yet anyway. But if Rupert Murdoch takes the online version of the Wall Street Journal from subscription to free, you will see a lot of newspapers go down the tubes as a direct result.
Further changes to how information is delivered will have a very interesting impact on our political process.
Further changes to how information is delivered will have a very interesting impact on our political process.
If These People Did This To My Kids, I Would Be Going To Jail For A Long Time
And the thing is, if this happened in my local school district, I would be joined by a whole lot of friends in tearing these people limb from limb. If only we could match our social conservatism in this state with activism for education quality and for fiscal conservatism, we wouldn't be in a lot of our current messes.
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