The best thing about the Courier-Journal story on bogus campaign contributions is that anyone could have put this one together, but no one did.
The all-too-predictable response will be to make new campaign finance laws. But after we all got caught ignoring law-breaking, let's not lose sight of the fact that the necessary laws already exist.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Too Much Socialism For The Communists
As Kentucky lurches checkbook-first into the world of heavily subsidized "energy production," the world's largest experimenter in coal-to-liquid technology, China, is backing off. This is according to the Chinese National Development and Reform Commission.
Kentucky has already sunk more than $106 million into this stuff that has failed to be self-sufficient any place else.
We should cut our losses there.
Kentucky has already sunk more than $106 million into this stuff that has failed to be self-sufficient any place else.
We should cut our losses there.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
No Newt In 2008
Newt Gingrich ended speculation today that he might run for president in 2008.
Over the past few months, Gingrich had stoked speculation he might enter the crowded GOP field. He noted that Republicans, especially conservatives, were unhappy with the candidates already in the race.
Yet he also has spoken positively of all the leading contenders, including former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson and Arizona Sen. John McCain.
Honor Among Thieves
I love this one:
Given the potential public policy implications of such a lawsuit, can gambling proceeds recipients really afford to have disgruntled gamblers suing to get some of their money back using what amounts to a "temporary insanity" plea?
What's next, nicotine addicts suing the state and federal governments to get their tobacco taxes back? And what would that mean for the "the children" whose government health insurance is funded by those smokers?
Would "the kids" have a lawsuit against the smokers? Maybe "the kids" should start working up a lawsuit against compulsive gamblers.
A request by Caesars Indiana to dismiss a Tennessee woman's lawsuit claiming that the casino took advantage of her gambling addiction was rejected yesterday by a Harrison County judge.
Circuit Judge H. Lloyd Whitis' ruling in the case of Jenny Kephart could open the door to a trial examining a casino's duty in handling compulsive gamblers.
Given the potential public policy implications of such a lawsuit, can gambling proceeds recipients really afford to have disgruntled gamblers suing to get some of their money back using what amounts to a "temporary insanity" plea?
What's next, nicotine addicts suing the state and federal governments to get their tobacco taxes back? And what would that mean for the "the children" whose government health insurance is funded by those smokers?
Would "the kids" have a lawsuit against the smokers? Maybe "the kids" should start working up a lawsuit against compulsive gamblers.
Friday, September 28, 2007
Californial Dreamin' Makes Sense For Kentucky
Newport Beach, California city council members killed a proposal this week to require a public vote before increasing pension benefits for public employees.
Kentucky and all its municipalities should do what Newport Beach didn't have the courage to do. And we should do it immediately.
If nothing else, by pushing back against the multi-billion dollar sea of red ink our politicians have poured on us with pension goodies for their cronies, we might get to see some serious issues aired out like this:
Kentucky and all its municipalities should do what Newport Beach didn't have the courage to do. And we should do it immediately.
If nothing else, by pushing back against the multi-billion dollar sea of red ink our politicians have poured on us with pension goodies for their cronies, we might get to see some serious issues aired out like this:
The Pilot also quoted the head of the city's firefighters union, arguing that the initiative would "be ground zero of a statewide war. … We don't want to go there." Well, a political war is brewing, as government pensions have gotten out of hand and as pension debt has soared. We know why the unions don't want to go there, given that they have the cushiest deal imaginable. But someone is going to have to go there, given that the current situation cannot be sustained without leading to bonds, tax increases or reduction in other government programs.
Writing in the Register's Orange Grove earlier this month, Lincoln Club officials Richard Wagner and David Bahnsen pointed out that San Francisco has had such a pension-vote measure for 100 years, which has resulted in that city having a fully funded pension system that is the model for the nation. San Diego voters approved a similar measure after "a string of pension mismanagement scandals resulted in a $1.3 billion retirement-fund shortfall that nearly caused the city to declare bankruptcy and led to five felony indictments of union, city and pension officials in January 2006."
Better Yesterday Than Never
They probably should have hopped on this wagon over the summer when everyone else was hot on immigration, but the Fletcher administration has engaged on getting tough with illegals.
Good.
Good.
College Affordability Challenge
In an email to constituents this morning, Congressman Ben Chandler repeated a bogus "statistic" that 200,000 students don't go to college each year because they can't afford it.
That is complete bunk.
I will personally show anyone struggling with financing a college education how to get it done. Just email me.
And the less money you have, the easier it will be.
That is complete bunk.
I will personally show anyone struggling with financing a college education how to get it done. Just email me.
And the less money you have, the easier it will be.
Thanks To Bunning And McConnell
Kentucky's U.S. Senators both voted yesterday against the liberal "Middle-Class Kids Need HillaryCare Now" bill.
The bill passed by a veto-proof margin in the Senate, but as long as the House Republicans hold strong, Hillary will not get her way on this one.
The bill passed by a veto-proof margin in the Senate, but as long as the House Republicans hold strong, Hillary will not get her way on this one.
Rep. Yonts Incentivizing Crime-Free Students
Rep. Brent Yonts pre-filed a bill yesterday that is worthy of discussion. The bill offers a financial incentive for high school and college to avoid illegal use of drugs and alcohol and other various forms of illegal activity. It also provides some tax deductibility for college tuition costs.
Unfortunately, a discrepancy between the actual bill and the Legislative Research Commission's description of the bill may cause some confusion.
The bill refers to assistance with tuition expenses, but the bill description claims the program will provide scholarships for "up to 100 percent of the total cost of education." This is not correct.
Anyone who has financed a college education knows "tuition" is only a fraction of the "total cost of education," which includes room and board, transportation, books, fees, and -- more frequently these days -- purchase of a computer.
Unfortunately, a discrepancy between the actual bill and the Legislative Research Commission's description of the bill may cause some confusion.
The bill refers to assistance with tuition expenses, but the bill description claims the program will provide scholarships for "up to 100 percent of the total cost of education." This is not correct.
Anyone who has financed a college education knows "tuition" is only a fraction of the "total cost of education," which includes room and board, transportation, books, fees, and -- more frequently these days -- purchase of a computer.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Update On Jody Richards Paycheck Scandal
He's giving himself a huge payday loan, I guess.
Jody Richards keeps telling people he is going to turn in the excess taxpayer money House members received after Democrats surrendered the special session in July.
He still hasn't paid up. Should we check his freezer at home?
Jody Richards keeps telling people he is going to turn in the excess taxpayer money House members received after Democrats surrendered the special session in July.
He still hasn't paid up. Should we check his freezer at home?
Would Governor Beshear Tax Health Benefits?
Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm is threatening to shut down state government starting Monday if she doesn't get some tax increases, pronto.
Here's one Steve Beshear will like a lot: some Michigan legislators want to start taxing health insurance benefits.
How better to raise money to pay to resuscitate and hospitalize the thousands of Kentucky middle-class surburbanites dying in the streets for lack of government health insurance?
This plan would mesh well with Beshear's welfare for politicians plan and his plan to subsidize the out-of-state casino mafia.
Here's one Steve Beshear will like a lot: some Michigan legislators want to start taxing health insurance benefits.
How better to raise money to pay to resuscitate and hospitalize the thousands of Kentucky middle-class surburbanites dying in the streets for lack of government health insurance?
This plan would mesh well with Beshear's welfare for politicians plan and his plan to subsidize the out-of-state casino mafia.
Let's Destroy All Farming Like We Did Tobacco
A funny thing happened to the tobacco industry that was supposed to die with deregulation and the tobacco buyout.
It is booming and there's no reason to expect other domestic agriculture products would respond differently to getting government out of the way.
It is booming and there's no reason to expect other domestic agriculture products would respond differently to getting government out of the way.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Carpet Bombing The Fayette County Jail
The FBI hit the jail in Lexington again today to drop off subpoenas in the ongoing inmate abuse scandal.
The grand jury meets tomorrow.
The grand jury meets tomorrow.
While We're Talking About Gambling
The Democratic party's candidate for Treasurer Todd Hollenbach actually wants to expand the money-losing KAPT program, which our legislature has mercifully closed to new losses. This drain on taxpayer funds hasn't been explored as Steve Beshear's plan to soak Kentuckians with casino gambling losses has gotten all the attention.
GOP candidate Melinda Wheeler has a much more sensible plan: she promises to shut down the Treasurer's office, which serves currently as an expensive resting place for politicians.
GOP candidate Melinda Wheeler has a much more sensible plan: she promises to shut down the Treasurer's office, which serves currently as an expensive resting place for politicians.
Supporting Republicans Who Act Like Republicans
Kentucky's entire GOP delegation in the U.S. House voted yesterday against expanding government health insurance to more middle-class families.
Good. Much of what ails America can't be fixed without entitlement reform. And that means fewer entitlements for people who are better off without them.
Immigration wouldn't be a problem if everyone were coming here to be productive. Public and private pensions wouldn't be melting down absent the short-sighted greed of union negotiators. Medicare and Social Security are on a collision course with reality. Hillary and her storm troopers march determinedly toward making it worse as soon as possible.
Predictably, Democrats think Hal Rogers, Ed Whitfield, Geoff Davis, and Ron Lewis made a political mistake on this vote. They deserve our thanks and our support for this vote. The only thing that would make it better would be to let the program die off completely. But I suspect we will have to be happy for now with slowing its rapid expansion.
When the left's prediction of death of middle-class kids in the streets fails to materialize, we will have more hard evidence for avoiding socialized medicine once and for all.
That's what liberal critics are afraid of.
1:02 Update: Nicholasville Conservative recommends an article from John Stossel on this subject. It's a good one.
Good. Much of what ails America can't be fixed without entitlement reform. And that means fewer entitlements for people who are better off without them.
Immigration wouldn't be a problem if everyone were coming here to be productive. Public and private pensions wouldn't be melting down absent the short-sighted greed of union negotiators. Medicare and Social Security are on a collision course with reality. Hillary and her storm troopers march determinedly toward making it worse as soon as possible.
Predictably, Democrats think Hal Rogers, Ed Whitfield, Geoff Davis, and Ron Lewis made a political mistake on this vote. They deserve our thanks and our support for this vote. The only thing that would make it better would be to let the program die off completely. But I suspect we will have to be happy for now with slowing its rapid expansion.
When the left's prediction of death of middle-class kids in the streets fails to materialize, we will have more hard evidence for avoiding socialized medicine once and for all.
That's what liberal critics are afraid of.
1:02 Update: Nicholasville Conservative recommends an article from John Stossel on this subject. It's a good one.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Acting More Like Democrats
DNC Chair Howard Dean is pushing the Democratic party to the left through the organization that survived his run for president. He is raising money for more consistently "progressive" candidates like Donna Edwards who is running against Maryland Congressman Al Wynn, who Dean refers to as a "Bush Democrat."
And yes, I know Democracy for America is officially run by Mad Howard's brother Jim. If Jim were really going too far left for Howard, though, DFA would be shut down immediately.
And yes, I know Democracy for America is officially run by Mad Howard's brother Jim. If Jim were really going too far left for Howard, though, DFA would be shut down immediately.
Is Beshear Playing Dumb Or Is It You?
As Ryan Alessi's latest revelation about Steve Beshear's role in the destruction of Kentucky Central comes to light ...
... Beshear's previous memory-related comments make a little more sense:
Just don't say you weren't warned.
And, of course, when it comes to policy we always have this:
The court-appointed liquidator of Kentucky Central at one point barred Steve Beshear from doing further work on the case and informed Beshear that his law firm would have to pay for an ethics investigation, documents show.
This comes after Beshear, the Democratic nominee for governor, has repeatedly claimed he didn't recall anything about a secret ethics report by a Cincinnati firm, Porter, Wright, Morris & Arthur. And he recently said he wasn't aware his former firm, Stites & Harbison, paid more than $100,000 for it.
... Beshear's previous memory-related comments make a little more sense:
"When I say 'I don't recall,' if later you come up with something that says I was there, that's OK because I'm being up front in saying I don't recall because this is, what, 14 years ago?" he said.
Just don't say you weren't warned.
And, of course, when it comes to policy we always have this:
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