Empty Symbolic Gestures Can Be Fun!

We can wait patiently while taxpayers fund Governor Beshear's drywall hanging stunt, but if he really wants to improve accountability he needs to talk seriously about making government more transparent.

Isn't Mike Huckabee Satan's Brother?

Gov. Mitt Romney gave his "don't hit me; I'm a Mormon" speech so Gov. Mike Huckabee, of course, had to hit him.

I think Huckabee could have done a lot better than this.

Today I'm With Ron Paul and Mike Huckabee

This is not, repeat NOT, a presidential endorsement.

Instead, it is a statement that I'm in favor of a bold federal tax reform plan call the Fair Tax.

Rep. Paul and Governor Huckabee have several problems with their campaigns, but being wusses on tax reform isn't one of them.

I'll be a guest on the Leland Conway radio show this morning at 11:30 talking about the Fair Tax. You can listen on 630 AM WLAP or www.wlap.com.

Will Beshear Look At Lexington Jail?

None of the 89 names on former Governor Ernie Fletcher's last-minute pardon list work at the Fayette County Detention Center. If that's what you were counting on, I'm sorry about your luck.

Meanwhile, one thing jumped out from the coverage of Governor Beshear's inaugural address:

Beshear said he would introduce a legislative package that would strengthen penalties for ethics violations, improve protection for whistleblowers and change the way appointments are made to the Executive Branch Ethics Commission.

It's easy to guess Beshear is talking about merit system whistleblowers. But does he know something about the mess Lexington officials have made of their local jail and the systematic abuse of whistleblower Cpl. John Vest?

Speculation at the jail has the long-awaited federal indictments coming down very soon. But that isn't the important part. With the indictments comes the unsealing of the evidence the FBI collected in their 2006 raid on FCDC. You may remember: that's the hundreds of hours of video and audio evidence which brought dozens of FBI agents in to storm the jail and pull out even more evidence. This is the evidence Mayor Teresa Isaac claimed to have examined thoroughly in a one night cram session.

If he hasn't already, Governor Beshear would do very well to look into this fiasco right away. Getting to the bottom of Mayor Jim Newberry's stunning mishandling of this sorry episode presents a fabulous opportunity for the state's new chief executive.

Global Warming Thaws Frankfort Hiring Freeze

The city of Frankfort is determined to cut energy usage (there is a joke in there about hot air but, never mind...) and so they have decided to start, of course, with hiring a city sustainability coordinator despite the city's hiring freeze.

Another Politician Who Doesn't Know Where He Is

Madison County Judge Executive Kent "Otis" Clark has resolved his latest alcohol-related issue, but not without causing a stir.

When Shirley told Clark he was under arrest, the judge-executive became "very argumentative and began yelling," according to the citation. The document said Clark didn't really resist arrest, but was uncooperative.

"He caused quite a scene," Russell Springs Police Chief Joe Michael Irvin said in an interview.
...
In June 2004, Clark was charged with alcohol intoxication after he was found passed out on a Lexington sidewalk. An arrest citation said Clark did not know what city he was in. Clark pleaded guilty and paid a fine, according to court records.

As Governor Steve "I'm gonna pass it" Beshear lands in Frankfort today, we will wait for his casino industry giveaway ranting and raving to die down a little bit before gently reminding him he is in Kentucky and we don't do things that way around here.

Rich Brooks, Call Your Lobbyist

Tim Tebow grew up a home-schooled student in Florida. Florida has a law that allows home-schooled students to play high school sports. Tim Tebow played high school sports and is now the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner and University of Florida quarterback.

Alabama is working on passing a law.

Ask Mitt Anything Easy

I signed on to an "Ask Mitt Anything" internet chat session this afternoon and quickly submitted a half dozen policy questions to the moderator.

What a waste.

All the questions that got through were about how great Romney's "Mormon" speech was, what a great leader he is, what a jerk Huckabee is, and how can we send more money to the campaign.

No questions of any substance got through at all. Well, maybe one, but that question about abortion got a run-around answer.

Still looking for a candidate...

Actions Speak: Harry Moberly's Macaca

Sen. Mitch McConnell is certainly fortunate no one was running a video camera on November 28 when he spoke in Grayson county. Otherwise, this video would be his "macaca" moment.

As it is, he has a chance to explain. His campaign says he was taken out of context by his opponents and that the entire quote better explains that he was talking about funding the troops.

“Our brave soldiers have protected us for six years successfully. If we brought all of them home today (terrorists) they would be back here, so we need to stay the course. It's gotten better and there is a dramatic decrease in causalities and we have begun to withdraw troops.” said McConnell. ”The polls are reflecting that there is a 15% increase in optimism in American's views about the war.

“I won't tell you everything is great in Iraq; it is not. But we want to keep a steady flow of funds so that we don't disrupt the military,” said McConnell. “Unfortunately, most of our friends on the other isle are having a hard time admitting things are getting better; some days I almost think the critics of this war don't want us to win. Nobody is happy about losing lives but remember these are not draftees, these are full-time professional soldiers.

“We ought to provide funding fully without restrictions and without Congress micromanaging the war, ” added Mcconnell.

Whether this context totally eliminates the damage from what was certainly an ill-advised comment, no one really believes McConnell isn't concerned about volunteer soldiers.

The misplaced rage in this case might be put to better use in Kentucky by turning itself toward the very real conflict of interest our state's House Budget Chairman was caught in the same week.

But his political affiliation probably has something to do with that.

Stumbo Contribution Scam Overlooked

The Lexington Herald Leader reprised its familiar role this week as press release printer for Attorney General Greg Stumbo. In the release (I mean story), Stumbo reminds Kentuckians that not everyone asking for money this holiday season is what they portray themselves to be.

Stumbo held a news conference in his Capitol office with Better Business Bureau officials to publicize his office's Web site to show how much of consumers' donations actually go to charity.

No mention of the fact contributors to Stumbo's Senate campaign will get nothing when he drops out of the race.

CJ Questions Brain Development In Others

The Louisville Courier Journal editorial page seeks this morning to downplay concerns about potential conflicts of interest in the Beshear administration, calling it "moralistic hyperbole."

In the very next editorial, though, we get this:

And that's notwithstanding one conservative scholar's ridiculous claim that teens who became pregnant were "highly educated about contraceptives but wanted to have babies." His line of reasoning is easily discredited by scientific findings that teenage brains are works in progress. Development is slow in the region of the brain that allows one to fully consider the consequences of actions, for oneself or for others.

We might call that "amoralistic hyperbole." In any case, I'm glad the CJ editors didn't raise my children.

Score One For Mitch McConnell

Senate Democrats had no choice but to go along with the Republican plan to cut the Alternative Minimum Tax without keeping their campaign promise to match tax cuts with revenue neutral tax increases.

Think the mortgage bailout won't affect you?

Think again.

The General Assembly Is Coming!

Monday morning I will be on the Jack Pattie Show in Lexington at 9:00 talking about bills coming up in Frankfort and the session that starts January 8.

You can listen on 590 AM or www.wvlkam.com and you can follow the legislative activity in Kentucky by going to KentuckyVotes.org.

Scrooged By Mayor Jim Newberry

Fayette County Detention Center whistleblower Cpl. John Vest helped spark an FBI raid on the Lexington jail over a year ago. For his trouble -- and despite Kentucky legal protections for whistleblowers -- Vest has been on unpaid leave all this time and has had to fight repeated efforts by the city to fire him. Officials continue to claim the ongoing Justice Department investigation is without merit.

Just learned tonight, though, Vest was granted vacation time for Thanksgiving. Could Mayor Newberry be changing his tune? It will be interesting to see what Newberry does at Christmas.

Shining Light On Kentucky Tax Dollars

A new bill just pre-filed in Frankfort might help open up the process to greater scrutiny, but the bill isn't perfect.

Terwort's Rope-A-Dope

Conservative candidate Will Terwort, running for the 63rd House seat formerly held by Education Commissioner Jon Draud, has started planning his first fundraiser for the primary election in May.

His Republican opponents are vying for a nomination from the Kenton County Republican Executive Committee, a spot in the special election, and a guarantee of being stuck in Frankfort while Terwort campaigns in the district.

"I'm taking my message directly to the people of the 63rd district," Terwort said.

Rudy Cuts Through Bluegrass

Johnathan Gay has up not one, but two, great posts about Rudy Giuliani.

Final Word On Chamber of Commerce Ed Report

You may have noticed several media stories on the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce higher education report.

Dick Innes of the Bluegrass Institute has a take you won't get from the mainstream media.

Covering Up For Jonathan Miller

No idea how long Kentucky's MSM has been sitting on this evidence of Finance Secretary-designate Jonathan Miller illegally using state resources for his personal business.

Jim Newberry Not The Efficiency Fairy

Lexington Mayor Jim Newberry's personnel policies in office haven't exactly inspired confidence.

Now we find out city employees signing up for benefits are spending an average of nearly three hours each online and with a representative doing an on-the-clock enrollment.

Remind me again why Lexington voters were so eager to get rid of Teresa Isaac.

Competition, Web Killing The Corporate Tax Man

The rationale for what we now call the Limited Liability Entity Tax was that some companies were shifting taxable revenue to lower-tax states.

The growth of internet shopping is doing the same thing, isn't it?

And then we spend economic development crediting back taxes to corporations to either come here or stay here and provide jobs to Kentuckians.

Now that Republicans and Democrats agree the LLET needs to go, shouldn't we consider phasing out our corporate income tax as well?

After all, even Massachusetts is considering ending taxes of corporations.

What's Wrong With Polwatchers, The Arena?

It has now been four days since the Lexington Herald Leader called on House Budget Chairman Harry Moberly (D-Richmond) to step down, given the clear conflict of interest in taking a high-level position with Eastern Kentucky University one week ago.

In fact, both major newspapers in the state -- neither of which has made a habit of asking Democrats to resign from anything -- have pointed out Moberly's conflict, but the political blogs of both papers have been completely silent on the controversy swirling around Moberly who, like his comrade Sen. Ed Worley (D-Richmond) always seems to have some kind of trouble with the law.

Cat got your tongue?

Bad Economics From KY Chamber of Commerce

With a tighter budget expected in Frankfort in January, it is imperative the discussion is based on reality. The Kentucky Chamber of Commerce higher education report released today isn't really a step in that direction.

A key part of the Chamber's proposal is the Kentucky 21st Century Scholars Program.

Are We Denying Liberties Or Saving Money?

The Kentucky Club for Growth is butting heads with the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce over the Chamber's support for a statewide smoking ban and boost to the cigarette tax.

"The Kentucky Club for Growth is amazed that with all of the (public) education bureaucrats that have infiltrated the chamber, not one of them is teaching basic economics to its leadership," the Club said in a statement.

"The Club for Growth said if the "goal of the chamber to reduce smoking is to reduce health care costs, at what point does the chamber start lobbying for a fast-food and doughnut tax?"

If what we are really concerned with is saving public health dollars, why not just cut people off of state welfare benefits unless they can test negative for nicotine?

Carroll Hunting For Successor

Senator Julian Carroll is looking for a candidate to run for his seat in 2008 so he can spend more time with his family.

Voting Noe

Someone is going to replace Lieutenant Governor-elect Dan Mongiardo in the state Senate in a January special election. Democratic candidate Roger Noe seems to be off to a bad start trying to position himself in the eastern Kentucky district.

Pretty funny to watch.

Begging The Question: What Is A Right-Wing Extremist In Education?

When Education Commissioner Jon Draud was asked if he is a right-wing extremist "when it comes to education," he said that he has always supported public education, so he isn't one.

Here is audio of the quote.

I guess what we need is a definition of an education "right-wing extremist" so we can be on the lookout should one happen to come along.

Kenton County Candidate Conundrum

The 63rd House district special election will almost certainly be won by the Republican nominee. The Kenton county GOP executive committee gets to pick the nominee.

And they have been given their marching orders from what's left of the establishment in Frankfort.

But Will Terwort will be the fiscal conservative in the primary in May when the voters get to decide. RPK should stay out of this.

Here Come The Thompsons

Fred Thompson's wife, Jeri, will be in Louisville on Tuesday for a private get-together with supporters.

Are Polwatchers Boycotting Their Boss?

A full 24 hours after the Lexington Herald Leader joined Kentucky Progress and the Louisville Courier Journal in asking Budget Chairman Harry Moberly to rectify his conflict of interest by resigning, there is not one single word about it on the paper's political blog.

What's up guys, boycotting your own paper?

Here is an exerpt from Friday's Herald Leader:

Ethical government, it bears repeating, involves not just avoiding conflicts of interest but also avoiding their appearance or the potential for them.

For that reason, state Rep. Harry Moberly, D-Richmond, should give up his powerful legislative chairmanship if he continues serving as the top financial administrator at Eastern Kentucky University...
Moberly also should decide where his first loyalty lies and act accordingly.

This is a terrific opportunity for Kentucky's independent blogosphere to assert itself and give fellow Kentuckians reason to follow our lead, don't you agree?

Trading In RINOs

Will Terwort is running to replace Rep. Jon Draud in Frankfort, who has resigned to take a position as education commissioner.

Terwort's best position is his promise not to vote for any budget that increases the level of the state's bonded indebtedness.

Friday In Kentucky Blogdom

I'm curious this morning to hear from readers about what Kentucky political blogs you read and why you read them.

A little help?

Political Gimmickry Gone Wrong

Rep. Jim Glenn has dredged up the old "sales tax holiday" gimmick House Dems try to run up the flagpole every year. Special wrinkles in the bill remove some of the good from previous bills, namely computers, and add a bunch of junk retailers won't be happy with.

Other states attempt to hype these "sales tax holidays," which provide little or no real savings and serve mainly to shift, rather than create, economic activity. A real tax cut would be much, much better than this waste of time.

Call To Action For Kentucky Schools

I've been trying the last couple of years to drum up support for a simple school policy change I believe will have a positive impact on our schools.

My efforts have brought very limited success (Ernie Fletcher thought I was talking about mutual funds -- true story!).

But it appears the success of the policy here in Jessamine county is getting noticed. Spread the word to your local high schools!

Fayette Jail Behind-Closed-Door Panic

The brain trust running the Fayette County Detention Center is working on a contingency plan for when federal indictments start raining down on the facility. The funny thing is one of the people in the closed-door meetings is providing information for this site.

Courier Journal Nails Harry Moberly

It's nothing personal coming from your pals at the Louisville Courier Journal, Rep./Vice President Moberly, but they see the conflict of interest in your latest coup.

This is not, Speaker Jody Richards insists, a conflict of interest. He says, "Harry is a very fair-minded person," and that's true. For example, he was open to funding the University of Kentucky's "top 20" plan because it promised specific, quantifiable results on a schedule that makes UK accountable. He also seems to understand the concept of "mission differentiation," which in budget terms means recognizing that not all campuses can be all things to all people. He seems to understand that "mission sprint" at "comprehensive" institutions like EKU could jeopardize fidelity to their specific regional missions.

Still, it's difficult to see how the public is supposed to see his new dual roles as anything but a clear conflict. Maybe it's one he is qualified to ignore, but it's there, and it will justify even more scrutiny than his legislative decisions have been given in the past.

Past legislative decisions? Try this one. And some people think they really want him with more power?

Moberly should choose between serving as Executive Vice President at Eastern Kentucky University and serving in the state legislature. Failure to drop one or the other is a clear conflict of interest. Public protection laws were never intended to be applied on a case-by-case basis.

I especially appreciated the Courier's headline "A duck is a duck." Next time you see Harry waddling along, just say "quack, quack."

Sky-Diving Gucci-Clad Ex-Cops Any Day Now

Mark Hebert does a great job connecting some dots around Governor-elect Steve Beshear.

Quieter

Sometimes, silence is golden.

Here, too.

Do you really want to run illegals out of KY?

When the people in Arizona decided to chase off illegal immigrants, they did it a lot like this.

Mayor Abramson: Let Them Eat Granite Curbs

Louisville Councilman Doug Hawkins today called out Mayor Jerry Abramson's effort to raise taxes for additional spending while lavishly pouring public dollars into, of all things, granite curbs.

From a Hawkins news release:

Solid granite street curbs now replace the standard concrete curbs on 6th Street from River Road to West Jefferson Street. The granite street curb installation project calls into question the Mayor’s priorities. Councilman Doug Hawkins challenges the Mayor’s decision to use such an expensive material, at a time in which “it is imperative that we take steps now to reduce spending.”
“How can the Mayor say that there is no money for the libraries, when the Mayor has money to burn on his downtown street curbs?” Hawkins asks.

Will Republicans Mutiny Against McConnell?

No, I'm not talking about Larry Forgy.

National blogger RedState suggests Sen. Mitch McConnell might face a challenge to his leadership position from Senate Republicans:

After 2008, McConnell either wins or loses. If he loses, John Kyl will probably become Minority Leader, moving up from Whip. If McConnell wins, he might still face a coup if the GOP Senate conference feels the need to go in a new, more conservative direction after a disastrous 2008 election cycle. If the GOP does get slaughtered at the polls, it will likely be moderate Senators bearing the brunt of the voters anger, making the remaining GOP caucus more conservative and more willing to vote their own into leadership. So, Kyl might take the reins then too.

With Kyl as leader, Cornyn will run for Whip, with a reduced number of Republican Senators, but a more conservative group. Sessions will get to Policy, which is what he wants, and that leaves DeMint available to be the Party's message guy in Conference Chair. That'll leave open a slot as VP for Conference, which a good conservative could fill.

Imagine, post 2008, having the top Senate Republicans be, in order: Kyl, Cornyn, DeMint, Sessions, and an as yet to be determined conservative.

One note, just so I don't get accused of anything I don't mean -- I'm not hoping that the GOP gets wiped out in 2008. I hope, in fact, that it doesn't. But I can see the writing on the wall. And sometimes, it takes hitting rock bottom for addicts to want recovery -- especially when they're addicted to earmarks. Let's just pray to God that if we do get slaughtered that we don't fall under 41.

Covering The News For You

Can't find anything this morning about Rep. Rick Nelson's (D-Middlesboro) illegal immigration bills, pre-filed yesterday, in the state MSM. The national blogosphere is on the story.

Mayor Newberry, Call Your Office

Thursday morning in Lexington, federal court proceedings include five sentencings that look suspiciously like a handful of Fayette County Detention Center guards who have flipped on their friends.

Can't tell for sure, but what other case in Lexington would involve five same-day sentencings with hidden defendents and the United States of America as plaintiff?

In any case, we are getting closer to the time Lexington taxpayers have to pay up for Newberry's jail fiasco.

Another Legislator Goes To Big Ed

House Budget Chairman Harry Moberly has been appointed Executive Vice President for Administration at Eastern Kentucky University, according to a memo from EKU President Doug Whitlock.

Legislative ethics rules do not prohibit a legislator from working for a state university, but there is this little goody:

KRS 6.731 General standards of conduct -- Penalties.
A legislator, by himself or through others, shall not intentionally:
(1) Use or attempt to use his influence as a member of the General Assembly in any
matter which involves a substantial conflict between his personal interest and his
duties in the public interest. Violation of this subsection is a Class A misdemeanor;

Moberly has made no secret of his desire to become President of EKU and this is no small step in that direction. Given that Whitlock's memo specifically points out Moberly's position in the legislature as justification for giving him the new job and calls Moberly a "significantly underutilized administrative resource" of the University, I'd say Harry is already dancing dangerously close to the line.

Moberly has clearly shown a predilection for trying to slip dangerous legislation past an unsuspecting public. In order to avoid any more conflicts of interest, he should resign from the legislature now.

This Should Be Part Of Illegal Immigration Fight

The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld a San Diego policy of conducting home searches of welfare recipients.

The procedure is simple. If the search turns up evidence the welfare recipients don't qualify for benefits, they lose the benefits.

Here's one thought worthy of discussion, though, from a federal judge who sided with the ACLU against the policy:

"This case is nothing less than an attack on the poor," said Judge Harry Pregerson, writing for the dissenters. "This is especially atrocious in light of the fact that we do not require similar intrusions into the homes and lives of others who receive government entitlements. The government does not search through the closets and medicine cabinets of farmers receiving subsidies."

Now would be a great time to crack down on all kinds of people who apply for government checks.

Comparing Global Warming To AIDS

If you read just one thing in the Lexington Herald Leader this year, read this:

My presentation to state legislators on climate change was based on more than 300 peer-reviewed articles in the learned journals. Gore's movie was based on just two.

I made one central point: The U.N. climate change panel, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, has exaggerated the effect of greenhouse gases on temperature at least fourfold. Correcting the panel's flawed math has an effect equivalent to cutting man-made greenhouse gas emissions by 75 percent overnight.

The IPCC says the "radiative forcing" from CO2 rose by 20 percent between 1995 and 2005. Yet in that period the atmospheric concentration of CO2 rose from 360 to 378 parts per million -- just 5 percent. The radiative forcing effect -- which causes temperature change -- rose by only 1 percent. That's a 20-fold exaggeration by the IPCC.

Yes, the world is warming, we have made a small contribution to it and we can expect a little more oof it. But Gooch speaks for Kentucky's working miners and for everyone who uses the electricity their labor provides, when he agrees with me that we need to get the science right or -- as with HIV -- we will get the policy wrong.

If we get the policy wrong, it is the poorest people in Kentucky and elsewhere in the world who will suffer most. They will die in the tens of millions for want of the light and heat and power and medical care that we are lucky enough to take for granted.

Protect our precious local resource

The funniest thing I've seen all day is the Lexington Herald Leader caterwauling against itself over health benefits and sick days for the paper's employees.

The union is actually pointing out the Herald Leader is part of "a California corporation."

Somehow this reminds me of the many, many editorials in the same newspaper calling for the demolition of Kentucky-American Water Company because absentee ownership just couldn't be trusted locally.

So I just have to ask: can we really trust something as precious as our primary information source for the eastern half of Kentucky to a group of greedy bastards from, of all places, California?

Nine Minutes of Vanity, Kentucky Votes

I trade in my pajamas for a suit and go on television.

Three Things That Matter About Draud

New education commissioner Jon Draud had thought enough about that job to negotiate a four year, $220,000 contract plus $10,000 to live in a Frankfort hotel for the next six months. But he told the Lexington Herald Leader yesterday he hadn't yet gotten around to putting together a list of priorities for turning around Kentucky's schools.

Draud said he had not had time to draw up a complete list of priorities because he was only offered the commissioner's job Saturday night.

One priority we do know about is getting on the universal preschool bandwagon.

Despite this:

"A high percentage of elementary schools are on track to be proficient by that time," said Joe Brothers, chairman of the Kentucky Board of Education. But the number drops to 25 percent of middle schools, he said, and 12 percent of high schools.

In other words, Draud and the education bureaucracy want to pour more resources into the area that needs it least.

And speaking of bureaucracy: when it gets as bad as it is in Kentucky what we really need is someone to shake up the old ways and chart a new course.

Draud said two words that will define his work are cooperation and collaboration. "We've got to get people cooperating together to be successful," he said.

I'm in favor of people getting along, but the educrats have so badly mishandled the half of the state budget they are entrusted with that playing nice with them doesn't belong on our list.