Kentucky Politics: The Surreal and The Absurd

You know, there's a lot of jokes made about Kentucky, most of them are a bit stereotypical or biased, but, there are a few which still ring true. I think the best and truest joke about Kentucky comes from America's own "bard", Samuel Clemens, better known as "Mark Twain" who allegedly said " when the end of the world comes, I want to be in Kentucky because it's always twenty years behind the times".

 Now whether or not Mark Twain actually said that about Kentucky (which is the place the quote is usually attributed to), it's pretty accurate. Kentucky is usually rather slow and backwards when it comes to a number of things. Now, perhaps its' because Kentucky is a poor state and like to go with what they know, or because it's a conservative state and the people there just don't like a lot of change in general; they want to keep the slower, laidback, and friendly small town atmosphere, and who can blame them? Kentucky is a friendly place, but it's also a "mind your business" place too. Family and friends are all pretty tight knit.

There are a few exceptions, such as Louisville, which pretends to be a big city ("Louisville International Airport" with no international flights or "Louisville International Convention Center" with few or any international conventions, etc) but in reality is just a large, slightly Southern, country town. It's also a pretty cliquish town too, with a few individuals and groups pretty much calling the shots when it comes to politics and business. 

Louisville boasts a single newspaper, which was once a decent newspaper if you can stand to read through its Left wing rhetoric. At Derby time (the Kentucky Derby, the first Saturday of May), Louisville transforms into a full blown "Southern town" as it claims its two minutes of the national spotlight before nodding off again (I swear, I hear more drawls than I ever hear any other time of the year coming from locals). Of course, the Derby used to be a big ole hometown community event with folks renting out their yards for parking, selling t-shirts, homemade cookies, drinks, and holding street parties. That's largely all gone now. The Derby has gone "corporate".

Locally, its often used as a metaphor as a requirement to line birdcages, wrapping fish (left side up naturally), or for puppy training. The other media, such as TV and radio, tend to lean left as well, so if you're looking for conservative or balanced news, this isn't the best place to find it (WDRB-41 is probably the closest you'll come to "balanced and fair"). Of course, there are exceptions and few beacons of non-partisan or conservative news here and there (a friend of mine, Ed Springston, has a popular conservative talk radio show---"The Ed Springston Show" on Blogtalk Radio for instance), and of course, yours truly who tries to keep it non-partisan and honest.

Politically speaking, Kentucky is a pretty conservative state, even among Democrats. Heck, I've known Republicans from other states who were more liberal than some of the Democrats I've met over my 40+ years of political and community activism. Some of the more liberal "hotspots" have been in places like Lexington (home of the University of Kentucky), the Newport area (which is close to Cincinnati), and of course, Louisville (or rather, parts of Louisville.

 The southwest portion of Jefferson County, where Louisville is locate, and along the southern part of the county---Okolona and Fern Creek---are fairly conservative). Bowling Green and Paducah are also on the liberal side, and I guess you can include Frankfort, the state capital, too.

Kentucky's Democratic politics is dominated by the state party. Even in Louisville, which used to have a strong local party, the state party calls the shots and will often work against the local party when it comes to issues or candidates. I suspect that's pretty true across the state, especially in the more rural counties. 

On the Republican side, the state GOP is pretty strong, although the local parties seem to have more clout than the local Democrat parties, except in Louisville, which essentially lacks a strong party organization and is often considered a "East end clique" (the "East end" is where the upper middle class, wealthy and local ruling elites tend to live. For those living west of I-65, which is more working class, racially diverse, and/or poor, it's occasionally viewed as "derogatory" term).

Nevertheless, the local GOP party is often viewed as focused on East end issues and maintaining the status quo sans those west of I-65. I recall that when I ran for state representative at the behest of the state and local party, they actually worked against me after they reached a deal with my Democrat opponent. 

I thought it was a fluke, until I heard the same thing from a number of other candidates! Yet, we still get the projects no one else wants going to parts of downtown Louisville or in southwest Jefferson County. As an aside, myself and a few others fought for years to organize the southwest part of the county to keep this from happening. "Our" local newspaper accused me of "Balkanizing" the county while the power elites worked very hard to shut us down, including what many would consider some questionable elections.

Oh well, you live and learn...and don't forget (a dear friend of mine used to speak of the two corporate owned parties as essentially two mafia families who fight over turf and spoils, but always come together to protect their mutual interests and keep out the true reformers, and I was apparently seen as a "true reformer" and thus blacklisted) . Anyway, I believe other local GOP parties are more independent further out in the state, although I've often heard that some were fairly disorganized. 

However, several have shown some remarkable improvements---complements to their new party chair people and executive boards! Nevertheless, both parties have made it virtually impossible for Independents and third parties to challenge their iron grip on elections, including prohibiting referendums and requiring obscenely high restrictions to qualify for getting on a ballot.

Speaking of the two political "mafia families", there are a couple of recent stories which you all may enjoy which reflects both the stereotypical backwards nature of Kentucky which is reflected in some of the selected...I mean "elected"...politicians Kentucky has. The first concerns medical marijuana. 

Now before we go any further, I want you to know that I fully support the legalization of marijuana in general, but in particular medical marijuana as a substitute for the more dangerous and addicted pain medications now being prescribed (not to mention all the many other conditions it's been shown to successfully treat). To me, this is just common sense, and polls consistently show that it make good sense to the majority of not just Kentuckians, but to Americans in general.

Well, this issue recently came up in the (I'm not sure if I should insert "august" or "aghast" here) Kentucky Legislature. There has been several Kentucky State Representatives (notably Rep. Perry Clark, D-37) who've been working for many years to make medical marijuana legal, along with a number of other individuals with a wide variety of medical problems, and various organizations (especially veteran groups). 

Of course, there are those with deep pockets who would like to see any type of legalization from happening, especially until they can figure out how to get a piece of the action. These are the types who put their interests first, regardless of what's good for anybody else. These are the people who usually pull the strings.

Kentucky House Bill 166 offered relief for those individuals, and the thousands and thousands of others who, because of increasingly draconian laws, are making difficult for individuals to obtain relief from chronic pain (sadly, many have turned to heroin or other, often more serious drugs, for relief and, as a result, have become involved in all sorts of crime). Leave it to the government to try and "fix" a problem by creating more and worse problems. The bill's main sponsor was Democrat John Sims of Flemingsburg. Going in, this bill looked like a "no brainer" and seemed destined to get out of committee without issue.

Rep. Jason Nemes, R-33 from Jefferson/Oldham counties, moved to pass over the bill; promising to work out "compromise" language concerning some previsions he opposes, resulting the bill being shelved for now. "For now" in the world of politics can be a damn long time, especially for people suffering from severe chronic pain.

 Ironically, Rep Tom Burch, a Democrat from Louisville, said that while he expected Kentucky would eventually legalized medical marijuana, he also predicted that Kentucky would be last state in the nation to do so. Amen Tom, and you're in good company with Mark Twain too! As an aside, of the bill's 22 sponsors, three were Republicans (Reps. Jim Gooch, Gary Herald, and Bill Wells); the rest were all Democrats. Just saying.

The other bill that I want to mention, and seems to illustrate the stereotype backwardness of Kentucky through its Legislature, is Kentucky Senate Bill 48, which will prohibit children from getting married. Yelp, you read that right. The bill would ban individuals under 17 years of age from getting married, unless there is some mitigating reason---and approved by a judge and with parental approval if they are 16 or younger). 

Apparently, there has been an issue about little kiddies getting married! Seriously. I can't imagine anyone anywhere at any time agreeing to allow their 13 or 15 or even 16 year old son or daughter to get married. However, a hearing on the bill's merits brought out individuals who testified about being sexual abused at 12 or 13 years old, and later forced to marry their abuser at 16 (some mentioned that their parents were married at 15 or 16, or younger). So, since this has apparently been an issue, do they set at the kid's table or do they get to set at the adult's table...with booster seats? What about bed time---any curfews? Inquiring minds you know!

Fortunately, the bill made it out of committee and will move on, but not without some serious debate. Apparently there was a "language" issue concerning parental responsibilities for those under 17 which was too vague and needed clarification according to the conservative Family Foundation. The matter was addressed through an amendment to the bill clarifying the rights of the parents. The bill was sponsored by Republican, Julie Adams of Louisville and shepherded by fellow Republican Whitey Westerfield of Hopkinsville, the Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman. The bill had five sponsors, three of whom were Republican and two were Democrat.

Now, Kentucky is trying to get ahead of the problems it created. Both of these bills illustrate Kentucky's politics, and in a broader sense, Kentucky itself. Kentucky has a serious drug problem, especially when it comes to abuse of opioids, as well as other drugs such as crack, alcohol, meth, and tobacco. Of late, Kentucky has cracked down on opioid prescriptions (especially "over-prescribing") in order to get a handle on the problem. However, like many (if not most) government "help", it's caused more of problem than it's solved.

As a result, there are more restrictions on doctors, insurance companies, and even producers of opioids. Many doctors have simply stopped prescribing pain killers, or greatly restricted the strength they'll write for and/or for the duration of the prescription. Who knew that state legislators were such medical experts they could over-ride medical professionals? 

By making it harder to obtain pain killers, it has made many (legitimate and illegitimate) users turn to other, more dangerous drugs, such as meth, crack, heroin, and it's getting worse as the government crackdown continues. This, in turn, has resulted in a increase in crime, demand for treatment (and often repeatedly treatments), not to mention deaths which are sometimes incorrectly attributed to the opioids instead of the underlining factors such as being forced to turn to other addictive substances due to the current restrictions.

The solution, as least for many, was medical marijuana which grows plentifully in Kentucky (as an aside, Kentucky was a top producer of industrial hemp back in the 40's and earlier---when it was legal). It's all natural with little care or harmful pesticides required. Kentucky has the perfect soil and climate for it. With the decline for tobacco, the state's primary legal crop, Kentucky farmers need to a new "money" crop. Hemp, whether for industrial or recreational use, fits the bill perfectly. It would also pump millions of new tax revenue into the state's dusty coffers. So my question to those Legislators who opposed this is, quite simply, "what the hell were you thinking?"

As for Kentucky Senate Bill 48, I don't know what to say (which is rare). I mean, here we are in 2018---the 21st Century---and we're discussing child brides? C'mon, this is Kentucky (a little slow I admit), but heck, it's not some Middle Eastern or third world country for Pete's sakes! Yet, here we are, with the whole wide world watching, as we debate the legality of children getting married! 

 I don't know how or why this is even a topic to be honest. Frankly, I would have thought that this issue would have been addressed before 1918, not 2018. All the same, kudos to Rep. Adams and other sponsors for stepping up to the plate. Now, we've just got to get pass the issues of proper dental care, wearing shoes and marrying first cousins! Anyone up for another sponsoring a bill?



Kentucky medical marijuana bill shelved by House committee

Medical marijuana bill gets more testimony, but no vote Tuesday


Kentucky Senate Hears Bill to End Child Marriage

Bill to outlaw child marriage in Kentucky passes Senate committee

New Laws Set To Take Effect in 2018: From The Serious To The Absurd

The last addition of Another Opinion was one of our usual retrospectives; A look back at some of the issues that we covered over the past year, which I hope you all enjoyed. Now, I would like to take a look at some of the laws which were passed in 2017 and go into effect this year (some already have taken effect as of January 1, 2018). Some of these new laws are practical and actually make sense while several are just downright bizarre. Overall, the trend seems to be more authoritarian; more power to the state and less from you and me, which I find deeply disturbing.

Then again, I guess that's to be expected since we are no longer the democratic or constitutional republic that our forefathers intended us to be. While we were busy with our "smart phones", video games, and so-called "reality" television shows, and worried about how to pay for the rising utility bills, making sense of the fake news, the artificial divisions manufactured for us by our corporate overlords, or keeping our jobs, we became a de facto Oligarchy; a plutocracy with a ever expanding police/surveillance state. Nevertheless, let's take a look at some of the new laws which legislatures around the country claim are designed to make our lives better.

In the Sunshine State of Florida, minimum wage will go up by 15 cents (it will increase in 17 other states too). Which is good in the short term since, as most people know, employers will offset the increase by raising prices which ultimately will put minimum wage earners back in the same boats. Also, some employers may be forced to lay off employees, which will then shift their work onto the remaining employees. So, like most things, it's a double edge sword. Under Florida House Bill 437, the Office of Financial Regulation is prohibited from releasing personal information of customers and shareholders (which is almost always a good thing in my opinion). However, this applies only to new entities known as "international trusts" or "qualified limited service affiliates" (something about this sounds like it's for people with deep pockets and not ordinary individuals).

In the Bluegrass State of Kentucky, the legislature has been quite busy. House Bill 195, which is a modification of the requirements for a GED, allows for the creation of college and/or career "readiness" tracks. While I think that great, the emphasis here should be on trade schools. The reason is multifold. Not everyone is "college material". While a two year associate degree will typically get you an entry level job, those seeking a four year bachelor degree can expect coming out with a substantial debt that may take decades to pay off, and still may not do better than a slightly better entry level job. However, most of the trades are facing shortages (in some cases, critical shortages) so there's nearly a guaranteed job waiting at the end of the line. The pay (and usually the benefits) are much better, the "school-to-job" turnaround is much shorter with a lot less debt (in some cases, little or none), plus it's a skill that applies anywhere.

Kentucky Senate Bill 129 allows for the designation of "lay caretakers" for the purpose of any post-hospital care for any designated individual 18 or older. However, this applies to only to any non-medical care and not to specific medical care such as certain injections, changing IV bags, or other treatment which may require a trained professional. On a related matter, House Bill 74 permits ordinary vehicles to have only "white" headlights (other than certain halogen lights which produces a slight bluish light). The reason is to help people distinguish between emergency vehicles and regular cars and trucks. I didn't know this was problem! You would expect people would know the difference between a truck or car and a ambulance, fire truck, or police car. Perhaps those people shouldn't be driving. What do you think?

Kentucky HB 277 allows individuals to serve on local school boards if they have a close relative such as aunt, uncle, a brother or sister-in-law, etc working for the same local school system. I guess that's a good bill. Apparently there has been a shortage in finding people to run for the school board (certainly qualified and competent individuals have been in short supply). On the other hand, Kentucky has a very powerful teacher's union which these same relatives likely belong. So, do you think there would be any chance of familial collusion or pressure on certain issues? Nah...this is Kentucky after all!

Speaking of schools and teaching, SB 117 will now allow all veterans with a four year or better degree to teach our every polite and respectful students in elementary and secondary school provided that their academic major is in the area they are applying to teach in. Personally, I think this is a great idea. I taught at the undergraduate and graduate level for several years and thoroughly enjoyed it (of course, I had some really inquisitive students). It was hard work, the hours long, and while the pay sucked, it was intellectually and emotionally rewarding.

However, I just don't have the patience or temperament to deal with undisciplined or smart mouthed kids or the little ones in grade school. But I can see where military trained and disciplined men and women can have a huge impact. There is also a severe shortage of teachers (especially good teachers). While the benefits are great, the pay has always been pretty bad---too much going to the infrastructure--and the hoops teachers have to jump through border on the insane. Nevertheless, hiring former military personnel is good thing for all concerned in the long run (personally, I think former Marines should get a preference in hiring. Semper Fi and Hooyah!).

Nevada joined several other states in creating a anti-opioid abuse program. Under the law, painkillers can't be prescribed for than 14 days even for acute and/or long term pain. Patients will have to return to either their doctor or hospital for additional medication. The bill also monitors who issues the pain medication and how often it's filled (this is similar to Kentucky HB 333 which also goes into effect in 2018). I understand the need to monitor and control the use and abuse of pain medication, however, legislators need to understand that not everyone who takes painkillers are wild eyed junkies. Most are people who suffer from chronic pain for one reason or another. This is not by their choice. By the time these individuals reach this point, they've gone through all the other alternative. This isn't the option of first or even second or third choice.

What bills like this do is make it more difficult for people who have a legitimate need for the medication to control or at least manage the pain which can, for some, be almost unbearable. What these legislators will ultimately succeed in doing is driving people to drink and/or do hard drugs. The fault, and the consequences, will be theirs and theirs alone. If they insist on punishing the good with the bad, then they have a civic and moral obligation to provide a realistic alternative such as legalizing marijuana, which has been shown to alleviate pain (even chronic pain). Anything less is simply morally criminal.

Another new law in Nevada is one that gives all non-violent offenders an opportunity to apply for local and state government jobs (of course, they need to be careful of corrupting influences. I also presume the new law also exempts these individuals from associating with known criminals). Another new law requires insurance companies to provide women with access to contraceptives without having a co-pay. Insurance company now must cover up to one year's worth of birth control. The new laws requires insurance companies to cover mammograms and HPV vaccinations. Employers will be required to provided workers up to 160 hours leave to any employee or immediate family member who has been the victim of domestic abuse.

Lastly, under the category of "WTH?", a new Nevada laws prohibits forced "conversions" of individuals who are gay or lesbian by mental health officials. According to the law, these so-called "professionals" could attempt to change the sexual orientation of anyone who identifies as other than heterosexual-- I'm not sure I want to know how. I do wonder though, if these same individuals claim to be bi-sexual, did these mental health professionals charge half price?

In Pennsylvania, residents will now be allowed to purchase "consumer" grade fireworks. No more C4 or dynamite for them! Apparently "consumer" grade fireworks includes handheld sparklers, caps, and display type fireworks, which I presume include Roman candles, Starbursts, etc. residents will also have to pay a hefty 12% sales tax too. Now that should cause a fireworks all its own! The law also says that the fireworks can only be used on private property with permission of the owner. It goes on to prohibit fireworks being shot in or from a vehicle, shot at a car or individual (seriously? They shouldn't even be allowed to play with matches or lighters).

In California, individuals now only be allowed to purchase ammunition from a licensed vendor. No more purchases of 9mm, .45, .38, .22 caliber or 12 gauge ammo from your friendly neighborhood drug dealer on the corner. So much for entrepreneurism! On the plus, school officials will now to get to decide whether or not school staff may be armed while on school grounds. No word about the students. Those convicted of "hate crimes" (which includes calling someone by the wrong gender pronoun), includes loss of 2nd Amendment rights for up to ten years (Assembly Bill 725). Another new law set to take effect will make legal to sell pot, up to one ounce, to anyone 21 years old and older. No more doctor's prescription! Also, residents will no longer have make a gender decision on any ID type documentation, which I'm sure comes as big relief for some.

A new law in Colorado requires "authorities" to report any teen texting of students exchanging sexually explicit photos, even if they're doing so consensually (presumably this includes photos sent to or from teachers as well). There's a pretty big fine for doing so, which I imagine that only the students could afford to pay. In Washington DC and Rhode Island, employers will be require to provide paid sick leave to employees. New Yorkers will now be eligible for paid family leave; eventually receiving up to 12 weeks of paid family leave.

Iowa and West Virginia join a growing number of states in requiring a photo ID in order to vote ( after all, you have to show a photo ID for just about everything else right? But don't worry, microchipping is on its way and so soon you and your pet can have matching chips). After having a similar law tossed out in 2014, Texas has modified their law to require anyone wanting to vote without an ID to swear under oath that they were unable to obtain a photo ID in time (and we know that no one ever lies under oath right?). In South Carolina it's now illegal to own a exotic pet (unless you are a zoo; working in one doesn't count), so kiss that boa constrictor for your mother-in-law goodbye. Those who already own an exotic pet with be grandfathered in...with additional restrictions.

That brings us to Illinois, which has made Barack Obama's birthday, August 4th, a state holiday. Officials weren't able to determine if the gunfire following the announcement was in celebration or another gang fight. As an aside, the holiday is "commemorative" only, so unlike Obama, no one is getting off. Finally, the Volunteer State, Tennessee, has now made it legal for barbers (and presumably other stylists) to make house calls. I honestly did not realize this was a serious issue in Tennessee. I have to wonder if Dolly Parton or those Elvis impersonators in Memphis lobbied for this?



New Florida Laws To Take Effect in 2018


New Laws Go Into Effect Thursday in Kentucky


New laws take effect in Nevada in 2018


New Laws set to take effect in 2018? Here's A Brief Tour of State Laws Now In Effect


What's New In 2018

Driver's Licenses for Illegal Immigrants

So far, some eight states have approved allowing driver's licenses for illegal immigrants (Hawaii, Maine, Michigan, New Mexico, Utah, Washington, Illinois, and of course, California). Kentucky is trying to become number nine. Democratic legislators have introduced House Bill 396 which would allow illegal immigrants the opportunity to apply for a driver's permit (either given in their native language or with a translator they provide), and if they successfully pass the written portion (also given in either their native language or with the help of a personally provided translator) and then go on to pass the driving portion (with someone in the car with the driver to, again, "translate"); a privilege now afforded only to legal residents of the US and Commonwealth of Kentucky. Gone would be another legal barrier to follow existing, but often ignored or unenforced state and federal laws; thus blurring the distinction between legal and illegal residency.

Currently, most illegal immigrants are flocking to Washington, Utah, and New Mexico, which have become meccas for fraudulent document brokers, human smugglers, and other criminal elements. While Maryland is considered allowing illegal aliens the opportunity to obtain a driver's license, New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez has expressed deep concern over granting legitimacy to individuals who are in violation of US laws, has indicted that she will begin taking steps to revoke the 2003 state laws. Meanwhile, states which has enacted tougher laws in general against illegal immigrants, have seen substantial drops in applications, along with an exodus of individuals thought to be in the state illegally. With this, there has also been drops in applications for taxpayer based programs. The result being considerable savings to taxpayers. Meanwhile, other states, such North Carolina, which originally considered allowing driver's licenses being issued, have now reversed direction, and will require proof of residency in the future. Their license currently includes a pink stripe to indicates the holder's may not use the license as a valid form of identification.

In most states, including Kentucky, all drivers are required to obtain and keep current auto insurance. In Illinois, a state which mandates auto insurance for instance, there are approximately 250,000 illegal immigrants currently on the road. There is an estimated 80,000 accidents caused by uninsured illegal immigrants, resulting in $660 million dollars in damage according to the Highway Safety Coalition as reported in a article in Yahoo! News dated January 27, 2013. According to a Los Angeles Times article dated January 16, 2013 by Ben Poston, illegal immigrants are three times more likely to be involved in a fatal accident according to a report by the California Department of Motor Vehicles. California has the highest number of illegal immigrants. This, of course, begs the question: how will states enforce their mandatory insurance laws given the nature of driver's illegal, and often transitory status as well as language barriers since many illegal immigrants refuse to learn English? The result will likely lead to higher insurance rates for drivers in general as costs are merely passed along to cover the damaged caused by uninsured drivers.

Then there is the nature of the drivers license itself. Most states (and even the federal government) accepts driver's licenses as legal identification cards. This in itself allows the holder to easier access to renting apartments, obtaining jobs by providing proof of identity on I-9 forms, applying for grants and taxpayer based services, opening banking and savings accounts, cashing checks, buying guns or airplane tickets, renting cars, entering secure buildings such as court houses, obtaining prescriptions, and much more. In short, the line becomes blurred between legal and illegal status. So, who are some of those pushing for the "all-but-legal" status of illegal immigrants?

Well, to be sure, most are liberals and mostly Democrat. However, many are also religious groups. In Connecticut for instance, the leading group is Congregations Organized for a New Connecticut ("CONECT"), which is allegedly comprised of some 200 activists and based in New Haven. In Kentucky, it's Kentucky Jobs with Justice located in Louisville and the Kentucky Council of Churches, which is in Lexington and, of course, the Kentucky ACLU.

Kentucky residents opposed to House Bill 396, are encouraged to call the toll free number 1-800-372-7181 to voice their disapproval. They are also strongly encouraged to click onto the House Bill link below to go to the home pages of the bill's sponsors to register their disapproval. However, Kentucky residents are urged to do so quickly before the bill moves on.

Can Illegal Immigrants Get Auto Insurance?
http://www.autoinsurance.org/can-illegal-immigrants-get-auto-insurance/

Should Illegal Immigrants be able to obtain a Driver's License in the US?
http://www.debate.org/opinions/should-illegal-immigrants-be-able-to-obtain-drivers-licenses-in-the-u-s

Pink Strip of NC driver's license for illegal immigrants
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/02/21/pink-stripe-on-nc-driver-licenses-for-illegal-immigrants-has-some-concerned/?intcmp=obinsite

2013 Kentucky House Bill 396
http://www.lrc.ky.gov/record/13RS/HB396.htm

Weighty Concerns

Several folks recently asked me about whether or not the governor should weigh in when it came to the renaming a street, as in my last blog. My comment was essentially that I didn’t think the governor had a dog in that fight. So, the question became, when should a governor get involved in local issues? Rather than give a brief answer in the comment section of my blog, I thought I’d like to give more expanded response.

Basically, the governor is elected as the state’s Chief Executive Officer. It is therefore their job to respond to any issue which would have a direct or possibly indirect bearing on the state’s business. This generally includes, but isn’t exclusive to projects requiring state funding, impact tourism, attracting or keeping businesses, or environmental issues. Outside of that, I see few instances where a governor has any business in local issues.

Let’s take for example the dog ordinance. A really bad piece of local legislation to be sure; but, does it impact the Commonwealth in any way? At first blush, one would say no. After all, we’re talking about “dangerous” pets running amuck in Metro Louisville, right? But let’s look at the larger picture here. Whether the rest of the state likes to admit it or not, Louisville is the economic engine which runs Kentucky. Our tax dollars fund projects in Paducah, Bowling Green, Pikeville, Harlan, and all points in between (and yes, including Lexington).

One of Louisville’s biggest draws is our central location for conventions. This bad legislation has already drawn national criticisms from dog, horse, and other animal associations. Many, if not most of these organizations have voted to move their conventions and shows elsewhere, which impacts not only Louisville, but the surrounding areas as well. So, not only does Louisville get a black eye, so do vendors, hotels, businesses and others in and around Louisville who make their living off tourism. Now, given the broad economic impact of this ordinance, wouldn’t you think the governor would want to at least comment? I would.

On the other hand, renaming a street after Martin Luther King really has no direct economic impact on the state. After all, it’s not like there are no memorials in Kentucky named after this great civil rights leader. The only costs to be incurred are by the residents of Metro Louisville in paying for new street and highway signs. But I think perhaps what’s a more important issue was how the whole matter was handled by the two Metro Councilwomen, Shanklin and Woolridge. They basically decided they were going to rename the street and the public be damned. That’s not how you do it folks.

Metro Council, as well as every other elected official, is there at our leisure. They take their marching orders from us, not the other way around. If they had a sincere interest in renaming a street, they should have first asked for the public’s input on whether there was an interest, and if so, where. Perhaps what was most telling of all was when the two walked out of the meeting half way through, and both allegedly said they would rename the street regardless of what the resident’s wanted. I truly hope this is remembered come election time.

So, to summarize, the governor needs to decide whether there is any direct or indirect impact on the state at large, such as use of state funds before deciding to poke his nose into a local issue, including I might add, a local Primary race. The fewer levels of decision making in government, the better.

Blogging by the Numbers

A couple of readers asked why I thought campaigns courted political blogs so aggressively. They also mentioned seeing Pro-Fletcher supporters posting comments under “anonymous” and asked me to comment.

I’ve spent almost 30 years in politics. I’ve done everything from dialing for dollars, GOTV, putting out yard signs to managing campaigns and running for office a couple of times. Politics is a full contact sport and not for the timid (it’s a lousy place to be if you’re the paranoid type because believe me, they really are out to get you). Running campaigns is a tough business. The goal is to define yourself and your message first and then define your opponent and their message. You want to control the agenda and flow of the election. To do this you need a great candidate with a great message. But even the best candidate is useless unless you can reach voters.

Campaigns are organized media events. They are about reaching a specific audience. How successful you are at this depends on how much money you can raise to order to get their name and message out. Everyone uses pretty much the same tools like TV, newspaper, radio, mailers, etc. Blogs brought a whole new wrinkle into the mix. Here’s a new medium which “pre-targeted” base. Blogs tend to be huddled into specific categories, such a cooking, SciFi, gardening, music, and of course, politics.

Political blogs, like most blogs, are incredibly specialized. They tend to already be broken down not only into right, center, left spectrums, but also into specific pro/con issues like gun control, abortion, and so forth. As a candidate or campaign manager, they’re almost a Godsend. All one has to do is identify their respective target base (i.e.: female pro-gun supporters for instance), and with the click of a button, they have excess to thousands, if not millions, of potential voters and perhaps more importantly, financial donors. Best of all, it usually doesn’t cost anything to ask for a link to a campaign homepage or perhaps an occasional mention in a column. From a campaign manager’s perspective, what could be better than that?

Naturally, any old political blog won’t cut it in the same way one needs to be audience specific about which radio stations to advertise on, and on which days and times (biggest bang for the buck). The trick is to find an established blog with a strong readership, which caters to your candidate’s message. That takes experience. But if you’re successful, the payoffs are tremendous and very cost effective. One of the best examples is former Governor Jesse Ventura who credited his win over two much better known and funded politicians to the use of the Interest and Minnesota political blogs, which were mainly run by local college students. As an Independent, Jesse was able to bypass much of the established political routes he simply didn’t have access to because of the two party’s control over funding sources, which of course translates to exposure. Blogs are changing the political landscape, and who knows, may in time spell the doom of the two party’s monopoly over elections.

Now, here’s where I get a little miffed. I really enjoy a good open political discussion. Just keep it civil and keep it honest. What I don’t like are campaign’s trying to link to their sites without permission using the comment sections of blogs. If you like a particular blog and want to link to it, ask. If you work for or support a particular candidate and want to put in a plug for them, ask. Of course, if you just want to add your personal two cents worth, then by all means! After all, that’s what the comment sections are for. Most bloggers I’ve come across are pretty agreeable people. It’s really not more than common courtesy.

Hey Kettle, this is the Pot calling…

Speaking of political bloggers, Mark Nickolas, publisher and editor of the liberal BluegrassReport.org, was recently indicted for willfully failing to file his state tax returns for the years 2004, 2005, and 2006 according to a January 17th article in the Courier Journal. Nickolas claims through counsel that he filed his tax returns and has provided proof. The Department of Revenue said they scheduled two meetings to discuss the matter with Nickolas. He rescheduled one and failed to show up at the other. As many of you know, Nickolas has been a vocal critic of Fletcher’s administration for alleged unethical behavior. The investigation is currently ongoing.

Media Fairness & My Crystal Ball

November 7th is almost upon us, and finally all those annoying recorded phone calls from those political sorts will stop. Gone to will be all that campaign “literature” which seems to pile up in our mailboxes, and with a single flick of the wrist, disappears just a quickly into the trash can, often without so much as a glance.

The Courier Journal too is announcing their endorsements, as if anyone really cares. 38th State Senator Dan Seum (R) was recently endorsed by the C/J, said it wasn’t anything he was proud to tell voters. Several other candidates who received the once coveted endorsement of the “once great newspaper” echoed the same words. The Courier even ran a piece trying to explain how careful and considerate their endorsement process was. Having gone through it personally twice and knowing numerous other candidates over the last 30 years that have appeared before the C/J Editorial Board, I’ve found them to be less than fair—or informed.

In my last race in 2003, I was “summoned” (and I use that word intentionally) to appear on a particular date for my interview. As it happened, I had a prior commitment. I politely requested the interview be rescheduled for any other time of their choosing (which, I was assured by the young sounding lady who called, would be fine). After not hearing anything for a couple of days, I made repeated calls to find out the new date. I was informed rather matter-of-factly that there would be no interview, but an endorsement would be made. Based on what I inquired? No answer. Despite further calls by me, and on my behalf, a new date was ever scheduled.

Well, the Courier’s Editorial Board made their decision, in favor of my Democrat opponent based on no interview of either of us. No survey or questionnaire. No review of campaign material. Nada. Somehow, I don’t just don’t see the fairness or consideration here, do you? It reminded me of my first race for Metro Council in 2001. My opponent was an allegedly a convert Democrat and genuine political novice (there was a third person at the interview. He was a friend of my opponent. Played in his brother’s band, but that’s another story). He was on the opposite side of the C/J’s stated positions on several issues, and didn’t have a clue when it came to some of the other questions. But because I made the comment that, as Metro Councilman in the newly created Metro Government, I planned to work closely with other Southwest councilmen on related issues; the C/J said I would “balkanize” the Metro Council.

The Editorial Board touted his community experience, but failed to do their research. Had they done so, they would have found that the experience was (at the time) 15 years prior and nothing since, while I had built quite a community resume starting from 1980. Another bungled decision? Perhaps, but I could spend pages relating similar stories that others have experienced. The point I am driving at is everyone has their own agenda, including those that made decisions regarding endorsements, regardless of whether it’s some PAC, or a newspaper. The difference is that we expect business, unions, or other single issue groups to have an agenda, but we count on the media for the unbiased balanced truth. So, how can the media expect us to believe them, when at the same time, they’re trying to manipulate the outcome of elections? Should the media be in the business of trying to influence elections by telling us who to vote for?

What if ABC, NBC, FOX, CNN and all the other media outlets started endorsing candidates? What then? Heck, the media has a hard enough time trying play down accusations of being too “liberal” or too “conservative”! Where do we, as concerned citizens, go for the simple facts, especially in a one newspaper town? The media, and this especially includes newspapers, should, in my opinion, simply publish each candidate’s opinions on the issues and let the voters make their own decisions. We don’t need them playing “big brother” and telling us who and who not to vote for thank you very much.


MY CRYSTAL BALL

Well, I guess I can’t resist making my predictions about some of the upcoming races. It been a long campaign season, and it’s starting to show on the some of the candidates. Tempers are getting short, and dirty deeds are being done…for free! So, here we go:

For 3rd District Congress, I predict “Ms 51%”, incumbent Republican Anne Northup will win reelection by beating John Yarmuth by her usual 51%. The Democrats don’t seem to be able to grasp the concept that you can’t run a liberal in a generally conservative district and expect to win. If the Democrats are serious about reclaiming the 3rd District (and they have a huge voting majority county wide), they need to run a genuine moderate. Someone with some military experience would be a great addition too.

For the 38th State Senate, it’s going to be Republican Dan Seum over former priest, Robert Valenza. In fact, I almost expect Dan to get arrested, because he’s “goin’ to murder the bum”.

28th State Representative, Charlie Miller (D) will walk over the Republican newbie, John Brewer. Brewer, a minister, is so new that even his campaign material is green.

In the 38th House, Dan’s daughter, Dana Seum Stephenson is running against former PVA and Louisville Democrat Party boss Tim Firkins. Denver Butler, the current holder of the 38th is hanging it up after taking a beating from yours truly in 2003. Tim should win based on name recognition…Dana’s. Everyone in the Southend is still reeling over the 2003 race and subsequent court case concerning Dana’s failure to meet residency requirements in her run for 37th State Senate. The court refused to seat Dana, a Republican, which led to a special election in which Democrat, and former 37th State Representative, Perry Clark, was elected.

For Metro Mayor, I expect “King” Jerry Abramson to win another term. Kelly just doesn’t seem to have the charisma. I’ve heard too many people say he comes off as “bland”. Kelly has all the right credentials, but just lacks the excitement you’d expect of a winner. As an aside, look for Independent Ed Springston to break the “5%” barrier. For whatever reason, most independents can’t seem to make it past 2% or 3%. I think there are enough people who are tired of the status quo to give Ed a go.

For PVA, Tony Lindauer (D) will have a steep mountain to climb in taking out Republican Appointee John May. Look for May to keep his seat in what may be an uncomfortably close race. There won’t be any change in Jefferson County Clerk. Republican Bobbie Holsclaw wins hands down against Paul Shaughnessy (D).

In Metro Council District 13, Republican Renay Davis is up against Democrat Appointee Vicki Welch. Vicki is a very personable individual, with a lot of drive to help the community, but she lacks experience. Renay, on the other hand, has considerable “hands on” political experience, and the desire to do something for all the residents of the 13th, many of whom have been all but ignored for the last four years by Vicki’s predecessor. This race has already gotten down and dirty with the usual immature tactics such as stealing signs, rumors, smear letters, etc. (usually a sure sign that you think you’re losing). In what I expect will come down to the wire, Renay Davis will be the new Metro 13 Councilwoman.

District 21 will see the return of favorite son, and “Sidewalk King”, Dan Johnson (D) as he defeats Republican Betty Drexler and Independent John Witt.

Incumbent Metro 25 Councilman Doug Hawkins (R) will win easily win political rookie Erin Ryan, a Democrat. Erin hasn’t mounted much of race, relying on her famous name for much of her support (Erin is the daughter of Judge Ryan). Unfortunately for her, it’s going to take a lot more than that to beat Hawkins.

So, there you have it. Wherever you live, show the special interest groups that the people still have the ultimate power—the vote. Power to the People.

A Word From Our Sponsors

Well, endorsements are for the most part in. Candidates are either giddy with their new found friends, or ticked off to the max at “those lyin’, back stabbin’ SOBs”. Let me tell you a few things about endorsements. First, they aren’t always what they seem. Typically, around August or so, various groups send out questionnaires designed to get the candidate to support their issues. Some of the questions are rather generic, sort of luring into a false sense of ease. But as you go along, the wording become rather tricky, with little wiggle room for the candidate to respond. Of course, the candidate is usually trying to answer the questions without committing too much.

After this little dance, those candidates who seem worth talking to will be invited to a brief meeting before a small group representing the organization, where they will play a verbal cat and mouse game called “You ask the questions and I’ll try to give you the answers you want to hear without locking myself in to much”. It’s really quite an art form if you think about it. Candidates can become rather adapt at the “non-committal commitment” as they move along in politics. We’ve all seen members of Congress and the President perform masterfully the “two-step-side-step” on a regular basis. Once the interview is completed, the board votes on who gets the nod, which not only includes the endorsement, but usually a nice fat campaign donation to go with it. If you’re a Republican, you hope for endorsements from the business community. If you’re an ultra conservative, your probably hoping for the support of Right to Life and Moral Majority crowd, and of course, Pro 2nd Amendment groups. If you’re a Democrat, you cater mainly to organized labor, pro environment, and other progressive groups.

The least important endorsement is from the Courier Journal. Once upon a time (B.G.—Before Gannett), the Courier Journal was all powerful. If you received their endorsement, you were almost guaranteed a win. Nowadays, an endorsement from them is just as likely to cost you an election as not. It’s was my experience with the C/J that they were not as informed or unbiased as they should be. In my first race several years ago, my opponent differed with the C/J on a number of issues, and didn’t have a clue about others. They also failed to take note of his credentials, or lack thereof when they endorsed him. In my second race, they never even bothered to interview any of us, or look at our campaign material. I can only assume their endorsement was solely on party affiliation. I admit to being guilty of complaining about their editorial slant in the past and what I consider to be one writer’s occasional inappropriate racial remarks, which I have written about (this may explain why they don’t print any of my letters to the editor anymore). But I believe the media should be in the business of reporting the news, not trying to create it.

The funny thing about endorsements is that not everyone fits neatly into categories. I’ve known a number of Republicans who were pro-union. Some were former shop stewards. They used union print shops to buy their campaign material (with the ever important union “bug” label). Some even had pretty good Pro-Labor voting records. I’ve also known several Democrats who were just the opposite. They’ve never belonged to a union. They didn’t use a union “bug” on their campaign material, and even privately scoffed at Labor. Yet, they got Labor’s endorsement simply because they were Democrats. Supposedly there had been instances where endorsements were agreed to privately before any of the candidates walked into the room. I find something very wrong with that don’t you? Personally, I would like to see the rank and file vote on each endorsement rather than allowing one or two individuals making the decision for them.

As everyone knows, I’m Pro-Labor big time. But I think Labor has been used and abused by the Democratic Party for far too long. It’s the same for some minority groups. Their support and money is simply taken for granted. If the Democrats were good for working Americans, Republicans would never get elected. The trouble is that neither the Republicans nor Democrats really care for working America. Both parties are bought and paid for by their corporate masters. Labor, in my opinion, needs to climb out of the Democratic Party’s pocket and take a look around. It needs to support pro-union candidates regardless of party.

In today’s anti-Labor environment, unions need support wherever they can find it, and it only makes sense that they seek friends on both sides of aisles when possible. After all, business groups seek the best politician to promote their interests, and party is completely irrelevant. So, why shouldn’t Labor? Granted, most of its supporters are on the Democratic side, but why automatically turn down potential allies just because they happen to have an “R” or “I” behind their names? I know unions up North have started supporting the individual, not the party. They know it’s better to make friends than create enemies. I wish we would do the same thing here in Kentucky. As an aside, I’ve recently learned that Ed Springston, an independent and pro-union candidate for Louisville’s mayor, will be picking up the endorsements of several local unions while the incumbent mayor, “King” Jerry Abramson, failed to receive the endorsement of the Greater Louisville Central Labor Council. Building and Trades even withdrew their endorsement of the Democratic Mayor. Now, that’s what I call progress!

Given that both major parties have done a pretty lousy job when it comes to protecting jobs from being exported, worker’s rights, job safety, job creation, etc, I would like to see unions put aside their differences and put together a union party. Did you know that the United States is the only Western nation without a Labor Party? I understand that there is a small third party comprised of unions which is showing some promise. The Green Party, which is huge everywhere in the world, except the US, is gaining strength as well. Wow, can you imagine what a Pro-Labor/Pro-Environment political party could do? With a little over 1/3 of voters registered as independents, and both Democrats and Republicans continuing to lose numbers, this type of political alliance could be awesome, especially in light of the number of people who vote "none of the above" by staying home. I bet they'd have something to vote for then!

Klan-destine

The KKK attempted to march in the Fairdale Parade on Septmeber 23, but was rebuffed by the festival officials, as well as by Metro Council candidates Renay Davis (R) and Vicki Welch (D). The following week, a letter was circulated in Fairdale, allegedly from the Klan, endorsing Vicki Welch. The Klan is said to have members living in and around Fairdale, and according to Tolerance.Org, is based in Fairdale (there are 10 Klan groups throughout Kentucky according to Tolerance.Org). What’s interesting is the letter supposedly came from Ms. Davis as part of a smear campaign against Ms. Welch. The letter seems to have been limited in scope and directed at specific Fairdale residents. Fairdale is Ms. Welch’s strongest based of support, and where she has also been losing ground to Ms. Davis. Secondly, the letter appears to have gained wider distribution thank to supporters of Ms. Welch. Folks from her camp were allegedly seen passing the letter out to residents at a recent music festival in Fairdale.

What makes me suspect about the letter is that Ms. Davis is about as opposed to the Klan as one can get, as is Ms. Welch no doubt. A tactic such as this is not in the character of Ms. Davis. Also, the letter was directed mainly at people living in the area where Ms. Welch needs to carry in order to win in November. Finally, some the folks passing the letter around were not only from Ms Welch’s camp, but were also some of the same individuals who pulled a similar stunt on me when I ran for Metro Council. In short, it’s what we used to call in the military as “disinformation”. People should treat it as such.

Poll Results

As you’ll recall, we did a poll last month about Campaigns & Elections listing of this blog under the category of “Liberal”. We had 2 votes for “Liberal”, 2 votes for “Conservative” and about 6 votes for “Centrist”. That’s about as middle of road as one can get! Since C&E doesn’t have a category for “Centrist”, I’ve asked them to list our blog under both the “Liberal” and “Conservative” categories. Thanks everyone for participating!

The Fight in Frankfort; Appointment in Louisville

Kentucky’s families got a real boon this week when the House Labor and Industry Committee voted down two anti-worker bills. The bills had been apart of Governor Fletcher’s efforts at many people are calling “union busting”. There were thousand working class folks from throughout Kentucky, both union and non-union, showed up in Frankfort on Tuesday, March 7th, to protest the two bills aimed at lowering wages and benefits, as well as repealing the prevailing wage law. However, we can expect Fletcher’s efforts to push for “right-to-work-for-less” legislation to continue, so we need to stand vigilant.

Two recent MSN articles reported that a Federal survey showed that more Americans than ever are losing their homes to foreclosure, mainly as a result of the new bankruptcy law, which appears to benefit businesses while making it harder for average Americans get out from under crushing debt, while another article reported the average income for Americans declined 2.3% in 2004 while those at the high end of the income scale saw a raise. The survey also reported that total debt for most Americans rose from 12.1 in 2001 to 15% in 2004, with home mortgages making up 75.2% of that debt. As then candidate Ronald Reagan once quipped in his race against President Jimmy Carter, “Are you better off now than you were four years ago?” Well, from the looks of things, I have to say the answer is a resounding “no” for most working Americans.

As many of you know, Ron Weston moved up to 37th House Representative, leaving Metro Council 13 vacant. Several individuals applied to be appointed to the fill out the remaining 10 month term. These included Cindy Hollis, Ray Pierce, Max Brown, and candidates Sharon Woodring, Renay Davis, John Gatton and Vicki Welch. Sharon and Renay are Republicans, while John and Vicki are Democrats. Cindy was good, but may have ticked everyone off by implying in her opening speech that the appointment was fixed. Sharon Woodring did pretty good job too, but came across with something of a flippant attitude when asked about her experience (“doing the job and not being paid for it”) as well as whether or not she ever served on Councilman Weston’s committees (in all fairness, Ron didn’t pick anyone whom he thought would cause him problems, and Sharon would have). Renay gave a nice opening statement about her qualifications, but added that she was withdrawing because she thought this should be a special election, not an appointment (many in the district agree). Ray Pierce did pretty well. Ray has an excellent grasp of the district’s issues, especially when it comes to drainage and garbage collection. Vicki Welch named dropped several times. She claimed to be "well known" throughout the district (she isn't) and had an attitude that she expected to the appointment. Vicki talked about all the work she's done in Yorktown (she has) and throughout the district (she hasn't). John Gatton blew just about every question. However, John had one really shining plus going for him: he’s the only candidate that’s a union member. And then there was Max Brown. Believe it or not, Max showed up in a tee shirt and jeans! Someone should have loaned him a dollar so he could buy a clue. Actually, he was comical, and several times got a good laugh from the council. Admitted he didn't know much about the district itself; any of the issues facing the residents; he hasn't been involved in the community; didn't know much about the merger; or the arena; or the STAR program; or could name his top three priorities (he did think drainage was a problem though).

Well, on Thursday, March 9th, the Metro Council voted to appoint Vicki Welch to fill the vacancy. The vote was pretty predictable (and seemed to vindicate Cindy’s opening remark of a few days prior). What was interesting about the vote was that no other candidate’s names were put forth. The vote was near unanimous, with two abstentions by Republicans Glen Stuckel (R-17) and Stuart Benson (R-20). Stuckel said it didn’t matter since the Democrats, who have a majority on council, had the vote “locked up”, which seemed to sum the view of the rest of Republicans on the council. Benson said he supported John Gatton because he was a union member, but knew he didn’t have the votes. Think about that for just a minute. None of the Democrats on the council supported Gatton, a union brother, while one Republican did. Maybe it’s just me, but isn’t there something seems wrong with that picture? I would expect at least a Democrat of two to have put forth his name. It’s attitudes like that which make efforts like Governor Fletcher’s recent anti-labor initiatives possible.

Finally, I would like to say “thank you” to the National AFL/CIO for added this site to their blog. You can visit them at: www.aflcio.org. I would also like to thank Joe Gandelman at The Moderate Voice too for adding this site to his web page. Please be sure to visit Joe at: http://www.moderatevoice.com/.

Metro Council District 13

South End politics in Louisville Kentucky is unlike politics anywhere else in the state. Here, party registration means little, though the South End is predominantly conservative, working class, union, and registered Democrat. It’s the home of two union locals and four Democratic Clubs. Here it’s more personality than anything that will get you elected, so long as you don’t violate good old fashion traditional values like home and hearth. In fact, once upon a time, Republicans could get elected, but that was because they understood that they needed to “run their district” not the party line.

The Kentucky State Republican Party should have learned that lesson in 2002 with the creation of the Metro Government and new Metro Council, but didn’t. You would think they would have learned their lesson the second time around with 2004 State House and State Senate races. Thanks to gross mismanagement, they lost every one of their races in Jefferson County. Ok, you say, they’re bound to have learned by now. Nope. They completely blew the Special Election for the 37th House and Senate seats thanks again to gross mismanagement by the same folks. With the 2006 election season upon us, you'd wonder if they’ll finally understand what it takes to win.

A case in point is the upcoming Metro Council District 13 election, which is located in the South End. Formerly held by Fairdale’s Ron Weston, this race already promises to be the most interesting. Weston, a political novice and who had recently switched to Democrat, won the election in 2002 against Republican Sharon Woodring. Weston won the Special Election for the 37th House seat in February of this year to replace fellow Democrat and Fairdalian Perry Clark, who quit his 37th House seat to run in the same Special Election for the 38th Senate, which came open when Republican Dana Seum-Stephenson was found unqualified to hold the seat she won in 2004 since she was an Indiana resident (whew!!) So, that left Weston’s Metro Council seat vacant. The Metro Council gets to vote on and appoint a replacement, who will serve out the remainder of the term, which expires this November while an election for the seat takes place. Now, let’s set the stage and you can see what I mean about South End politics.

The candidates for the appointment are Cindy Hollis, Sharon Woodring, Vicki Welch, Max Brown, John Gatton, and Renay Davis. All but Hollis and Brown are active candidates for the seat. Sharon is a Fairdale activist and a Republican LD Chairperson. She considers herself a moderate. She lost to Weston in the 2002 General Election (Rick Johnstone, another Fairdalite and former State ABC chieftain who engineered Weston’s election, and Sharon have a long history of intense mutual dislike). Cindy is a popular school teacher, a conservative Republican (formerly active with the local party). She lives outside of Fairdale. Cindy and Sharon used to be good friends; however they ended up opposing each other in the 2002 Primary for the Metro Council seat and remain rivals. Vicki, a Democrat, is a political unknown. She’s active in the Yorktown Neighborhood Association, but that’s about it. She seems to be trading on her name more than anything else (her husband is a former judicial candidate). Max Brown, a Republican, calls himself a Fairdale activist. Maybe. No one seems to know much about him. John Gatton, the other Democrat, is the former campaign manager for Denise Weiter, who ran for a Metro Council seat in 2002. She lost to Republican Doug Hawkins. John lives on the far side of the district in Leemont Acres. Renay Davis is a conservative Republican and former Legislative Aide to Doug Hawkins (Cindy Hollis is also a close friend of Hawkins). Most everyone involved in the 2002 District 13 Council race, not running this time, are helping Renay.

As you might be able to tell, from the appointment to fill the term to the election itself, is less about party registration or political leanings as it is about Fairdale versus those outside Fairdale. Weston took good care of Fairdale, and admittedly, they had been neglected in the past (past representation, by the way, was always Democrat). He even gave his alma mater, Fairdale High School, $40,000.00 for their football stadium (Weston was an assistance football coach there about 20 years ago. He is on their board of trustees. His son is president of the board. His wife is secretary. Several of his political allies also serve on the board). Fairdale got roads repaved, new sidewalks, drainage improvements, and streetlights just to mention a few, while the rest of the district pretty much did without (that’s not to say that Weston didn’t follow the time honored tradition of taking credit for other people’s efforts throughout the district). The obvious concern is that should another Fairdale candidate win, the residents outside Fairdale get more of the same (or would that less of the same?) In short, it’s about limited resources and a lot of need, and those limited resources not being properly spread out. Sound familiar?

As an aside, whoever gets appointed will have little if any money to spend on the district since the majority of it went to Weston’s school, which is bound to tick off some folks. The appointee will also be trying to learn the job; doing the job; and trying to run for the job at the same time. I’ve been in politics for about 28 years now, and that sounds like a prescription for a disaster to me. Heck, they won’t even get any choice committee assignments! Of course, if one of the current candidates does get appointed, they’ll have an unfair advantage over the other candidates in that they will be able their “incumbency” to influence the election, which would also be at taxpayer expense. My suggestion is that the Metro Council appoints one of the non-candidates, either Brown or Hollis (Cindy has more community experience), since this is really nothing but a “temp” job any way and therefore party registration won’t really matter that much. This would also help keep the race a little more honest.

So, there you have it. A typical race in the South End where the emphasis is less about party politics as it is about the personalities and their cliques who decide who’ll gets drainage and lights; whose roads will get paved; and who’ll do without…again. Not much positive comes to the South End unfortunately. Someone needs the courage to put aside the petty “us versus them” mentality and step up to the plate to represent the entire district equally.

The St. Valentine's Day (GOP) Massacre?

Was the February 14th Special Election for the 37th House and Senate seats a “St. Valentine’s Day Massacre” for the Kentucky Republican Party? A possible sign of things to come? Well, the answer appears to be yes…and no. Perry Clark, a long time fixture in South End politics (as was his father, former State Representative Paul Clark), beat Republican novice Debbie Peden in a rather blistering campaign with 54% of the vote.

Peden, wife of current metro councilman James Peden, started her campaign by going negative, and never looked up. Granted, many of her comments about Perry Clark were true, such has his support for 14 year olds being allow to marry, unrestricted gun use, and being the de facto spokesman for local militias and other right wing causes (Perry is more Libertarian than Democrat, and would be the first to admit it). However, voters tend to very quickly get turned off by negative campaigning, especially if they’re not hearing anything else. What Debbie did not do was spend more time telling the voters about herself. She failed to give the voters a compelling reason to oust Clark, who they’ve known for many years. Debbie didn’t establish an “identity” the voters could relate too.

Another problem was that the Republican Party spent thousands of dollars on TV and radio spots which went out over several counties. Well folks, you don’t have to be a political guru to realize what a waste of money that was. We’re talking about one moderate size State Senate district here. The money could have been better spent with additional (and upbeat) mailers, as well as hiring folks to make “personal” phone calls designed to reinforce a positive image of Debbie and to get them to the polls. This is particularly important in a district dominated by the conservative Democrats and you have a well known opponent. But on the upside, Debbie did ok for a first timer. Just watch the mudslinging next time ok?

On the undercard was Rick Johnstone backed Ron Weston against Carolee Allen. Allen, another novice (read “sacrificial lamb”) of the local Republican Party, who had no chance from the get go, not that Weston is some sort of political powerhouse. He isn’t. Weston, a more or less political babe-in-the-woods himself, was elected to the Metro Council in 2000 after switching parties. He served as its first President thanks largely to now Deputy Mayor Johnstone and others, who’ve guided Weston along his political path. Weston was able to get the endorsement of the unions, who in turn were able to get some of their members out. Also, this is a very Democratic district as well. Though Allen claimed to be “pro-labor”, she neglected to drive home the point with having a “union bug” on her campaign signs and literature, which made her look kinda unprofessional.

Allen also made the mistake of praising some of Weston’s decisions, like giving $40,000.00 to his high school’s football team and where he is also an Alumni Trustee; his wife is the secretary; his son is the President; and several of his political supporters are on the board (Weston was also an assistant football coach there about 20 years ago). When asked if she thought the move was politically motivated, she said “no” and added that she even liked the idea! What the…? She also failed to hit Weston on his failure to represent the district outside Fairdale. While he took good care of Fairdale, which admittedly had been long neglected, the rest of District 13 was pretty much forgotten.

Allen also failed to receive any support from her LD Chairman, and very little help from local Republicans activists or precinct captains. She also lacked money. Weston was able to secure big bucks from Labor and through the Democratic Party. Finally, the biggest problem facing Allen came, not from Weston, but alledgedly from within the Republican ranks in the person of Michael Clingaman.

Clingaman had dropped the ball big time in 04 when he failed to provide adaquate support to House Candidates in Jefferson County, which contributed mightedly to the loss of all GOP challengers running in Jefferson County. Word has it that the Democrats later praised Clingaman for his “support” in "protecting Democrat seats" in an executive meeting following the November elections. The GOP was warned about Clingaman by a number of candidates and was promised the appropriate punishment would befall this political “Typhoid Mary”, which turned out to be a promotion to the state party’s campaign manager. Yeah, that hurt. Clingaman, it turned out, was apparently Allen’s political adviser and handled her signs and literature. The result? Weston carried every precinct and won the election with 70% of the vote. Need I say more?

The upside is that Weston will now be in Frankfort, and we'll have the opportunity for some real district wide representation in Metro 13. Of course, we'll see what happens when the May Primaries are over.

Denver Butler Says Goodbye

For those who don’t know, my opponent in the 2004 race of the 38th State Representative seat, Denver Butler, is hanging it up. Butler was quoted as saying in a January 19th interview in the Courier Journal, that age and a desire to help his daughter, Marianne Butler, run for the Metro Council 15 seat were his primary reasons. However, a more likely scenario, and the one I heard almost non stop from local community activists, political insiders and others, was that Butler didn't want another race like the one I gave him in 2004 again. Denver was seriously concerned that he might not be lucky a second time around.

In a district where Denver has been a long standing incumbent; where he held a 2.5:1 voter registration advantage, he won by just 2000 votes. That folks is considered a close election. Despite a large campaign war chest, Denver was unable to mount any type of aggressive campaign. He wasn’t able to walk the district; he wouldn’t debate; he wouldn’t show up at any community events, and so forth. Simply put, his heart just didn't appear to be in it anymore. He lost that "fire in the belly" every politican talks about.

While many people, Republicans, Democrats, and Independents have made a point of congratulating me on forcing Butler's departure, I don’t want anyone to think I’m gloating. Far from it. I knew Denver for many years before deciding to run against him. He is a good man. Denver Butler worked long and hard, first as an Alderman, and later as State Representative. However, Denver stopped being effective several years ago in my opinion, and that of many political insiders in both political parties, and of many in the district. He relied too much on past laurels. His failure was not a lack of concern for the people in the 38th. Indeed, he cared very much. His failure, however, was not in recognizing when it was time to leave. A failing of many politicans. He became part of the entrenched “good ole boys” which, over the years, has done so much harm to Louisville. The people of the not just the 38th House District deserved better, so do the people of Southern Louisville and Jefferson County. We’ve seen to many neighborhoods decline. We've seen crime and drugs dealing increase, especially meth production We’ve seen to many business leave, especially the small “mom and pop” stores which used to dot the South End. We’ve seen to many unwanted developments, including trailer parks spring up. We’ve become, as some folks have said, a “dumping ground” for Louisville's East End. That then, is why I chose to run, and that was after several long face to face meetings asking him to step aside for the wellbeing of the district (and at each meeting, he always give me a long pause and asked for "just two more years" and would promise to resign and support me. However, after six years of waiting, I decided thar was time enough).

While many believe Denver’s decision to retire was at least partially to my credit, I rather focus on the future. I hope we can sit aside petty party politics, which are often self-destructive, and come together as a community in order to work together in rebuilding the South End in something everyone can be proud of once more. We need strong, pro-active and non-partisian leadership.

What a Way to Start a Year

The Democratic Party did a great injustice to Virginia Woodard. Here is a gal who is loyal party activist and a hard campaigner. She’s run three times before, and keeps coming back for more. There’s no questioning her resolve, no matter what anyone thinks of her personally. But, the “backroom boys” took her legal victory, and kicked her to the curb.

For those unfamiliar with the story, Virginia Woodard ran for 37th State Senate against the daughter of political rival Dan Seum, Dana Seum Stephenson in 2004. Neither candidate had a Primary opponent. The General Election was hard fought, but unusually free of mudslinging (much to the credit of both candidates). The day before the election, Virginia learned that Dana was an Indiana resident, and thereby unqualified to run for office in Kentucky. However, Dana won the election. Virginia took the matter to court (with little or any active support from the Democratic Party), and after almost two years, succeed in having Dana removed. A Special Election was scheduled for February 14th of this year, with each party to select their candidate in what the local newspaper said would be opened to the public.

Well, out of the woodwork came Democrat (and a former opponent of Virginia’s) Perry Clark, who’s the current 37th State Representative. Perry never expressed an interest in running for the State Senate before, but now that Virginia had cleared the way, it had his full attention. In a closed door meeting, the local party’s executive committee selected Perry Clark to run for the seat. Never mind that Virginia had her election team still together; or had already started fundraising; or that she had an established base of support, or already had the yard signs and campaign literature, or had run the race two years before; or even that she fought for a new election to make the whole thing possible while the local party, including Perry Clark, stood by and did virtually nothing.

Upon announcement of Clark’s nomination, Perry, the executive committee, and the local party chairman were sounded booed by most of the folks in attendance. Perry attempted to give an interview about how he has “always been a party unifier”, and was shouted down (I’ve known both Perry and Virginia for many years, and I can tell you a thing or two about Perry being a “unifier”).

Virginia Woodard worked harder than anyone I’ve known in my 27 years of politics. She ran the race, fought for a new election, and won, only to see her victory snatched away by those less interested in the residents of the district than in their own private agendas. People wonder what’s happened to the Democratic Party. Well folks, here’s a good example.

On another note, I’ve read lately where our soldiers lack adequate body armor, which accounts for 80% of the Marine Corps’ causalities in Iraq. Apparently the causality rate is just as high among US Army troops. The Pentagon has acknowledged the lack of protection given to our troops, and promises to investigate. Meanwhile, our soldiers are compensating for the lack of protection by using extra groin protectors to cover exposed areas. Families of some of the soldiers aren’t waiting around, with the promise of reimbursement by the Pentagon, they are spending upwards of $1000.00 to buy their love ones the additional protection that our tax dollars were supposed to have provided but didn’t. As an aside, none of the families have yet to be reimbursed for their out of pocket expenses. I’m sure many of you remember that some of our military vehicles, including the much vaulted HumVee orginally lacked even the most basic armor protection when first deployed to the area, resulting in the deaths for several service personnel before our troops started packing them with sandbags. After several months, and a few news reports, armor plating finally arrived for most of the equipment. Folks, I’m a disabled veteran. I went in just after Vietnam, and I can tell you, providing our military with the best equipment is paramount. Anything less is unacceptable. With the billions the Pentagon has been getting, you would think something this simple; this basic would never have happened.

I got my LG$E notice (yes, I used the dollar sign on purpose). Wow! Remember how we were originally told the rates would increase 60%, and after everyone began to fight back, they told us the rate would increase only 40%? Well, guess what? They lied. Some folks experienced as much as an 83% increase in their bill, with little additional usage. Most folks received the full 60%, and with the promise of further increases in January and February. Boy, I bet those folks down at LG$E are really hating this mild winter don’t you?

And did you notice gas prices are creeping up again. It started just before the holidays, and they continue to rise. Big surprise there huh? Do you remember that during the Great Depression, shanty towns, where whole families would live in cardboard boxes or in rags sewed together to create makeshift tents were called “Hoovervilles” or “Hoover Hotels” after the President, Herbert Hoover? Well, I suggest that whenever we get gas, we purchase the fuel in “Bushes” rather than in “gallons” after Bush and oil buddies. He wants to go down in history, let’s help him out!

Lastly, I saw where Governor Ernie Fletcher is starting the year off on the wrong foot again by proposing to break unions. That's no way to win a second term! You would think Fletcher has enough problems to deal with than to take on organized labor. Unions are the reason we have 40 hour weeks, laws dealing with safe working conditions, healthcare, vacation time, adequate job training, decent wages, and many of other legal rights protecting us from abusive employers. As we’ve seen the power of unions decline, we’ve seen of our jobs exported overseas, lowered wages, decrease healthcare coverage (or no coverage at all), and pensions vanish into thin air (actually, vanish into the pockets of management and shareholders, but that's another article). Does Fletcher really want to attack the working class in Kentucky in the name of minimum wage “McJobs”? I surely hope not. I’m union and I’ll do my part to keep unions strong in Kentucky. For many, it’s all that’s left protecting them from loosing everything.