The Rural Democrat

Will King David Williams Obstruct

Seems the 2008 special session of the Kentucky General Assembly has started without the usual posturing, well for now. The House state government committee unanimously passed the pension overhaul proposal and no rumors of resistance exist, within the House. Elements of the KEA have spoke out against the measure, but it appears it will have no effect.

Democrats have come together under the leadership of Governor Steve Beshear in a House divided by thoughts of leadership positions and power. For now those thoughts and ambitions are shelved.

By Wednesday the bill could reside in the Republican controlled State Senate. With friendly lawsuits being tossed around like a political football, will it spill over into the special session? Will Senate President Williams (R) allow it to pass? I find it strange as hell that Beshear would countersue now, on the first day of a special session. Protocol I guess.

War in the State House

Earlier today Rep. Susan Westrom (D) blasted the House leadership to Mars in an email that seemingly started a new and wonderful war between rank and file members and the so called House leadership.

What will be the result of this bad blood? Speaker Stumbo?

I am currently trying to get a few opinions from other House members and so far no one wants to talk. House Majority Whip Rob Wilkey is out, Speaker Richards has, very carefully, responded. Now hopefully the press hounds the other House leaders and hopefully gets some reaction.

Governor Beshear's plans or probable plans to call a extraordinary session of the Kentucky General Assembly may be on ice for a while, if he calls it anytime within the next 3 or 4 months it will likely be a total waste.

This rift is cutting deep into the fabric of the standard quo that has been observed for a decade in the state House and with any rift is left a void and that void must be filled. Now we wait and see how far this goes.

Rep. Wilkey "conscious effort to embarrass this governor during this session" Finally Someone is Telling the Truth

Majority Whip Rob Wilkey (D) blasted the State House leadership in an email sent out to various members today. He laid it all out and also announced he will be retiring at the end his term. He heavily criticized the House Leadership for being too worried about their own House leadership positions rather than doing a good job and serving the people.

And as expected he blamed the debacle that was the 2008 session partly because of the unwillingness of key House leaders to work with Governor Beshear and exposed House members of betraying Governor Beshear in a way that will likely make it impossible to rebuild any type of trusting relationship. Wilkey accused House leaders of working to embarrass the Governor. But did place a little blame at the Governor's feet as well.

KyKurmudgeon

Referring to the obvious rift in House leadership that proved problematic during this year's General Assembly session, Wilkey wrote, "I thought we didn't serve anyone very well ... I also thought there was a conscious effort to embarrass this governor during this session. It worked. He could have done a better job of building a relationship with the House, but I also feel he was misled into believing that we would work with him. We didn't."

This email is one of the most damaging examples of what really happens behind closed doors and the childish self serving attitude of many of our House members. I think it is about time to take out our own trash and hopefully the people think the same thing.

Governor Beshear's First Session a Failure

Times have changed, the days of loyalty to your Governor is over, no matter how important the issues. This session is a complete failure on many fronts, most notably it will be considered a failure and a black X for Governor Beshear's first year in office. The buck stops with him and he must bear the brunt of the criticism.

• Casinos: A 30 day into the session proposal probably is the single most important reason the measure failed. The horse racing industry and the politics surrounding the number of guaranteed gaming facilities at the tracks was a catalyst to delay, obstruct, and ultimately destroy the proposed legislation. It was an orchestrated obstruction of this legislation and it ultimately damaged the relationship between the horsie set and the Governor. Without that team, Casinos will only be a discussion not a reality, ever.
• The Budget: A miserable session and the sweeping cuts issued by Governor Beshear before the session set the stage for a budget that is both anemic and porous. But some legislators managed to get their all important project money during an election year while the mentally retarded and the poor will certainly suffer the consequences of a bleak 2 year budget. But no sweeping vetoes were issued by Beshear in regards to those cuts, so it is business as usual.
• Pension Reform: Beshear is caught in the vortex of damed-if-you-do and damned-if-you-don't in regards to how to lead the charge for his pet legislation. If he does too little he is called out on the floor for not being a leader and if he does too much he is kicked backed into the mansion in a fury by turf protecting legislators. So it is no surprise that pension reform died on the floor.
• Ethics Reform: Shot full of holes and useless, of course dead in the water.
• 70 cent cigarette tax increase: The only time during this session when the press sided with the Governor and praised his leadership was during the debacle of the 70 cent increase in the cigarette tax. But our childish legislative body proved the accusations of being immature obstructionists by pitching a fit at the thought of raising that tax by that amount. Why? It is an election year for many legislators and raising ANY tax can be used against them, EVEN though the majority of the Commonwealth approved of the tax increase. Amazing.

So all of Governor Steve Beshear's initiatives have been killed and nothing of substance has passed this unproductive session of the Kentucky General Assembly. Now the blood bath begins; Stumbo will likely challenge Richards for the top spot in the House and the question everyone will be asking is; will Stumbo seek Beshear's help. I would suspect Beshear to have nothing to do with that, if he is smart. But Stumbo should make his move, even though I was critical of him during the 2007 gubernatorial primary I will support that move, if only for the reason that he would stand up to King David Williams.

Now we wait for a probable extraordinary session of the Kentucky General Assembly. Does Beshear call that session and attempt to flex his executive muscles or does he fall into damage control and prepare for 2010? It will be interesting how he recovers from this terrible session and any Beshear supporter who thinks recovery is not needed, is a fool.   

Not So Fast Stumbo, House Speaker Richards Says Budget Will Pass House

House Speaker Jody Richards (D) is predicting the holy moly tooth picks and glue budget patched together by politics instead of reality will pass the State House but Rep. Harry Moberly (D) says he will NOT vote for it. Moberly did not say why he just said NO. Richards also said he is ABSOLUTELY running for speaker next year and is not concern about Stumbo, if one reads between the lines, it means Stumbo is creating a faction in the House and word is spreading. Who will win? Do I care? I will say this, Stumbo would at least fight back against King David Williams and that is a step up in my book.

Is Rep. Greg Stumbo Making His Move?

Cyberhillbilly says his sources are indicating that this could be the Coup de' ta we have been anticipating and the bear-trap we knew House Speaker Jody Richards (D) would step in. Cyber's sources suggest that Rep. Greg Stumbo (D) is leading a group of bipartisan house members against the inadequate budget forced upon us from the Senate majority.

If Greg Stumbo manages to defeat this budget in the State House, he would be in a perfect position to challenge Richards for the top spot in the House majority. Many mountain legislators are unhappy about the elimination of all coal severance projects in this budget. All projects would appear to be under the command of GOLD and that could start small civil wars in many coal house districts among the representatives and the county judge executives.

Governor Beshear is rumored to be starting a charge of his own and has already voiced his displeasure for this so called budget, a budget with no reoccurring revenues. I smell a special session coming.

Will These Secret Budget Negotiations Produce Fruit?

We know we need revenue and we had an opportunity to inject a massive amount of new revenue into the Commonwealth's economy with expanded gaming, but we failed to realize the importance of that strategic plan. Now we have a few choices, yes I am still pounding my shoe on the table about those three choices, casinos, higher taxes, or cut services.

Now it does not matter how many ways you stack crap, at the end of the day it is only stacked crap. This oil painting budget is only a pretty picture of political spin, not a viable budget that will create opportunity for this Commonwealth. The House has the better of the two budget plans, the Senate being the obvious nemesis here. Even with a 25% increase in the cigarette tax it will create revenue, the Senate's plan in regards to a rearrangement in lottery revenues is that classic funny money approach, a political ploy for an election year. Many on the Senate can stand and say "we did not raise taxes" while it will cause cruel hardships on many Kentuckians by not entertaining a higher cigarette tax. It is classic bull shit politics.

The responsible thing to do for this Commonwealth is a massive increase in the cigarette tax, 50 cents or higher and to add tolls to any new mega-project that would require more than $200 million in state funding. That is not creative math, that is simple logic in these tough financial times. Even if it costs our tax payers a few dollars more for a special session, Governor Beshear should outright veto any state budget that does not raise the cigarette tax significantly, also he should slash the House's sneaky 5% increase as well.

Now it is time for Governor Beshear to become an unmovable force of leadership, a responsible general that does not care about reelection in 2011. He needs to stand firm and gather support from both chambers and stand with that support in the face of King David, Rep. Harry "funny money" Moberly and House Speaker Jody Richards and get a budget that is responsible. 

Budget Hypocrisy Revealed, Everyone Suffers Except the House

Mark Hebert did the math and read the fine print to reveal a ridiculous and disappointing showing of State House hypocrisy in regards to our destitute state budget. Rep. Harry "funny money" Moberly (D) has been caught sneaking in an additional 5% increase for the House for each of the next two years while the rest of the Commonwealth suffers.

Moberly explains it away as the need for a House rainy-day fund, you know to cover special sessions and such, sure Harry we all believe you, we really do. I am sure his trash will soon be vetted by lobbyists for social service groups and our state's universities, but I am sure EKU will find a way to get theirs.

Governor Steve Beshear (D) is not happy and hopefully he finds a way to veto this budget, if it passes or lobby to remove the increase, better yet take that increase that the State House sure thinks should be added to the budget and beef up our soon to be gutted social services. 

Governor Beshear Showing Fiscal Responsibility toward Mega-projects

The Kentucky Conservative ideology is flawed, they want to spend bucks we don't have on projects that cost huge bucks. They ridicule the responsible notion that we may have to play catch up to the rest of the nation and stop Kentucky from being a smoker's paradise by adding 70 cents to our behind the times cigarette tax. Casino gaming would have provided a start, not a long term solution. It would have been nice to have an extra billion in the next 2 to 3 years to play with, to fund projects that could provide a boost to our dilapidated economy.

Governor Steve Beshear (D) met with Louisville's Mayor Jerry Abramson (D) and Senate President David Williams (R) today and expressed a responsible concern for the the two mega-projects being considered in Louisville. We pay taxes that keep our cops on the road, keeps the mechanism of government moving. A "use-it" "Tax-it" mentality may be the only way to go, considering Kentucky's thin possibilities for generating more revenue to keep Kentucky moving forward. A toll is not a tax, it is a users fee for driving across a bridge, it pays for itself, what a great concept. But the ridiculous and absolutely ass-backwards conservative mentality in the state is laughable. Can anyone call U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers (R) a conservative? He spends cash like its his job. My state representative Charlie Siler (R) has voted for damn near every single tax increase that has hit the House floor for the past 25 years. 

Beshear did not say he wanted tolls, but I agree all options should be on thrown on the table. Williams would rather dictate and demand rather than negotiate. I would expect Williams to continue his resistance toward the notion that we need to provide money for these projects in a manner that is responsible. I expect Williams to start slinging snot anytime now. Just wait for it.

Pol Watchers

FRANKFORT -- Gov. Steve Beshear urged state lawmakers Wednesday to negotiate on the details of a House bill that could pave the way for using tolls to fund mega transportation projects, such as two new bridges in Louisville.

He said he hopes this legislative session will not end without a funding mechanism in place for such projects.

Beshear's comments came after he met privately in his office with Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson. He had met earlier behind closed doors with Senate President David Williams, R-Burkesville.

Beshear said Abramson and he urged Williams to form a conference committee of lawmakers from both chambers to discuss House Bill 689. But, so far, "the Senate leadership is reluctant to do anything on this issue."

Ellis: This is the Worst Session Anyone Can Recall

Let the flood of media discontent begin over arguably the worst session of the Kentucky General Assembly in recent memory. Ronnie Ellis is the setup man for the media assassination to come for Governor Steve Beshear (D) in the coming weeks. Lawmakers are using language such as; terrible, awful and disaster in regards to the Commonwealth's budget and we might as well prepare for a special session to complete that budget.

Governor Steve Beshear (D) is standing with his chest stuck out waiting on the media to fire away for his attempt to create a steady revenue stream for our destitute Commonwealth and while everyone wants to stomp on the Governor, I have yet to hear ONE viable alternative in regards to creating more revenue. Of course we could raise taxes, cut everything but our hair but it seems to be business as usual in the Kentucky General Assembly. I would use the following language to describe the pathetic showing of our elected representatives; inept, leaderless, spineless, disrespectful, shortsighted, shallow and in the Senate; just plain scared to death of King David Williams. While I did not agree with Beshear's final showing for casinos in Kentucky, as believe it will ultimately add more volatile fuel to an almost out of control fire, I understand his resolve.

The Governor's staff are blaming House Democrats and House Democrats are blaming the Governor. Someone not only dropped the ball preparing for this session, which was supposed to have been the single most important thing in their lives at that moment, they have put Governor Beshear firmly behind the 8 ball. But at the end of the day, the buck stops at the Governor's desk. Todays approval ratings are meaningless because of the massive Republican oversampling, but Beshear's drop among Kentucky Moderates, 16 point drop to be exact, is scary considering they can make you or break you in Kentucky.