The Political Bridge

KYSenateandHouseleadersreachagreementonsessionpay(infofromFrankLeidermann,contributingeditor)

NewsRelease

July31,2007

FRANKFORT-- KentuckySenateandHouseleadershaveagreedonthemajorcomponentoftheissueinvolvinglawmakers'payforthespeciallegislativesessionthatconcludedonMonday.

Undertheagreement,theperiodduringwhichGov.ErnieFletcheradjournedthesessionfromJuly11untilJuly29willbeclassifiedas"legislativeinterim."Thatwillcanceloutthesessionpayandexpenseslawmakerswouldhavereceivedfor75percentofthetime(19ofthe26days)betweenthestartandendofthesession.

Asaresultofthisaction,taxpayerswillseeanimmediatereductionof$765,000ofsessionpayandexpensesduelegislators.

TheadministrativeofficesoftheLegislativeResearchCommissionexpecttoreceiveformalindicationswithinthenextfewdaysonplansforhandlinglegislativepayfortheportionofthesessionpriortoJuly11.

--END--

BESHEARLAYSOUTPLANFORKENTUCKY’SECONOMICFUTURE

          FORIMMEDIATERELEASE:                          FORMOREINFORMATION:
            July31st,2007                                          RobertKellar(502)607-8600

 (Louisville,KY)Thisafternoon,DemocraticnomineeforGovernorSteveBeshearreleasedthedetailsofhiscomprehensiveeconomicdevelopmentplanatapressconferenceinLouisville. Theplan,availableonlineatwww.SteveBeshear.com,focusesontheneedtobringdramaticchangetoKentucky’sjobcreationeffortsandshiftthefocustopoliciesthatactuallywillcreategood-payingjobs. TheplanalsocallsforacomprehensiveapproachtobuildinganewenergyeconomyaswellasethicsreformtoagainmakeKentuckyaplacebusinesseswillfeelconfidentdoingbusinesswith.

“Thisadministrationhasbeenadragontheeconomy,”Beshearadded. “Forthelastfouryears,businesshaslookedwarilyatKentuckyasitsGovernorandadministrationhavebeenplaguedbycorruption,cronyismandincompetence.Thatiswhyourfirstorderofbusinessmustbetorestoreintegritytogovernment.”

Theplancallsspecialattentiontoethicsreformandenforcementandlaysoutanagendatoendsecretlegaldefensefunds,reformtheGovernor’spardonpower,andincreasetransparencyinstategovernment.

“Ourfuturedependsuponourabilitytogrowoureconomyandcreatehighwagejobswithbenefitsthatwillenableustobecompetitiveinthe21stCentury,”saidBeshear. “GovernorFletcherhastakenhiseyeofftheballbyplayingpolitics,failingtoprovidetheleadershipneededineconomicdevelopmenttocreatehighpayingjobsforKentuckians. It’stimeforachange.”

“Iwillusemyexperienceinboththeprivateandpublicsectortoproposeandimplementnewpoliciesthatwillactuallycreatejobs. Sadly,ourcurrentgovernorismoreinterestinginscoringpoliticalpointsthangrowingtheeconomy.”

TheBeshearplanwould:

1.  Refocusstategovernment’seconomicdevelopmenteffortsonKentuckybusinesses,bothlargeandsmall. 
2.  Focusonhighgrowthindustries,
3.  Endcorporatewelfare,
4.  Matchworkertrainingwithindustryneeds,
5.  EncourageResearch&Developmentandmakegovernmentanefficientandeffectivepartnerwithsmallbusinesses.

Additionally,Besheariscallingforanewefforttotakeadvantageofthenewenergyeconomybydevelopingcleancoaltechnology,alternativeandrenewablefuels,andleadingthenationinconservation.

            

PASSIONATEABOUTLIBERALISMANDTHEDEFEATOFTHEMITCHbyDrTed

LikeClaudiustheRomanEmperor,whobelievedintheRomanRepublic,Itoopassionatelybelieveinapoliticalconceptthatmightbeanachronistic.

Ibelieveinold-fashionedliberalism.

Yes,Iamafreethinkerwhobelievesinliberty,equality,andfraternity.

That’swhoIam.

That’swhyIferventlysupporttheFairnessDoctrineandfairelections. 

TheFairnessDoctrine,asIdiscussedinthelastissue,requirestheAmericabroadcastindustry(asapublictrust)toprovideitsaudiencewithaspectrumofopinionsandinformation.ThisdoctrinewassacrosanctinAmericaforforty(actuallysixty)years.

UnderlyingtheFairnessDoctrineisthebeliefthedemocracyisbestservedbyaninformedpublic.

Unfortunately,thebroadcastindustryisnowdominatedbyafewmonopolisticentitieswhobelieveinservingtheirself-interests.

Anotherunderlyingconceptinademocracyisthattheelectoralprocessmustbefairandopentoall.

Underthecurrentelectoralprocess,aworkingpersonhaslittlechancetoholdfederalandmoststateoffices. Ourgovernmentsarenotrepresentativeofoursociety.

Nonetheless,inthenameofchoice,therearepoliticalfigureswhowanttokeepourairwavesunderthecontrolofcertainpeoplewhothinkinacertainway.

Inthenameoffreespeech,therearepoliticalfigureswhowanttokeeptheelectoralprocessunderthecontroloftherich.

ThemostprominentofthesepoliticalfiguresisKYsenator,MitchMcConnell.

Mitch,oneofthegreatcontrolfreaksinrecentpoliticalhistory,hasmadeacareerofdefendingthestatusquointheelectoralprocess.Mitchisalsodoinghisbesttokeepfairnessoutofourbroadcastindustry.

ThisiswhyIbelievethatourdemocracywouldbebetterservedifMitchgoesofftothepoliticalsunset.

KYDEMOCRATSPASSIONATELYBELIEVETHATTHEYCANDITCHMITCH:CANTHEY?bycontributingeditor,FrankLeidermann

TheDemocraticchallengerwillnothavetomatchMcConnell’swarchestofmoney.Hewouldstill

needsufficientcashwithhelpcomingfromtheKDPandDSCC. BruceLunsfordandHarperprovedinthisyear’sGovernorPrimariesthatmoneyisn’teverything. Bothwouldlosetocandidateswhospentmuchless.CharlieOwenlostforU.S.CongressandU.S.whileoutspendinghisopponents.  

BecomingMinorityLeaderoftheU.S.SenatehasnothelpedMcConnellinKentucky.Hisflipflopontheimmigrationissues,hissupportofPresidentBushandtheIraqiwar,hislackofsoundleadershipintheSenate,andhispoortelevisionpersonahashurthim.

KentuckiansarebecomingmoreandmoredisappointedwithMitchMcConnellastherecentSurveyUSApollshows.McConnellisathisalltimelow,48/44%,favorable—unfavorable.

TheprobablelostofGovernorErnieFletchertoSteveBeshearwillgreatlyhurtMcConnell’sre-electionbid.ABeshearwin,especiallyabigwin,shoulduniteDemocratsandprovideforastrongbaseforaDemocraticchallenger.

TobeatMcConnell,DemocratswillhavetocarryEasternKentucky,Louisville,LexingtonandFrankfortbyrespectablemargins;runeveninWesternKentucky;andholdMcConnell’smargindowninNorthernandSouthCentralKentucky.

Towin,DemocratswillhavetomakeMcConnelltheissueandnotallowMcConnelltoframetheDemocraticchallengerashehasdoneinthepast.

GregStumbo,whosofaristheonlyDemocrattofileFederalexploratorypapersforaSenaterun,hasshownstrengthinEasternKentuckyandWesternKentuckyinthepast. HisroleasKYHouseMajorityLeaderisamodelforallleaderswhofollowhimthere.HeisagreatAttorneyGeneral.HehasthebestpoliticalmindinKentuckyandwouldmorethanmatchMitch’s.HeisatoughcampaignerandwouldbringthecampaigntoMcConnell.ThetaskathandforStumboisraisingenoughmoney,securingtheKDPandDSCCsupport,anddealingwithhisnegatives.

CharlieOwen,theLouisvilleBusinessman,whohaslostthreepoliticalraces,wouldhavethemoneyandLouisvillesupportasabase.BynowheknowsKentuckyandhascapablepoliticalhelp.

AttorneyAndrewHornewasnewtothepoliticalscenewhenheranandlostbadlyinthe3^rdDistrictDemocraticPrimaryforCongress.HeisanIraqiWarHerowhowouldrunwellwithKentuckyVeterans.OutsideofLouisvilleheisrelativelyunknownandwouldhavealotofworktodotomaketherace.

Nodoubt,CongressmanBenChandlerwouldbethebestbetforDemocratstobeatMcConnell.ButStumboappearstobeatthetopofthetierfornow. StumbocouldbeatMcConnellbutitwouldbeatoughone.OleMitchcanbenasty

ALCROSSONMCCONNELL’SVULNERABILITY

(FromacolumnintheCourier-Journal.July29,2007;copiedwithpermissionfromMr.Cross)

WASHINGTON--InMitchMcConnell'sshorttenureasRepublicanleaderoftheU.S.Senate,hisseventhmonthhasbeenfarfromlucky.

AfterkeepingPresidentBush'simmigrationbillalive,hevotedtokillitinthefaceofenergizedopposition,includingadvertisingthatlumpedtheKentuckyconservativewithliberallionTeddyKennedy.

HetookatoughpublicshotfromanunnamedcolleaguespeakingthroughconservativecolumnistRobertNovak,contendingthathefailedtoshowleadershipduringtheclosinghoursoftheimmigrationdebate.

HewasthetargetofattackadsfromantiwargroupslinkinghimwithBush'sincreasinglyunpopularpolicyinIraq,asheledtheefforttoblockavoteonlegislationthatwouldhavestartedawithdrawal.

Hecontinuedtobethetargetofthosewhowouldliketoreplacehimnextyear,mostrecentlyAttorneyGeneralGregStumbo,probablythebestcampaignerintheKentuckyDemocraticParty,whostartedanexploratorybid.

Toreadthecompletecolumnclickhere:

http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070729/COLUMNISTS12/707290365

FORYOUPASSIONATEPOLITICOS:DON’TMISSTHISWEEK’SFANCYFARMPICNICbyFrankLeidermanncontributingeditor

AllpoliticosshouldgotoFancyFarmSaturdayandgobackagainandagain!

WhileitisbetheannualpicnicofSt.JeromeParishinFancyFarm,ithasbecomeKentucky’spremiereandmostnotablepoliticalevent.  

Thetrekthereisworthit.Yourfriendsandsomenotsofriendlywillbethere.Stateandlocalofficials,candidates,andsoontobecandidateswillbethere.TheBarBQueisthebest.Theatmosphereiscaptivatingandthespeechescanbeunforgettable.Andthepicnicisalotoffuntoo!

KentuckyDamVillageistheplacetobethenightbeforeFancyFarmandstopbyMayfieldforagoodbreakfastandspeechesSaturdaymorning.ThenontoFancyFarm!

BeingatFancyFarmonthefirstSaturdayinAugustisalotlikebeinginNewYorkonNewYear’sEveortheMardiGrasinNewOrleans.Itisanexperienceyouwillremember!

MakethetriptoFancyFarm.Youwillbegladyoudid!  

WATCHSENATORMITCHSPEAKABOUTONHISPASSION:KEEPINGTHEELECTIONSYSTEMASIS

http://www.publicampaign.org/fenahearing/testimony-mcconnell

THISISWHATMITCHISSOPASSIONATELYAGAINST:THEDURBIN(D-IL)-SPECTOR(R-PA)FAIRELECTIONSNOWACT(fromhttp://www.publicampaign.org/fair-elections-now-summary)

TheFairElectionsNowActwouldrestorepublicconfidenceintheelectionprocessbyallowingqualifiedcandidatestoreceivecampaignfundsfromtheSenateFairElectionsFundinsteadofaskingformoneyfromprivateinterests.Inreturn,participatingcandidateswouldvoluntarilyagreetolimittheircampaignspendingtotheamountallocatedtothem.Thisvoluntaryalternativetotraditionalprivatelyfinancedcampaignswouldfreecandidatesfromtheincessant,time-consumingmoneychasethathastaintedpublicperceptionsofelectedofficialsandfosteredabusesthatundermineourdemocracy.Candidatescouldinsteaddevotetheirtimeandenergytotalkingwiththeirconstituentsabouttheissuesthatareimportanttothem.

 FormoreinformationabouttheFairElectionsNowActandtosignthepetitionforthisact,clickherehttp://www.publicampaign.org/fair-elections-now-summary

LISTENTODAVIDDONNELLY:AMANWITHAPASSIONTOBRINGTHEELECTIONSYTEMBACKTOTHEPEOPLE

ThisFridaypast(July27,2007),IinterviewedDavidDonnellyabouthispassionforcampaignfinancereformandforeducatingAmericansaboutthisissue.  Davidtalkedaboutthehistoryoffairelectionmovements,withvictoriesinArizonaandMaine.HealsodiscussedthenationalpushfornationalcampaignfinancereforminAmerica

DavidalsomentionedthepossibilityofeducatingKentuckiansaboutSenatorMitchwhoisleadingtheoppositionagainstfairfederalelections.

DavidfinallydiscussedthepassionthatheishearingfromKentuckians(especiallythebloggingcommunity)aboutDitchingMitch.

Clickhere DownloadDavid1.mp3 andhereDownloadDavid2.mp3  tohearDavidtalkabouttheseissues.Pleaseturnthevolumetoyourcomputeruptohearhim.Ididnotdoaverygoodjobofrecordingtheseconversations  

Mr.Donnellyalsowantstohearfromyouaboutcampaignfinancereform. Pleasethensendhimalineat[email protected]

DENNISKUCINICH‘SDEBATEWITHHANNITY&COLMESONTHEFAIRNESSDOCTRINE