Focus on the 88th

Southside Meet and Greet photos!

2008-07-02T12:19:00.014-04:00

The first meet-and-greet hosted by the 88th Legislative District took place last night in Hartland. We saw many familiar faces, but we also spotted a few new ones! Two people drove in from Mercer County, simply because they wanted to get more involved with the Democratic Party but didn’t know whom to contact.

Reggie Thomas, chair of the 88th, addressed the crowd and revved us up for the evening. He spoke about the respect America used to enjoy in the international sphere and our need to regain it. There were cheers when he proposed that electing Barack Obama would be a large step in the right direction.

Jeremy Horton, listening to David O'Neill speak. When his turn came, Jeremy stressed how important it was for Democrats to talk to their friends and neighbors. Signs and bumper stickers are great, but conversation is more effective.

Jonathan Miller spoke of having a different problem: his neighbors were all Republicans. This year, however, he senses a new excitement in the suburbs: Democrat excitement. He believes that Democrats can win in the suburbs, which goes against traditional expectations.

The final speaker, newlywed Dan Mongiardo. He reminded everyone of his close race against Jim Bunning in 2004, and how he had only lost by 1%. Every vote counts. He also spoke about the rumors and swiftboating (we have the GOP to thank for that neologism) he suffered during that campaign, and how important it is to combat smears and outright lying through directly challenging the rumor-mongers.

Chilling after the speeches were over! Dan Shumer tells us that the 45th is planning an ice cream social later this month. We'll be there with our spoons.

The Potters - er - the Webbs - Win

2008-06-25T21:55:00.009-04:00

Is anyone really surprised that the Webbs got their permit to destroy a vital portion of downtown?

MediaCzech sat in on the meeting, which ran into extra innings. Joe broke the news in his usual low-key style:

The Webbs did work very hard to put this deal together. They spent years acquiring properties and permissions. They began designing Centrepointe months before springing it on the public, and they managed to keep it under the radar. Well, under the public radar. Apparently, the Kentucky Heritage Council and the Downtown Development Authority have known about it since at least 2006.

And really, their allies argue, now that Mia's has relocated and Buster's and The Dame are closed, what is there to save? Some run-down historic buildings? No one's using them any more, right? No one, including the Webbs or Rosenbergs, was keeping them to code. Why shouldn't some spiffy new building go up?

How about... because the building's design violates the city guidelines for the courthouse area?
How about... because our Fire Department couldn't reach the top floors of the proposed structure? Safety hazard, anyone?
How about... because a structure spread out into Phoenix Park would impede downtown traffic, already a sore spot with Lexingtonians?

What the board should have said: Yes, you have gone through the legal channels of getting ownerships and permissions. And now that you and your buddies have finished shutting down the block, you can tear it down. But the design you have submitted is unacceptable. Come up with something that fits downtown and its needs. You created many of those needs in your quest to replace anything non-Webb downtown; now it's time to fill the gap with appropriate buildings.

July 1st: 88th Residents Meet and Greet!

2008-06-22T13:33:00.007-04:00

Attention, Democratic residents of the 88th legislative district! Don't know any of your neighbors, especially the ones who might have similar views to your own? Well, we have a fun event coming up to help you meet each other, or get back in touch with neighbors you already know!

Don't know if you live in the 88th? Point your browser here to find out!

What:
* A Meet-and-Greet with your fellow Democrats in the 88th legislative district!

Where:
* The Hartland Clubhouse, located at 4910 Hartland Parkway. If you are headed away from downtown on Tates Creek Road, take the second entrance to Hartland (to your left). The clubhouse will be on your right shortly after you enter Hartland.

When:
* July 1, 2008 from 6 pm - 8 pm

Food and drink:
* Provided.

Special guests:
Dan Mongiardo, Kentucky lieutenant governor and newly married!
Jonathan Miller, former KY Treasurer and author
Jeremy Horton, Executive Director of the Kentucky Democratic Party
David O'Neill, chair of the Fayette County Democratic Party

For more information on the meet-and-greet, or to volunteer, contact Corey Kline.

Guess Who's Going to Denver?

2008-06-19T14:57:00.005-04:00

June 7th, Democrats from across the state gathered in Lexington to elect delegates to Denver and the new members of the KDP Executive Committee were selected. I am proud to announce that Reggie Thomas, LD chair for the 88th, will be heading to Denver! Reggie is one of only two Obama delegates representing the 6th District (the other is Libby Marshall of Franklin County). Reggie beat out a large field of contenders for this honor and was overjoyed when I spoke to him last.

I will also be going to Denver, but not as a delegate. The Democratic National Committee selected one blog from each state to receive a media credit, and Bluegrass Roots was KY's lucky recipient! I will be one of three bloggers sharing the credit at the convention in August. I'm sure Reggie will be looking over his shoulder for me.

My congratulations also go out to 88th resident Betsy Nowland-Curry, who has been re-elected to the State Executive Committee! This will be a busy year for her.

Hey! A place where the Webb hotel would be welcome!

2008-06-10T13:08:00.001-04:00

The Herald-Leader is reporting that Owensboro's largest hotel has closed. People are scrambling to find new places for their weddings, the Chamber of Commerce has asked its members to open their homes for displaced lodgers, and a softball tournament scheduled for later this year may have to find another location. One wedding had to be relocated with minimal notice, and the bride's family is NOT getting their $5.5K deposit back.

200 local jobs were lost, and the citizens are worried about the future for Owensboro tourism.

The 2008 Amateur Softball Association Girls' Class A 16-and-under Fast Pitch National Championship, scheduled to begin July 27, is "10 times larger than the others," said Karen Miller, executive director of the Owensboro-Daviess County Convention & Visitors Bureau. It needs 400 rooms, she said.

"We're working hard to keep as many people in town as we can," Miller said.

The tournament is expected to draw about 140 teams and 10,000 people from across the country.

"We're just praying that the ASA doesn't step in and move the tournament," Voyles said. "We have a 10-year history with them. But history means very little. It's what you can do today that counts."

THESE are the people who could use another hotel. Someone may reopen the Executive Inn, but a back-up is sorely needed. Consider it, Webbs... you'd be welcomed with open arms there.

Big Day for Democrats

2008-06-01T15:39:00.008-04:00

Yesterday was the County Caucus in Fayette County. This was the meeting where citizens vote for the people who are supposed to vote for the delegates to the Democratic National Convention - where, presumably, they vote for the candidate running for President (your mileage may vary in Florida and Michigan). Then the citizens all get to vote again, and we get a President. At least we hope we get a real one this time.

The caucus for the 88th went smoothly. We separated into Obama supporters vs. Hillary supporters, candidates were nominated and duly elected. Things did not go nearly as well in another group, where one person brought numerous relatives and they all voted for each other, locking out other prospective delegates. I guess large families do still have some advantages in urban society. The family will not be identified here because my own is much smaller and they could beat us up.

Afterwards, there was much talking (and bitching) in the parking lot outside Fayette County Democratic Headquarters. The get-together was extended to a 'Pork and Awe' barbeque for people planning to watch the DNC committee decision on their disobedient brethren. Rather than please the Hillarites by restoring the delegates in full or please the Obamians by denying them, the DNC decided to piss everyone off by giving them half-votes. Solomon would be proud.

Later in the evening, several leading lights of the party went to The Dame to watch Palao, The Scourge of the Sea, and Chico Fellini perform in one of the final concerts the venue will host. My spouse and I were introduced to many activists, all younger than us, and had the pleasure of introducing Jennifer Miller to Dickie Haydon's father. The next morning, I learned that people over 40 don't have to drink alcohol in order to feel hung over from a long night of partying.

Addendum: After the city rubberstamps the Webbs' project, also in violation of regulations (if only the DNC could intervene!), the Webbs plan to seek a music venue for their phallic projection, but The Dame will not be a candidate. Really, it shouldn't be: the Webbs certainly wouldn't want acts that weren't preapproved performing in their building, and new music doesn't fare well under those conditions. Let's hope some other hole in the wall opens soon.

88th Residents on the FCDP Executive Committee

2008-05-04T15:51:00.005-04:00

Unlike my Pagan cohorts, I spent Beltane with a very different kind of party. I attended the first meeting of the new Fayette County Democratic Party Executive Committee. Since Reggie was delayed due to work concerns, I also had the pleasure of presenting proposed At-Large members and subsequently voting on them.

The new At-Large members from the 88th Legislative District:

Bob McNulty
Gwen Mayo

Gwen is pictured on the right.

A third member was proposed and voted in, but I am waiting for her acceptance of the position before posting her name here.

There was a great deal of excitement and energy at this first meeting. This should be a great year!

From Pundit Kitchen

2008-04-23T10:22:00.000-04:00

see more funny political pictures

The New Democratic Party Reps for the 88th!

2008-04-14T12:15:00.006-04:00

Say hello to the new Democratic Party reps for the 88th legislative district!

The handsome man pictured is Reggie Thomas, your new LD Chair, and the woman is me, Sarah Glenn, your new Vice Chair.

Together, we hope to strengthen the Democratic voice in the 88th. People tend to associate the suburbs with Republican voters, but we are proof that it just isn't so. The turnout for the precinct conventions on April 5th was much larger than it was in 2004, and several precincts have their first Democratic representation in years.

Look forward to some changes this cycle!

Welcome to Webbville

2008-04-11T14:34:00.001-04:00

Tom Eblen reports that the Webbs are a tad peeved about some of the comments on his blog.

Developer Dudley Webb has been irritated by some of the anonymous comments readers have left on my blog about his CentrePointe development. What really set him off were the ones criticizing the previous buildings he and his brother, Donald, have added to Lexington’s skyline.

Especially the ones about 'Festival Market' being a bust, because they're true?

I remember when it went up (showing my age here). Everyone went down to visit it once, then stopped. Traffic was lousy, you had to pay for parking (as opposed to other malls), and the businesses inside were all high-priced and largely not of interest to the people coming to the facility (downtown employees and hotel guests). For years, the city tried to increase traffic to it, just as they tried to increase downtown commerce. The Lexington Financial Center still has empty rooms without sheetrock.

Snark aside, Dudley Webb's response included sharing their vision of downtown with Eblen... circa 1986. He wanted the Herald-Leader blogger to see what their original vision was for downtown. All but "Lake Lexington" have been completed, although the final combination of elements is somewhat different.

The green space they've created around downtown sets it off nicely, but even in 1986 they would have had to tear down a great number of homes and apartment buildings to achieve that much green space. As for Lake Lexington, it would have taken up the Salvation Army and the area now used for Rupp Arena parking. The newest addition, Centrepointe, would "create the most dangerous possible conditions for the hapless pedestrian", according to a retired professor of architecture.

These, plus the Webb's motto of "Developing Tomorrow’s Landmarks" highlight an important point: the structures are important. Not the people using them, or their needs. In this case, the 'landmarks' are all Webb landmarks. They don't seem to want to share, either: the city tried to find ways to encourage businesses to come downtown and inhabit Festival Market, but when another group - the arts community - began having some success, the Webbs did not want the city to offer them similar considerations.

In spite of the guidelines already set up by the city designers for downtown, or proposed alternate plans, or concerns about lack of sewer infrastructure, this block must come down so their hotel can go up. No, another location won't do. No, the blueprints have been 18 months in the works and they can't be changed now to accomodate historical buildings. The Centrepointe project has simply been foisted upon us full-grown, like a Bizarro World version of Athena springing from Zeus' head.

Instead of practical, the idea is impractical. Instead of being useful to people, it is clear that the hotel would be a great inconvenience. Some call it a 'landmark', but I call it... egotism. What else do you call the desire to create downtown in your image?

The Bluegrass Blogger Bash!

2008-04-08T16:49:00.001-04:00

This Friday, I am one of the invited guests at the Bluegrass Blogger Bash, which will take place in the University of Kentucky Student Center. The focus of the event is political blogging, so I was invited on the basis of my work on blogs like Bluegrass Roots and Focus on the 88th.

It's nice to get a little recognition for blogging, a largely unpaid activity. I can't help it, though, when elected officials (and the occasional developer) provide me with so much material. Come by, if you can!

Live in the 88th? Be At Your Polling Place This Saturday!

2008-04-02T14:44:00.003-04:00

Want progressives to really have a voice in the political process? Then attend the Precinct Conventions this Saturday! The 88th legislative district is woefully underrepresented in the Democratic Party, and we could use your help.

How do precinct leaders influence the party? They elect the Legislative District chairs (Fayette County is divided into Legislative Districts: 77th, 88th, etc.). Those chairs form the base of the Fayette County Executive Committee, and elect the At-Large members. They also elect delegates to the State Convention (June 7th), where the state party leadership will be determined.

The Precinct Convention will take place at YOUR POLLING PLACE this Saturday. Be there by 10 AM to have a say in the future of the Kentucky Democratic Party. Get the forms at:
http://www.fayettedemocrats.org/toolbox.htm

After the meeting, one person just needs to take them to the Fayette County HQ at 431 South Broadway (268-4448).

==============

http://www.kydemocrat.com/news/reorganization
April 5
Precinct Conventions
Location: Your local polling place, 10:00 am

Democrats meet to elect Precinct Leaders (Man, Woman and Youth). They are responsible for electing the County Executive Committee and delegates to the State Convention, as well as staying in contact with local democrats and recruiting Democratic nominees for office when there are vacancies.

Wake Up Lexington Event was Packed!

2008-03-29T20:01:00.003-04:00

Gwen and I went downtown this morning to attend the Wake Up Lexington event. We arrived to find the theater packed! The demographics were mixed, to say the least: college students, young parents with their children, older people, and in-between (NOT old, damn it!) history buffs like ourselves.

From Barefoot and Progressive:

We filled EVERY seat of the 350 seat theater.

Standing room only in the back.

With a full lobby of people that couldn't get in.

Amazing.

Sadly, we were among the people who couldn't get in to see the presentation. We did sign the big letter in the lobby, though, and enjoyed studying the photographs of buildings and their histories. Some of them may appear in Gwen's second novel.

Kudos also to The Dame folks, who displayed several photographs of their establishment near the exit of the building. I am sorry to hear that the venue may have been sold out from under the people who actually run it.

I do hope that, at some point, we will have the opportunity to see the documentary. The theater and lobby were so crowded that we couldn't get close enough to hear, much less see, much of value. I won't complain too loudly, though, since this was just proof of the event's success!

More heartening news:

Towards the end of the event, a question was asked to Vice-Mayor Jim Gray, who gave a VERY good speech about how we should be able to come to a compromise that improves Lexington by incorporating the rich history and community that we already have here. It was "is this already a done deal?" After some delicate wording, he gave an emphatic "NO", to great applause.

I hope this interest will lead to a good turnout for the Courthouse Area Design Overlay Board Hearing. It will take place at 2 PM on Wednesday in the Urban County Council Chambers. I am afraid I will be working, as will many other sympathizers of the cause.

Money Shouldn't Change Everything

2008-03-24T12:10:00.011-04:00

In "What's with Labor's 180-Degree Turn?" Ryan Alessi marvels:

In March 2007, amid the Democratic primary for governor, key unions in Kentucky not only wrote off the possibility of backing Lunsford, some openly campaigned against him. Many in organized labor remained steamed over Lunsford's 2003 run for governor, in which he dropped out of the Democratic primary and later backed Republican Ernie Fletcher in the general election.

Yes, labor issued an anti-endorsement of Lunsford last year. Officials even formed a 527 to fight him in the gubernatorial primary. This year, though, the KY AFL-CIO and the Kentucky chapter of the United Mine Workers are endorsing him over the other Democratic candidates in the U.S. Senate race.

So why the about-face?

First, the message from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and its chairman, Sen. Charles Schumer of New York, was unmistakable: Lunsford is their guy. Schumer and the national AFL-CIO, therefore, had a keen interest in Kentucky's labor unions getting behind him, and they made sure to say so, said Bill Londrigan, president of the Kentucky AFL-CIO.

"There may have been a phone call or two," he said.

Second, the unions made the same political calculations that Schumer already has. Lunsford's vast personal wealth can help catch up to McConnell's $10 million fund-raising head start, and his millions of dollars' worth of TV ads run in two previous statewide races made his name familiar to voters.

Alessi has put his finger on one thing: Lunsford's preferred status in the Senate race was the result of a top-down move by Chuck Schumer and the DSCC. Too bad he doesn't include Schumer's strongarm tactics in running other, more truly Democratic, candidates out of the race.

Page One Kentucky is more stalwart. They report:

From a Fischer campaign staffer:

Schumer, et al has all ready screamed and yelled and threatened Greg and some of his key financial backer saying they will ‘crush’ Greg’s abiltity to raise money. We lost a couple of consultants that we had offered positions too because Schumer found out and basically said if you want any more work from DSCC - do not take Fischer race…

From a Horne campaign staffer:

Beshear’s people and the DSCC basically came in and screwed the entire campaign. When we wouldn’t drop out of the race they started threatening Andrew, his financial backers, elected officials who supported him, his campaign staff, told us we would never work on a Senate race again. Beshear’s people made it very clear to us that we could never work on a state race again either as long as Jennifer Moore or their other people are involved with the party.

What public spin is being put on Lunsford's endorsement by labor leaders, who should be rightfully offended at blatant threats of people becoming 'unhirable' in their chosen profession?

Again from the Herald-Leader:

"Let's be honest, there's not a whole lot of difference in how they stood on our working-family issues," he [Londrigan] said. "But on balance, we measured Bruce to be a candidate that had more capability to challenge Mitch -- money, name recognition, the support he's going to receive from the ... big players in D.C., the DSCC."

Hey, how about Fischer's lack of a track record for screwing over labor? No matter what Lunsford says now, his past says something else. He donated money to many anti-labor candidates, most notably Mitch McConnell himself. When he dropped out of the Democratic gubernatorial race in 2007, he immediately endorsed Ernie Fletcher, who abolished the Labor Cabinet and tried to pass a right-to-work (aka 'right-to-be-fired') law and a repeal of the prevailing wage law. But no, they're going with the money Big Business generates, and forgetting the reasons Big Business gave people for creating unions in the first place. Next year, they'll be reminded of those reasons if Lunsford takes that Senate seat. It is unlikely, however, since a choice between Lunsford and McConnell is no choice at all for many Democrats.

Seems Appropriate

2008-03-19T08:52:00.001-04:00

On this 5th anniversary of the Bush War, this song from Steeleye Span seemed appropriate:

Fighting For Strangers

Chorus:
What makes you go abroad fighting for strangers?
When you could be safe at home free from all dangers.
A recruiting sergeant came our way
To an Inn nearby at the close of day,
He said young Johnny you're a fine young man
Would you like to march along behind a military band,
With a scarlet coat and a big cocked hat,
A musket on your shoulder,
The shilling he took and he kissed the book,
Oh poor Johnny what'll happen to you.

The recruiting sergeant marched away
From the Inn nearby at the break of day,
Johnny went too with half a ring
He was off to be a soldier, he'd be fighting for the King
In a far off war in a far off land
To face a foreign soldier,
But how will you fare when there's lead in the air,
Oh poor Johnny what'll happen to you.

Chorus

The sun shone hot on a barren land
As a thin red line took a military stand,
There was sling shot, chain shot, grape shot too,
Swords and bayonets thrusting through,
Poor Johnny fell but the day was won
And the King is grateful to you
But your soldiering's done and they're sending you home,
Oh poor Johnny what have they done to you.

They said he was a hero and not to grieve
Over two wooden pegs and empty sleeves,
They carried him home and set him down
With a military pension and a medal from the crown.
You haven't an arm, you haven't a leg,
The enemy nearly slew you,
You'll have to go out on the streets to beg,
Oh poor Johnny what have they done to you.

Chorus

Proving a Point I Made Earlier

2008-03-15T18:22:00.001-04:00

When I posted in support of the amendment to return the KY General Assembly to biennial meetings, I received some criticism on Bluegrass Roots.

I was told that the amount of time spent on gay-bashing and joining church and state would shrink in comparison to the good work that could be done if our legislators were given more time to meet.

My response:

I am not convinced that longer sessions would lead to proportionately smaller time spent on bad bills. I think the panderers would do what they did in 2004 with the anti-marriage amendment, which was to bring it up again and again until they got what they wanted. Meanwhile, the budget languished.

The 2008 Assembly is proving this point. Jody Williams is still looking to see if he has the votes to pass the casino bill (even if the House cannot agree on one version!).

His only worry is his lack of time:

Time is running out for the legislation, and Richards acknowledged that “momentum has been lost on it, no question about it.”
But he added, “A lot of our members would like to see that bill, that amendment pass.”

Longer, more frequent sessions would just give him time to twist more arms. In the meantime, the legislature is resistant to other approaches that would bring KY revenue because they would be unpopular with a much larger group of people.

As long as certain officeholders view the Assembly as one long campaign commercial, this sort of crap will continue. Either the legislature should be limited in its ability to hurt Kentuckians by keeping its sessions short, or some way of limiting non-budget-related bills and floor amendments should be devised.

Broke at the crossroads and no one can agree on a direction

2008-03-07T17:11:00.003-05:00

Okay, now Beshear is talking about increasing cigarette taxes, since the casino proposal appears to be a bust. He wants to use it as leverage to borrow money.

The House Democrats have turned him down, calling the idea of borrowing money 'irresponsible'. I would have added 'Republican'.

The KY General Assembly doesn't want to use casinos, increased taxes, or borrowed money to get the state out of the hole it's in. They don't want to downsize employees except by attrition (shrinking and delaying services), and they certainly don't want to cut out any pork!

Below is a proposed income stream they haven't thought of yet. It's certainly as likely to get through the Assembly as anything else.

Odyssey

2008-02-29T12:22:00.001-05:00

In 2004, I was angry with the Kentucky Democratic Party. More than angry: furious, disappointed, frustrated - you name it.

Unlike the majority of people, I voted regularly, kept track of the bills before the KY General Assembly and contacted my reps about them, and wrote the paper about good and bad bills. These were all things a good citizen should do, but despite my efforts I was ignored by my own party. The desires of the Religious Right, who rarely voted Democrat, were always more important.

Years of frustration came to a head in 2004 with the Anti-Marriage Amendment. Under pressure from the Religious Right, the Democrats allowed the bill to come to the floor of the House and voted en masse to send it to the voters. The number of responses I got from my phone calls and handwritten letters could be counted on one hand. I guarantee you that Jody Richards and Rocky Adkins were not among them. I meant nothing to my own party.

Since Meetup.com had just started, I looked up the gatherings of KY Democrats and my wife and I made plans to attend a meeting. Writing and calling my reps wasn't enough. I wanted to see if a change could be made in the party itself.

Two meetings had been scheduled for the same night. We opted for the one that took place in the public library. When we got there, I rapidly became confused. Instead of people yakking about the upcoming presidential election or the fall elections, someone stood at the front with a flow chart showing the process for reorganization and the election of delegates to the state and national Democratic Party conventions.

During my time in college, I studied Ancient Greek, Latin, French, and German. I had no idea what these people were talking about.

"Do you understand what they're saying?" I asked my wife.

"Of course." Well, duh, she was a political science major. At that time, I could have told you more about Athenian politics than Kentucky politics, and more about Roman law than American law.

We made plans to show up for our precinct election. A member of the New Grassroots in Louisville had emailed me the proper form to fill out so we could officially file election results.

The election was very short; Gwen and I were the only people that showed up for our precinct. Since neither of us qualified as a youth, we decided that Gwen should be the precinct person. Thus began our dive into the deep end of the pool.

2004 ended rather badly, of course. I learned just how many people in Kentucky thought that I threatened their marriage and the American Way. Bush was re-elected. The KY House (un?)expectedly lost several races to Republicans. I am proud to say that no one who voted against the amendment lost in November. As a member of Change For Kentucky, I worked like a dog to help several of them keep their seats, and I believe my help was a factor in that.

Later, I learned how much of a difference in my own precinct we had made, simply by walking our streets and meeting our neighbors. Other progressives across the state learned the same, and we began to have some victories. In 2006, I helped gay-friendly candidates join the city council, and in Louisville, Horne supporters reunited behind Yarmuth after the primary and sent him to DC instead of Anne Northup. In 2007, I and others worked hard to keep Stan Lee out of the Attorney General seat. These were great accomplishments. Several members of Change For Kentucky, a group originally viewed with mistrust by the old hands, became members of their Democratic county committees and the State Central Committee.

The time has come again to elect precinct people and reorganize the state party. Precinct committees are the base of the party. They volunteer to spread election material, phonebank, and plant yard signs. They also elect county committee leadership and delegates to the state convention, where the leaders for the state party are elected.

To change the party, you must change its makeup. Attend a training session in March and show up to represent your precinct on April 5th. This is the most effective thing you can do to get your party to listen to you. This is how you can give progressives a greater voice in the Kentucky Democratic Party.

Lexington: KDP Reorganization and Convention Training

2008-02-27T11:00:00.001-05:00

(Central KY Area) KDP Reorganization and Convention Training

Starting March 3, the Kentucky Democratic Party is conducting training and orientation sessions across the Commonwealth for the upcoming 2008 Party Reorganization & Conventions.

From the election of Precinct Leaders to the election of our State Central Committee and selection of Delegates to the National Convention, these trainings are designed to familiarize Democrats on the steps necessary to become more involved in the Kentucky Democratic Party.

Trainings are free and open to the public, and we encourage ALL Democrats to attend and help the KDP Turn Kentucky Blue in 2008.
Time: Saturday, March 15 at 10:00 AM
Duration: 1 hour
Host: Amanda Flanary
Contact Phone: 502-695-4828
Location: The Springs Inn (Lexington, KY) 2020 Harrodsburg Road Lexington, KY 40503

The Constitutional Amendment We Need Most

2008-02-20T12:32:00.009-05:00

I must apologize to Kathy Stein, Mary Lou Marzian, Ruth Ann Palumbo, and Ernesto Scorsone, along with any other politicos who are really interested in putting the welfare of Kentuckians first, because they would be punished along with the rest of the Kentucky General @ss. However, this is the constitutional amendment I would most like to see on November's ballot:

SB 161/LM/AA (BR 145) - T. Jensen, R. Stivers II, B. Leeper
AN ACT proposing an amendment to Sections 36 and 42 of the Constitution of Kentucky relating to legislative sessions.
Propose an amendment to Sections 36 and 42 of the Kentucky Constitution to repeal annual sessions; provide ballot language for submission to voters.

The wording on the ballot:

"Are you in favor of repealing annual legislative sessions for the General Assembly and allowing the General Assembly to convene in regular session during even-numbered years for no more than sixty legislative days and to meet in odd-numbered years for no more than ten legislative days only for the purposes of electing legislative leaders, adopting rules of procedure, and organizing committees?"

Unlike the proposed gambling amendment, I think this would have an immediate and guaranteed benefit for the people of Kentucky. Having annual sessions has not hastened the finalization of budgets or meeting the needs of Kentuckians. It has merely doubled the number of harmful, hot-button bills proposed.

The only complaint that I have about this amendment is that it does not go far enough. The KY General Assembly should only meet during odd years. 50% of the time, there would be no election , since the year following a presidential election is always a non-voting year. This would greatly cut down on the bills sponsored to attract donations or the support of voter blocs.

Imagine years in which the gay community was not attacked, in which women's reproduction was left alone, in which no one tried to force prayer into the public schools. Imagine years in which corporate handouts weren't given to King Coal, HMOs, or the construction industry while ignoring the needs of Kentucky's large, aging, lower-income population. Imagine politicians having to run on their record, rather than the bills they introduce to voters with short memories.

Me, I imagine fewer years in which I would need to scan proposed legislation for ones that hurt Kentuckians.

It's a shame.

Once upon a time...

2008-02-15T23:41:00.008-05:00

Democrats were supposed to be the party that cared about the poor. Not in Kentucky.

House Bill 447, sponsored by Susan Westrom, is specifically set up to prevent communities from passing affordable housing guidelines.

...no legislative body or fiscal court shall adopt an ordinance or other land use regulation or impose as a condition of issuing a building permit, any requirement that has the effect of establishing the maximum sales price for a privately constructed residential housing unit or residential building lot or parcel, or that requires a housing unit or residential building lot or parcel to be designated for sale to any particular class or group of purchasers.

Let me clarify what "affordable housing" is: homes and apartments for people who don't have big incomes. It's not just about affordable housing, though. Co-sponsor Bob Damron makes that clear in his words to the Herald-Leader:

"The market ought to establish what type of housing will be in the development as opposed to a city mandating that you should have to have medium- or low-income (housing) in a development that also has large homes or expensive homes," Damron said. "If you're an individual and you built a home at $250,000, why should the city come in and mandate the houses on the next street be $75,000 to $100,000? That impacts the value of your home."

Let me translate again: rich people shouldn't have to deal with poor people living one street over from them. In 2004, Westrom mailed out flyers that criticized her opponent for living in a gated community and being out of touch with his neighbors. Her views have changed since then, apparently.

This sort of gentrification is going on in Florida at the moment. Hotels are turning into condos and timeshares, and houses are being torn down for McMansions. In Clearwater, the local businesses are suffering because tourists can't find hotel rooms and are detouring around this traditional hotspot. It's just as well, though, since the McDonald's employees would have to drive in from another county.

Westrom's bill does permit communities to set up incentives for builders to create affordable housing, but these will cost the cities money, either up front or in lost revenue. And the one thing that is clear in Kentucky is that money is short everywhere. I am appalled at the short-sighted selfishness of this bill, especially since I volunteered for Westrom in 2004. My only comfort is this: with the housing bubble popped, housing prices may soon become "affordable" for everyone.

Got a comment for Susan Westrom or Bob Damron? Call 1-800-372-7181 to leave a message.

The Newest Pretext to Force Christian Prayer Into the Schools

2008-02-07T15:48:00.000-05:00

DINO Bob Damron, et alii panderers, are making another run at injecting religion into the schools. This is one of the reasons I voted 'No' on the constitutional amendment allowing the KY General Assembly to meet every year. The state seems to run more quietly when these folks aren't in session.

The ploy this time is to get the kids to recite the Lord's Prayer in class under the guise of understanding the American forefathers. Thus, they will have "American = Christian" (specifically Protestant Christian) stamped into their minds early on. Why do I suspect that they won't be re-enacting any Native American rituals, which would certainly be an important part of our country's history as well? Perhaps they should also include some African religious instruction, which would give the pupils a greater understanding of how the slaves brought here felt when they were forced to give up their faith. That'd really ram the message home, wouldn't it?

http://www.lrc.ky.gov/record/08RS/HB460/bill.doc

HB 460 (BR 27) - R. Adams, K. Hall, J. Comer Jr, R. Damron, J. Stewart III, A. Wuchner

AN ACT relating to schools.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky:

Section 1. KRS 158.175 is amended to read as follows:

(1) As a continuation of the policy of teaching our country's history and as an affirmation of the freedom of religion in this country, the board of education of a local school district may authorize the recitation of the traditional Lord's prayer and the pledge of allegiance to the flag in public elementary schools. Pupil participation in the recitation of the prayer and pledge of allegiance shall be voluntary. Pupils shall be reminded that this Lord's prayer is the prayer our pilgrim fathers recited when they came to this country in their search for freedom. Pupils shall be informed that these exercises are not meant to influence an individual's personal religious beliefs in any manner. The exercises shall be conducted so that pupils shall learn of our great freedoms, including the freedom of religion symbolized by the recitation of the Lord's prayer.
(2) The board of education of each school district shall establish a policy and develop procedures whereby the pupils in each elementary and secondary school may participate in the pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States at the commencement of each school day.
(3) The Kentucky Board of Education shall develop a program of instruction relating to the flag of the United States of America, including instruction in etiquette, the correct use and display of the flag, and other patriotic exercises as may be related. This program of instruction shall be provided to each public school for use in its course of instruction. The program of instruction, at a minimum, shall include the provisions of 4 U.S.C. secs. 1 to 3 and 4 U.S.C. secs. 5 to 9.
(4) The board of education of each local school district may purchase or otherwise acquire and provide for display in each classroom copies of the Declaration of Independence, the Gettysburg Address, and other documents the local board deems significant to the history of Kentucky and the United States.
(5) At the commencement of the first class of each day in all public schools, the teacher in charge of the room shall [originally may] announce that a moment of silence or reflection not to exceed two (2) minutes [originally one (1) minute] in duration shall be observed.

Note that the proposed law also enforces reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, which will probably NOT be the original one without the 'Under God' phrase. Somehow, I think the later version will be used. I guess our buddies in the House don't want the kids to get confused about what religious freedom really means.

The real fun should start, though, when the Catholic kids start using different words in the middle of the Lord's Prayer. Back in the Bad Old Days, Catholic kids got punished for using the 'wrong' words during classroom prayer. Today, they'll just get points off until they start using the American version. And they'll get the message, too.

Interested in complaining? Call 1-800-372-7181 to leave a message.

Disclosure

2008-02-06T13:12:00.000-05:00

Before my wife and I get into any further discussion of Kentucky politics, I wish to make a disclosure.

We gamble. Not only do we visit the riverboats in Indiana, we have visited casinos in Canada and Florida. We also own a small amount of stock (less than $300) in Dover Downs, a casino/race track combo in Delaware.

We do not belong to KEEP, and we made no donations to Beshear with gambling in mind. My wife and I volunteered for Beshear because we thought he would make a better governor than Ernie Fletcher.

We also believe that gambling will not solve all of Kentucky’s problems. However, we would be as happy losing our money at Kentucky slots as we are losing it in Indiana ones. It would also help make up some of the deficit in the state budget. Raising taxes on tobacco would help, too, but that’s a sacred cow in this state.

I am making this disclosure for two reasons:

1) Expanded gambling is probably going to come up in future political discussions, and anti-gambling folks should not waste their time in trying to recruit us; and

2) We do not want to be accused of having a secret bias. Up front: we like gambling. It’s fun, and the ratio of lost money/time playing is certainly no worse than trying to buy tickets to a movie and the equivalent amount of soda (our favorite casinos offer free soft drinks) in the theater. Then again, we play penny slots.

Just an FYI,

Sarah G

MoveOn: Progressive and Proud of It

2007-11-20T15:20:00.000-05:00

See other pro-progressive ads at MoveOn.org. It's about time someone extolled the virtues of progressives, sometimes referred to as (cough, cough) liberals.

Stan Lee Can't Answer a Simple Question About the Unborn

2007-10-09T15:06:00.000-04:00

Stan Lee has hammered Kentuckians over the years about the worth of the preborn. He is an outspoken foe of abortion, and some years back sponsored the fetal homicide bill. So, in the exchange below, you would think that answering a simple question about whether an insurance company should pay compensation for the loss of an unborn child would be simple. Well, no, it isn't, not if you're working for someone that doesn't want to pay it.

From Bluegrass Roots:

I'm sure most of you remember the tragic accident in a Lexington parking garage in 2006 when a concrete panel fell on top of Stephanie Hufnagel, killing her and her eight-month old fetus, Sydney. Later that year, a lawsuit was filed by Hufnagel's spouse, Brian, for damages. Among them was a claim for damages involving the "loss of his minor unborn child."

Well, it turns out that Lee is the lawyer for the insurance company of one of the defendants, and is now fighting tooth-and-nail that Mr. Hufnagel should not be able to recover damages for the loss of the unborn fetus.

See the video below for how Jack Conway called Stan out on his hypocrisy, then asks him to answer a simple question, based on principle:

Many thanks to Page One Kentucky for the video.

Naturally, if Stan were to suggest that Hufnagel deserved compensation for the loss of his unborn child, he would lose a client. It was a time for him to stand up for his purported principles, not his professional income - and his income won.