I read the blog by the SLY OLD FOX Jim Pence, from Hillbilly Report this morning. Great one, good discujssion. If my memory serves me properly this is the first real, open discussion we have seen about this subject.
The Hiillbilly wrote: Could it be that's why Governor Steve Beshear endorsed Mongiardo as the Democratic Candidate for the US Senate that if Bunning resigns that call will go to Beshear.
This has been part of the plan from the very beginning. The Governor did suppport Mongiardo. The Governor endorsed Dr. Dan, under questionable support, at the last minute.
The word around a BUSY WATER COOLER at the Capitol ...
Greg Stumbo is very likely to be the one that challenges Beshear in the next run for Governor. And that is probably why Stumbo did not throw is hat into the US Senator's Race and why he endorsed AG Jack Conway, along with those listed above. This was a complimentary split to at trying to keep the Mongiardo votes in Eastern Kentucky.
When I turn around . . . I heard CRIT LUALLEN will be appointed Lt. Governor should Beshear have an opportunity to appoint the next Senator from Kentucy. Appointing Luallen. Beshears handlers feel Beshears chances for re-election will be much better with a popular political figure like Auditor Luallen. That may be.
However, Beshear'spopularity is dropping. According to the lastest public polling. In the low forties.
Why?
It could be people are just getting tired of our Governor finding THE POLITICAL SOLUTION to our problems . . .not the REAL SOLUTION. Beshaer's ratings have dropped to the low forties, making him vulnerable to re-election. Stumbo sees this and sitting on his powder for now.
While Greg Stumbo continues to enjoy reasonable popularity among his Eastern Kentucky constituents . . . he has one big hurdle to jump and that jump just might land him in the muddy water. VIDEO TEMINAL LOTTERIES. That is the new TECHNICAL- dignified- WORD for SLOT MACHINES. Stumbo knows if he is elected he will need this money. NOW if he can make that look like it was the Governor who pushed this issue and it wins, then perhaps he can be somewhat insulated by the dissatisfaction of his back dooring THE SLOTS BILL. WHOMEVER THE NEXT GOVERNOR, if the GAMBLE ISSUE passed then there will be more money in the KITTY for vote influence with PORK just in time for the next Governors race.
Where does this leave Dan Mongiardo?
Right now the polling indicates Dr. Dan has a lead of approximately seven points, but the campaign has a long way to go.
( See the story in the Herald Leader today about Lt. Governor Mongiardo working with Flordia legislators to contain the flow of pain relief drugs, mostly oxy . . . from round trips starting in Eastern and Souteastern Kentucky from Florida.)
Why didn't our Governor think of this? He was too busy trying to print a dollar menu for the Derby Breakfast.
Will Stumbo be ready to challenge Steve Beshear?
And what additional split is that going to make in Democratic Party?
After all, in the end it is the sitting Governor who has the hammer at the Kentucky Democratic Party.
Retired Sr. Project Manger Kentucky Economic Development Cabinet.
The Herald Leader published an article by Patrick Neely, Chief Lobbyist for Kentucky Equine Education, KEEP on Monday April 27,
In the article Mr. Neely pointed out the gross income from video terminal lotteries. These statements are attributed to the Gaming Industry survey as they are the very people who support the Gaming Industry.
It appears Mr. Neely is using much larger income figures, from gambling to make the case for KEEP. This is typical LOBBY POSTURE.
The claim is when KENTUCKY has income from harmless gambling this will prevent the state of Kentucky from having to raise other taxes. Some of which have already been done by our General Assembly, booze and cigarettes, the sin tax are already paying much more taxes.
FACT. Every state that has passed gambling has been required to raise other taxes due to the revenue shortfall and expense of the social ills associated with gambling. (Google it)
FACT: IN Maryland the cost of the state dealing with the social ills of gambling is over two billion dollars. (Goggle it)
FACT: For Maryland, if it is typical of the national profile, pathological gamblers cost its citizens about $1.5 billion in 1988 ($2.09 billion in 1998), ceteris paribus. This cost estimate is considered conservative because we have not included costs such as suicide attempts, family neglect, and incarceration or other health problems resulting from pathological Gambling.
FACT: The amount of jobs and economic impact from gambling is grossly exaggerated and misstated. Mr. Neely writes of the WINDFALL from construction and infra structure. What infrastructure? Race Tracks already exist. The people that win here are the manufacturers of SLOTS and the RACINOS. Kentucky is represented by a Kentucky Lobby who is pushing for its passage, because that means mega bucks for his client.
Can you imagine the profit in selling several thousand new slot machines?
FACT: Suicide rate, among children impacted by a pathological gambler in the family, increases. This increase is over three percent more suicides for children when expanded gambling comes to town. (Google it)
FACT: Nationwide three to four percent of the population participates in gambling. Kentucky now has over thirty thousand addicted gamblers. If Kentucky expands gambling, (video terminal lottery machines) that number will increase to over sixty thousand in five years. Add the present level of gambling addiction and over one hundred Kentucky families are going to be blind sided and become gambling addicts.
FACT: The New England Journal of Medicine, one of America’s most respected medical journals states: GAMBLING IS THE NUMBER ONE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE IN THE UNITED STATES. Read it again. Gambling is the number one mental health issue in the United States.
FACT: Today’s SLOT MACHINES, which have been given alluded dignity, as VIDEO TERMINAL LOTTERIES are much more difficult to cash in than the SLOT MACHIENS of old. The odds now factor the owners of the SLOT MACINES even more. More than eighty percent of the income from gambling comes from types of gambling fastest to addict players.
FACT: Slots are NUMBER ONE. AKA . . . VIDEO TERMINAL LOTTERIES.
Mr. Neely’s plea is GAMBLING WILL ASSURE KENTUCKY WILL NOT LOOSE ITS ICON IDENTITY OF HORSE RACING.
FACT: Horse Racing in Kentucky is not going away. Nether is Kentucky Bourbon or the Kentucky Derby or the Bluegrass Stakes and Derby Pie. This plea comes from an over kill by Mr. Neely to frighten citizens into thinking his way.
FACT: There are too many Thoroughbred Horses. When the fallout is over, Kentucky will still lead the nation in Thoroughbred Breeding and THE FIRST SATURDAY IN MAY will always be a day of INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR KENTUCKY. There may not be as many players, but THE SHOW WILL GO ON.
Shame on your Mr. Neely for trying to mislead our citizens, for your own personal agenda.
I try to post about issues I have some knowledge and Economic Developmetn and business are two areas that interest me. Why or why is this state continueing to WASTE STIMULUS MONEY on projects that are not true and tested and behind the TECHNOLOGY MARKET. And using thousands of dollars for a NEW HAT , at this time is just a waste of money.
I JUST WANNA SAY!
This high paying job should go to someone in Kentucky. At this time, in our economy there are no magic wands.
We are tough times and expansions and new factories are at a stand still due to the EPA laws and Labor laws where LABOR is much cheaper, (child labor in many cases) as long as the market is one sided, it favors lower pay scale in third world countries.With little consideration for the tax on imports and jobs leaving North America.
Having a BIG TIME ED person will not help the cause in attracting new industry. Look at where most investments went last year by Fortune 500. CHINA. Who is the current banker for the USA? CHINA and JAPAN.
As long as the government allow this one sided economic development to continue to occur by GREEDY FORTUNE 500, in the name of Stockholders Profits . . . nothing will change.
The best bang for our BUCK, AT THIS TIME, would be to help to create new business inside of Kentucky. The Governor said he was for this idea, but have not seen much to demonstrate other than a VERY DANGEROUS three wheel, battery operated, three wheel motorcycle.
Save the money .. . Work on inside Kentucky expansions and creating new corporations. That is our best shot at producing more new jobs.
I would like to see a break down of the skills needed for the alleged two thousand jobs at the proposed NEW BATTERY SCIENCE CENTER AND PRODUCTION FACILITIES. (The Asians are far ahead in this technology)
Would it be better to partner with corporation that has some proven technology and patents, (Asian) or just start over, take the science from ASIA, by stealing, then, than to committ to a project that starts with others science and then tries to make new discoveries?
If it such a good deal, and the jobs are worthy of one billion dollars in stimulus money, then show Kentucky citizens how the labor market will break out for the proposed, too late technology, for a battery plant.
Toxic waste is a big problem for a battery factory. We may get, but what do we have to compromise to get it?
Let the ORDINARY citizens play your game. Those not obligated to special interest!
If speaking out makes any difference then Mr. Moore should make sure that more ordinary citizens are involved in the KDP. So far this has been a mutual admiration society of people with like interest....the good old boys and yes, the good old girls and long term incumbents.
The most immediate past of the KDP was blemished by allowing Jerry Lundergan to take the lead in the General Election. While many in the USA had a good feeling that Barrack Obama would be elected, that made little difference to the previous KDP people. In the rural areas the party was able to deliver for Hillary Clinton, but when it came to the CITIES it was a different story.
