Have you ever heard a politician say I don’t want the voter to know where I stand on the issues?
Well there is a pretty good way to tell the ones that think that way. It’s called Project Vote Smart. This survey gives politicians the opportunity to state where they stand on the issues.
Of the 148 candidates for the Kentucky House of Representatives only 25 were willing to state their positions on the issues.
Now many are afraid that if they say what they believe in, then their opponent will twist what they say and use it against them. Speaking from personal experience this is a valid fear.
However you have to admire the candidates that have the guts to say what they believe in and not just take the coward’s way out. You don’t always have to agree with them but you do have to admire them.
Take for example the State Senate race between Jim Keller and Alice Forgy Kerr.
Look at the responses to the surveys; it doesn’t take long to see that Alice is running from her record and her positions on the issues.
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Homophobe Caucus
From today’s Herald-Leader:
UK to consider domestic-partner benefits to stay competitive
“The decision to even study domestic-partner benefits at UK might set off political wrangling far from the campus itself.
After U of L's July decision, several conservative officials publicly denounced the move. Sen. Dick Roeding, R-Lakeside Park, called it "repulsive," saying it attracted "the wrong kind of people" to Kentucky.
A few lawmakers, including Rep. Stan Lee, R-Lexington, said they were considering legislation to bar universities from offering domestic-partner benefits.
Lee said in a July interview with the Herald-Leader that public universities that provide domestic partnerships are using tax dollars to support a lifestyle that an "overwhelming majority of people in this state don't agree with."
Nearly 75 percent of Kentucky voters in 2004 approved a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage.
But Rep. Kathy Stein, D-Lexington, said yesterday UK is "infinitely wise" to study the issue of domestic-partner benefits.
"When you're trying to become a Top 20 university, you have to look at all the ways to get there," she said. "I think it's indisputable that offering domestic-partnership benefits is one of the ways to keep and attract quality employees."
She said she hopes the legislature doesn't try to block public universities from joining private institutions, including Berea and Centre colleges, in offering such benefits. In fact, if UK does decide to move forward with offering them, she hopes the state government will provide the same coverage to its 33,000 workers.
However, Rep. Ron Crimm, a Louisville Republican, said he's worried that such an expansion of benefits could ruin the state financially.
"The committee has a responsibility to look at the total impact this is going to have," Crimm said of UK's panel. "How do we define domestic partnerships? If I lost my wife and my mother moved in, would that make her a domestic partner?"
He said without using marriage as a threshold, it would be difficult to determine at what point a domestic-partner relationship would be established.
"I think this is asking for many problems," he said.
I see the homophobe caucus of the legislature is in full voice against people having health insurance. Particularly if they are smart, we hope faculty at the University of Kentucky are smart, or if they work for state government (this administration's hires has lowered the smart quotient for state employees).
Maybe they will sponsor an amendment to the Kentucky constitution that no one can have health insurance if Dick Roeding thinks they are "the wrong kind of people".
I always love arguments like Ron Crimm’s that we can’t afford to provide decent health insurance because it costs too much. I’m sure that Ron has never really looked at the cost of health care for people with insurance verses those with no insurance.
Ron, Stan and Dick will use any excuse to drag out the paper tiger of a gay agenda as a means of stoking the bigotry of the voters, rather than address issues like health care.
In 2004 the states were ranked from healthiest to most unhealthy, Kentucky ranked 39th in overall health. What have Ron, Stan and Dick done about the pathetic ranking?
Nothing.
It’s easier to beat up on gays.
Let’s hope Lee Todd and the University of Kentucky does the right thing.
UK to consider domestic-partner benefits to stay competitive
“The decision to even study domestic-partner benefits at UK might set off political wrangling far from the campus itself.
After U of L's July decision, several conservative officials publicly denounced the move. Sen. Dick Roeding, R-Lakeside Park, called it "repulsive," saying it attracted "the wrong kind of people" to Kentucky.
A few lawmakers, including Rep. Stan Lee, R-Lexington, said they were considering legislation to bar universities from offering domestic-partner benefits.
Lee said in a July interview with the Herald-Leader that public universities that provide domestic partnerships are using tax dollars to support a lifestyle that an "overwhelming majority of people in this state don't agree with."
Nearly 75 percent of Kentucky voters in 2004 approved a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage.
But Rep. Kathy Stein, D-Lexington, said yesterday UK is "infinitely wise" to study the issue of domestic-partner benefits.
"When you're trying to become a Top 20 university, you have to look at all the ways to get there," she said. "I think it's indisputable that offering domestic-partnership benefits is one of the ways to keep and attract quality employees."
She said she hopes the legislature doesn't try to block public universities from joining private institutions, including Berea and Centre colleges, in offering such benefits. In fact, if UK does decide to move forward with offering them, she hopes the state government will provide the same coverage to its 33,000 workers.
However, Rep. Ron Crimm, a Louisville Republican, said he's worried that such an expansion of benefits could ruin the state financially.
"The committee has a responsibility to look at the total impact this is going to have," Crimm said of UK's panel. "How do we define domestic partnerships? If I lost my wife and my mother moved in, would that make her a domestic partner?"
He said without using marriage as a threshold, it would be difficult to determine at what point a domestic-partner relationship would be established.
"I think this is asking for many problems," he said.
I see the homophobe caucus of the legislature is in full voice against people having health insurance. Particularly if they are smart, we hope faculty at the University of Kentucky are smart, or if they work for state government (this administration's hires has lowered the smart quotient for state employees).
Maybe they will sponsor an amendment to the Kentucky constitution that no one can have health insurance if Dick Roeding thinks they are "the wrong kind of people".
I always love arguments like Ron Crimm’s that we can’t afford to provide decent health insurance because it costs too much. I’m sure that Ron has never really looked at the cost of health care for people with insurance verses those with no insurance.
Ron, Stan and Dick will use any excuse to drag out the paper tiger of a gay agenda as a means of stoking the bigotry of the voters, rather than address issues like health care.
In 2004 the states were ranked from healthiest to most unhealthy, Kentucky ranked 39th in overall health. What have Ron, Stan and Dick done about the pathetic ranking?
Nothing.
It’s easier to beat up on gays.
Let’s hope Lee Todd and the University of Kentucky does the right thing.
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