Some thoughts on the current legislative session as it winds down.
I don’t know if Governor Steve Beshear was thinking of the good old days when the Governor told the legislature what to do and they did it, or if he was trying to be too much of a nice guy and believing that they would all work together for the benefit of the Commonwealth when he was trying to get his agenda through the legislature.
Maybe a little of both, but this administration has been pretty inept at getting anything done during this legislative session.
Beshear has been consumed with pushing gambling down the throats of the citizens of this state. Let’s be honest there has been no great out cry for “Give Us Casinos” from the citizens of this state. The whole issue is being driven by a small number of horse farmers and casino owners trying to make a buck.
Any meaningful legislation like House Bill 70 to restore voting rights to felons that have served their time has taken a back seat to gambling. Beshear says he supports this legislation, I believe he does, but both restoring voting rights and legalizing gambling require a constitutional amendment.
Steve Beshear is not about to confuse the voters with two amendments on the same ballot, and casinos take precedence.
But the lack of meaningful legislation can’t be laid solely at the feet of Steve Beshear.
I have to think the Democratic House Leadership just doesn’t like Steve Beshear. They appear to have made a concerted effort to screw the Governor. Jody Richards and the House Democratic Caucus have one primary goal, to stay in office.
Why else do they stone wall on tax reform?
Why else do they refuse to raise the tobacco tax to at least the average nationwide?
Why else have they short changed the state retirement systems to fund pork barrel projects?
These guys are good at political infighting and handing out tax money, but when it comes to responsible leadership, they are sadly lacking.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Technologically Challenged
Sometimes you have to look at the little signs to get a hint of the thought processes that control state government.
From the Herald-Leader:
Gov. Steve Beshear, who replaced Fletcher in December, doesn't have a government e-mail account. He said he prefers his official communications to be in person or by telephone.
Beshear said he decided not to use government e-mail in part so that he wouldn't be exposed to the possibility of mixing personal and official communications.
"You've always got to be careful not to step over that line, and the easiest way from an e-mail standpoint not to step over that line is to not even have a government e-mail," he said.
Now I understand Beshear’s reluctance to use email. After all Ernie Fletcher was, in part, undone by email and so to some extent were Paul Patton and Steve Henry.
I’m also sure that in his law practice Beshear had a minion to do any necessary emailing.
But a few questions come to mind:
Is the Governor, like many of his generation, just email challenged?
Do the Governor’s official or personal communications contain something he doesn’t want to be subject to open records requests?
Does the Governor believe that just because he doesn’t use email his administration is bullet proof when it comes to scandals documented by email? If he wants to do that, then he needs to ban email statewide and cut all links between state government and the Internet.
I guess the real question comes down to whether the Governor is technologically ignorant or if he wants to make sure that any back room deals he makes don’t blow up in his face.
Neither answer looks good for this administration or the Commonwealth.
From the Herald-Leader:
Gov. Steve Beshear, who replaced Fletcher in December, doesn't have a government e-mail account. He said he prefers his official communications to be in person or by telephone.
Beshear said he decided not to use government e-mail in part so that he wouldn't be exposed to the possibility of mixing personal and official communications.
"You've always got to be careful not to step over that line, and the easiest way from an e-mail standpoint not to step over that line is to not even have a government e-mail," he said.
Now I understand Beshear’s reluctance to use email. After all Ernie Fletcher was, in part, undone by email and so to some extent were Paul Patton and Steve Henry.
I’m also sure that in his law practice Beshear had a minion to do any necessary emailing.
But a few questions come to mind:
Is the Governor, like many of his generation, just email challenged?
Do the Governor’s official or personal communications contain something he doesn’t want to be subject to open records requests?
Does the Governor believe that just because he doesn’t use email his administration is bullet proof when it comes to scandals documented by email? If he wants to do that, then he needs to ban email statewide and cut all links between state government and the Internet.
I guess the real question comes down to whether the Governor is technologically ignorant or if he wants to make sure that any back room deals he makes don’t blow up in his face.
Neither answer looks good for this administration or the Commonwealth.
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