2007-02-23T12:00:00.000-05:00
From a href="http://www.wnbc.com/entertainment/1215140/detail.
html" WNBC in NYC /a : blockquote What you see of Mandy Moore on the big screen in the new drama "A Walk to Remember" is what you get. br / br / Moore plays a minister's daughter in the film, and, unlike her singer counterparts, she said that she brings some of the same values from the film to her real life. The film celebrates faith in God and in other people.
br / br / The 17-year-old said she will not sing in provocative costumes like Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera, mainly because she does not "want to look back in 10 years and be embarrassed." br / br / "That's you out there -- that's your name," said Moore. /blockquote It would be great for youngsters to have a good role model in the mainstream.
I have to say, though, at 17 I think Britney Spears was a decent person. Actually, it seems to me that she still is, but she's clearly very troubled. She has always dressed provocatively, though, the main difference that Miss Moore points out.
I hope Mandy Moore makes it out alive. br / br / For the record, Britney Spears always was and always will be better than Xtina Aguilera.
000-05:00
http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.
dll/article?AID=/20070221/ZONE09/70221026/-1/ZONE09 br / br / blockquote br / courier-journal.com News Neighborhoods Oldham br / br / View 7 days Su M Tu W Th F Sa Adv.
search br / Wednesday, February 21, 2007 br / E-mail this | Print page br / br / Blogger wanted for Oldham County br / br / The Courier-Journal br / br / Do you live in Oldham County and are looking for a place to share your thoughts with other Oldham residents about what's happening in La Grange, Crestwood, Goshen, Pewee Valley and beyond? Then courier-journal.com is looking for you.
br / br / As part of our expanded Oldham County coverage, The Courier-Journal is looking for someone to be our Oldham County blogger. br / br / Anyone interested must be a resident of Oldham County and may not hold any elected or appointed political office. br / br / If you're interested, please send an email that tells a little about yourself, why you want to be the Oldham County blogger and a sample blog entry to Robert Gates, Oldham County online producer at rgates@courier-journal.
com. /blockquote
com,1999:blog-27441947.post-9065795348270551749
991-05:00
Ernie Fletcher's proposal to spend $200 milllion of a bogus $401 million "surplus" on a variety of initiatives was an all too obvious re-election campaign ploy. br / br / And his plan to blame lawmakers for denying Kentuckians these initiatives when they exercise the fiscal restraint he seems incapable of doing is another obvious ploy. br / br / But as usual with our Boy Governor and the worthy successors to his original Kiddie Korps, they were a bit shy on anticipating all the possible consequences of their plan.
br / br / BG and his aides knew legislative leaders were not inclined to open up the budget for wholesale revisions in a non-budget year, particularly when the structural imbalance in the budget greatly exceeds the bogus "surplus." br / br / But he went ahead with his fiscally foolish proposals anyway, thinking it put him in a win-win situation of taking credit if he got what he wanted or blaming lawmakers if his initiatives failed. But there was a third option he obviously didn't consider.
b A governor who makes all sorts of promises to the public that he can't get the legislature to go along with just looks weak. /b br / br / A weak governor who fires off angry letters and goes into rants at legislative receptions in response to the House exercising some fiscal prudence on the "Boni Bill" looks both weak and whiny. br / br / Those are two traits BG has down pat, but why would Kentucky voters want to re-elect a weak and whiny governor?
/blockquote I'm glad Keeling is just crazy enough to put this out there. All the sensible Democrats are trying to support Fletcher so they can win in the November general.
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. . .
br / br / First of all, you can tell from the get-go that 2007 will be a big year for Republicans. Attendance at all the GOP events is up - way up. Rank-and-file party people are coming out in droves this year to show their support for keeping Kentucky in the Republican column this election year.
br / br / For instance, this week there will be a Lincoln Day Dinner in Shelby County where attendance will be over 300. Normally, fewer than 100 people show up, even back in 2003 during the last gubernatorial year. Nearly 200 attended Franklin County's own Lincoln Day event last week, versus a handful in years past.
br / br / In other words, it's popular being a Republican in Kentucky! br / br / Second, I want to extend sincere thanks to all of you and others who have graciously welcomed me to your meetings and into your homes. I have put nearly 10,000 miles on my car since entering this race for state treasurer in early January.
So far, so good! br / br / My message of being an experienced and tested administrator has been well received. Believe me, voters can tell the difference between a person who's ready to take office and do the job from Day One to someone who is merely phoning it in.
br / br / Finally, our party has a great crop of candidates in this year's primary. We have quality people from the top of the ticket to all the down-ballot contests. It speaks well not only of the candidate recruitment efforts of our state party, but more importantly, it's reflective of the quality of the people drawn to the Republican Party.
br / br / In comparison, the Democrats appear to be disspirited and without any real direction, other than a hunger to return to power for the sake of having it. br / br / We Republicans are where the drive and inspiration are - to move Kentucky forward. br / br / I hope you all will call me and keep in touch.
Let me know if you want me to be at one of your events. I will make every effort to be there! br / br / Sincerely, br / br / Melinda Wheeler
000-05:00
com/articles/2007/02/the_campaigns_for_governor_in.html" RealClearPolitics.com /a .
2 paragraphs of many on the 3 2007 Governor races: blockquote In Kentucky the only question is who is not running for Governor. The genesis of the large field is the deep trouble in which freshman GOP Governor Ernie Fletcher finds himself. Fletcher has been enormously weakened by a prolonged legal and political battle over his patronage hirings.
No doubt, the pressure was great in 2003 to hire GOP office-seekers since Fletcher is the first Bluegrass State Republican Governor since Louie Nunn left office in 1971, but his handling of the matter has nearly destroyed his Governorship. GOP stalwarts insist it is all partisan, a product of the ambitions of Democratic Attorney General Greg Stumbo (now running for lieutenant governor on a ticket in his party's primary). Whatever the truth of that, some of the revelations have been highly embarrassing to Fletcher, and his job approval and re-elect numbers are languishing in the 30s.
Almost all Democrats and many key Republicans do not believe that he can be reelected in November. br / br / Enter the Svengali of Kentucky GOP politics, U.S.
Senator Mitch McConnell, who is not about to sit idly and watch the Republican house he has built since 1984 crumble. The Senate Minority Leader also comes up for reelection himself in 2008, and he doesn't want a Democratic Governor recruiting a strong candidate against him. Behind the scenes, McConnell and his allies have promised support to former Congresswoman Anne Northup, who was persuaded to run despite last November's defeat for reelection.
Northup had represented the Democratic Louisville area for ten years, managing to win close victories in a hostile environment until she was finally washed away in the Democratic wave of '06. Northup has already tied Fletcher in at least one survey conducted for her campaign, never a good sign for an incumbent. If her campaign is well run and generously financed, she has a decent chance to win in the May 22nd primary--though we note that Fletcher has started to effectively use the powers of incumbency in an attempt to hold on.
He still has a mountain to climb. Multimillionaire businessman Billy Harper, who led Fletcher's fundraising efforts in 2003, has also filed to challenge the Governor in the GOP primary. His main threat appears to be in forcing a costly runoff, which will occur if no candidate secures at least 40 percent in May--unless the legislature abolishes the run-off, which is a live possibility.
/blockquote
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In a really lame attempt to justify the despicable actions of The Supreme Executive Power Ernie Fletcher, some are now resorting to some "Choose Your Own Adventure" version of the Kentucky Constitution for guidance. Picking and choosing which passages of text to quote from the Constitution, and then putting the selected passages out there in order to deliberately mislead people into thinking you have quoted all relevant passages of the Real Kentucky Constitution is also despicable, but has come to be expected from the arrogant portion of the RPK, the Fletcher Left. br / br / Big Government Fletcher supporters have recently resorted to stunning displays of Big Government rhetoric.
Right In Kentucky recently quoted Section 69 of the Kentucky Constitution, which reads, "The supreme executive power of the Commonwealth shall be vested in a Chief Magistrate, who shall be styled the 'Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.'" RIK then proudly proclaimed, " b There is almost no limit to this power to be found. /b The only real limitation to the Governor's power is that he can not Legislate, nor can he enforce laws.
These two alone are reserved to their respective branches." Well, in truth, he can enforce laws. Section 81 reads, "He shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed.
" This means enforce laws. I mean, does the police department function on its own? If RIK doesn't understand the difference between the executive and judicial branches of government, that's unfortunate.
However, the separation of powers is clearly laid out in Section 27: blockquote The powers of the government of the Commonwealth of Kentucky shall be divided into three distinct departments, and each of them be confined to a separate body of magistracy, to wit: Those which are legislative, to one; those which are executive, to another; and those which are judicial, to another. /blockquote That doesn't sound like "almost no limit" to the power of the Chief Magistrate to me. Jessamine County Attorney and Conservative Edge blogger Brian Goettl recently stated in a candid conversation on his blog: blockquote "It's what Kentucky's Governor gets to do.
Dole out the money. He has been doing it for the last three years. Had you been reading our site regularily you would know that.
" br ~ Brian Goettl /blockquote "Dole out the money?" Does that really sound like something that a conservative governor would do? Spending responsibly, maybe.
Not "dole out the money." This further reveals the destructive arrogance and power-obsession going on in the Fletcher camp. Goettl also stated, "It may be pork, but it's the pork that the legislature laid out to be spent.
" But what about that veto power? Can The Supreme Executive Ernie Fletcher not cut pork from a budget bill, or is he afraid of being overridden? br / br / As for the budget, RIK rightly raises Section 47, but fails to mention a number of other relevant passages of the Real Kentucky Constitution.
Section 47 states that "All bills for raising revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives, but the Senate may propose amendments thereto: Provided, No new matter shall be introduced, under color of amendment, which does not relate to raising revenue." However, Section 88 is also relevant and very interesting. It states: blockquote Every bill which shall have passed the two Houses shall be presented to the Governor.
If he approve, he shall sign it; but if not, he shall return it, with his objections, to the House in which it originated, which shall enter the objections in full upon its journal, and proceed to reconsider it. If, after such reconsideration, a majority of all the members elected to that House shall agree to pass the bill, it shall be sent, with the objections, to the other House, by which it shall likewise be considered, and if approved by a majority of all the members elected to that House, it shall be a law; /blockquote So a simple majority of each House of the General Assembly can override a Big Government Governor's veto. Additionally, it states: blockquote The Governor shall have the power to disapprove any part or parts of appropriation bills embracing distinct items, and the part or parts disapproved shall not become a law unless reconsidered and passed, as in case of a bill.
/blockquote The veto possibility applies to appropriations bills, too. br / br / This explains why The Supreme Executive Power Ernie Fletcher saved his bond vetos until everyone had left town last year. He didn't want to be overridden by the General Assembly because he had to be sure to deal with the budget this year, 2007, so he could try to buy his re-election with taxpayer dollars.
Dollars raised to the General Fund by raising taxes on middle-class Kentuckians and small businesses. This explains why the revenue was drastically underestimated (or the money drastically underspent, initially) in order to create the illusion of a surplus to spend this year, 2007, the election year. It's clearly an abuse of power laid out in the Kentucky Revised Statutes 48.
10 which, according to LRC, "authorizes the passage of a General Fund or Road Fund Surplus Expenditure Plan that is triggered when tax receipts exceed the level anticipated in the enacted budget." It's political smarminess. It's despicable.
br / br / The Governor's Office of Local Development is undoubtedly funded in the biennial budget for the Supreme Executive to spend as he sees fit, but it is still wrong for him to use the money for political purposes. It is widely reported that Big Government Fletcher made potential political implications known to local leaders who could benefit from endorsements, support, and tax dollars. It's not the Governor's Office of Political Development.
br / br / As far as highway construction goes, the Supreme Executive does not wield "almost limitless power" either. According to LRC, KRS 45.245 to 45.
247 and 176.419 to 176.440 "Establishes a long-term highway development and construction program for the Commonwealth.
" LRC states further: blockquote Based upon information submitted by the Transportation Cabinet, a two-year highway construction program for itemized projects commencing during the ensuing fiscal biennium and an additional four-year construction plan must be submitted to the General Assembly. br / br / The Governor recommends and the Highway Department submits the biennial highway construction program and proposed funding within ten working days after submission of the Executive Branch Budget Recommendation. br / br / b The General Assembly adopts and may amend the biennial highway construction program and plan.
/b /blockquote Don't tell me there is "almost no limit" to the Governor's power, and don't tell me that Big Government Ernie Fletcher isn't trying to purchase re-election with taxpayer dollars. I'm glad Fletch right sized state vehicles, cut a few government jobs, and whatnot. I've said a thousand times that he's done some good things.
The problem is, he handled the merit hiring situation 100% WRONG. Then, once he got into the political quandary, he decided to go the way of the Democrat and play dirty politics with the state budget and taxpayer dollars. House Democrats need to rebuke Fletcher even though it's not really in their best interest to do so because it will make The Supreme Executive look bad.
Democrats, along with the Courier-Journal and the Herald-Leader, all want Fletcher to look GOOD for once, but only until the primary.
com,1999:blog-27441947.post-1024121192716746319
153-05:00
blogger.com/_ohg2OTJ_Yng/Rdy-Cc3fqnI/AAAAAAAAABg/CGv5Sm3asVE/s1600-h/Picture+006.jpg" img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp2.
blogger.com/_ohg2OTJ_Yng/Rdy-Cc3fqnI/AAAAAAAAABg/CGv5Sm3asVE/s320/Picture+006.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5034107432811342450" / /a br / a onblur="try {parent.
deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_ohg2OTJ_Yng/Rdy-DM3fqoI/AAAAAAAAABo/A9OFQDdglxM/s1600-h/Picture+007.
jpg" img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_ohg2OTJ_Yng/Rdy-DM3fqoI/AAAAAAAAABo/A9OFQDdglxM/s320/Picture+007.
jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5034107445696244354" / /a br / a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.
com/_ohg2OTJ_Yng/Rdy-Ds3fqpI/AAAAAAAAABw/hezcNDsM4HA/s1600-h/Picture+010.jpg" img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp3.blogger.
com/_ohg2OTJ_Yng/Rdy-Ds3fqpI/AAAAAAAAABw/hezcNDsM4HA/s320/Picture+010.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5034107454286178962" / /a br / a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.
blogger.com/_ohg2OTJ_Yng/Rdy-EM3fqqI/AAAAAAAAAB4/X-4NTF_pN8k/s1600-h/Picture+011.jpg" img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp1.
blogger.com/_ohg2OTJ_Yng/Rdy-EM3fqqI/AAAAAAAAAB4/X-4NTF_pN8k/s320/Picture+011.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5034107462876113570" / /a A tree fell onto a sidewalk by the University of Louisville in November of 2006.
It was February of 2007 before someone cleaned it up. Inside the tree you could find an old car battery, cigarette butts, debris from the nearby Taco Bell/Pizza Hut, and numerous other bits of trash. Down the sidewalk a ways from the tree laid a large black garbage bag full of, well, I don't know.
br / br / In response to this and general filth in the Old Louisville area surrounding the UofL campus, the University of Louisville College Republicans have implemented a do-it-yourself cleanup effort to take place each month around campus or in a selected neighborhood. Louisville College Republicans have decided to practice what they preach. Conservative Republicans constantly complain about big government, too much government spending, and the need to reduce these things.
How often do we actually do what we say we want, however? A sustained do-it-yourself cleaning effort makes the need for government expenditures in this area go away. Government can then reduce spending or spend money on something else.
We have a responsibility. When the tree is on the sidewalk and your neighborhood is filthy, clean it up. Don't sit around and wait on Big Government to do it for you.
It is your community. Connect with the people around you and together take care of your home. br / br / As Michael Medved says in his book a href="http://www.
michaelmedved.com/site/product?pid=18078" Right Turns /a , "Do-it-yourself conservatism provides the only cure for save-the-world liberalism.
" Sometimes conservatives suffer from "save-the-world conservatism," where we want what is right implemented in some sweeping government reform measures. These things rarely happen, however. We need to understand that change comes slowly, especially in government.
Definitely get out there and lobby your government, but you have to practice what you preach to really have an impact on people around you and spread your message. And of course, nobody can spend all day every day cleaning up trash and engaging in other sorts of do-it-yourself efforts, but even a couple minutes a day can have a positive impact. br / br / The Louisville College Republicans is soliciting donations from the public to cover the cost of trash bags, gloves, etc.
for this effort and keep it going for a long time. Contact Kendra at klclay03@louisville.edu for more information on how to donate.
post-5014463215338179768
" It drew a connection between the values of the high school football locker room and the rationale that kept us in Vietnam so long...
the same rationale invoked by George W. Bush, son of the obsessive prep football culture in West Texas, to keep us in Iraq. I am, in fact, reluctant to see us withdraw abruptly, but not because I believe Coach Blowhard was right when he grunted,"When the going gets tough, the tough get going.
" Rather, I agree with former Secretary of State Colin Powell: "You break it and it's yours." We broke it in Iraq. We can't just drop the pieces and bolt.
/blockquote What a strange self-congratulatory, cynical, hate-filled tone. As if government facilitated rape rooms and mass murder isn't a sign that a nation is broken. He then had this to say: blockquote While I'm whining, I want to share the latest praise being showered on our senuior senator, Mitch McConnell, and for what?
For confounding the effort by Senate Democrats to hold a real debate and schedule a real vote on the question of Bush policy in Iraq. br / br / For those who missed today's story by Laurie Kellman of the Associated Press, here it is. Read it and ask yourself whether you, as a Kentuckian, are proud of what your most powerful representative in Washington is doing: /blockquote After revealing the article to his readers he explained, b i "For the record, I can't understand what Sen.
McConnell is doing either." /b /i Well, for the record, I don't understand how this man still has a job. I guess nobody else would hire him so he got stuck in the newspaper industry.
br / br / b i David Hawpe /i /b , let me explain this to you. The Senate has been debating this Iraq surrender legislation favored by Harry Reid for a while now. Mitch McConnell wants to debate a similar piece of legislation before the Senate votes on either of the two pieces of legislation.
Senate rules, of course, allow this. Harry Reid, however, won't allow the Senate to debate the alternative legislation. Therefore, there will be no vote.
Now, tell me, who is blocking debate? I think it's fair to say that the public, and indeed the full Senate, should hear debate on all relevant and related legislation before deciding which pieces to vote "aye" and "nay" on, don't you? I mean, you want to know your options before deciding where to go out to eat, don't you?
This is not very different. If given the choice between Papa John's and Papa John's, you'll choose Papa John's. However, if you have the choice of Papa John's, Pizza Hut, Domino's, Bearno's, and Wick's, you may find that one of the other four pizzerias have something you like better.
This is so obvious. br / br / What's sad is, I know b David Hawpe /b knows what is going on in the Senate, he is just choosing to lie to himself and us.
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“I'm supporting Stan because I know he won't just start the job; he will finish it too." br / br / Senator Buford represents Boyle, Garrard, Jessamine, and part of Fayette County. /blockquote b State Senator Vernie McGaha /b : blockquote "The counties of Adair, Casey, Pulaski, and Russell should follow my lead and vote for Stan Lee for Attorney General,” stated Sen.
Vernie McGaha. “He is a true conservative leader that will get results. His judgment is sound and his vision is clear.
Stan will make an excellent Attorney General." /blockquote b State Senator Gary Tapp /b : blockquote "Stan is a conservative leader that you can count on. He won't back down from the tough issues and always has the people of Kentucky on his mind,” stated Sen.
Gary Tapp. “He is focused and determined and is exactly the kind of conservative leader we want as our next Attorney General." br / br / Senator Tapp represents Bullitt, Shelby, and Spencer counties.
/blockquote b State Rep. Marie Rader /b : blockquote "Conservatives have only one choice in the Attorney General's race -- Stan Lee. He is a conservative leader that stands up to protect marriage, the life of the unborn, and our second amendment rights,” stated Rep.
Marie Rader. “The voters of Jackson, Owsley, and Laurel can be confident that Stan will enforce the law as written and restore confidence to the office." /blockquote b State Senator Jack Westwood /b : blockquote "Stan is a solid conservative that will represent our values everyday.
He has a proven record of fighting the war on drugs and keeping our communities safe,” stated Sen. Jack Westwood. “As our next Attorney General, Stan will continue this fight.
" br / br / Senator Westwood represents part of Kenton County in Northern Kentucky. /blockquote b State Senator Damon Thayer /b : blockquote "Kentucky needs an Attorney General who will restore confidence to the office. It has been plagued by politics instead of sound policy.
I am proud to support Stan Lee because I know his dedication to the people of Kentucky will always come first,” stated Sen. Damon Thayer. br / br / Senator Thayer represents part Grant, Owen, Scott, and part of Kenton County.
/blockquote
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wlky.com/news/11055574/detail.html?
rss=lou" Yarmuth Shows Support For Union Bill /a /b br / br / New Kentucky U.S. Rep.
John Yarmuth was in Louisville on Monday to attend a rally to support a bill before Congress that would make it easier for workers to organize labor unions. br / br / According to WLKY, about 250 union members turned out at the United Auto Workers headquarters on Fern Valley Road to support a measure called the “Employee Free Choice Act” which is designed to make it more difficult for employers to stop workers efforts to form unions. br / br / “We've seen the balance of power economically shift so dramatically in the last 20 years or so, it's time to bring it back to a fair situation and that's all we're trying to do,” Yarmuth said.
br / br / The U.S. House Education and Labor Committee recently approved the bill.
br / br / It moved on to the full House of Representatives where it is schedule to go to a vote later in February. /blockquote Nice how they take the view opposite of "employee choice" and then call their bill "employee free choice," isn't it? br / br / " .
. . the balance of power economically shift so dramatically in the last 20 years or so.
" Yarmuth is such a blast from the past. You can tell that in 2007 he's trying to fix everything he was angry about twenty years ago, or even as a teenager. I hope Jack Richardson and the rest of the Louisville GOP finds someone to officially make Yarmuth a One Term Wonder.
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" There are 203 members, mostly from Louisville, a more liberal area of the state. br / br / McConnell is definitely vulnerable on his home turf. While extremely powerful, both in terms of his financial clout in DC and his control of the Kentucky GOP, he's not especially popular.
McConnell is a brilliant fundraiser, a meticulous and ruthless operator, and immensely thin-skinned. His base is entirely corporate, and there's dissatisfaction in Kentucky at the grassroots level. His wife is Elaine Chao, the anti-Labor Secretary of Labor, and there's a consistent rumor in DC that it's a bit of a loveless marriage (which I bring up only because McConnell is a strong social conservative).
br / br / So far, he has outmaneuvered Harry Reid in the Senate, and he is a formidable roadblock to progressive legislation. It's not just the big stuff, like Iraq or public financing - he's exacting his pound of flesh on the simple issues, like the minimum wage which he's fought. br / br / The state is primed for an internet-driven challenge to McConnell.
It's interesting to see this facebook group start up so early. The Bluegrass Report, one of the best local blogs in the country, is already well-established and taking on both the entrenched reactionary Democratic Party hacks and the Republicans. If McConnell is going to be beaten, it's going to come from the internet.
He will have more money than God, so the Democratic challenger is going to have to outsmart him. McConnell also has a very smart netroots person, Jon Henke, who saw George Allen lose up close, so he's quite aware of the possible insurgent challenge. What isn't clear is whether he's willing or capable of dropping his challenges to such bread and butter issues like the minimum wage, or if he's willing to drop his fight on Iraq.
I don't think he is. br / br / This is leverage, and Democrats ought to be using it. In fact, grassroots Democrats already are.
/blockquote b i I'd say now would be the time for McConnell supporters to start banding together. He's not going to face a primary, so you might as well ask yourself, "Do I want McConnell, or Democrat X who will do nothing for Kentucky except embarass us?" /b /i
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NELSON br / The Advocate-Messenger br / br / Anne Northup stopped in mid-sentence last week to ask for a drink of water. "I've been talking all day," she said Thursday between questions from the newspaper's editorial board. That simple request symbolically defined the pace at which she must work.
br / br / Northup has a difficult road to travel. She's facing the incumbent, embattled but well-funded, and a multi-millionaire, who is well behind in the polls but holding at least the potential to force a runoff in the Republican primary. That won't be her toughest challenge, however.
br / br / While Northup thinks she can win in November, she says she is running because Gov. Ernie Fletcher can't win. If that seems like a poor reason, there's more to it.
br / br / Her party needs her. br / br / The Republican Party needs to offer a choice at least as much as it needs a win. It needs a strong primary to keep its base energized in the wake of Fletcher's failures, which Northup is almost as willing to exploit now as the Democrats will be in the general election if he is the candidate.
br / br / The Republican Party has to have an alternative, and it isn't Billy Harper, who also has said he is running because Fletcher can't win. Harper has money, but not much else. He can't win either.
br / br / Northup can, but she acknowledges it will be hard, given the current governor's troubles. She appears well-positioned in the primary, polls showing her in a dead heat with the governor and the race barely begun, and a bulldog reputation as a campaigner. br / br / The party's significant gains are in danger should it fail to show its strength and an ability to bounce back.
Growth and excitement at the grass roots level led to a majority in the state Senate years ago, which was maintained last November in the most difficult of circumstances. That same momentum eventually led to the governor's election. br / br / It was a growth in influence sought as a result of Fletcher's election that now has the GOP facing trouble, b along with the governor's refusal to step aside for the sake of the party.
There is concern that with him as the nominee, the entire ticket will suffer. br / br / The Democrats have been eerily quiet about the merit hiring scandal that rocked the capitol for months. /b There are seven of them, and for now they have each other to worry about.
But be assured that whoever the Democratic nominee turns out to be, b Fletcher's missteps on that single issue will overpower all the successes he claims. /b br / br / They are no doubt storyboarding the television ads at Democratic Party headquarters as we speak, just in case. /blockquote br / br / b The Democrats have definitely been quiet about the merit hiring scandal lately.
Just like the newspapers refuse to confront the Governor's phony economic numbers. It's not really eery, though. It makes perfect sense.
They will remain quiet because they want the Governor to look good for the next three months. They want him to win the R primary so they can embarrass him all summer and in the November general. br / br / For once, Ernie Fletcher has the major newspapers on his side, he has Greg Stumbo on his side, and he and all the Fletcher supporters are too full of pride to admit that it's a problem.
The newspapers are sitting outside the strange self-congratulatory Fletcher Bubble unintrusively, allowing him to build himself up so they can pounce sometime around June. br / br / Northup/Hoover can turn the tide, but it will take some work. They will have to more or less force citizens and the newspapers to examine Fletcher's phony economic numbers and remind them of how Fletcher got to where he is right now in the first place.
It's not Northup/Hoover's fault that Fletcher is struggling. Fletcher is struggling because of his own mistakes. Northup/Hoover are just here to save the Kentucky Republicans, and the state.
/b
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He has pledged to lead Giuliani's exploratory committee efforts in California. From a href="http://www.joinrudy2008.
com" JoinRudy2008 /a blockquote : Congressman David Dreier Announces Support for Mayor Giuliani br / br / br / New York, Feb 13 - In a sign of continuing momentum, the Rudy Giuliani Presidential Exploratory Committee today announced Congressman David Dreier, Chairman of the California Republican Congressional Delegation and House Rules Committee Ranking Republican, has announced his support for Mayor Rudy Giuliani to be the next President of the United States. Dreier’s endorsement follows the rousing reception Mayor Giuliani received at the California State Republican Convention and his successful swing through the state. Dreier will help lead Mayor Giuliani’s exploratory committee efforts in California.
br / br / Congressman Dreier said, “America needs the proven leadership of Rudy Giuliani to tackle the difficult challenges our country is facing. Not only does Mayor Giuliani have a record of results, he has a positive, optimistic vision that can unite our Party and our country for the greater good. br / br / “I am proud to be supporting Mayor Rudy Giuliani for President and am looking forward to helping the exploratory committee’s efforts in any way I can,” concluded Dreier.
br / br / Mayor Rudy Giuliani welcomed the support from Congressmen Dreier. “I’m excited to have a Republican leader like Congressman Dreier on our team.” This endorsement comes on the heels of Congressman Pete Sessions and former Congresswoman Susan Molinari joining Team Rudy, as well as the previously announced support of California Congressman Devin Nunes and Congresswoman Mary Bono.
More California endorsements will be announced later in the week. /blockquote
com,1999:blog-27441947.post-494695904302831322
427-05:00
br / br / "First of all, he did raise taxes," said Northup, the former congresswoman. She echoed fellow Republican challenger Billy Harper's assertion that the governor's tax plan from 2005 increased the burden on small businesses through the Alternative Minimum Tax. br / br / b i Northup said the tax helped generate more revenue for the state than expected.
br / br / "So what have we seen the last few months? This bus tour going around asking every single city and county how they would spend the surplus," she said. "If that doesn't look like a Democrat to you, I don't know what does.
" /i /b One of the chief organizers of the Danville meeting was Basil Turbyfill, a former Fletcher backer and administration official who got caught up in the state hiring investigation. br / br / "We feel that there has to be a change," said Turbyfill, who added that the personnel probe and the governor's handling of it have been "tough to take" at times. br / br / Northup also said her campaign raised $300,000 at a fund-raiser last week in Louisville.
She declined to say how much she has amassed since getting in the race last month. /blockquote
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