Governor Steve Beshear aims to strike it rich on House unity bet. Will he?

We will soon know soon enough.

Update: I guess the answer is a resounding NO.


Update 2: With the House's latest actions, Governor Steve Beshear has released the following statement:

Statement by Governor Beshear On Limited Expanded Gaming

“The entire leadership of the House of Representatives has on numerous occasions publicly and privately committed to me to work in a unified manner in passing a Constitutional Amendment allowing the issue of limited expanded gaming to be placed on the ballot.

Today’s actions, as well as inactions evidenced in the Elections and Constitutional Amendments Committee, very clearly demonstrate that House leadership remains deeply divided.

House Leadership should remember that more than 80% of Kentucky voters want the right to express themselves on this amendment.

Such a disagreement also seriously threatens the people’s right to decide for themselves whether or not they favor capturing the hundreds of millions of new dollars now being lost to other states. These are dollars that could be available to us for education, health care and other vital services.

I publically [sic] call on them to get their act together quickly. Only with their unified support will this amendment stand a chance of passage.”

With bad spelling and all, can the Governor be losing this "gaming" battle well BEFORE the FIRST shot is fired?

It is beginning to sound like it, unless the Governor can get control of this "about to be runaway train" for him?

Afternoon update: "Gaming" takes STRANGE twist in the House producing "the cheapest form of petty politics I've seen up here in 24 years -- to take a member off a committee because she did not vote the way the speaker wanted."