John David Dyche Writes "David Williams: A True Progressive".
David Williams: A true progressive
Written by John David Dyche
In Kentucky's gubernatorial race, the Democrat is conservative and the Republican is progressive. At least that is what the dictionary says.
The incumbent, Democrat Steve Beshear, is “disposed to preserve existing conditions, institutions, etc., or to restore traditional ones, and to limit change.” That is Dictionary.com's definition of conservative.
“Status Quo Steve” is the perfect candidate for Kentucky's relatively poor, undereducated and unhealthy citizens because he does not ask, demand or expect anything of them. His campaign takes apparent pride in leading the polls and piling up cash while offering no agenda whatsoever.
Beshear rests his re-election case on two things. First, he is an heir of undertakers and preachers. Second, he has made cuts to keep the budget balanced as law requires.
The governor ducks debates, but turns up at seemingly every job announcement (perhaps to distract voters from the fact that Kentucky's unemployment rate exceeds that of its seven bordering states). He recoils from any talk of modernizing Kentucky's tax code or addressing the state's staggering unfunded pension liabilities.
Beshear boasts that his belated expansion of Medicaid managed care will save state taxpayers $375 million. But why did he wait over three years into his term to secure such savings?
Republican challenger David Williams fits Dictionary.com's definition of a “progressive” as one “favoring or advocating progress, change, improvement, or reform, as opposed to wishing to maintain things as they are, especially in political matters.”
In stark contrast to Beshear's bland platitudes, Williams runs on a platform full of ideas. He has plans for reforming taxes, pensions and immigration, and advocates charter schools, neighborhood schools and right-to-work legislation.
Williams would be the latest in a long tradition of progressive Republican governors, like Simeon Willis and Louie Nunn. He, more than Beshear, shares traits with Democrats like Bert Combs and Paul Patton who were not content to merely occupy the office, but aggressively took political risks to really move Kentucky forward.
Expanded gambling is an exception. The Republican's opposition to it hurts him, especially in the urban areas of Lexington, Louisville and Northern Kentucky.
But Beshear has not gotten it done despite his big promises. Voters may recall the infamous 2007 video where he says, “The question is, ‘What happens if we don't pass it?' Well, let me tell you something, I'm not going to have to answer that question because I'm going to pass it!”
Expanded gambling's prospects are probably better if Williams is governor. He would not be Senate president, the post from which he has blocked it, and could not veto a bill putting a pro-gambling constitutional amendment on the ballot.
The other knock on Williams is that he is “arrogant” and a “bully.” Given the magnitude of Kentucky's problems, an ambitious governor who rubs some people the wrong way is preferable to a do-nothing nice guy.
Independent candidate Gatewood Galbraith also offers more policy substance than Beshear. Galbraith proposes a $5,000 education voucher for every high school graduate, state-owned casinos, and “bio-industrial development” based on hemp. He alone of the trio opposes mountaintop removal mining.
These ideas merit a better messenger. Galbraith, a perennial candidate mainly identified with marijuana legalization, long ago became a caricature in many voters' minds. His campaign manager's recent resignation does not help.
At least Galbraith is not afraid of Williams, as evidenced by their joint appearance in Northern Kentucky last week. Beshear, like too many Kentucky incumbents of both parties, puts his own political future in front of the public interest by shirking frequent joint forums. Beshear and Williams will share a stage at the Kentucky Farm Bureau forum tomorrow and the Aug. 6 Fancy Farm picnic. Citizens can then compare a caretaker who is content with the way things are against a leader who is determined to make things better.
John David Dyche is a Louisville attorney who writes a political column on alternating Tuesdays in Forum. His views are his own, not those of the law firm in which he practices. Read him online at www.courier-journal.com; email: jddyche@yahoo.com.
Written by John David Dyche
In Kentucky's gubernatorial race, the Democrat is conservative and the Republican is progressive. At least that is what the dictionary says.
The incumbent, Democrat Steve Beshear, is “disposed to preserve existing conditions, institutions, etc., or to restore traditional ones, and to limit change.” That is Dictionary.com's definition of conservative.
“Status Quo Steve” is the perfect candidate for Kentucky's relatively poor, undereducated and unhealthy citizens because he does not ask, demand or expect anything of them. His campaign takes apparent pride in leading the polls and piling up cash while offering no agenda whatsoever.
Beshear rests his re-election case on two things. First, he is an heir of undertakers and preachers. Second, he has made cuts to keep the budget balanced as law requires.
The governor ducks debates, but turns up at seemingly every job announcement (perhaps to distract voters from the fact that Kentucky's unemployment rate exceeds that of its seven bordering states). He recoils from any talk of modernizing Kentucky's tax code or addressing the state's staggering unfunded pension liabilities.
Beshear boasts that his belated expansion of Medicaid managed care will save state taxpayers $375 million. But why did he wait over three years into his term to secure such savings?
Republican challenger David Williams fits Dictionary.com's definition of a “progressive” as one “favoring or advocating progress, change, improvement, or reform, as opposed to wishing to maintain things as they are, especially in political matters.”
In stark contrast to Beshear's bland platitudes, Williams runs on a platform full of ideas. He has plans for reforming taxes, pensions and immigration, and advocates charter schools, neighborhood schools and right-to-work legislation.
Williams would be the latest in a long tradition of progressive Republican governors, like Simeon Willis and Louie Nunn. He, more than Beshear, shares traits with Democrats like Bert Combs and Paul Patton who were not content to merely occupy the office, but aggressively took political risks to really move Kentucky forward.
Expanded gambling is an exception. The Republican's opposition to it hurts him, especially in the urban areas of Lexington, Louisville and Northern Kentucky.
But Beshear has not gotten it done despite his big promises. Voters may recall the infamous 2007 video where he says, “The question is, ‘What happens if we don't pass it?' Well, let me tell you something, I'm not going to have to answer that question because I'm going to pass it!”
Expanded gambling's prospects are probably better if Williams is governor. He would not be Senate president, the post from which he has blocked it, and could not veto a bill putting a pro-gambling constitutional amendment on the ballot.
The other knock on Williams is that he is “arrogant” and a “bully.” Given the magnitude of Kentucky's problems, an ambitious governor who rubs some people the wrong way is preferable to a do-nothing nice guy.
Independent candidate Gatewood Galbraith also offers more policy substance than Beshear. Galbraith proposes a $5,000 education voucher for every high school graduate, state-owned casinos, and “bio-industrial development” based on hemp. He alone of the trio opposes mountaintop removal mining.
These ideas merit a better messenger. Galbraith, a perennial candidate mainly identified with marijuana legalization, long ago became a caricature in many voters' minds. His campaign manager's recent resignation does not help.
At least Galbraith is not afraid of Williams, as evidenced by their joint appearance in Northern Kentucky last week. Beshear, like too many Kentucky incumbents of both parties, puts his own political future in front of the public interest by shirking frequent joint forums. Beshear and Williams will share a stage at the Kentucky Farm Bureau forum tomorrow and the Aug. 6 Fancy Farm picnic. Citizens can then compare a caretaker who is content with the way things are against a leader who is determined to make things better.
John David Dyche is a Louisville attorney who writes a political column on alternating Tuesdays in Forum. His views are his own, not those of the law firm in which he practices. Read him online at www.courier-journal.com; email: jddyche@yahoo.com.
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