LAST PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, WE ENDORSED POTUS BARACK OBAMA FOR PRESIDENT. THIS YEAR, WE FIND HIM NOT DESERVING OF RE-ELECTION. WE, THEREFORE, DECLINE TO ENDORSE HIM. WE LIKEWISE DECLINE TO ENDORSE HIS OPPONENT, MITT ROMNEY, A MAN WHO LACKS ABIDING GUIDING PRINCIPLES.

Many of you have figured out by now I don't think POTUS Barack Obama deserves to be re-elected President of these her United States.

By the same token, I for certain don't feel like Mitt Romney has any business bringing his PHONINESS and lack of abiding guiding principles to the White House.

And yes, Americans are more careful about choosing their produce or dead fish at the local store as they do selecting their rulers.

That's why we found ourselves in this mess of having to close our nostrils in order to select the "lesser of two evils"!

I, for one, am glad I don't have to make that choice of which "evil" to choose. I won't have to share the blame for what becomes of the next 4 years!!

And then again, maybe, the Hand of God is in all of this.

Maybe, God has decided once again to send another VERY CLEAR message to America, which America will, once again, IGNORE TO ITS DETRIMENT.

WAKE UP, people, AND READ "THE HANDWRITING ON THE WALL"

BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE!!!

Salt Lake City, Utah, Tribune Newspaper Endorses, Decries "Too Many Mitts". I Do, Too.

Tribune endorsement: Too Many Mitts

Obama has earned another term

Nowhere has Mitt Romney’s pursuit of the presidency been more warmly welcomed or closely followed than here in Utah. The Republican nominee’s political and religious pedigrees, his adeptly bipartisan governorship of a Democratic state, and his head for business and the bottom line all inspire admiration and hope in our largely Mormon, Republican, business-friendly state.

But it was Romney’s singular role in rescuing Utah’s organization of the 2002 Olympics from a cesspool of scandal, and his oversight of the most successful Winter Games on record, that make him the Beehive State’s favorite adopted son. After all, Romney managed to save the state from ignominy, turning the extravaganza into a showcase for the matchless landscapes, volunteerism and efficiency that told the world what is best and most beautiful about Utah and its people.

In short, this is the Mitt Romney we knew, or thought we knew, as one of us.

Sadly, it is not the only Romney, as his campaign for the White House has made abundantly clear, first in his servile courtship of the tea party in order to win the nomination, and now as the party’s shape-shifting nominee. From his embrace of the party’s radical right wing, to subsequent portrayals of himself as a moderate champion of the middle class, Romney has raised the most frequently asked question of the campaign: "Who is this guy, really, and what in the world does he truly believe?"

The evidence suggests no clear answer, or at least one that would survive Romney’s next speech or sound bite. Politicians routinely tailor their words to suit an audience. Romney, though, is shameless, lavishing vastly diverse audiences with words, any words, they would trade their votes to hear.

More troubling, Romney has repeatedly refused to share specifics of his radical plan to simultaneously reduce the debt, get rid of Obamacare (or, as he now says, only part of it), make a voucher program of Medicare, slash taxes and spending, and thereby create millions of new jobs. To claim, as Romney does, that he would offset his tax and spending cuts (except for billions more for the military) by doing away with tax deductions and exemptions is utterly meaningless without identifying which and how many would get the ax. Absent those specifics, his promise of a balanced budget simply does not pencil out.

If this portrait of a Romney willing to say anything to get elected seems harsh, we need only revisit his branding of 47 percent of Americans as freeloaders who pay no taxes, yet feel victimized and entitled to government assistance. His job, he told a group of wealthy donors, "is not to worry about those people. I’ll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives."

Where, we ask, is the pragmatic, inclusive Romney, the Massachusetts governor who left the state with a model health care plan in place, the Romney who led Utah to Olympic glory? That Romney skedaddled and is nowhere to be found.

And what of the president Romney would replace? For four years, President Barack Obama has attempted, with varying degrees of success, to pull the nation out of its worst financial meltdown since the Great Depression, a deepening crisis he inherited the day he took office.

In the first months of his presidency, Obama acted decisively to stimulate the economy. His leadership was essential to passage of the badly needed American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Though Republicans criticize the stimulus for failing to create jobs, it clearly helped stop the hemorrhaging of public sector jobs. The Utah Legislature used hundreds of millions in stimulus funds to plug holes in the state’s budget.

The president also acted wisely to bail out the auto industry, which has since come roaring back. Romney, in so many words, said the carmakers should sink if they can’t swim.

Obama’s most noteworthy achievement, passage of his signature Affordable Care Act, also proved, in its timing, his greatest blunder. The set of comprehensive health insurance reforms aimed at extending health care coverage to all Americans was signed 14 months into his term after a ferocious fight in Congress that sapped the new president’s political capital and destroyed any chance for bipartisan cooperation on the shredded economy.

Obama’s foreign policy record is perhaps his strongest suit, especially compared to Romney’s bellicose posture toward Russia and China and his inflammatory rhetoric regarding Iran’s nuclear weapons program. Obama’s measured reliance on tough economic embargoes to bring Iran to heel, and his equally measured disengagement from the war in Afghanistan, are examples of a nuanced approach to international affairs. The glaring exception, still unfolding, was the administration’s failure to protect the lives of the U.S. ambassador to Libya and three other Americans, and to quickly come clean about it.

In considering which candidate to endorse, The Salt Lake Tribune editorial board had hoped that Romney would exhibit the same talents for organization, pragmatic problem solving and inspired leadership that he displayed here more than a decade ago. Instead, we have watched him morph into a friend of the far right, then tack toward the center with breathtaking aplomb. Through a pair of presidential debates, Romney’s domestic agenda remains bereft of detail and worthy of mistrust.

Therefore, our endorsement must go to the incumbent, a competent leader who, against tough odds, has guided the country through catastrophe and set a course that, while rocky, is pointing toward a brighter day. The president has earned a second term. Romney, in whatever guise, does not deserve a first.

BREAKING NEWS: Watch Retired General, Colin Powell, Endorses POTUS Barack Obama For President. So Where Are My Fellow Republicans To Call Him A Traitor (Notice They Would Have Called Him Our New George Washington Had He Endorsed PHONY MItt Romney -- WINK.)?!

Alecia Webb-Eddington Gets Huge Endorsements From Former U. S. Senator Jim Bunning, And Congressman Geoff Davis.

Webb-Edgington gets nod from Bunning, Davis
Written by Roger Alford

COVINGTON — Republican congressional candidate Alecia Webb-Edgington has picked up key endorsements from two of Northern Kentucky’s best-known political figures, one of them the man she’s seeking to replace in the 4th District.U.S. Rep. Geoff Davis and former U.S. Sen. Jim Bunning threw their support to Webb-Edgington, a state lawmaker, on Monday during an appearance in Covington.

The endorsements are expected to be a campaign boost for Webb-Edgington, a retired state police major and former head of the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security,

Webb-Edgington is among seven GOP candidates seeking to replace the retiring Davis. The others are Boone County Judge-Executive Gary Moore, Lewis County Judge-Executive Thomas Massie, Crestwood teacher Brian Oerther, Fort Mitchell business consultant Tom Wurtz, Erlanger lawyer Marc Carey and Crestwood building contractor Walter Christian Schumm.

FYI: Rand Paul Supports John Kemper For Auditor.

I support John Kemper for KY State Auditor

Dear Friend,

As a Kentuckian, a conservative and a constant thorn in the side of the political status quo, I fully support John Kemper for Kentucky State Auditor.

At times, Frankfort can be a lot like Washington. The political class believes it knows what is best and doesn't listen to the voice of the people.

I can tell you John Kemper would fight the establishment in Frankfort. Fight it every day. And he would bring honesty and transparency to our state finances.

You see, the State Auditor is the watchdog of your tax dollars. Who is spending it, when and why. Too often, this post is filled by a card-carrying member of the political class -- someone who has his eye so firmly on the next office he wants that waste, fraud and corruption are often swept under the rug.

But John Kemper is different.  

One of the strongest ideas I've heard from any politician in recent memory is John's plan to shine a spotlight on government spending by putting state government expenditures online – where a simple search by any citizen would uncover problems.

It is a simple, yet powerful idea. Common sense, you might say. But then, John is having to run on this idea this year because no one in Frankfort has had the common sense to do this before!

I think we can all agree: Common sense is a great trait in an officeholder – and perhaps the one too often lacking.

John is a true fiscal conservative. He supports lower taxes, smaller government and more jobs through a better energy policy.

He also believes every area of government should be examined so that as little of your tax dollars and freedom are taken in the name of government.

We share these goals and ideals, and I hope you'll consider voting for John on November 8.

But beyond that, I hope you will help John in his fight by helping his campaign with a contribution today.

John is fighting the special interests and the moneyed elite in this battle. They know he can't be bought, and they know he isn't one of them, so they are fighting tooth and nail to keep him out of this auditor's job.

John will expose the corruption. He will crusade against the cronyism. He will declare war on the waste and abuse.

Because of that, the tax-and-spend, grip-and-grin lobbyist crowd is loading the campaign of his opponent with cash.

John must have your help to fight back today.

So please, give John your support. Send him your maximum possible contribution by going to his website: http://www.johntkemper.com/contribute

Volunteer for him. Ask if you can make some calls. Help make sure John can bring change to Frankfort this election day.

In Liberty,

Rand Paul

I'm Sure You Are Shocked , But True To Form And My Prediction, Louisville Courier Journal Endorses Steve Beshear's Re-election.

Editorial | Endorsements 2011: Re-elect Steve Beshear as Kentucky governor

This the last in a series of endorsements in races for Kentucky statewide offices contested in the Nov. 8 general election.

By any reckoning, the last four years have been brutal ones to undertake running Kenucky state government. Sharp drops in revenue and federal money, elevated unemployment and increased need for services and aid for hard-pressed citizens placed severe demands on Frankfort.

This was not going to be a period, in other words, of broad and innovative progressive advances. The challenge was to do as much with less as humanely possible.

In that context, Gov. Steve Beshear has done a competent and, in many respects, admirable job. The Governor, the head of the Democratic ticket, deserves re-election to a second four-year term.

While leading the way to balanced budgets nine times in four years and slashing more than $1 billion from the ledger sheets, Gov. Beshear correctly resisted calls for across-the-board spending cuts. Instead, he wisely identified the key priorities of education, health care and public safety and protected them as best he could.

Gov. Beshear’s boast that he did this without a broad-based tax increase is doubtless a political asset, and it is defensible in a deep recession. However, neither he nor anyone else should be under any illusions that the revenue stream, and the tax system that produces it, is adequate to meet Kentucky’s long-term needs.

The Governor failed to advance his primary initiative for greater revenue — expanded legal gambling. He says he’ll try again if given a second term, but whether or not he succeeds in the gambling arena, he must work with the legislature to enact a comprehensive tax reform that modernizes the state’s tax code and brings in meaningful revenue increases.

Gov. Beshear’s accomplishments include an executive order that instituted a tough ethics code for state employees, the need for which had been illustrated during the preceding Fletcher administration. He provided steady management during natural disasters, including floods, Hurricane Ike and the 2009 ice storm. He responded forcefully to allegations of financial improprieties in the Passport health program. He has pushed hard to stem the pipeline of illegal prescription drugs into Kentucky, especially from Florida.

Despite budget woes, the Governor has protected Medicaid — even expanding it to cover smoking cessation programs — and launched a commendable drive to enroll all eligible children in state health insurance programs through KCHIP and Medicaid. His office says 60,000 children have been added to the lists.

The Beshear administration’s touch has not been flawless. The Governor’s criticism of federal regulatory oversight of the coal industry was cynical, uninformed and counter to Kentuckians’ best interests. His support of tax breaks for a creationist-themed Ark Park ranked high on the cringe meter. He failed to serve voters’ needs when he avoided most debate opportunities this fall.

But even with missteps, the Governor has conducted himself far better in the past four years than his Republican opponent, Senate President David Williams. The latter has taken obstructionist partisanship to new lows. It is true that no legislative majority ever coalesced around a single proposal to expand gambling, but Sen. Williams’ relentless opposition to an idea on which the Governor had been elected certainly was central to blocking compromise and consensus.

It is a pity, really. Sen. Williams is intelligent, well-informed and in many ways a gifted legislator. His understanding, for example, of the need for tax reform could have been — and could still be — a key to moving the state forward. Yet, his obstinacy and arrogance are often at the base of gridlock in Frankfort. It is difficult to picture him forging constructive alliances as governor. It would be far better to see him change his stripes as a Senate leader.

Moreover, Sen. Williams erred badly in choosing Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer as his running mate. Mr. Farmer has spent public funds unwisely on personal and departmental perks and is utterly unqualified to assume the governor’s chair, should that become necessary. Mr. Beshear’s running mate, former Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson, is an accomplished public servant who can bring talent and insight to Frankfort, especially regarding urban issues.

Independent Gatewood Galbraith — an entertaining but increasingly tiresome perennial candidate — is also on the ballot.

The voters should choose Mr. Beshear and Mr. Abramson.

Candidates not endorsed are invited to respond. Letters of no more than 300 words will be published if received by 10 a.m. Wednesday by email at cjletter@courier-journal.com, by fax at (502) 582-4155 or by our first-floor reception desk at 525 W. Broadway.

As I Predicted Here, Louisville Courier Journal Strains Beyond Credibility To Endorse Jack Conway. Read About It, If You Want, And BARF. Next Up? Steve Beshear.

(Jack Conway, kissing the wrong end of the horse.)

Editorial | Endorsements 2011: Re-elect Jack Conway as attorney general

This is another in a series of endorsements in races for Kentucky statewide offices contested in the Nov. 8 general election.

When Kentucky voters go to the polls on Nov. 8, they will have an opportunity to choose between two bright and energetic young people who are seeking the office of attorney general.

Todd P’Pool, 38, the Republican candidate, grew up in the Western Kentucky coal fields, where his family has worked for four generations. A graduate of the University of Kentucky law school, he became the first Republican elected to a countywide office in Hopkins County since the Civil War era when he was elected county attorney in 2006. He was re-elected to that post last year, and has been praised for his ability to cross party lines in a county where Democrats account for 70 percent of registered voters.

Mr. P’Pool has attempted to nationalize this race, no doubt since surveys indicate President Obama is unpopular in the commonwealth. He criticizes health care reform and says he would have joined other states’ attorneys general in a lawsuit challenging its constitutionality. He’s also critical of the federal Environmental Protection Agency, especially its regulation of the coal industry. Neither of those positions is in the public interest.

His opponent, incumbent Democrat Jack Conway, 42, is a Louisvillian who attended Duke University and George Washington University law school in Washington. At the age of 26, he became deputy secretary of Gov. Paul Patton’s cabinet, working just below the secretary, Crit Luallen, now the state auditor. The two of them forged a close working relationship that has worked to the benefit of the state on key issues over the past four years.

His term as attorney general has been impressive by any standard. He has saved taxpayers several hundred millions of dollars fighting high Medicaid drug costs, unjustified utility rate hikes and price gouging by the oil companies. He also saved money by resisting pressure to join the right-wing legal attack on health care reform, which he has, quite admirably, supported. Mr. Conway has been a strong advocate for transparency and openness in public meetings and records. And he has waged an effective campaign against illegal drug trafficking and production.

Despite a disappointing campaign for U.S. Senate last year, when he was swept up in a Republican tidal wave that sent Rand Paul, the Republican, to Washington, Mr. Conway remains one of the ablest public servants in Kentucky. We enthusiastically support his re-election.

As Expected, Louisville Courier Journal Endorses Todd Hollenback For Re-election As Kentucky Treasurer. Next Up, Adam Edelen, Then Jack Conway, Then Steve Beshear.

Editorial | Endorsements 2011: Re-elect Todd Hollenbach as Kentucky state treasurer

This is another in a series of endorsements in races for Kentucky statewide offices contested in the Nov. 8 general election.

Kentucky state treasurers have tended over the years to bill themselves as the state’s chief fiscal officer.

Well, maybe technically, but not really. They aren’t the state budget director. They don’t have the power of the purse strings exercised by the governor and legislature. They don’t decide how much money gets spent and where.

Instead, the state treasurer is more akin to the person who keeps the checkbook. The treasurer is head of the treasury, manages the state depository, makes records of money due and payable to the state, and makes payments on behalf of the state. That’s not a position with policy control, but it is one that needs to be done carefully and accurately.

Fortunately, Kentucky voters have a choice between appealing and qualified candidates this year.

Of these, the Democratic incumbent, Todd Hollenbach IV of Louisville, gets our endorsement.

Mr. Hollenbach has taken his responsibilities seriously and performed well. His oversight of the state’s financial accounts is sound, his office has worked hard to make use of technology to improve efficiency, he has been dutiful about trying to return unclaimed property to rightful owners, and he is committed to some helpful, non-statutory efforts, such as offering a financial literacy program.

Mr. Hollenbach’s prior public service consisted of five years on the Kentucky Commission on Human Rights, testament to his commitment to important principles of equal rights and opportunity.

There is simply no compelling reason to replace Mr. Hollenbach after just one term, and there are solid grounds for returning him to office.

His Republican opponent, K. C. Crosbie, a member of the nonpartisan Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council, has accused Mr. Hollenbach of mismanaging accounts during his term, something that she says was confirmed by state Auditor Crit Luallen’s office.

Actually, Ms. Luallen, who has endorsed Mr. Hollenbach, found that problems at the beginning of his term in reconciling the state’s bank accounts were due to implementation before he arrived of a new computerized accounting system. She reported that Mr. Hollenbach’s office had made progress in the reconciliation process and said more recently that state accounts are now reconciled for the first time since 2006.

Louisville Courier Journal Endorses Alison Lundergan Grimes for Secretary Of State.

Editorial | Endorsements 2011: Alison Grimes for secretary of state

This is another in a series of endorsements in races for Kentucky statewide offices contested in the Nov. 8 general election.

Secretary of state isn’t the most important office on the Kentucky ballot Nov. 8, but it offers voters what should be their easiest choice.

Alison Lundergan Grimes, the Democratic nominee, simply towers above her Republican opponent, Bill Johnson. She deserves to be elected by a large margin.

Mr. Johnson, a Todd County resident who entered and then dropped out of the U.S. Senate race last year, seems intent on taking what is essentially a service-provider position with few partisan angles and turning it into an ideological focal point. The mechanism for this deplorable tactic is to adopt the national right-wing theme that voter fraud, or the potential for voter fraud, is a dire threat to American democracy that requires strengthening voter ID laws to keep unregistered or non-qualified voters from the ballot box.

At best, this is a solution in search of a problem. There is simply zero evidence that voter fraud is a widespread or common occurrence. At worst, it reflects the radical right’s fear of changing demographics in the country and underscores its determination to obstruct voting by minorities, the poor and the elderly.

Ms. Grimes, an attorney in one of Lexington’s most prominent law firms, understands that the job of the secretary of state is to facilitate voting and to help elections run smoothly and fairly, not to throw up needless barriers. Moreover, she understands that Kentucky should ease restrictions that prevent voting by felons who have served their sentences. Mr. Johnson thunders that some felons can never repay their debt to society. True, but in such cases, they should have been given life sentences. Otherwise, the American judicial system, in fact, does allow some felons to complete their sentences and be released from prison, and they should be allowed to express their political views with a ballot as they rejoin civic life.

Further related to the key issue of election responsibilities, Ms. Grimes offers insights into helping disabled veterans vote, protecting domestic violence victims when they go to the polls and teaching young people about voting.

Ms. Grimes also stresses making the secretary of state’s office more business-friendly. The office handles much of the licensing and other paperwork for existing and potential new employers.

Finally, Mr. Johnson displays a worrisome temperament. During an endorsement interview with this newspaper’s editorial board, for example, he had a tendency to launch into loud, combative and irrelevant harangues. He appeared angry and unfocused.

Voters should cross party lines, where necessary, and elect Ms. Grimes.

Well On Its Way To Endorsing Steve Beshear For Governor, Louisville Courier Journal Endorses Republican James Comer For Kentucky Commissioner For Agriculture.

Editorial | Endorsements for 2011: James Comer for ag commissioner

This is the first in a series of endorsements in races for Kentucky statewide offices contested in the Nov. 8 general election.

Voters are presented with a clear and easy choice in the race for Kentucky’s commissioner of agriculture, and James Comer, the Republican candidate, is it.

It’s as if Mr. Comer of Tompkinsville has been preparing for this job his whole life — Kentucky state FFA president, a Western Kentucky University student who majored in agriculture and government, a graduate who returned home to work on the family farming operation and to start his own (cattle, managed timber, mixed hay), and a citizen who ran for a seat in the Kentucky House of Representatives, where he has served six terms.

The Democratic challenger, Robert Farmer (or “Farmer Bob,” as he bills himself), is a Louisville marketing executive (not a farmer, and no relation to Richie Farmer, the outgoing incumbent now running for lieutenant governor on the Republican ticket) who tries to cast that experience as superior to Mr. Comer’s. He is not persuasive as a candidate or in these arguments, and those who might otherwise be tempted to vote a straight Democratic ticket dominated by Gov. Steve Beshear would deprive themselves of the opportunity to help elect the person better suited for this job.

And that is, without hesitation, Mr. Comer.

His clearly articulated platform includes commitments to expand the markets for the state’s agricultural products and the bio-fuels industry (including a push for industrial hemp), grow rural economic development, come up with programs to help young farmers succeed, create an office of urban agriculture, allow the equine industry to be part of the Kentucky Proud program, and promote agri-tourism (a Thoroughbred Trail) in the state.

James Comer promises to be active, informed, accessible and transparent — all of which the office and the department truly need after Richie Farmer’s terms in office. Voters should help him deliver on those promises.

To NO One's Surprise, Lexington Herald Leader Follows "Sister" Louisville Courier Journal In Endorsing Steve Beshear's Re-election.

Give Steve Beshear a second term

Gov. Steve Beshear has provided steady, scandal-free leadership during the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.

The crash forced him to cut more than $1 billion in spending and limited his agenda to a modest one. What he has done is commendable, starting with strengthening the executive branch ethics code and cleaning up the Transportation Cabinet, making road-building decisions more rational and cost-conscious.

Beshear also made it possible for 60,000 more children to receive regular health care and avoided slashing the base funding for public schools. The jury's still out on his move to managed-care Medicaid, but at least he's taken a decisive step to reel in costs, a move that largely eluded his predecessors.

His Republican challenger, Senate President David Williams, says the bad economy is no excuse for what he sees as Beshear's meager policy initiatives, lack of ideas and failure to engage the legislature.

Yet nothing in Williams' record or the ideas he's voicing in this campaign suggests he'd be any better at getting things done. Just the opposite.

Under Williams' autocratic leadership, the Senate quit holding hearings on the budget, shutting out the public in favor of 11th-hour wrangling behind closed doors. Lawmakers have returned for eight special sessions since he became Senate president in 2000, sometimes because Senate-House impasses kept them from enacting a state budget.

After the House approved the signature plank in Beshear's winning campaign platform, expanded gambling at racetracks, Williams refused to give it a Senate vote.

Williams attributes his weak showing in public opinion polls to unfair vilification by this editorial page and its counterpart in Louisville.

But he's selling Kentuckians short. They see for themselves that his leadership style is not the type that inspires cooperation, shared vision or a willingness to sacrifice. All of that will be required — of the legislature and public — to make the kinds of changes Kentucky needs.

Williams rightly identifies growing the economy as Kentucky's greatest challenge. His big idea for doing this is wiping out corporate and personal income taxes and replacing them with, well, he's not saying. He'd leave that decision to a panel of economic experts.

It's a lot easier to propose eliminating 40 percent of the state's revenue if you don't spell out from whose pocket it would have to be made up.

We'd like to see a more ambitious Beshear in his second term. He should quit avoiding tax reform, raise his sights above trading tax breaks for any low-paying jobs, get more aggressive about energy diversification and rebuild Kentucky's environmental protection agency. The mountains desperately need an economic strategy beyond coal.

Independent Gatewood Galbraith, self-described "explorer for the truth in a jungle of political overgrowth," is the only one of the three who's shown any willingness to challenge the coal industry's environmental destruction. The personal traits that have netted Galbraith piles of tax liens might interfere with his attending to the governorship, however.

In this field, Beshear is solidly the best choice.

Read more: http://www.kentucky.com/2011/10/30/1940652/give-steve-beshear-a-second-term.html#ixzz1cHA8UtsM

Breaking News: Kentucky Fraternal Order Of Police (FOP) Endorses The Ticket Of David Williams/Richie Farmer For Governor. Watch Announcement Video.

For Immediate Release * Williams-Farmer for Governor
September 8, 2011

Kentucky Fraternal Order of Police Endorses Williams-Farmer for Governor

(Louisville) The Kentucky Fraternal Order of Police has voted to endorse the ticket of David Williams for Governor and Richie Farmer for Lt. Governor. The Kentucky state FOP lodge represents more than 9,300 law enforcement officers. The announcement was made during a morning press conference in downtown Louisville in front of the police officers' memorial.

"I am humbled and honored to receive this vote of confidence from Kentucky's police officers," said David Williams. "Those who serve and protect our lives and property put themselves on the line every day for all of us. To have won their endorsement and their confidence is an honor I shall never forget. Protecting the citizens of the Commonwealth is a top obligation of any governor. I will stand proudly with the men and women of law enforcement to accomplish that goal."

State FOP President Michael "Spike" Jones said Williams would be a good governor who would truly represent the interests of Kentucky law enforcement.

"We are pleased to offer our support and endorsement to Senator Williams in his bid for governor of Kentucky. He has been an adamant supporter of law enforcement and we are optimistic that he will be an advocate for us on key issues. We appreciate the backing he has given law enforcement during his career and feel very confident that we will have a seat at the table when his administration is formulating policies that affect law enforcement officers in the future," Jones said.

Update: watch the endorsement announcement below:

The Fraternal Order Of Police (FOP) Endorses Todd P'Pool For Kentucky Attorney General. Watch Press Conference Video.

Jim Bunning Endorses David Williams For Governor.

Bunning endorses Williams in KY governor's race
By ROGER ALFORD

ALEXANDRIA, Ky. (AP) -- Former U.S. Sen. Jim Bunning publicly endorsed Republican David Williams in Kentucky's race for governor on Saturday, a signal to GOP voters loyal to the former major league pitcher that the two longtime political allies are back together.

Bunning told more than 100 of his closest friends and supporters at a northern Kentucky picnic on Saturday that electing Williams and other Republicans running for state offices could improve the state's business climate.

Bunning, a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, said no one should be surprised by his endorsement of Williams in a race against Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear.

"David Williams has been there every time I needed him," Bunning told The Associated Press after making the endorsement.

Williams had been mentioned as a potential challenger to Bunning in last year's Republican Senate primary. That was at a time when GOP leaders in Washington were pressuring Bunning, a staunch fiscal conservative, not to seek re-election, fearing he was politically vulnerable to a Democratic challenge.

Neither Williams nor Bunning ran in that primary. But to Bunning loyalists, even being mentioned as a challenger could be off-putting, making Saturday's endorsement crucial.

Former Secretary of State Trey Grayson and Bowling Green eye surgeon Rand Paul faced off for the GOP nomination. Paul went on to win both the primary and the general elections.

Williams attended Saturday's picnic where he paid homage to Bunning, who has kept a low profile politically since leaving the Senate at the end of last year.

"After Sen. Bunning retired on his own terms, I assumed the mantel as the Republican and conservative that liberals and liberal newspapers hate the most," Williams said. "And I'm proud to wear that badge."

Williams credited Bunning with helping to inspire him to public service and with changing the face of Kentucky politics by standing on his convictions, even though he was often a lone voice.

In an especially complimentary speech, Williams said Bunning ought also to be in halls of fame as a father, grandfather and political leader.

"His speeches ought to be a part of every civics course taught in the United States of America," Williams gushed.

All of Kentucky's GOP candidates for state offices attended the picnic, hoping to get Bunning's stamp of approval. Bunning gave a broad endorsement to all, saying "I am darn sure that David and his group that are running could change the atmosphere in Kentucky for business."

Williams and a third candidate, Lexington attorney Gatewood Galbraith who is running as an independent, are trailing badly in the polls. Williams declared Saturday that he will not be discouraged by those polls with more than two months remaining before the Nov. 8 election.

"We can win," he said.

"Associated Builders And Contractors Of Kentucky Will Be Endorsing Senator Williams [For Governor]".

Paul discusses debt ceiling
Senator also talks about need for smaller government at Friday’s Associated Builders and Contractors event
By ANDREW ROBINSON

Before speaking, Paul met with attendees. He said he was asked about the issues with raising the debt ceiling, currently at about $14.3 trillion, according to Bloomberg.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea to default,” Paul said. “You don’t necessarily have to raise the debt ceiling. They try to make it an either-or situation. Either you raise the debt ceiling or we scare everybody to death and there’s a financial Armageddon, and the markets collapse and it’s a disaster.”

According to Bloomberg, last month Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said the U.S. could borrow until Aug. 2, three weeks longer than originally expected.

Paul said it doesn’t make any sense if you think about it.

He said the U.S. brings in $200 billion a month in revenue and the interest payment on the debt is between $20 million and $30 million a month.

“There’s absolutely no reason we should default if we don’t raise the debt ceiling,” Paul said.

Paul said that ultimately the debt ceiling may have to be raised and that he’s willing to vote to raise it to a certain extent if a couple of things are done.

Paul was a bit vague, but said he is working with Sens. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Jim DeMint, R-S.C., to create a pledge to “cut, cap and balance,” adding that significant cuts have to be made.

Paul said he expects the pledge to be introduced in the next couple of weeks.

He also told the crowd he believes the Obama administration may be one of the most anti-business administrations Paul has seen in his life, and said the government can’t continue to borrow for another decade or 15 years at a trillion dollars a year.

“You will have to agree you don’t want all the government programs,” Paul said. “You will have to agree people will have to take care of themselves, families will have to take care of themselves. The states will have to have more responsibility and the federal government with less responsibility.

“It can be done.”

Paul added that he believes the White House thinks government is the answer.

Paul was also questioned by an attendee about Kentucky becoming a right-to-work state, making it so agreements between labor unions and employers as a condition of employment can’t exist.

Paul said he believes Williams, the state Senate president from Burkesville, will run in support of a right-to-work state and compare Kentucky to Tennessee.

“Tennessee cleans our clock,” Paul said. “They really do. It’s impossible to compete with a state that has no personal income tax and is right-to-work.”

Tim Hunt, chairman of the board for Associated Builders and Contractors of Kentuckiana, said he believes Williams has an uphill battle, but not a battle that is insurmountable. Hunt is employed by Koetter Construction in Louisville.

“Associated Builders and Contractors of Kentucky will be endorsing Senator Williams,” Hunt said. “He is step and step with our process and we’re going to have to work real hard for him.”

Elaine Walker's Campaign For Secretary Of State Set To Go "Down In Flames, Just Like Jesse James"; Martha Lane Collins Is Also For Allison Lundergan.

Dear Osi,

As we approach the final days of this campaign, I continue to be humbled by the support that we have earned from the great leaders of this Commonwealth.

I am so proud to announce that Governor Martha Layne Collins has endorsed our campaign for Secretary of State. Governor Collins has also agreed to chair “Women for Grimes,” an inspiring group of women who are working hard to share our message with the people of this Commonwealth.


Governor Collins joins an impressive list of this Commonwealth’s best and brightest women who have joined forces to bring us across the finish line on Tuesday, May 17th. I am so honored to have their support, and I am continually inspired by the good work they do.

From day one, I have been working hard to unite all 120 counties of this Commonwealth. As I have traveled this state on our listening tour, one thing stands out: the people of Kentucky are ready for a leader who can unite ALL Kentuckians. I know I am that leader.

I am so humbled by the support of the great leaders of the Commonwealth who have chosen to stand with my campaign. I hope you will join Governor Collins and others in supporting me at the polls on Tuesday, May 17th.

Sincerely,

Alison Lundergan Grimes

David Williams/Richie Farmer Win HUGE Endorsement From Northern Kentucky's Enquirer Newspaper.

Editorial: Williams has edge in GOP's Ky. governor race
ENQUIRER ENDORSEMENT

The race for the Republican gubernatorial nomination in Kentucky isn't much of a race, say the latest polls. State Senate President David Williams, R-Burkesville, has a commanding 47 percent to 21 percent lead over his nearest rival, Louisville businessman Phil Moffett, with less than a week to go before the May 17 primary. Jefferson County Auditor Bobbie Holsclaw trails badly at 12 percent.

The contest is somewhat closer, however, when you consider certain qualities each candidate brings to the campaign - qualities that could be attractive in a governor.

Moffett's policy expertise, business acumen, and commitment to reform could benefit Frankfort.

Holsclaw's administrative skill and collaborative, low-key style could be a balm for nerves rubbed raw for decades in the legislature.

But experience and savvy count greatly in the rough-and-tumble of Kentucky politics, so our nod goes to Williams, the state's quintessential political operator.

This endorsement comes with a qualifier: Williams' reputation as an arrogant, divisive, grudge-holding "Bully from Burkesville."

It isn't simply a matter of "not smiling enough," as Williams facetiously puts it. It has been earned (though probably exaggerated by his critics) through a decade of tough dealing at the top of Kentucky's political food chain. Yet in person he can be charming, witty, even self-effacing - when he wants to be.

He needs to prove to Kentuckians that he understands there's a big difference between being an effective partisan player in a fiercely divided legislature and serving as a chief executive whose duty is to unify the state and represent a broad range of interests - and he needs to show that he will act accordingly, especially if he hopes to defeat the affable Beshear.

Williams, who's led the Senate since 2000, is a very accomplished legislator with national stature - he was the 2010 chairman of the Council of State Governments - and he knows the system inside out. He can give you an insightful lecture comparing the economic histories of various states in our region - and show how that should guide Kentucky policy.

He's conservative but pragmatic, more about power than about ideology.

He knows Northern Kentucky issues (such as the Brent Spence Bridge) better than the other candidates, and could work effectively with other states' leaders. He has a better understanding of how the larger national picture - including federal issues such as Medicaid and health care reform - will affect Kentucky. And he can display a "softer" side, supporting initiatives from adult literacy to diabetes education to trauma centers.

Moffett is a policy wonk's dream - keen on drilling down into the numbers and trends. He has Libertarian leanings and is the favorite of various Tea Party groups (though Williams claims their support, too), but he avoids the most extreme rhetoric and focuses on "common-sense" budgeting and business-friendly results.

Central to his platform is a plan to replace income taxes, along with various business fees and the sales tax, with a consumption tax that at 7.2 percent would bring in the current level of revenues while encouraging economic and job growth. He would fix the state pension's $34 billion in unfunded obligations by switching to a 401k-type plan.

On education, he's a big advocate of vouchers, having founded a scholarship program that has placed 3,600 disadvantaged kids since 1998 into private schools, where he claims dramatic achievement gains for them in math and reading.

Moffett is inching up in the polls as his name recognition improves, and if turnout in Tuesday's primary is as low as predicted (10 percent of registered voters), he could do well if a strong Tea Party base comes out to vote.

The third candidate, Holsclaw, could teach her two male opponents a few things about civility and collaboration, if Monday's shouting match between Williams and Moffett on a KET forum is any indication. As county auditor, she's run a nonpartisan, efficient operation, returning $7 million to the county in unspent budget allocations over 13 years. She's been elected four times in a heavily Democratic county - leading the ballot in votes, in fact. Her experience and personal skills are attractors, but on policy, her platform is less specific and thought-out than her opponents - partly because she's only been in the race for 10 weeks. She doesn't figure to be much of a factor outside of the Louisville area.

All three candidates, in their own ways, touch on the major themes we addressed in Sunday's editorial "What we're looking for in Kentucky's leaders": education, economy, health, state budget and leadership.

Moffett's outline, articulated in his "Four Corners" platform, is easily the most specific, particularly on the economy and state budget. But Williams' is the most practical, grounded more in what's politically possible. Most important, he says, is to show investors the state has a solid, long-term plan to solve its budget woes - then follow through.

If Williams were to become governor, he'd have a battle getting his policies enacted, given the feathers he's ruffled and enemies he's made. If he wins the GOP nomination, which appears likely, we expect him and Beshear to conduct a substantive campaign that helps illuminate their policy differences in a tough but civil way, then lets Kentuckians decide whom they want to lead them.

Editor's note:
Ky. statewide candidates

Here are the candidates in the major races on Tuesday's ballot in Kentucky. For more information, visit our Voter Guide at nky.com Governor

Democrat: Steve Beshear (incumbent, unopposed)

Republicans: David Williams, Burkesville, state Senate president; Phil Moffett, Louisville, businessman; Barbara Holsclaw, Louisville, Jefferson Co. Auditor

Attorney General

Democrat: Jack Conway (incumbent, unopposed)

Republican: Todd P'Pool, Madisonville, Hopkins Co. Attorney (unopposed)

Secretary of State

Democrats: Alison Lundergan Grimes, attorney; Elaine Walker (incumbent)

Republicans: Hilda Legg, telecommunications consultant; Bill Johnson, teacher

Treasurer

Democrats: Steve Hamrick, book executive; Todd Hollenbach (incumbent)

Republican: K.C. Crosbie, Lexington, county councilmember (unopposed)

Auditor

Republicans: Addia Wuchner, Florence, state rep; John T. Kemper, homebuilder

Democrat: Adam Edelen, Lexington, former Beshear chief of staff (unopposed)

Secretary of Agriculture

Democrats: Bob Farmer, Louisville, ad agency executive; John Lackey, Richmond, attorney; Stewart Gritton, Anderson Co., farmer; B.D. Wilson, Montgomery Co., former cattle farmer

Republicans: James Comer, Tompkinsville, state representative; Rob Rothenburger, Shelby Co. Judge-executive.

We Wholeheatedly Join Lexington Herald Leader In Endorsing Addia Wuchner For Auditor.

Wuchner better choice for auditor

Both Republican candidates for state auditor think the office can serve as a catalyst for change in state government.

John T. Kemper III, a Lexington real estate developer, talks of using the office to shine a floodlight on state operations that can lead to reducing the size of government without cutting services.

State Rep. Addia Wuchner, of Burlington, approaches the same goal with a different explanation. As an advocate for the use of best practices in state government, Wuchner says, the auditor can help lawmakers make wiser spending decisions.

On issues important in an auditor's race, such as transparency and accountability, the differences between Kemper and Wuchner are minimal at best. Thus, Republican voters must look to the backgrounds of the two candidates for guidance in choosing the best one to represent the party in the fall.

And there, Wuchner is a clear winner. Her experience as a hospital administrator and the knowledge of state government she has gained during four terms in the House make her the better-qualified candidate.

No doubt this knowledge and experience help explain why, during separate candidate interviews with the Herald-Leader editorial board, Wuchner displayed an understanding of the full range of responsibilities and duties entrusted to the auditor's office. Likewise, she had a better grasp of the possibilities available to the auditor for making state government more efficient and effective.

Both candidates bring baggage that could hurt them in the General Election.

Kemper, a home builder, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and used campaign contributions to pay his 2011 vehicle tax. This might lead some voters to question whether he has the judgment to manage an important state agency — or the personal standing to crusade against a state government that he says has borrowed more than it can afford.

Wuchner sued an insurance company in 2009, claiming she was medically unfit to work a full-time job because of injuries from a 1996 car crash. The insurer had ended her disability payments after assigning a private investigator to follow her during her 2004 legislative campaign. She reached a private settlement last year and received a payment from the insurer. She has said she no longer receives disability payments.

Wuchner, who is also a cancer survivor, says she has learned to manage her pain; from all indications, she's energetic and conscientious as a legislator. What's troubling is the possibility that she was trying to game the insurance system, a practice that would be at odds with the ethical standards desired in a state auditor. It's hard to know what to think, given the limited amount of information that's publicly available.

Despite that concern, Wuchner's superior knowledge and experience make her the Republicans' best chance to succeed in November against Adam Edelen, Gov. Steve Beshear's former chief of staff, who is unopposed in the Democratic primary.

The unendorsed candidate may submit a 250-word response by noon Thursday.

Read more: http://www.kentucky.com/2011/05/10/1736038/wuchner-better-choice-for-auditor.html#ixzz1LxMwE3lk

In The Race For Kentucky's Governor, We Join The Lexington Herald Leader In Giving The GOP Nod To David Williams And Richie Farmer.

Williams strongest choice in GOP primary

Senate President David L. Williams would give Gov. Steve Beshear the strongest challenge to his effort to secure a second term.

The Burkesville attorney is a smart tactician who understands the financial and social issues facing the state and has proven he knows how to use legislative power. That is why he is leading in polls and fund-raising in the Republican primary.

Unfortunately, he has spent a lot of his time obstructing rather than leading, and he often seems to act out of pique rather than planning. Over the next few months, he will have to show voters he has a real vision for the state that goes beyond a "my way or the highway" type of leadership.

The two other challengers are appealing personalities.

Bobbie Holsclaw, the Jefferson County county clerk, has a reputation as an effective manager of the office — which oversees deeds, car titles, voting and other county business. Once a scheduler for former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole, she is known to work well across party lines. She is not sufficiently knowledgeable about state issues and has limited understanding of Eastern Kentucky.

However, Holsclaw could be a choice for voters who don't want a Frankfort insider and are willing to accept a big learning curve from a chief executive.

Phil Moffett, owner of a small telecommunications business, has a compelling life story of perseverance over adversity.

And his scholarship program, which places poor children in private schools, is commendable. Some of his issues, such as overhaul of the state tax code and legalization of industrial hemp, are long overdue for action.

But there is little indication that Moffett, the candidate most aligned with the Tea Party movement, is prepared for the challenges of this job or that he can garner enough financial support to give Beshear a competitive race.

That leaves Williams, who has strong potential for positive leadership but a disappointing track record. It's best to give him time to make his case.

Read more: http://www.kentucky.com/2011/05/08/1734319/williams-strongest-choice-in-gop.html#ixzz1Ln9XHcqg

Final Reminder: Candidates Send Your Stuff For Primary Election Endorsement Consideration. Last Day To Do So Is Tomorrow.

Send info to: Editor@OsiSpeaks.com; or by mail to: P. O. Box 1312, Bowling Green, KY 42102.

Do not say you were not informed.