May 12, 2006
THE MOST REGRESSIVE PROGRESSIVE REFORM:
Fletcher indicted: Governor calls inquiry political (Tom Loftus and Mark Pitsch, 5/12/06, The Courier-Journal)
Gov. Ernie Fletcher was indicted yesterday on three misdemeanor counts alleging that he directed an illegal conspiracy to place his political allies in state jobs at the expense of those who might oppose him.
Because, after all, if democracy means anything it means insulating a permanent governing bureaucracy from the will of the electorate. Posted by Orrin Judd at May 12, 2006 8:33 AM
Putting political allies instead of political adversaries in state jobs! What'll they think of next?
Posted by: erp at May 12, 2006 9:51 AMDidn't this same governor just recently have a stroke? This persecution is just a little much.
Posted by: Brad S at May 12, 2006 10:26 AM"Permanent Governing Bureaucracies" need to be tarred, feathered, and run out of town on a rail about once a year.
All of this "Conservativism is protection of entrenched patronage" stuff is a load of hooey.
These Bozos aren't "conserving principles." They are "conserving" their place sucking on the public teat.
It's good to know that these things are still illegal in KY. In Illinois, this crap gets the 'good government' award.
Insulated bureaucracies destroy cultures, they don't serve them. Off with their heads.
Posted by: Bruno at May 12, 2006 10:41 AMConservatism is often, mistakenly, about retaining rotten stuff.
Posted by: oj at May 12, 2006 10:49 AMBig deal.. Our governor in Ohio has already pled guilty to a misdemeanor. Kentucky is always jealous of us.
Posted by: Bob at May 12, 2006 11:49 AMYeah, Bob, you little league guys have your fun. Let me know when you have some governors convicted of felonies and can start competing with Illinois.
Posted by: Annoying Old Guy at May 12, 2006 11:52 AMWhere do we stand on term limits from a legality standpoint. That was the most inspiring part of the "Contract with America" IMO. It seems some states have implemented it but it never flew nationally, except of course for the President.
Posted by: Genecis at May 12, 2006 11:53 AMMaybe Jim Bunning will come back and run for governor! "That grand jury looked like a bunch of Saddam's kids . . ."
Posted by: AC at May 12, 2006 12:56 PMGenecis, why would we want the staffees to have more power?
Posted by: Robert Mitchell Jr. at May 12, 2006 12:58 PMHa, you guys got nothing. In Massachusetts, the crooks control law enforcement and the judiciary, so nobody ever gets ocnvicted. But we just got finished milking the US taxpayers for an extra $12 billion of graft on a $3 billion highway project. That penny-ante stuff in the Midwest would be laughed out of town in Boston.
Posted by: pj at May 12, 2006 1:07 PMGenecis: The public loves term limits--except for their own elected representatives, of course.
Posted by: b at May 12, 2006 1:17 PMChange the Constitution to require term limits if you want them.
Posted by: oj at May 12, 2006 1:21 PM"place his political allies in state jobs at the expense of those who might oppose him" In Illinois, we call it patronage. It's legal and thriving. Patronage has an additional advantage: it sends Republicans to jail and Democrats to the State House and the US Congress.
Posted by: ic at May 12, 2006 2:52 PMOhio has a two-term limit on the governor, and on the other elected executive positions, and term limits on the whole General Assembly.
IIRC, Kentucky limits the governor to one four-year term.
Posted by: Mike Morley at May 12, 2006 8:33 PM