OT: Our guy running for office

[brianpoe]

I'd like to hear more about everything Mitch has done for the state. Particularly Eastern KY. I'll hang up and listen...

What are his results?

He's the irreplaceable pillar of Kentucky. If he's not responsible for our jobs or healthcare or anything else then what does he do? And why aren't you taking this up with Brian? He made the claim you disagree with.

He isn't irreplaceable by a long shot but MJ as a better option is asinine. Those things you list could be much worse and would be with a more liberal dominated federal government.

How do you post so much from school, btw?

It won't be a democrat that beats Mitch. He will have to lose in the primary. I don't know much about Matt's platform, but Mitch has done nothing for Ky. and I would vote for anyone besides him.

Again, I am not advocating for Mitch the man but for keeping the power and influence of his position.

I am all for term limits as well, but we dont have those now and KY can enjoy the privileged that comes with having the Senate President.




Here are some things a Senate President can do regardless of party and this list is only for the last year or so:


Funding for construction of a federal prison in Letcher County, Kentucky.

$175 million for the Olmsted Locks and Dam project.

Fort Knox, Fort Campbell, the Blue Grass Army Depot, as well as the Kentucky National Guard – the largest year-on-year increase in funding in more than a decade.

Department for Veterans Affairs approved his request for $75 million to spend on the planning of a new VA hospital in Louisville.

• 
  155 million for the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), which will help support economic development in Eastern Kentucky. This ARC funding includes $50 million to support communities hurt by the downturn in the coal sector, $10 million for high-speed broadband deployment in distressed counties within Central Appalachia, and $6 million for basic infrastructure improvements in Central Appalachia.

• $30 million through the Department of Labor (DOL) to provide training and employment services to dislocated coal workers for the Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program’s Hiring Our Miners Everyday (HOME) initiative, which has provided job training and employment services to thousands of Kentuckians.

• $75 million for the Abandoned Mine Land (AML) pilot program -- $25 million of which will go to Kentucky. This funding will supplement the annual AML reclamation funding the state receives for the reclamation of abandoned mine sites. FY 2016 and FY 2017 appropriations from this program have already funded several successful projects in Kentucky.

• Language maintained from FY 2016 and FY 2017 to support the transportation of industrial hemp grown in compliance with the enacted 2014 Farm Bill.

• $25 million for the Delta Regional Authority to support economic and infrastructure development in communities in the Mississippi Delta region, including a number of counties in Western Kentucky.

• Over $961 million for chemical agents and munitions destruction funding – $831.9 million of which will go to DOD’s Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives program – to support chemical demilitarization efforts at the Blue Grass Army Depot in Richmond.

• $9 million for the Air National Guard Response Forces Facility in Louisville.

• Over $236 million for the National Guard Counter-Drug program which supports the Kentucky National Guard’s marijuana eradication program in Eastern Kentucky.

• Includes a provision to support Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College (SKCTC) and their students at their five campuses in Cumberland, Harlan, Middlesboro, Pineville, and Whitesburg, by providing flexibility to the U.S. Department of Education to account for economic conditions when deciding which schools may continue participating in the federal student aid program.

• Over $9 million in Department of Education funding to support work colleges like Berea College and Alice Lloyd College in Kentucky.

• Over $27 million -- a $2 million increase -- for the Printing House for the Blind in Louisville to continue its important work to create products for visually impaired students and people across the country.

• Extends for two years, the Secure Rural Schools program, an initiative that provides compensation to counties with a low tax base, due to the presence of federal forestlands, with funds to help provide for essential county services such as operating schools for their residents. This will benefit counties in Eastern and Western Kentucky, including those around the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area and the Daniel Boone National Forest.

Every state wants these types of things but there is only so much money to go around.

Add in what he and Hal Rodgers have ben able to to do together and it is quite an accomplishment.

Again, if he was a democrat he would be able to do these things, junior members have no sway whatsoever. It is all about the level of influence.

 

[kafka0117]

There's no doubt the unfunded liabilities mess we now have to fix lay directly at the liberals' feet in this state. Demonize Bevin all you want, but it has to be fixed, one way or the other.

As far as Matt goes, I think it's a mistake to think Kentucky's dissatisfaction with Mitch translates into votes for an unabashed left winger. The problem with Mitch is that he has abandoned any semblance to conservative politics. He talked a good game as the minority leader, but once he got control, he spit the bit.

 

[qwesley]

Again, I am not advocating for Mitch the man but for keeping the power and influence of his position.

I am all for term limits as well, but we dont have those now and KY can enjoy the privileged that comes with having the Senate President.




Here are some things a Senate President can do regardless of party and this list is only for the last year or so:


Funding for construction of a federal prison in Letcher County, Kentucky.

$175 million for the Olmsted Locks and Dam project.

Fort Knox, Fort Campbell, the Blue Grass Army Depot, as well as the Kentucky National Guard – the largest year-on-year increase in funding in more than a decade.

Department for Veterans Affairs approved his request for $75 million to spend on the planning of a new VA hospital in Louisville.

• 
  155 million for the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), which will help support economic development in Eastern Kentucky. This ARC funding includes $50 million to support communities hurt by the downturn in the coal sector, $10 million for high-speed broadband deployment in distressed counties within Central Appalachia, and $6 million for basic infrastructure improvements in Central Appalachia.

• $30 million through the Department of Labor (DOL) to provide training and employment services to dislocated coal workers for the Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program’s Hiring Our Miners Everyday (HOME) initiative, which has provided job training and employment services to thousands of Kentuckians.

• $75 million for the Abandoned Mine Land (AML) pilot program -- $25 million of which will go to Kentucky. This funding will supplement the annual AML reclamation funding the state receives for the reclamation of abandoned mine sites. FY 2016 and FY 2017 appropriations from this program have already funded several successful projects in Kentucky.

• Language maintained from FY 2016 and FY 2017 to support the transportation of industrial hemp grown in compliance with the enacted 2014 Farm Bill.

• $25 million for the Delta Regional Authority to support economic and infrastructure development in communities in the Mississippi Delta region, including a number of counties in Western Kentucky.

• Over $961 million for chemical agents and munitions destruction funding – $831.9 million of which will go to DOD’s Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives program – to support chemical demilitarization efforts at the Blue Grass Army Depot in Richmond.

• $9 million for the Air National Guard Response Forces Facility in Louisville.

• Over $236 million for the National Guard Counter-Drug program which supports the Kentucky National Guard’s marijuana eradication program in Eastern Kentucky.

• Includes a provision to support Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College (SKCTC) and their students at their five campuses in Cumberland, Harlan, Middlesboro, Pineville, and Whitesburg, by providing flexibility to the U.S. Department of Education to account for economic conditions when deciding which schools may continue participating in the federal student aid program.

• Over $9 million in Department of Education funding to support work colleges like Berea College and Alice Lloyd College in Kentucky.

• Over $27 million -- a $2 million increase -- for the Printing House for the Blind in Louisville to continue its important work to create products for visually impaired students and people across the country.

• Extends for two years, the Secure Rural Schools program, an initiative that provides compensation to counties with a low tax base, due to the presence of federal forestlands, with funds to help provide for essential county services such as operating schools for their residents. This will benefit counties in Eastern and Western Kentucky, including those around the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area and the Daniel Boone National Forest.

Every state wants these types of things but there is only so much money to go around.

Add in what he and HalRodgers have ben able to to do together and it is quite an accomplishment.

Again, if he was a democrat he would be able to do these things, junior members have no sway whatsoever. It is all about the level of influence.

Great point about Ft. Knox, I will have to research but while most states have lost military jobs I bet Ky has exapanded over the past decade.

And anyone not liking the tax cut he drove can send a check to the federal govt for the difference.

 

[GonzoCat90]

You lose all credibility assigning state issues to a single federal candidate. Not to mention, ky had similar or worse numbers before his tenure. You need to point to 100 years of control in this state by one party.

For like the sixth time, that was my point.

 

[brianpoe]

Which is how Mitch McConnell has fooled Kentuckians into not holding him accountable forever. 44th in unemployment, 49th in healthcare quality, 45th in economy, 46th in fiscal stability--I'll take my chances on someone new.

So 44th in unemployment was not even close to the most recent number of 25th.

https://www.bls.gov/web/laus/laumstrk.htm


Unless you are using some US News and World Report immensely subjective source the Agency for Research and Healthcare Quality has KY ranked in the middle 31 and not the bottom 10.

https://www.ahrq.gov/research/data/state-snapshots/state-snapshots-infographic-txt.html


"Economy and Fiscal Stability" can be measured in several ways and all I have found is multiple reports from nongovernment sources with varied measurable factors. I would not disagree that we would be bottom 10 in most of these.

But utilizing a source such as US News known to allow for paid rankings (colleges, etc) probably isn't the best authority.

 

[GonzoCat90]

So 44th in unemployment was not even close to the most recent number of 25th.

https://www.bls.gov/web/laus/laumstrk.htm


Unless you are using some US News and World Report immensely subjective source the Agency for Research and Healthcare Quality has KY ranked in the middle 31 and not the bottom 10.

https://www.ahrq.gov/research/data/state-snapshots/state-snapshots-infographic-txt.html


"Economy and Fiscal Stability" can be measured in several ways and all I have found is multiple reports from nongovernment sources with varied measurable factors. I would not disagree that we would be bottom 10 in most of these.

But utilizing a source such as US News known to allow for paid rankings (colleges, etc) probably isn't the best authority.

I'm not interested in hashing out the rankings. It was a generalized point. If your numbers show you rankings you like better, use those. I don't keep track of the state evaluation credibility power rankings. [laughing]

*The point* was a facetious one. So if Mitch can't take the blame for my bad numbers, he can't have the credit for your good ones.

Quite frankly, none of it matters. Mitch is firmly entrenched and there's too many rich people with too much at stake for him to lose. Maybe he'll live to be 140 and we'll be living in Eutoptuckia.

 

[DSmith21]

If there were a dem in Mitch's seat, tax reform wouldn't have happened and justice Scalia's seat would have been filled with Obama's nominee rather than Trump's. That is enough reason for me to keep voting for him over someone like Horseface Grimes or Matt Jones.

 

[BigBlueCatNation]

He'll have an Ashley Judd style lesson. Just because we like to hear you talk about the cats doesn't mean we are going to even think about liking you politically. What's he thinking? People are going to vote for the issues they care about no matter what team you root for. It's sad that he thinks the BBN is this stupid. (And I actually like his show.)

I do think this is what is going to happen.

There is a difference between being a talk show host and a politician

 

[EastKYWildcat]

Idk. I likely agree with Jones' entire platform, but I have a hard time putting someone with no experience in that position. The Duke law degree does a lot to assuage those worries, and I'll probably vote for him, but I have hesitation. My vote will be driven more by my intense dislike of McConnell. If a moderate Republican was running against Jones, I'd likely vote GOP in this one.

 

[BigBlueCatNation]

<<<< Conservative who hates Mitch, but I will not vote for Jones, he's far too liberal for me to even consider.

I think this is why it will be interesting to see what Republican stands out in this election. I don’t live in KY anymore, so I don’t get a vote either way. However, I have a feeling the majority of the state feels this way.

 

[BigBlueCatNation]

Idk. I likely agree with Jones' entire platform, but I have a hard time putting someone with no experience in that position. The Duke law degree does a lot to assuage those worries, and I'll probably vote for him, but I have hesitation. My vote will be driven more by my intense dislike of McConnell. If a moderate Republican was running against Jones, I'd likely vote GOP in this one.

There will be.

I’d have to believe people smell blood in the water for the seat. Those that may have always wanted to run, but never did because they thought they’d lose will be all in on this election. This may be the fiercest election in KY history.

I am a pretty big Conservative and I voted for McConnell when I lived in Kentucky. Looking back, I feel like I only did because there wasn’t anyone else to really vote for. I don’t think that will be the case this time.

 

[EastKYWildcat]

There will be.

I’d have to believe people smell blood in the water for the seat. Those that may have always wanted to run, but never did because they thought they’d lose will be all in on this election. This may be the fiercest election in KY history.

I'll absolutely contribute to and vote in the primary for any moderate candidate that can primary McConnell. Do you think it would be possible for someone who isn't the right-wing equivalent of Matt Jones to stand a chance against him? Like Jones said in that article, ideologues are the guys who win right now.

 

[BigBlueCatNation]

I'll absolutely contribute to and vote in the primary for any moderate candidate that can primary McConnell. Do you think it would be possible for someone who isn't the right-wing equivalent of Matt Jones to stand a chance against him? Like Jones said in that article, ideologues are the guys who win right now.

That’s a good question. I really don’t know. I’m not a big political guy.

Without getting too political, I think that it seems that Congress hasn’t been working like the public has wanted them to since the President was elected. People seem to blame McConnell for that, whether right or wrong.

Because of that, I would have to think that people would come out of the woodwork to try to win that seat and hit him on that major ‘weakness.’ That’s just human nature.

There are definitely a lot of assumptions there, but I would think that it will happen. I think the primaries are more than likely going to be a circus and I definitely think that a moderate candidate can beat McConnell. The biggest question for me is who is going to be the one to do it.

 

[funKYcat75]

Is it a measured and well-timed move? Maybe, but the end result would be positive (IMO)

 

[cole854]

Which is how Mitch McConnell has fooled Kentuckians into not holding him accountable forever. 44th in unemployment, 49th in healthcare quality, 45th in economy, 46th in fiscal stability--I'll take my chances on someone new.

Your numbers are inaccurate, but keep believing them if you want. And you may want to check where we are now compared to 3-5 yrs ago.

 

[Glenn's Take]

Does anyone else think that maybe 250 years was a good run for a country and maybe we should splinter like the old Soviet Union?

 

[cole854]

Regardless if you like Mitch or not, it is beyond silly for any state to not re-elect the top ranking politician of either party.

Nevada hated Harry Reid, but he did a ton for the state. McConnell makes things happen for KY even though some things on the national level are real head scratchers.

The fact is no one knows exactly what is really going on at capital hill and we probably never will. But once a state has the leading politician from either side in the House or the Senate they will always be better off than having the most junior politician representing them. And it will take decades before a state will be able to regain that type of power/influence again.

Spot on.

 

[santamaria78]

YES

Matt wants to help our state, yet its the statehouse that has messed up the pension system and proposed these disastrous solutions to them...McConnell cant control how Bevin handles this Pension Bill...which is more serious to Kentuckians directly than anything MM is doing...help us directly and go to Frankfort first Matt.

we need an ENVIROMENT TO help our selves. We don't need effing matt jones to the rescue to help people.

 

[santamaria78]

And/or should be a mandatory retirement age. Having 80+ yo guys with so much power is dumb. Same with SCOTUS.

fine, then anyone who has been in the legislature too long must all go at once. We are not going to ditch mitch and have you hang on to Pelosi for 30 more years. He goes, they all go

 

[santamaria78]

[roll][roll]

bill Clinton approves this post

 

[BlueVelvetFog]

Your numbers are inaccurate, but keep believing them if you want. And you may want to check where we are now compared to 3-5 yrs ago.

Let’s hear yours

 

[Mojocat_rivals48469]

I think this is why it will be interesting to see what Republican stands out in this election. I don’t live in KY anymore, so I don’t get a vote either way. However, I have a feeling the majority of the state feels this way.

True, but McConnell has had horrible approval ratings forever, and yet he always wins. If he couldn't be unseated in that typhoon season of 2008, I'm skeptical he will be. Ordinarily, Jones would have no chance. But these are weird times. The Politico piece was intended to be a Valentine, but it did point out some problems for Jones. One, all the examples they gave for "populism works right now, even in Kentucky!!" were on the right. Trump, Bevin, etc. Two, apparently Jones has made real enemies inside the Democrat Party establishment. Maybe that's no big deal, or maybe it is.....

 

[Mojocat_rivals48469]

fine, then anyone who has been in the legislature too long must all go at once. We are not going to ditch mitch and have you hang on to Pelosi for 30 more years. He goes, they all go

you're asking too much - qwesley is simply too enamored with Nancy Pelosi to tolerate such talk......

 

[BigBlueCatNation]

True, but McConnell has had horrible approval ratings forever, and yet he always wins. If he couldn't be unseated in that typhoon season of 2008, I'm skeptical he will be. Ordinarily, Jones would have no chance. But these are weird times. The Politico piece was intended to be a Valentine, but it did point out some problems for Jones. One, all the examples they gave for "populism works right now, even in Kentucky!!" were on the right. Trump, Bevin, etc. Two, apparently Jones has made real enemies inside the Democrat Party establishment. Maybe that's no big deal, or maybe it is.....

All good points. Do you think that 2008 was worse than what this election will be?

I think the one big difference is that a KY senator wasn’t running Congress. Similar to coaching, if he wins he gets all the credit. However, if he loses he gets all the blame

 

[Captain Forehead]

vs Turtle

Definitely not my guy either.

 

[IdaCat]

Straight white males are what got this country in the shape its in

Yeah, that's what we need, more far left identity politics. Jesus.

 

[Zodiac Rooster]

@MattJonesKSR @Magloire52

 

[brianpoe]

I'm not interested in hashing out the rankings. It was a generalized point. If your numbers show you rankings you like better, use those. I don't keep track of the state evaluation credibility power rankings. [laughing]

*The point* was a facetious one. So if Mitch can't take the blame for my bad numbers, he can't have the credit for your good ones.

Quite frankly, none of it matters. Mitch is firmly entrenched and there's too many rich people with too much at stake for him to lose. Maybe he'll live to be 140 and we'll be living in Eutoptuckia.

I don’t want argue anything with you friend.

But is a tad disingenuous to bring up rankings from a private and subjective source such as US News only to discard the entire idea of those rankings when they are disputed by the government itself.

My only point is that it is very difficult for any state to have representation at one of the 2 highest spots (Pres of Senate and Speaker) and it is almost always in the state’s best interest to keep that power and influence as long as possible, again, regardless of party affiliation.

 

[UKWildcatT]

@MattJonesKSR @Magloire52

I doubt you needed to run and tell him.

 

[Monroe Claxton]

Mitch needs to go but replacing him with Matt Jones is life replacing the clap with syphilis

 

[Zodiac Rooster]

I doubt you needed to run and tell him.

Why not? He's viewing GYERO right now, so he can't possibly be busy. Let's get the word str8 from the horse's mouth.

@OurGuy

 

[Pope John Wall II]

Let's see how much of his winning strategy will change or if he'll continue to mock and demonize 80 percent of his callers. Any time he wants to imitate a jackass he inevitably resorts to his potential constituency accent from eastern KY. Pure political genius.

 

[santamaria78]

Let's see how much of his winning strategy will change or if he'll continue to mock and demonize 80 percent of his callers. Any time he wants to imitate a jackass he inevitably resorts to his potential constituency accent from eastern KY. Pure political genius.

the reason any democrat can't win is b/c that party is owned by Obama and the anarchist leftists. Conform or go to jail.

 

[TopCatCal]

Don't care that much for McConnell, but he'll beat Matt Jones like beating a drum. No UofL fan will vote for him because of the way he badmouths UofL. And most UK fans are far too conservative to vote for a liberal like Jones. I don't know where this clown thinks his votes will come from.

 

[Pope John Wall II]

Don't care that much for McConnell, but he'll beat Matt Jones like beating a drum. No UofL fan will vote for him because of the way he badmouths UofL. And most UK fans are far too conservative to vote for a liberal like Jones. I don't know where this clown thinks his votes will come from.

Narcissism.

 

[akaukswoosh]

Looks like Mitch is beating a Dem to the punch.

 

[qwesley]

you're asking too much - qwesley is simply too enamored with Nancy Pelosi to tolerate such talk......

yes, I want her to stay in Dem leadership forever

 

[UKGrad93]

Who's gonna run the radio show when Matt gets elected? Has he named a successor, holding auditions?

I hope he passes a law that bans Higgins from reffing our games anymore.

 

[The-Hack]

And it will take decades before a state will be able to regain that type of power/influence again.

Not a bad theory, and actually applicable to Hal Rogers, hear of appropriations.

As to Mitch, I've heard prominent Republicans privately ***** that he has done too little of the local stuff.

 

[Tannerdad]

Not a Bevins fan but if you think the bankrupt pension situation in this state was caused by Republicans, then you are kind of clueless.

Not a Mitch fan either. But I would vote for him 5 times (like Dems do in Chicago) before I would ever pull a lever for an ultra Lib like Jones.