By Jonathan Miller, on Thu Mar 28, 2013 at 10:00 AM ET
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It’s been an exciting 24 hours at The Recovering Politician and its hot new email venture, the KY Political Brief. We were almost first to break the news of Ashley Judd’s decision not to seek the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Mitch McConnell. (Ashley Judd’s Twitter, of course, beat us by a few minutes.) And Bradford Queen has yet again done an extraordinary job of sifting through the digital morass to identify the latest news on the 2014 U.S. Senate race, Rand Paul’s presidential ambitions, and the flurry of new laws passed by the Kentucky General Assembly in its waning minutes.
Here’s an excerpt from today’s KY Political Brief:
JUDD OUT : “I have decided,” she wrote in a tweet around 5 p.m. yesterday. Those were the words that tipped the political world to Ashley Judd’s announcement that she would not seek a McConnell challenge next year.
—Actress Ashley Judd won’t run for US Senate – AP’s Roger Alford – “Actress Ashley Judd announced Wednesday she won’t run for U.S. Senate in Kentucky against Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, saying she had given serious thought to a campaign but decided her responsibilities and energy need to be focused on her family. … The 44-year-old Judd had hinted last week that she was nearing a decision about the race. Now living in suburban Nashville, Tenn., Judd has said little publicly about her intentions. However, she has been meeting with several Democratic leaders, including Gov. Steve Beshear, to discuss a possible run.” [AP]
—ASHLEY WRITES, “Thank you”: “… It would be the greatest honor of my life to be entrusted as a public servant to our beloved Kentucky. Perhaps someday I will be. However, with the help of my pastors and mentors, I have thoughtfully and prayerfully concluded that I won’t run for the United States Senate at this time. I have never been intimidated by the prospect of serving Kentucky – and I remain unafraid of the Washington insider political machine that has controlled this Senate seat for three decades.” [AshleyJudd.com]
—Will Ashley Judd Run in 2016? – ABC News – “Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul is up for re-election in 2016 and per Kentucky law (unlike other states) a candidate cannot run for both Senate and president of the United States simultaneously. Paul is widely believed to be considering a 2016 presidential bid, but even if he does not, this same source says Judd has been counseled by both Washington, D.C., and Kentucky advisers that this is the better race for her to enter “in order to give her time to establish residency, secure the grassroots, and that is impossible with the current timetable.”” [ABC News]
—The BACKSTORY: Jonathan Miller gives context to Ashley Judd’s decision on The Terry Meiners Show [WHAS]
AL MAYO, writing for KY Political Brief: “Not to say I told you so, but Judd is OUT. I applaud her action, and her promptness in making the announcement right away. She originally set Derby Day as the deadline. But I -along with many others-urged her not to drag things out that long. … Judd has made a good call in remaining sidelined as a candidate. … If Judd is truly serious about being considered for public office, she needs to get involved in local politics. It matters not where she gets involved, she should just do it! Ashley Judd has a powerful pulpit with her celebrity recognition, to inform, and enforce change no matter if it’s in Kentucky or Tennessee. To sit back and fire potshots randomly is a waste of that power and forum.” [KPB column]
FOCUS TURNS TO GRIMES : Ashley Judd will not run for Senate, Grimes to explore race – WHAS-TV’s Joe Arnold – “… Judd’s exit leaves the Democratic field open for Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes, who had already spoken with the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee, according to sources familiar with the conversations. Grimes plans to file the paperwork for a exploratory campaign committee as early as next week, the sources said.” [WHAS-TV]
—Grimes hasn’t made decision about Senate yet but needs to be ‘deliberative,’ consultant says – CN|2’s Ryan Alessi – “Grimes hasn’t ruled out running in 2014 for the chance to challenge Republican U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell. But she has repeatedly deflected questions about the race saying she was focused on working on her priorities in the 2013 state legislative session. The General Assembly ended Tuesday night. Dale Emmons, a political consultant who worked on Grimes’ 2011 campaign and is a close family friend of the Lundergans, said Judd’s announcement isn’t an indication that Grimes has made up her mind. “I don’t think there’s any connection between the two,” Emmons told Pure Politics after Judd’s announcement went public. “The good news is that this allows Alison to make any decision she’s going to make out of the fog” of having to be concerned about Judd’s plans.” [CN|2 Politics]
MORE SENATE DERBY : Mitch McConnell’s scorched-earth strategy – POLITICO – “Kentucky is the Bluegrass State, but by the time Mitch McConnell is done with his reelection campaign, it may be better known for scorched earth. The top Senate Republican is preparing to wage a ruthless campaign to hang on to his job. He’s already on the air with nearly $200,000 in TV and radio ads, is assembling streams of data to target voters with tailor-made messages, and has quietly moved to lock down support from virtually every state GOP legislator. He says he’ll use “every penny” of a war chest certain to exceed the $21 million he spent in 2008. … McConnell’s strategy is similar to recent efforts by Senate stalwarts Majority Leader Harry Reid and John McCain, who each won reelection with big fundraising numbers to discourage possible opponents and constant attack ads to discredit those who do run. … “My view is if you’re going to be a bigger target, you’re going to adopt different tactics,” McConnell told POLITICO in a wide-ranging interview this week before Judd dropped out. “I think we’ve made it pretty clear … that we intend to be very aggressive from Day One. And we are. And that involves not ignoring any potential opponent.”” [POLITICO]
—Rand Paul endorses Mitch McConnell in 2014 Senate race, won’t back tea party challenge – The Daily Caller – “The Daily Caller has learned that Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul is endorsing Sen. Mitch McConnell for re-election in 2014, ending speculation that Paul would back a tea party challenge to the Senate minority leader. “Rand Paul has endorsed McConnell,” Jesse Benton, McConnell’s 2014 campaign manager, told The Daily Caller. Benton, who has worked for both Rand Paul and his father, former Texas Rep. Ron Paul, is credited by insiders with brokering Paul’s support for McConnell.” [Daily Caller]
—McConnell campaign launches new radio ad using pieces of his CPAC speech [CN|2 Politics]
‘RAND PAUL 2016’ WATCH : Paul says he won’t make decision on presidential bid this year – C-J’s Mike Wynn – “Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul said Wednesday that he will not decide on a potential bid for the U.S. presidency until at least 2014 and described his recent high-profile appearances as only an attempt to steer the national debate on important issues. … Paul is also scheduled as the headline speaker at the Republican Party of Iowa’s Lincoln Day Dinner in May — an appearance that previous GOP candidates have used before launching a campaign. He told reporters he can’t deny that politicians like to speak in Iowa because it garners attention, but argued that “if you want to have an impact on how the Republican Party grows, and what the country does and where we go, going to Iowa is a very important place.” Paul has indicated that he is considering a run for president in 2016.” [C-J]
MEANWHILE, BACK IN FRANKFORT it appears a special session has been avoided.
Legislature dropped tax reform, killed telephone, scholarship bills – H-L’s Jack Brammer and Beth Musgrave – “Legislative leaders on Wednesday praised the work of the General Assembly and said that a special legislative session was not needed this year. … Senate President Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, described the session as “fairly successful” in that it “handled several large pieces of legislation.” … Both House and Senate leaders said Wednesday that there was little will to tackle tax reform this year. Beshear established a task force last summer that came up with dozens of recommendations to tweak the tax code that would generate upwards of $700 million. … House Bill 160, a proposal to use coal severance money to finance scholarships for college juniors and seniors from coal-producing counties, had appeared to be on track to pass late Tuesday but time ran out before the bill was acted upon by the House. … Senate Bill 88, a telephone deregulation bill that was pushed by AT&T, died in a House committee after being approved in the Senate.” [H-L]
Hemp lobby waiting on Beshear to sign bill, ready for Washington – H-L’s Janet Patton – “Supporters of growing hemp on Wednesday cheered the General Assembly’s last-hour passage of a bill to license Kentucky farmers. And they made plans to take to Washington their case that industrial hemp should be legal. After a speech in Lexington, U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Bowling Green, said he’s “very excited” about the hemp bill and Kentucky’s chances for a waiver to grow it. … Paul said he would ask the governor to join him in requesting the waiver. Beshear “is going to review the bill and talk with law enforcement before making any decision,” Beshear spokeswoman Kerri Richardson said Wednesday. Paul will lobby in Washington with U.S. Rep. John Yarmuth, D-Louisville, and Agriculture Commissioner James Comer. … Former Kentucky Treasurer Jonathan Miller will act as liaison to the White House for the Kentucky Industrial Hemp Commission, of which Comer and Miller are members. Comer is currently the chairman but will step down to vice chairman with the new legislation.” [H-L]
Good stuff? Be sure to subscribe to The Recovering Politician‘s KY Political Brief: click here RIGHT NOW to do so — It’s delivered daily to your inbox FOR FREE!
And speaking of good stuff, here’s the clip of my appearance today on CBS This Morning:
By Jonathan Miller, on Wed Mar 27, 2013 at 5:10 PM ET
In a message to her followers on Twitter and at her Web site, actress and humanitarian Ashley Judd announced today that she will not be running in 2014 for Kentucky’s U.S. Senate seat currently held by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. Here is her statement:
After serious and thorough contemplation, I realize that my responsibilities & energy at this time need to be focused on my family. Regretfully, I am currently unable to consider a campaign for the Senate. I have spoken to so many Kentuckians over these last few months who expressed their desire for a fighter for the people & new leader. While that won’t be me at this time, I will continue to work as hard as I can to ensure the needs of Kentucky families are met by returning this Senate seat to whom it rightfully belongs: the people & their needs, dreams, and great potential. Thanks for even considering me as that person & know how much I love our Commonwealth. Thank you!
As someone who had encouraged Ashley to consider the race, this obviously wasn’t the announcement I was hoping for. Her celebrity platform would have enabled a desperately-needed debate on critical matters of public policy such as poverty remediation, women’s health, environmental protection and economic growth. Her compassionate and incorruptable worldview would have made her an extraordinary U.S. Senator.
But as her friend, and as someone who has joyfully left the political arena — in part because of the brutal way modern politics treats candidates and their families — I can completely understand and commiserate with her decision.
I am also quite confident that we haven’t seen the last of Ashley as a potential candidate, particularly after she has had a chance to throughly put to rest questions about her residency and her commitment to public service in her home state of Kentucky.
I’m also very optimistic that Kentucky Democrats can identify a strong, serious candidate to challenge McConnell. So I encourage all Judd fans to join me in supporting the Democratic nominee, whoever she or he turns out to be.
UPDATED 7:30 PM 3/27
This is going to sound like typical politician horse-hockey, but I’ve been both blown away and amused at the dozens of emails and Facebook messages I have received encouraging me to run against Senator McConnell now that Ashley Judd has withdrawn from the race.
With sincere gratitude to all that have contacted me, I hereby issue the following statement:
STATEMENT OF JONATHAN MILLER ON THE PROSPECTS OF HIS RUNNING FOR THE U.S. SENATE IN KENTUCKY AGAINST MITCH MCCONNELL IN 2014
Hells No!
UPDATED 8:00 PM 3/27
Tune in to CBS This Morning tomorrow at 7:00 AM to catch me talking about Ashley’s decision not to run for the U.S. Senate. Check out the picture of our taping at right.
We will post the full video of the appearance below as soon as it is available.
UPDATED 10:30 AM 3/28
Here’s the clip of my appearance on CBS This Morning:
By Jonathan Miller, on Wed Mar 27, 2013 at 12:30 PM ET
We tend to mythologize the dead; and perhaps that’s fair with politicians who’ve passed, since we use them for rhetorical target practice when they are stumping the earth.
But regardless of the intended spirit, today is a very special day for the memory of my friendly acquaintance and sometimes political rival, Gatewood Galbraith.
On the surface, the two of us could not have looked any more different — my buttoned-down, over-dressed-to-try-to-look-my-age appearance was a stark contrast to his rugged and ragged hippie/cowboy mien. And the communitarian ethos of my attempt at being an auteur, The Compassionate Community, was a diametric challenge to the in-your-face libertarianism of his autobiographical The Last Free Man in America.
But as we campaigned against each other in the 2007 Kentucky gubernatorial primary, Gatewood and I learned we shared a very deep bond: a mutual frustration with politics-as-usual, especially with the hyper-partisan, broken-down political system within which both of us had given much of our lives.
So when he died suddenly last year, I decided to honor his memory by taking another look at his pet cause — the issue that drove him the most passionately — the campaign for which he endured decades of public ridicule — the stance that probably ensured that he would never hold public office: The legalization of marijuana, and of its distant cousin, industrial hemp.
It didn’t take me long to realize that Gatewood was right: Legalizing pot not only made strong economic sense for our poor state, I believed that it was a moral imperative. I shared my views in my hometown paper and The Huffington Post; and upon publication, learned that most of my friends had agreed with Gatewood, and just had been too embarrassed to admit it.
While a few states have marched quickly down the legalization path in recent years, I realize that my conservative old Kentucky home will probably lag the national trend by several years, if not the full twenty as per Mark Twain’s famous description of the Bluegrass State.
But I had hope for hemp. It was a matter of clear and convincing logic that the non-narcotic crop that was grown by Henry Clay — Kentucky’s second most famous 19th Century native — could ultimately boost a farm economy struggling due to the incredibly shrinking global demand for tobacco. So I used my digital platform to advocate for hemp legalization.
I soon learned of a whole new group of unlikely allies. Hemp was not simply the pet cause of many of my tree-hugging, peace-seeking friends on the left, I learned that it was also a special focus of many libertarian, liberty-loving Tea Party activists on the right.
Kentucky’s Agriculture Commissioner Jamie Comer grabbed hold of this motley coalition, and asked me to join him on his newly-invigorated Industrial Hemp Commission. Together, a group that would likely find strong disagreement on any number of hot-button issues, drafted a bill that would establish an administrative and law enforcement structure for hemp growers should the crop be legalized at the federal level. Critically, it would empower Kentucky to jump to the front of the line and establish itself as the national leader on the crop once expected federal approval was granted.
I have to admit, I didn’t expect Senate Bill 50 to pass early on. Another unlikely coalition, composed of law enforcement officials and members of both the Democratic and Republican establishments, joined their voices in strong opposition. When Comer and I debated law enforcement on statewide television, I knew in my mind that our positions were persuasive, but my heart warned me that the political opposition was too strong to surmount this quickly.
I had recognized that Comer was a comer — and as a conservative Republican bucking law enforcement, I realized that he had the courage and chutzpah that define my personal definition of leadership. But I had underestimated Comer’s political shepherding skills.
Read the rest of… Hemp and the Legacy of The Last Free Man in America
By Jonathan Miller, on Tue Mar 26, 2013 at 11:00 AM ET
It is fitting that on the first day of Passover — a holiday on which Jews all over the world celebrate freedom — the U.S. Supreme Court is hearing arguments on this generation’s most critical and high-profile civil rights issue: marriage equality. While the fate of this particular decision is in doubt, demographic surveys clearly demonstrate that it is only a matter of time before same-sex marriage is legally sanctioned across the nation.
(Here’s my endorsement of marriage equality — two years old, but still very timely.)
Today, we are also reminded by the continued staying power of Mark Twain’s famous statement that Kentucky is always twenty years behind the rest of the country. It was a close call, but it appears that the Kentucky General Assembly will ignore popular sentiment and override Governor Steve Beshear’s courageous veto of legislation that threatens anti-discrimination laws passed by several Kentucky cities to protect the civil rights of the LGBT community. We can only pray that the bill — regretfully styled as a “religious freedom” effort — simply represents the last throes of an anti-freedom insurgency that will be thoroughly quashed when our younger generations take power, wielding their commitment to tolerance, compassion and the universal value of loving our neighbors as ourselves.
And so I remind my freedom-loving, equal rights-embracing friends, be they Democrats, Republicans or Independents — that time is on our side. The Pharoah-ic force that continues to push against, in King’s words, “the arc of the moral universe… [that] bends toward justice,” will some day be forced to let our people go.
By Jonathan Miller, on Mon Mar 25, 2013 at 3:00 PM ET
Time for some shameless promotion for some close friends of mine: Nancy and Phil Hoffman’s creative parenting skills have now resulted in a second son achieving national artistic fame. Son #1, Scott, is “Babydaddy,” the multi-instrumentalist and bacup vocalist for the internationally-acclaimed glam-rock band Scissor Sisters.
Now, Son #2, Ben Hoffman, has launched a new program on Comedy Central, “The Ben Show,” previewed here by Rich Copley of the Lexington Herald-Leader.
Here’s a sort-0f-NSFW video that shows off Ben’s humor, as well as some truths about growing up Jewish in Lexington, Kentucky:
By Jonathan Miller, on Mon Mar 25, 2013 at 1:30 PM ET
Two weeks ago, GOP U.S. Senator Rob Portman emerged as one of the first leaders of his party to openly embrace marriage equality, citing his own son Will’s recent declaration that he was gay.
Will Portman wrote a beautiful piece for the Yale Daily News about his struggle and triumph. Here’s an excerpt:
I came to Yale as a freshman in the fall of 2010 with two big uncertainties hanging over my head: whether my dad would get elected to the Senate in November, and whether I’d ever work up the courage to come out of the closet.
I made some good friends that first semester, took a couple of interesting classes and got involved in a few rewarding activities. My dad won his election. On the surface, things looked like they were going well. But the truth was, I wasn’t happy.
I’d make stuff up when my suitemates and I would talk about our personal lives. I remember going to a dance in the Trumbull dining hall with a girl in my class and feeling guilty about pretending to be somebody I wasn’t. One night, I snuck up to the stacks in Sterling Library and did some research on coming out. The thought of telling people I was gay was pretty terrifying, but I was beginning to realize that coming out, however difficult it seemed, was a lot better than the alternative: staying in, all alone.
I worried about how my friends back home would react when I told them I was gay. Would they stop hanging out with me? Would they tell me they were supportive, but then slowly distance themselves? And what about my friends at Yale, the “Gay Ivy”? Would they criticize me for not having come out earlier? Would they be able to understand my anxiety about all of this? I felt like I didn’t quite fit in with Yale or Cincinnati, or with gay or straight culture.
In February of freshman year, I decided to write a letter to my parents. I’d tried to come out to them in person over winter break but hadn’t been able to. So I found a cubicle in Bass Library one day and went to work. Once I had something I was satisfied with, I overnighted it to my parents and awaited a response.
They called as soon as they got the letter. They were surprised to learn I was gay, and full of questions, but absolutely rock-solid supportive. That was the beginning of the end of feeling ashamed about who I was.
I still had a ways to go, though. By the end of freshman year, I’d only come out to my parents, my brother and sister, and two friends. One day that summer, my best friend from high school and I were hanging out.
“There’s something I need to tell you,” I finally said. “I’m gay.” He paused for a second, looked down at the ground, looked back up, and said, “Me too.”
I was surprised. At first it was funny, and we made jokes about our lack of gaydar. Then it was kind of sad to realize that we’d been going through the same thing all along but hadn’t felt safe enough to confide in each other. But then, it was pretty cool — we probably understood each other’s situation at that moment better than anybody else could.
In the weeks that followed, I got serious about coming out. I made a list of my family and friends and went through the names, checking them off one by one as I systematically filled people in on who I really was. A phone call here, a Skype call there, a couple of meals at Skyline Chili, my favorite Cincinnati restaurant. I was fortunate that virtually everyone, both from Yale and from home, was supportive and encouraging, calming my fears about how they’d react to my news. If anything, coming out seemed to strengthen my friendships and family relationships.
I started talking to my dad more about being gay. Through the process of my coming out, we’d had a tacit understanding that he was my dad first and my senator a distant second. Eventually, though, we began talking about the policy issues surrounding marriage for same-sex couples.
The following summer, the summer of 2012, my dad was under consideration to be Gov. Romney’s running mate. The rest of my family and I had given him the go-ahead to enter the vetting process. My dad told the Romney campaign that I was gay, that he and my mom were supportive and proud of their son, and that we’d be open about it on the campaign trail.
When he ultimately wasn’t chosen for the ticket, I was pretty relieved to have avoided the spotlight of a presidential campaign. Some people have criticized my dad for waiting for two years after I came out to him before he endorsed marriage for gay couples. Part of the reason for that is that it took time for him to think through the issue more deeply after the impetus of my coming out. But another factor was my reluctance to make my personal life public.
We had decided that my dad would talk about having a gay son if he were to change his position on marriage equality. It would be the only honest way to explain his change of heart. Besides, the fact that I was gay would probably become public anyway. I had encouraged my dad all along to change his position, but it gave me pause to think that the one thing that nobody had known about me for so many years would suddenly become the one thing that everybody knew about me.
It has been strange to have my personal life in the headlines. I could certainly do without having my sexual orientation announced on the evening news, or commentators weighing in to tell me things like living my life honestly and fully is “harmful to [me] and society as a whole.” But in many ways it’s been a privilege to come out so publicly. Now, my friends at Yale and the folks in my dad’s political orbit in Ohio are all on the same page. They know two things about me that I’m very proud of, not just one or the other: that I’m gay, and that I’m Rob and Jane Portman’s son.
Click here for a printable version of the Sweet 16 NCAA 2013 bracket
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By Jonathan Miller, on Fri Mar 22, 2013 at 3:30 PM ET
A few minutes ago, Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear vetoed the so-called “Religious Freedom Restoration Act,” a bill that would have resulted in serious unintended consequences, such as potentially undermining local civil rights ordinances, including those that prohibit discrimination against women, religious minorities, and the LGBT community.
(Please see the Governor’s statement below which outlines many of these consequences, and lists the broad umbrella of organizations that urged him to veto this bill.)
Six years ago, I withdrew from the 2007 Democratic gubernatorial primary to endorse Steve Beshear’s candidacy. I later had the honor to serve for three years as his Secretary of Finance and Administration. While Governor Beshear has done a very good job helping the Commonwealth weather the worst economic storms of my lifetime, I believe that this is his finest moment.
As always, but especially today, I am proud to call Steve Beshear a friend and my Governor.
Beshear’s veto faces a potential override by the Kentucky General Assembly. Much as many of you joined me in urging the Governor to veto this bill, I strongly advise you to contact your legislator over the weekend and urge him or her to refuse to override the Governor’s veto.
Monday, legislators will return to hundreds of “green slips” on their desk. Please help ensure the “Uphold Veto” pile is larger
Click here for a list of legislative email addresses and click here for legislators’ toll-free telephone numbers.
Please understand that many who voted “yes” did not comprehend the unintended consequences of the bill, and/or may have been afraid of the public backlash of voting for a bill that purports to uphold “religious freedom.” It is our responsibility as citizens to educate our elected officials in a civil and respectful way. Please join me.
====
UPDATED:
Here’s what veto opponents had to say about the Governor’s action:
“Gay rights groups in this state have now come out of the closet on their opposition to religious freedom,” said Martin Cothran, a spokesman for The Family Foundation.
===
Governor Steve Beshear’s Official Statement
FRANKFORT, Ky. (March 22, 2013) — Governor Steve Beshear vetoed House Bill 279 today, noting its well-placed intentions but possible significant unintended consequences.
“Religious freedom is a cornerstone of this great nation, and a right enshrined in both the United States Constitution and the Kentucky Constitution,” said Gov. Beshear. “I value and cherish our rights to religious freedom and I appreciate the good intentions of House Bill 279 and the members of the General Assembly who supported this bill to protect our constitutional rights to practice our religion. However, I have significant concerns that this bill will cause serious unintentional consequences that could threaten public safety, health care, and individuals’ civil rights. As written, the bill will undoubtedly lead to costly litigation. I have heard from many organizations and government entities that share those same concerns. Therefore, after giving this measure thoughtful analysis and consideration, today I vetoed the bill.”
HB279, sent to the Governor on March 11, would allow an individual to disregard any state or local law that places a substantial burden on his or her sincerely held religious belief. As written, the government would have to show by “clear and convincing evidence” that the state has a compelling interest in requiring the person to follow the established law,and that there is no less restrictive means to accomplish the government’s objective.
Federal law and HB279 are fundamentally different
Supporters have referenced the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) and similar state RFRA laws as the template for this legislation. However, Gov. Beshear noted that House Bill 279 is fundamentally different than those laws – mostly because the vague language of HB279 lends itself to overly broad applications.
As written, HB279 imposes a heightened standard of “clear and convincing proof” to evaluate compliance with a law that contains an unclear definition of “burden,” which invites costly and possibly lengthy legal challenges. The bill offers no exceptions for certain state agencies or civil rights laws. There are no exceptions for the protection and safety of the general public, such as public health standards.
“Imprecise legal standards lead to unforeseen consequences,” said Gov. Beshear. “Citizens and governmental entities are entitled to a clear understanding of the boundaries of permissible conduct. This bill, as written, while well intended, is undermined by precarious legal wording,” said Gov. Beshear.
Possible Unintended Consequences
Groups as varied as the Kentucky Association of Sexual Assault Programs, Inc. to theNational Association of Social Workers-Kentucky Chapter to the Center for Accessible Living have called on the Governor to veto the bill, citing concerns including:
· Weakening of local civil rights laws;
· Impact on implementation of the new Common Core Standards in our schools;
· Negative impact to economic development efforts;
· Adverse impact on enforcement of drug laws;
· Additional financial burdens on local governments; and
· Possible withholding of needed medical care or use of religion as a justification for abuse.
State government agencies also expressed concerns to the Governor that this bill could:
· Increase litigation costs;
· Decrease federal funding; and
· Threaten public health, including refusal to provide needed medication or services.
Despite his veto, Gov. Beshear expressed a willingness to work with supporters to develop a bill that might mitigate these unintended consequences. “I urge supporters and opponents of this legislation to come together before next session and find compromise legislation that protects religious freedom, while avoiding the possible unintended consequences of House Bill 279, and I pledge to work with them to find that compromise,” he said.
The following groups and elected officials urged the Governor to veto the measure, orexpressed their concerns about the bill to the Governor:
Kentucky Association of Counties
Kentucky County Judge/Executive Association
Kentucky League of Cities
Kentucky Magistrates & Commissioners Association
Kentucky Association of Sexual Assault Programs, Inc.
Kentucky Commission on Human Rights
Kentucky Education Association
Jefferson County Teachers Association (JCTA)
Center for Accessible Living, Inc.
Hispanic-Latino Coalition
Lexington-Fayette Urban County Human Rights Commission
Louisville Metro Human Relations Commission
National Assoc. for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)—Louisville Branch
National Association of Social Workers-Kentucky Chapter
United Food and Commercial Workers Local 227
1st District Councilwoman Attica Scott—Louisville Metro
21st District Councilman Dan Johnson—Louisville Metro
26th District Councilman Brent Ackerson-Louisville Metro
3rd District Councilwoman Mary C. Woolridge—Louisville Metro
6th District Councilman David James—Louisville Metro
9th District Councilwoman Tina Ward‐Pugh—Louisville
AIDS Volunteers of Lexington
American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky
Americans United for the Separation of Church and State
Bereans for Fairness
Bluegrass United Church of Christ
Catholics for Fairness
Central Presbyterian Church, Louisville
Children’s Healthcare is a Legal Duty
The Church of Christ, Union (Union Church, Berea)
Douglass Boulevard Christian Church
Episcopal Church of the Advent, Louisville
Fairness Campaign
Faith Leaders for Fairness
Franklin/Simpson Human Rights Commission
Gay and Lesbian Services Organization (GLSO)
Jewish Community Relations Council of Louisville
Journey Fellowship, Owensboro
The Harvey Milk Society of Berea College
Kentuckians For The Commonwealth (KFTC)
Kentucky Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression
Kentucky Equality Federation
Kentucky Fairness Alliance
Kentucky Feminists United
Kentucky Jobs With Justice
Kentucky Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice
Kentucky Secular Society
Kentucky Special Parent Involvement Network (KY–‐SPIN)
Kentucky Young Democrats
Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund
Lexington Fair Housing Council
Lexington Fairness
Louisville Atheists and Freethinkers
Louisville Metro Council President Jim King
Louisville Metro Human Relations Commission Advocacy Board
Louisville Metro Human Relations Commission Enforcement Board
Louisville Showing Up for Racial Justice (LSURJ)
Mayor Greg Fischer, Louisville Metro Government
Mayor Sherry Carran, City of Covington
Metro Louisville Women’s Political Caucus (MLWPC)
Northern Kentucky Democratic League
Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG)—Lexington Chapter
People Associating Together In Owensboro (PATIO)
Planned Parenthood Federation of America
Planned Parenthood of Kentucky
Quaker Committee for Kentucky Legislation
Richard Meadows, Fayette County Commissioner
Shevawn Akers, LFUCG Council Member
SteinGroup LLC
The Women’s Network
Unitarian Universalist Church of Lexington
Women In Transition (WIT)
Women’s Leadership Conference for Religious Freedom (WLCRF)
By Jonathan Miller, on Fri Mar 22, 2013 at 2:30 PM ET
Click here to sign up for a competition — in which you can win prizes up to $5000 for developing apps to make government work. I will be serving as one of the judges. Read more below:
With the U.S. federal government careening from one crisis to the next, citizens are increasingly frustrated with the government’s inability to get things done.
We can’t solve this problem with software alone, but we can harness technology to educate and empower both citizens and lawmakers to make government more transparent or effective. The Apps for Working Governmentchallenge seeks to highlight software applications that can help reduce partisan gridlock and increase legislative productivity at the federal, state, or local level.
Individuals, teams and organizations are encouraged to enter new or existing software solutions. These can include web, mobile or desktop apps in one of two categories:
Educational tools: Apps that visualize or analyze data to illustrate the problem of partisan gridlock, legislative productivity (or lack thereof) and/or related consequences. This category can include apps that analyze and evaluate the polarization or productivity of Congress, state legislatures, local government, or individual lawmakers.
Solutions & action tools: Apps that citizens can use to communicate with legislators or mobilize other citizens, or tools legislators can use to advance collaboration. Submitters are required to explain how the app can be used to help reduce partisan gridlock and increase legislative productivity.
Check out the Suggestions and Data pages for ideas and join the discussionby sharing relevant data, existing software solutions, and solution ideas. Submit a software app you’ve already made or create something new!
Early Submission: Submit yourapp by May 1, 2013 at 5:00pm Eastern Time to get feedback. If your app is eligible, you’ll receive tips on how you can improve it before the final deadline.
PRIZES
Best New Applications (2)
$1,000
Best Existing Applications (2)
$1,000
Popular Choice Award – New Application
$500
Popular Choice Award – Existing Application
$500
Large Organization Recognition Award
Awarded to competing organizations of 50+ employees. Non-cash, recognition only.
Co-founder & Contributor, The Monkey Cage, and Associate Professor of Political Science, George Washington University
JUDGING CRITERIA
Quality of the Idea
Includes creativity and originality
Implementation of Idea & UX
Includes how well the idea was executed by the developer as well as the overall design (graphics, typography, and visual aesthetic, etc.)
Potential Impact
Includes potential impact on partisan gridlock and legislative productivity through education and/or citizen or lawmaker action or collaboration
HOW TO ENTER
Click the “Register For This Challenge” button at the top of the page and confirm your registration. This step ensures that you’ll receive important challenge updates and also allows you to view the submission form. Before you start building your app, be sure to read the Official Rules.
Create a working software app or submit an existing one that falls into either category (educational tools or solutions & action tools). Refer to the category definitions in the “About the Challenge” section.
Complete all of the required fields in the submission form.
By Jonathan Miller, on Fri Mar 22, 2013 at 12:30 PM ET
Hating on Duke basketball dominates even when the Blue Devils are hardly the most dominant team in this year’s NCAA tournament. What gives?
Originally aired on HuffPostLive, March 22, 2013
Hosted by: Mike Sacks
Guests:
Andy Bagwell @thbthd (Cary, NC) Co-Author of ‘Duke Sucks: A Completely Evenhanded, Unbiased Investigation into the Most Evil Team on Planet Earth’
Rep. Brad Miller @RepBradMiller (Washington, DC) Retired Congressman from North Carolina
Donald Wine @blazindw (Washington, DC) Headline Monitor; Lawyer; Advisory Board Member to the WunderGlo Foundation
Ian Williams (Positano, Italy) Writer
Jonathan Miller @RecoveringPol (Lexington, KY) Former Kentucky State Treasurer
Patrick Hruby @patrick_hruby (Washington, DC) Contributor to Sportsonearth.com
