Al Mayo: You May Say I’m a Dreamer…

Well, let’s be honest. Politics has taken a back seat in Kentucky for the past several weeks. Even with no UK Wildcats involved in March Madness, the run of the Louisville Cards has piqued the state’s interest. It wasn’t the case early on though. Kevin Ware’s grisly leg injury in the Midwest Regional Final has managed to almost unite Kentuckians behind Louisville as it advances to the title game tonight. I say almost, because there remain some diehard Cat fans who will never cheer for Louisville, and that’s okay. Likewise there are some UofL backers who will bever deign to cheer for UK. BUT–Ware’s injury, and subsequent UofL performance in winning the game, managed to unite a state that never EVER seems united on anything.

I have a dream. I dream that Kentucky legislators–Democrat and Republican–Conservative–and Liberal–Libertarian and Tea Partiers–could all manage to unite just like their constituents for just one full legislative session! Now I know they won’t listen to me, but hey, guy can fantasize can’t he? Actually The Kentucky General Assembly came perilously close to doing just that just before they ended the regular session just weeks ago. They sensibly put off the final days of the session in order to reach agreement on a bipartisan pension reform measure. Granted, a lot of pundits think it falls short of what is actiually needed, but they made progress, and more importaantly they did it TOGETHER!

Next time out for the legislators will be the long session in 2014 which has everyone’s favorite budget negotiations on tap. In recent years, the budget negotiations have been contentious at best, and non-existant at other times. I fervently hope, the House and Senate can look back on this past session and decide it was pleasant enough to try it again next year. Again, I’m a dreamer, but I do hope it happens. Republican Senate President Robert Stivers, and Democratic House Speaker Greg Stumbo seem to have a good relationship, and seem to have set a far more bipartisan tone than previous Senate President David Williams. Lets hope it continues.

Actually I think if things go south again, we should probably hire Kevin Ware to head up the bipartisan budget committee next year. He seems to be able to tap into the vein of sportsmanship that is sometimes lacking in Kentucky politics. I trust he’ll be healed by then. Or maybe Rick Pitino can guide the assembly like he’s done with UofL this season. Face it, the man is on a serious roll. A title game tonight, The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame today, a horse headed for the Kentucky Derby, a son now coaching in the Big Ten–not too shabby. Or Tom Jurich maybe? A Sugar Bowl win, and two final four teams in the same season? I think these guys could negotiate a budget if you give them time. On second thought Ware might have to break another limb to get these guys together,so let’s leave him out of this.