Commentary
Kentucky Power’s proposed rate hike would spell disaster for many in Eastern Kentucky
ASHLAND — In an all too familiar announcement, “Kentucky Power has filed a comprehensive rate review with the Kentucky Public Service Commission (PSC).”? The utility is requesting to institute changes to increase its revenue by 13.6 percent. The Notice of General Adjustment of Existing Rates shows a proposed 18.3% increase in residential service rates and […]
A judge rejects Cameron’s disregard for a half-century of open government precedent in Kentucky
At long last, Attorney General Daniel Cameron has been called out by a court for ignoring precedent when it conflicts with his policy preferences for secrecy in government. The Oldham County Circuit Court’s June 13 open meetings opinion in J. Albert Harrison v. Oldham County Ethics Commission should serve as a cautionary tale for Kentucky’s […]
Southern Baptist Convention votes to expel two churches with female pastors
During its two-day annual meeting that began on June 13, 2023, the Southern Baptist Convention reaffirmed the ouster of its largest congregation that ordained women and began a process to amend its constitution to ensure its church membership “does not affirm, appoint or employ a woman as a pastor of any kind.” Saddleback Church in […]
Child care in Kentucky is at risk of collapse as federal pandemic funding runs out
High quality, affordable child care is essential for kids to learn, parents to work and the economy to prosper. But for years, families have struggled to find and afford care, which can cost more than college tuition, even as the industry’s largely female workforce subsists on extremely low wages. Recent influxes of federal pandemic funding […]
Dobbs decision spurs moral injury to abortion patients, providers alike
On June 24, 2022, the landscape of reproductive healthcare in this country took a frightening turn for the worst. The Supreme Court decision in?Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization?that overturned what had previously been a constitutional right to abortion set off a whirlwind of changes in healthcare – not only as related to abortion, but […]
Juneteenth celebrates one of 20 emancipation days in the United States
The actual day was June 19, 1865, and it was the Black dockworkers in Galveston, Texas, who first heard the word that freedom for the enslaved had come. There were speeches, sermons and shared meals, mostly held at Black churches, the safest places to have such celebrations. The perils of unjust laws and racist social […]
Cameron, other politicians should shut up about Trump’s latest indictment
The indictment of a former president on charges of keeping secret national-security materials, refusing to give them back, and lying about them to the FBI through his lawyers, while leaving them vulnerable to espionage, creates one of the biggest stress tests ever for our political system. Some Kentucky politicians are already failing it. Donald Trump […]
Why a federal judge found Tennessee’s anti-drag law unconstitutional
The drag shows will go on. At least for now. On June 2, 2023, Judge Thomas Parker, a Trump-appointed federal district court judge in western Tennessee, ruled that Tennessee’s “Adult Entertainment Act” violated the First Amendment’s free speech protection. The act had been passed by the Tennessee Legislature and signed into law by Tennessee Gov. […]
Republican attack on ESG may silence insurers but isn’t changing their business decisions
Over recent months there has been an orchestrated pushback against investors and insurers who integrate the risks of climate change into their business models. That pushback – emanating from Republican-led states – is having an impact on how companies speak publicly. But whether it will affect their efforts to respond to climate change is less […]
Supreme Court is poised to dismantle an integral part of LBJ’s Great Society, affirmative action
Of all the civil rights policies enacted by U.S President Lyndon Johnson, affirmative action is arguably one of the most enduring — and most challenged. Johnson made it clear during a commencement address at Howard University on June 4, 1965, where he stood. In his speech, “To Fulfill These Rights,” Johnson argued that civil rights […]
Would locking up an extra 400 kids make Kentucky safer?
FRANKFORT — In a surprising move, Kentucky’s legislature earlier this year mandated up to 48 hours of detention for juveniles accused of certain serious crimes. Surprising because the decision flies in the face of decades of research. It also conflicts with efforts by many states, including Kentucky, to steer juveniles away from detention into community-based […]
James Comer is making it hard to take him seriously
Kentucky Congressman James Comer has had so many embarrassing media interviews about his House Oversight Committee’s investigation into the so-called “Biden crime family.”? He outlines an elaborate international bribery scheme yet admits he doesn’t have the facts to back it up. He calls out “suspicious activities” but acknowledges they may not be crimes. His informants […]