Commentary
Andy Beshear sees a path: running through J.D. Vance
Gov. Andy Beshear obviously wants to be in the White House – first as vice president. He went from coy to clear as soon as President Biden deferred to Vice President Kamala Harris and she started looking for a running mate. Until he endorsed Harris, Beshear said he would consider being on the ticket if […]
Expunge the overreaction: Concern about Kentucky’s process for purging voters is reasonable.
Kentuckians should be proud that Secretary of State Michael Adam received a Profile in Courage Award from the John F. Kennedy Foundation for “protecting access to the ballot and ensuring that our nation remains a beacon of democracy.”? In a time of rampant election denialism and threats against election workers, this state in 2021 expanded […]
As a fellow Ohioan, I have some concerns about J.D. Vance
Donald Trump announced Monday Ohio junior U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance as his running mate in the 2024 Election, and I have some concerns. Like J.D. Vance, I am also 39 years old; I also grew up in a struggling old industrial city in Ohio; I have also lost countless people close to me to the […]
Medical debt erased for 1,257 Kentuckians. Now let’s improve patient protections.
As health care costs continue to rise, so does anxiety about being able to afford medical treatment. Even those with good insurance can find themselves stuck with a surprise medical bill or mounting out-of-pocket expenses.? The reality is that many Kentucky families are just one medical emergency away from a financial crisis. The specter of […]
Kentuckians mourning another mass shooting met by GOP lawmakers’ unfathomable cowardice
Over Fourth of July weekend, there was a mass shooting at a 21st birthday party in Florence (northern Kentucky, Boone County); four people were shot to death; three are recovering, including a 19-year-old girl.? According to news reports, the 21-year-old shooter was on probation with a criminal history that included sexual assault of a 13-year-old. […]
Both candidates are old. Only one has shattered presidential norms.
As everyone opined in the aftermath of the Biden-Trump debate, our grandchildren (ages 4 and 5) were arriving to spend the Fourth of July holiday week with us, so we were careful in how we discussed the debate within their earshot. And we were certainly not tuning into TV pundits who, I later learned, spent […]
U.S. Supreme Court sets stage for industry lobbyists to write health, safety, environmental rules
??The U.S. Supreme Court just ended something called Chevron deference, in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, Case No. 22-451. Should you worry? Alas, yes, the Supreme Court just threw our protections under the bus. Here’s how.? In 1984 in a case involving Chevron, the Supreme Court decided that when an agency’s implementation of a federal […]
Young Kentuckians desperately need more from their elected officials
The annual national KIDS COUNT Data Book includes more data into which to dive than column inches allow.? But an overview of the report reminds us that Kentucky is not the best place in America to be young.? Or the second-best place. Or the tenth or the 20th or even 30th.? Instead, the 2024 report […]
Biden debacle brings Beshear forward
When Gov. Andy Beshear formed a political committee in January and started making appearances around the country (he’ll be in Iowa July 27), his obvious long-term goal was the White House. In 2028. Presumably. If Beshear and his advisers were as wired into the national Democratic establishment as one would think, they knew there was […]
Gentlemen, you’re late for your tee time
If you have talked to me in the last six months, I have told you I’m worried that Donald Trump will be reelected in November due to lack of voter turnout, or that he will insist the election was rigged/stolen, demanding recounts and drawn-out legal proceedings, and even calling for violence to install himself in […]
The complete failure of Thursday night
There’s nothing quite like watching your democracy fail in real-time, with chyrons and everything. I’ve had some long moments in my life, but few seemed more elongated than the 90-minute debate between your great-grandpa and an aspiring authoritarian. As much as I was watching the debate, I was watching social media and came to realize […]
Kinship care families deserve good faith action from Kentucky’s government
I am shocked and saddened as I reflect upon recent events regarding Senate Bill 151 for kinship caregivers. There are many questions, beginning with, how is nothing better than something for children, when we know we can do better???? ?The story requires some background; I begin with the term “kinship care.” It’s when a child […]