Matt Gunterman July 16th, 2007

As has been reported since the announcement that he would emcee the event (most recently by the Courier-Journal’s Joseph Gerth), State Senate President David Williams (R) has a problem with the Fancy Farm picnic: Republicans get heckled too much for his taste.

Well, folks, I have a solution to David Williams’ dilemma.

My first Fancy Farm picnic was 1992 (I was 15 at the time), when soon-to-be Vice President Al Gore (D) landed dramatically by helicopter behind the platform (there was no shelter to block the sky — and elements — back then) and gave what I remember to be a rather rousing speech.

The only heckler at the entire event was a grotesquely fat Republican who perched himself on the bottom rung of one of the metal bleachers, and the only person he heckled was then Senator Wendell H. Ford (D) with the standard “Rusty old Ford” taunt, which he yelled ad nauseum.

Otherwise, Fancy Farm was rather peaceful and a little playful, to my memory: it was largely without Republicans or a Republican presence. It was a time when Democrats got together to celebrate all that they’d accomplished for Kentucky.

My next Fancy Farm was 1995 during the heated gubernatorial race between Paul Patton (D) and Larry Forgy (R) in the shadow of the “Republican Revolution” of 1994. The armies of Republican trolls (they would bus in militant, troglodyte Young Republicans) had flooded the place by then, and that was also the year — if you’ll recall — that freshman Congressman Ed Whitfield (R) physically assaulted a man in the audience. The Republicans were full of themselves, and they were violent.

How times have changed. Now that the Republicans have had the wind knocked out of their sails, they suddenly want everybody to play nice.

I have a suggestion: let’s return Fancy Farm to its happier, more productive times by removing the Republicans. Their presence in force was what started the whole mess that Williams is complaining about.

I doubt that the KY GOP will abandon the picnic voluntarily, so we’ll have to forcibly remove them: by voting them out at the ballot box.

PS: David, if you expect our side to behave at Fancy Farm, then you’ll have to make sure that miserable excuse of a human being and proud bigot Rep. Stan Lee (R) stays off the stage.

• David Williams , Fancy Farm 2007 , Stan Lee
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Terri Whitehouse July 11th, 2007

Via the Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer, Joe Biesk reports that the KY GOP is making robo-calls to Kentucky residents criticizing the House’s decision to adjourn after Governor Ernie Fletcher called a special session.

The House claimed that issues including tax incentives for power companies, more than $400 million in projects and a ban on domestic partner benefits at public universities were not urgent enough to justify the approximately $60,000 per day cost to operate the legislature. The Senate disagreed.

Yes - how dare they adjourn when there is corporate welfare to dole out and people left undiscriminated against!

But as Fletcher was making his public plea for compromise, the state Republican Party was launching a telephone offensive of between 150,000 to 180,000 phone calls to voters across the state criticizing House Democrats for their actions. The calls, which Fletcher’s campaign knew about, started in the afternoon and carried into the evening night.

The Kentucky Republican Party on Monday night targeted more than 40 members of the state House — mostly Democrats representing coal constituencies — with automated phone calls, state GOP Chairman Steve Robertson said.

I especially like this part of the article:

State Rep. Jeff Greer, D-Brandenburg, said calls to his constituents near Fort Knox claimed he was antimilitary. The Senate passed legislation Monday that would give an income tax break to members of the military.

Because, you know, the Republican Party has such an outstanding track record for giving a flip about military personnel.

As for KY Democratic Party Chairman Jonathan Miller, kudos for stating the obvious:

Nevertheless, Miller said the calls were evidence that Fletcher’s motivation for calling a special session was an attempt to spur his re-election campaign. Fletcher, a Republican, is seeking a second term against Beshear in the Nov. 6 election.

Dang, Fletcher. You’re about as transparent and substantive as a piece of saran wrap.

• David Williams , Energy Industry , Ernie Fletcher , Government Inefficency , Gubernatorial race '07 , Homophobia , Jody Richards , Kentucky , Kentucky Dems , Kentucky GOP , Republican Party Decline , Special Session , Steve Beshear
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Matt Gunterman July 6th, 2007

The Courier-Journal’s political blog, The Arena, has this interesting nugget today:

Williams: I won’t take matter to courts

Senate President David Williams, R-Burkesville, said at 7:35 p.m. that he would not be party to taking the matter of agreement on adjourning special session to court.

After the House adjourned sine die this afternoon, there has been debate over whether the House must return in three days if the Senate also does not adjourn.

“I will not be a party to using the court system to try to force the other body back into any active role,” Williams said.

He said instead, he urges the House members to cool off over the weekend and return on Monday.

Senate Minority Floor Leader Ed Worley said he blames the governor’s lack of leadership for what transpired today.

“This thing has reached a point that it is over unless the governor shows the leadership to get the House and the Senate leadership together and move these issues forward,” Worley said.

What do you think? I myself have to say that Senate President David William (R) telling House Dems to cool their jets over the weekend is about as tepid a response from that man as you can get. In fact, on the Larry Forgy Political Seismography Scale (which is the metric used to measure these sorts of Republican responses in Kentucky), I’d rate that about a 2.0 at best.

Where’s the passion for your governor David Williams? Where’s your anger and sense of betrayal? Why aren’t you sticking up for ol’ Ernie?

• David Williams , Ernie Fletcher , Special Session
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