Rep. Tilley: Murray State Breathitt Lab

I have included a partial press release by State Representative John Tilley. I have made a couple edits because I can.

For Immediate Release:
April 17, 2009

Rep. Tilley praises ag policy board for supporting veterinary center study

Frankfort – The vote today by the Office of Agricultural Policy to fund a Murray State University study that will decide whether the Breathitt Veterinary Center should be renovated or replaced could not come at a better time, state Rep. John Tilley said this afternoon.

“The Breathitt Veterinary Center has long been a great asset for farmers in our region, so I am really pleased to see the Office of Ag Policy approve money for this study,” said Rep. Tilley, D-Hopkinsville. “My hope is that we can soon find ways to update the facility to handle our farming and homeland security needs for years to come.”

The $300,000 feasibility study, which will be paid with tobacco settlement dollars that the Ag Policy Board oversees, will chart the best course for the center’s future. According to center’s website, it “no longer meets the stringent requirements for laboratory safety and security when working with bioterrorism agents and foreign animal diseases.” Center officials have proposed a $25 million facility with 50,000 sq. ft. of space.

“There clearly is a need to get this project moving forward, and I’m hopeful that we can take a step in that direction when the legislature begins writing the next budget in January,” Rep. Tilley said. “This project’s importance extends far beyond Christian County, and should have a lot of support from my colleagues in the House and Senate.”

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From The Rural Democrat

Thanks to our friends at The Rural Democrat for granting permission to post their comments on the Kentucky Senate Race.

Some Think the 2010 US Senate Race is a Fight for Kentucky's Values

Daniel Mongiardo's message is simple to understand. His message reminds Kentuckians that we have a fight on our hands in this Democratic primary. A fight for values. For the first time in a long time Kentucky Democrats will be faced with a tough choice; not the tough choice of picking a candidate, a choice between urban and rural values.....
Mongiardo has a history of not following the crowd, he stood beside Obama when he knew damn well he would be burned for it in rural Kentucky. Another case in point; he supported a ban on gay marriage and he knew damn well the Liberal faction of the Democratic party would hate him for it. He followed his beliefs and stood firm. Also, he refused to sign the now infamous EPA letter while Attorney General Jack Conway signed it. That one act guarantees Conway will receive little to no support in the coal fields. Kentuckians overwhelmingly voted to ban gay marriage. Conway on the other hand said that SB245 was discriminatory. So that tells me he would have voted against it, even though 75% of voting Kentuckians voted for it. Some might say that is a sign of integrity and yet others might say he is pandering to the Liberal/Urban faction of the Democratic party.
I am not saying folks from the city have no values, I am saying that we (rural Democrats) have a different idea of what values are. We are Moderate to Conservative Democrats. Folks might say that a Conservative Democrat is oxymoron. Those same folks probably never met a rural Kentucky Democrat. As this primary progresses the values debate will heat up.
Everyone knows by now that Conway went to Duke and it appeared he was a little upset that some are talking about it. Most Kentuckians will probably ask themselves "why did he go to Duke, wasn't UK good enough for him?!?". And they have the right to ask that question. In the coal fields DUKE is a very dirty word, hence the song "which side are you on". Conway may not like it but it is a big issue.
This will be a race of Louisville versus the rest of Kentucky and some might say that is not fair. In my opinion Yarmuth could not win a race for dog catcher outside of Louisville. Chandler on the other hand has a very conservative voting record but parades as a super Liberal. Yarmuth is NOT a friend of coal and in fact he is coal's biggest enemy. Conway's family has contributed $69,000 to Yarmuths campaigns over the years so by default Conway can be considered an enemy to coal.

I am speaking as a coal miners son, a rural Democrat and I think I can speak for the majority of Kentucky's rural Democrats. It will be a very interesting race. Will Kentucky's values shift more toward the left? Or will this race galvanize Moderate and Conservative Democrats in support of Mongiardo? Only time will tell.

Cross-posted on Hillbilly Report.org

Great Awakening or The Purge

In the wake of my recent comments I have received many emails and phone calls. Most agreeing with me, some disappointed and well some just trying to appease me or humor me.

I have Liberrrrrrral friends who I love and admire but we just differ on many issues and government's role in society. I have Conservative friends who I feel the same way about. As I'm fond of saying the left wing has ruined the Democrat Party and the Right wing has ruined the Republican Party.

The Democrat Primary for U.S. Senate at present does represent a huge divide in Kentucky. Rural Kentucky versus the Golden Triangle. I have always been pragmatic about politics and campaigns. I usually say what others won't. As I tell my friends who participate in the process- politics is about politicians. I've never believed politics or government to be a noble cause to make Kentucky, the Nation or the World a better place. You want to make the world a better place then go to church or join your favorite civic group.

Politics runs the engine of government. For those who are practitioners of the art of politics then their goal is to represent the beliefs and values of their constituency. Being successful and staying elected means getting your folks the pork and projects. Again if you seek truth and justice then go to church.

The Liberals entertain and deceive themselves by operating under the mask of honesty and social justice while at the same time vying for the same results as any politician-Projects, Pork and Patronage. They call it good government, I call it hypocrisy.

Hypocrisy-it abounds at every level and no politician or faction is immune to it. I just think West and Rural Kentucky is a little bit less hypocritical when it comes to our expectations.

Expectations-Well what are they? Our expectations for Liberal candidates is simply this- If we bother to help you get elected its not because you earned it, deserved it or are entitled to it. No, it comes with a price. We only meet you half way because we expect lots in return-Pork, Patronage and Projects. The price is far too high for us to openly support you very often and if there is nothing to gain by doing so then we are better off following our constituencies as opposed to pushing them in directions they don't care to go.

I know that I hurt the feelings of some of my Liberal friends who truly believe that we (Rural Kentucky) are on the verge of a "Great Awakening", shedding all our religious beliefs, values and prejudices in the name of a greater calling in politics and government. Ok, I can live with that but I ain't seeing it or feeling it. In fact just the opposite.

Gov. Beshear made it to the winner's circle because his opposition broke both his legs in the back stretch. (It's Derby time. I said people down here don't care, I did not say that I didn't like the Derby). You can hear the displeasure from the coffee shops to the Pulpits. They don't need Karl Rove or Rush to get stirred up. Believe it or not people down here occasionally read, listen and think for themselves.

Folks are not against progress. They are just not interested in paying for it. Folks are not against clean coal or being more environmentally friendly. They are not interested in paying for it. The economy is bad and people are interested in hearing about how politicians are going to lower the cost of utilities not mandating regulations for which the cost will be passed along to the consumer. Urban and Rural Kentucky share many of the same concerns but the difference is we are not for government leading the way or having our taxes or cost of living raised.

Regarding our little Senate Race that is heating up: I like Jack Conway personally. My State Representative John Tilley made me help him some in the General Election. I met him a couple of times, liked him and was impressed with him. He did not seem offended by me when he shook my hand and accepted my checks. I don't agree with many of his positions but I do wish we could have more candidates like Jack in Rural Kentucky who are intelligent, good looking and communicate well. Jack has all the tools but lacks any serious connection to Rural Kentucky. The Conway campaign has created some big problems for themselves in Rural Kentucky with most of his early endorsements coming from folks that don't play well down here. Right or wrong Jack will have to answer to a number of positions he has taken and having kin folk in Union County won't help him much in this race.

Dr. Dan lines up much better on the issues with Rural Kentucky. Abortion, Coal and Gay Marriage will always be issues in Rural Kentucky regardless of what I may think. People down here did not support Obama and they are not going to provide a vote to help sustain a Liberal Democrat Senate. As many have said and I agree, this race will come down to who can cut into the other's base more. Rumors are all over the place regarding this race. Kentucky Democrats are going to be bitterly divided either way after it is finished.

The KDP and this Administration I've been told in the last few days does get it.(Sorry I was wrong). There is no plan or willingness to empower Conservative Democrats or Rural Kentucky. We are to join the Liberals or become Republicans. No one is interested in dealing with us anymore. It's the DNC's way or the highway. I was surprised by this since we packed the Democrats in 2007 and all we heard was "what can we do for you?" and up to this point that's equalled nothing. I guess the line has been drawn in the sand. Hey, we are the ones that usually do that. Oh well, it is- what it is but just remember the difference is Urban Kentucky is more apt to support any Democrat nominee over the Republican whereas Rural Kentucky is more than willing to vote for a Republican as history has shown. Whether it's Conway or Dr. Dan, the Democrats better pray that Bunning stays in the race.

Both candidates have their work cut out for them. The candidate who can appeal to the middle will win this Primary but if anyone thinks they can hold hands with Washington, Obama and the DNC and get elected in November. Well, let's just put it this way. Don't come crying to us for help like in 2007, because we will be too busy sitting in the pews singing "Amazing Grace how sweet the sound."

The Rural Democrat Speaks

The Rural Democrat has a good article on the Senate race in Kentucky. I will try to direct you to their blog. I would ask for permission to run it on the Underground Rooster but I lost their email when my computer crashed a few months ago.

Rural Democrat: Some think the 2010 U.S. Senate Race is a fight for Kentucky values.

http://www.theruraldemocrat.typepad.com/

Dan Miller: Growing up with our Friend

It would have to be considered a feeble attempt to sum up a man's life in a few lines. Dan Miller anchored the news at WSMV-TV in Nashville during the majority of my life. For those of you not from around these parts we in a good part of Western and South Central Kentucky have been privy to and influenced by Nashville media since television news began. Before cable that's what you got and frankly people like Dan Miller did a great job of reporting the news. Our families sat down every night to supper with the icons of Nashville media. Dan Miller and Chris Clark at NEWS Channel 5 spent a lifetime of bringing home the news to us.



WSMV-TV, WSM-Radio and the Grand Ole Opry, that's what I grew up with. My family had a certain loyalty to WSM. My great uncle had worked in management for National Life Insurance which at one time owned WSM. I believe WSM stood for their motto of "We Shield Millions". My father who was a photographer worked occasionally for WSM as a "runner". When big news hit the local area, then they would call for my father and another runner who would be the voice. They would go out to the scene of a bad accident or bank robbery and cover the story. The footage would be put on the Greyhound bus and within an hour or so it would be in Nashville. Some times my father would have to go out alone to shoot the footage and they would call the house to record the voice part. That was pretty exciting stuff to hear your father on the news.



I can remember sitting around waiting for that call, hoping it would be the famous Dan Miller on the other end. We would always gesture to my Father and quietly yell, is it Dan? is it Dan?



I believe it was the early to mid 70's when a bank in Todd County was robbed and we got to go. After returning home and going through our routine of waiting for the call it finally happened. Dan Miller had made the call himself. I don't recall the finer points but I do remember us bugging the hell out of my Dad while he spoke. We wanted to say hello to Dan Miller. Finally at the end of the interview our father succumbed to our pestering and asked Dan if it would be ok for us to say hello to him.



We got say hello that day to Dan Miller and for us kids he was now even bigger than he was before. Now he was our buddy, our friend. We could say we knew Dan Miller. We could tell our friends that we had spoken to Dan Miller.



Dan Miller took the time to make some kids really happy all those many years ago and that's what I'll remember.



Dan Miller (1941-2009)

Tornado Hits Christian County

Politics aside for a few minutes. A tornado is reported to have touch down in North Christian County in the Mannington Community which is on Hwy 41 near the Hopkins County-Christian County line. The Kentucky New Era reported that hail the size of a baseball had been experienced by some. We city folks managed to miss most of it in Hopkinsville.

Jack Conway Entering Race for Senate

It appears there will be a Democratic Primary for the U.S. Senate Seat now being held by Jim Bunning. A couple polls have been released in the past few days to indicate Bunning is very weak.

Dr. Dan has raised a record amount of money through the first quarter and has been running hard in Western Kentucky. I will bring some thoughts later today after I have gone through the cross tabs but at first glance there is a lot of undecided and who knows how polarized things will be by August.

A Primary means lots of ammunition for the Republicans in the Fall especially if Trey Grayson ends up the Republican nominee.

Gov. Ned Breathitt Day Banquet

The Eighteenth Annual Ned Breathitt Dinner has been slated for May 8th. The Annual Dinner sponsored by the Christian County Democratic Executive Committee will be held this year at the Watts Senior Citizens Center on West 7th Street (old US 68W). Imformati0n provided below:

Ned Breathitt Dinner
Friday May 8th, 6pm
Watts Senior Citizen Center
1402 West 7th Street
Hopkinsville, KY
$20.00 per person

For more information contact:

Lindsey Adams- Party Chair
jlalaw@usit.net