Veto

Dear Editor, I find it curious that our president would like to have another $46 billion, please, for the war that he started, but vetoes a few million dollars for children's health care. Tommy Ellis Liberty

Dear Editor, How is it that we live in America yet the majority doesn't mean anything? It didn't mean anything when a majority of Americans voted for Al Gore to become president, and it doesn't matter now that a majority of Americans have voted to start bringing out troops home. I always thought America was set up to ensure that the citizens of America controlled America's fate, yet one man can "veto" what a majority of the public wants. This basically means that the decision is ultimately left to one man, not the majority of Americans.

It was another busy week here in Frankfort. With just a handful of days left before we enter a two-week recess known as the governor's "veto days," the pace quickens as we begin our last, thorough analysis of bills to be considered during the 2006 legislative session. Beginning Monday, March 20, we will have just six more legislative days to forge consensus on a budget plan for the next two years and a host of other measures ranging from public safety to health and welfare. After that, we will recess for 14 days so that the governor may sign or veto bills passed by both chambers.

Dear Editor: It seems that Ernie Fletcher decided to save the taxpayers from falling into even more debt by allowing $11 million dollars to go to a private religious school yet cut several deserving projects. Most of the projects Fletcher dropped from the $18.1-billion budget were for universities. Others included $17.5 million for repairs to Kentucky River dams and funding for a youth center in Louisville that houses foster children who are wards of the state. Fletcher even wiped out $4.9 million for the expansion and renovation of a nursing school building at Kentucky State University in Frankfort.

Dear Editor, Kentucky's Republican congressmen, Reps. Hal Rogers, Geoff Davis, Ron Lewis and Ed Whitfield, voted to withhold health care coverage for more than 50,000 of Kentucky's children. Senators McConnell and Bunning voted to deny access to health care coverage for Kentucky's most needful citizens. President Bush vetoed health care coverage to 9 million of America's children and the number is growing scandalously. A protest rally against President Bush's veto of health care for America's most valuable citizens was held in Lexington.

Dear Editor, I agree with John Nelson's comments about Chief Justice Joseph Lambert's actions concerning his wife's election. Why is our judical system getting involved in these races, when only three people are impacted? We should all be concerned when a chief justice who has so much power and influnce tells the governor that he should veto certain lines in bills that have been voted on and passed. Let's all remember Justice Lambert when he comes up for re-election. Russell Overstreet Liberty

With Gov. Steve Beshear's veto Monday of House Bill 79, Kentucky Democrats have found themselves in a constitutionally sticky situation. Either they have violated the state's constitution, or they have violated the state's constitution. (You read right - either way they're in trouble). This story begins shortly before midnight on April 16 with the amazing frozen clock of Speaker of the House Jody Richards. When the members of the House of Representatives sat on their duffs long enough, arguing over how much to raise taxes on Kentuckians, they suddenly realized that they hadn't gotten any real work done.

The new road plan, which included the projects listed in this weeks Jessamine Journal, received final approval in the State Senate last week and now joins more than 100 other pieces of legislation headed to Gov. Steve Beshear for final approval. The 2009 Session has been a very productive session due in part to the members of the General Assembly focusing on finding solutions to our state's problems through working together in a bipartisan manner. It proves that if we work together and lay partisanship aside great things can be accomplished.

Jessamine legislators have differing views on how the 2009 session should wrap up. On Monday, leaders from both the House and Senate met, and Speaker of the House Greg Stumbo informed Senate President David Williams that because of House rules, the final two days would be devoted to veto items, not new legislation. "Williams said if that is your desire, the Senate would agree to that," State Sen. Tom Buford, R-Nicholasville, said. "It appears that no other legislation will be passed on these last two days, which normally have been days of passing some unusual bills, or bills that have lingered and didn't get done.

They planned this. The Kentucky House of Representatives knowingly and willfully colluded with Gov. Steve Beshear to pass the Medicaid budget “compromise” with a plan of vetoing all of the “compromises” all along. The Democrats must be telling us that there isn’t even one-third of a percent of waste in our state government — because that is all that the Republicans were asking them to cut, and they refused. When the nation’s economy is precariously situated on the precipice of a double dip recession and financial ruin, all our fearless leaders can do is borrow more money from tomorrow?

They planned this. The Kentucky House of Representatives knowingly and willfully colluded with Gov. Steve Beshear to pass the Medicaid budget “compromise” with a plan of vetoing all of the “compromises” all along. The Democrats must be telling us there isn’t even one-third of a percent of waste in our state government — because that is all that the Republicans were asking them to cut, and they refused. When the nation’s economy is precariously situated on the precipice of a double-dip recession and financial ruin, all our fearless leaders can do is borrow more money from tomorrow?

They planned this. The Kentucky House of Representatives knowingly and willfully colluded with Gov. Steve Beshear to pass the Medicaid budget “compromise” with a plan of vetoing all of the “compromises” all along. The Democrats must be telling us that there isn’t even one-third of a percent of waste in our state government — because that is all that the Republicans were asking them to cut, and they refused. When the nation’s economy is precariously situated on the precipice of a double dip recession and financial ruin, all our fearless leaders can do is borrow more money from tomorrow?

Jessamine legislators have differing views on how the 2009 session should wrap up. On Monday, leaders from both the House and Senate met, and Speaker of the House Greg Stumbo informed Senate President David Williams that because of House rules, the final two days would be devoted to veto items, not new legislation. "Williams said if that is your desire, the Senate would agree to that," State Sen. Tom Buford, R-Nicholasville, said. "It appears that no other legislation will be passed on these last two days, which normally have been days of passing some unusual bills, or bills that have lingered and didn't get done.

The new road plan, which included the projects listed in this weeks Jessamine Journal, received final approval in the State Senate last week and now joins more than 100 other pieces of legislation headed to Gov. Steve Beshear for final approval. The 2009 Session has been a very productive session due in part to the members of the General Assembly focusing on finding solutions to our state's problems through working together in a bipartisan manner. It proves that if we work together and lay partisanship aside great things can be accomplished.

With Gov. Steve Beshear's veto Monday of House Bill 79, Kentucky Democrats have found themselves in a constitutionally sticky situation. Either they have violated the state's constitution, or they have violated the state's constitution. (You read right - either way they're in trouble). This story begins shortly before midnight on April 16 with the amazing frozen clock of Speaker of the House Jody Richards. When the members of the House of Representatives sat on their duffs long enough, arguing over how much to raise taxes on Kentuckians, they suddenly realized that they hadn't gotten any real work done.

Dear Editor, I find it curious that our president would like to have another $46 billion, please, for the war that he started, but vetoes a few million dollars for children's health care. Tommy Ellis Liberty

Dear Editor, Kentucky's Republican congressmen, Reps. Hal Rogers, Geoff Davis, Ron Lewis and Ed Whitfield, voted to withhold health care coverage for more than 50,000 of Kentucky's children. Senators McConnell and Bunning voted to deny access to health care coverage for Kentucky's most needful citizens. President Bush vetoed health care coverage to 9 million of America's children and the number is growing scandalously. A protest rally against President Bush's veto of health care for America's most valuable citizens was held in Lexington.

Dear Editor, How is it that we live in America yet the majority doesn't mean anything? It didn't mean anything when a majority of Americans voted for Al Gore to become president, and it doesn't matter now that a majority of Americans have voted to start bringing out troops home. I always thought America was set up to ensure that the citizens of America controlled America's fate, yet one man can "veto" what a majority of the public wants. This basically means that the decision is ultimately left to one man, not the majority of Americans.

Dear Editor, I agree with John Nelson's comments about Chief Justice Joseph Lambert's actions concerning his wife's election. Why is our judical system getting involved in these races, when only three people are impacted? We should all be concerned when a chief justice who has so much power and influnce tells the governor that he should veto certain lines in bills that have been voted on and passed. Let's all remember Justice Lambert when he comes up for re-election. Russell Overstreet Liberty

Jessamine County legislators breathed a sigh of relief when it came to local projects included in the state budget, as they all survived Gov. Ernie Fletcher's pen during the veto session. However, one item which was axed was the plan that called for renovations of locks and dams along the Kentucky River, something that is of great concern for Rep. Bob Damron, D-Nicholasville. "I'm a little concerned about Dam 9," he said. "I think it's going to impact all of central Kentucky.