Jefferson Review

"Your Liberty is Our Interest"

Home /  Archives / Search / Links / Quotes / Book Reviews / Advertise /Contact us / Subscribe / Calendar

Commentary - Kentucky Dems Spending and Smearing; Churchill Downs Flea-Bitten; and Blame it on Big Business

by Theresa Fritz Camoriano

1.  Kentucky Dems Spending and Smearing -    The Kentucky legislature did not pass a budget, so Governor Patton is now trying to continue running the government without the benefit of a budget.  This puts him in murky waters, since the executive branch does not have the authority to spend money any way it chooses, without the legislature's approval.  The Kentucky state treasurer has filed a lawsuit asking for permission to keep writing the checks. Fortunately, the Republicans have intervened in the lawsuit to argue in favor of the normal checks and balances and the rule of law.

           Unfortunately, the Democrat party has launched a massive advertising campaign trying to smear Republican Senators Seum, Denton, and Williams, accusing them of all kinds of evil intentions for supporting intervention in this lawsuit.  Even some major Democrat lawmakers have objected to this misleading and vengeful campaign.  We can only hope that the voters will understand what is happening.  If they do, the Democrat smear campaign will backfire, and voters will support Senators Seum, Denton, and Williams for striving to uphold the rule of law.

2.      Churchill Downs Flea-bitten?  - As the old saying goes, "If you lie down with dogs, you'll wake up with fleas."  Churchill Downs was trying to swing a deal that would give it special tax breaks in order to help fund a large construction project.  Louisville's Aldermen wanted to tie lots of strings onto the project, in order to curry favor with labor unions.  Apparently, the strings made the deal so unappealing that Churchill Downs has backed out.  While we cannot blame any business or individual from trying to get a break from the oppressive taxes under which we all labor, isn't it time to recognize that lying down with the dogs to try to get special favors just results in more red tape, harmful distortions in the economy, and lots of flea bites?  The only way to achieve real economic development is to cut taxes for everyone.  Instead of each business lobbying for special treatment and then suffering from all the flea bites, business leaders should finally get smart and join together to promote lower taxes and equal treatment for everyone. (Note:  It appears that the deal has now been struck, and Churchill Downs will accept the tax break, with modified strings attached.  But all these special deals that we are seeing are clear indicators that we have dumped the concept of equal justice under the law.  This puts us right on track to become a third world country -- not exactly the direction in which we should be headed.)

3.      Blame it on Big Business? - These days, after Enron and other business scandals, many politicians are trying to make hay with voters by beating up on big business.  Of course, there are crooks in corporate America, just as there are crooks in churches, in government, and on street corners, and we must have laws, courts, police and jails in order to defend honest people against the crooks.  But let's not forget the positive aspects of business.  Don't forget that business supplies us with abundant food, clothing, housing, medicines, and all the other material benefits that make our lives comfortable.  The level of abundance and prosperity that has been reached thanks to business is nothing short of miraculous.  If we take these benefits for granted and encourage politicians to engage in an anti-business feeding frenzy that destroys our basic legal foundations, we will do great harm. 

          Just remember that the very same politicians who claim to be taking up for the little guy against big business also prosper from their own business investments, benefit from their spouses' lobbying activities on behalf of big business, and hand over piles of your tax money to big business in the form of corporate welfare. The very same government that loses billions of tax dollars and cannot balance its own books now thinks it is capable of running businesses.  We need to keep our heads on straight and proceed with great caution.  Sticking with the basics of strong respect for property rights, for freedom of contract, and for the rule of law would be a good start.

Weather (Louisville) / Mapquest / Search / White Pages / Business Search / CNN / Dictionary / E-card / MSN