Whattya mean it’s 2012 and Kerri Richardson still doesn’t realize that you don’t have a scan a printed document to get the governor’s remarks out to the press?

Yep.

They scanned a printed copy of Steve Beshear’s remarks on gambling before the State Senate yesterday:

CLICK FOR PDF

Thought it’d be a good idea for you read them all before the big vote comes today.

(Yes, we realize they scan documents to make it tougher for people to get to the bottom of things.)

The full Senate is expected to vote on horsey gambling today. What are your predictions this morning? [H-L]

Here’s more on the West Liberty man shot and killed by police yesterday. The guy, Jimmy Hill, came out of his house allegedly brandishing a knife and machete. So they shot him. Directly across the street from an elementary school that had kids on the playground. [WLEX18]

First Chris Christie ate gay marriage. Now he’s trying to eat Warren Buffett? [Politico]

Here’s more on why that mortgage deal Jack Conway bent over and took like a champ is bogus. Several states are using the funds from the deal to close budget gaps. So much for helping struggling homeowners. [HuffPo]

So much for going after shady mortgage deals in Kentucky. [C-J/AKN]

You sure can’t drive around Nicholasville these days. At least not if you don’t want to get shot to death while driving your car. [WKYT]

Thursday morning pee alert! Oh well, bad haircuts are their own form of Pope-approved contraception, so wingnuts should be pleased in the end, right? [Wonkette]

Doesn’t Rand Paul have more important things to do and to weigh in on than synthetic drugs? [BGDN]

Three Harlan County coal mining employees have been indicted. When will people learn that safety trumps profits? [H-L]

Of course the national debt will swell under top Republican tax plans. That’s how things work. It’s called Republican Hypocrisy. Same as Democratic Hypocrisy. [WaPo]

A federal judge says Washington state can’t force pharmacies to sell Plan B. So we’ll be starting up a wire coat hanger business really soon. [HuffPo]

Now Mitch McConnell says President Barack Obama’s budget is a charade and dead on arrival. But he’s still not offering an alternative or taking any responsibility for his own charades for the past several decades. [The Hill]

Cutting the corporate tax rate may be good for businesses but it seems silly while the average American is getting stiffed. [Reuters]

Wow, Steve Beshear essentially admitted that he lied about not discussing Harold Workman and the fair board. First instinct was to lie. Way to go, Papaw and crew. [The 'Ville Voice]

No one is surprised in the least that Greg Stumbo is going after Morehead State officials in retaliation for their decision to stand against his precious UPike idea to honor his political hero. You know what they say about people who live in glass whore houses on the top of a reclaimed coal mine. [H-L]

Of course the revised gambling bill retains a controversial horse track protection. Still dead in the water. [C-J/AKN]

Mittens Romney’s cult pals have once again posthumously baptized Anne Frank. They must think this is going to give them another planet to rule. When will Mittens disavow this bullshiz? [HuffPo & NPR]

From Gary Moore: Last week I am proud to announce that I signed the Americans for Tax Reform Pledge. [Email Blast]

Following the money in Liberia is leading to discovery of all kinds of corruption. Following the money in Frankfort yields the same results. [Pro Publica]

If Republicans weren’t hellbent on being closet case gays who want nothing more than to control a woman’s uterus, they’d allow Democrats to televise the contraception hearing. [Politico]

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau says it’s looking to overhaul rules on overdraft fees. This could be good news for consumers, maybe? [NPR]

What will happen with the horsey gambling bill in the State Senate now? [Ryan Alessi]

Naturally, Rick Santorum is making free prenatal screenings a campaign issue. Because that makes so much sense. [WLEX18]

Remember when Rick Santorum used to love abortion, for his wife? [Wonkette]

Autopsy results on a Magoffin County man have come back nearly a year after his body was found. The family of Jerry Rowe, Jr., says they are not happy with the results. [WYMT]

Looks like the King Coal investigation is creeping up the corporate ladder. Gary may, former Upper Big Branch Mine superintendent, is facing criminal prosecution. [HuffPo]

Did you miss Mitch McConnell on Face the Nation on the 12th?

Here he is talking about how he thinks Barack Obama will be beat:

Naturally, he had to pretend he knows anything about birth control and religion.

If it were really about the freedom of religion? They’d leave the rest of the Jesus junk behind. And he wouldn’t have agreed that he’d support any group with a “moral objection” standing against contraception.

Hearing reports from West Liberty that police shot a man. We’re withholding his name until we have more details.

No specifics yet on what led to the alleged officer-involved shooting.

The screw-ups with the Kentucky Democratic Republican Party aren’t a one-time thing.

Not even when it comes to spreading their own misinformation, directions, time, data, yadda, yadda.

A couple weeks ago we told you about this. But it happened at again!

Yesterday #1:

Dear Fellow Democrat,

As the political season fast approaches, I hope you’re as excited as I am to make 2012 as successful as 2011 was for Kentucky Democrats. Coming off our huge victories last year, the Kentucky Democratic Party is gearing up to continue to run competitively in every corner of the Commonwealth.

To help make 2012 a banner year for Kentucky Democrats, we’re holding a meeting for the folks who have helped us in the past and also to invite new voices to the party. Most importantly, we’ll be discussing the upcoming party reorganization, how to become a precinct captain and how to become a delegate to the State Democratic Convention in June.

Please join me, staff from the Kentucky Democratic Party and leaders from your local community to help plan our strategy for a winning 2012. All the information you need is below.

WHAT: 2012 KDP Strategy Session

WHEN: Wednesday, February 29th, 2012

WHERE: Hardin County Public Library

As usual, no time.

Yesterday #2:

WHAT: 2012 KDP Strategy Session

WHEN: Wednesday, February 29th, 2012, 6:00 PM

WHERE: Hardin County Public Library

And that’s why Democrats in Kentucky have no organized Party.

Apparently gotta keep everyone involved as confused as humanly possible.

In State Rep. Reggie Meeks’ weekly legislative session email blast, we discovered this hilarious tidbit:

Thankfully, now just about midway in the session, the pace continues to build. The Budget, of course, is the focus of attention as our various subcommittees continue to work. And as plans to build Patton U. (emphasis ours), eh, University of Pikeville, receive more public attention, there is a growing discussion of the need for — the impact of — and the statewide consequences for creating this proposed new institution. This will be an entertaining discussion, if for no other reason than it involves a number of high profile, well respected politicos.

Catch that? Patton U.

Hahaha.

It’s funny cause it’s true.

Last week we ran a story about Bowling Green and gambling.

Turns out the paper there isn’t the only one to come out and state its opinion.

Get a load of this Messenger-Inquirer editorial from Owensboro:

On Tuesday, Beshear introduced a bill sponsored by Republican Sen. Damon Thayer of Georgetown that will add up to seven casinos — five of them connected to horse tracks — around the state. Part of the governor’s strategy is making it into a “voters decsion” by placing the casino amendment on the ballot if it passes the General Assembly.

We also found it no coincidence that on the previous Friday a coalition of business, labor and education groups came out in support of the governor’s “racino” initiative that sets an absurd criteria of where casinos can go in the state and unfairly gives a clear advantage to horse track owners.

What better way to provide cover for the governor and the legislators than to have David Adkisson, president of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and Stu Silberman, executive director of the Prichard Committee, backing expanded gaming.

Adkisson, former mayor of Owensboro, and Silberman, former Daviess County Public Schools superintendent, are two well-respected men in their fields who have now seemingly sold out.

How else can we explain them supporting casino gambling — something that goes against good business and education principles.

-SNIP-

Supposedly, Silberman has the blessing of several of Kentucky’s top educational groups — the Kentucky Education Action Team, which represents the Kentucky Parent Teacher Association, Kentucky School Boards Association and the Kentucky Association of School Councils.

But when we spoke to Frank Riney, the chairman of the Daviess County school board, and Nancy Eskridge, chairwoman of the Owensboro city school board, both said they were not in favor of using casinos to fund education.

-SNIP-

If our two local school board officials are against expanded gaming is Silberman really speaking for the majority of educators out there?

-SNIP-

No one is denying more money is needed for education. But Silberman and other educators are grasping for anything that generates a dollar when they should be fighting unfunded mandates and other state policies that rob school districts of precious funds.

-SNIP-

Further more, the General Assembly should not pass the buck by hiding behind the weak position that “the people should decide.” More importantly we should not provide constitutional distinction and protection to a tax through government-run gambling.

We must not provide constitutional standing to a business whose sole purpose is to make losers and not winners.

That’s taking two of the favorite sons to the woodshed for being accomplices if we’ve ever seen such.

Ouch.

No wonder this effort is seemingly dead in the water.

Really, ouch:

The commonwealth’s other long-term liabilities are high, with the funding level for the Kentucky Employees Retirement System (KERS) only 36.1% as of June 30, 2011, down from 97.3% funded as of June 30, 2003. Funding levels for the commonwealth’s other retirement systems are better but have deteriorated as well due to investment losses and the failure to fully fund annually required contributions. Some pension reforms have been enacted requiring more years of service and higher retirement age for certain workers, with the goal of reducing the future liabilities of the state’s pension systems. The reform legislation also mandated increased annual pension funding but allows fifteen years to reach full funding of the ARC, in the case of KERS, and slightly shorter ramp up periods for the other systems. As a result, the funded status of the pension system is likely to decline significantly before it begins to improve and future pension payment requirements will place a greater demand on budgetary resources than would have otherwise been the case.

All because of the nasty, underfunded pension.

There’s a movement under way to oust Harold Workman from the Kentucky State Fair Board. It needs to happen. This is the first sign that the board has life in it in a long time. Unfortunately, it may be too little, too late. The state owes Ed Hart tons of money while workman rakes in hundreds of thousands per year. [C-J/AKN]

OMG when will all of the gross Rick Santorum headlines go away?! [Wonkette]

What’s with these religiounuts constantly questioning how much Barack Obama loves Jesus? And, really, who gives a flip? [HuffPo]

The editorial board is pointing out Greg Stumbo’s hypocrisies and pettiness over the University of Pikeville push. [H-L]

Is it good that a collections agency is expanding in Covington? Or is it a sign that the economy is still in the crapper? [WLWT & Amanda Van Benschoten's Replacement]

What? The government guaranteeing a private prison company a 90 percent occupancy rate? Really? [Click the Clicky]

Basically, you can’t go to Lexington without getting shot to death by a bunch of teenagers. [WKYT]

President Barack Obama’s approval numbers are in positive territory for the first time since May. [Daily Kos]

Well-known politico and state employee Charles Wells died in a fire in Scott County last night. Everybody’s thoughts are with his family. [WLEX18]

Are skills mismatches causing high unemployment? Not quite. And all those alleged vacancies? Not even based in reality. [HuffPo]

If you missed it last week, be sure to read this column from Ronnie Ellis about Kentuckians maybe not trusting their elected officials to make decisions about gambling. [Ashland Independent]

Not even Maryland hates the gays anymore. But Kentucky? Gotta make sure a gay can’t look at you cross-eyed. [Reuters]

What happens if the Supreme Court tosses affirmative action aside? Besides setting the country back a million years, that is. [WaPo]