Lobbyists vs Citizens: Danger or Opportunity

On Tuesday of next week, Jan. 3, the 2006 session of the Kentucky General Assembly will open. We stand this year in a unique situation with special opportunities for positive government and an agenda promulgated by the citizens, or in a time of special danger when the lobbyists paid by the large corporate interests and professional groups may determine the legislation that will be passed.

Let me explain this opportunity, and the concomitant danger.

First, the status of gubernatorial power, or lack thereof: No matter how you view the on-going investigation into the hiring practices of the Fletcher administration, most people agree that our governor is badly weakened, with very little political power to move legislation or to persuade the citizenry one way or another about various issues. He has made very few public speeches in the past 6 months, and has, on several occasions, declined to take a position on important matters such as expanded gambling, increasing the cigarette tax, addressing the critical financial needs of the Medicaid program, doing something about the fact that state employee pension programs are only 75% funded, and focussing much needed attention on public education and our higher education system. Instead, in a recent letter sent to his constituents, Gov. Fletcher mentions only: "You have probably heard about some of the items we will address in the next 100 days: Ten Commandments legislation, right to work legislation and medical malpractice reform, among others. " These are not the critical issues facing Kentucky in 2006. There will be little leadership from the Executive Branch of government unless Governor Fletcher digs a little deeper.

Second, the status of the legislature: the legislature continues to face a situation in which the Democrats control the House, and the Republicans control. the Senate. Political realism says that the Democrats in either chamber are not going to make it any easier for the Governor to have any successes in generating revenue for "special projects" or for the more massive needs of education and health care. Further, they are divided amongst themselves, it seems to me, into various cliques. The Speaker of the House only barely retained his position and does not have a lot of political capital to spend. In the other chamber, the Senate Republicans will be worried about spill over from low public opinion polls of both the Bush and Fletcher administrations, at the federal and state levels, and are not going to be willing to rock the boat very much. All of the State Representatives and half of the State Senators must file for re-election by January 27. Nothing much, for sure, of any consequence will happen until legislators determine whether they will face opposition for their seat, and just who will be opposing them.

Thus, we could find ourselves in a terrible stalemate. Or...

We could also find ourselves having legislation enacted that suits the whims and power of the hundreds of lobbyists that will over-run Frankfort. Last year, someone told me that there were nearly 1000 lobbyists registered in Frankfort. There are only 138 legislator: 100 in the House, and 38 in the Senate. A ten to one (10 to 1) ratio of lobbyists to legislators does not bode well for legislation that will benefit anybody other than the "special interests".

Or...

We could find ourselves in the very unique position as citizens of being able to push forward a positive legislative agenda in education, health care reform, economic development, and tax reform that would benefit all of Kentucky, from our least and most vulnerable citizens to the strongest, and most able among us.

Now is the time for citizens to be more active than ever before. Call your Representative and Senator before the session starts. Sign up for the Kentucky Council of Churches legislative action alert network. Encourage your fellow church members to do the same. The voice of the church needs to be heard.

1. Urge them to work for legislation that will improve our schools, not take us down narrow sectarian paths and arguments about posting the Ten Commandments. Let's post the Ten Commandments in our hearts, in our homes, and in our churches. Let's not go where Dover, Pennsylvania or the state of Kansas have tried to go in micromanaging the science curriculum in our schools; let's leave those matters to scientists and educators. Let's teach our conviction that the world belongs to God, and that God is our creator in our homes, and in our churches.

2. Urge your legislator not to allow further reductions in care for our poor children, our elderly, the disabled. Tell them that it is important that they use the fiscal surplus to fully fund Medicaid. Tell them also that the crisis in Kentucky and in other states is evidence that national health care reform is essential. The concern about medical malpractice reform is a tempest in a teapot. There is solid proof that the insurance companies have raised doctor's malpractice premiums based on false reporting of what they have had to pay out. Futher there is solid proof that Kentucky has not suffered a decline in anesthesiologists, surgeons, or ob/gyns.

3. Urge your legislator not to believe all the false information and sugary temptations of "easy money" that gambling interests will promote during the upcoming session. We face the strongest push ever to allow casino gambling, or slots everywhere, in Kentucky. We have only to look to Indiana to see that it does not solve a state's fiscal problems; it does not rescue cities (like Gary) from economic decline. We have only to look to West Virginia to see the gambling interests whining that now that Pennsylvania will have slots at their race tracks (and boy you should hear all the sleazy news stories coming out of Pennsylvania), that West Virginia has to expand gambling yet again, and now allow table games...poker, etc., in addition to all of their racinos, and slots. It never ends. It eventually destroys the local economies, as well as the qualityi of life, of the communities that have casinos. More on this later.

We stand at the gate of the year and as at no other time in my 15 years of working the legislature, citizens can determine the agenda, merely by calling their legislators, by writing them, by telling them what you believe Kentucky really needs for our long-term future well-being.

Do your job! Be good citizens! Be engaged and involved. Read the newspapers, the blogs. Keep informed. We can stand together to create an even more beautiful, more healthy, and better educated Kentucky.

In hope always, for justice, peace, and unity,

Nancy Jo (a.k.a., The Church Lady)