1. A/G Beshear has ruled that blocking protesters entrance to our
Capitol was illegal. This opinion does not have the force of law (as his
opinions do in other areas) but they are guidance to state officials
and agencies. KSP & the Governor’s office may have the final say
here. Now that Beshear is officially running for governor (surprise!), I
would hope Gov. Bevin would accept the A/G’s opinion, but I wouldn’t
bet on it.
2. Even more so I wouldn’t bet the guv would accept the court’s
opinion in another case. Franklin Circuit Judge Shepherd (the one he
called a “hack”) has ruled the state must pay the Courier-Journal $33K
in legal fees because it illegally withheld public records as to
stockholders in a joint state-private firm, Braidy Industries. The court
upheld A/G Beshear’s opinion that the state could not do this—because
public money was involved. Now the guv has a right to appeal this
decision. I hope he won’t—you & I have a right to know how OUR money
is being invested—but I wouldn’t bet on it.
3. Because Kentucky (and many other states) allow nursing homes to
report on their staffing problems voluntarily (that means UNverified by a
public agency) we haven’t known if the homes followed state law
requiring minimum levels of staffing. That’s important for the well-being
and health of our loved ones. But now we know. The NY Times citing data
gathered under the Affordable Care act (Obamacare) shows many homes
violated staffing laws, thus providing inadequate care. I would hope
state legislators would follow up next year and require such data to be
made public here. But I wouldn’t bet on it. Instead, watch for the
nursing home industry to lobby Congress to remove that provision of
Obamacare so we won’t know of their less-than-adequate care of our
family members.
4. Largely overlooked by the media when the Supreme Court upheld
the latest version of the Trump discriminatory travel ban (thank you
Judge Gorsuch and Mitch) was a footnote saying the 1944 decision
UPHOLDING the wartime internment of US citizens of Japanese ancestry of
that same Supreme Court was probably wrong. News reports conflict but
PBS’s able court reporter said the court couldn’t bring itself to go all
the way. Downright shame. This modern Dred Scott decision has been law
for much too long. I want to bet this one will eventually be overturned,
but with the upcoming conservative court planned by Pres. Trump, that
may not happen...either.
Elections have consequences.
Whatever your views, your failure to vote has even more.
I'm just sayin'...
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