The Democrat Debate

The democrat “debate,” actually a bit of campaigning, just as was the republican “debate” a week before, that took place on KET-TV 16 April featured seven candidates questioned by two newsman for two hours. I listened to the first hour but very little of the second, figuring, on the basis of the repetition already displayed, that it would be mostly a rehash, though I did get in on some of the gasoline-tax discussion. Gatewood Galbraith made his pitch to the common folks – the moms and pops – and promised leadership to rescue the party. He had the guts and the gumption to expose KERA for the sham that it is, blasted “no child left behind,” and insisted that education must be better funded, citing a decrease of eight points from a few years ago.

House Speaker Jody Richards promised to bring vision, plan, leadership, and integrity to the office. He decried the system of hiring and firing every four years that has been in place as a matter of course, apparently not realizing that he was slamming his own party in no uncertain terms. He didn’t explain why a “merit bill” was not passed this year, but slammed Senate President Williams in the pension matter. He spoke of importing drugs from Canada for seniors and lavished praise upon KERA while slamming NCLB. He was not for differentials in teachers’ pay but claimed they should all get a raise. His strangest suggestion had to do with establishing a “Principal Academy,” apparently not familiar with what principals went through in both classes and huge notebooks soon after the passage of KERA in 1990.

Otis Hensley didn’t say much, but made it clear that he is against legalizing any more gambling enterprises, that the legislature should get rid of KERA, and that teachers should be paid uniformly.

Bruce Lunsford did for this session what fellow millionaire Billy Harper did in the republican session, namely, extol the value of having a businessman in the governor’s chair. He made no opening speech, preferring a moment of silence for those in the Virginia Tech tragedy. Strange. Gatewood accused him of not knowing which party he’s in, and that was the best line of the evening. Lunsford promised to make jobs, said he is not against raising cigarette taxes, praised KERA and slammed the legislature for hurting it.

Steve Beshear acknowledged the administration as the “amateur hour” or something like that and extolled his experience as legislator, attorney general, and lieutenant governor. He said he would surround himself with the best people and strengthen the merit system. He slammed the pardons, mentioning four years, which was strange, since that took in part of the Patton era, in which a democrat governor pardoned four men charged with felonies. Maybe he meant to do that. He was for no new taxes, but expressed support for more gambling. He said gaming proceeds are needed for funding education, but did not mention that this was supposed, at one time at least, to be the purpose of the lottery. That didn’t happen, of course.

Jonathan Miller was the self-appointed pit bull, making much of his opportunities, a la Northup a week earlier, to hurl invective at Governor Fletcher. He said there needed to be less conversation and more action. He accused Fletcher of criminally assaulting the merit system, made the strongest outcry for more gambling (in this case, in behalf of funds for health care), and declared that KERA must be changed, including installing all-day kindergarten.

Steve Henry was the best speaker and called attention to himself as a husband, father, and physician. He made pitches for help for the veterans and mentioned that Governor Patton’s great cabinet was 40% republican, probably not realizing the boost he was giving the wrong side. He seemed to be making the point that he could manage a non-partisan government. He spoke of health-saving-plans and favored all-day kindergarten.

Probably all but Hensley would like to see increased gambling come to the state. The consensus was that education is in bad shape, and some of the candidates actually put their fingers on the problem – KERA, probably the worst legislation of the last century. The consensus was that more money needs to be thrown at education, the usual fix-all whenever the problem is mentioned. One hopes that some day a candidate will simply declare that a disciplined, standardized, structured statewide program of education must be brought on line and that not even that will solve the problem until parents consider realistically the importance of education and discipline their children in behalf of their accomplishing learning.