Al Cross Blisters Beshear's Political Ability
If you didn't read Al Cross' Sunday column, you missed a lot of love for Crit LuAllen and this scathing critique of Governor Beshear's political operation:
Beshear seems to need focus and organization.
After getting elected on a platform of casinos by way of referendum, the Governor failed to push it strongly enough in the legislature. After switching to the alternative of slot machines at racetracks via legislative votes alone, he failed to assemble the broad coalition of interests that is needed to make such a major change in public policy.
Beshear said he wanted a "clean bill" that didn't dedicate the state's revenue from slots, and when that didn't gain enough support, he had to go along with House Speaker Greg Stumbo's gambit to build schools in districts whose representatives voted for the bill. What if Beshear had started by making clear to education, health and social-service advocates that racetrack slots would give the state the revenue needed to support their causes, and getting them to campaign for the bill? The result might have been different. That's hindsight, but it does seem that his office needs better strategists and tacticians.
It wasn't just hindsight to most people, Al.
