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Forward Kentucky
Taking stock one year after a bank staff meeting was turned into a bloodbath
April 10 marks one year since a mentally unstable 25-year-old walked into Old National Bank in Louisville and shot five people to death — Thomas Elliott, James Tutt Jr., Juliana Farmer, Joshua Barrick, Deana Eckert — and injured eight, including Nickolas Wilt, a young police officer who was shot in the head and miraculously survived.
Beshear vetoes sweeping anti-crime bill along with parts of state budget
Democratic Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear issued a number of vetoes Tuesday including rejecting a sweeping anti-crime bill pushed by Jefferson County Republicans and strongly opposed by Democrats, arguing House Bill 5 is a costly and “unwieldy” bill. HB 5, primarily sponsored by Rep. Jared Bauman, had received opposition...
White rural rage
Donald Trump keeps saying he’s the champion of forgotten “real Americans,” mostly meaning conservative white folks, notably those in rural America. Millions of rural whites keep believing him. He feeds their anger and resentment at what they see as their loss of “real American” status in an America that’s growing more urban and diverse and less rural and white.
On casting a ‘protest vote’ for RFK Jr.
Normally, I consider an anonymous or pseudonym-signed reply to an online story as Exhibit A of profiles in cowardice. (Letters published in newspapers must have genuine John Hancocks.) But I’m making an exception for “mrmxbn’s” retort to Meryl Kornfield’s Washington Post story about how narcissistic nut-job Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s...
This week’s VOK poll: the ‘Safer Kentucky Act’
For our second Voice of Kentucky poll, we’re going to take a look at House Bill 5, otherwise known as the “Safer Kentucky Act.” This is a massive bill, which tens of changes all across our criminal justice system. The most notable feature of it, though, is that it dramatically increases punishments for a number of crimes, and expands the definition of “violent crime” in the state.
Governor Beshear – Please read this
Repeatedly in recent weeks, Governor Andy Beshear has come out in favor of HB 509, a bill that would dramatically weaken Kentucky’s Open Records laws. The Governor has tried to assure citizens the bill would result in more transparency, not less. The Governor is wrong; this bill will inevitably lead to the public’s business being done in private.
First ‘Voice of Kentucky’ poll closes – see the results
On Monday of this past week, we put up our first “Voice of Kentucky” poll, a new feature that we will be running every week. Voting in the poll is open to all ForwardKY members, both free and paid. The question was straightforward, and based on an issue...
KY House candidate TJ Roberts denies antisemitic chat reported by Hatewatch
Northern Kentucky state legislative candidate TJ Roberts is accused of making antisemitic statements in a 2017 private chat, the website Hatewatch reported Wednesday. Roberts, a Burlington Republican, denied the comments attributed to him in an email to LINK nky Thursday. Hatewatch — a website feature of the Southern Poverty Law...
Yes, efforts to eliminate DEI programs are rooted in racism
Right-wing activists who have long criticized liberalism and “wokeness” in higher education and helped force the resignation of Claudine Gay, Harvard University’s first African American president, have now set their sights on ending the diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, programs that these activists claim helped place figures like Gay in her job in the first place.
The session is basically over
The last legislative day before the veto period has happened, so Robert and Jazmin recapped everything that passed which can survive Andy Beshear’s veto, and everything that didn’t pass. Plus, a deep dive into this biennium’s budget. Jazmin holds a J.D. from the UK College of Law...
Here are the five vetoed bills (so far)
We’re now in the “veto days” portion of the legislative session, where the legislators stop working and the governor starts working, by either signing or vetoing the bills that have passed both chambers and been sent to him. As of today, Governor Beshear has vetoed five bills....
Rule 303, school guardians, and SROs
Years ago, Beau of the Fifth Column did a video explaining Rule 303, and then applying it to school resources officers (SROs). Since Kentucky now has armed “guardians” in our schools, in addition to the SROs, I thought it would be timely to share this video. If you are an SRO or a school guardian, or know someone who is, encourage them to watch this. And take note of these three concepts:
Christian pastor: In a Christian nationalist America women should lose the right to vote
Pastor Joel Webbon thinks half of Americans should be stripped of the right to vote. Not coincidentally, it is the same half whom the Supreme Court has denied the right to bodily self-autonomy. This diminishment of women’s political rights is the position of a beta male. A man whose only route to significance is a biblical beat down of women.
Hey Repubs – you okay with this?
The above photo is of the back of a pickup truck, with a “wrap” on the tailgate of the truck. The wrap shows President Biden, seemingly hogtied and kidnapped. Some people say they see a bullet wound in Biden’s forehead. The photo was posted on Twitter. Donald...
Make your voice heard in our first “Voice of Kentucky” poll!
Hello, and welcome to our very first “Voice of Kentucky” poll! We are excited to add this new feature to Forward Kentucky, and excited to hear what YOU have to say. Each Monday, we will post a new poll question on some current topic, policy, or issue. The poll will be open until Thursday evening, then we will gather the results and share them on Friday.
An interview with Jamie Palumbo
We talk with Jamie Palumbo, who is running for District 76 in the KY House, the seat currently held by his mother (who is retiring). We dig into why he's running, and what issues are top of mind for him. (Website) Podcast version.
A rant about HB 509, open records, and legislators’ ignorance
This is a rant about House Bill 509, the Kentucky General Assembly’s most recent assault on the open records law whose fate remains undecided. This is not a calmly reasoned and dispassionate analysis of HB 509. This rant about House Bill 509 is motivated by a growing awareness that...
Outside billionaires are pushing charter schools for KY – will we let them win?
As the last days of the Kentucky General Assembly unfold, big-dollar lobbyists in Frankfort are pushing their most controversial bills toward passage. Lobbyists recently shoved their private school voucher amendment across the finish line to set up a massive fight this fall between Kentucky taxpayers and a handful of multi-billionaires who probably couldn’t find this state on a map.
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