By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette
Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear just can’t say no to expanded gaming. In his budget address to the Kentucky General Assembly, he included revenue from expanded gaming legislation that hasn’t been approved nor is likely to gain approval. Is this the governor’s political version of football’s “Hail Mary” pass? Or is there some part of “no” that he doesn’t understand?
Beshear’s proposed budget included $780 million in revenue derived from expanded gambling at Kentucky’s horse tracks.
It is no secret that Gov. Beshear has long since given up being governor of the people of Kentucky, and become the governor for the gambling lobby. Beshear’s budget plan sounds like the work of a desperate man, clinging to a nearly impossible — even irrational – dream of getting his promise of expanded gambling through the General Assembly. Even those in his own party were left shaking their heads after his budget address Tuesday night.
House Speaker Greg Stumbo (D-Prestonsburg) is quoted in the Herald-Leader saying “He’s built his budget on legislation that I assume he has been working on passing. And we wish him the best of luck in doing that.”
On Wednesday House Democrats met to gauge support for Beshear’s gambling proposal; Stumbo reported there was no sentiment in the House in favor of Beshear’s plan.
In Wednesday’s Herald-Leader, state Rep. Mary Lou Marzian, D-Louisville, called the plan “delusional.”
I couldn’t agree more.
And as if made-to-order, the Gazette’s newsroom received the following Gov. Beshear-related parody of the catchy “I Cain’t Say No” from the musical Oklahoma! To listen to the parody, called I’m Just A Governor Who Can’t Say No, click the music player below (there’s a few seconds of a music prelude before the verses begin).
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
For those who don’t want to hear the song, the lyrics follow below.
I’m Just A Governor Who Can’t Say No
By A. Nonymous (with apologies to Rodgers & Hammerstein)
I’m just a Governor who can’t say no
Gambling is my favorite thing,
With or without the people’s votes
I’m gonna hear those slots ring!
For a while I tried to build sympathy,
By overstating our financial woes.
But I found that voters don’t believe
An honest politician — heaven knows!
I’m just a Governor who can’t say no
I’ll keep on hammering this cause
More gambling will cure our money blahs
We don’t need to change the stinkin’ laws
I can’t say no!
Whatcha gonna do when lobbyists get chummy,
Start talking campaign money,
Whatcha gonna do?
Supposin’ that he says your support is necessary,
We’ll trash your adversary,
Whatcha gonna do?
Supposin’ that he says that you’re needed on the team
Ignore what your constituents say,
Whatcha gonna do when he talks that way?
Turn him away? Hell NO!
I’m just a Governor who can’t say no
My budget’s in a terrible fix
The racetracks are saying “C’mon let’s go!”
Just when David Williams said “Nix!”
When reporters try to talk to me,
I always tell them gaming lobby crap,
Because their friends fund campaigns for me
And they promise to fill up my budget gap!
I’m just a Governor who can’t say no,
I can’t be subtle or quaint
I ain’t the type whose a saint
Don’t expect me to be what I ain’t!
I can’t say NO!
-30-
