Harriette Seiler's thoughts on ALEC

"I didn't even know about ALEC until about a month ago, and I was shocked. And I think of myself as fairly savvy politically," says Harriette Seiler.

Update 10:57 PM:
Listen to your truly explain how the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) is relevant in my State Senate Race against 35th District incumbent Senator Denise Harper Angel, who has been identified as a member of ALEC by the Center for Media and Democracy.


See Louisville Courant: ALEC's Denise Harper Angel opposing the EPA for more information on that.

And a link to most of the photos I took in a Facebook album: Occupy Louisville's Rally against ALEC

UPDATE: 2/29/2012 11:35 PM
Senator Harper Angel makes statement to the Courier-Journal: Occupy Louisville protest at KFC Yum! Center is peaceful

 “It’s a Republican-based group. I work in a Republican majority, and I need to know what their issues are...I only attended two meetings, in 2005 and 2006. After that, I considered my time better spent elsewhere.”- said Senator Harper Angel.

UPDATE: 3/01/2012 6:44 AM OH SHOOT I'M LATE FOR WORK:
And I want to thank WAVE 3's Mairi Sairi for defining ALEC on-air. Sairi's impressed me as a journalist with her probing questions and follow-up:

LMPD's corral idea didn't go over

"I didn't like it," said Occupy Louisville's Lark Phillips.
"Two things you don't want to see made by YUM!, Fried Chicken and laws," says Larry Hovekamp. (Clever Bismarck reference)

Protesting ALEC easier than driving by YUM!

Seriously, I couldn't make it through all this with a bicycle.
Only 45 minutes left, still no arrests. Yay.

Robbie Valentine acting like he in control

Still no arrests at Occupy Louisville's Rally against ALEC, the American Legislative Exchange Council. Cool.
Robbie Valentine, pictured below, just sent tall guy in white shirt to talk to Major Smith though. He must have got tipped off it's awkward for photos if they are standing beside each other.
Occupy Louisville participant Greg Huda just estimated we have about 50 people present with us.
"ALEC has 21 law firms at their fingertips, to write our laws...," occupier conducting GA...."Get your hands off our laws!" now be repeatedly chanted.

LMPD getting cold

LMPD putting on gloves cause they say they're cold. Right. It's 73 degrees.
Oh something is happening. Barricade guys here.

YUM! guy calling LMPD shots?

Well-dressed African American gentleman came out just now to discuss the coming barricades.
Major Smith says barricades going up between now and 5:30 PM.
Pam just did mik-check, GA on spot about plan is to sit down when arrest action(?) starts.
(Our awesome attorney just called to remind us, he's awesome.)

update 11:14 pm
I now know that gentleman is Robbie Valentine, with YUM! Arena.

Occupy Louisville 1/3 way thru, no arrests, but...

Today's #F29 Rally against ALEC is arrest-free as of 5 PM. Major James Smith telling WAVE 3 reporter behind me they're about to ask us to move as pedestrian traffic for game picks up.

LMPD brought horses to ALE protest

We're not getting in bullpen so they'll probably arrest us. Thanks, Greg.
Compassionate city, eh?

Baxter Av closed, if you're in a wheelchair

While automobiles, cyclists and pedestrians can easily travel North and South on Baxter Avenue today, there are others to consider. How would one negotiate an intersection in a wheelchair where opposing corners are under construction with no curb cuts?

As I type, an elderly woman pushing her agitated son in a wheelchair, accompanied by two feisty little dogs, turns back South on Baxter.

"They make it hard for you, don't they?" I ask.

"Yep," she says, not stopping to chat. If she stopped every time she has to turn back she'd never get anything done.

Google News Alerts in order for:
Councilman Tom Owen
Mayor Greg Fischer

Rick Pitino, who is that?

Occupy Louisville story was just published by CJ's Dan Klepal. Huge improvement over the piece from this morning,  that well, I'm just not going to post here. But this is good.

Courier-Journal: Police to set aside space outside KFC Yum! arena for Occupy Louisville protest

 "Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino said Tuesday that he wasn’t aware that there was an Occupy Louisville movement, but didn’t think they would disrupt the game, which is after the scheduled end of the protest."- Rick Pitino 

I've never heard of this Rick Pitino guy, but someone told me he must be a friend John Schnatter's, because he has unlimited access to his two lear jets kept at Clark County Airport. 

I don't care what he does for a living, either, as long as he's kept away from young people, especially African Americans, because he obviously has no earthly clue about the world they're about to enter.

 Please RT:

@Rick_Pitino I wasn't aware Louisville had a college ball team, but don't think you would disrupt @OccupyLou #F29 ow.ly/9lSzU
— curtis morrison (@SenatorAwesome) February 29, 2012

This is what we're doing Wednesday afternoon at 4 PM at YUM! Center. if you don't want to protest, you might want to just come and watch. And, please bring video cameras. RSVP, Share and invite all your frens on on Facebook: Occupy Louisville - #F29 Rally to Shut Down ALEC

Stuff I left out at Labor Council interview

From my campaign's website, under 'Priorities': 

"Pro-labor. Louisville is a union town. I know first-hand the value of organized labor because my father was a union ironworker with Local 70, and my stepfather, a UAW union steward at International Harvester.

Yorkie dog missing in Highlands

And he's so cute! Share this on FB, etc. Thx.

Mayor thinks I think for my dog. Ha.

No seriously, this tweet question was from Boomer.
A car almost clipped him and me on Baxter a few days ago and the look he gave me totally said it's time to ask the mayor about this. And so here's the mayor's answer. Apparently, he thinks he has 25 years.

Earlier in the day, and on behalf of Boomer, I had tweeted all 3 of our 8th District Louisville Metro Council candidates what they could to make our streets safer. I received responses only from candidate Bryan Mathews, and here's what he had to say:

 Still no answer from candidates Mason J. Roberts or the incumbent Councilman Tom Owen.

Remains from LMPD action against peaceful Occupy Louisville demonstrators

Did LMPD use dramatic yellow caution tape, too?
Besides the Caution tape, a sign in trash that says "Chase Got a Bailout," (I retrieved), and an LMPD cruiser still parked at Starbucks, all quiet on the scene. So anyone have news on the detained?

Fwd: Occupy Louisville demonstrator(s) arrested at direct action opposing foreclosures

I wasn't at protest, but per twitter reports, 5 Occupy Louisville protesters were detained, possibly arrested, and according to tweet below one is on her way to police station now following demonstration at Chase Bank Baxter Avenue on foreclosure issue.

RT @gatonegro502: RT @alyjaye03: In route to police station. Abuse and lies ... Now who's comin to bail my ass out ? 

Occupy Louisville demonstration at Chase Bank

Occupy Louisville's demonstration against JP Morgan Chase's foreclosure actions in full swing. It started at 1AM at Chase's Highlands branch location.

A trite gay mystery, not quite yet solved

Metro Expre... Screenshot 2/24/

Gary M. Dunn, or Gary Max Dunn is a Former FBI agent who is now a private investigator (Indiana License # PD 10400062) based in Bloomington, Indiana.  Dunn was an expert defense witness in one or two of the murder trials against David Camm. Camm's wife and two children were found murdered at their Georgetown, Indiana home a very, very long time ago. There's another trial coming up, so maybe Dunn will be a witness in that one, too.

No contract between Drumanard owners and KYTC

Per KYTC, there's no purchase contract  between the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the Drumanard estate owner, the Soterion Corporation. 

If it is true KYTC is negotiating to waste a few million on purchasing the estate, then I'd like to know how much more that will make the tolls? 5 cents/crossing? $0.50/crossing? 

KYTC owes it to us to give us the math.

Legislative candidates still twiddling thumbs

@BGPolitics: KY Supreme Court ends oral arguments on legislative redistricting lawsuit; not known when it will make decision.
Original Message:
http://twitter.com/BGPolitics/status/173074809809403906

Outdoor use electrical cord protectors for Occupy, please?

To maintain compliance with our permit with IPL, Occupy Louisville requires 2 or 3 electrical cord protectors approved for outdoor use. If you have any, please consider lending or donating them to the occupation at Founder's Square, or making a financial contribution here: http://occupylouisville.org/needs/ to fund their purchase! 

Contact David Barfield (jdavidbarfield@gmail.com ) onsite at Founder's Square if you have any questions.

Also, tonight Occupy Louisville Direct Action Workgroup meeting to plan upcoming ALEC demonstration for February 29th: LC: Occupy Louisville Direct Action #F29 planning this Thursday.

That demonstration, which is set for next Wednesday, also has a Facebook event now: Occupy Louisville - #F29 Rally to Shut Down ALEC. Please RSVP, share on your wall, and invite all your friends who are not corporations. :-P

 

Occupy Louisville Direct Action #F29 planning this Thursday

There is an Occupy Louisville Direct Action planning meeting is set for Thursday night at 7 PM.  This planning meeting will be at the BRYCC House's new location in the office bldg. where Louise Cecil Costumes is housed. (Between College St & Breckinridge St.) There's an off-street parking lot. This is our last planning session prior to the national day of action against ALEC action, which will be on February 29, 4-7 pm at 2nd and Main, outside the YUM Center.

Granville T. Woods' role in industrial revolution

Think about how empowering it must have been for Woods to have beaten Edison in a lawsuit?

Only 8 more days of African American History month. If you have young people in your life, share with them the story of Granville T. Woods.

Or you could tell them about the Black teenager who staged sit-ins that let to the integation of street cars in Louisville, beginning May 12, 1871.

Or, if you're feeling really ambitious, you could try to explain why Malcolm X was assassinated on this very day in 1965.

SHOCKER! Tom Owen's 1st tweet about past

Five Kentucky Democrats pictured at ALEC convention

What do these five Kentucky Democratic Party Legislators all have in common? Rep. Jim Gooch (D-12),  Rep. Charles Miller (D-28),  Rep. Ted Edmonds (D-91) , Rep. Larry Clark (D-46), Rep. Kevin Sinnette (D-100) 

ALEC's Denise Harper Angel opposing the EPA

Last July, the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) was sharing strategies on their website on how to stop the EPA from regulating greenhouse gas emissions. The graphic below appeared atop their webpage and information about Republican Kentucky State Representative Brian Smith's Anti-EPA bill, SB-116, was celebrated as one of the 'Strategies for State Legislators' below it.

Screenshot from ALEC.org 7/11/11 (Since removed)

This is the LRC summary of the bill Smith had introduced and the Senate had passed: 

"Urge Congress to adopt legislation prohibiting EPA from regulating greenhouse gas emissions; urge Congress to impose a moratorium on promulgation of any new air quality regulations by EPA, except to directly address an imminent health or environmental emergency; urge Congress to require a study by the EPA and other agencies providing an objective cost-benefit analysis of EPA's current and planned regulation."

Republican Senators David Williams and Tom Buford, who are ALEC members, voted for the bill, although an "*" in the voting record indicated they had enough shame not to be seen doing it. Senator Denise Harper Angel, a Democrat who supposed to be representing the 35th District, voted for the bill in full sight.

LRC link to thisVote History as a pdf

Kentucky doesn't need casinos

There are lots of reasons why Kentucky does not need casino gambling. Generally, it's an industry that is built on hustling the poor. Let's put that aside and look at just one factor. Let's look back at Indiana and what happened to the foreclosure rate there following the re-legalization of casinos in 1993. (IPG) (Hint: It doesn't go down.)

My Old Indiana Home: A Study of Rising Foreclosure Rate

The first of 10 casinos re-opened in Indiana 1995. An 11th was added in 2006. That same year, Indiana's ranked as one of the leading 3 states in foreclosures, having rates 50% higher than the national average.

Kentucky Saves Week begins Sunday

Governor Beshear has done something that's not awful. I really approve of it, too. Consuming retail does not necessarily help our economy, but it certainly depletes our resources.

If you're like me, in the 99%, then I strongly recommend you begin saving money. Not because money will make us happy, but because there is an economic war being waged on us by corporations. Saving money is a strategy to survive until macro changes can be made.

I'm getting lazy as a blogger though, I've copy-pasted the announcement below from a Bank On Louisville email:

"Governor Beshear proclaims February 19-25, 2012 as Kentucky Saves Week.  The Kentucky Saves Campaign is part of the nationwide America Saves effort focused on making household savings a priority.

In today’s economy, many families have found themselves without enough savings to survive financial crisis.  Kentucky Saves is an effort that promotes positive saving habits to help Kentuckians work toward financial stability.  Kentucky Saves encourages people to make a personal commitment to save money.  Sign up at www.kentuckysaves.org."

Metro TV's Friday video fun

Finally, a Youtube video from Metro TV that is 29 minutes long to teach us how to make sandwiches! The video's star is Chef Nancy Russman, who is the director of the Culinary Arts Department at Jefferson Community and Technical College.

Russman writes a blog, too: click to read about food and stuff. To be completely fair, I don't know how to make sandwiches. I blame this on my mother for letting me be a picky eater and my ex-husband for not allowing me to enter a kitchen for over a decade.



I guess I can't pick on them for this I guess, I've wasted countless hours in research on these scales myself. I didn't get all worked up like Councilman Tom Owen did, but I've been able to isolate the date range of the crime to May 26, 2009 and August 08, 2010, or former Mayor Jerry Abramson's last year in office. 

Update to Justitia's missing scales of justice

Justitia robbed: Owen cashes in on earned media

'Paddy Wagon'- today's racism awareness tip

A couple hours after the moment this picture of me was snapped at the August 2012 Tar Sands Action to protest the proposed Keystone XL pipeline, I was still in the back of that van. And it was hot.

Insight to Metro Louisville's overtime problem

Screenshot 2/16/2012, 11:55 pm

Cool cardboard outside U o L Humanities Bldg

Yay for creativity! I don't know the story, but I am curious about it.

Branden Klayko to present at Pecha Kucha

I'm excited to learn that Branden Klayko is to present at Pecha Kucha next Tuesday. The host is some guy that invented ice or is mayor of something.

David Yates, lying

The email below was sent out by Councilman David Yates to his 25th District constituents. The first lie is that this ordinance was cross-community supported.

And the big thing Yate's leaves out- Whiskey Row would not have been landmarked and subsequently saved, if this ordinance was in effect 2 years ago. But nice spin, David:

Public Meeting for Olmsted Parkways Plan

Another public meeting. Yay! The word 'nerd' doesn't really do me justice, does it?  Lifted the following from Metro press release (on my iPhone):

Metro Parks Hosting Public Meeting on Olmsted Parkways Plan

Meeting to take place on Tuesday, March 6

These people love mountains - more photos!!

And so do I.

And these people love mountains too:

K.A. Owens on the right.

many more photos after the break...

4 Slots left on MSD Board

Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer still needs 4 vacancies filled on MSD Board, but they must come from Kentucky State Senate Districts 35, 38, 19, and 10.

Also, thank you Mayor Fischer for answering a tweeted question. 

Mayor Greg Fischer @louisvillemayor mentioned you: louisvillemayor Mayor Greg Fischer @jbruggers @SenatorAwesome Senate dists 35 38 19 and 10. Looking for people with deep skills in investment, finances, engineering & union. Feb 14, 10:41 AM via web In reply to… jbruggers james bruggers @SenatorAwesome it's based on state senate districts. I don't have numbers. @louisvillemayor would. Feb 13, 9:14 AM via Twitter for iPhone Reply to @louisvillemayor Want to receive mobile notifications? Download Twitter for your phone » If you'd rather not receive mention emails from Twitter, you can unsubscribe immediately. To resubscribe or change other Twitter email preferences, visit your account settings to manage email notifications. Please do not reply to this message; it was sent from an unmonitored email address. This message is a service email related to your use of Twitter. For general inquiries or to request support with your Twitter account, please visit us at Twitter Support.

Mayor Fischer thinks private industry creates conservation?

A little maintenance, please?

Since Metro Council is suddenly concerned about the Landmark process, now's a good time to ask why we're letting the wood trim on a 100 yr old, city-owned building rot like a dead tree on the ground?

This building is on corner of Rosewood & Bardstown, across from Bristol Bar and Grill and PNC Bank.

The last thing to happen to the exterior was Jerry Abramson's 'No Smoking' sign. By summer, there may not be any paint left on the trim at all.

We can do better, right?

'I've had people thrown out for this' - Senator Harper Angel

Incumbent Senator Denise Harper Angel's conversation with CJ's Joe Gerth gives a hint of the friendly 35th District campaign season to come:
"You have to make sure it's perfect," she said. "I've had people thrown out (of elections) for this. The return wouldn't be good."
I guess that depends on one's perspective.
http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20120212/COLUMNISTS21/302120071/legislature-house-senate-redistricting?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CLocal%20News

Anti-preservation ordinance up to 8 sponsors :-(

Tuesday Preservation Alert!

Bardstown Rd sidewalk closed by serial killer

The upper end of the 1000 block of Bardstown Rd has a new sidewalk closure. I won't tell you whether the other side of the sign lists a ransom note, but I will express this complaint... Again.

Louisville possesses state of the art moveable sidewalk barriers that could be installed in the traffic lane adjoining this closure in minutes, creating safe passage for pedestrians.
Not that pedestrians being able to walk safely in a dense commercial community takes priority over motorist's rights to mow them over.(satire)
Don't look for anything different than what you see here under incumbent Councilman Tom Owen's leadership though.
This writer, and others, lobbied him extensively for 2 years as the new Highland Cleaners location went without a sidewalk. Maybe someone has to get hit, first?

Open up redistrict process to the people

If you can see it, the highlighted blue line indicates the 35th District boundaries arrived at in 2000, and probably the ones we'll be using in the 2012 state senate election.

Notice it's not a circle, square or well, it's not shaped like anything in nature. Yet attempts for the legislature to revise maps following the 2010 census have failed the tests of our our own constitution.
This morning, I was blown away by the simplicity of what Al Cross proposes to fix Kentucky's redistricting problem.

In a nutshell, we have legislature amend Kentucky's constitution to abolish the 121 year old "county integrity" provision.

While we offer that amendment to the people to consider, we also have a nonpartisan panel draw the lines for 2014 and have them approved not by the legislature but the people as well.
See: "Open up redistrict process to the people"-Al Cross in Courier-Journal http://ow.ly/1G7VUf
I'm putting this in my platform, and will welcome (and appreciate) if my incumbent challenger, Senator Denise Harper Angel, adopts the Al Cross plan too.

Thank goodness for the Amish

Frankfort legislators have not been worrying about Kentucky because they've been waiting to see whether their constitutionally-deficient maps would fly. Because incumbents want to vote, not according to the Commonwealth's interest, but  in a way to preserve their seats. 

For all Stumbo's faults, he's pretty straight on what time it is.

But some spin it differently, celebrating the Amish buggy sign law like it really took two months and that much energy. 

Don't get me wrong, I supported the bill and am grateful the ACLU worked their but off to lobby for it. (Hi Kate!) But really, It was a no brainer, this celebration is distracting from what was not being taken on. Which is most everything else.

Below is this week's newsletter from the 35th District incumbent (who I am challenging):

Cunningham /McGarvey file for State Senate, District 19

Louisville environmentalist Sarah Lynn Cunningham filed this afternoon as a candidate in Democratic Party for Kentucky State Senate, District 19. Today was the extended deadline for filing, and the 19th is a unique seat as the incumbent, Tim Shaughnessy is not seeking re-election. I was in the office to withdraw and re-file for the 35th, as the 2 original signers who were gracious enough to file for me were moved back into the 19th. Democrat Morgan McGarvey also showed up to file for the 19th today. McGarvey was surprised to see Cunningham file for the seat. After an awkward minute of whispering in the Secretary of State's office, McGarvey retreated to the hall with the supporters who escorted him to re-group. After nervously assessing Cunningham as a candidate, McGarvey still filed. Earlier in the day, Shawn Reilly decided not to run. Amy E. Shoemaker and Duran Hall have also filed in the Democratic Primary for the 19th. The sole Republican who filed for the seat, Julie Raquel Adams, withdrew today as she was not in the District after the map change.

More Anti-preservation nonsense

The public was just given notice of this meeting yesterday. Probably more Anti-preservation nonsense. 

Notice 

Special Meeting of the Metro Historic Landmarks and Preservation Districts Commission:

Discussion of Pending Legislation Regarding Proposed Revisions to the Landmarks Ordinance and Possible Action Regarding Recommendations - 

Friday, February 10, 2012 - 11:00 A.M.

Conference Room 101 - Metro Development Center

 444 South Fifth Street

Half dozen Metro Councilpersons introduce Anti-Preservation ordinance

Remember when I was pushing for a Downtown Preservation District?

Well, I recently floated a plan amongst preservationists to raise the money, as a suiting tribute to Anne Hassett's legacy. (Note: This original idea was not mine, but the Courier-Journal Editorial Board's: Preserving Louisville.)

And what happens now, these Metro Councilpersons introduce a bill to make it harder to create a district. These Councilpersons right here:

Councilman David Yates

          Councilman Rick Blackwell

          Councilman Bob Henderson

          Councilman David James

          Councilman Vicki Welch

          Councilman James Peden

I've uploaded the entire resolution: HERE. The resolutions would end the ability of this community to landmark structures under imminent threat of demolition. Wait, are some of these little rascals at the Metro Dems meeting that started at 6 PM, gotta go...

Me lobbying Councilman Owen on Downtown Preservation District

Mayor Fischer goes all Scott Walker

Greg Fischer is continuing the "Scott Walker"-style rhetoric about how $12 million budget gap must be made up on the backs of unionized employees, because their contracts are the problem.

Before you say "No he's not!" tell me when he's ever mentioned cutting the pay of non-unionized employees, like those $100,000/yr + people that wear fancy ties and tell him he's great? I haven't heard a peep about touching their money.

"We have to balance the budget, right?..." Fischer says."We have to look at everything, we don't have an option."

You think Greg's looking at my option? You know, knocking $30,000 off the salaries of the highest paid 400 non-unionized Metro employees.

Mystery Photo fun

By chance buying gas across from this parking lot and I remembered the first guy I ever "made out" with was there.
Thursday morning: 5 AM. March 1990.
Before internet, cellphones. His name was John, he drove a Maxima, worked for a portrait studio. Was dreamy. He and his friend took my tipsy butt home when Connection closed, then he called my pager.
I was so cute. I was wearing a long-sleeved pink Claiborne shirt. It was 100% cotton and I miss it.
I was driving a 1988 Hyundai Excel GL, a car that made it 200 miles past it's 60,000 mile warranty before needing a transmission.

KDP inviting new voices to party

No, Dan, I'm not as excited as you are, but I respect that you're inviting new voices to the party.

"Dear Fellow Democrat,

Fairness Campaign makes announcement via Facebook

The message is too long for my phone's screenshot. It continues:

Williams, Stumbo, Beshear fail at governing

Judge Shepperd has thrown out the legislative maps approved by our Senate and House and signed by our Governor Steve Beshear, because those maps, they're unconstitutional.

Unfortunately, Judge Shepperd did not take the other necessary step of throwing the incumbents out of office who came up with and approved those unconstitutional maps.

I *think* the plan now is to use these old unconstitutional maps instead of the unconstitutional maps just created, until they're challenged and I guess then the incumbents will get to sit around and do nothing indefinitely.

Can I get a WTF?

What else you got?

A comment on Louisville Courant last night triggered me back into being the person I'm here to be.

Vetting politicians to make sure they are sincere in their ideas and not compromised by corporate interest is pretty damn important. We all want people, on some level, to hold us accountable,  this helps us be the best we can be. (Admit it, Greg, you know you like it)

That being said, the vetting of my past has become a burden on those doing the vetting. It takes a lot of time and energy to track people down, and then there's the resources to get that information public. But not for me. I know I've made mistakes in the past. A lot of them, and think about them all the time. 

And, I'll be darn, I'm on stage here. So I figured, let's get this over with, and sitting parked in my card on Cardinal Blvd, I wrote on Facebook the comments below, and about 40 of my friends apparently think I'm NOT insane, which is reassuring.

World Justice Day: February 20

Just received this flyer from one of my favorite University of Louisville Poli Sci professors, Dr. Tricia Gray. The last event I saw her at she was debating with Tunesian revolutionaries on how their democracy will be shaped. Yep, she's intense.

"Commemorate

World Social Justice Day

with

Angene & Jack Wilson

Monday, February 20, 2012

2.30pm-4.00pm

Ekstrom Library, Room W103

Angene Wilson is professor emeritus of education at the University of Kentucky, where she was chair of the secondary social studies program from 1975 to 2004.
Jack Wilson spent more than thirty-five years in public service, beginning as a Peace Corps administrator in Sierra Leone, Washington, DC, and Fiji, and continuing as an administrator of environmental protection programs in Ohio and Kentucky.

Sponsored by the UN Association – USA, Louisville Chapter"

What 'soon' means to Greg Fischer

A year ago today, the Greg Fischer for Mayor campaign announced their Facebook page "will soon be deactivated."

The staffer who posted that status update probably had no earthly idea Fischer would continue to solicit campaign contributions indefinitely even in his first year as mayor.
Recently, the Courier-Journal's Dan Klepal even highlighted contributions from Insight lobbyists, while Fischer was negotiating their contract with Metro Louisville.
A stunned city had no framework narrative to even respond. The Mayor had so many supporters, how could he do wrong?

When confronted by Phillip M. Bailey on WFPL about the community's concerns, Fischer defiantly insisted he's legally entitled to continue accepting contributions, and transfer them to his personal account to repay loans he made to the campaign.
I tweeted WFPL this follow up question: How can trust his decisions aren't being influenced by the contributions?

Phillip asked it, the mayor told us these were "silly questions."

Unrelated, congrats Insight, on your new contract with the city! The purchase of Insight by Time Warner was dependent upon this contract. (See LC: Mayor Fischer: "These are silly questions" for more info about Time Warner's history of corrupting political processes.)

Silly questions, indeed.

Tryangles happy hour ain't so happy

Timeline:
Mike Flatt posts racist image because he found it so hilarious.
When I post it, oddly, not everyone finds it quite as funny: http://louisvillecourant.blogspot.com/2012/02/louisville-gay-bar-owner-screws-up-big.html
Smear campaign against me including blackmail & physical threats.
Doesn't look like too much of a happy hour.
Wonder if Flatt's done laughing yet? Also, there's a 2nd blog my unnamed critics have now created, although they haven't smeared me in it yet.
Flatt was the 4th person to like it on Facebook though. About an hour ago. This is not what one would expect from a remorseful man.

update 4/08/2012 8pm: 
Courier-Journal: Joke about Obama causes rift in gay community

Senator Harper Angel files for HER Senate Seat

Today incumbent Senator Harper Angel used her government email database to blast what could perceived as campaign business. 

Yes she filed twice. We knew this on 1/25, the day she filed the 2nd time and sent out a press release.

Ironically, the night before she had written me how she was, like most incumbents not working until they know where the maps are, anticipating a special session: ow.ly/i/rJlZ 

It's important to note here legislators are paid per diem, and earn more money when they deliberately cause the need for a special session.

Open Records Request RE: Tryangles

Ms. Allen,
Pursuant to Kentucky's Open Records Act, I am requesting the following records:
All incident reports from the Louisville Metro Police Department from the period beginning 01/01/2010 and ending on 12/31/2011, where the location of the incident is Tryangles Bar, located at 209 South Preston Street, Louisville, KY. 40202, or Teddy Bears Bar, located at 1148 Garvin Place, Louisville, KY. 40203.
I request these records be delivered digitally, but If that is not possible I will gleefully pay for the copies at the rate allowed by state statute.
Thank you in advance for your hard work. Hope you're well.
Peace,
Curtis Morrison
P.O. Box 4373
Louisville, KY. 40204-0373
502.403.9498

2/6/12 2:30 update
Above request was efficiently acknowledged by Ms Allen this morning.
They have 3 days to get it to us and we can break it down demographically then.

Also, Mike Flatt back in town Monday
Also, if you're an employer, please consider reaching out to Try's and TB employees. They're a great group of guys, and despite pressure to do so, they have not participated in the retaliation against me we from Christopher Barton and Justin Young.

Can't sleep

Andrew Jackson once shot and killed a man in a duel in Logan County, Kentucky. The man, an attorney named Charles Dickinson, shot first after "Fire!" was yelled, and the bullet hit Jackson above the heart. 

'Your apology inadequate'-Kentuckiana Black-Gay Pride

The Kentuckiana Black-Gay Pride is organizing an upcoming Friday, Feb 10, 2012, 6 PM peaceful demonstration outside of Tryangles Bar.
Like me, they find Flatt's apology "inadequate." Some of Flatt's attempts at remorse are screenshot a few posts back. (http://t.co/FrKx1Mzj)
A unique attempt from my perspective, is in the comments of that same post, where Flatt disparages me for bringing the light of day to his gesture.
Because the only thing apparently worse than racism is someone who stands up to it?
In lobby training with Fairness a few years ago, former Louisvillian and activist Phoenix Lindsey Hall said something I will never forget:
"You can feel more confident in your actions when you're on the right side of history."
I don't know about y'all, but I don't think I could feel anymore confident right now.

Audio of Louisville gay bar evicting African American patron

When I posted the original entry, Louisville gay bar owner screws up, BIG TIME,  I knew it would spark interest. I didn't know it would spark the broad range of reaction, however. That entry received more than 3,000 hits in just a couple days. I bring up the traffic count not to brag about how wonderful my blogging is, it's not. But this point must be made clear. The days white people set around and do racist stuff, without consequences, are over.

Things I will NOT do:
Apologize for bringing attention to racism.
Be intimidated.

Things I will do:
Fight back.

Ideas for Louisvillians facing foreclosure

Facing foreclosure? Scared what's next?
Louisville's Mayor Greg Fischer has some ideas on what to do with your lot after he tears your home down.

"The development community would LOVE to work in the downtown area..." Fischer says.(Link to video) 

I have some other ideas for you though:

Who will be the 1st Republican State Senator to oppose tolls?

On January 31, 2012, Louisville State Senators Perry Clark and Denise Harper Angel, both Democrats, reintroduced a bill from last year in the Kentucky Senate called the Keeping Kentucky's Freeways Free Act of 2012. (SB128) Here's the summary:

Activists protesting tolls in Louisville (2010)

     "AN ACT relating to the imposition of tolls or fees on federal interstate highways.
     Create a new section of KRS Chapter 177 to prohibit the imposition of tolls or user fees on any portion of the interstate highway system currently in existence; name the Act the "Keeping Kentucky's Freeways Free Act of 2012."

Let's face it. Tolls are tax, and they aren't simply a "use tax" as Wall Street likes to call them. They're a disproportionate tax on the working families in our community. With tolls, those who have no choice but to use the infrastructure to get back and forth will bear the full burden of the costs of the infrastructure. While the rich and those benefiting from a regional economy infrastructure creates, get off scott free.

Louisville gay bar owner screws up, BIG TIME

Not one day into 2012's African American History month, as First Lady Michelle Obama plans her visit to the Kentucky Center for African American Heritage for a February 23rd, 2012 fundraiser for the Obama Victory Fund, we are reminded by a member of our own community just how insensitive we can be.

One of the owners of a local gay bar known as Tryangles, Mike Flatt, posted the following image on Facebook late Monday night:

Screenshot from Facebook Feb. 2, 2012, 12:05 PM

Now is a good time for us all to take a deep breathe and realize there is a difference between what one does, and what they are...

Occupy update / Van De Rostyne campaign is on it

I learned today Jefferson County Attorney Mike O'Connell's office is who advised IPL's Jim Mims to extend Occupy Louisville's tent permit with conditions. Conditions were related to paying for electricity and the number of required portapottys.
At this afternoon's Occupy Louisville GA, the first and last one I'll ever be allowed to keep minutes, occupiers decided to authorize our legal counsel, Chris Harrell, to accept the clarifications to the tent permit extension with clarifications. This permit will expire March 31, 2012.
Since part of this includes a $500 deposit for the cost of electricity for the 3 months of 2012, contributions be made via credit card by calling Harrell's secretary.
The GA also gave Harrell authorization to drop the lawsuit he had filed on behalf of participants.
This is undoubtedly a win for Occupy Louisville, regardless of the motivation behind it.
Kinda barely related:
The Jefferson County Attorney primary race should prove interesting. Tom Van De Rostyne has the early support of some folks in the social justice community I really respect.
And I just noticed while at Kinko's, Van De Rostyne is having paper signs printed already. Of all the races out there, I haven't seen signs from anyone.
I'm not looking forward to signs everywhere really, even if some of them have my name on them. But alas, that's how democracy works. Let Spring begin!

Kentucky's 99% protests Mitch McConnell

Publisher's note: Below are the contents of a press release from the Occupy Louisville Direct Action Work Group, which I completely support but am not a member:

Occupy Louisville will "Occupy Mitch McConnell" in observance of the National Day of Action against NDAA 2012 on February 3 

LOUISVILLE (January 30, 2012) – Occupy Louisville has heeded the nationwide call to action against the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act by organizing a protest demonstration titled "Occupy Mitch McConnell" to take place at the Gene Snyder Federal Courthouse, 601. W. Broadway, on February 3 at 12:00 noon.