COME TO MIKE LINNIG'S TONIGHT!  And join us for Cocktail Sauce and Conversation!  We will BE IN THE BIG WHITE TENT ACROSS CANE RUN ROAD. I say that in all caps because many people went to the restaurant last year and wondered where we were.  We were across the street, where we will be tonight from 6 to 8pm, so join us!  Find Mike Linnig's by clicking here.

9:35 BRINGS CONGRESSMAN BRETT GUTHRIE

11:15 BRINGS CONGRESSMAN THOMAS MASSIE I'll be asking them about the Farm bill, the immigration bill and what should happen to the NSA leaker.

RAND PAUL, POLITICAL GENIUS I think it's fairly obvious that I am Rand Paul fan.  If not, I am.  I like him for his principles.  But I am beginning to see that he is taking to the DC game quite nicely.  Evidence?  His "conditional" support for the immigration bill.  He says if his "trust but verify" amendment, which requires Congress to certify every year that the border is indeed secure, he will support the immigration bill.  But this strategy makes his vote the one everyone will be watching and talking about. He's framed himself as a Republican concerned about border security but who also recognizes the coming tide of legalization that WILL happen.  The only question is when.  People aren't fired up like they were in 2008.  We are paying attention to other things. Business wants this.  Democrats want this.  And Republicans have deluded themselves into thinking legalizing a whole Democrat voting bloc is going to help them somehow.  But it's coming.  Mark my words.  I knew in 2008 it was only a matter of time.  When that many votes are up for grabs, it's inevitable.  But this vote strategy serves many purposes.  Not the least of which is keeping his name in the news.  Which as a fan, I find a good strategic move.  Something his father was never good at.  Seems he did learn something from his dad's failed campaigns after all.

BUT WILL HIS AMENDMENT EVEN GET HEARD? Harry Reid, in a fit of pique, has apparently decided to punish Republicans for obstructing him by obstructing them by changing the rules of regular order after he said he would not.  How petty and small is this from Breitbart.com:

Grassley protested Reid’s plan, which the Senate Majority Leader laughed off. “I’m somewhat surprised at this request,” Reid said in response. “How many times have we heard the Republican Leader say on this floor and publicly that the new reality in the United States Senate is 60?"

So I just thought I was following the direction of the Republican Leader. I mean, this is what he said. That’s why we’re having 60 votes on virtually everything. And with this bill, with this bill, no one can in any way suggest this bill is not important and these amendments aren’t important. So, I care a great deal about my friend, the ranking member on this committee, but I object.

Harry Reid is a real statesman.  Not.

WHEN IS A FAILURE A FAILURE?  I think a great example is the African American Heritage Center, who just had to get an advance from the city to pay past due LG+E bills to get the power turned back on.  It's time to admit this is a failure that will never work and stop throwing good money after bad.  Sell the building, buy something smaller for the cultural center and call it a day.  The people on this Board should be embarrassed.

IT'S GOOD ENOUGH FOR THE PEASANTS, BUT NOT FOR THE ARISTOCRACY This is rich.  There is a bit of panic in DC as members of Congress and their aides face skyrocketing health care costs because of the Grassley amendment.  What does that amendment do?  It forces members of Congress to buy health care coverage from the exchange.  And why is this causing panic? Because it's so expensive. You read that right.  The same exchanges we are all supposed to buy from are TOO EXPENSIVE for the lads and lasses who worked so hard to pass the misnamed Affordable Care Act. And now there is full blown panic that there will be a rash of retirements so people can keep their current benefits.  And some are worried about a "brain drain".  Which of course would never happen outside DC where businesses worried about healthcare costs skyrocketing don't have the ability to amend the bill to exclude their own people.  Jackasses. 

THERE ARE ONLY ATHEISTS IN FOXHOLES OR at least that's what PrezBO seems to think.  He's taking issue with a Service Members right to religious freedom  Todd Starnes does a nice job outlining the problem here. 

FIND OUT INFO ABOUT THE BENEFIT CONCERT AT CARIBOUROCKS.COM 

THANK GOD EVERYONE IS OKAY If you watch the video of yesterday's bus crash, you realize the kids on this bus from Waggener High School were very lucky.  The bus jerked across two lanes of traffic, missing the coming cars by feet, and crashed into a barrier.  Some were hurt, but no one was killed.  It could have been a LOT worse.  I'm guessing there was some prayer on that bus yesterday.  Don't tell the ACLU. 

SCOTT JENNINGS KNOWS WHAT'S UP When it comes to GOP politics in Kentucky.  And this column is a clever way to saying that Rand Paul needs Mitch McConnell.  And he makes some good points.  He's right about the Tea Party upstarts who "lack an instinct for winning".  They are determined to cut off their noses so they can stand around on principles and be right while the team loses.  Of course Scott said it much more nicely. 

I NEVER TALK ABOUT CRIME STORIES But this is SO ICKY I want you to be grossed out so I don't have to be grossed out alone. 

BOYS WILL BE BOYS...UNTIL 43?  IF I were a dude, I'd be irritated by this study that says men don't fully mature until the age of 43.  Seriously?  But then I read the list of things that mark immaturity and think, maybe.  I think this is just an excuse to lower the bar of expectation a little lower for women so they accept more stupid behavior for longer.  DON'T FALL FOR IT, LADIES!  It's some kind of diabolical plot.

PREZBO IS OFFICIALLY THE WORST ECONOMIC PRESIDENT EVER. This is interesting.  I can't wait to see how PrezBO's supporters try to spin the hard facts of reality against their shattered projections of what they think he is or was.  But the numbers don't lie.  And they are all on him, regardless of how much he tries to say they are someone else's fault.  Because the someone else he keeps blaming did a much better job managing the economy he's mismanaged. 

I'M NOT BUYING WITH THE ARENA AUTHORITY IS SELLING Insider Louisville went to the Arena Authority meeting looking for some answers about exactly how the KFC YUM! Center is doing.  They got answers, but I'm not buying them.  For instance, this nugget:

"The bond servicing was calculated on projections that the giant taxing district, which covers six square miles, would generate  $8.8 million annually. Instead, 2012 TIF revenue was $3.3 million for 2012, up 61 percent from about $2.17 million for 2011.

That dramatic increase indicates a growing level of business activity that could reach projections during the next few years, Glasscock said. He added that anecdotally, restaurants and other commercial activity are increasing rapidly in the TIF."

Really?  It came up 61% last year and we are supposed to think that signals we will be meeting the TIF projections any time soon?  What's not mentioned is that the TIF Projections GO UP every year.  What do we need to make in 2013 to hit the TIF?  9.987 million bucks.  So using my shaky math skills, the TIF would need to increase 300% to hit that number.  l love Bearno's and the Troll Under the Bridge, but are more places like that going to generate the kind of cash we're needing?  I think not.  And it gets worse.  In 2014, the TIF projection is up to 11.823 million.  Do the math on that yourself.  Do you see the kind of economic growth happening downtown to support that?  Especially in light of recent stories about high vacancies downtown?  I'm happy the Arena Authority is so high on the future.  They must be high on something.

THERE'S A NEW CONTRACT BEING NEGOTIATED FOR JCPS AND JCTA And this is the only chance we have to change the contract areas that are unbalanced unfairly in the direction of the Education Labor Union (JCTA).  I am urging you to contact your school board member and NICELY ask them to put kids first by modifying these four provisions:

1.  The transfer clause.  Seniority should be a consideration, but not the overriding consideration in transfers.  Principals should be allowed to hire the teachers they think are going to get the job done, not be forced to hire teachers who've simply been around the longest.

2.  Teacher assignments. Seniority is the #1 consideration currently, and Course Approriateness is 5th of 6 considerations!  That means a highly qualified teacher with experience teaching a certain class could be passed over for a teacher who HASN'T taught that class because of seniority.  This rule currently puts ADULTS first and KIDS fifth!  

3.  Teaching Loads and Duty Hours.  There are LOTS of restrictions on when you can ask teachers to do anything outside the classroom.  Administrators need more flexibility to meet the needs of the STUDENTS.  

4.  Teacher evaluations.  There should be a streamlined process which includes some test scores to evaluate teachers, both for teacher improvement and to also get bad teachers out of the profession.  

You don't have to read this list to your School Board member, just urge them to PUT KIDS FIRST by endorsing a balanced contract that puts KIDS first! 

Find the district map by clicking here! 

And here they are, get calling! And BE NICE!