The Kentucky Freedom Faction

Holiday Break

2011-12-17T20:22:00.001-05:00

Just to inform those that are paying attention I will be taking a Holiday Break from blogging. See you in the New Year.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Got Milk Freedom? Part II

2011-12-10T13:24:00.003-05:00

Last month I posted a piece about Raw Milk being a legislative issue this upcoming session in Frankfort. Now there is actually a sponsor for this legislation. Sen. John Schickel in Northern Kentucky is sponsoring BR 294/ SB 47 to actually allow the sale of Raw Milk in Kentucky. In face the bill is so short (1 page) I am going to post it here.

AN ACT relating to milk.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky:

âSection 1. KRS 217C.030 is amended to read as follows:

As used in this chapter:

(1) "Secretary" means the secretary of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services;[.]

(2) "Cabinet" means the Cabinet for Health and Family Services;[.]

(3) "Permitted producer" means any producer issued a permit by the cabinet to offer milk for sale; and

(4) "Raw milk" means milk that has not been pasteurized.

âSECTION 2. A NEW SECTION OF KRS CHAPTER 217C IS CREATED TO READ AS FOLLOWS:

(1) A permitted producer may sell raw milk to a final consumer, for the consumer's own use, at the farm on which the raw milk is produced.

(2) A permitted producer desiring to sell raw milk directly to a final consumer at the producer's farm shall be in compliance with all applicable administrative regulations promulgated under this chapter.

(3) Each container of raw milk offered for sale or as free samples shall be:

(a) Bottled and packaged in a sanitary manner and by a method which prevents contamination, including the hand filling and capping of containers; and

(b) Clearly labeled as "Ungraded raw milk" or "Produced with ungraded raw milk." The label shall carry any additional warnings and specifications the cabinet may require.

(4) Raw milk shall not be sold or offered as free samples at any location other than the farm on which the milk is produced.

Now I think this is a great baby step bill to getting what we want in this state for Milk Freedom and a great way to educate people on the issue. However, I have heard rumblings to the contrary as some are not satisfied with this bill because it has the possibility of regulations and also because it regulates the giving away of free samples and I am sure if they try hard enough they can find other problems. Trust me I really do understand the concern here as a Constitutional/Libertarian thinker. However, we have to realize where we are and where we want to go and understand societies reaction to this. So while this is a baby step I think it is a big first step.

The language about free samples is just making sure people's butts are covered. Secondly the regulations are most likely going to pertain to the cleanliness and safety of the product. Again I understand the logic "why would I sell a bad product that would come back on me?" or "why should I bare the burden of the irresponsibility of others?" All valid arguments, but I reiterate, you have to understand society now and be able to deal with the frame work you have to work with, like it or not. Yet even with these "guarantees" something unhealthy or unsafe could happen, and it also happens without these regulations.

Unfortunately some want to go down to the Capitol I fear and raise a fuss about this bill and I assume fight it instead of supporting it. To me that is cutting off your nose to spite your face, especially if that is the first reaction. In my experienced opinion that will just turn people off to the issue, where now the legislature seems to want to work with people on this issue but afterwards probably will not care to raise this issue again, especially not in the favor of Milk Freedom.

Newsflash folks: You do not get a home run all at once on these issues. A lot can be learned by Norman Davis and his and many others efforts to get Conceal Carry in this state. They did not get everything they wanted that first year but continued to work on what they wanted for the years to come. Often times we are too concerned with being Libertarian (BTW I love libertarianism) than being Free. Sometimes we are too close to an issue to understand the opportunity we have been given.

So you have a choice like it or not this is the situation at hand, keep getting raided or come into the light. Besides with redistricting, the budget, casinos and this being the first year of the bill I do not realistically expect it to pass but just the Senate at best. Also the regulations at the state level get approved by the legislature and you do have the opportunity to raise concerns and questions about them, this is a pretty transparent process if you are paying attention and I would assume someone that cares about this issue will pay attention (Liberty is not for the Lazy!). So take it as an opportunity to advance your cause, work with legislators and educate them as well as other Citizens.

Get Ready for the Cough Tax?

2011-12-09T09:51:00.004-05:00

In Frankfort we have not yet decided on the compromise on the Snot Tax, some legislators want to go ahead and begin restricting cough medicines too...only to be younger than 18....for now. Isn't that how this whole mess with pseudoephedrine started and now we might need prescriptions of this compromise does not work.

So what's the newest drug to start down the restriction and regulation path? Dextromethorphan, of course everyone else knows it as the wonder drug NyQuil. I already see one problem with this 18 and under restriction. When some kids go yo college they are not yet 18 so what happens if they get a cold and need some NyQuil. I am removed from college for several years now but I can attest to the fact the NyQuil works and is the college students medicine of choice and no it's not for meth but for a cold. Then of course there is the 16 and 17 year olds that run errands for their parents, at least I did at that age so what do they do at the store.

Sure everyone might think this is not a big deal and life can be planned around it, but we should not have government that takes us down slippery slopes that we have to plan our life around.

Here is the bill we need to keep our eye on. BR 306/HB106

UPDATE: I claim ignorance on this one (as most would be cause we don't do drugs), I thought it might have to be used for meth which is why they want to regulate it. However, it seems Robo-tripping (named for Robitussin) is what they want to prevent I assume considering this information from Wiki about it's recreational use.

HOA Tyranny

2011-12-02T20:30:00.006-05:00

WARNING: There are 2 videos on this page that auto-play so quickly scroll down and pause them.

This week Kentuckians learned of an outrageous ruling by a Andover Forest Home Owners Association against the Veloudis family and their little 3 year little boy Cooper who has cerebral palsy. Cooper has a little play house that is specifically designed to help him in his therapy. The reason the house was built was to give him the therapy he needs in an enjoyable manner away from the home, so he does not associate the pain, frustrations, and bad feelings with the actual home that he lives in.

WLEX 18 News (NBC Affiliate) broke this story and you can follow their investigation.

630 WLAP's Leland Conway covered this story quite extensively today and there is a lot of information on his page worth checking out including an interview with the family and pic of other similar structures on the property. By the way the whole controversy seems to be over the interpretation of building vs. structure.

Leland's Pulse Packet for 12/2/2011

In the interview with Leland today we found out that Cooper did not want the house to go because he wanted to decorate it for Christmas and likes the house so instead they have decided to keep it and fight the HOA. Since this news broke Cooper and his family have received an outpouring from support from the Community in Lexington and the state as well as their neighbors. In fact a landscaping crew came by and decorated it for him. The HOA had previously said they would not change their ruling; however, as reported on WLEX 18 they are going to have a private meeting as there has been a lot of push back over the issue.

Several issues as anyone can imagine have been brought up since this story became public:

1) For instance could the Americans with Disability Act be used against this HOA in a counter suit? My logic is not for big government solutions to a problem as unreasonable regulations are brought forth. However, having said that the law is not all bad, its the overzealous nature of government bureaucrats and law makers that violate people's property rights. So I think it would be very ironic to use this act against this decision. From what I have heard today this could be a very real possibility.

2) HOAs have a valid and legal function as well but often times those tiny tyrants that I guess can't make it in local to national politics find a home on these HOA boards. So they begin to twist and abuse the covenant they have made with the members of the association. So the question is, when does an agreement between people stop becoming an agreement and become a violation of civil liberties, rights, and freedoms? I think the Constitution state and federal trumps an HOA agreement. Does this case fall into that category? Most definitely yes, as this family is trying to provide therapy for their special needs child on their own property.

3) Should there be legislation imposed to rein in these HOAs, this of course has pros and cons on both sides that needs to be balanced. What right does the government have to restrict agreements between people? What role does government play in protecting people from the abuse of said agreements?

For those that want to keep up with this story I also suggest goign to Cooper's House page and Facebook. There are pics up on the page of the house...now newly decorated, and legal documents the family is sharing.

If you would like to voice your displeasure, you can reach out to the Andover Neighborhood Association:

EMG Management
Edwin Gibson
www.emgms.com

Ernie Stamper
Andover HOA President
Andoverforest@aol.com

Rand Paul Fights for Due Process for US Citzens Today

2011-11-29T21:26:00.002-05:00

Today Senator Rand Paul fought for the rights of US Citizens to have due process as outlined in our Constitutions Bill of Rights. The Senate had a debate and then vote on an Amendment to S. 1867 (there were many and ultimately it was not Rand's Amendment but Sen. Mark Udall (D) CO. Amendment 1107)

The debate was over provisions in the S.1867 that would essentially make the definition of "battlefield" anywhere, even in the United State and that even US Citizens could be apprehended under this pending legislation and be held without due process indefinitely.

To get more details about the issue check out this ACLU post on their "Blog of Rights"

Also check out Rand Paul's message about this legislation:

Then there is a question Rand Paul has for on the the sponsors of this legislation, John McCain

A couple points to counter what McCain said:

1) We do not make law based on public opinion, we make it based on the U.S. Constitution.
2) Those terrorist that were detained and then released and went back to the "battlefield"were not released under a system in which due process was given but bureaucratic military decisions.

To the point of keep America Secure and Safe from terrorism, even to the suggestion by McCain that U.S. Citizens would forfeit those rights arbitrarily without trial if this law was to pass, I have said it before and will say it again and again and again.

Benjamin Franklin once said: "Those willing to sacrifice essential liberty for temporary security will get neither" Those words essential and temporary are not qualifiers they are characteristics. Liberty is always essential and security will always be temporary.

Fortunately this battle is not done yet, while the amendment failed, there is still a vote on the actual bill to be had in the Senate and then must go to the House of Representatives. So write, call, and e-mail your legislator in D.C.

Oh and FYI: Our Sen. McConnell voted against the Amendment to remove the liberty infringing provisions. It's high time he is retired.

Possible Compromise Reached on "Snot Tax" Bill

2011-11-23T18:13:00.003-05:00

As it has been reported on the issue of the "Snot Tax" Bill over at MicaSims.com about Citizen resistance to making Sudafed and other cold medicines with pseudoephrine in it to have a prescription it appears a compromise has been reached that momentarily satisfies most of the concerns of all parties. The reason for this original bill in 2011 was to stop meth labs in Kentucky, however, many felt the it went went too far (this bill is also filed in the 2012 session). So this year some representatives have come up with a compromise to create a meth offender registry. I could discuss the folly of the Drug War but lets just deal with the situation we have at hand right now.

When this legislative adventure started last year and believe me it was because the proponents of this prescription idea tried everything they could to pass it even with all the media attention on it. So I signed up for an organization that opposed that legislation, this year I got a statement from them in my e-mail about the compromise bill and the press conference that was had earlier this week and this is what it said

Dear Friends,

At a press conference in Frankfort yesterday, Representative Brent Yonts announced the filing of a bill that would protect the interests of law-abiding consumers, while specifically targeting criminals in Kentucky’s fight against meth.

The Cheyenne Albro Memorial Bill would include a Meth Offender Registry to require any convicted meth offenders to obtain a prescription for medications containing pseudoephedrine. This system would effectively target meth makers without infringing on the rights of legitimate consumers.

Click here to read The Associated Press coverage of yesterday’s press conference.

Several prominent supporters joined Rep. Yonts at the press event to echo the advantages of this tough-on-crime solution, including Rep. Julie Raque Adams, Major Tony King of the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Lori Blakely of the Pennyrile Narcotics Task Force and Jim Waters of the Bluegrass Institute.

Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department Major Tony King said during his comments that he considers Rep. Yonts’ proposal “the best approach” to combating meth, adding that the state’s biggest problem is abuse of prescription drugs.

State Trooper Stu Recke was later quoted saying, “anything that will aid law enforcement in its fight against the meth epidemic will be greatly beneficial to not only law enforcement, but then to also the citizens of the state.”

Unfortunately, some that support an extreme policy that punishes law-abiding citizens have made misstatements about the Meth Offender Registry. The truth is that Oklahoma does have a registry, except the system is structured in such a way that it does not block meth offenders at the counter in real-time. Kentucky’s system would do just that.

CHPA supports this common sense solution for dealing with the meth problem in Kentucky. B.R. 396 is a step in the right direction for fighting meth production, while protecting the rights law-abiding Kentuckians.

To learn more visit StopMethNotMeds.com, and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

This organization is called the Consumer Healthcare Products Association and this campaign was called Stop Meth. Not Med.

Jamie Comer Will Clean up the Agricultrual Commissioners Office

2011-11-23T16:42:00.005-05:00

Recently it has been uncovered that former Agricultural Commissioner Richie Farmer (R) has had another layer of bad spending and corruption to his tenure during his post. Farmer hired his girlfriend (while he is going though a divorce...kinda) who was unqualified for a non-merit position (which means no qualifications necessary, but come on, at least get it in the ball park) in the Agricultural Department. She will be paid $5000 a month while she is there and there is no sign Farmer is removing her from that position. He gave her this position just a few days before it became apparent that the Williams-Farmer ticket was going to lose the Governor's race. It was actually apparent way before then, but I digress...I guess Farmer just thought the timing was right and in his eyes not screwing the tax payers out of too much money.

Here is a link to the story...this is actually an editorial today, the s tory became news last Friday the 18th

Since this story broke Jamie Comer (R) who won the primary overwhelmingly has been fielding questions about the story and how his office would conduct matters. Jamie has repeatedly recognizes the inappropriateness of some of Farmer's behavoir as commissioner. Earlier today Comer came out with a statement on his Facebook Page saying that he would operate the office in a completely different manner than his predecessor, and I firmly believe he will do that.

Kentucky Needs Industrial Hemp

2011-11-23T15:58:00.003-05:00

I have been monitoring the Kentucky Legislature closely (as close as the average citizen can) for 3 years now, and it will be 4 this session. Every one of those years there has been a great bill filed that never seems to get any traction. That bill would allow Industrial Hemp to be used in the state of Kentucky. Many people are scared that this bill might mean marijuana, but just because it is cannabis does not mean it is marijuana, that's like saying the dog is the same as a wolf, yes both are canines but one is domestic the other is wild.

So why does Kentucky need Industrial Hemp? In one word JOBS!

However, I understand you can't just take my word for that this new crop will magically create new jobs that Kentucky desperately needs in one of this nations worst economic times. So here is a link to a University of Kentucky study that was done illustrating how this crop could create up to 70,000 new jobs. Sounds pretty good, heck even if their numbers are off by half (which I seriously doubt) that would still be 35,000 new jobs that would be a far cry better than the 100 t0 1000 here or there added by the "incentives" our current Governor Steve Beshear has given us, while we continue to lose jobs elsewhere. In fact if the number of jobs Industrial Hemp is estimated to create just off the crop could one imagine the trickle down effect that would have on the state economy.

Here are the quick facts about Industrial Hemp that one could find in the UK Study or elsewhere on the internet.

The 3 E's

Economy-Yes this will create jobs, but more specifically why would it create jobs. Industrial hemp can be used in products such as automotive parts,, building material fiber glass, clothing, carpeting, lotions and paper to name a few items. In fact Industrial Hemp is already used in a lot of everyday materials (even our dollars, also our US Constitution is written on it) but because it is lumped into the same category as marijuana it is consider illegal to grow in the states so we have to import it. Another product application would be for feed as a protein source for livestock.

Energy-Industrial Hemp can be used as a fuel source as it makes 6 times more bio-fuel than corn for ethanol. In fact Industrial Hemp can have 2-3 crops per year unlike corn which only has one. Using Industrial Hemp as a fuel source can also lower the price of actual groceries because we are not pumping it into our gas tank and also not feeding so much of it to livestock. Any thing petrol based (oil) can also be produced via Industrial Hemp.

Environment-For those that are Green consciousness and the our "carbon footprint" Hemp absorbs a lot of carbon. Hemp has a deep root system that is healthy for the soil that may lead to better crops in the planting rotations. Also Hemp needs very little fertilization, herbicides or pesticides to grow strong.

Bonus-For those that are worried about marijuana Hemp is the dominant plant so if it cross pollinates with a marijuana plant it will render the addictive nature of it useless by lowering the THC level in the crop (all cannabis has THC in it, its the level of THC that makes it addictive). Also in this specific bill Industrial Hemp would be regulated and law enforcement would be allowed to test the crops. I know some liberty folks may cringe at that concept but sometimes in order to take a few steps forward, especially with something new like this you might have to take a few steps back until it is more accepted, which will come through education.

The bill this year in the 2012 session is BR 261/ SB 17 and the sponsor is Senator Joey Pendleton (D). Hopefully this year with the newly elected Agricultural Commissioner Jamie Comer (R) who has come out in support of Industrial Hemp we can get something done to advance this effort. I would hope it would be come law; however it is a hard thing to get a bill passed (at least a good one) and so this bill has been stagnate for a few years any movement forward would be a good sign. I personally feel that those in the grassroots in this state that support Industrial Hemp need to give it their best shot at getting this bill its day. While I have not talked to Pendleton I am sure he has grown a little weary of pushing this "rock" up hill with little results so far. That is no reflection on him but on the system as it is now.

Capitol Hotline in Frankfort 1-800-372-7181

Immigration Confusion

2011-11-22T17:11:00.005-05:00

There seems to be a lot of confusion over this nation's immigration policy. This subject can be quite lengthy and in my first attempt to highlight some of this confusion I realized this post was getting far too long for a blog.

So I will give the basics as to why there is immigration confusion in this nation. On the surface the federal government appears to not be enforcing immigration laws. So states like Arizona try and do this. Those opposed to illegal immigration and some who support state's rights cheer this effort. However, not so fast, as this article from the Constitutional Alliance points out the bill crafted in Arizona would require anyone getting a state license of any kind to turn over their information to the federal government. Yet the federal government raises a fuss about this legislation on the grounds of racial profiling. This seems like a smoke and mirror act to me, why would the federal government turn down the opportunity they had not had before to have your information.

Now in Kentucky we have two immigration bills designed to make us feel good about stopping illegal immigration but ultimately will be another avenue to turn over our information and control of our lives to the federal government.

BR 58/ HB 58 - This bills is a foot in the door for E-Verify for the whole state eventually. Now I could go into all kinds of reasons why E-Verify is not a good program. However for the purpose of this post today I will not. Essentially what E-Verify is will be another way for the federal government to obtain your information in order to get a job. It might as well be called get permission from the feds to work program.

BR 37 / HB 78 -This bill will institute the federal program known as Secure Communities. What is Secure Communities? Well it is a federal program designed to deport violent criminal illegal aliens. How do local law enforcement know how to do this, by sending your information and biometrics to the federal government for verification.

Now what makes this confusing is Rep. Brad Montell is the sponsor of HB 58 and Rep. Stan Lee is the sponsor of HB 78. Both have been proponents in the past of supporting state sovereignty. Apparently Secure Communities was not even a law that was passed but a regulation created by a bureaucracy that the the Federal Government says does not need permission, approval, ratification, etc from the states to use and enforce. Regardless of how one feels about immigration, the process in which this program came about is just unconstitutional.

Now I know I have run through this kind of quickly but why is all this stuff not good? REAL ID. What is REAL ID? Basically it is an International Biometric Identification System in which our government will use and share your information with other nations and international agencies that are participating in the the program allies or not.

So the federal government is not enforcing the border. Not monitoring visas. Creating a welfare state for incentive. Regulating business to the point that to save money they hire illegal immigrants. Having a bureaucratic log jam for those wanting to legally immigrate to this country. As well as not addressing the problem created in the 14th Amendment (the Red Amendment as some call it...that amendment sure does have a complicated history and constitutional application) of birth right citizenship as Rep. Ron Paul writes about.

All the while they are collecting our information and forcing us into a system where they can control us because they have failed to address the issue of immigration and the problems they have created. Doing this with the secondary agenda of keeping people distracted in a collectivist mentality based on race. Thus we have immigration confusion where one hand we have the federal government supposedly opposing the Arizona law while at the same time forcing Secure Communities and E-Verify. Most of us want an immigration policy in this country that is sensible. But things have gotten so out of hand that good people like the legislators sponsoring these two bills in Kentucky will forget their overall philosophy to solve this issue that perplexes our society. So many are unwittingly willing to grab at the "solution" pushed forward that will ultimately lead to our enslavement.

"Papers Please"

"Minibus" Signed by the President Today

2011-11-18T12:16:00.005-05:00

What is "Minibus" you may ask, well in my mind it is not the appropriate nickname for a bill when you see what's in it, but no it's not as big as a stimulus package or a bailout. I don't know what the real name of this bill is except to call it H.R. 2112. Here is a link to the PDF version of the bill and here is a link to the thomas.gov page for the bill.

Looks like it started off as some sort of Science Appropriation bill, then later called The Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2012. I guess to keep the government running order for the sky not to fall.

Here are what some watchdog groups have to say about the details of this bill.

govtrack.us

washingtonwatch.com

I cannot find the CBO report on this but by washingtonwatch.com's estimate this will increase every U.S. Citizens share of the national debt by $388.97. I also found on gop.gov a more aggregate figure of $128 Billion. Yeah chump change in Washington D.C. today I guess.

here is the executive summary from gop.gov

The conference report on H.R. 2112 would provide a total of $128 billion in discretionary appropriations to provide funding for three FY 2012 appropriations bills: Agriculture, Commerce-Justice-Science, and the Transportation-Housing and Urban Development. In addition, the legislation would provide short-term appropriated funding for discretionary government operations at current levels through December 16, 2011. Under a continuing resolution (CR) approved at the end of FY 2011, discretionary appropriations are set to expire on November 18, 2011.

Known as the “Mini-bus,” the conference report would provide $128 billion in non-emergency discretionary budget authority for three appropriations bills, including $19.77 billion for Agriculture appropriations, $52.74 billion for Commerce-Justice-Science (CJS), and $55.55 billion for Transportation-Housing and Urban Development (THUD). In addition, the legislation includes $2.3 billion in emergency disaster relief funding which is not subject to statutory discretionary spending caps under the Budget Control Act of 2011 (BCA). The conference agreement for the three bills upholds the non-emergency base discretionary level of $1.043 trillion as agreed to in the BCA.

So while this affects every citizen in the U.S. why particularly is this being reported on The KY Freedom Faction? Because in the original bill all but 2 US Representatives voted for it. Yarmuth and Chandler, Democrats voted against it, and in the Senate both our Senators voted against it. But before you scratch your head with our House Reps. and cheer for our Senators, wait until round two. After some amendments and a second round of voting, all our House Reps. voted for it and Sen. Mitch McConnell voted for it, leaving our TEA Party Senator Rand Paul the lone representative standing on Conservative Constitutional Limited Government principles with a Nay Vote. Can't say I didn't see it playing out like that, but we in Kentucky have to realize there is no real substantive difference between our Republican and Democratic Legislators at the Federal Level save Rand Paul.

The Hill had this report to give on the vote. Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) had this to say about his opposition to the bill, as reported by The Hill

Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) was the only senator to raise his voice against the spending legislation in the two-hours of debate that led up to the vote arguing that once again Congress was abdicating its responsibility to cut spending.
"I don't think the American people know how badly they have been hoodwinked by the Congress," said Coburn, prior to the vote. "This bill should be defeated...we are running out of money."

The vote for HR 2112 was finalized in the Senate yesterday and apparently this was last minute as these government bureaucracies budgets were set to expire today. So I guess President Obama's sunshine rule of being able to see what is in a bill before it is signed into law goes out the window as he sighed this legislation today according to thomas.gov.

$128 Billion gets nicknamed "Minibus" as if it is an insignificant addition to the spending problems in Washington D.C.

Taxpayers Funding Colon Cancer Screenings?

2011-11-17T15:53:00.004-05:00

That's what will happen if Rep. Jim Glenn (D) Owensboro and Rep Bob DeWeese (R) Louisville get their way. While this is a well intended it is ultimately socialist in nature. Instead of people being charged for a medical service based on what the free market determines the price to be, it will be based on an individuals ability to pay. Like all socialist schemes, this will lead to distortions in the market that will increase costs, particularly in the area it is meant to control. Why? More bureaucracy from the government will create increased costs. The more government spending goes into an industry the more inflation it causes in that industry. Also this just encourages people to stay uninsured in the long run if they are going to get something for free by the taxpayers to name a few reasons. Where would this end or does it keep growing? I say it keeps growing considering it is a government endeavor.

"Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master." -George Washington

The bill is BR 275/HB 55 it changes may in the law to shall and actually begin funding this program.

AN ACT relating to the Colon Cancer Screening Program and making an appropriation therefor.
Amend KRS 214.542 to require the Department for Public Health to adopt a schedule of income-based fees to be charged for colon cancer screening; APPROPRIATION

Here is a write up on the bill from News Talk 1490 WMOI, no doubt after reading this article Rep. Glenn has a personal connection to this as he lost his wife to colon cancer. While I can't comprehend the pain he must of went though with this and his passion to do something good and to help people, in the end this will not work and is not moral to take from some and give it to others even if the intentions of good.

Remember: "From each according to his ability, to each according to his need" - Karl Marx

This sounds a lot like that concept and it needs to stop.

Stop the KY Property Tax Scam

2011-11-17T11:23:00.008-05:00

Keeping with the theme from the last post about Rand Paul's Property Wrongs Hearing I wanted to let you know about a good bill coming up this legislative session. Now I am not going to re-invent the wheel, just show you a picture of it. Boone County PVA Cindy Arlinghaus has found a property tax loop hole that most local governments in Kentucky have been using to deceive property owners. So I will be redirecting you to her site as she has done a good job explaining this issue and documenting it.

As quoted from the site below are the basics to the property tax scam

In 1979, Kentucky Legislators passed HB 44 which allows counties, libraries, cities, schools, health agencies, area planning commissions, etc., to raise the taxes on our homes ( called REAL PROPERTY), up to 4 % WITHOUT voter approval. Any increase in REAL PROPERTY taxes over 4% MUST meet voter approval.

But any tax increase above 4% RATE for TANGIBLE PROPERTY (a businesses' inventory, furniture, fixtures, anything of tangible value), need not be voted on.

And this, my dear Kentuckians, is the scam!

Every year the amount collected for REAL PROPERTY from the previous year AND the amount collected on TANGIBLE PROPERTY are added together and then the new tax RATE is calculated!

Simple explanation: If your property tax is raised 3% from the previous year, and taxes on the businesses in your county are raised 10% from previous year, the totals are added together and THIS RATE is your rate!

It's wrong because it adds the averages for REAL and TANGIBLE property together.

Additionally, HB 44 has a "COMPENSATING RATE" in it which states that NEVER can a taxing district ever take in LESS $$$ than the year before! Hence, every year property owners in KY are getting screwed because they average the averages from REAL and TANGIBLE properties!

If you want more information please go to www.kytaxscam.com/kypropertytaxscam.html (portions of the site are under construction)

Also Take Back Kentucky has acquired a copy of Ms. Arlinghaus' presentation of the property tax scam and placed it on their website for your reference.

Now for the legislation you can support to reverse this tax scam/loop hole is BR 46/HB 48 for the 2012 Legislative Session. The Sponsor is Rep. Joseph Fischer (R) Campbell County.

So remember when the Legislative Session starts this upcoming January to call in and support HB 48, the committee it will be assigned to has not yet been determined. Also thank Rep Fischer for sponsoring this legislation. The number is 1-800-372-7181 the LRC staffer will take down your information, your message and where you want it directed (committees, legislators.)

Sen. Rand Paul Property Wrongs Hearing

2011-11-14T21:14:00.003-05:00

Recently Senator Rand Paul conducted a hearing in Washington D.C. to discuss the problem of an overbearing government bureaucracy that is making it more and more difficult to do as we wish with our own property even when it does not harm or do damage to another. In fact far more often than we would like to admit as a society citizens are intimidated, brutalized, fiscally ruined and jailed for the smallest of perceived infraction the government deems wrong merely because the citizen dares to act on his own accord to no harm to another human being or their property outside the governments permission.

Below is the opening statement by Rand Paul followed by the testimonies.

WARNING: This will make you angry!

This one is the recently well publicized Gibson Guitar case

Rand Paul's Closing Statements

LCV Attacks Rand Paul

2011-11-14T09:02:00.009-05:00

I thought election season was over, so I was surprised to see an ad by the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) being critical of Rand Paul. What exactly were they being critical of. Truth be told I could not tell what the specific issue was just watching the commercial. What was evident was that Rand Paul wants to not prevent heart attacks, wants children to have asthma, and wants babies to die. That is certainly a healthy dose of fear mongering. Then at the end they vaguely hit on some sort of opposition Rand has to some obvious life saving regulations the EPA put forth. To get the complete picture I had to find a YouTube of the commercial to see exactly what they were talking about. In small print that no one really pays attention to when one watches these kinds of commercials, a whole bunch of EPA Facts are cited as to all the calamities that will be fall Kentuckians if Rand Paul goes against these regulations. Then a Senate Resolution is referenced, SJR 27. One would have to wonder though since the EPA wants whatever this regulation is (I'll get to that absurdity in a moment) thus increasing their own importance I find any self issued fact sheet a bit suspect and most likely biased.

Below is the ad.

Turns out the regulation Rand Paul is against is the Interstate Transport of Fine Particulate Matter and Ozone and Correction of SIP Approvals. Confused, well so was I, I did not know exactly what that meant and apparently it is an addition to the Clean Air Act but after researching this a little bit you get the impression from the environmental extremists that Rand Paul wants to do away with the clean air act, but that is simply not the case.

Here is he text of SJR 27

Disapproving a rule submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency relating to the mitigation by States of cross-border air pollution under the Clean Air Act.

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That Congress disapproves the rule submitted to Congress by the Environmental Protection Agency on July 11, 2011, entitled `Federal Implementation Plans: Interstate Transport of Fine Particulate Matter and Ozone and Correction of SIP Approvals' (76 Fed. Reg. 48208 (August 8, 2011)), relating to the mitigation by States of cross-border air pollution under the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.), and such rule shall have no force or effect.

Here is the summary of the new rule (this is the short version)

SUMMARY: In this action, EPA is limiting the interstate transport of emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOX) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) that contribute to harmful levels of fine particle matter (PM2.5) and ozone in downwind states. EPA is identifying emissions within 27 states in the eastern United States that significantly affect the ability of downwind states to attain and maintain compliance with the 1997 and 2006 fine particulate matter national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) and the 1997 ozone NAAQS. Also, EPA is limiting these emissions through Federal Implementation Plans (FIPs) that regulate electric generating units (EGUs) in the 27 states. This action will substantially reduce adverse air quality impacts in downwind states from emissions transported across state lines. In conjunction with other federal and state actions, it will help assure that all but a handful of areas in the eastern part of the country achieve compliance with the current ozone and PM2.5 NAAQS by the deadlines established in the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act). The FIPs may not fully eliminate the prohibited emissions from certain states with respect to the 1997 ozone NAAQS for two remaining downwind areas and EPA is committed to identifying any additional required upwind emission reductions and taking any necessary action in a future rulemaking. In this action, EPA is also modifying its prior approvals of certain State Implementation Plan (SIP) submissions to rescind any statements that the submissions in question satisfy the interstate transport requirements of the CAA or that EPA’s approval of the SIPs affects our authority to issue interstate transport FIPs with respect to the 1997 fine particulate and 1997 ozone standards for 22 states. EPA is also issuing a supplemental proposal to request comment on its conclusion that six additional states significantly affect downwind states’ ability to attain and maintain compliance with the 1997 ozone NAAQS.

Basically what this is is a regulation that will force more regulations in some states on power plants and less on others due to the wind patterns of the United States. See this is the problem when you start diving too deep into how to regulate to protect the environment, the environment itself inhibits that. On a day like today as windy as it is, will any EPA regulation actually prove helpful in the long run in preventing more pollution going into the air and across state lines to any substantive measurable degree that will have a positive impact?

Here is Rand Paul Speaking on the Senate floor about his legislation and this regulation and the balance between energy, the environment and providing jobs that must be struck.

I leave everyone with this reminder of what President Barack Obama said before he was elected and you choose which route we should go as a nation, what Senator Rand Paul proposes or have our electricity rates necessarily sky rocket to serve an agenda. This is not Cap and Trade per say, but it is a new environmental regulation that was created passed by a bureaucracy not a law passed by Congress to supposedly make the environment better. Does anyone not see a problem where a law was created 20 years ago and now a bureaucracy is still creating regulations for it, most of which were getting rubber-stamped unless legislators like Rand Paul raise objections or questions them?

In the end I would say this is a bad political move by the LCV as Rand Paul does not have an election for quite some time, thus giving him plenty of time to counter this nonsense.

Got Milk Freedom?

2011-11-11T18:03:00.002-05:00

The 2012 Legislative Session will be starting soon in Frankfort and the Legislative Research Commission (LRC) has released their publication "Issues Confronting the 2012 Kentucky General Assembly." On page 3 the issue of Raw Milk is brought up, so far no legislation has been pre-filed but they definitely seem to be anticipating it.

I believe this is due to public awareness and education about the issue by the TEA Party and local organic and raw milk farmers with viewings of the film Farmageddon, in which there were panel discussions by experts. There was push back from raw milk and organic farming community to the governor's office and Health Department over the legality of a recent raid the government committed against a food club in Louisville that had cow shares. This got quite a bit of public attention on the radio airwaves. Then the Republican candidate and now Agricultural Commissioner elect Jamie Comer a farmer, businessman and legislator recognized this as a freedom issue that needed to be championed. He even attended one of the Farmageddon events and participated in the discussion. While he cannot directly deal with raw milk as it has conveniently been placed under the Health Department instead of Agriculture, he can do something about organic farming in this state and we look forward to the ideas that will come out of his office in support of these issues.

The flip side of the topic of raw milk or as some call it real milk being inserted in to this publication could be bad. Why? Kentucky has no laws regarding cow shares and it is illegal to sell raw milk in this state. Stated earlier the raids have been on those that have cow shares. So while publicly the issue has been going in one direction, quite often the government goes the other direction limiting freedoms, liberty, private property and capitalism and this may turn into an effort to make their raids legal under the law.

Now what we need is a legislator to champion this issue in the upcoming legislative session. This should not be that difficult of a bill to craft. For more information, news, and model legislation on this issue I suggest visiting the Farm-to-Consumer website

Below is a preview of the Farmageddon movie

Farmageddon - Movie Trailer from Kristin Canty on Vimeo.

Thanks

2011-11-11T17:48:00.001-05:00

This is the initial post on this new blog, The Kentucky Freedom Faction and I would be remiss if I did not on this Veterans Day recognize and give thanks to all those who have served this nation. So thank you for your service and sacrifice to protect our freedoms. As this blog is so aptly titled the goal is to monitor issues, legislation, events etc that would threaten or enhance those freedoms that the good men and women of our Military strive to protect.

For reference Kentuckians right to free speech and press are outlined in Section 8 of our Constitution.

Freedom is not Free, it must be paid for by a soldier's sweat, blood, and tears; preserved by a citizen's vigilance and exercise there of, together making both efforts worth the gain.