Posted by
Bert Chapman on Wednesday, November 07, 2007 7:13:18 PM
Kentucky's gubernatorial election saw incumbent Republican Ernie Fletcher defeated by Democrat Steve Brashear.
Fletcher, a former congressman, was elected in 2003 with great promise as Kentucky's first Republican governor since Louis Nunn served from 1967-1971. Fletcher, unfortunately, decided to squander his promise by allowing the state's civil service system to become politicized and his actions subject to criminal investigation. He paid the price for it yesterday. Fletcher had come to power in part as a response to public outrage over scandals in the administration of his Democratic predecessor Paul Patton.
As conservatives, it's second nature for us to want to criticize government and, heaven knows, governments at all levels do things and engage in policies that merit criticism. If we seek to hold political power we must exercise that power morally and responsibly and not engage in gimmicky schemes like Fletcher practiced with the state's civil service that do not improve governmental services but only serve to foster preening egos and fuel the criticism of liberals that conservatives are only interested in money, greed, and power for its own sake.
The incoming Kentucky government is promising to run what it sees as an ethical government. Remember when Bill Clinton proclaimed his presidential administration would be "the most ethical in history.?" Kentucky's last two gubernatorial administrations have left a legacy of tarnished corruption that only strengthens public cynicism of the political process.
Although I live in Indiana, I have family ties in the central Kentucky area and received one of my graduate degrees from the University of Kentucky. I'm saddened when I hear of governmental malfeasance and especially disappointed when the officials of the party I support engage in such corruption. Fortunately, Kentucky's outgoing Lt. Gov. was critical of Fletcher's conduct but this was not enough to spare the Kentucky GOP from losing the governor's mansion although some other Kentucky statewide elected officials were able to survive.
The moral of this story is that those who elect us expect us to govern with integrity and competence and keep governmental spending under control.