If what happened today is an indication of how the next four years are going to go, conservative Kentuckians are in for a long, rough ride.
It's also indicative of why so many of us stay frustrated at and rail at the moderates and go-along-to-get-along Republicans who'd rather make nice with Democrats than stand on principle and fight for what's right.
Two days after new Gov. Andy Beshear replaced all members of the state Board of Education, and before final resolution of a lawsuit the ousted members filed, the new board -- loaded with Democrats -- forced the ouster of Commissioner Wayne Lewis.
For those of us who were girding for a battle, and who actually believed Lewis when he said he wouldn't go quietly because there was no cause for him to be dismissed, it was a major letdown.
Those of us who had fears about how the Republican majority in the General Assembly would deal with the new governor had those fears justified. How can we have any confidence that the House and Senate will keep the new liberal governor in check, when the education commissioner who vowed to fight ended up caving with a whimper?
The pandering to the educational bureaucracy couldn't be more plain. Beshear promised them the moon during his campaign. He couldn't wait beyond his inaugural day to appoint an entirely new state school board. That board couldn't even wait a full week after taking office, or before the courts decide if they're even legally entitled to be members, before doing their master's bidding and giving the axe to someone who actually thought shaking up the educational system and doing something different might possibly mean better schools.
Unfortunately for the former board, and ultimately for Lewis, those members who sued failed to get emergency injunctive relief to stop this morning's meeting in which Lewis was pushed out. While the judges most likely properly ruled that the board members themselves could not show irreparable harm, Lewis most certainly can. But he wasn't party to the lawsuit. Now, if the ousted board members win what will be a protracted court battle, Lewis is still gone even if they get their seats back.
Lewis did get a nice golden parachute. One media report stated it's four months' salary and health insurance. And he'll have a job waiting for him somewhere, possibly back at the University of Kentucky where he was before becoming commissioner. But his advocacy for better education will be gone from the place where it's needed the most.
Many of us were looking forward to a controversy. We wanted the new board to try to remove Lewis for cause, and we wanted him to fight them as hard as possible. We hoped that finally we'd found someone who'd stand on principle instead of giving in the way so many do. But we were let down. For all his tough talk in previous weeks, his actions proved hollow. He had no comment on why he decided to resign instead of staying to fight for his job immediately after the decision was announced. Maybe someone will get him on the record to try to explain his about-face.
Staunch conservatives don't want surrender. We're not interested in comity. Going along to get along, at the expense of our core beliefs, is not an option. We want policy victories. If it requires engaging the opponents in messy situations, that's what we're seeking. It's a big part of why someone who's not cut from the traditional conservative mold, like Donald Trump, enjoys so much support. Trump's not willing to just sit there and take it like so many of his predecessors. He fights back. We haven't had very many Republicans willing to do that in recent history. It's refreshing to see.
In the meantime, looks like that group that former Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal refers to as "the surrender caucus" has gained another member. When they have their Christmas dinner, they'll have a seat for Wayne Lewis at the table.
