If you've paid attention to the news and commentary after the conclusion of the 2022 Kentucky General Assembly biennial session, you know that liberals are extremely unhappy.
The actions taken by the Republican majority legislature have upset the left in this state almost beyond consolation. From abortion restrictions to education and tax reform to protecting women's scholastic sports, the legislation passed by the House and Senate and then confirmed through overrides of Gov. Andy Beshear's vetoes have left liberals wounded and downtrodden. They fail to realize that Kentucky was under control of the Democrats for decades, and their preferred party has caused all of this state's woes, and now the Republicans are trying to fix those mistakes.
Go visit the Lexington Herald-Leader's Web site and read some of columnist Linda Blackford's lamentations during the last days of the session and immediately afterwards. Her distress is evident. She's representative of many who are decrying the legislature's accomplishments as steps backwards for the state, when the reality is we're trying to move forward after years of Democrat rule.
But as unhappy as the liberals are over what the legislature did, conservatives are equally displeased, if not more, over what the General Assembly did not do.
For the majority of Kentucky conservatives, the biggest issue that faced the legislature this year was medical freedom and the end of restrictions on individual freedoms as a response to the Wuhan Chinese virus. The way the majority handled the issue has left a bad taste in the mouths of the grassroots, and the fallout could cause some incumbent GOP legislators to lose their re-election bids in this month's primaries.
In the months leading up to the start of the session in January, the buzz was about something called Bill Request 106. This was a bill prefiled by Rep. Savannah Maddox, who is establishing herself as the best member of the General Assembly. It would have banned Kung Flu vaccination requirements as a condition of employment or service at a business. It had the support of thousands of Kentuckians and ended up with nearly one-fourth of the House membership as co-sponsors.
When the session started, BR 106 became House Bill 28. And then it languished. It was no secret that a number of establishment groups, such as the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, opposed the bill. Some Republican representatives, including Kim King, spoke out against the bill, saying it was not a conservative proposal. (Since when is supporting individual freedoms not a conservative position?)
When the bill finally moved through the committee system, it was gutted. The restrictions on private employers were removed, leaving only a prohibition on public employers requiring the shot. Making that change was the only way House leadership would allow the bill to advance. Sponsors, including Maddox, reluctantly voted for it even though it didn't go far enough.
And then it went to the Senate, where there was even more opposition from the establishment leadership. Damon Thayer and Ralph Alvarado got most of the blame, but those who kept up with the legislative session knew that the Senate's leaders were not in favor of the bill. After the bill finally got a committee vote, the shenanigans pulled to ensure it wouldn't pass out of committee to the Senate floor were shameful. Testimony was skewed in the direction of those who opposed the legislation.
Conservatives were already unhappy with the legislature for not reining in the executive orders when it first had the opportunity, as the 2020 session came to an abrupt halt. The failure of the House to impeach Beshear was another black mark -- indeed, all three of the in-it-to-win-it petitioners are running for office this year, including a challenger to King, who was on the impeachment committee.
The legislators, especially party leaders in both chambers, have been busy congratulating themselves on a momentous legislative session. And they did do some good things to move Kentucky forward. The sore tails of Bluegrass liberals are evidence of that. But conservatives feel let down. They're frustrated at seeing the GOP's veto-proof majorities in both houses not do enough to reduce the power of government and protect individual freedoms. And they're ready to take their frustrations out on the RINOs who have challengers for their seats in the upcoming primary.
It's not often that conservatives and the radical left agree on anything, but they've found common ground in their disdain for the Republican-majority General Assembly as it's currently constituted. If things go well, conservatives will have reason to celebrate, but the Democrats will have even more triggers to wallow in grief and sadness as they continue to lose their grip on control of Kentucky and the state finally advances from the dark years when their party ran things.
