KyKurmudgeon

On the spur of the moment, I took a couple of days off last week, which explains the lack of posts Thursday and Friday and the lack of a Sunday column. But now, I have some catching up to do.

1. A couple of weeks ago, Senate President David Williams defended spending money renovating Senate offices while health and social services programs are being cut by saying, "You're talking about people who you couldn't print enough money for. I don't accept the premise that they're cutting anything to the bone." But after Republican senators who are facing challenges this fall started taking heat on the issue, Williams a hold on the $448,997 project, which is also costing the state $400,000 in rent to house the agencies kicked out of the Capitol Annex to make room for the Senate expansion. Surely, I can't be the only cynic who figures this project will regain its priority status along about Wednesday, Nov. 5.

2. Other state and local agencies should look at the feasibility of the flexible four-day work week Secretary of State Trey Grayson is implementing. Grayson's plan not only will help his employees save some money on gas, his offices will be open longer each day to serve the public.

3. By waiting until the race was over to throw his support as a Democratic superdelegate to Sen. Barack Obama, Gov. Steve Beshear made himself look wishy-washy.

4. Here's hoping Beshear and Grayson continue their attempts to one-up each other on government transparency. A contest of that nature can only lead to freer and easier access to public records.

5. Bully for U.S. Rep. John Yarmuth for his Jefferson-Jackson Day Dinner remarks on racism. The exit polls during the Kentucky primary proved we still have a long way to go in this state to eliminate what he rightly referred to as "blind hatred."