KyKurmudgeon

I'm spending much of this week learning about the new software the H-L will be using in the near future. But a couple of items merit quick hits.

1. Possession really isn't nine-tenths of the law, despite the old saying. But sometimes, perception can be nine-tenths of leadership. If everything doesn't fall apart (as it has a habit of doing where the General Assembly is concerned) and a special session produces pension reforms that address the massive unfunded liabilities of Kentucky's public employee retirement systems, everyone involved will deserve credit. But by taking the initiative and calling legislative leaders back together after they failed to get the job done during this year's regular session, Gov. Steve Beshear got ahead of the game instead of letting the game come to him, thus creating the perception of leadership on his part. Smart move.

2. One area where Beshear consistently has shown some strength of leadership has been in his dealings with the Council on Postsecondary Education. He prevailed in a confrontation with the council over the hiring of Brad Cowgill as president when Cowgill resigned. And his recent appointment of former Gov. Paul Patton to the panel suggests Beshear is strongly committed to the principles of the higher education reforms of the 1997. Beshear's other two appointments - former Lexington Mayor Pam Miller and Paducah lawyer Glenn Denton - are quality choices as well. But Patton was the driving force behind the 1997 reforms and knows better than most what course that legislation intended for higher education in Kentucky. It also says something about Beshear that he gave a former governor who built a solid record of accomplishment before being caught in a sex scandal a chance to step into the spotlight again. Some governors, particularly those who have yet to accomplish much, might be reluctant to risk creating a situation that could lead to comparisons that could be unflattering for them. Beshear had the confidence to do just that.