[Mister D]

I know that there’s a lot of strong Republicans and conservatives on here. I am pretty moderate myself on some issues I lean left and others I lean right. I know that the left hates Mitch and so do a lot of moderates. But how does the right view him?

[Mister D]

Are KY Republicans happy with Mitch’s time as Majority Leader? Is he considered a champion of the Republican Party or would you rather have a different Republican in his place? I know that most KY Republicans would never want a Democrat to beat McConnell but are they really happy with the job he has done?

[Bob Seger]

As Senate majority leader he has been masterful.

[Cardfan1]

As Senate majority leader he has been masterful.

I agree. Senator McConnell may go down as the strongest Majority Leader ever.

My primary opposition to him is his tenure of 35 years in the Senate is just way too long.

[plantmanky]

He hasn't done a damn thing for his constitutes in over 30 years, hes a turd and waste of space. Hes also the best person to have as majority leader right now.

[Bob Seger]

He hasn't done a damn thing for his constitutes in over 30 years, hes a turd and waste of space. Hes also the best person to have as majority leader right now.

And that may be 100% true. But as the majority leader he has been sterling.

He is a must to be re-elected for this country to survive.

[Mister D]

I guess that begs the question has he helped KY enough with the amount of power he has? He may be doing a wonderful job as Majority Leader for amassing power to the GOP and stopping the Democrats agenda but is he really doing anything to better KY especially EKY?

[Cardfan1]

Let’s not get carried away. In no way is McConnell a savior of this nation.
If anything he is the definition of the Swamp.

As far as helping, EKY the answer is no.

All of this election year bacon is going to projects in Western KY and Louisville. 426 million of which are tax breaks to spirit distillers that are suffering from the President’s trade wars.

McConnell has been a master at riling EKY voters up about saving coal, yet it’s died in his tenure. It’s death may not be McConnell’s fault, but the failure to develop other industry and infrastructure in the region is.

If he loses in November, KY will be no worse off.

[Bob Seger]

I guess that begs the question has he helped KY enough with the amount of power he has? He may be doing a wonderful job as Majority Leader for amassing power to the GOP and stopping the Democrats agenda but is he really doing anything to better KY especially EKY?

I have never been a McConnel fan until he got his current gig. Last I heard Kentucky was still part of the United States....Thwarting the liberalist agenda is indeed helping Kentucky.

[Bob Seger]

Let’s not get carried away. In no way is McConnell a savior of this nation.
If anything he is the definition of the Swamp.

As far as helping, EKY the answer is no.

All of this election year bacon is going to projects in Western KY and Louisville. 426 million of which are tax breaks to spirit distillers that are suffering from the President’s trade wars.

McConnell has been a master at riling EKY voters up about saving coal, yet it’s died in his tenure. It’s death may not be McConnell’s fault, but the failure to develop other industry and infrastructure in the region is.

If he loses in November, KY will be no worse off.

I beg to differ.

Coal will never come back like we once knew it. Trump did his part and eliminated the restrictions on the mining industry as well as eased coal fired power plant regulations. But it's too late. It's not his fault that Obama destroyed the coal market. It's hard to sell a product that there is not a demand for. As far as industry in this area, good luck on trying to find a reliable labor base. I usually go through 10 applicants before I can find one that can even pass a drug test. And it's going to be increasingly difficult to find money people willing to bet the farms on locating any major industry in eastern Kentucky. I wouldn't, where's the appeal, because what's available is horrible..Nobody with any sense at all wants to come to eastern Kentucky. That's completely justified. You may not want to hear that, but those are the facts. So, it's not fair to blame McConnell for our plight. If you want to blame anyone for eastern Kentucky being in the shape it's in, with the future looking bleak, blame all of the Carl D. Perkins's of the world for bringing the entitlement culture that has been handed down from generation to generation to generation. It's now all come to a head. No single person has done more damage to eastern Kentucky than Carl D. Perkins .

Trade wars were something that had to happen. It's the ONLY thing the Chinese understand. Unfortunately it did cause some pains, but with Phase 1 of the trade agreement (that Trump brought China to their knees on) being signed just this week, it evident that it has worked. What was lost will be gained back, plus.

IMO, the most important thing that McConnell has done is place and ramrod conservative judges thru, so that will have an impact of what happens in this country for generations. (and yes, that effects Kentuckians) And for that, he and Trump deserves some savior credit for salvaging at least a portion of what this country once stood for. Trump was this country's last and ONLY hope. It's scary to even imagine what kind of shape this country would be in, financially and morally had we gotten 4 more years of what we just went thru in the previous 8. And now, Obama, after only two years out of office basically has become a democratic party dinosaur. Things have changed that drastically. By present democrat party standards, he's now considered a far right conservative for all intents and purposes. The mere thought of one of these socialist/communist crack pot democrats being elected ought to scare the daylights out of any sane American.

[jetpilot]

I beg to differ.

Coal will never come back like we once knew it. Trump did his part and eliminated the restrictions on the mining industry as well as eased coal fired power plant regulations. But it's too late. It's not his fault that Obama destroyed the coal market. It's hard to sell a product that there is not a demand for. As far as industry in this area, good luck on trying to find a reliable labor base. I usually go through 10 applicants before I can find one that can even pass a drug test. And it's going to be increasingly difficult to find money people willing to bet the farms on locating any major industry in eastern Kentucky. I wouldn't, where's the appeal, because what's available is horrible..Nobody with any sense at all wants to come to eastern Kentucky. That's completely justified. You may not want to hear that, but those are the facts. So, it's not fair to blame McConnell for our plight. If you want to blame anyone for eastern Kentucky being in the shape it's in, with the future looking bleak, blame all of the Carl D. Perkins's of the world for bringing the entitlement culture that has been handed down from generation to generation to generation. It's now all come to a head. No single person has done more damage to eastern Kentucky than Carl D. Perkins .

Trade wars were something that had to happen. It's the ONLY thing the Chinese understand. Unfortunately it did cause some pains, but with Phase 1 of the trade agreement (that Trump brought China to their knees on) being signed just this week, it evident that it has worked. What was lost will be gained back, plus.

IMO, the most important thing that McConnell has done is place and ramrod conservative judges thru, so that will have an impact of what happens in this country for generations. (and yes, that effects Kentuckians) And for that, he and Trump deserves some savior credit for salvaging at least a portion of what this country once stood for. Trump was this country's last and ONLY hope. It's scary to even imagine what kind of shape this country would be in, financially and morally had we gotten 4 more years of what we just went thru in the previous 8. And now, Obama, after only two years out of office basically has become a democratic party dinosaur. Things have changed that drastically. By present democrat party standards, he's now considered a far right conservative for all intents and purposes. The mere thought of one of these socialist/communist crack pot democrats being elected ought to scare the daylights out of any sane American.

Wow, best post I have seen on here in ages, 1000% accurate. Kudos Bob.
Only thing I could add would be that as bad as Carl D. Perkins was for entitlements that have ruined this area for generations, he is the Grinch compared to all the idiot liberals in Washington wanting to do the same to the whole country on a much larger scale.

And most people who hate McConnell would rather have Matt Jones take his place. nicker: 'Nuff said.

[TheRealThing]

I beg to differ.

Coal will never come back like we once knew it. Trump did his part and eliminated the restrictions on the mining industry as well as eased coal fired power plant regulations. But it's too late. It's not his fault that Obama destroyed the coal market. It's hard to sell a product that there is not a demand for. As far as industry in this area, good luck on trying to find a reliable labor base. I usually go through 10 applicants before I can find one that can even pass a drug test. And it's going to be increasingly difficult to find money people willing to bet the farms on locating any major industry in eastern Kentucky. I wouldn't, where's the appeal, because what's available is horrible..Nobody with any sense at all wants to come to eastern Kentucky. That's completely justified. You may not want to hear that, but those are the facts. So, it's not fair to blame McConnell for our plight. If you want to blame anyone for eastern Kentucky being in the shape it's in, with the future looking bleak, blame all of the Carl D. Perkins's of the world for bringing the entitlement culture that has been handed down from generation to generation to generation. It's now all come to a head. No single person has done more damage to eastern Kentucky than Carl D. Perkins .

Trade wars were something that had to happen. It's the ONLY thing the Chinese understand. Unfortunately it did cause some pains, but with Phase 1 of the trade agreement (that Trump brought China to their knees on) being signed just this week, it evident that it has worked. What was lost will be gained back, plus.

IMO, the most important thing that McConnell has done is place and ramrod conservative judges thru, so that will have an impact of what happens in this country for generations. (and yes, that effects Kentuckians) And for that, he and Trump deserves some savior credit for salvaging at least a portion of what this country once stood for. Trump was this country's last and ONLY hope. It's scary to even imagine what kind of shape this country would be in, financially and morally had we gotten 4 more years of what we just went thru in the previous 8. And now, Obama, after only two years out of office basically has become a democratic party dinosaur. Things have changed that drastically. By present democrat party standards, he's now considered a far right conservative for all intents and purposes. The mere thought of one of these socialist/communist crack pot democrats being elected ought to scare the daylights out of any sane American.

Wow, best post I have seen on here in ages, 1000% accurate. Kudos Bob.
Only thing I could add would be that as bad as Carl D. Perkins was for entitlements that have ruined this area for generations, he is the Grinch compared to all the idiot liberals in Washington wanting to do the same to the whole country on a much larger scale.

And most people who hate McConnell would rather have Matt Jones take his place. nicker: 'Nuff said.

Very well said Bob, the same thought crossed my mind that Jet posted. If any time soon the Dems were to get control of Congress and the Presidency again, they will try to finish the job they almost culminated under Obama. Majority dependency on government and a lock on power by those who they've made junkies of the state.

Given enough time the conservative formula of freedom, self sacrifice due to love of country, and self sufficiency will make enough converts to stave off the idiocy for the foreseeable future. If not I shudder to think.

[Cardfan1]

I beg to differ.

Coal will never come back like we once knew it. Trump did his part and eliminated the restrictions on the mining industry as well as eased coal fired power plant regulations. But it's too late. It's not his fault that Obama destroyed the coal market. It's hard to sell a product that there is not a demand for. As far as industry in this area, good luck on trying to find a reliable labor base. I usually go through 10 applicants before I can find one that can even pass a drug test. And it's going to be increasingly difficult to find money people willing to bet the farms on locating any major industry in eastern Kentucky. I wouldn't, where's the appeal, because what's available is horrible..Nobody with any sense at all wants to come to eastern Kentucky. That's completely justified. You may not want to hear that, but those are the facts. So, it's not fair to blame McConnell for our plight. If you want to blame anyone for eastern Kentucky being in the shape it's in, with the future looking bleak, blame all of the Carl D. Perkins's of the world for bringing the entitlement culture that has been handed down from generation to generation to generation. It's now all come to a head. No single person has done more damage to eastern Kentucky than Carl D. Perkins .

Trade wars were something that had to happen. It's the ONLY thing the Chinese understand. Unfortunately it did cause some pains, but with Phase 1 of the trade agreement (that Trump brought China to their knees on) being signed just this week, it evident that it has worked. What was lost will be gained back, plus.

IMO, the most important thing that McConnell has done is place and ramrod conservative judges thru, so that will have an impact of what happens in this country for generations. (and yes, that effects Kentuckians) And for that, he and Trump deserves some savior credit for salvaging at least a portion of what this country once stood for. Trump was this country's last and ONLY hope. It's scary to even imagine what kind of shape this country would be in, financially and morally had we gotten 4 more years of what we just went thru in the previous 8. And now, Obama, after only two years out of office basically has become a democratic party dinosaur. Things have changed that drastically. By present democrat party standards, he's now considered a far right conservative for all intents and purposes. The mere thought of one of these socialist/communist crack pot democrats being elected ought to scare the daylights out of any sane American.

Coal has been dying for 40 years what has happened this decade had little bearing on the reality of the death. Politically it’s been red meat for both sides. Obama’s restrictions for the left and Trump’s repeal for the right. Both sides gnash their teeth, but it’s all sound and fury. The crime is McConnell who as our Senator shouldn’t have participated in that political theater with empty promises just to get elected, but he did, and every time he put false hope back into EKY. Shameful.

Hasn’t the opioid drug epidemic exploded in the past 20 years? These politicians don’t stuff the pills in the mouths of KY citizens, but they sure haven’t stood in the way of Big Pharma as shipped the pills into our state. McConnell has received millions from Big Pharma that we know about.

You dug up a Democrat politician who voted for the war on poverty as your justification of why EKY is poor? What was it before that extension of the social welfare? I wasn’t alive back then, but I have heard the song was the same, yet now people get to eat and have healthcare.

Despite what Perkins did or didn’t do, His last vote was nearly 40 years ago. That’s a heck of a lot of policy and government decisions to ignore. Mitch McConnell has been in Washington most of that time with no action to assist EKY.

I sure hope the Trade Wars work out. If not it’s a disastrous for our country. We’ve already had to bailout the farming industry to the clip of 28 billion, which is more than Obama’s auto bailout.

Ramrodding conservative judges doesn’t put food on the table. Ignoring the needs of the nation for the moral high ground is creating the socialist left.

[Mister D]

I agree with you strongly on one point Bob and disagree on another.

1) I agree that it is going to be extremely difficult moving forward to get any type of industry to invest money and move jobs to EKY. It’s just not efficient or good economics to move to an area where the roads aren’t great, internet is spotty and the overall infrastructure is lacking.

2) I disagree with some of the comments about Carl D Perkins. He was in Congress before my time so I can’t have a full discussion about what he did rightly or wrongly. But I will say a lot of his programs have really helped my family and others in the region and it’s not always been “entitlements”. My mother who was an English teacher at Johnson County Middle School
had a stroke leaving one side paralyzed when she was 29 years old. She was able to have speech, physical, and occupational therapy all at one place that was less than 5 minutes from our house because of the Carl D Perkins Rehab/Vocational Center in Thelma. My dad was able to get a job at that same center which was a big help to our family considering my mom’s condition and his previous job being in Ashland. Two of my uncles worked for decades at the Carl Perkins Job Corp. A lot of my friends were only able to go to college because of Perkins loans and Pell grants. Many of them have good paying jobs now.

So, I’m not saying that Carl Perkins didn’t hurt the area in some ways but at least on a personal level some of his programs have really helped people in our area.

[Hoot Gibson]

No single individual has ever done as much damage to eastern Kentucky as Carl Perkins. Barack Obama ranks as a distant second. Liberals like Perkins sowed the seeds of a culture of dependency among the residents of a region who were one time renowned for their self reliance and work ethic.

Listening to Perkins do his impression of an eastern Kentucky accent when campaigning "back home" turned my stomach. I am sure that I am not alone in remembering Perkins talking about "agculture" on the campaign trail. Perkins could have taught Hillary Clinton a thing or two about phony accents and adopting a condescending attitude towards his own constituents.

[Cardfan1]

I agree with you strongly on one point Bob and disagree on another.

1) I agree that it is going to be extremely difficult moving forward to get any type of industry to invest money and move jobs to EKY. It’s just not efficient or good economics to move to an area where the roads aren’t great, internet is spotty and the overall infrastructure is lacking.

2) I disagree with some of the comments about Carl D Perkins. He was in Congress before my time so I can’t have a full discussion about what he did rightly or wrongly. But I will say a lot of his programs have really helped my family and others in the region and it’s not always been “entitlements”. My mother who was an English teacher at Johnson County Middle School
had a stroke leaving one side paralyzed when she was 29 years old. She was able to have speech, physical, and occupational therapy all at one place that was less than 5 minutes from our house because of the Carl D Perkins Rehab/Vocational Center in Thelma. My dad was able to get a job at that same center which was a big help to our family considering my mom’s condition and his previous job being in Ashland. Two of my uncles worked for decades at the Carl Perkins Job Corp. A lot of my friends were only able to go to college because of Perkins loans and Pell grants. Many of them have good paying jobs now.

So, I’m not saying that Carl Perkins didn’t hurt the area in some ways but at least on a personal level some of his programs have really helped people in our area.

I’m glad you mentioned the infrastructure and internet, or a glaring example of McConnell’s neglect of EKY. A man with the stroke he has had in Congress should have pushed legislation to assist in both of those areas. I’m certain that would have been well received on both sides.

[Hoot Gibson]

I’m glad you mentioned the infrastructure and internet, or a glaring example of McConnell’s neglect of EKY. A man with the stroke he has had in Congress should have pushed legislation to assist in both of those areas. I’m certain that would have been well received on both sides.

That's just what eastern Kentucky needs...more federal handouts. If McConnell wants to help the region, then he should be pushing for tort reform and tax free enterprise zones to attract employers to the area. Establishing a public four-year university in eastern Kentucky would also help attract authentic "investment," in eastern Kentucky, as opposed to the kind of phony investments (a/k/a government entitlement programs) favored by liberals.

That will never happen, because too many in Congress are dependents of the trial attorneys lobby. Liberal lawyers/politicians have done enough damage to eastern Kentucky for a few generations. The area needs to try a conservative approach to problem solving.

McConnell has been great at publicly campaigning as a conservative and working behind the scenes to cut off conservatives at the knees. He is not now, never has been, and never will be a conservative.

[Cardfan1]

KY had a poverty rate of 50% prior to the war on poverty, and Perkins ruined EKY?

Projects like improving roads and communications are hardly federal handouts.

I agree EKY needs a four year institution, but no way it survives without federal assistance to students.

Whatever you want to call McConnell it’s fair to say his time in Washington has been self-serving and not about helping his constituents.

[Mister D]

I don’t really see how building proper roads that make the rest of the state as well as East Tennessee more accessible and having quality internet in the 21st century is a liberal handout or entitlement.

Why haven’t we seen more of a push from KY Republicans for an authentic conservative challenger in the primary against Mitch? This kind of goes back to my original question. It seems like a lot of Republicans dislike Mitch and think that he is serving himself rather than KY or conservative values but yet he always coasts to re-election every cycle.

[Hoot Gibson]

KY had a poverty rate of 50% prior to the war on poverty, and Perkins ruined EKY?

Projects like improving roads and communications are hardly federal handouts.

I agree EKY needs a four year institution, but no way it survives without federal assistance to students.

Whatever you want to call McConnell it’s fair to say his time in Washington has been self-serving and not about helping his constituents.

Yes, Perkins and his ilk were a disaster for eastern Kentucky and all federal aid for students has done is to send the cost of tuition, fees, and housing soaring at a rate far above inflation while creating a nation of under educated college graduates who leave campus with a heavy burden of debt. As federal funding for education increases, so do tuition and professional educators' salaries, as students continue to go deeper in debt.

The pipeline of federal funding for so-called war on poverty programs has continued unabated on McConnell's watch, which should have a liberal like yourself singing his praises.

What liberals do well is to redefine luxuries such as cars, telephones, TVs, and high income jobs as necessities and entitlements. The result is a sizable minority of the population who choose to become wards of the state when times get tough instead of migrating to where jobs await them, as our ancestors had done since migrating to this country.

People like Perkins rob American citizens of their self respect and work ethic. They are a blight on a democratic society and a threat to its long tem existence. This nation is far beyond broke and history will judge powerful politicians like Carl Perkins and Mitch McConnell harshly for the role that they have played to bring about the collapse of our civil society.

[jetpilot]

There is a 4-year university in EKY - UPike. Complete with medical school and school of optometry.

[Hoot Gibson]

I don’t really see how building proper roads that make the rest of the state as well as East Tennessee more accessible and having quality internet in the 21st century is a liberal handout or entitlement.

Why haven’t we seen more of a push from KY Republicans for an authentic conservative challenger in the primary against Mitch? This kind of goes back to my original question. It seems like a lot of Republicans dislike Mitch and think that he is serving himself rather than KY or conservative values but yet he always coasts to re-election every cycle.

Because the Republican Party has become the Democrat-lite Party. The destination of the two parties is the same. The only difference is the speed that the two parties are getting us there.

Good roads are important for economic development. In eastern Kentucky's case, you should be thanking mostly now defunct coal companies for the tax revenues that built those roads. Politicians love to take credit for building roads and other popular projects, but we should never forget that not one dime of the money that they allocate for public works is their own.

As for internet access, the federal government has no business reallocating income to provide luxuries to sparsely populated areas of the country. There are advantages and disadvantages to living in most areas of the country. Mountains and a sparse population make good cell phone and internet service very expensive but why should citizens of Lexington pay the bill for eastern Kentucky's internet service infrastructure?

Likewise, I consider that dispersal of coal severance funds to Kentucky's Golden Triangle area of Lexington, Louisville, and northern Kentucky to have been outright theft. Had those funds been spent where fairness dictated that they have been spent, eastern Kentucky could have enjoyed good, affordable internet and cell phone services without taxing other areas to pay for the services.

Taxes should be imposed and spent as closely as possible in the same location. That belief is a core conservative principle and one in which few in the Republican Party now seem to subscribe.

[Hoot Gibson]

There is a 4-year university in EKY - UPike. Complete with medical school and school of optometry.

It's not a public university and it is not centrally located either.

[jetpilot]

It's not a public university and it is not centrally located either.

1. So?
2. Centrally located to what? Where would you like to see another medical school built in EKY that you would find more convenient to you?

[Hoot Gibson]

1. So?
2. Centrally located to what? Where would you like to see another medical school built in EKY that you would find more convenient to you?

I was discussing public expenditures in eastern Kentucky. I don't generally support public spending to support private institutions. As for a central location for a public four year university, I am not sure of the best location but I am as sure that Pikeville is not centrally located in eastern Kentucky as I am sure that Richmond is not in eastern Kentucky at all. Hazard might be a better location, with some classes offered at the Prestonsburg, Ashland, and other community college campuses in eastern Kentucky. (What is convenient to me is not relevant.)

[jetpilot]

I was discussing public expenditures in eastern Kentucky. I don't generally support public spending to support private institutions. As for a central location for a public four year university, I am not sure of the best location but I am as sure that Pikeville is not centrally located in eastern Kentucky as I am sure that Richmond is not in eastern Kentucky at all. Hazard might be a better location, with some classes offered at the Prestonsburg, Ashland, and other community college campuses in eastern Kentucky. (What is convenient to me is not relevant.)

So build another medical school an hour away from one that is already thriving. Good luck and I really mean it, can't have too many medical schools. Just a reminder UPike is more of an Appalachian school, not just an EKY school, and is certainly more centrally located in Appalachian EKY, Southern WV and Southwest VA.

[Hoot Gibson]

So build another medical school an hour away from one that is already thriving. Good luck and I really mean it, can't have too many medical schools. Just a reminder UPike is more of an Appalachian school, not just an EKY school, and is certainly more centrally located in Appalachian EKY, Southern WV and Southwest VA.

I never said anything about building another medical school in eastern Kentucky, but you seem determined to attribute that proposal to me anyway.

It's a moot point anyway. The same folks who stole a large share of coal severance taxes from eastern Kentucky are not going to build a new public university where Eastern Kentucky University should already be located - with or without a medical school. Central Kentucky got a second major state university built in Richmond and named it in honor of another part of the state.

[Cardfan1]

Yes, Perkins and his ilk were a disaster for eastern Kentucky and all federal aid for students has done is to send the cost of tuition, fees, and housing soaring at a rate far above inflation while creating a nation of under educated college graduates who leave campus with a heavy burden of debt. As federal funding for education increases, so do tuition and professional educators' salaries, as students continue to go deeper in debt.

The pipeline of federal funding for so-called war on poverty programs has continued unabated on McConnell's watch, which should have a liberal like yourself singing his praises.

What liberals do well is to redefine luxuries such as cars, telephones, TVs, and high income jobs as necessities and entitlements. The result is a sizable minority of the population who choose to become wards of the state when times get tough instead of migrating to where jobs await them, as our ancestors had done since migrating to this country.

People like Perkins rob American citizens of their self respect and work ethic. They are a blight on a democratic society and a threat to its long tem existence. This nation is far beyond broke and history will judge powerful politicians like Carl Perkins and Mitch McConnell harshly for the role that they have played to bring about the collapse of our civil society.

You realize you’re saying KY is worse off today than it would be if half the population were in poverty? In EKY it was worse.

I don’t like some of the culture that social welfare has created, but it’s obtuse to not recognize the fact that our population is exponentially more educated and healthier than prior to those benefits.

Colleges haven’t cut any breaks. Federal assistance has been around for 55 years, but this century has seen tuition skyrocket. I’ve seen it first hand; paid my last tuition bill in 2002 and paid my son’s first in 2018. I paid about 25% of what he is paying. I am suspect of KEES money, wage stagnation, and public education cuts.

Where are people going to migrate to?
Where’s that huge industrial center that can take about a 1 million Kentuckians?

I’d much rather see improvements made to my state than Kentuckians have to pick up and leave.

[Hoot Gibson]

You realize you’re saying KY is worse off today than it would be if half the population were in poverty? In EKY it was worse.

I don’t like some of the culture that social welfare has created, but it’s obtuse to not recognize the fact that our population is exponentially more educated and healthier than prior to those benefits.

Colleges haven’t cut any breaks. Federal assistance has been around for 55 years, but this century has seen tuition skyrocket. I’ve seen it first hand; paid my last tuition bill in 2002 and paid my son’s first in 2018. I paid about 25% of what he is paying. I am suspect of KEES money, wage stagnation, and public education cuts.

Where are people going to migrate to?
Where’s that huge industrial center that can take about a 1 million Kentuckians?

I’d much rather see improvements made to my state than Kentuckians have to pick up and leave.

What I realize is that most people on the planet Earth are much better off materially than they were 50 years ago and yet you are crediting liberal politicians for improving the plight of eastern Kentuckians.

You do not seem to recognize the link between rapidly rising college costs and liberal government "assistance" programs. Students and/or others footing the bills are not the real beneficiaries of such assistance. Those who benefit are the mostly liberal professionals in the higher education racket. College professors have been required to teach fewer and fewer hours for more money and benefits. The average size of classes has soared and an increasing number of undergraduates have been taught by graduate teaching assistants and associate professors.

While I agree that basic literacy rates in eastern Kentucky have improved and drop out rates have dropped, I strongly disagree that the level of education of the typical college graduate has improved.

As for migration, there are not 1 million eastern Kentuckians unemployed. Who said that everybody needs an industrial job? The fact that you think that eastern Kentuckians need manufacturing jobs when the manufacturing sector of the economy continues to shrink is a reflection on the state of public education in this country.

For example, many but not all young people are perfectly capable of teaching themselves computer programming and robotics skills. The cost of a Raspberry Pi single board computer is well under $100, including a wireless keyboard and mouse. Linux operating systems for the computer are free and there are plenty of free instructional materials available online to teach oneself to program using the Python, Java, or C programming language. YouTube is the source of a lot of useless information, but it also hosts countless outstanding and often free technical courses on a vast array of topics.

Every year, people travel to this country on H1B visas and accept programming, network administration, and other tech jobs because too few Americans are available to fill the jobs - jobs that often pay upwards of $100,000/year.

My degree is in engineering but I taught myself various programming languages and have worked as a software architect for nearly 20 years. For young people with some people skills who are willing to invest the time and effort, it is not difficult to land a job with a tech company in a technical support (help desk) position and once they have a foot in the door, they will get an opportunity to prove their technical skills.

Why do more American students not pursue high paying tech jobs? I chalk it up to a failure of public schools to prepare students for an ever changing job market. Education should be a life long process and those who do not know that by the time they graduate high school are facing a long series of struggles as the world leaves them behind wondering what happened to the good jobs.

Good jobs are not going to come to eastern Kentucky in large numbers without fundamental change to the culture. More federal assistance is the last thing the area needs. The entitlement culture has taken hold across the nation, but Carl Perkins gave eastern Kentucky a big head start in that area.

[Cardfan1]

What I realize is that most people on the planet Earth are much better off materially than they were 50 years ago and yet you are crediting liberal politicians for improving the plight of eastern Kentuckians.

You do not seem to recognize the link between rapidly rising college costs and liberal government "assistance" programs. Students and/or others footing the bills are not the real beneficiaries of such assistance. Those who benefit are the mostly liberal professionals in the higher education racket. College professors have been required to teach fewer and fewer hours for more money and benefits. The average size of classes has soared and an increasing number of undergraduates have been taught by graduate teaching assistants and associate professors.

While I agree that basic literacy rates in eastern Kentucky have improved and drop out rates have dropped, I strongly disagree that the level of education of the typical college graduate has improved.

As for migration, there are not 1 million eastern Kentuckians unemployed. Who said that everybody needs an industrial job? The fact that you think that eastern Kentuckians need manufacturing jobs when the manufacturing sector of the economy continues to shrink is a reflection on the state of public education in this country.

For example, many but not all young people are perfectly capable of teaching themselves computer programming and robotics skills. The cost of a Raspberry Pi single board computer is well under $100, including a wireless keyboard and mouse. Linux operating systems for the computer are free and there are plenty of free instructional materials available online to teach oneself to program using the Python, Java, or C programming language. YouTube is the source of a lot of useless information, but it also hosts countless outstanding and often free technical courses on a vast array of topics.

Every year, people travel to this country on H1B visas and accept programming, network administration, and other tech jobs because too few Americans are available to fill the jobs - jobs that often pay upwards of $100,000/year.

My degree is in engineering but I taught myself various programming languages and have worked as a software architect for nearly 20 years. For young people with some people skills who are willing to invest the time and effort, it is not difficult to land a job with a tech company in a technical support (help desk) position and once they have a foot in the door, they will get an opportunity to prove their technical skills.

Why do more American students not pursue high paying tech jobs? I chalk it up to a failure of public schools to prepare students for an ever changing job market. Education should be a life long process and those who do not know that by the time they graduate high school are facing a long series of struggles as the world leaves them behind wondering what happened to the good jobs.

Good jobs are not going to come to eastern Kentucky in large numbers without fundamental change to the culture. More federal assistance is the last thing the area needs. The entitlement culture has taken hold across the nation, but Carl Perkins gave eastern Kentucky a big head start in that area.

Some areas of the planet took intervention. EKY was one of them. I will be the first to tell you we have a culture of entitlement that is hindering our economy. The secondary wave of development was never completed, so we have an underdeveloped area and undereducated population. And since you can't draw blood from a turnip, like it or not, the govt will have to intervene in some way to lift this region as they have in the past.

I recognize the link. I also recognize the link of the drop in public funding and rise in college enrollment straining the system. Let's not forget to couple those high dollar professors with the millions spent in athletics.

Kentuckians can do more than manufacturing...just drawing off the inference of when Kentuckians headed up the Hillbilly Highway and worked in manufacturing. That doesn't exist these days.
Maybe, you're right, the boom that Kentuckians should chase is in technology. That will mean a change in public education accountability along with reliable communications.

And we are back where we started; Senator McConnell would be helping Kentuckians if he used his power to improve infrastructure and communications. No one wants more handouts to individuals just bring KY out of the bottom tier. Heck, he is the high power make Kentucky the best in transportation, communications, and utilities.