Steve Beshear Owes Taxpayers

Gov. Steve Beshear flew around Kentucky yesterday on the taxpayers' dime, essentially to inform us how obstructionist Republicans are regarding Beshear's failure to address Medicaid shortfalls. (Republicans reject Beshear's plan to pay for this year's Medicaid with next year's revenue; don't try that trick at home.)

According to Joe Arnold, the barnstorming tour visits nine cities in two days.

It is no coincidence that Beshear is running for governor. That's why his wild day of flying around the Commonwealth looked like a day of campaigning: it was. Yet taxpayers paid for the travel and security, not Beshear's gubernatorial campaign.

It is completely disingenuous for Beshear to maintain that the air travel was necessary to educate the electorate about the budget. Beshear's insincerity -- and cowardice -- on the matter is underscored by his refusal to debate his Sen. David Williams face to face on KET.