There is another thread running on this retirement funding issue. I suggest continuing this discussion there and let this thread stay focused on the Bevin win.

Will do.

The state certainly could enact a one-penny sales tax increase for X number of years to increase the pension asset level for state workers by, say, 20 percentage points. If cities can do such to build NFL stadiums (used just 10 days a year), then states can do same for their workers' retirement system.

 

Re: assigning pension shortfall blame to people living longer and retiring earlier: This isn't a recent phenomenon. I've also dealt with actuaries, and no doubt Kentucky contracts with an actuarial firm to stay current. The problem is that the commonwealth never properly maintained pension funding levels because when a new road was built in Pike County, it was easier to forgo a pension contribution rather increase the gas tax.

 

I'm not casting blame. I'm discussing economic reality. You can't fund a retirement plan that is suppose to guarantee income for life for such a large pool of people and continue to allow it to be viable.

 

If the only solution you have is to increase taxes then we have no real solution. Eventually that tax increase won't be enough and we will need another. It's just kicking the can down the road in another form.

 

It's not happy or positive about the news. Do you think I'm happy my company ended their pension?It's just reality and we need politicians with guts who can talk about reality.

How in the world did the pollsters miss this one so badly??? The day before the election they had Conway up by 5% points, but he lost by 9%. That's a miscalculation of 14%. They must have only polled Jefferson and Fayette Counties.

How in the world did the pollsters miss this one so badly???

 

Didn't they have McConnell/ALG much closer too?

 

Pretty lousy predictions by the pollsters.

Interesting discussion.

 

Conway lost big because he was a bad candidate, bad campaigner and ran a bad campaign. It was not because of negative campaigning. Think people. He went totally negative because he knew he was in trouble. It was desperation time by a candidate who knew he was going to lose.

 

Agree 100%. As much as I dislike all the negative campaigning, it has proven to be effective when used appropriately.....and we do seem to have re-elected the master of this as our Senior Senator in Kentucky.

LB .... has any state or government ever failed to pay the promised pension amount?

Does the city of Detroit Michigan ring a bell?

An early assessment on why Kentucky polls were so far off.

 

What To Make Of Kentucky?s Polling Failure | FiveThirtyEight

Does the city of Detroit Michigan ring a bell?

 

That's a city. Several cities have failed to do, but no states have.

Didn't they have McConnell/ALG much closer too?

 

Pretty lousy predictions by the pollsters.

 

Also consider Gallup is no longer doing national polls for elections. I think it's becoming too hard to do accurately. Hardly anyone uses landlines anymore. Many people screen their calls. It's almost impossible to figure out what a random sample is anymore.

SurveyUSA has been doing the Kentucky polls for the KY media. They need to figure out what they are doing wrong because they have been way off the last few elections. Their numbers on their 10/28 poll only make sense if every undecided voter went for the Republican. If I am The Courier Journal or Herald-Leader I am looking for another pollster

I don't know Beavin from Adam, but I have met Conway a few times. My first (and successive) impression of him is that he is not all that bright. And I am honestly not trying to slam him, as he seemed nice enough and fairly genuine for a politician. But you don't wallk away from him thinking , "wow, that's a sharp guy." I believe he has risen to where he has through his good looks and through those in the background. I doubt he had much influence in the ads; I would bet he was told what to do.

If last night was any indication' date=' social media is going to be blown up by my liberal friends if we have a Republican win the Presidential race this time next year.[/quote']

 

Yup. Lots of whiners on Facebook.

I think there are many different reasons Conway lost last night. I did not think it was going to be as much of a margin as he lost by even if he lost. I like alot of others thought it would be decided late when the Western Kentucky vote came in, but that was not the case. Its a huge statement like the above poster said about Breathitt County going Republican. The Democratic party in Kentucky had better really figure out this one because Conway was not the first bad candidate the Dems had put on the ballot in the years past that did not win easily. This is deeper than Conway just being a bad candidate. I also think Bevin was not the best candidate the Republicans had either.

 

 

Breathitt County didn't vote Republican because of negative ads. Come on guys...

If last night was any indication, social media is going to be blown up by my liberal friends if we have a Republican win the Presidential race this time next year.

 

Social media was so civil and upbeat when Obama won. :lol2:

Breathitt County didn't vote Republican because of negative ads. Come on guys...

 

I agree with you for once, and that was not what I was implying. He did run so many negative ads it turned alot off but thats not all that got him beat. Democrats gonna have to change a few things. Look at the Blue/Red County map on Hearld Leader. Thats a very telling sign.