What I've found interesting it the complete lack of Williams TV advertisements in central Kentucky. Maybe I'm home at all the wrong times, but I don't see any ads other than the one's paid for by his father-in-law. If he truly had a chance national Republican campaign money would be pouring into Kentucky. But that money is obviously being used somewhere else, telling me the outside Republicans all know Williams doesn't have much hope.

On the surface and at first glance, I would agree that Gov Beshear has a choice and a religious freedom like all of us and there is no problem with his joining in the Hindu worship. Like most people say, its a private issue. However, let's take a deeper look. Hinduism, like other religions, is a belief system - or better said, a system of belief's that will shape and form ones actions. So much of what we do as people is directed and guided by what we believe even though we may not call ourselves religious. Truth is, all of us believe something and whatever we believe, golden rule, love your neighbor, 10 commandments etc., has an effect on our actions and behavior toward others and ourselves.

 

Since Hinduism includes the "belief's" of working off bad karma, being born in different casts, and being reincarnated, it is common in a Hindu based culture, to not care for the sanctity of life in the same way we would here in USA. Please listen to my example...if you are in the lowest cast and are lying sick on the side of the road, according to the Hindu belief system, it would be better to leave you alone and die. Then you would be reincarnated and perhaps come back as something or someone in a better situation, or higher cast. It sounds crazy, but I suppose in that belief system it makes sense. It is helping you by not doing anything to physically help you and keep you in your low life state. In our culture, based on a different belief system, we would not do this. Because our heritage is based on a much different belief system that human life does not physically reincarnate, we tend to put more value on the one life we have to live and therefore more value on the lives of those around us.

 

What is my point? Here in KY, our culture is not based on Hindu beliefs. We do not have a cast system where people are of more value than others, and it is better off for someone to just die and come back as something else. That is not how we roll! Call yourself religious or not, that is not who we are.

 

We are a belief system that is based on all folks are created equal. We are a belief system where there is a compassion and appreciation for life. I am saying that it is all fine to have religious freedom, but at the end of the day, I would like my Governor to have some pride, some conviction and some strength to say, "I will respect your belief system, but I will not participate - it is not who we are."

It's not the campaign, it's the candidate.

Worst gubernatorial candidate I can think of that actually won his parties nomination.

 

The truly unfortunate thing is Gatewood isn't polling higher.

I don't see anything wrong with him attending the ceremony. The company is a foreign company investing in a plant here in Kentucky. It was a part of the planned opening. We are not a theocracy in Kentucky, no state religion. I would think that as a "state" event, the Governor should participate fully. I'd expect the same if he were invited to attend the wedding of someone who is a client of Kentucky who is Jewish and is getting married. This was an event hosted by an investor. I personally feel that if the Governor had to err on the side of caution in upsetting them, he should attend, rather than defer.

I definitely feel it should be an all or none kind of thing.

Beshear has no coat tails. This is strictly distaste for Williams.

 

For someone who seems to have so much distaste in the populace, it is interesting he held such a tight grip to leadership in the Senate for so long.

For someone who seems to have so much distaste in the populace, it is interesting he held such a tight grip to leadership in the Senate for so long.

 

Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, Mitch McConnell, etc.

 

It happens.

Well, if you use the the P&R forum of BGP as a barometer, I would think the state was overwhelmingly anti-Breshear and wanting to oust him despite the consequences. :lol:

If we are using that same barometer, Williams is about as popular as an unsightly pimple on a forehead. Kentucky seldom elects Republican governors. When they do, guys like Ernie Fletcher do nothing but leave a sour taste in everyone's mouth.

I definitely thought it would be closer than it is. I expected Beshear to be tough to beat. I just can't believe how bad Williams is running. Kentucky has been pretty conservative in recent elections and Republicans have been winning a lot of the big races. I know the state races have been the last area of Democrat strength but with the Tea Party momentum and the right leaning voters, I really thought Williams would at least be respectable and had an outside chance at getting the race close enough to put a scare in Beshear. Beshear basically isn't even campaigning 100% for his own race any more. He is spending time helping all the other Democrat candidates. This race has turned into a major loss for the Republicans and could be even worse if Beshear has coat tails to carry the slate to Frankfort with him. Add in the fact that Williams is out of the Senate and this is shaping up to be the biggest Democrat election win in recent memory.

I went to a Beshear fundraiser three weeks ago. He said they were leading by 30 points which was kind of shocking. But I would have to question anyone's political foresight if you thought this election would be remotely close. I also believe a lot of people (incorrectly) thought Farmer was going to give Williams a boost because they had little faith that Kentuckians were smart enough.

Most of our governor's have left a sour taste in everyone's mouth. Seems like it's part of the job description.

Most of our governor's have left a sour taste in everyone's mouth. Seems like it's part of the job description.

Very true.

 

Beshear has done a good job, imo, of staying clear and not souring up things too bad.

The truly unfortunate thing is Gatewood isn't polling higher.

 

:thumb:

I went to a Beshear fundraiser three weeks ago. He said they were leading by 30 points which was kind of shocking. But I would have to question anyone's political foresight if you thought this election would be remotely close. I also believe a lot of people (incorrectly) thought Farmer was going to give Williams a boost because they had little faith that Kentuckians were smart enough.

 

Back in the summer, I think Williams was less than 20 points behind Beshear. That is definitely a number that put Williams within striking distance. With the anti-Obama voters, the Tea Party momentum, the poor economy, etc., I figured Williams would at least get within 10 points. The problem for Williams is that the more people found out about him, the worse he got. Count me in that group. I didn't care for him but the more closely I looked, he got even worse. The gambling issue, the divorce, etc. all turned off even those who wanted to support the Republican candidate. Did those issues surface in the primary? Because I was not aware of them till the race started rolling at the end of summer.

 

End result - Williams is trying to avoid running a worse race than Peppy Martin versus Patton. Think about that. That is the only race in the last 20 years where the winning candidate got over 60% of the vote. Beshear has a real shot at getting over 60% versus Williams and I did not expect to see that at all. Beshear even came out publicly in support of Obama!! That is how bad Williams is.

When you boil it down, it's the same God, isn't it? I don't see what the big deal is. Williams has very bad PR skills. Whatever happened to the spirit of ecumenism?

When you boil it down, it's the same God, isn't it? I don't see what the big deal is. Williams has very bad PR skills. Whatever happened to the spirit of ecumenism?

Actually, unlike with the Abrahamic religions which do pretty much share a common God, the "concept of God" for the Hindus is vastly different.

Let me see, bringing up religion to help you win an election, See Jack Conway.