Never let anyone tell you…. “things can’t get any worse.” Kentucky Senate President David Williams is running to be Kentucky’s chief executive and hoping to cash-in on the former fame of a UK basketball player (as the Basketball in their official logo confirms). Why else would he pick the person who inspects gas pumps?

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After the 1992 constitutional amendment however, Kentucky’s Lt. Governor is only a ‘ceremonial post’ with a big paycheck (prior to the amendment, the Lieutenant, or “Vice,” Governor was the ex-officio President of the Senate, meaning you automatically assume control of one office by being elected to another. This remains the case in the federal system of government, the Vice President is automatically the President of the U.S. Senate).

Though the LGBTI community supports and applauds current Governor Steve Beshear for keeping a campaign promise to protect LGBTI people again in Kentucky government (by executive order), it is strange that the Kentucky Democratic Party is apparently already endorsing Governor Beshear without giving anyone else the opportunity to file for the Democratic slate.

The Kentucky Democratic Party is nothing short is dysfunctional, something apparently carried over into other states according to New Jersey Senator (D – District 20), who earlier this year said:

We have not been bold enough, the Democratic Party has lost its moral compass. We have been timid. Think about the crisp leadership Michael Bloomberg has given New York City, and then imagine the opposite.  That’s us.”

New Jersey Senator (D – District 20) was a major supporter of New Jersey’s failed gay marriage law, but thankfully fought for it till the bitter end, saying gay and lesbian people are taxed, but still “cannot join the club.”

According to the Lexington-Herald Leader Kentucky Senate President Williams said he had discussed the ticket in the last 24 hours with state legislators, the state’s congressional delegation and even had left a message with Beshear earlier in the morning.

In the call to Beshear, he said, he gave his commitment to work with Beshear “for the rest of his tenure.”

No pro-gay legislation has ever made it past the Republican held Senate under the leadership of President Williams. This past year, Senate President Williams ignored pleas from Kentucky Equality Federation to pass House Bill 118, which would have allowed the partners of same-sex couple the right to visit them in the hospital.

The University of the Cumberlands stands for what is positive [by expelling a gay student]. – Senate President David Williams (R) (August 2006)

I wouldn’t think that there would be a lot of support in the General Assembly for giving benefits to people that were involved in same-sex relationships. Doing so would be bad public policy. – Senate President David Williams (R) (July 2006)

If elected, one of the first official acts of Williams would probably be to rescind the executive order protecting LGBTI people in Kentucky government, just the way Virginia’s new Republican Governor did.

Williams says Kentucky needs new direction, apparently forgetting that his Senate failed to pass a budget, forcing Governor Beshear to call them into special session at an estimated cost of $66,000.00 per day.

It should also be noted that the Whitley County Judge Executive is trying to push a national constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage for “moral objections” to same-sex marriage.

1. Is it a coincidence that the Judge Executive in the county Senate President Williams lives passed this resolution only weeks prior to Senate President Williams announcing he will run?  Is this the “bold” leadership the Williams campaign is speaking of?

1. Perhaps this is a sign of things to come if Williams is elected Governor of the Commonwealth?