-By Warner Todd Huston
First term Kentucky House member Tim Moore (R, Elizabethtown) tried to start a debate on the efficacy of Kentucky’s prevailing-wage laws last week, but union flacks on the floor of the Commonwealth’s House would have none of it. He was quickly shut down when he tried to re-visit the idea of whether or not contractors that work for the gov’t should be forced to pay union scale even if they are not a union shop.
The Herald-Leader gives us the scoop:
The prevailing-wage law requires contractors who are building government facilities and schools to pay the typical wage for similar construction work done in the region. Two years ago, when former Gov. Ernie Fletcher suggested repealing it, union workers marched on the Capitol several times.
Some Republicans, however, say the law is fiscally irresponsible and unnecessary.
So, Moore brought it up and wanted it debated. Union lovers were aghast.
So Moore decided to talk about the issue instead. But his brief floor speech was immediately met with sharp criticism, mostly from Democrats who represent union districts.
“Mostly from Democrats”… imagine that?
Then, as Democrats are wont to do, Moore was accused of having ulterior motives and that he was not interested in the debate at all but having a “political reason,” one more interested in helping his brother. It seems that Chris Moore is running for the House in the district that sent Bob Damron (D, Nicholasville) to Frankfort, the man who’s bill gave Tim Moore the opportunity to bring up his debate on the prevailing-wage law.
Anything to divert attention to the real debate, the Democrats will do.
But Moore said his motives were purely philosophical, and he vented his frustration at having been slapped down on the House floor without an exchange of facts.
“That wasn’t a debate. That was animosity,” he said. “What I hoped was that we would have a conversation.”
You can tell the Rep. Moore is a freshman because there is no such thing as a debate with Democrats. Its yelling and demagoguery that is their speciality, not reasoned debate.
In any case, kudos to Rep. Moore for giving it the old college try. If we ever get more Moores like him we might actually get that debate!
No, I won’t hold my breath, either.
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Warner Todd Huston is a Chicago based freelance writer, has been writing opinion editorials and social criticism since early 2001 and is featured on many websites such as newsbusters.org, townhall.com, New Media Journal, Men’s News Daily and the New Media Alliance among many, many others. Additionally, he has been a frequent guest on talk-radio programs to discuss his opinion editorials and current events. He has also written for several history magazines and appears in the new book “Americans on Politics, Policy and Pop Culture” which can be purchased on amazon.com. He is also the owner and operator of publiusforum.com. Feel free to contact him with any comments or questions : EMAIL Warner Todd Huston