In his fourth State of the Commonwealth address last night since being elected in 2007, Governor Steve Beshear seemed energized and optimistic about Kentucky’s future. He recognized that Kentucky families had been battered by the national recession, but offered proof that his administration had battled back and put the state on solid ground for growth in the future.
Beshear, before a joint session of the Kentucky House and Senate, took aim at Washington for their “reckless spending” and, in one of the longest and loudest interruptions for applause, defended Kentucky’s coal industry. The governor said, “Coal provides 90 per cent of our electricity and–because our rates are low–has helped us build a robust manufacturing industry.” And then, shouting into the microphone twice above the din of applause, Beshear added, “Washington bureaucrats continue to try to impose arbitrary and unreasonable regulations on the mining of coal–to them I say ‘Get off our backs!’”
The full speech and KET’s coverage of the address, including remarks by our analyst Mark Neikirk, executive director of the Scripps Howard Center for Civic Engagement at Northern Kentucky University and KET’s Renee Shaw’s interview with Senate President David Williams and House Speaker Greg Stumbo are available for viewing by clicking here.