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Showing posts with the label Performative Outrage

James Comer: Power, Privilege, and Political Theater

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James Comer wants you to think he’s a crusader for truth. A no-nonsense, God-fearing Kentuckian holding corrupt elites accountable from his seat atop the House Oversight Committee. But here’s the reality: James Comer isn’t investigating corruption. He’s part of it. This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. A Committee Chair Who Can't Chair a Meeting Since taking over the House Oversight Committee, Comer’s performance has been less "watchdog" and more wannabe Fox News host with a gavel . His so-called investigations have turned into embarrassments, filled with half-baked accusations, missing evidence, and made-for-TV soundbites that fizzle under real scrutiny. Instead of focusing on things that actually matter to Kentuckians, like healthcare access, rural infrastructure, or economic survival, Comer has wasted taxpayer time and money chasing political boogeymen . And when the heat’s on him? He d...

Politics Over Education: The DEI Smokescreen

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Kentucky’s legislative session took a hard turn this summer. Not to audit overspending, but to purge diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) from our campuses. HB 4, passed this year, was sold as a cost-cutting, viewpoint-neutral reform. But when state officials leaned on universities about DEI and courses like UK’s Gender & Women’s Studies, the conversation suddenly shifted from policy to political fear-mongering. DEI Didn’t Cost the State Much But They Still Targeted It Let’s get something straight: this wasn’t about saving money. At the July 15 hearing , representatives from Kentucky’s public universities reported how much money was "saved" by complying with HB 4’s DEI restrictions, and the numbers are laughable. Western Kentucky University reported just $13,000 in savings. The Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) redirected about $2.5 million (>1% of the total budget) from DEI programs to generalized student support. Not cut, just reallocated. ...

Rep. Shane Baker’s Anti-Intellect Power Play

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At a July 15 legislative committee hearing in Frankfort, Rep. Shane Baker, who once pushed to return the Ten Commandments to Kentucky’s Capitol, decided to interrogate a university course on Black Lives Matter, gender and women’s studies. He flat-out demanded to know why our tax dollars are funding lessons on equality and justice . Smokescreen of "Accountability" Rep. Shane Baker wants you to believe he’s just being a good steward of your tax dollars. That’s the role he plays in committee hearings, calmly asking bureaucrats why the University of Kentucky would dare offer courses that explore systemic inequality and gender justice. But don’t let the tone fool you. This isn’t budget oversight. It’s a censorship campaign wearing a fiscal mask. In the July 15 hearing, Baker singled out a UK course titled “Gender and Women’s Studies in the U.S.: Black Lives Matter.” He read the course description aloud to the committee with a tone of suspicion, pausing after this line: “The 14th...