Democrat hypocrisy makes its annual return to Frankfort

Another winter, another legislative session, another opportunity for Kentucky's Democrat legislators to show just what hypocrites they are.

For the second straight year, Democrat Rep. Dan Cherry is pusning merit system reform legislation, presumably in response to Greg Stumbo's persecution of the Fletcher administration. This year's bill would place a one-year probationary period on non-merit employees who take merit jobs. Currently these applicants are subject to the same six-month probationary period as anyone else.

One thing that's interesting about this, to what should be no one's surprise, is the way the press has covered Cherry's bill.

The Herald-Leader's story on the restriction on "burrowing" includes this line: "State merit laws are designed to protect rank-and-file emloyees from political influence."

We can't let that phrase go without scrutiny. Placing a one-year probationary period on non-merits who take merit jobs would do exactly the opposite. This would make it much, much easier for an incoming governor or administration to do politically motivated firings.

But the real kicker comes from another line in the story: "Cries for change in the merit laws arose after the Fletcher administration was accused of illegally using politics to fill state jobs."

The Democrats have raped the merit system for years, using it to their own advantage in hiring state employees. Little Democrat support systems are in place in all cabinets and offices; systems that continued to run a Democrat patronage operation even after a Republican administration took office.

Now, Democrats want to protect state employees? Where was their outrage when their own governors were doing things far worse than what Fletcher and his administration have been accused of?

Of course it's selective outrage. We expect no less from Democrats. We're just surprised they want to tie their hands in this manner for the times in the future when they are in power. A Democrat giving up what he or she perceives to be a God-given right is a shock.

And we'd be keenly interested in finding out how many job recommendations Rep. Cherry has made to Democrat administrations in years past. If the total is one or more, then Cherry's status as a hypocrite is cemented.

Just more fun and games in the Democratic stronghold that is Frankfort.