Metro Council Dems up to the usual shenanigans

Louisville, KY - The death of Metro Council President Jim King came as a shock to many throughout our community and has opened the door to the inner workings of the Democrats on the Metro Council. Two major obstacles must be overcome immediately and it has already become a farce behind closed doors.

METRO COUNCIL PRESIDENT JIM KING DEAD AT 63

Update: Jim King's wife Debbie announced that King died of Myeloma cancer after this story was posted. Our sincerest prayers to the King family.

Louisville, KY - Metro Council President Jim King died early Wednesday at age 63 after a long illness. Sources say that King had been suffering from heart problems for several months. Other rumors include worse. No matter what happened there is much to the life of Jim King.

Metro Council pandering is disgusting

Louisville, KY - We expect our politicians to lie, cheat, steal, and blatantly abuse to a degree their authority, and power. In fact, we have come to expect it from many as sad as that may sound. Yet somehow things stay the same and we continue to allow it. Last night's Metro Council meeting was about as blatant as it comes to pandering for Jim King's personal ballot choices.

I know many will find that offensive but I cannot rectify the obvious.

WHERE DOES BULLYING END

Louisville, KY - Most that read the headline will automatically assume this article will address the bullying against children, or groups such as the gay community. Sorry to disappoint you.

No I want to ask the business and community leaders one question, where does bullying end?

We are now spending millions each year promoting an anti bullying message in regards to our children but leadership requires that one lead by example. This is where we fail.

During the Jim King case I defended, and won, hundreds of these leaders would write and offer information of other alleged improprieties by King and his daughter, sitting Judge Katie King. When I filed charges against former Councilwoman Judy Green the same rule applied.

It seemed everyone had a new story to tell and the mantra was contact Springston with info and he will do the work for us. In short they wanted to hide out of fear of being bullied by the elected establishment.

We are not talking about average citizens here folks. We are talking about recognized community leaders, business owners, and those who seemingly have power and influence. None of whom contribute any money or resources whatsoever to aid in the fight. Why not? Is it not in their best interests to do so?

Of course it is but I understand that they will suffer needlessly if they are associated in any way with someone who dares take on the political establishment. I'm not alone many fight the fight everyday in their own way.

I can and would never give their names because I believe in confidentiality as anyone who has ever read one story here can attest. Sources deserve to be protected so we can get at the truth and they always will be protected here as they know.

But now with Councilwoman Barbara Shanklin's current debacle, these leaders are once again calling  wanting me to fight the fight for them. I will do so as it is the right thing to do but we have to ask ourselves one question.

Why would they call me?

Those with the resources and time to do the hard work feel as though they can't. Why?

Because they are scared of repercussions from the elected. The elected leaders bully them into silence. From threats of IPL investigations, to zoning problems for developers, the list is long and endless. Harass anyone who stands against the elected status quo into compliance. I have been told  so many examples it would make you sick.

Instilling that fear is how the bullies win at all levels. Including our government bullies. Bullying is bullying.

It doesn't matter whether the bullying involves a child or an adult. When you allow others to control you out of fear you are empowering the bully.

What message does that send to the bully? What example does that set for our kids?

The message clearly is that, "if you have something to lose let others control you, that is an acceptable behavior."

And that is the fundamental problem. Our own government leaders wear you down through harassment and intimidation. All with their unlimited resources that is our tax money.

Is there a price for standing up against bullies? You bet. I pay the price everyday.

My non fear of bullies has cost me a great deal both personally and professionally. From the standard not so subtle IPL visits sent as a warning, to the phone calls threatening me and my family, and much worse. It has cost me income and my standard of living.

Sorry folks but the reality is nothing in life is free. There are repercussions for our actions.

Is it worth it? You bet. So why would I be OK with that?

Because it's important to hold OUR elected leaders accountable.

They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety. - Benjamin Franklin.

The words by Franklin ring true more today than ever. What are we sacrificing for our own benefit. Temporary safety from those that would oppress us? Our own elected leaders?

As a veteran I took an oath to stand against all enemies foreign and domestic. I believe when we adult leaders cower in fear instead of standing up for what is right, then we have allowed the enemy to come into our house.

When it involves fear of our own elected leaders then that enemy is a domestic one.

Recently, a friend reminded me of Socrates with his comments to a previous article at Louisville Politics. "Socrates said that the highest role of a citizen philosopher was to be a “gadfly.” By that, he meant that the proper function of citizenship was to be a constant irritant to those in power."

During his defense when on trial for his life, Socrates, according to Plato's writings, pointed out that dissent, like the gadfly, was easy to swat, but the cost to society of silencing individuals who were irritating could be very high. "If you kill a man like me, you will injure yourselves more than you will injure me," because his role was that of a gadfly, "to sting people and whip them into a fury, all in the service of truth."

In modern and local politics, gadfly is a term used to describe someone who persistently challenges people in positions of power, the status quo or a popular position.

I agree and unless we continually hold the powerful elected accountable then we cannot move forward.

While we consistently preach the message of no more bullies to our kids, when does that message resonate with the messenger itself?

How can we sit idly by and allow ourselves to cower in fear to our ELECTED government?

Socrates also stated, "I only know that I know nothing."

I agree with this in many areas but I do know one thing from practical experience. As a child I was bullied. I was a little guy compared to today, and an easy target accordingly, but I found out one thing.

When I finally chose to quit being victimized and stood up for the first time against a bully something strange happened.

The rest disappeared.

I learned my lesson. Standing up for one's self makes a difference. As an adult today I have learned that it not only makes a difference in my life it does in others as well. Ask Jim King and Judy Green if the costs of their arrogance and attempts at bullying were worth it. In a few weeks ask Barbara Shanklin the same thing.

Bullying takes all shapes, forms, and sizes. It knows no boundaries to age, race, color, or religion. Or government.

The only allegiance a bully has is to himself. He must oppress you to feel better about himself. His power reinforces his well being. The same is true of our elected. In a sense it is also reflective of those who choose to hide from bullies for fear of losing something. Whether it be money or status.

Standing up to these bullies makes a difference in people's lives. Not just your own. It is a positive to the majority of the people that these elected leaders are supposed to serve. That's what happens when you stand up for truth, ethics, morals, and values.

I have received too much mail to count thanking me for my efforts in gaining accountability against the elected leaders who abuse our trust. To each of you my sincerest thanks.

I am one man, one voice, who has the courage to move forward and force accountability from those that would abuse our public trust, our money, and our values.

But I am left to wonder. If one man can accomplish so much, what would happen if others joined forces and stood up as one?

I will continue rising up until the day I die. It is that simple. Each of us deserves to be heard and recognized. That has always been the intent of the MyViewMatters mantra. Empower yourself and others will follow.

In the meantime, I will continue to be the voice for each of you until you feel it is safe to do so on your own. All of us deserve a voice. For you business leaders I will gain accountability for you. All you have to do is contact me and ask.

But I have to admit.

It sure would be nice to have some help along the way.............

Listen daily from 7-8pm at The Ed Springston Show. Also visit Louisville Politics for more details and in depth coverage of local political and news issues.

THE POWER LIES IN YOU

For many years now those who follow my work know of the MVM mantra. MVM simply has always stood for "My View Matters." It began as a concept designed to remind me daily that my view does indeed matter and my voice has the right to be heard. It is a belief I live by and I use it daily now when involved in speaking engagements or public events in the hopes that it will somehow help others believe the same thing I do.

That each of us matter and we deserve to be counted.

I have challenged many throughout the years to pay heed to this simplest of concepts in the hopes that they would finally realize their own power as individuals. I believe self empowerment aids us in our  daily lives.

It seems that We The People have forgotten that when it comes to our daily lives we are the ones who control the path we are on.

People will only give you what you are willing to accept.

Whether that be the simplest of decisions, like what's for dinner for example, to deciding on our elected leaders and the direction that we collectively want to work towards, we continue to allow ourselves to be led by someone else's decisions that may or may not be what we would want for ourselves, our families, our neighborhoods, or indeed our Nation.

For anyone to honestly believe that the trends in our daily lives are not alarming I beg to differ.

Look around you.

People will only give you what you are willing to accept.

Our daily lives are being destroyed by the political powers that be who feel there will be no recourse in their actions. We have allowed them to think this is acceptable behavior.

Unemployment, welfare, education, price of gas, anything and everything is being exploited for the good of the powerful at the expense of most of us.

We continue to be lied to and led by an out of control mainstream media who prefers to tell us what to believe instead of giving us the facts and letting us decide for ourselves. Think I'm wrong?

Look to the GOP Presidential primary election and see just how much the process is tainted and the cover up of the simplest reporting in order to force feed us an establishment choice. We are sitting idly by and allowing it to happen.

Look at the lost freedoms we face in our Nation as a result of such things as the Homeland Security Act, which gives us a false sense of security, the NDAA, which allows our government to storm our homes with Uzi's if they so choose without any charges against us, among others.

People will only give you what you are willing to accept. 

Ask yourself are you better off today then you were 4 years ago and you won't be surprised by the answer. Most I talk to give me a resounding NO. It's no surprise to me but reinforces what I have always believed.

People will only give you what you are willing to accept.

Here at home in Louisville, KY the problems that we continue to face are the same ones that our elected leaders have promised to fix for decades yet we still continue to have high poverty, poor education, and no economic prosperity to speak of for the average Louisvillian.

From the Cordish Group debacle, false crime reporting, and the economic injustice to the West End.

Cover ups by Councilmen such as David Tandy who went to Baltimore to see the Cordish Group, and gain accountability for our free money given to them, yet signed a non disclosure agreement so he couldn't show us they were above board.

Of course Cordish Group has asked for another $850,000 of our money and we will give it to them.

Even after they reneged on the original deal and got kicked out of the Starks Building for failure to pay back rent.

As Metro Council President and a lawyer he should know better, but he knows....

People will only give you what you are willing to accept.

Buying elections such as elected Councilman Jim King did for his daughter Judge Katie King yet both are still in office.

People will only give you what you are willing to accept.

Crime any better? Nope.

We were supposed to believe that it would improve under former Chief Robert White and we were treated to hands off accountability because he was African American. We couldn't hold him accountable out of fear of being labeled racist if we did.

What did we gain? Nothing. 

Race relations still did not improve, our Police Department worked in fear instead of doing their job, cronyism within leadership positions, and false reporting of crime statistics. Crime rates didn't improve. The reporting of them changed to hide the obvious.

Our "leadership" in Jerry Abramson knew of White's failed leadership past and lied to we the people when hiring him. Of course Abramson lied to the people of Louisville for over twenty years with no recourse. Why?

People will only give you what you are willing to accept.

Has education improved? Nope.

Louisville has some of the worst ranked schools in Kentucky though we are one of the largest budgets. Why?

Because once again we have been promised changes that never develop due to poor leadership. Kentucky ranks in the bottom of education across the Country and largely because of the failures of the Jefferson County education system.

A system that cares more about the money than the education of our children.

People will only give you what you are willing to accept.

Why do I bring all of these issues up?

The one thing they all have in common is politics. The game has always been the same and we the people continue to allow it. Politics affect each and every aspect of our daily lives yet it is the one thing most don't want to get involved in.

Private business like Cordish gets our money because of their connections in Beshear, Abramson, Tandy, and others.

Our police department relies on federal money so our politicians force them to manipulate data to get to it regardless of the real problems.

Our education system relies on federal money so our  leaders lie, cheat, and steal an education from our children to line their pockets.

See a pattern here? Follow the money. Money equals power to our elected entrenched and we the sheep have no problems letting them believe it.

We continue to elect these same people who are screwing us over and over again. What have they learned trhoughout this process?

People will only give you what you are willing to accept.

Behavior is a learned thing.

When one is abused and they go back to the abuser, they have just taught the abuser that this is acceptable behavior. It is now a learned part of the abuser's behavioral process.

If someone constantly demeans you and you let them do it, you just taught them that treating you in a demeaning way is acceptable behavior.

As we continue to allow ourselves to be lied to and manipulated into losing our freedoms everyday, we are in fact telling our leadership this is acceptable. How so?

Because we refuse to get involved and let them know it is not. Most choose to allow others to tell them how to live their lives instead of taking responsibility for their own choices in doing so.

People will only give you what you are willing to accept.

I refuse to follow the path our elected leaders are taking us down.

I refuse to accept their behavior in destroying my America, my Kentucky, and my Louisville.

I will no longer be a victim to their abuse.

Why?

Because My View Matters.

Does yours?

Listen daily from 7-8pm at The Ed Springston Show. Also visit Louisville Politics for more details and in depth coverage of local political and news issues.

CONSTABLE DAVID WHITLOCK INDICTED

For those of you who have been paying attention to this case today current Constable, and convicted felon, David Whitlock has been indicted on charges of second-degree assault and first-degree wanton endangerment largely brought about because of Louisville KY News once again.

We were among the first to run with the story on Whitlock's illegal dealings. We were the first to expose pictures of his illegalities and his own criminality.

I personally took the evidence I had acquired to Metro Councilman Kelly Downard and worked with Councilman David James to ensure there would be accountability. They then took the evidence to Commonwealth Attorney Dave Stengel that aided in bringing about these charges.

The charges against Whitlock currently are small potatoes in the grand scheme of things and I find it fails in holding Whitlock accountable for all his misdeeds.

In fact check this out for all the info on David Whitlock.

Whether holding corrupt officials accountable such as convicted felons David Whitlock or John Flood, from elected Council members such as Jim King or Judy Green, from MSD and beyond, I have led the fight and the charges that exposed these people and issues to we the people.

All without any mainstream recognition or support. All on my dime not theirs.

Louisvillians if you want the real truth and want to get involved in the changes THIS is where you go to. MVM and Louisville KY News will continue to do the hard work necessary to ensure we get an accountable government, community, and leadership. Thanks for your support.

To each of you I have but 3 words.

You are welcome.........


Listen daily from 7-8pm at The Ed Springston Show. Also visit Louisville Politics for more details and in depth coverage of local political and news issues.

ED SPRINGSTON RADIO SHOW: ABRAMSON TO HEAD UP EDUCATION?

Ingram Quick named permanent City internal auditor, Andy Hodges joins us, Jim King likely to be Metro Council President for 2nd year in a row, Jerry Abramson, and so much more! . Louisville, KY's only local hard hitting political radio show.

Ed Springston goes on his usual rant this time against Abramson!

Listen to internet radio with MyViewMatters on Blog Talk Radio

Listen daily from 7-8pm at The Ed Springston Show. Also visit Louisville Politcs for more details and in depth coverage of local political and news issues.