Moral Side

Welcome to Moral Side

"The Moral Side of the News" is the longest running community service program in the United States.  The Emmy Award winning program is produced by WHAS-TV in Louisville, Kentucky.

This little light of mine

"The Moral Side of the News" is seen on WHAS-TV (5:30am on Sundays) and the Faith Channel in Louisville, Kentucky.  The  program is aired on WHAS 840AM radio (8:30pm on Sundays) and other radio stations in the Louisville area.  The audio for the program is also streamed by WHAS radio.  The format is a panel of four or five representative local clergy moderated by John Blim, a part of the Crusade for Children staff. 

The clergy panel consists of members of the WHAS-TV Crusade for Children Clergy Council and others who rotate throughout the month i n order to give balance to the program.  Topics are selected by the moderator.

The complete Louisville area broadcast schedule for Sunday is:

• 5:30am - WHAS-TV
• 7:00am - WAMZ-FM 97.5, WZKF-FM 98.9; WQMF-FM 95.7; WLGX-FM 100.5
• 7:30am - WKRD-AM 790; WKRD-FM 101.7; WKJK-AM 1080; WTFX-FM 93.1
• 12:00nn - Faith Channel on Insight
• 8:30pm - WHAS-AM 840

 "Moral Side" may also be found on FaceBook.

"The Moral Side of the News" Topics for Sunday, January 22, 2012 - Italian Cruise Ship, Indiana Legislature, and Paula Deen

Here are the topics for the program to air on Sunday, January 22, 2012.  You may comment on any topic on this blog.

The Moral Side of the News airs on WHAS-TV on Sunday mornings at 5:30am and WHAS 840AM radia on Sunday evenings at 9:30pm.  It may also be seen or heard in Louisville on the FAITH CHANNEL on Sundays at noon, and on various Louisville radio stations at 7am or 7:30am Sundays.

TOPIC 1:

Cruise Captain Says He 'Tripped' Into Lifeboat, Couldn't Get Out

The captain of the Italian cruise ship gave a slapstick explanation of how he ended up safely in a lifeboat instead of going down with his ship, saying he tripped and fell into the boat as it was being lowered into the sea, Italian media reported today.  "I had no intention of escaping," Francesco Schettino, 52, said during his first court hearing Tuesday, according to Italy's Corriere della Sera newspaper.  "I was helping some passengers put the life boat to sea. At a certain point the mechanism for lowering it, blocked. We had to force it. Suddenly the system unblocked itself and I tripped and I found myself inside the life boat with a number of passengers."  Once in the lifeboat that was lowered into the sea, Schettino insisted to the court that it was "impossible to go back onboard."

The captain also reportedly admitted to the court that he lied at one point when he assured officials that he had dropped anchor shortly after the Costa Concordia slammed into a rock to stabilize the luxury liner.  However a video by the Guardia di Finanza who arrived onsite 10 minutes after the disaster clearly shows that the anchor had not been lowered. Schettino admitted Tuesday that he lied about the anchor, the newspaper reported.

The luxury cruise ship was carrying more than 4,000 passengers and crew when it struck rocks Friday evening near Giglio off the coast of Tuscany, during a close pass to shore. At least 11 people were killed in the aftermath when the ship keeled over. Nearly two dozen people are still missing, including an American couple from Minnesota.

Schettino reportedly admitted that he made mistakes that led to the crash and afterwards, but said the ship's course, including the now-controversial close pass, had been set from the beginning. The cruise line previously said Schettino had made an unauthorized deviation from the programmed route.  Schettino, who is currently under house arrest, is under investigation for potentially causing the wreck by steering into the rocks and then abandoning the panicked passengers for a lifeboat as the ship plunged over on its side. In recorded radio transmissions released Tuesday, Schettino is heard telling Italian Port Authority officials he and other officers abandoned ship.  "And with 100 people still on board, you abandon ship? [expletive]," the Port Authority officer says in response.

Schettino appears to correct himself, saying, "I didn't abandon any ship... because the ship turned on its side quickly and we were catapulted into the water."  The recording goes on to show the Port Authority official repeatedly berating Schettino for not going back to the ship to coordinate rescue efforts, and at one point ordering Schettino to "get back on board for [expletive]'s sake!" TRANSCRIPT: 'Get Back on Board for [Expletive] Sake!'

CONTINUE READING: http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/cruise-captain-claimed-tripped-lifeboat-report/story?id=15386279

QUESTION: What are your thoughts on this tragedy and the captain’s explanation for abandoning his ship?

TOPIC 2:

Dems Face $1K-A-Day Fines Over No Show

INDIANAPOLIS -- House Republicans voted Wednesday to start imposing $1,000 fines against Democratic legislators who have resumed their boycott of a right-to-work bill.  Democrats refused to enter the chamber Wednesday to allow a quorum, instead holding an open caucus inside the Statehouse rotunda, surrounded by hundreds of union supporters.  "They have tried to stop you from being in this building. You wouldn't allow it to happen," Democratic House Minority Leader Patrick Bauer told the cheering crowd.

Bauer and Republican Speaker Brian Bosma squabbled Tuesday over what Bauer called Bosma's "manipulation" of an effort to put right-to-work legislation on the ballot.  The two leaders fought over who broke a truce negotiated designed to keep Democrats in the House chamber long enough for a vote on the Republican plan to ban union contracts with mandatory representation fees.  The legislation has brought hundreds of labor protesters to the Statehouse almost daily and spurred Democrats to frequently block action by denying Republicans the number of lawmakers needed to conduct any business.

Lawmakers had planned Tuesday to vote on whether to put the right-to-work bill to referendum before voters this fall. But Bauer said he found out late Monday that state lawyers had raised questions about the constitutionality of such a measure. He called it a trick from Bosma designed to give Republicans cover to vote against the referendum proposal.  "We will not let the Republicans press a crown of thorns upon the brows of the working families of Indiana," said Rep. Terry Goodin, D-Austin.

Among Wednesday's crowd were Teamsters members were wearing shirts with an XLVI and a slash, a clear reference to the Super Bowl, many shouting "Occupy the Super Bowl."  Teamsters Local 135 Director Jeff Combs said the union is discussing plans to protest right-to-work at the game so they can bring their cause to a national audience.  "We'll roll 100 trucks in here, 200 if we need to and put in thousands of people if we have to" to surround the stadium, Combs said.  A representative with the Super Bowl Host Committee told RTV6 that public safety officials will be ready to deal with any disruptions, but said they hope the protesters will realize what the game means to Indiana.

WATCH STORY: http://www.theindychannel.com/politics/30239912/detail.html

QUESTION: What are your thoughts on this and the plans to take the protest to the Super Bowl?

 

TOPIC 3:

Anthony Bourdain Slams Paula Deen for Diabetes-Drug Partnership

Anthony Bourdain, a New York-based chef and host of the Travel Channel's "No Reservations," took to Twitter Tuesday night to resume his criticism of chef Paula Deen by tweeting, "Thinking of getting into the leg-breaking business, so I can profitably sell crutches later."  The comment is presumably another slam against the down-home chef's decision to become the face of diabetes drug-maker Novo Nordisk.

Deen, host of the Food Network's "Paula's Best Dishes," put rumors to bed Tuesday by confirming on NBC's "Today Show" that she was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes three years ago, even though she continued to tout her buttery, artery-clogging Southern cuisine. She also announced the launch of her new campaign, "Diabetes in a New Light," which is in partnership with diabetes drug-maker Novo Nordisk.  Deen, 64, reportedly treats her diabetes with the company's Victoza, a daily injectable drug that is meant to maintain blood-sugar levels. She will appear in an advertisement for the drug later this month, USA Today reported.

But this wasn't Bourdain's first time criticizing the jovial cooking host. He told TV Guide last year that Deen was the "worst, most dangerous person in America" because of her high-fat cooking. Upon hearing of Deen's diabetes diagnosis, Bourdain had even more criticism to sling.  "When your signature dish is hamburger in between a doughnut, and you've been cheerfully selling this stuff knowing all along that you've got Type 2 Diabetes. ... It's in bad taste if nothing else," he told Eater Monday.

Deen defended her decision to keep quiet in order to become educated on the condition before taking it public.  "I made the choice at the time to keep it close to me, to keep it close to my chest," she told USA Today. "I felt like I had nothing to offer anybody other than the announcement. I wasn't armed with enough knowledge. I knew when it was time, it would be in God's time."

CONTINUE READING: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/anthony-bourdain-slams-paula-deen/story?id=15386289

QUESTION: What are your thoughts on this? Do you think Paula Deen should have reported her diagnosis sooner?

Military Chaplains in Difficult Position

A new Pentagon policy issued on September 30, 2011, allows military chaplains to perform same-sex weddings on military bases, as long as such unions are not prohibited by state law. But Chaplain (Colonel, retired) Ron Crews said this latest Defense Department memo "flies in the face" of the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). "I am just stunned by the brazenness of this apparent permission for chaplains to violate federal law," said Crews.

Crews said all military bases are federal property and should respect federal laws such as DOMA, which states that the federal government can only recognize marriage as the union of one man and one woman. The Pentagon's new policy does not force a chaplain to perform same-sex ceremonies, but Crews said this changed military landscape might force conservative chaplains into a defensive posture, as some groups are likely to test the limits of the ruling.

 

(From WORLD magazine, Oct. 22, 2011 issue)

Moral Side Topics for Sunday, January 8, 2012 - Kentucky Felons Released, Gatewood Galbraith, and Presidential Politics

"The Moral Side of the News" is streamed live on Sunday evenings at 9:30pm EST at WHAS Radio. Here are the topics for the upcoming broadcast:

TOPIC 1: Kentucky prisons free nearly 1,000 inmates early

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WHAS11) - Kentucky prisons are a little less crowded tonight, after almost 1,000 inmates were released statewide Tuesday. It is all in an effort to save money.

Kentucky House Bill 463 mandated the prisoners’ release in an effort to save the Commonwealth $400 million over the next ten years.

But some people think that freeing so many prisoners will not come without serious costs to society.

Dozens of buses left prisons statewide this morning, headed for the Louisville Greyhound Bus Terminal. Each was loaded with prisoners who were released in mass at least six months early.
Decarlo Robeson was one of more than 150 prisoners originally convicted in Jefferson county who returned to the bus station today.

“I think it's just a blessing. I get to see my family,” Robeson said. “I didn't get to make New Years or Christmas, but I'm happy. I’m blessed to be free.”

The release of 939 state prisoners six months early will save Kentucky at least $10 million dollars since each inmate costs the state more than $60 a day to incarcerate.

Jefferson County Commonwealth's Attorney David Stengel says spending money on prisons is the best investment Kentucky can make.

“Incarceration, oddly enough, does work, but we just apparently can't afford it,” Stengel said.

Stengel says that there are already alternative sentencing programs and other options aimed at keeping all but the worst criminals out of prison.

“By the time they end up inside a hard cell, they've earned it. Now to see them coming out even six months early bothers me. It bothers all the prosecutors. It bothers the public, I'm sure,” Stengel said.

“I'm a repeat offender because every time I get out, I ain't got nothing to go to except my family, who's got burdens of their own, you know. They ain't got nothing for you once you get out,” said an inmate who did not want to be named.

The inmates released Tuesday, some who have been behind bars a decade or more, enter a job market already with few openings.

They also all have felony records, making it even more difficult to find employment. That is why agencies like the Healing Place and Goodwill Industries are stepping in to help out.

“We can't do nothing about them being released. They've already been released. So we need to assist them finding work,” Kim Colbert of Goodwill Industries.

The inmates released who were convicted in Jefferson County included robbers, kidnappers and sex offenders.

Officials say many of those convicted of lesser crimes and are eligible for release have already been paroled in an effort to ease overcrowding.

WATCH STORY: http://www.whas11.com/home/1000-inmates-to-be-released-early-136575878.html

QUESTION: What are your thoughts on the state releasing inmates to save money?

WE WILL ALSO MENTION THE FOLLOWING STORY:  Gatewood Galbraith dead at 64

(WHAS11) -- Gatewood Galbraith, a "perennial candidate because Kentucky has perennial problems" has died, his 2011 running mate disclosed on Wednesday.

"Dear Friends I have just been notified that Gatewood passed away last night," Dea Riley posted on her Facebook page, "I am heading to Lexington to be with his family. Please say a prayer for his family and friends and all those who loved him."

Friends of Galbraith also confirmed his death.

A Lexington trial attorney, Galbraith's nine unsuccessful attempts at statewide office from 1983 to 2011 garnered much attention for his bold statements and views, particularly on the legalization of marijuana.

Galbraith also sought more investment in Kentucky education, responsible mining policies and an end to a "good old boy" system in Frankfort.

He complained that Kentucky’s systems were dysfunctional.

As a Reform Party candidate, Galbraith received 15.9 % of the vote in the 1999 gubernatorial election. He also ran for agriculture commissioner, attorney general and for Congress. Galbraith received 8.9 percent of the vote in the 2011 gubernatorial election.

Galbraith was 64-years-old. He was divorced and is survived by three grown daughters.

http://www.whas11.com/community/blogs/political-blog/Gatewood-Galbraith-dead-136659733.html

TOPIC 2:  Iowa Caucus Results: Romney Edges Santorum by 8 Votes

Mitt Romney won the first presidential preference contest of 2012 by a mere eight votes Tuesday, narrowly edging out a surging Rick Santorum in the Iowa Caucuses.

The two men -- neither of whom was expected as recently as a month ago to win -- ran neck and neck and finished in a virtual tie. The second place finish capped a remarkable rise in popularity for Santorum, who had focused his entire campaign and shoestring budget on Iowa.

Romney finished second in Iowa in 2008, but had focused his 2012 campaign on other early primary and caucus states. In this cycle he received exactly six votes less than he did in 2008.

In third place was Rep. Ron Paul, the Libertarian leaning Texan on his third and most inspired run for the presidency.

Read analysis of the Iowa results and whether Santorum can carry his momentum to other states.

There were some reporting irregularities from local party committees that dragged the election outcome into the wee hours of Wednesday morning.

Both candidates gave speeches earlier in the night that sounded victorious. ABC News projected that 123,000 people voted in the Iowa contest, the largest turnout for a Republican caucus. Romney got 30,015 votes and Santorum received 30,007.

Santorum was boosted by evangelical Christians, an influential group in the state, and voters who made their decision in just the last few days. A Des Moines Register poll Saturday found that as many as four in 10 Republican voters in Iowa were still undecided.

CONTINUE READING: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/iowa-caucus-results-mitt-romney-defeats-rick-santorum-8-votes/story?id=15283406

RELATED STORIES…

Romney, Santorum on top as GOP race shifts to New Hampshire

http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/04/politics/gop-presidential-race/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

Michele Bachmann Drops Out of Presidential Race

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/01/bachmann-drops-out-of-presidential-race/

Rick Perry Moves Forward, ‘Here We Come South Carolina’

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/01/rick-perry-moves-forward-here-we-come-south-carolina/

Santorum Surge Brings Ethics Questions

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/santorum-surge-brings-ethics-questions/story?id=15287424

QUESTION: What are your thoughts on the Iowa Caucus results and the latest developments in the GOP race?

County Clerk Quits over Same-Sex Marriage

In July the state of New York began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples.  But one local official did not go along.  Laura Fotusky decided to resign as town clerk rather than violate her conscience by facilitating same-sex marriages. Laura, a member of a non-denominational church, said that the Bible “clearly teaches that God created marriage between male and female.”

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo responded to Fotusky’s resignation, saying: “The law is the law, and when you enforce the laws of the state, you don’t get to pick and choose.”

Fotusky told her supervisors that she had a different mandate: “I had to obey God rather than men.”

 

 

(From WORLD magazine, August 13, 2011 issue, p. 10)

Topics for "The Moral Side of the News" Broadcast on Sunday, December 4, 2011

Below are the topics for "The Moral Side of the News" program broadcast on WHAS-TV at 5:30am and FAITH CHANNEL at 12:00nn on Sunday, December 4, 2011.  The program also airs on various Clear Channel radio station in Louisville on Sundays at 7:00am or 7:30am.  The program airs on WHAS 840AM radio at 9:30pm on Sundays.

TOPIC 1:

Jefferson County Attorney to sue U of L over hospital merger information

LOUISVILLE, Ky., (WHAS11)— The Jefferson County Attorney is suing the University of Louisville to get additional information about the possible hospital merger.  The merger proposed is between UofL, Jewish, Saint Mary's and Saint Joseph's of Lexington.  County Attorney Mike O'Connell says he plans to sue U of L because they didn't provide documents related to the proposed merger.  He says there are too many questions about the proposed deal.  The proposed merger has been controversial because of beliefs in the Catholic health care system about reproductive and end of life issues.  The governor has to officially sign off on the merger and that hasn't happened yet.

WATCH STORY: http://www.whas11.com/news/health/Jefferson-County-Attorney-to-su-U-of-L-over--134676363.html

QUESTION: What are your thoughts on this? Should the public be concerned about this merger?

TOPIC 2:

Syracuse Chancellor: Boeheim's Our Coach

Syracuse University Chancellor Nancy Cantor gave men's basketball coach Jim Boeheim a vote of confidence Tuesday amid an investigation of child molestation allegations against his former longtime assistant coach.  Cantor emerged from an economic development conference with state officials and said: "Coach Boeheim is our coach."  Some commentators and sex abuse victims' advocates had said Boeheim should resign or be fired after three men, including two former Syracuse ballboys, accused former assistant coach Bernie Fine of molesting them and Boeheim verbally attacked the accusers.  "Coach Boeheim is our coach; he's getting the team ready tonight," Cantor said. "We're very pleased with what he said Sunday night, and we stand by it."  After initially saying Fine's first two accusers were lying to make money in the wake of the Penn State University sexual abuse scandal, Boeheim backed off those comments in a statement Sunday.

"What is most important is that this matter be fully investigated and that anyone with information be supported to come forward so that the truth can be found," Boeheim said after Fine's firing. "I deeply regret any statements I made that might have inhibited that from occurring or been insensitive to victims of abuse."  Bobby Davis first contacted Syracuse police in 2002 about Fine, but there was no investigation because the statute of limitations had passed.  On Nov. 17, his allegations resurfaced.  Davis, now 39, told ESPN that Fine molested him beginning in 1984 and that the sexual contact continued until he was around 27. A ball boy for six years, Davis said the abuse occurred at Fine's home, at Syracuse basketball facilities and on team road trips, including the 1987 Final Four. Davis' stepbrother, Mike Lang, 45, who also was a ball boy, also told ESPN that Fine began molesting him while he was in fifth or sixth grade.

On Sunday, a third man, Zach Tomaselli, who faces sexual assault charges in Maine involving a 14-year-old boy, said he told police last week that Fine molested him in 2002 in a Pittsburgh hotel room.  Fine has denied the allegations.

CONTINUE READING: http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory/syracuse-chancellor-boeheims-coach-15049434

RELATED STORY:

Syracuse Chancellor Sends Email About Firing

http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory/syracuse-chancellor-sends-email-firing-15037879

Video: http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/syracuse-scandal-coach-accused-15043887

QUESTION: What are your thoughts on the latest developments at Syracuse? What are your thoughts on how the University police handled the allegations in 2002?

Moral Side of the News for November 27, 2011 - Stealing $1M for Gambling and the Penn State Football Scandal

"The Moral Side of the News" - November 20, 2011 - Christmas Shopping on Thanksgiving and Shooting at the White House

"The Moral Side of the News" Topics for Sunday, November 20, 2011

The topics for "The Moral Side of the News" to be broadcast on Sunday, November 20, 2011, are found below.  You may comment if you like.

The program is broadcast on WHAS-TV on Sundays at 5:30pm and on the FAITH CHANNEL in Louisville via Insight at 12:00nn on Sunday.  On radio the program is broadcast on several Louisville stations on Sunday morning at 7:00am or 7:30am; and on Sunday evening on WHAS 840AM radio at 9:30pm.

TOPIC 1

Retail Employees, Shoppers Fight Black Thursday Openings

While many Americans are eager to take advantage of Black Thursday and Black Friday sales, Target employee Anthony Hardwick would rather spend time with his family and started a petition to urge his employer and its competitors to stay closed on turkey day.

Hardwick's petition on Change.org has about 100,000 signatures requesting Target open its doors at 5 a.m. on the day after Thanksgiving rather than at midnight, which requires Hardwick, 29, and other employees to get to work at 11 p.m. Target announced it would stay open from midnight to 11 p.m. on Black Friday.

"A full holiday with family is not just for the elite of this nation -- all Americans should be able to break bread with loved ones and get a good night's rest on Thanksgiving!" he wrote in the petition. "Join me in calling for Target retail stores to push back their original opening time of 5am on Black Friday."

Molly Snyder, a spokeswoman for Target, said Hardwick has never been scheduled to work on Thanksgiving or Black Friday. In early November, he informed his managers that he was scheduled to work at his other job on Black Friday and indicated that he needed the day off from Target, she said.

"We honored that request," she said in an email to ABC News. "Target does our best to work around the schedules of all of our team members, making every effort to accommodate their requests."

She added that Target will offer holiday pay to all hourly "team members" who work on Thanksgiving Day.

"Black Friday is one of the busiest and most competitive shopping days of the year," she said. "We have heard from our guests that they want to shop Target following their Thanksgiving celebrations rather than only having the option of getting up in the middle of the night. By opening at midnight, we are making it easier than ever to deliver on our guests wants and needs."

Hardwick said it was "bologna" that retail employees could not work on Black Friday if they choose.

"No one in retail requests Black Friday off and gets it. It's a blacked out date," he said.

Hardwick said he did not request Black Friday off and if his employer called to request that he work that day, he would comply "and not let my team members down."

When asked why he was not required to work on Black Friday, Hardwick said, "I guess if you start a petition and raise a national media stink" he made clear his preference.

"I didn't start this for my own personal gain," he said. "I started it for my team members and retail employees around the country."

Other stores have one-upped the midnight opening time. Toys "R" Us will open at 9 p.m. on Thanksgiving night for the first time, the retailer announced on Monday. Walmart announced earlier this month its stores will open at 10 p.m.

Meanwhile, Best Buy, Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic, Macy's, Kohl's and Target are embracing a midnight schedule.

WATCH STORY: http://abcnews.go.com/Business/target-retail-employees-fight-thanksgiving-openings/story?id=14963563

QUESTION: What are your thoughts on this?

 

TOPIC 2

White House Shooting Suspect Arrested

A 21-year-old Idaho man suspected of firing a semi-automatic rifle at the White House was arrested today, authorities said.

"On Wednesday afternoon at approximately 12:35 p.m. EST, based on information generated by Secret Service agents from the Pittsburgh Field Office, Pennsylvania State Police Troop A located and arrested Oscar Ramiro Ortega-Hernandez at a hotel near Indiana, Pa.," according to a statement from Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Edwin Donovan.

Donovan said that Ortega-Hernandez was in the custody of Pennsylvania State Police after being found at a Hampton Inn.

The Secret Service fanned out across the country, coordinating with local law enforcement to find the shooter. The agency said that it had received information that Ortega-Hernandez was using certain hotels during his travels.

This morning, a hotel employee reportedly recognized the suspect from photos distributed by the Secret Service and contacted the agency.

The Secret Service said Tuesday that it suspected that a bullet fired in the shooting incident Friday may have hit the White House after a round was found in a window. The agency said they feared the suspect in the incident might be a threat to President Obama.

The round was stopped by ballistic glass behind the historic exterior glass, while an additional round was found on the exterior of the White House.

Police believe Ortega-Hernandez is mentally ill. He has an extensive record, ranging from domestic violence to drug charges. Sources say a police investigation uncovered evidence suggesting Ortega-Hernandez has a fixation on the White House.

At 9:30 p.m. Friday, police received reports of shots fired in the bustling area of 16th Street and Constitution Avenue

Authorities later found a car in the area. The suspect had fled, but what police discovered inside the vehicle left them deeply concerned: an assault-style rifle and empty shell casings.

Police linked the car to Ortega-Hernandez and started searching for him.

Authorities suspect Ortega-Hernandez had been in the area for weeks, coming back and forth to the Washington Mall. Before the shooting, he was detained by local police at an abandoned house. U.S. Park police say Ortega may have spent time with Occupy D.C. protesters.

Obama, who is currently on a visit to Australia, was not present at the White House at the time of the incident, and has been out of town for the last week.

WATCH STORY: http://abcnews.go.com/US/white-house-shooting-suspect-ramiro-ortega-hernandez-arrested/story?id=14966099#.TsQPuD0k6dA

QUESTION: What are your thoughts on this?

Topics for "The Moral Side of the News" Airing Sunday, November 6, 2011

"The Moral Side of the News" is broadcast on WHAS-TV in Louisville, Kentucky at 5:30am on Sunday and on cable Faith-TV at 12:00nn on Sunday. The program is also broadcast on several radio stations in the Louisville area at either 7:00am or 7:30am Sunday, and at 9:30pm Sunday on WHAS Radio 840am.

The program is taped at 1:00pm on Thursdays at the WHAS-TV studios. Persons wishing to view the taping need to contact the Crusade for Children office or one of the panelists.

Here are the topics for this coming Sunday:

Gubernatorial candidates prepare for final debate

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) -- Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear is scheduled for a rare debate with two well-known Kentucky politicians who want to take his job in the Nov. 8 election.

The 90-minute faceoff, being broadcast statewide on Kentucky Educational Television beginning at 8 p.m. Monday, will give Republican David Williams and independent Gatewood Galbraith a final opportunity to confront Beshear in person.

It will be only the second debate between the three attorneys, and it comes with just more than a week remaining before Election Day.

University of Louisville political scientist Laurie Rhodebeck said the public television debate isn't likely to sway a race in which Williams trails by some 30 percentage points and Galbraith by 50.

"I don't think it will matter because of Beshear's lead and what seems to be the public's entrenched negative view of Williams," Rhodebeck said. "If Williams can make himself likable in 90 minutes that might be helpful."

Williams, the long-time president of the state Senate, is aware of the negative perception people have of him, but he blames it on political opponents who have portrayed him as a bully. Galbraith, a Lexington attorney, is hoping voters will get so turned off by the enmity between Beshear and Williams that they will vote him into office.

WATCH VIDEO: http://www.whas11.com/home/Candidates-for-Ky-Governor-take-stage-for-debate-Monday-night-132975048.html

WATCH VIDEO: http://www.whas11.com/great-day-live/video/Joe-Arnold-dissects-gubernatorial-campaign-ads-131334654.html

Williams criticizes governor for ceremony

SHELBYVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Republican gubernatorial candidate David Williams is criticizing incumbent Gov. Steve Beshear for taking part in a ceremony that marked an Indian company's entry into Kentucky, bringing with it 250 jobs.

Williams told a very small gathering at a Republican rally on Tuesday that the incumbent Democrat should not have participated in the ceremony in Elizabethtown with officials from Flex Films, which is building a $180 million manufacturing plant in the central Kentucky city.

In a news release Friday, the state characterized the event as a blessing ceremony that is traditional in India for new homes, businesses or other facilities.

But Williams told reporters the ceremony featured Hindu priests and prayers and said he would have merely attended, rather than actually participated in, the event.

Williams cited his Christian background. Beshear is the son and grandson of Baptist preachers.

QUESTION: What are your thoughts on the gubernatorial campaign and upcoming election? What are your thoughts on the criticism Gov. Beshear is receiving for participating in the ceremony with Hindu priest?

National Guardsmen struggle to find civilian employment

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WHAS11)— With Kentucky's unemployment rate hovering well above nine percent, there's a big push to get residents back to work. This is especially true for National Guardsmen and their families.

Private First Class Robert Mattingly of the Army National Guard is struggling to find a stable job.

“I haven’t been able to find a job until I got a seasonal position,” Mattingly said.

He currently works as a packer for an online shopping company for $9 an hour when he is not active with the Army National Guard. He says he needs a better job to support his future wife and family and that's why he came to a jobs workshop held for members of the

Second Battalion 138th Field Artillery Regiment.

Right now, 22 percent of the Second Battalion is unemployed. Workshop organizers say, if guard members move to other states for employment, it could cause a problem during an emergency crisis in Kentucky.

“If the soldiers have to move out of state to seek employment and they're living in Chattanooga or New Brunswick or Detroit or Orlando, they're not readily available to respond,” Philip Miller of Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve said.

Today's workshop drew service members from new recruits to long time vets like Staff Sgt. Mike Hatfield who has been in the guard for 18 years. He is a fire fighter in Bardstown in the civilian world.

“It’s a small fire department,” said Hatfield. “Until the chief and deputy chief all retire I’m pretty much stuck for the next five ten years at the job I’m at now.”

WATCH STORY: http://www.whas11.com/home/National-Guardsmen-struggle-to-find-civilian-employment-133023543.htmlBoehner.

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2011/11/boehner-gop-blame-senate-democrats-for-stalling-economic-recovery/

QUESTION: What are your thoughts on this? What about the continuous bickering between Republicans and Democrats in Congress?

LMPD chief talks about upcoming departure

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WHAS11)— Louisville Metro Police Department Chief Robert White spoke about his decision to leave Louisville after almost 9 years at a press conference on Tuesday. White has taken a new job as the police chief in Denver, Colo.
Chief White says while he doesn't think the work in the metro is done, he is confident in the department he is leaving behind.
White says this new job in Denver was an opportunity he couldn't pass up even though he and his wife love living and working here in Louisville.
“Denver absolutely approached me. I had made a commitment that I was not pursuing any other jobs as a police chief… But they approached me and they approached me relatively aggressively and after conferring with my wife and looking at where we were as a police department, I just thought it would be a good time to move on,” he said.
Chief White says his last day will be sometime in early December. He says before he leaves, he wants to thank the people who have supported him, his family and his police department.
White would not comment on a possible successor or who he would like to see in that position.

WATCH VIDEO: http://www.whas11.com/home/LMPD-chief-talks-about-upcoming-departure-133027368.html

Chief White makes his way to Colorado

Louisville, Ky. (WHAS11)- Louisville's Mayor says the process is already underway to find a new chief of police.

Chief Robert White announced Friday he will be taking a new job in Denver, Colorado.
White has been Chief in Louisville since 2003.

One of his goals then, was the same as it is now in Denver, to improve the relationship between police and the community, it has been strained in Denver.

This weekend he was officially introduced in Colorado. “I first wanted to thank the mayor for having the confidence in selecting me..will not disappoint you,” says White.

Chief White says he's achieved everything he could here, and will always remember his time in Louisville. His last day will be sometime in December.

WATCH VIDEO: http://www.whas11.com/home/Chief-White-makes-his-way-to-Colorado-132911848.html

WATCH VIDEO: http://www.whas11.com/community/Ask-the-Mayor-Police-Chief-Robert-White-leaving-Louisville-133007183.html

QUESTION: What are your thoughts on Chief White leaving LMPD? What characteristics do you think the next police chief should have? And what should his/her priorities be coming into the position?

The New Health Insurance Law Begins to Unravel - Major Program Financially Unsustainable

The Obama administration on October 14, 2011 pulled the plug on a major program in the president's signature health overhaul law – a long-term care insurance plan dogged from the beginning by doubts over its financial solvency.  The program became the first casualty in the political and policy wars over the health care law. It had been expected to launch in 2013.

"This is a victory for the American taxpayer and future generations," said Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., spearheading opposition in the Senate. "The administration is finally admitting (the long-term care plan) is unsustainable and cannot be implemented."

Proponents, including many groups that fought to pass the health care law, have vowed a vigorous effort to rescue the program, insisting that Congress gave the administration broad authority to make changes.  Known as CLASS, the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports program was a long-standing priority of the late Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Edward M. Kennedy.

Although sponsored by the government, CLASS was supposed to function as a self-sustaining voluntary insurance plan, open to working adults regardless of age or health. Workers would pay an affordable monthly premium during their careers and could collect a modest daily cash benefit of at least $50 (a minimum of $1,500) if they became disabled later in life. The money could go for services at home or to help with nursing home bills.

A central design flaw dogged CLASS. Unless large numbers of healthy people willingly sign up during their working years, soaring premiums driven by the needs of disabled beneficiaries would destabilize it, eventually requiring a taxpayer bailout.

After months insisting that could be fixed, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius finally acknowledged she doesn't see how.  "Despite our best analytical efforts, I do not see a viable path forward for CLASS implementation at this time," Sebelius said in a letter to congressional leaders. 

The law required the administration to certify that CLASS would remain financially solvent for 75 years before it could be put into place.  Officials said they discovered they could not make CLASS both affordable and financially solvent while keeping it a voluntary program open to virtually all workers, as the law also required.

Monthly premiums would have ranged from $235 to $391, even as high as $3,000 under some scenarios, the administration said. At those prices, healthy people were unlikely to sign up. Suggested changes aimed at discouraging enrollment by people in poor health could have opened the program to court challenges, officials said.

"If healthy purchasers are not attracted, ...then premiums will increase, which will make it even more unattractive to purchasers who could also obtain policies in the private market," Kathy Greenlee, the lead official on CLASS, said in a memo to Sebelius. That "would cause the program to quickly collapse."

That's the same conclusion a top government expert reached in 2009. Nearly a year before the health care law passed, Richard Foster, head of long-range economic forecasts for Medicare warned administration and congressional officials that CLASS would be unworkable. His warnings were disregarded, as Obama declared his support for adding the long-term care plan to his health care bill.

The demise of CLASS immediately touched off speculation about its impact on the federal budget. Although no premiums are likely to be collected, the program still counts as reducing the federal deficit by about $80 billion over the next 10 years. That's because of a rule that would have required workers to pay in for at least five years before they could collect any benefits.  "The CLASS Act was a budget gimmick that might enhance the numbers on a Washington bureaucrat's spreadsheet but was destined to fail in the real world," said Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.

Administration officials said Obama's next budget would reflect the decision not to go forward. Even without CLASS premiums, they said the health care law will still reduce the deficit by more than $120 billion over 10 years.

"We're disappointed that (Sebelius) has prematurely stated she does not see a path forward," AARP, [the liberal] seniors lobby, said in a statement.

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