Smaller government isn't dreadful

The Lexington Herald Leader is at it again:

"Short term, the outlook is grim. Beshear may call a special session and propose an increase in the cigarette tax to help bridge the anticipated $294 million shortfall this year. This makes sense, both to raise revenue and to discourage young people from taking up the deadly habit."

"Kentucky's Republicans could be good election winners and support an increase to help get us through these hard times. But that's unlikely and Beshear may find himself alone in the governor's mansion making those dreadful cuts."

I can't imagine why they continue to insist that a cigarette tax increase is going to both raise revenue and cut smoking. States who continue to raise cigarette taxes accomplish little more than funding black market terrorists.

Let's get over this already.

The bellyaching about "dreadful" spending cuts is just another sloppy sample of bad attempts at rationalizing Kentucky's bloated government. Again, if we repeal prevailing wage laws and stop doling out unaccountable corporate welfare schemes, we would be well on our way to running a government we can afford.

That would actually be nice for a change.