When the Kentucky General Assembly proposed an amendment to the Kentucky Constitution removing any inferred right to abortion, many believed that Kentucky would quickly pass the measure. Pro-choice advocates crossed their fingers, hoping Kentuckians would reject the proposal–listed as Amendment 2 on last year’s ballot– and its radically anti-abortion language. When the votes were finallyContinue reading “Amendment 2 and the Attorney General’s Attempts to Ignore the Voice of the People”
Category Archives: Kentucky
Jim Crow’s War in America Continues in Virginia and Kentucky
Virginia and Kentucky stand as two of the four commonwealths in the nation, along with Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. These two states are starkly similar in more than name. Both states have codified criminal justice systems with archaic and unfairly punitive rules. The twin commonwealths both require individual petitions to the governor, who gets to decideContinue reading “Jim Crow’s War in America Continues in Virginia and Kentucky“
Can Kentucky Afford to Restore Felons’ Right to Vote? It Can’t Afford Not to.
Disenfranchisement, or the permanent revocation of a person’s ability to vote, is a punishment written into the very foundations of Kentucky law. The discriminatory clause, a 131-year-old statute in the Commonwealth’s constitution, has a devastating effect on the civil liberties of the more than 240,000 Kentuckians who have been convicted of felonies, as it condemnsContinue reading “Can Kentucky Afford to Restore Felons’ Right to Vote? It Can’t Afford Not to.”
Who Would Win in A Fight: Old Dead Plants or Rocks That Can Melt Your Organs? How Retired Coal Power Plants Could Hold the Key to Kentucky’s Future
The U.S. Department of Energy released a report this September that outlined how hundreds of coal power plants could be converted to nuclear power plants and cited the vast economic and environmental benefits that conversions would bring. The report looked at both retired and currently operating coal power plants across the U.S. and found 157Continue reading “Who Would Win in A Fight: Old Dead Plants or Rocks That Can Melt Your Organs? How Retired Coal Power Plants Could Hold the Key to Kentucky’s Future”
Behind Bars: The Economic Incentive to Incarcerate in Rural Kentucky
For decades in Kentucky and throughout the United States, it has been a commonly held notion that incarceration is predominantly an urban phenomenon. And up until recent years, Kentucky’s urban areas were indeed at the focal point of that phenomenon, incarcerating the largest proportions of their citizens. However, that pattern has altered today, and oddlyContinue reading “Behind Bars: The Economic Incentive to Incarcerate in Rural Kentucky“
Felon Re-Enfranchisement: Balancing the Needs of Strong Law Enforcement and Fair Justice Systems
Too often, political issues are depicted as a choice between two extremes. If you support criminal justice reform, you’re soft on crime. If you support strong law enforcement, you’re a proponent of mass incarceration. The disenfranchisement of former felons’ voting rights has long been stuck in this frustrating type of political conflict. I’ve written onContinue reading “Felon Re-Enfranchisement: Balancing the Needs of Strong Law Enforcement and Fair Justice Systems“
A Left-Wing Approach to the Question of Universal Suffrage
Felons have long been barred from voting in the state of Kentucky. In 2019, Governor Andy Beshear signed an executive order to allow certain non-violent felons to vote. However, executive orders are not permanent and can be overturned by future governors. In Kentucky right now, 15% of Black people cannot vote, and 20% of BlackContinue reading “A Left-Wing Approach to the Question of Universal Suffrage”
Kentucky Stands Alone on Felon Disenfranchisement
Policymakers in state governments often take inspiration from surrounding states to implement changes in policy at home. Doing this gives lawmakers the ability to survey the intentions and effects of a certain policy before taking the risk of passing those policies in their state. This idea was explained perfectly by Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis,Continue reading “Kentucky Stands Alone on Felon Disenfranchisement “
The Kentucky Roots of Marriage Equality in Obergefell v. Hodges
The Louisville Political Review looks at monumental court cases that have defined the city of Louisville, and the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Today we examine Obergefell v. Hodges and its societal impact on civil liberties. On June 26, 2015, crowds gathered in front of the U.S. Supreme Court building, anticipating the final rulings of the term.Continue reading “The Kentucky Roots of Marriage Equality in Obergefell v. Hodges”
The Impact and Implications of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization
The Louisville Political Review looks at monumental court cases that have defined the United States, Commonwealth of Kentucky, and city of Louisville. Today we examine Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, its impact on the physical autonomy and bodily integrity of women, and political and electoral implications. Friday, June 24th, 2022 will undoubtedly go downContinue reading “The Impact and Implications of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization”
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