Governor Andy Beshear

And what you have to do is get dirt on your boots, meaning you got to get out there and show your work.

All right. But you've got to show your work so that people can see, feel, and touch it. Like the signing in the Rose Garden is no longer real to people. Right. You know, one job hasn't been created at the time of the signing. And so what we found is when I was running for reelection in 2023, again, we'd had our two best years ever for our economy.

All right. But you've got to show your work so that people can see, feel, and touch it. Like the signing in the Rose Garden is no longer real to people. Right. You know, one job hasn't been created at the time of the signing. And so what we found is when I was running for reelection in 2023, again, we'd had our two best years ever for our economy.

We were booming, biggest rainy day fund, biggest revenues, upgraded by all the bond rating agencies. But I only started up on my opponent on the economy by about three to five points. And he'd only worked in the private sector one year and actually worked for my law firm during that year.

We were booming, biggest rainy day fund, biggest revenues, upgraded by all the bond rating agencies. But I only started up on my opponent on the economy by about three to five points. And he'd only worked in the private sector one year and actually worked for my law firm during that year.

Yes, and actually did assignments.

Yes, and actually did assignments.

No, and actually did assignments for me. It's a very small world. Yeah. But what we found was that people needed to be reminded. Like we did a focus group and we said, well, what about the battery plants? What about the new paper mill? What about this record number of jobs? And so we got out there to prove it.

No, and actually did assignments for me. It's a very small world. Yeah. But what we found was that people needed to be reminded. Like we did a focus group and we said, well, what about the battery plants? What about the new paper mill? What about this record number of jobs? And so we got out there to prove it.

We made sure the message we were sending when we started that campaign was one of more opportunity. You can't take for granted that you pass three or four really good measures for the economy. You've got to show people how it happened. And then I think a challenge for the Biden administration was if you over-regulate

We made sure the message we were sending when we started that campaign was one of more opportunity. You can't take for granted that you pass three or four really good measures for the economy. You've got to show people how it happened. And then I think a challenge for the Biden administration was if you over-regulate

The programs you put into place, they take so long to create the jobs or get the internet out there that people don't feel it by the next election.

The programs you put into place, they take so long to create the jobs or get the internet out there that people don't feel it by the next election.

Well, the ARPA funds, when they came out, were really flexible. And we put those into hard infrastructure, including expansion of broadband. And it was incredible to see how fast we could do it and how effective it was. So part of the BEAD program, when it was passed, was based on Kentucky. But what we had to do was write about three Encyclopedia Britannicas to the regulators. Right.

Well, the ARPA funds, when they came out, were really flexible. And we put those into hard infrastructure, including expansion of broadband. And it was incredible to see how fast we could do it and how effective it was. So part of the BEAD program, when it was passed, was based on Kentucky. But what we had to do was write about three Encyclopedia Britannicas to the regulators. Right.

who had never instituted one of these programs, which we had. So instead of sending the money and then auditing what we did, watching what we did, overseeing what we did, we had to plan and double plan and triple plan. And because of that, there's not one inch of fiber from the BEAD program that's out there yet. So we as Democrats, we've gotta be honest with the American people about our failings.

who had never instituted one of these programs, which we had. So instead of sending the money and then auditing what we did, watching what we did, overseeing what we did, we had to plan and double plan and triple plan. And because of that, there's not one inch of fiber from the BEAD program that's out there yet. So we as Democrats, we've gotta be honest with the American people about our failings.

I think that the BEAD legislation was amazing. and transformational, but we've got to be practical and say our first job is to get things done, and we've got to set up a way of administering a program that does that.

I think that the BEAD legislation was amazing. and transformational, but we've got to be practical and say our first job is to get things done, and we've got to set up a way of administering a program that does that.

Well, sometimes you need some legislation, but most of the time it's your effectiveness. When people are looking at locating a huge investment, you gotta have the site, you gotta have the power, you gotta have the water, you gotta have the infrastructure, but then you've gotta be able to convince them and give them comfort.