Gov. Steve Beshear (D - KY) can destroy Mike Pence in Indiana with one edict

[KeepItReal]

Prohibit the University of Kentucky from participating in any NCAA Basketball events being held in the state of Indiana.

[MFrohike]

1. More like himself

Bar UK from playing in the Final Four when they've got an undefeated season going? Yeah, that seems like a bright career move.

[KeepItReal]

2. Because basketball is more important than civil rights?

I guess it's up to the players and coaches, then.

[MFrohike]

4. Sheesh

Any governor of Kentucky who told an undefeated UK basketball team that they couldn't finish out an undefeated season would literally face torches and pitchforks.

If you think Cal and the players are going sit this out, I've got a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you.

What I'm saying isn't about the right or wrong of it, it's the reality of it. UK will play Saturday night in Indy and no amount of wishful thinking is going to change that.

[KeepItReal]

7. Yeah, a UK basketball perfect season, über alles, this season

*Nobody* is gonna be playing basketball in Indiana next year if nothing changes.

[MFrohike]

9. What?

That makes no sense. I'm not sure how you figure nobody will be playing unless you're referring to the fact the final four is held in Indy once every five years and wouldn't be there next year anyway.

You know, I'm not telling you this is right. I'm telling you the truth. If you honestly think Beshear or Calipari could just choose not to play this weekend, you really don't understand how big this is in Kentucky. Basketball is almost everything in that state. They elected a former UK player Secretary of Agriculture solely based on the fact his jersey is hanging in Rupp. It clearly wasn't a good choice, given that he's in prison for misuse of state resources, but he'd still be in office if not for that.

[KeepItReal]

12. Glad to learn the tourney won't be held there next year

It's fortunate for the NCAA, Pence, and the schools in the Final Four that the backlash against RFRA didn't have enough time to affect a venue change.

Arizona's Jan Brewer beat a quick retreat when the NFL threatened to move the Superbowl from AZ if they passed discriminatory legislation.

[MFrohike]

13. There's a more interesting question

Will the NCAA still be there next year? The HQ is in Indy, which is why they play the final four there every five years. Given enough pressure, it may be possible to force a move.

I partly think they did this now to piss off people and because it's too late in the day to move the games. If they'd done this two months ago, pressure could be applied to the NCAA and other venues could maybe be found.

[gordianot]

3. Anything Basketball has the potential to destroy Pence in Indiana.

[A Little Weird]

5. Gov. Beshear doesn't exactly have a stellar record on LGBT rights

His administration is currently fighting the ruling that says Kentucky's gay marriage ban is unconstitutional.

[MFrohike]

6. I'm not sure about that fight

The brief they submitted is kind of a joke. It entirely rests on the premise that the state has an interest in encouraging procreation and that procreation is the sole purpose of marriage. It honestly read like a parody of that line of argument, which makes me wonder if Beshear wasn't trying to tee up the 6th Circuit to utterly demolish such a terrible argument. If that was the case, it clearly didn't work. I just find it hard to think it's a serious attempt on the part of the governor to defend the ban with a such a terrible, and easily disproven, argument.

It's possible it's completely serious, it just makes me wonder.

[A Little Weird]

8. It's serious

Jack Conway (Kentucky's attorney general) has some semblance of integrity and refused to participate in fighting for the marriage ban. So Beshear hired outside counsel to argue the state's case. I agree that the brief they submitted is moronic - but I think it's because they are just grasping at straws since there is no legit, non-religious reason to ban gay marriage. They are on the wrong side of history and the whole thing is just a colossal waste of the state's limited resources. Beshear is much, much better than his republican predecessor, but he is not a progressive.

[MFrohike]

10. Maybe

I'm just not sure. The person who seriously commissioned that brief would almost certainly have to be an idiot. Beshear is not an idiot. I kind of feel like they trotted out a line that would satisfy the wingnuts and allow them to claim they made an effort, while knowing it was complete bullshit. It could be serious, but I have trouble believing a guy as smart as Steve Beshear would sincerely sign onto something that dumb.

As for Conway, it might well be integrity. I'm more inclined to think it's a move to protect himself in a potential repeat against Rand or a bid to succeed Beshear. He'd probably be better off going for the governor's mansion, but I'm so far removed from KY politics that's nothing but pure speculation on my part.

[A Little Weird]

19. Conway is running for governor

Sadly I don't think he has a strong chance of winning as things stand now. The decision to not argue the gay marriage ban appeal will hurt him politically in Kentucky. But his real problem is the republican candidate is popular throughout much of the state.

Beshear is the guy that gave tax breaks for the Ark Park. I think that alone makes him an idiot so I don't have trouble believing he's serious about this as well.

Anyway, I'm not trying to start a fight. We obviously have different opinions. I've been proud of some of Beshear's decisions (especially his support of Obamacare) and incredibly frustrated at others. This is just one that frustrates me.

[LiberalAndProud]

11. To what purpose?

Even if Gov. Beshear were an unabashed proponent of equal rights, which is pretty clearly not the case, taking the team out of the running for the title that someone else will win will only result in political damage to Gov. Beshear. Pence would find it endlessly amusing. It's not a good idea even in theory.

[angrychair]

15. at the risk of sounding rude

The defense in the value of some BULLSHIT college basketball game, that fyi treats college players like slaves while coachs and schools bring in MILLIONS of dollars for their personal benefit, is stunning. It is no wonder we have such a hard time fighting the ripping apart of the Civil Rights Act, women's medical and reproductive rights, Jim Crow-like voter suppression laws and LGBTQ rights and the selling off of our country to the highest bidder and union labor losing ground every day, we are to damn worried about bullshit basketball or football games and what happened on Scandal last night.

All the while, just 50 years ago, there were people dying in the streets for the right to vote and 100 years ago thousands filled the streets and many died to have organized labor and to be treated fair in the workplace.

Fast forward to 2014, we can't skip a basketball game because some people might get mad and we'll have hurt feelings.

[LiberalAndProud]

16. I give two figs for college athletics. But the fans are fanatics.

Kentucky voters care. They won't stand behind a governor who would do this for a principal that they likely don't agree with. The damage to Indiana or to Pence would be next to nil, because the show will go on. The damage will be to the athletes and the school in the form of many dollars. I just don't think it would be a politically effective strategy. It would be highly controversial and in the end it would cost the state a Democrat in the governorship. Regardless of what you may think of the NCAA or college athletics, such a move would be political suicide.

[KingCharlemagne]

14. All four university chancellors should forbid their teams from participating in an event in a state

whose law violates those university's charters. WTF? Why is Wisconsin participating in this? And why Michigan State? I would hope students strike at all 4 schools to shut down the games on Saturday.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

17. Not gonna happen n/t

[SickOfTheOnePct]

18. First, I doubt he even has the power to do that

and second, it would be political suicide for him to do so.

[dbackjon]

20. Fuck Beshear - he is a fucking bigot that should not be a Democrat