I was reading Saturday's CJ and saw this in the paper.

We have pushed for greater funding, for postsecondary education reforms and for the Bucks for Brains appropriations. We have supported U of L's research agenda, the McConnell Center for Political Leadership (although not the secrecy of its funding), the partnership with United Parcel Service and many, many other successes. (U of L and The C-J)

I didn't know they supported the McConnell Center in any form. It's not really a key point to the editorial, but I've never seen them do anything supportive and this really stuck out to me so I wanted to make sure.

I went to Lexis-Nexus and did a search of the CJ for any articles mentioning the McConnell Center for Political Leadership. Since June 30, 1999, the oldest entry that Lexis returned, there have been 65 articles with the McConnell Center mentioned in the article. Out of these there were a few that mentioned some major speakers that the Center brought to Louisville (Powell, Byrd, Thomas, etc...), one story about a few students at the Center that didn't really show any support for it either, a few Readers' Forums that mentioned the Center (one of which was remotely positive by making a suggestion to a CJ columnist, see more), and all the rest which amounted to about 50 of the articles discuss the Center's financing. Now, I'm wondering how the CJ supports the Center. Even the majority of the news stories on the speakers still contain some sort of swipe at the Center. Now, admitedly, this only goes back to 1999 and the Center was formed in 1991. So, maybe the support the CJ is talking about came during that time period. So, if you know of an article showing CJ's support, please let me know. I'm sure they'd like a framed copy of it down at the Center too.

July 3, 2001
CJ Readers' Forum
Baye's tax refund

Betty Winston Baye's June 21 column, "Bush Dollars,'' did its best to denigrate the $300 tax refund she will receive from the IRS. She offered no credit to President Bush and the Republicans for the refund, but indicated she will keep the money.

If this money so offends her, why not donate the entire $300 to the WHAS Crusade for Children or the McConnell Center for Political Leadership?

A $300 donation to the McConnell Center would allow The Courier-Journal to know the name of at least one contributor. On the other hand, she, too, may want to keep her contribution secret.

CARL KNEPP
Madisonville, Ky. 42431