But when that didn't happen and the pension stalemate put a stop on virtually every other piece of legislation in the 2007 session, Williams had intentionally or inadvertantly handed over a boatload of power to the current sitting governor, Ernie Fletcher.
Fletcher can now make the case that the legislature isn't capable of solving Kentucky's problems so he needs to lead. He could find money for water systems around Lake Cumberland, the operation of state parks, prisons, state police, Horse Park arenas, moving a road in Louisville to help with U.P.S. expansion.....all NGE's, necessary government expenditures that are needed right now. "They're emergencies", Fletcher can say, "and I'm going to pull money from the expected surplus to fund them, without the legislature's approval, just before my tough May primary election against Anne Northup and Billy Harper. Don't I look gubernatorial?"

Or Fletcher could stick with his promise to call a special legislative session, probably sometime in late April. Again, that's just before the May primary and would make Fletcher look like he's the guy in power, not the suddenly weakened state legislature. The problem with that, as one of my journalism peers points out, is that if there's no pre-special session agreement on pensions, projects or whatever else the governor wants to discuss, the democratic leadership in the house could simply decide to adjourn as soon as they get to Frankfort. That would save taxpayers a bunch of wasted time and money.

But no matter what Fletcher does, he's back in the power driver's seat. Maybe that's Senator Williams' goal, to help Fletcher get reelected. Maybe Williams thinks Fletcher on the first floor of the capitol will leave Williams viewed as the most powerful man in Frankfort. But that would appear to be quite a gamble and thoroughly dependent on the legislative leaders in both the house and senate proving they can work together and lead, something that didn't happen in March 2007.